Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-25

ten on the ground. j came
here from New Zealand en-
W route for San Francisco. The
ships start from sydney and
coll at New Zealand and the Samoan
and Hawaiian islands on the way. IL
~ now four days since left Auckland,
and It will take me four days more to
get to Honolulu.
Steamlng Is delightful down here
along the equator, We have nothing
but sunshine, and such glorious sun
shine. AS we coasted the Island Of
savii the largest OF the Samoan group,
the air was fresh and the wind strong
enough TO make II cool and pleasant
The seq was a steel blue, with sllvery
white caps dancing upon It between
us and the shore, and the sky was full
OF white, smoky clouds. Sayll makes
me think Of the Hawaiian islands. II II
long and volcanic but It's volcanic char
acterlstcs are hidden IN verdure. Az
we sailed by II. II seemed like great
Hill Of the shape Of n horse shoe, the
ends Of the shoe sloping down to the
water. Passing this we soon reached
tho Island OF Upolu, on the north
coast Of which Apia Is situated Roth
Upolu and Savli now belong to Ger
many, all thu rest OF the islands hay
ing been given up to the United States.
GERMAN SAMOA.
The Germans, IN their greed for more
land, we're glad to take the two larger
islands, Out here II is thoughp that
We got the best Of the bargain, Both
Savii and Up0lu together are not as
large MS Rhode Island, and they are
OF little value outside their harbors,
which are not good sayll Is forty-seven
miles long and twenty eight miles wide,
and Upolu IL much smaller, Both ISL
ands are mountainous, fertile and well
watered. Like Tutuila, they have been
built up by the coral polyps. aided by
volcanoes.
Az / came into the harbor OF Apia
the tide was low, and / could see
great garden or bed OF coral rising UP
out OF the water, Here and there along
the shore were signs OF cultivation.
There We're groves OF coooanut trees,
ana further up the mountains planta-
tious of cacao. In the green jungle on
the hills | could see here and there
patch Of chocolate brown where the
ground had been cleared for new cacao
farms. Just back OF Apia the white
villa OF Robert Louis Stevenson showed
out, ana above II rose mountain after
mountain of different shades OF green
or blue. covered by the vegetation and
the clouds.
The country looked very beautiful In
the tropical sunlight. The sky was full
or fleecy masses. Here the shadows
turned the sea to green, and there to
navy blue, while upon the land they
made mass Of light and shade. add
ed to by the fresh green crops shining
out OF The old green forest. Close TO the
waters edge were what from our
steamer looked like vast cornnclds,
which the captain said were cocoa
nut orchards. containing tens Of thou
sands OF trees, loaded with millions OF
nuts
Quite q business is done IN copra.
This cocoanuts are gathered. split open
and the meat taken out. This Is cut
into strips of about 4 by inches. and
dried IN the sun, when Il shrlnks to
abou half that size and Is known as
copra. After drying II Is packed In
burlap sacks each containing about
seventy pounds, and thus shipped to
Europe Gnd the United States II sells
here for about two cents q pound. ana
IN Liverpool or san Francisco Tor about
three cents n pound.
A LOOK AT APIA.
am much disappointed IN Apla.
From Robert Louis Steyenson's letters
and the fuss which the town has made
IN the International history Of the re-
cent PAST ! expected 20 nnd II a city.
II Is a shabby little village OF $50 for
eigners There are 200 British and 100
Germanr with q few Americans aud
French for good measure. The town Is
rlght on the sea, and Il runs around the
harbor, 1t Is made up OF bungalow
shaped buildings rooted with galvan-
lied iron. a great crowd of Samoans
came down 70 greet the steamer. and
the whole population OF foreigners was
out for the same purpose
| went up TO the TNoli Hotel and
have made this my Headquarters dur
ing my stay The town itself il easily
exhausted II has a half dozen busi-
ness houses engaged in shipping cacao
and copra and In furnishing the natives
with different kinds OF fancy goods.
cottons and timed s;uffs There are
two photographers. a lot OF consuls and
a bakers dozen or so OF German Off
cials. The Germans are now doing the
bulk OF the trade. and they are gradual
~ gobbling up the plantations.
] rode up 10 Robert Louis Steven.
sons home. II now belongs TO a Ger
man. and the cacao plantation upon
which he sweat 80 profusely was