Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-03-26
MCMAHON HEARD FROM
IS NOW In LAND OF
The SWARTHY' SAMOA
In a Letter to a Friend Samoa and
Life There are Described
- MOriarty at
PagO-PagO.

Word has come from p. Maurice
at Apla, Samoa, where he
arrived safe and sound" March II.
1--WE landed at Page Page Thursday,
March 10 and arrived at Apia next
morning. The voyage from Honolulu
was fine. with the weather delightful
though hot" says the writer.
AT daybreak we sighted Tutuila. a
heavy black cloud. In an hour or so
IL was an emerald cleaning on the
oceans blue 'buzzum land OF
greenness, from the strip of yellow
sand skirting the shore to the submits
Of the mountains. a couple of thousand
feet high. perhaps. Little grass huts
like birds nests. nestled among the
foliage by the beach-the hills rising
abruptly from II. Soft silence rested
upon all, broken by the steamers
whistle. which woke to life a boat or
two, then a few canoes. all loaded with
dusky forms. Soon they were along
side as we anchored not far from a
gunboat and the Mohican. The sun
shone brightly with just little more
than Hawaiian fervor. thought as I
looked around, would be content to
stay forever in that peaceful little har-
Dor half mile or so wide, couple OF
miles long, with its wealth of verdure,
coy huts and merry people-for every
body seemed to be smiling and laugh
ing. Harmony dwelt there. Just O
narrow road around the harbor, and
that was all of Page Page; very little
land besides. The people live in round
and square grass huts, with mats and
tapas for furniture and decorations;
but in some of them | was surprised to
see sewing machines
The canoes that came alongside the
steamer were laden with oranges, ba-
nanas, ETC.. shells and tapas. Some
Of the men, boys and girls, clambered
up ropes, which the crew laughingly
held for them. to the deck. Then there
was laughter. and chatting in English
and Samoan. Two merry-faced IA.
fines danced the slva-siva, which seem.
ed to me more Italian-like than Hawa.
Ian, as did the songs they chanted.
assure you the hula Is away beyond II.
Who should | see at Page Pago but
Mr.. Morlarty. whom | met at Homo
lulu few weeks before | left theI e,
What a surprise. | dined with him On
the Mohican. At p. m. the same day
We boarded the little steamer Kawan
which rolled like a porpoise. en- route
TO Apia. where we arrived at 6 oclocb
next morning"
THE past four days here at Apit
have been nearly 100 in the shade
though It is an exceptionally no
spell; the average temperature is sale
10 be about so. Apia is little tow
Of 1000 or 5000 inhabitants, with 9
coral reef extending about half mil,
seward and about two miles from
poitn to point OF the bay. yoluptuou!
YsTdure from the shore to the noun
tain tops. half dozen miles away
no barrenness anywhere, everything
seeming in the full blush of spring
with myriads of cocoanut palms
wherever you turn your gaze.
There is no protection in the har
Dor at all, as there is an opening IL
the center of the reef about one-fourtl
mile wide through which the mighty
waves dash when the storms come, a
they do severely at times. Facing thl
opening a few hundred feet from
shore, Is the rusty skeleton of the one,
vain and mighty German battleshil
adler, wrecked in the hurricane o
1889.
"A few big warehouses. and few
small stores ofNa western-town type
with three or four churches and fou
hotels. with saloons attached, form tn
main street; and this is fairly embow
cred in foliage. The rest of the tow
II composed of cottages of a common
kind, and the native circular. opel
dwellings made of tree called ola
mea, and matched with sugar can
leaves, for which purpose the can
seems to be principally grown. Tn
! government, of course, Is German, bu
the halo of native royalty still enciI
| Cles us, as Mataafa and Tamasese favo
us by their royal presences, thougl
Maliatoa-Tanu. crowned King by th
/ Americans and English, is in tn
Fijis.
Back OF the town are good road
and some nice dwellings, with llttl
groups of native houses everywhere
with the men and women seated Hawa
Han fashion therein, the style OF sittin
Of the women, however. differing fron
that of the men. in that they sit o.
! one leg and nurse the other.
THE German colony has about 20
whites and 300 half whites, with 1900
natives; the American colony 5000 ma
tives. 20 whites and about 90 hall
whites-so you see how nativeized "
are.
my health : is improving, appetit
glorious; the heat Is trying at time
however. There is a charming bath
ing place made In the rlyer-sprln
board and cement walk. Certain hour
are set apart for men, and other hour
for women. II is cool Just now, wit
rain pouring. In lltAe while the su
will smile blandly. My aloha to all.