The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
MATAAFA AND STEVENSON.
THE YoVELIST's MISTAKEN IDEA or
SAMOAN REBEL.

The present period OF civil commotion in
Samoa Is by no means the first appearance o
Mntaafa In the light OF n rebel. although It is
certainly the first time that his rebellion has
had the label made in Germany" Ten years
ago. when the Berlin act went into effect, this
famous Mntaafa was In rebellion against King
1'aNasese, who had the German support. Five
years ago Mataafa was Vice-King and in rebel
lion against Malletoa Lnupepa. and for this In
subordination he was sent in exile to Jaluit,
where IL appears that he has learnedto kiss the
hand that smote him. and has come back n
lover OF Germany.
Chief Justice Chambers, in his interesting
letter to his brother. makes the statement that
there could be no doubt OF. the fact that one
American trader sympnthized with the Ma
taaGa faction. and Joined with the Germans in
furnishing them arms. As there are but three
American business men on the beach tho
choice is narrow. This reference points to an
explanation Of one OF the blunders Of Steven
son In Samoan statesmanship. when he was
giving his attention to the art OF amateur plots.
II will he seen that there Is a connection be-
tween the two facts.
Stevenson had to make a beginning In
Samoan intrigue. and that beginning was n
pure accident. Just another instance OF the rule
that nothing can go straight in Samoa. Steven
sons account may be read in the vailima Let
teTs. nldJuuld ndu not then eNacUIy reDeleu
against Laupepa. but he had withdrawn with
much dignity from the shabby court in Apia
and had established his own court at Male.
severnl miles to the westward along tho same
north coast of Upolu. 1t was by no means certain
that he would rebel. He had ceased friendly
relations with the Government and had gone
away to avoid the insults which the irreconcila-
bles ofthe Malietoa party heaped upon him. The
Consuls had hopes OF patching up a peace be-
tween the two monarchs and OF preventing
conflict. Mataafa was by no means certain
that he could start a rebellion. 1t all depended
on his ability - secure ammunition. and that
depended on the disposition OF a few Of the
traders. Foremost In the list of these valuable
allies OF the savage tribesmen was the Ameri-
can trader TO whom Chief Justice Chambers
undoubtedly refers. That man had practically
In his own hands the question OF war or peace
according as he should supply or withhold
cartridges.
Stevenson had little acquaintance with such
practical problems. His attitude was more
%poetical. He saw a man oppressed and insulted
and he felt that It should be stopped. OF all the
brown chiefs in Samoa there was none who
could so impress Stevenson az Mataata. his
courtesy is most graceful. his manners charm
ing. and his station so high that he can almost
AFFORD to be truthful. All these things were at
t~ractive to the man who had written OF the FREQ
clansmen OF the Scottish hills. He found more
to interest him in the comparative greatness OF
Mataafa than in thu undeniab.e feebleness OF
the gentle Laupepa. But up to the time OF this
first entrance into intrigue Stevenson had stood
aloof as a moral sympathizer and not at all an
active participant.
In the Vailima letters 1t may be read how the
household on the hillside inland Of Apia was
young samoan bearing a letter. At that time
there was not much skill in the Samoan tongue
Of the ungrammaticai dialect. beyond which
few, white men attempt the island speech. and
the Bible. he was able to put togsther a few
phrases to serve as a letter. The others were
T mo better tbs e eaIiG}psd. tr This lie Letter Sird 6 . qrer e game ne
there were no houses Of white men; there s1,' ars
la"FHes snort T'' Of the dS' SOUTH sTfn coast nave ~ ups Sb1.
here and there in that mountain jungle run
paths whore nc. eye but that Of a Samoan could
because OF their service in the centuries dur,
ing which Samoan tribes have been at war.
from somewhere with his letter and delivered
1t to Stevenson as 4 secret deed accomplished
away from the sight of possible spies and
that the letter, was not addressed to him either
bore e' the h saperscr 2f 10y nj "Mi sp9 Mea.' or na at least &
that was the way the address was deciphered
yaillma Letters Stevenson diiIates, upon the
Gnesse of the samoans. Here was a letter from
dressed in case it should go astray. To pre-
vent that danger the sagacious and thoughtful
wife WEh'inIeF g eHf Se the the BEARER bearer 'h priR RSta'iR i@str naaf9ss;
as to the delivery OF the discriminating docu-
P msR5s ja r4 h n5s s e9rTeSSG2 ataafd S Sss IN eHec eF:
ing this device, He explains that IMisi is the
Things or '""MS I'M 'G Chosen SS% "0'fBS y such iRPV areum MTi
he reached the c11pelusion that a letter ad-
opened by Robert LOUIS Stevenson. a conclu,
sion, in which, the bearer acquiesced. When
slowly and with difficulty extracted through
the cumbersome aid OF the inefficient dictiona-
that the writer was Mataafa, and that so far as
any samoan letter has any meaning at all the
Malie for the holding Of a conference. Know
ipg himself to be OF good intentions toward
sider rai'i to be u me St'% a Gisg nqG w mot at n ali fS DE-
served. Stevenson wrote II reply that he would
come; The messenger was fed, the reply was
war paths in the heart Of the mountains. avoid
ed al his enemies n ME Of the loyal party and came
At the time appointed for the conference
Stevenson set off with his interpreter and rode
interpreter Is a half caste who writes poetry. is
found If, the English dictionary. utterly mac.
eTIrate at best; end q m%onumepttal liar when he
features OF Charley Taylor have ali been
deyeloped before the Chief Justice OF
lanGhipgIy ,asc%kn2wledged by the young
the cxpedItion began with n misconcep-
ton there was little possibility that the error
could be cleared up with Charley I~aylor's as;
slstance,, Stevenson was cogrteously, received
and cordially entertained, That could not be
Otherwise, for it was Inherent in his nature for
Mataala to bear himself with an air that mas
never failed to charm all those who have come
within its influence. There was q ceremonial
drinking OF kava and speechmaking in which
the store OF Samoan compliments was poured
ont for the. guest, But after all the compli-
ments and the speeches had been spoken there
was no appearance OF real matters Of business
on which to confer. Mataafa. talked OF his
wrongs. and Stevenson agreed, that he had
fallen on evil lines. The chief declared
wa. driven into il by his, enemies, and
port. moral support had very little interest for
Mataafa; the thing he needed was ammunition
iOr, his rebellion no mere literary man coulL
be half SO useful TO him MS q man who Kent a
Ing definite in this visit. Mataaln did not come
70 The point, and Stevenson had no idea what
that mint Wns