The San Francisco call., 1910-10-23

and America feared Mataafas German sympathies
Another king chosen and two countries
placed him on the throne and held him there by the
power of their gunboats Mataafa, advised Of course
by Germany, went to war
"Mataafa had FIVE natives to the kings one,
sailors forced to take the field to prevent
his being driven into the
Then came the unfortunate affair at Fangalii al
most the very ground where the Germans had been
massacred 10 years before Mataafa was believed to
be the plantation house of Klinger, and there
our expedition to attack him. We went by the
beach road and under the guns of a warship We
should have returned By the route. for were
in sufficient force resist an attack by the entire
Mataafa army.
= "Kinger was but the instrument Of juggernaut-
the German foreign Office He had been made the
head of the German firm, which had always been his
greatest ambition He not the cruel taskmaster
his brother overseers had shown themselves to be.
He was loved and respected by all natives alike His
name spelled justice to those chdlike savages Bis
marck expected him to do his duty by the German
policy, upon the of which Ringers future in
life depended He had witnessed his own country
force represented Doubtless as he looked upon our
party that day these thoughts passed before his
mind
"Our defeat at Mataafa's hands would mean not
only for the German policy but also for him
self He owed US nothing in fact he had strong rea
sons to think that owed something to those poor
martyred sailors sleeping beneath the monument at
Mulunuu. Our defeat end the war. He realized
that the end could come only through the shedding
of English and American blood do not believe, as
others have tried make think, that he deliber-
atey and with a heart black as demons directed
into that ambush. l am sure it occasoned him
much sorrow to be obliged to withhold his knowledge
that Mafaafa's parties in great strength and
waiting to attack upon return unless we took
the beach road. I am sure the man hoped even
against his interests that we would succeed in
holding own. which would have done if the
Colt gun had not jammed
when look back upon that fight marvel at our
childlike faith in puny power The trail was nar
and hemnled in all sides by tropical thickets
On right hand was barbed wire fence through
which the distracted sailors tore their way in their
mad panic to escape the storm of bullets directed
upon them with unerring aim by thousands of con-
cealed savages Our officers and men were left dead
dying the field without ever an attempt to res
cue them from the grewsome spoliations of the ma
tives. Knger risked his life in vain attempt to pre-
vent the dehlement of the bodies of the slain.
"All. three nations, BlicS continued after short
pause, were equal terms Each had sacri-
feed the blood of its sailors The revuson OF feeling
awaited by Bismarck had come. All clamored for a
cessation of the senseless strife.
"You know the rest Blict said, turning to me.
"a commission appointed and the triparty gov
ernment at end Germany obtained two ISL
ands, Savaii and Upolu, and the United States the
island of Tutula, upon which is the harbor of Pango
Pango magnificent roadstead but as useful to us
as if it were on the moon. The German firm is stead
lily growing in wealth 1t nearly all the fertile
soil in Samoa-grove upon grove of coacoanut trees"
Wilson remained silent
Il suppose you're right, Black he said finally. 81
forgive him of all but one thing-that of being
German
"A national falling" Blick returned with . smile
as we rose to dress for the evening meal