East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-05-01

Mr.. Webster has just returned from
what he regards as the most memoir
able trip of his life, and he has been
world traveller for years. 1t is his
plan to spend a part of every year in
travelling, and last year he chose as a
scene for his wanderings a part of
the world but little touched by trav-
elers generally-the South sea, Aus,
tralia and New Zealand.
Leaving Spokane about the middle
of September last year, Mr.. Webster
went for a short visit to his boyhood
home at Hudson, Mich, and a num-
ber of other places in the Middle
West, where he visited relatives be-
fore starting on his westward tour
from San Francisco.
The first stop was made at Honolu-
lu where a short stay was made A
week later the steamship Ventura of
the Oceanic line, on which Mr.. Webs
ter was a passenger, arrived at Pago
Pago, Samoa, where on one of the
largest and finest harbors in the en-
tire Pacific the United States gov
ernment maintains the only naval sta
ton it owns south of the equator.
This is by far the best harbor in the
South Sea islands, and is large enough
to accommodate the entire fleet of the
United States. The harbor fronts to
the southeast of the island of Tutuila
and has an entrance not more than
500 feet in width, with. mountain
peaks fully 1900 feet high on either
side. Here the government has large
amounts of coal stored in steel ware
houses, and here the training ship
Adams, under command of Captain
Underwood, with $50 men and boys
is stationed. BY virtue of his office,
Captain Underwood has charge Of all
United States interests in Samoa,
there being no civil government in
the islands as yet.
Mr.. Webster tells of many interest
ing experiences on the Samoan is
lands. Aside from Captain Under
wood and his staff, connected with
the naval station, there Is but one
white man holding office on the six
small islands belonging to the United
States. This man is Judge Gerr, an
Englishman, who has for many years
whose wife is a Samoan princess and
the daughter of one of the famous
chiefs, long since dead. Mr.. Webster
} visited at the home of Judge Gerr
and found the wife of the judge a
charming woman. She was at one
time an occupant of the home Of
: Robert Louis stevenson, the novelist
: who lived there Is years.
. Aside from the island of Tutuila
the United States owns what Is knowr
: as the Manua group, three beautiful
. islands with population of more
) than 1000 people and without a for
. eigner of any description amont
them. These islands lie about II
) miles northeast of the naval station
/ are close together and are approacha
, BILE only by means of surf boats
: There is not harbor in the groul
S and as in the case with nearly all tn
3 islands in the South sea they ar
completely encircled with coral rec
= the most effective of sea walls an
: built by nature herself unaided.
S During his stay in Samoa Mr.. Web
f ster was accompanied by Mr.. White
e a son of the millionaire sewing ma
chine manufacturer of Ohio, who wa
= touring the Pacific in quest of health
t The two travelled over the islands to
s gether and during their stay in Samo
It visited all the native chiefs in tn
d different islands. By these notable
5, the visitors were most hopitably re
e ceived and entertained, and Mr.. Webs
+ ter declares them one of the mos
l. charming people he ever met wit
y anywhere-simple in their habit
thoroughly honest, of the highe
l. moral character, and the create
ly sticklers on etiquette.
lg "There is no immortality anon
In them," says Mr.. Webster. "They a,
le the most healthful people I ever sa'
n DR.. O'Dell the United States surgec
ut at the naval station, told me that the
ne people were freer from disease ths
all any other people he had ever see
of Judge Gerr said there mad been b
lis one murder on the islands in TO
IL years, and the entire expense of mai
or tanning the government of the islam
s." last year was $75O0."