Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-03-22
FEATURES OF SAMOAN ISLANDS.

Tutuila is, in many respects, the
most beautiful of the Samoan isles;
| though casual visitors often come
away without that impression, owing
to the frequent, almost continuous
rains, in the neighborhood of Pago-
Page bay, which have tendency to
curtail excursions. 1t lies thirty
eight miles from Upolu, and is the
third of the Samoan Islands in size;
being seventeen miles long, five miles
wide, and sixty miles in circumfer-
ence. It's outline is bold and pictur-
esque and presents striking evidence
of volcanic origin. The island is al
most cut in twain by the waters of
Pago-Pago bay; and the entire east
ern portion, nearly two-thirds Of its
larea, is chain of weli-wooded mount
aims, with an average height of 1000
feet, diversified my massive cones OF
uplifted lava, intersected by valleys
and ravines, and often extending al
most to the sea. Except for the cocoa
nuts upon the shore-line, this portion
of Tutuila can have little or no COM
mercial value. The western portion,
however, though it has the same vol
canic appearance, has greater width Of
area, broader valleys, and higher
mountains. OF the latter Matafu is
the most lofty peak, with height of
1850 feet above the sea-level. From
it one descends southwark to an I'M
dulating plain Of considerable fertil-
ity, some $4,000 acres in extent. This
tract is, for the most part, forest land,
broken by occasional waterways; and
the soil is comparatively rich, produc-
ing most of the fruits and vegetables
indigenous to the group. Beyond this,
to the westward, mountains again pre-
vail; though the country about Leone,
in the extreme southwest, is the rich
est and most populated section of the
island. In Leone bay, also, there is
fair anchorage; and in the settlement
around it several traders of Apia have
agencies. The total superficial area
of the island is 240 square miles, in
habited by about 5000 people,.
The entrance to Pago-Pago bay, be-
tween Breaker point on the east and
Tower Rock on the west, is three
quarters of a mile in width, with
soundings of thirty-six fathoms. With
in it, mile and half from Tower Rock,
and connected with the west bank by
a coral reef, is Goat Island, two acres
in extent; and this marks the en-
trance to the inner bay. The latter
is surrounded by lofty hills, which
neutralize the influences of the trade
winds and render it secure from hur-
ricanes. At various points along the
narrow shore are native villages and
cocoa-nut groves; and low down on
the hillsides breadfruit, bananas.
oranges, taro, and yams grow In suf-
ficient quantity to provide for the
scanty population. Fish is fairly
abundant in the bay; and a sufficiency
of fresh water is usually found in the
small rivulets at the mouths of the
mountain ravines.
Off the southeastern coast of Tu-
tuila, and separated therefrom by a
deep channel, lies the small island of
Annu. This has an area of about ten
square miles and a population of be-
tween two and three hundred; and it
is chiefly remarkable for the alleged
immunity of its inhabitants from the
scourge of elephantiasis, to which the
natives of the other Samoan islands
are more or less subject.
Thanks to their isolated position
and to unsophisticated character
OF their people, the Islands of Manua
group may claim to be almost I'M
known to the outer world. OF the
three islands, Manua or Tau, as it is
sometimes called, is the largest, hav-
ing an area OF about 100 square miles;
olesaga, four miles distant to the
northwest, is credited with twenty
four square miles; Ofu has barely ten.
All are of volcanic origin, and noun
famous; but the soil is so rich that
each appears clothed with vegetation
to the highest summit.
Upon Manua grows the largest
cocoa-nut in the world. Indeed. a
single green nut sometimes furnishes
nearly half a gallon of water.-John
George Leigh in Forum.