The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-03-27
FLASH HARRY" OF SlVAII.
By Louis Becke.

NEARLY 80 years ago. when tho late
~ King Malietoa Of Samoa wa,
quietly arming his adheSsnts and
conciliating his rebel chiefs in order
to combine against the persistent en-.
croachments of the Germans, I wal
running small trading cutter be.
tween Upolu and Savaii. the two
principal islands of the group.
One day arrived in Apia harbor
with a cargo of yams which l in.
tended to sell to an American man.
of-war, the Resacca. went along
side ut once, had the yams weighed
and received my money from the pay
master. Then I went ashore for a
bathe in the vaisigago river, a lovely
little stream which. taking its rise
in the mountains, debouches into Apia
harbor. Here I was joined by an old
friend. Capt. Hamilton, the local pilot
who, stripping off his clothes
plunged into the water beside me.
AS we were laughing and chrtting
thoroughly enjoying ourselves. u par.
ty of natives. young men and boys
emerged from among the trees on the
opposite bank. Casting of their scan.
ty garments, they boisterously en-.
tered the water and began disporting
themselves, when, to my surprise,
saw that their leader was white
man. tattooed in every respect like q
Samoan. He appeared to be about 81
years of age, was clean shaven, and
had light-red hair.
"Who Is that fellew?" I inquired.
Zone Of the biggest scoundrels in
the Pacific" replied my companion
"'Flash Harry from savaiI. He d.
serted from either the Brisk or the
Jealous British man-of-war about
seven years ago, and although the
commanders of several other British
warships have tried to get him. they
have failed. He Is the pet protege OF
one of the most powerful chiefs in
savaii. and laughs at all attempts to
catch him. To my knowledge he has
&C mmitted four atrocious murders,
and, in addition to that, he il o drunk
en-, foul-mouthed blaekguard. He only
comes to Apia occasionally-when
there is no British man-of-war about
and paints the town red. for, al
though he is merely loaAng beach
comber, he is literally supplied with
money by his chief. and possesses an
extensive harem as well. He simply
terrorizes the town when he breaks
out. and insults every timld European
he meets, male and female"
"Why doesn't some one put bull
let through him?"
"Ah, now you're asking 'Why?' Por-
ter, a respectable local trader, told
him that he would be riddled II he
came inside his fence; and the scoun-
drel knows me well enough not to
eome into my place except with a civil
word on his foul tongue; but then,
you see, Porter and / are Americans.
II either or both of us shot the man,
no commander of an American man.
of-war would do more than publicly
reprimand us for taking the law into
our own hands; but il you or any 9TH
er Englishman killed the vermin, you
would be taken to Fiji by the first
man-of-war that called here, put on
your trial for mur1er, and, II you es-
capped hanging, you would get pref
ty turn of penal servitude in the Fiji
jail"
We finished our bath, dressed, and
set out for Hamilton's house on
Matautu Point, for he had asked me
to have supper with him. On our way
thithsr we met the master Of Ger
man Sarque then in port, and were
chatting with iim when Mr.. "Flash
Harry" and his retinue of manaia
(young bucks) overlook us. The path
being narrow, we drew aside a few
PAGES to let them pass; but ut sign
from their leader they stopped. He
nodded TO Hamilton and the German
captain, but neither took any notice
Of him; then he fixed his eyes inso-
lently an me, a>d held out his hand.
"How do yer do, mister? You're q
nice sort of a cove not to come and
zee me when you passed my place in
your cutter" Then. with sudden fury,
as I put my hands in my pockets
- you, you young cock-a-hoopy
- Do you mean to say you don't
mean to shake hands with white
man?"
"Not with you, anyway" I an
swsrsd