Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-07-19
THE "TANIFA" OF SAMOA. F.:
BY LOUIS BECKE.


ltl close of an intensely hot day,
set out from Apia, the principal port
of Samoa, to walk to a village named
Laulii. few miles along the coast.
I was bound on a pigeon-shoOting
trip to the mountains, and intended
sleeping that night at Laulii with
some native friends who were to join
NE farther on. Passing through the
semi-Europeanize town of Matautu,
[ emerged out upon the open beach.
With me was young Polynesian
aaf-caste named Alan, about % years
Of age, and one of the most perfect
specimens of athletic manhood in the
South Pacific. For six months we
aad been business partners in a small
cutter trading between Apia and Sa-
vaii-the largest island of the Samoan
group. Now, after some months of
toll, we were taking a weeks holiday
together, and enjoying ourselves
greatly, although at the time the
country was in the throes of an in
ternecine war.
A walk of a mile brought us to the
mouth of the Vaivasa river, small
stream flowing into the sea from the
littoral on our right. The tide was
high; therefore we hailed a picket
stationed in the trenches on the OPP
posite bank, and asked them in joe
ular manner not to fire at us while
we were wading across. To our sur
prise-for we were both well known
to the contending parties and on very
friendly terms with them-half
dozen men sprang up and eXcitedly
babe us not attempt to cross.
T.
to our olo Qines) in a canoe" added
a young Manono chief. whose family
I knew well. ''There is tanifa about.
We saw it last night"
That was quite enough for us-for
the name tanifa sent cold chill down
our backs. We turned to the right,
and after walking quarter of mile
came to a hut on the bank at a spot
regarded as neutral ground. Here we
found some women and children, and
q canoe; and in less than five minutes
we were landed on the other side, the
women chorusing the dreadful fate
that would have befallen us had we
attempted to cross the mouth of the
river.
sc lima gaia lie umi!" "'Tis FIVE
fathoms long!'O cried one old dame.
sand a fathom wide at the Shout
ders," said another lady, with shud-
der. cit hath come to the mouth of
the Naivasa because it hath smelt the
blood of the three men who were
killedjn the river here two days ago."
'We1l hear the true yarn present
1y,'' said my companion as we walked
down the left-hand bank of the river.
.There must be a tanifa cruising
about, or else. those Manono fellows
wouldn't have been so scared at us
wanting to cross"
AS soon as we reached the young
chiefs quarters we were made very
welcome, and were obliged to remain
and share supper with him and his
men-all stalwart young natives from
the little island of Manono, a lovely
spot situated in the straits separat-
ing Upolu from Savaii. Placing our
guns and bags in the care of one OF
the warriors, we took our seats on
the matted floor and filed our pipes;
and, whilst bowl of kava was being
prepared, Lilo, the young chief, told
us about the advent of the tanifa.
Let me first explain, before giving
the chiefs statement, that the tanifa
is somewhat rare and greatly dread
ed member of the shark family. BY
many white residents it was believed
occasionally to measure from 90 to 2;
feet in length-as a matter of fact il
seldom exceeds ten feet; but its great
girth, and solitary, nocturnal habit
have invested it, even to the native
mind, with fictional powers of vo
racity and destruction. However, al
though the natives accounts of the
creature are exaggerated, it is really
dreadful monster, and is the more
dangerous to human life because o.
the persistency with which it fire.
quents muddy and shallow water a
the mouths of streams, particularly
after o freshet caused by heavy rain
when its presence cannot be dis
cerneG.
Into the port of Apia there fall twt
small streams-called rivers by tn,
local people-the Mulivai and the
Vaisigago. 1 was fortunate enough
to see specimens of the tanifa OF
three occasions, twice at the Vaisi
gago and once at the mouth of thu
Hiulivai; but I had never seen on.
caught, or even sufficiently exposed
to give an idea of its proportions
However, many natives particular,
an old Raratongan named Hapai, whs
lived in Apia and was the proud cap
turer of several tanifagn me re
.zzable dcscript ton, which ! aftervard