The Washington herald., 1912-11-17
KING OF SAVAII
IN WASHINGTON
Continued FROM Page One.

while many complimentary speeches
passed between the chiefs and the Ameri-
can.
At the signal OF the senior chief, one of
the talking men advanced in front of Mr..
Hyde with a wand in his hand and pro-
nounced the sacred king name" Tuisete,
three times. and, waving the wand three
times. he struck the new high chieftain
thrice on the head with the wand.
The official seal was still to be placed
on the coronation. however, by the
drinking of the king tava." This was
performed il front of the house, the
drink being brewed on this auspicious
occasion by three maidens known as
''taupows," the daughters of chieftains
who are pledged to celebracy until their
marriage to princes, and who accupy
elevated positions in the estimation OF
the islaH.e rs.
Complete Ceremony.
The tava prepared, the senior chief
slipped of the acrid mixture, and then
Mr. and Mrs. Hyde each partook of the
drink, the populace and chief yelled and
the ceremony of the coronation was
completed.
For twenty days the eWashington-couple
were actively in the position of head
chief and chieftainess of Savaii. Mr.
Hyde says at first he did not take the
of head of the tribe he was called upon
10 settle all manner. of questions-dis-
putes as to land claims quarrels be-
tween his subjects, and misunderstand-
ings of all kinds.
He was called upon to sit in judgment
in the case of a native woman who had
married two men. She was charged
with bigamy. She had taken the second
husband after having been driven from
the home Of her first. and in the judg-
n'ent of Head Chief Hyde she was
guilty and should be fined l shilling for
the Offense Of bigamy, be granted a d.
vorce from husband No. l, and married
10 No. 2. This was done.
At the end of a reign of twenty days,
the new high chief and his wife were
rowed seven miles down the coast, in 4
boat propelled by thirty stalwart native
youths. to the sloop they had chartered
to make the return journey to Apia, the
home Of the Princess Saamu, from
whence they had started
Women Good Looking.
Mr.. Hyde describes the people of the
SamosQ Islands as being of splendid
stature and strength, especially the men.
The women, he says, are good to look
upon in their youth, but fade at an early
age.
After his elevation to the head chief
talnShlp ne received several offers of
native girls for wives. As the head
man of the island, none was offered
him but the ''taupows," the most IA
vored of all the native girls. The
chiefs were somewhat aggrieved at his
refusal to accept of their generosity.
Mr.. Hyde says, but the customs of Eu-
ropeans were explained to them by the
Princess Saamu, and they finally waved
him a sad farewell without his having
become connected with the island
through marriage.
Following Mr.. Hyde there are many
cases of photographs, but they have not |
been developed yet and he cannot saw as
to the success of his expedition.
On his departure from Savaii the chiefs |
begged him to keep in touch with them |
through letter when he was not able TO 1
lie there, and this. he says, he fully<in-
tends to do.
Il thought little of the honor paid me
by the natives at first" sad Mr.. Hyde
last night, but am growing Ito think
more and more OF it, and 1 shall certainly
keep up with the doings of the people
there"