The National tribune., 1899-07-06
WOMEN IN SAMOA.
Woman Writer Says That Even In War Times They
Have No Cause to Fear.
Providence Journal.

fTOrtdeNce journal.
During the nine years of our life in Sa--
moa neither my mother nor myself ever had
the slightest fear of the Samoans, though
we lived through more than one war and
very exciting panic.
During the troublesome times of 1893 "a
there were constant rumors of an attack
upon Apia by the rebels of Atna. Our
house. Vailima, lay on the road three miles
behind the town, on the mountainside of
Vaea, between the two opposing factions,
and often on busy morning We could
hear the drums of war party; men OF the
Taumasaga Government parity coming
up TO Vailima to skirmish for the enemy in
the woods behind our house. Though we
were well known to be Mataafa supporters,
the Taumasaga men would greet us cor
daily and willingly accept breakfast of
tea and ships biscuits. Then the family
would assemble on the yeranda to hear the
| news, and there would be much joking ard
a lively exchange of badinage, for the
Samoan is a cheerful person and easily
moved to laughter.
Though not afraid of the men, l must
confess to looking with considerable alarm
rifles loaded to the muzzle and pointing in
every direction, as they sat cross-egged on
the mats Hospitality sp, cad for. them and
drank their tea. When they finally de-
parted, with friendly "Alofa," the feu de
joie they fired off in honor of the family was
tluly tIlC DuliSto lASW III oil
directions. -r-
During that time I often went alone or
with party of native girls into the forest
to get certain plant. We would cut off
the leaves, and sitting by a pool of water,
strip the stalks into long white ribbons that
we afterward woye into fans and baskets.
During these excursions we often encoun-
tered bands of warriors, hunting or travel
ing parties of Samoan men. Instead OF
being afraid, we made them useful. begging
them to carry our bundles of stalks or bor-
rowing their terrible head-knives to cut
more.
Late one afternoon / was riding up from
town alone and met a war party coming
down the forest road. They were in fight
ing trim; instead of the graceful lava-lava
that reaches to the knee they wore little
more than a breech clout covered by a
girdle of leaves; on their broad brown shoul-
ders were garlands of green, which they
also twisted about their ankles; tall, sinewy
men they were, polished with freshly
scented cocoanut oil until their bodies
shone like bronze. On their heads they
wore scarlet turbans of the Malietoas, and
they were armed with rifles and dead
tooth knives.
drew my horse to one side in the shadow
of the trees to let them pass, saying, "Alofa
Ali" Greeting, o chiefs). to which they all
replied with the single word "!Sula," that the
dictionary defines as a term of admiration
III NcStitii vi LCduty, tiu
courteously passed on.
Twice | have visited Mataafa's camp in
wartime, and it is not surprising that sc
should be well received there, as it was
known far and vi lie that our sympathies
were on that side, and Mr.. Stevenson and
the grand old chief were friends of long
standing. But to reach the camp we had
to ride through Maiietoa villages crowded
with armed men, who knew our errand.
On one of our excursions, as Mr.. Steven
son, my mother and l reached the last town
on the outskirts of the Taumasage, we
whipped up our horses and passed at a
good pace. On reaching the turn of the
road / heard an exclamation from Mr.
mother far behind us in the center of the
village, surrounded by crowd of armed
men. With some alarm We turned and
galloped back to find that her saddle had
turned, and that these gentlemen had come
to her assistance. Another time, during
a brisk skirmish between the two forces,
wanted to make some sketches, and my