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

Z. turned inland to meet their friends adj
| Vancing from the south, and here in
Seumanitafa's house they captured TUT
Samoa, chief of some note belonging
to Falealil 1t appeared for the mo-
ment as If the Tanu people were to give
up without firing shot, when suddenly
the roar of musketry close at hand told
a different tale. The Mataafa people
| VINO were much scattered at this time
We're taken by surprise. With rush
the main body of the Tanu army
emerged from the trees and native
houses and sent the Mataafa men back
on the run. Though the Tanu people at
TINS point were inferior in numbers
they boldly commenced the battle, drv-
| ing the Mataafaites before them as far
as the Tanu fort, which had first been
captured. There a stand was made.
The Tanuites advanced as far as .he
supreme court building. Several were
wounded in this encounter, and imme-
diately the battle became general, vol
ley firing being heard across the Vais-
gano and in the neighborhood of Moo
tua-tua, and also at other points. A
number of whites, who thought that a
general surrender was about to take
place, We're mixed up with the Mataafa
party before this skirmish commenced
and, after the first alarm, they were
very fortunate in getting behind the
Tivoli hotel, which was pierced by sew
eral shots.
BY this time it was nearly dark and
the line of burning houses was getting
painfully close to the Tanu people,
whose wounded We're being carried into
the Mission house close to the Tivoli,
to be guarded by the marines of the
Porpoise and attended by her surgeons.
During the retreat of the Mataafaites
two of their number, Drawer perhaps
hni f-in
themselves behind some stones on the
peach near the hotel, and there gave
battle to many of their red turbaned
opponents, who were much better shell
tered. Believing they were about to
be killed or taken, both dropped their
guns and ran into the sea, swimming
with all their strength while being
pelted with shots from more than 20
rifles. One of the poor fellows was hit
before he had gotten beyond the shall
low water of the inside reef: the other,
perhaps younger and stronger, managed
to get beyond easy range and finally
reached shore in the midst Of his friends
near the cathedral. Without any ado
the wounded or dead man on the reef
was beheaded. and the CHASTITY trophy
carried ashore in triumph
Negotiations We're opened with the
Mataafa chiefs and after the people had
surrendered their arms to the warship
they pulled directly ashore to Mulimni
giving up their boats to the victors and
entering one of the enclosures to re-
main until their fate was decided. Tam
asese, Tanu and one of the lawyers and
several others who probably though.
they had good reason to fear death.
stayed on board the ship.
The pillage of Apia occupied two
days. Every native house in the village
was entered and its contents either de-
stroyed or carried away. Some houses
were preserved unnjured to be carried
to Mulimni and occupied by their new
owners. Not a single thing of value
was left, except such as the women
and children had been able to take to
the mission premises and into the COM
pound of Mr.. Moore. At the first place
guard from the warship protected
them from further robbery, and at the
latter place Mr.. Moore was able to
shield them by his personal influence
with the Mataafa party, with whom he
has always been identified.
Every canoe and boat in the Apia
district belonging to native was car
red off, as was every horse and COW.
and even every dog. and all clothing.
and every bit of Notwithstanding of
value being left.
About 10 persons were killed and %
wounded during the short fight. The
Mataafa forces consisted of $500 armed
men, and the Tanu forces, including a
number of people captured in the town.
who claimed not to have taken part il
the fight, numbered in all, 1904.
The Tutuilla people are unanimously
for Mataafa, but a very few families
being related to the Maietoa faction
These people were so far away that
none of them took part in the war A
careful estimate of the strength of the
two parties shows that the Malietoa
faction represents per cent and the
Mataafa party SO per cent. of the whole
people of Samoa, except those of Ma
nua. who took no part in native polit-
ical affairs.
On the 3rd of January the three con-
suls, the commanders of the warships
Fake and Porpoise. and President Raj
fel met to discuss the situation, and il
was decided to form provisional gov
eminent. awaiting the decision of the
treaty powers. DR.. Raffel was so be
the executive officer of this government,
which was to consist of Mataafa and IS
principal chiefs. The government so
formed had plenty Of difficulty to cone
with, for Tanu and Tamasese and some
others were still on board the Porpoise,
and many of the troops refused to stop
pillaging or to leave Apia until they
were first surrendered.
On the evening of the Bird it was an
nounced that the natives were about
to attack the Mission premises, then
held by guard of 80 sailors from the
Porpoise, for the purpose Of getting the
arms belonging to the chiefs. who had
been concealed there and who had sur
rendered the previous day. The story,
however, was without foundation. but
for a time it caused considerable ex-
element.
On the morning of the 4th the chiefs
of the Mataafa party demanded any
guns that might be concealed in the
Mission house. and on the solemn assur-
ance of the captain and lieutenant of
the Porpoise that there We're none there
they desisted from further opportunities.
At a. m. Captain Sturdy decided to
withdraw his men, such withdrawal
leaving the women and children of the
depleted party who were there entirely
at the mercy of the conQuerors, who.
according ito Samoan custom, would
strip them of all they possessed. Prasi-
dent Raffel with the assistance of Mr..
Moore, got together a sufficient auarJ