The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17

| 49,, ~, ...
aus speeu, tne nal. -. sang as they pad
uieu, heeepi"s peiieetl SINE WIN inc
strohes. men VoicesyWers sweet and mar
monized aeigntiuliy' understood enough
ol me samoan language 10 know that the
sung was Ieails poem having Tor IT'S sub
!e.t the u,"sei! Vi d Inieitaih VINO had
| .oushe wen on sea anu ianu' hoped 10 WIN
| FAVOR IN tne eyes pll beautiful white
maiden VINO had come from the North.
Nearly an the samoan songs ana
uan1es ny the way, are poems illustrative
Vi .he hui,iaii passiuiis' as the savage ISL
anuers UNDERSTAND thsh.
Inc canoe was steereh by native who
| stood erect In the stern, using a long,
heavy oar as rudder. His movements
were oirecteu py ah"ther native VINO stood
| III Tue po"' anu VINO ihuicateo oy swinging
paadie 10 tne right or 10 the LETT whether
the boat was TO be turned to starboard or
| port. When the course was to be kept
DEAD anead the paddle was heid perpendic-
uiaris. II was the iunctlon Oh the man
IN the bow to look out Tor dangerous points
III the reet, OF winch tnere were many, ana
warn the neimsmah
| While yet some distance from land the
NOISE OF the SURF as the great sweiis broke
| oh cue reel was numerous me line Oh
U, eaheis, hnaae ailiosl perfectly clear anu
uistinc. ny tne pnospnorescehce' seeiheu 10
DO absolutely unbroken, and, as the canoe
| was headed apparently straight for the
SURF, l wondered IL 1t could be possible for
the craft 70 go through OF over the 1eartul
surge ana escape peing oasned 10 pieces.
by tnls tlme the singing mad ceased, and
!! couid see tnat the natives were watching
.ne man IN the bow intently. while WELD
,ns their paddIes less strenuously than
oeioie. WINE was determined to betray
nv vNiusnce vi lear, must ADMIT tnat cold
eu,iia eHaseu each other up and down my
spine. ana that my scalp stiffened so that
my mar $1,000 up ike bristles in brush
AT me very instant when 1t seemed that
W., we wee ABOUT 10 De oashed 70 pieces in
Tue uoiiihg SUR. tne bowman paddle
swung 10 the leit, the paddlers put in
Few mishty strokes, ana the canoe glided
through hitherto invisible opening to
the comparatively still water beyond. y
le" minutes iater the Keel OF the canoe
siateu On Tue peacn ana WIS sa1e ashore,
puI wondering at my escape from what
nad seemed 10 De imminent danger of be-
ing drowned.
Inc village OF Poloa consists of score
or more OF matched huts built close to the
reet. AS soon as mad stepped ashore
was surrounded by native men. women,
and children. whose only attire consisted
OF lava-lava, or breechcloth, about the
waist. 1 was at once impressed by the
large stature OF both sexes. Few of tire
men were less than SIX feet in height
ana were strongly built as we'll. In this
respect moreover. the women were but
little inferior to the men. They are dark
in color. but not black like Africans,
Guineaman, Ffjimen, or Solomon islanders.
Their features are fine. most of the men
are handsome. and the younger women are
exceedingly pretty. The forms of all are
particularly beautiful.
After some palaverinss- only part OF
which i understood. l waS'escorted to the
hut of the chief of the village. who re-
ceived me with muchfceremony, and who,
having finally understood me to say that
1 wished to spend some weeks on the
island. conducted me himself to the
House of the Strangers large hut that
is maintained in every village for the use
OF visiting chiefs from other villages or
Islands. 1t is invariably kept equipped
with all essentials required for daily use
in an average Samoan household.
Although the hour was late, the chief
ordered that kava was to be- prepared i'm
mediately. One OF the inevitable features
OF all ceremonies in Samoa is kava drink
ing. Fortunately, l had read everything
l could get hold Of about Samoan customs,
and / was therefore. more or less posted
as to what might be expected of me. AS
many Oh the men as could be accommo-
dated inside. possibly forty. entered the
hut and sat down on their heels in a circle
around tue enclosure. whicn. ike all Sa-
the deIieI,tful breezes knoun 40 thn so,,ths
east trades a free sweep through the in
terror. / took a seat on a mat spread on
the pulverized corral hoor OF the hut, at
'n t Ign nan, manu- VI . .ne eh.ei.
natives and sit on INV heels hut having
nearly sprained my knees In the attempt. /
gave it up and just sguatted as nearly in
the proper position as possible.
The women remained outside the hut,
with the exception Of four young girls. who
came in and sat down at one side. In !
front OF these were placed kava bowls and
strings OF kava root. Absolute silence was .
maintained. all eyes being fixed upon the ;
chief and the stranger. 1t was somewhat !
embarrassing but decidedly interesting. !
The only light in the hut was furnished by I
ships lantern. suspended from enc of the
string pices supporting the roof. Its rays
were sufficient to enable me to see the
forms OF the men and the girls distinctly. /
and / must confess that the latter aroused !
within me every particle of instructive ar !
tistic admiration Of which / was capable.
The girls were from twelve to sixteen years
old, but. as is usual in the tropics. were
fully developed. Their limbs were of su-
perb proportions. their feet small, and
their irsteps arched.
The Knvn Dr,pk,,, C,.r.r,o
u.,,o III