The San Francisco call., 1899-04-28

battlefield. Here Mataafa attacked the
friendlies and Gaunt's brigade Joined
in the engagement and fought well.
-Four bodies of slain rebels were re-
covered. The others were dragged
away One friendly was killed and be-
headed The rebels had a German flag
flying from their forts
About 1000 women and children have
sought refuge at the Maluit station of
the London Missionary Society
The rebels are Selling the traders
rifles, cartridges and stores, and the
traders are fleeing to Apia. Business
is at standstill and a strong land force
is urgently needed.
Won Buelow, formerly a lieutenant in
the German army and the man who or
ganized the forces of Mataafa here,
armed with a sword, gun and car
tridges, proceeded to Savaii with thlr-
teen Boats and 400 rebels. and the Ger
man warship Fake sailed On secret
mission with Herr Rose and the Ger
man Consul on board. Captain Leslie
c. Stuart, commander of the British
third-class cruiser Tauranga, IN the
absence of Admiral Kautz, who was
coaling the Philadelphia at Pango-
Pango, wrote to the German Consul,
urging him to secure Won BueloW, ana
the next day the Fake returned with
Won Buelow on board.
The offer of New Zealand to send
troops to Samoa caused enthusiasm at
Apia. The inhabitants are almost
unanimous in the belief that the Ber-
lin treaty is a failure and there is a
strong feeling in favor of annexation
Prominent American citizens and Brit
ish subjects say unless Mataafa is sub
dued another war is inevitable within
year.
The British third-cIass cruiser Por-
t. Cd In
On April Is a battle was fought at
Mangia, fifteen miles east of Apia
About 1000 rebels attacked Gaunt
landing party. consisting of about 100
men, The latter were subjected to
hot fire and retFeated to the shelving
beach, where they defended themselves
bravely for a time and afterward swan
back to their boats under heavy fire
Chief Aulinangi, with twelve friendly
natives, refused to retire, and charged
into a burning village, driving num-
ber of rebels before him with splendid,
reckless bravery. Gaunts party then
returned to the assistance Of the friend
lies and the whole party retired, with
four men wounded and after several or
the party had miraculously escaped.
The cutter belonging to the party fired
all its Nordenfeldt ammunition during
the fight and the Porpoise frequently
shelled the bush. The rebels had eight
men killed and many wounded. Only
one of the bluejackets in the cutter was
wounded.
A trader fled toward the warship and
succeeded in escaping, although six
rebels took deliberate aim at him as he
was rowing off
On April II a second battle was
fought at Vailelema The fighting was
desperate, the rebels holding strong
fortifications, which were ineffecttVely
shelled by the ships. The friendlies ad-
vanced to the attack with Falioalete
and Dana on the left, Gaunt in the
center, with 100 men from Fuamasanga
on the right. Gaunt's party delivered
such a heavy fire that the rebels re-
treated to a second and stronger fort
about $50 yards back. The Fuamasanga
friendlies bClted but Gaunt craWled out
to the firing line and drove them back
at the point of his revolver They then
advanced to attack the second fort, but
found the position too strong and lost
several men killed and wounded.
Ten shells from the ships burst close
behind the rebels and they sang a war
song after the explosion of each shell.
Gaurt again returned to the attack
and heavy firing on both sides fol-
lowed during which the attackers suf-
fered further losses. Gaunt succeeded
in crawling to within fifty yards of the
fort, but found it too strong to cap
ture, as the friendly supports were un-
reliable. The party then retired in good
order with four men killed and eighteen
wounded, of which number three were
mortally hurt. The rebel loss was not
ascertained, but was probably small.
The Tauranga and Porpoise shelled
the position at sundown, but the re-
suit of the firing is not known. Gaunt's
brigade and a portion of the friendly
supports stood the fire splendidly.
During the engagement Gaunt sue
ceeded in capturing German flag
which was flying over the first fort.
The British Consul, E. B. S. Maxse,
and Mr.. Adel, the surgeon of the Phila-
delphia, were under fire all day long.
further attack was to have been
made the next day. On the return of
the landing party Captain Stuart of the
Tauranga signaled well done, Gaunt's
brigade" and the Americans and Brit
ish cheered the returning party. whose
vivandiers were proudly carrying the
captured German cOlOrS.