Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-03-26
DR.. EDwoass, LETTER.

DAINTY, tOy-llke Tonga; IL Is JILL
ferent from wild and depressing
New Caledonia; it is different
from lazy Tahiti. There is moth
L., in all the South Seas just
like Samoa, and l no longer won
der why Robert Louis Stevenson
selected this island for his home.
after wandering ALL over the
world. The harbOr of Apla is one
of the beauty plcaes OF thew orld'
Ii is wide and open to the sea
and is overshdaOwed by green
and blue hills of softest out.
line and the brightest color. On
the peak of one, darker and
sharper than the rest, CLEANS
a tiny spot of white like a pearl
set up far among the green
That speck is Stevenson's tomb
When the ship came to anchor,
{, zens of canoes gathered about
and the Samoans offered for
sale, fans, shells, coral, arrow
root fibre and innumerable fruits,
Many climbed aboard to hear
the news and to talk with the
visitors. They are of magnlfl-
cent physique, handsome with
their goldbronze skins and yellow
lair. The hair, by the way nat
urall- black but they bleach
it with lime. Every Saturday
the whole island is suddenly fill
ed with white-haired people, all
'ra nativeS going about with
lime plastered locks to appear o.
Sunday morning with freshly vel
lOwld head-dreSSes. :,
San Dan chiefs with the man.
ners of grand dukes and car
riages CT princes, proudly walked
the deck, clad in nothing more
than heavy bath towel, glrded
about the lOins. The lava-lava,
or lin cloth, is the national garb
O. Sar Oans, and well hammered
gentlt man though he be, the
Samoan never wears anything
else. Samoan girls have been
celebrated for their loneliness anC
charm. They wear the lava-lava,
like the men but in addition,
hvae a loose utnic, shOrt-sleev-
Go to show the beautiful arm
that is the birth-right of all Sa-
moan girls.
Among the first to come on
board the ship. was a fine look
ing girl, better dressed and OF
queenly bearing, who welcomed I
to Smaoa. She was singularly
refined and aristocratic in her
bearing and was attended by al
old woman. This was the trlapf
girl of Apia. The tuape girl is
mistress ofceremonieS, and Is Sc
lected by the chief to represent
the vlnage in all matters. NAe
: must be young, a chiefs daugh
ter and highly accomplished ant
of unblemished character. Sht
can lead a chorus with skill anc
invt ntion, can make all kinds o.
fnaciful flower head-dresses ant
decorations and dance better tina
anyone else in the village. Hel
duties are to receive all guests
coming to the village, see t.
their comfort in the guest house
offer hem food, make kav'
for them and entertain then
with songs and dances. She ais
takes part in all village festivl
ties and j. the only woman en-
titled to wear the full dress of {
warrior when dancing in tn
great public festivals. When tn
chiefs lead their tribes to fight
the taupe girl accompanies thel
and carries food and water t
the fighters. When the taup
marries, she at once takes he
place with other women and al
other tupae is selected.
On the invitation of the taup'
we visited the village and pal
took of kava, their nationa
drink, and ate bananas and oth'
fruits. Smaoan houses are anon
the most remarkable in the Pa
cific, and are especially adap'
ed to warm island climate, hay
ing no wallis to intercept tn
free flow of air. The great brow
mushroom dome of the roof IS 3
ported on a circle of wooden pl
lars. Under the wide caves al
roled-up cOcoanut leaf mats VIII
are let down in csae OF heaV
rain or wind.
A.. =; o,,rio,,c YnlYturn n