Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-08-30

their presence known. one by barking
yiciuusly and the other by cndeavorlng
to lick our faces, when again my cane
wns used to good advantage IN Keep,
ing them at a respectful distance Ana
there was Moses's farm. consisting or
not more than half an acre Of talo ana
probably two dozen hills OF sugar cane
surrounded by "a jungle OF cocuanut,
bread fruit, asi or mumy apple ana IN
Vulnerable kinds Of unproductiVe trees
and brush.
4 few feet from the house in which
we sat stands another but much
smaller hut Of similar construction
called the "umu', or cooking house
and as IL is customary with us %
expect II feast when we visit farm
our interest naturally center In THIS
IN the center OF this 'umu' hut stands
a pile Of volcanic cObble rock. gray IN
color from having been heated 40 many
timcs.an on "A closer inspc elton OF the
Pile We found that II rested upon
number of sticks Of wood, which latter
an a shallow hole In the earth under
meath.
While Moses grated several cocoa
nuts and rang the milk from the pulp
with the assistance Of a bunch OF CO.
coanut fbcrs, Telona lighted the wood
under the pile OF rocks. and soon pros
poets looked very bright for securing
pur expected feast. Cooking utensils
consist Of the aforementioned butcher
knife. one wooden dish holding as
much as a small bread pan, and good
supply OF banana. and breadfruit
leaves. a few well matured breadfrult
were placed upon the pile Of rock
which IN the course Of n few moments
are thoroughly cooked by the flame
that went creeping up around them.
When done they are peeled with
small stick in the hands of Moses,nnd
being placed In the wooden pan were
thoroughly mashed with green
breadfrmt on the end OF STICK IN
very much the same manner that po-
tatues IRE mashed. The mixture then
resembles n pan OF dough. over this
were poured the CoCpHmilk or juice
mixed with little sea water in which
our host plunged hls hands, breaking
the dough into small entable pieces.and
we held our plates which in this case
We're small banana leaves and re-
Ct,Vcl our portion Of "taufOlo," the
dalntost of Samoan dishes.
as we finished this first course of
our meal a young man and his Vile of
the village appeared on the scene bring
Ing with them a basket Of ripe ba-
| nanns and one Of ash, and Joined the
preparation OF the articles to be
cooked. While Moses prepared some
| brt ndfrult the young man peeled some
| osi,which he sliced and wrapped in
| banana leaves, and the woman busted
| done by holding half dozen small
| talo leaves in such IA manner that they
VIII hold liquid, into which she
poured small quantity of coconuut
juice and sen water wrapped the
Whole alternately In banana and bread
rWt leaves.
IIy the time the food is prepared the
wood is consumed under the now red
hot rocks, letting them down SO that
Instead OF forming pile they line the
sides OF the shallow hole. on these
rocks were placed the several articles
OF food to be cooked including some
cheftnqts. an abundance Of which are
found at this season. on top of the
food Is first placed some fresh, clean,
banana leaves the whole being COW
cred with several armsiul OF dried
leaves and rubbish II takes about an
hour for our meal to thoroughly cook.
which, when done. we sat cross
legged around in the little hut and en-
joNsd without seasoning other than
the little salt found In the pulusami.
In conversation with Moses we
learned that he is now living with
his 18th or 26th wife, he does not re-
member which; and In all his marriage
experiences he has had but two chill
dren, boys, both of whom are dead; so
We find that Telonu. "Moses sboy." is
not Moses's hoy AZ all, but some other
fellows boy"
In years past this man lived in
Page Page. Tutuiln, where is located
the best harbor in the South Seas in
which the many men Of war that tour
these waters sometimes lay for weeks
and months 1t was here while
acting as a sort Of provision agent
that he picked up number of
English words, a few of which are
quoted above. He has many letters of
recommendation in his possession from
the captains Of the several vessels one
Of which reads as follows:
Page Page, Tutuila. 1896.
"The bearer of this Moses. having
supplied us with many Samoa Injuries
for which he has duly received cash in
hand, we cheerfully recommend him to
all desiring his services AZ being the
greatest lyer in the South Seas. We
know not whether to attribute this to
his ignorance or to a sheer desire on
his part to sin, we only know that the
| evil Is present with him to an alarm
ing extent.
Captain.
But Moses Is a much better man
nowadays than this represents him as
being. n. G.. STRlNGAM.
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