The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-22

| and the assurances the German consu
general had given him, decided that
was incompatible with the honor q
Germany that Mataafa should be kin
of Samoa therefore he was ineligible
and Tanu being the only other candi
date in the field, was declared king o
| Samoa.
The missionaries and the attorney
were full of glee but almost the Who'll
| body of the Samoan people were great.
cast down.
But this situation did not endure long
| On the afternoon of this very day, thS
31st of December, the Tanu-Tamasest
party commenced the erection O
breastworks in the west end of Apis
across the road. while about 800 yards
| distant a detachment of Mataafaitee
| took up a position, threatening these
| works.
| At p m. % very large boats, being
| a part of the Mataafa navy, crossed the
| harbOr asd landed just beyosd MateutC
point Being expostulated with by the
| British consul and captain of the Por-
| poise, they proceeded about mile fur
ther away and landed at Asi, a deserted
village. This party was about 1900
strong and many of their boats were
over so feet in length. Ose, probably
the largest boat of its kind in the world,
was 152 feet long and Is feet beam. This
strong party seriously threatened the
Tanu-Tamasese left wing; it was indeed
considerably stronger than their entire
army, which was undertaking. ITO defend
about one and one-quarter miles of sea-
coast.
The night passed without firing, and
until p. m. the next day, January 1st
both sides maseuvered for the advant-
age. The TanuTamasese forces aband-
oned their works across the road and
erected an earth work on the left bank
of the Mulivai, near the Catholic ca
thedral, Mataafa's party following them
closely. The extreme weakness of Ia
NUS party was becoming apparent to
every one. At 9 a. m. the right wing
Of Mataafa'S army moved out of Ma
'tafagatele, burning it before leaving
and driving the Tanu forces out of Mo-
taa up to Vaiala, close to the United
States consulate. So far there had been
no shooting. Al p. m. Mataafa's forces
had approached within 120 yards of the
works of Tanu's army and calmly COM
menced building fort of very consider
able strength At $3.50 p. m. the petty
chief, Tangalea of the Tanu-Tamasese
party. stationed at Mateuto, applied to
the American consul for help, saying
that he had only 100 men to oppose to
a very large force approaching against
him. 1t was his idea that the American
and British consuls could get him as
Slstance from the WarShiDs in the har-
Dor, this idea, it is said, having been
put into the heads of these deluded peo-
pie by one, Of the attorneys. Consul
Osborn inquired where were the 1000
men that they had sworn in court they
had ready at a moments notice. Tan
galoa confessed that they had never
had them. Osborn informed him that
u ~, y I,,. g GS~1,4
other peoples battles; that ehey had
described themselves a few days earl
Ter as being very strong and able to take
care of themselves; if that were true
all was well, if not, then they had bet
ter surrender or fight, just as they
chose to do.
At p. m. news was received that all
the Mataafa forces were in position
completely surrounding the Tanu people,
and that forward movement was to be
made. From the tower of the Tivoli
hotel, which occupied about the center
of the field of operation, the position of
the advancing Mataafa forces could
readily be determined by the columns
of smoke which arose from the differ
ent houses which were burned as they
came on, the Tanu forces slowly re-
treating before them. Near the cathed-
raj both parties were within hail, and
each side appeared anxious that the
other should commence the firing Now
a stalward Mataafaite would waltz out
from behind his fort run some distance
toward the foe, caper about with his
long, two-handed knife, and challenge
them to send a champion to meet him
in single combat. Then a Tanu man.
arrayed in all his savage finery with an
immense red tarban, would caper in
front of his fort and make some often
sive gestures, not peculiar to savages
alone, and dare the other side to charge
to their sure death. In the meanwhile,
the few whites in the neighborhood had
placed their families in their cellars,
and the men of the family were eau
tlously and curiously watching the
whole proceedings from their verandas,
ready to get back into a place of safety
as soon as the first shot was fired. The
excitement grew in intensity. when out
from the Mataafa side stepped four old
men clad in white-flowing garments,
each carrying a stick about six feet
long and about the thickness of an or
binary cane. With these they advance
ed. When talk is desired an orator
advances, leans on his stick and COM
mands attention. These old fellows
boldly came up to the little bridge
which alone separated them from their
foes and, declared that those who wish
ed to live should come over to their
side and surrender their arms, or they
would soon all be headless dead men.
While they were talking, the Mataafa-
ties came out of their fort, and slowly,
almost imperceptibly advanced against
the thin line of Tanuites. who proposed
to defend their works. Finally Fola and
Anane, two chiefs of the Tanuites
jumped over the wall of their Aortress
and ran to surrender to their white
turbaned enemies. Several others fol-
lowed, giving up their guns as they
reached the lines of the Mataafaites.
Meanwhile the old men kept advancing
to the center of the bridge, declaring
that life was safe only for those who
surrendered to their rightful king, the
great chief. Mataafa, the pride of their
race, who would forgive their detection
and receive them again as errng child
rem. Suddenly with a rush the Tanu
works We're carried, and several hum
dred Mataafaites marched up the street,
after disarming their prisoners and
sending them to Muimni. Several
whose believed periuries during the
trial gave great offense came very near
7