The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23

SAMOAN FIGHTING TACTICS.
The Natives Fearless of Death but Easily
Dispirited ny n Wound.

wv
Dispirited ny n Wound.
The repeated use Of the words ambush" and
'ambuscade" in the accounts OF the recent
fight in Samoa makes 1t more than a little
difficult to grasp.the circumstances from the
the scanty,details. II by ambushts meant what
word has always meant In Indian warfare.
then 1t does not apply. for the Samoan docs
not fight sha, way. His tactics In war are very
simple. At the beginning he establishes him.
self in some shelter which will protect his
own skin. This may be a convenient stone
wall. or 1t may be a Samoan fort. The forts
are usually buikheads OF tree trunks thrown
across some steep valley which has natural
protection against being turned or taken in
reverse. The wooden wall is backed by earth.
and at convenient intervals are places where
a good marksman might command the line OF
hostile approach. But when the combat has
passed the early stage OF resisting an attack
the Samoans seek to carry the 6eld by force OF
numbers aud the i'm petuosity Of their rush.
In this there is little OF the real idea OF an
ambush. and few Samoans could restrain
themselves long enough to.admit OF a success
full ambuscade. The probable meaning Is that
to tho marines and sailors all bush fighting
with savages seems amhuscade. In the only
other instance in which the samoans have VEN
tured to oppose the regular forces OF white
people, tho slaughter OF the German sailors In
1873 on the beach at Fangalii. the result was
due to the faulty OF the foreigners. who coasted
along within pistol shot Of the beach. making
themselves conspicuous by their white uni
forms and showing themselves so distinctly
that the darkness OF the night was no veil over
their secret expedition. When people fight
savaRes In that way almost any ap-
pears as an ambush.
There are two German plantations on tho
outskirts OF Apia. each the property OF the
urAaf fAFmnnv trading COmIAny known To-
cally as the German, Firm, One Is the planta'
ton OF Nailele. adjoining the municipality on
ton. which is Just beyond the, western bound
arv OF the municipality. The present &C.
was the scene OF the conflict. Yet as the two
plantations are in a high state OF cultivation
coed roads in Samoa. the conditions under
which the battle was given should have been
altogether in favor OF the naval forces and as
There appears to be some likelihood that the
combat was on the vailele plantation. TO the east
| to have Ioined itself to the Mataata side. The
been arrested on the charge OF aiding the saw
ages 10 still more Of an aTEumen. tor the SANE
the former troubles OF eleven years ago. The
Vaitele plantation is under the administration
and far less likely to lay himself oren to sus-
rlcion; Tiedemann was promoted from a little i,e
] CIerkSnlp TO MS pTpScul pltCe. anu cdITlos WIN
man ' som@ercial man. The msnaeer Of The
yailsL; pl9nta.iq o oo WAS m,n a s ~ ,n ce s2sRs ,b and
tations Mi their barracks with black laborers.
much more likely, to DO found urging the saw
ages onward in the attack on white men; -.
plainly dis, Iosed in the brief story Of the fight.
They Illustrate a REGULARITY OF the sam Dan
tnr in tho fana nf an OnAmV ThA SamOAn Ia
any eneounter unless the odds are al! in hIs
him. and he hates to leave cover and to CONS
out into the onen. Yet there are circpmii
the ferocity Of an Apache and be Just as cruel
and savage. It seems to be due TO the TACT
that ss, the is1aD fs. y,l hsye g, AZ, i inyer,sa t "a ns4,
fearlessly, in battle and 10 disease; they seek
texts Of annoyance, and in sheer tedium. OF
life they have i IN their power to think !;
a fatal ending in battle cannot. therefore. re.
strain such peunle from the attack. Yet at
the h, sam; q ,s. time own thf iIv s.t tSes ss * ssen ssf IN sG deadly ssGf;
E EiIied o. but S9" sn.y dislike to b hurt; 4 ~
tne wounded can never be counted on as z
outward signs Of The hurt have passed away.
Holding such. ideas as to fighting. towards
when II comes 10 enduring mere pain ana an
~solutely careless when 1t comes to meeting
death. the Sarnoans must always prove sur;
urising to the white men who become involved
in their n~uarrels. This will account for, the
stand made by the Samoan tribesmen which
left them in possession of the field. They
had, killed the leaders. they had taken the
heads OF two Of them. and according to Sa-
moan ethics the fight was won. and the sailors
should have withdrawn. But when the sail
ors renewed the attack the fighting rage was
on the islanders. together with the en-
enlargement of victory. and they. made a
stout stand to hold their position. Yet when
the white forces withdrew TO their ships il IL
safe to say that the savages no longer cared
to hold the place they had been so lercely de;
Tending, In their own custom they would
break up into small PARTIES and scatter to vari,
GUS points where they might get pigs and tarc
for a feast.