The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-26
Copyrighted, Iooa, by Frank C. carpen-

N~Tfs' 49,
ter
Aria, Samoa.
| give you my notes concerning Apia,
tbc capital OF the German colony in Sa-
n,oa, as they were written on the ground.
I came here from New Zealand, en- route
for San Francisco. The ships start from
Sydney and call at New Zealand and the
Samoan and Hawaiian islands on the way.
II is now four days since left Auckland,
and it will take me four days more to get
TO Honolulu.
Stearning is delightful down here along
the equator. We have nothing but sun
shine and such glorious sunshine AS we
coastcd the Island OF Savii, the largest Of
the Samoan group, the air was fresh and
the wind strong enough TO make 1t cool
and pleasant The sea was steel blue,
with sivery white caps dancing upon it
between us and the shore, and the sky was
full of white, smoky clouds Savi makes
me think OF the Hawaiian Islands. Ii is
long and volcanic, but its volcanic charac-
teristies are hidden in verdurc As we
sailed by it it seemed like great hill OF
the shape OF horseshoe, the ends OF the
shoe sloping down TO the water Passing
this we soon reached the Island Of Upolu
on the north coast OF which Apia is sit
ussed. Both Upolu and Savii now belong
to Germany, all the rest Of the islands hay
ing been given up to the United States.
GERMAN SAMOA.
The Germans in their greed for more
land were glad to take the two larger
islands. Out here il is thought that we
got the best Of the bargain 10th Savii
and Upom together arc not as large as
Rhode Island. and they are Of little value
outside their harborS which are not good
Ssvii is iorty-seven miles long and twenty
eight miles wide. and tpolu IS much
smaller Both islands are mountainous
fertile and well watercd Like Tutuila
they have been built up by the coral poyps
aided by volcanoes.
As { came into the harbor Of Apia the
tide was low, and could see a great gar
den or bed OF coral rising up out of the
water. Here and there along tie shore
were signs OF cultivation. There were
groves OF cocoanut trees and further TN
the mountains plantations Of Cacao. ia the
green jungle on the hills I could see here
and there patch OF chocolate brown.
where the ground had been cleared for new
cocoa farms Just back OF Apa the white
villa Of Robert Louis Stevenson showed
out, and above it 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 OF
heeey masses Here the shadows turned
the sea 10 green, and there TO navy blue.
while upon the land they made a mass of
lish; and shade added To by the fresh green
crops shining out OF the old green forest
Close 70 The waters edge were what from
our steamer looked like vast corn fields
which the captain said were cocoanut ot-
ehards, containing tens Of thousands OF
trees loaded with millions Of nuts
Quite a business is done here in copra.
The cocoanuts are gathered split open and
the ucat taken out. This is out into
strips OF about four by six inches and
dried in the sun when il shrnks 20 about
half that size and is known as conra After
drying It is packed IN burap sacks each
containing about seventy pounds, and thus
shipped to Europe and the United States.
IL sells here for about > cents a pound
and in Liverpool or San Francisco for
ABOUT ; cents q pound,
IA LOOK AT APIA.
| am much disappointed in Apia. From
Robert Louis StevenSon's letters and the
fuss which the town has made in the in-
ternatlonal history Of the recent past. ! cN-
pected 10 find it a city IL is a shabby
little village Of $50 foreigners There are
400 British and $50 Germans. with few
Americans and French for good measure.
The town is right on the sea and it runs
around the hsrbor. II is made UP OF bun
galow@shaped buildings rooted with gall
vanized iron. A great crowd OF Samoans
came down TO greet the steamer, and the
whole population OF foreigners was out for
the same purpose.
went up to the Tivoli hotel and have
made this my headquarters during my stay.
The town itself is easily exhausted II has
half dozen business houses, engaged in
shipping caeao and copra and in furnish
ing the natives with different kinds OF
fancy goods, cottons and timed stufs
There are two photographers lot Of con
suls and bakers dozen or so of German
officials. The Germans are now doing the
bulk Of the trade, and they are gradually
gobbling up the plantations.
rode up 10 Robert Louis Stevenson.
home. 1t now belongs to a German and
the eacao plantation upon which he sweat
so profusely was bought at hall price by 4
German planter This planter has mate
rally added to the house and is fast de
ssroying all vestiges of Stevenson. He ha,
sign over the gate in half dozen Ian
guages beginning "Eingang verboten. an,
going on TO say in English French ant
Samoan that strangers are prohibited from
coming inside the gate. Robert Louis Ste
venson's tomb is oyergrown with weeds
and the pilgrimaees to II from the neom
ing ships are less every year
AMONG THE SAMoANS.
have been taken around over the Islanc
of Upolu by one OF the Samoan chiefs.
was introduced to him in his house, kline