The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
OUR FLAG over 4U7UILA
Much Interest Taken by the Ma
lives in the Ceremony.
Chiefs From Many Villages Particle
faction With American Control Is
Furnishcd-Some Experiences of
Correspondent Afiont and Ashore.
(Special Cnrresnondence.l

| Especial COrrespondence.)
| PAGO-PAGO. Tutuila, May 6.-That the
| natives of the section of Samoa which has
come under the control of the United
States Government are entirely satisfied
with the change in their political status
| was shown conclusively by the interest
they manifested and their general partici-
patton in the ceremony Of raising the Stars
and Stripes over this island last month BY
the first American Governor, Commander
Benjamin F. Tflley.
There was always much dissatisfaction
with the triangular government by Eng
land, Germany, and the United States
both at Apia, the capital. and on the other
| large islands, for the reason that the ma
tives never really comprehended SO COM
! pick a condition as was arranged by the
! Berlin Convention, and they never knew
| to just which power they were responsible,
or to which they were to look for protec-
| ton. They have always been more friend
ly to Americans than to Europeans, and
the people of Tutuila and Manua the ISL
ands assigned to the United States in the
partition of the archipelago, are more than
pleased with the new order of things.
was hoisted by the Governor was grown in
the pine forests of Maine. 1t is eighty
feet long and is what sailormen call a fine
stick. 1t was prepared at the Norfolk ma
Wy yard and was brought here on the deck
of the Abarenda.
1t doesn't take long for news to travel
from one part Of the island to another, and
| when Governor Tilley announced that the
| native chiefs would be invited to take part
in the ceremony of raising "Old Glory
the word was passed quickly to every viii
lage. Tasita, of Pago-Pago; Mua, of Po-
loa; Fol. of Abego, and Tahua, of Parena,
all came with scores. and in some cases,
with hundreds of their followers. Nest of
the natives wore the usual costume which
consists of breech cloth and pleasant
smile. although few of the chiefs, in
honor of the occasion, were attired in
white duck, while very few Of the older
women appeared in mother hubbards.
The ceremony was brief and after the
flag had waved its pretty folds in the balmy
breeze, all hands set to work to reduce
the quantity of Kava that had been pre-
pared.
The new naval station here is almost
completed. as are also the new landing
wharf. coal sheds and handling apparatus.
All these structures are of steel. and 1t is
gratifying fact that most of the work Of
putting them together was done by ma
tives. Samoans, as rule, are averse to
work of any kind. Nature it seems, never
intended that these people should perform
manual labor. They are lotus-eaters IL
ever there were any. They don't wear
any clothing to speak of and all the food
they need practically falls upon their ia
bIes ready to eat
Surrounded by Reefs.
The Island of Tutuila is certainly one Of
the most beautiful of the Samoan group.
and one of the loveliest of the thousands
OF exquisitely lovely isles in the wide
South Seas.
Like nearly all South Pacific Islands the
soil, OF almost marvellous richness, is COM
posed chiefly of disintegrated lava. resting
upon foundation Of coral. 1t is sur
rounded by shelving coral reef. which
extends seaward from the shore to dis
lance varying from half mile to FIVE
miles. Beneath and beyond this reeef the
ocean is very deep, and as vessels dare not
approach the island closer than the outer
limit of the reef there are practically no
safe anchorages outside of the harbor Of
Pago-Pago. The reef is so close to the
surface that its irregular and jagged form
alton is exposed in many places at low
water. and captains Of vessels always give
the island a wide berth save when bound
for this harbor.
Tutuila lies in almost straight line
south from Honolulu, IL degrees below the
equator. 4 few years ago when ! first
visited Samoa the monthly steamers plying
between San Francisco and Australian
ports. by way Of Hawaii, laid course due
south from Honolulu to Auckland New
Zealand which took them within four or
five miles of Tutuila. At that time the
steamers did not call at Apia, the capital,
which is on the Island Of Upolu, something
more than 100 miles to the westward. They
merely slowed down off Tututila where.
without coming to anchor, the mails and.
when there were any, the passengers,
were transferred TO little copra schooner
the Louise, by which they were carried
10 Apia The Louise, by the way, was the
most remarkable craft that ever sailed
within sight of the Southern Cross, but as
MI. Kipling would say, that is another
story.
1t was late at night when the Mono
wal come to a stop-off at the native viii
lage of Poloa. While the ship was still
making good Roadway, We were astonished
to see a score or more of tattooed and al
most naked natives come clambering over
the rails to the decks, to sell trinkets to
the passengers. Where they came from
and how they managed to get on board
were mysteries. until Captain Carey ex-
planned them. The natives. he said. came
out in their big canoes TO meet the steam
ers and always managed to make line |
fast long before the vessel came to a stop |
One man would go UP that line like flash, |
hand over hand. and would pull up after |
him a crude ladder, which he would at
tach to the ships rail for the accommodate |
ton of his companions.
The trinkets consisted Of FANS curiously |
and Enthusiastically woven of palm leaves,
shells Of many kinds, war clubs, pieces OF
coral. and strips of tapa, or native paper
cloth. These were sold at prices ranging
from shilling. English money. to a Chi
lean dollar, worth in United States coin
about 10 cents.
A lively business was done for the few
minutes that the ship remained at stand
still. When the signal was given for the
engines to go ahead again the rope ladder
was cast off, and the natives, one and all,
leaped over the rail into the sea to swim
to their respective canoes. When | spoke
of this feat afterward to Capt. John J.
Read, of the United States steamer Iro-
quois. and asked him If the natives were
not sometimes drowned, he said:
You cant drown a Samoan any easier
than you can drown a fish,"
Hnir-RnisinH Boat Ride.
There was a heavy swell setting shore
ward when 1 stepped. or. rather. plunged
from the companion ladder into the stern
sheets of a big canoe, manned by twenty
four native paddlers, whose sleek, naked
bodies fairly cleaned like Furnished bronze
in the lights from the ships ports Ten
minutes later the Monowai was out of
sight. and the canoe was headed for the
shore.