The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-19

IL company With some friends from
ship board ne started up maxriacs1.
roadway. Constructed BIZ tie native
chiefs for their -Tuzitala-- as An ex-
preston OF their gratitude for his care
over them during the ~ar OF lsSs
Along either side throughout its entire
length are great cocoanue trees. and II
the bush are hanyan. oreadfruit. an
occasional palm and grea. patches o:
wild pineapple: here and there 4 native
village OF q dozen huts is strung along
the roadside. where the half-clad adults
and naked children live In idleness and
perfect eontentment-
ysiiimz." Stevenson's old HOMESTEAD
Is pretentious two-story frame build
ing. surrounded entirely by great lanais
or verandas From the front balcony
the scenery is well calculated to in
spire the poet with sweetest thought
and the novelist with the keenest i'm
agination Overlooking the grea:
growth OF tropical trees, to the little
village now Nesting at the foot Of the
hill as peacefully as lie the bones Of the
great author on top OF Mount vaca. and
away beyond, the ocean, until ii is lost
In the horizon, the picture is one nevsr
to be forgotten. And now, away on top
Of the mountain the author sleeps be-
meath tomb built by the natives as q
token Of their love for the man who
loved them Turn TO the first chapter
of Ruth, 18th and 18th verses. and yor
will read on the one side the native
tribute and on the other Stevenson's
own epitaph as follows:
Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me die.
Glad did I live and gladly die.
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be:
Home is the sailor, home from the
sea,
And the hunter home from the
hill"
l cannot leave the bush" without a
word about the great variety OF birds
that make the air musical with song
from early dawn to eventide. OF the
birds the natives have many super
stitions. The "fuia" and '.veha" are
both considered sacred, the former as
containing the spirit OF god "Moso, -
and the latter containing the spirit Of
god Ali Flu"
The ''sargas'' is one Of the most ex-
quisite little birds on the islands; its
tiny little feathers are OF the gayest
green and blue and crimson and pur-
pie and yellow; it is an untiring song
ster, chattering about in pairs all day
long.
Returning to the city it was difficult
to realize that we were travelling over
blood-drenched ground; yet it was
along this very highway that the great
battle between the Germans and King
Mataafa, commanding the forces Of
King Maleatoa whom the Germans
had deported to place Tamasese on The
throne), took place, resulting in the
killing and subsequent beheading of
sixty German soldiers. the bleached
skulls of a number of whom may yet
be seen about the hut of Mataafa down
in the village.
Apia is the seat of government of
so much Of the Samoan group as is con-
trolled by the German government. 1t
boasts Of public library. a court house
and a number of places dignified with
the name of hotels. Without disparag-
ing the methods of the German govern
ment or criticising its officers, it is
nevertheless true that it is unpopular
with the natives: and while it may be
said for them that they are noble. sim
pie, honest, affectionate, cheerful and
good natured. when at war they are
very demons, knowing no mercy AID
showing no quarter whatever to those
within their power So apparent is this
condition that many of the natives are
seeking new homes on the island OF
Tutuila, now under the United States
government.
The native Samoan is socialist in
its purest sense; the property Of one is.
the property of all. Especially is this
true Of food. For this reason, more
perhaps than the fact that nature has
abundantly provided, he will not work
lest he would be required to share the
fruit of his toll with his less indus
trious kinfolk. 1t becomes necessary,
therefore, to import laborers for plan
tation work from other islands. chief
among which the negroes from the
Solomon Islands are most popular. in
dustrious and subservient to control.
The islands present no particular at
traction for investment, and certainly
none for a home. They are interesting
to visit, have an interesting history
and are inviting as a retreat from the
world.
~ A. A. BROWN.