a footnote to history-第23部分

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strong　feeling　of　common　interest　with　Mataafa。　　Even　had　the　

German　demands　been　moderate；　de　Coetlogon　could　not　have　forgotten　

the　night　of　the　TAUMUALUA；　nor　how　Mataafa　had　relinquished；　at　

his　request；　the　attack　upon　the　German　quarter。　　Blacklock；　with　

his　driver　of　a　captain　at　his　elbow；　was　not　likely　to　lag　behind。　　

And　Mataafa　having　communicated　Knappe's　letter；　the　example　of　the　

Germans　was　on　all　hands　exactly　followed；　the　consuls　hastened　on　

board　their　respective　war…ships；　and　these　began　to　get　up　steam。　　

About　midnight；　in　a　pouring　rain；　Pelly　communicated　to　Fritze　his　

intention　to　follow　him　and　protect　British　interests；　and　Knappe　

replied　that　he　would　come　on　board　the　LIZARD　and　see　de　Coetlogon　

personally。　　It　was　deep　in　the　small　hours；　and　de　Coetlogon　had　

been　long　asleep；　when　he　was　wakened　to　receive　his　colleague；　but　

he　started　up　with　an　old　soldier's　readiness。　　The　conference　was　

long。　　De　Coetlogon　protested；　as　he　did　afterwards　in　writing；　

against　Knappe's　claim：　　the　Samoans　were　in　a　state　of　war；　they　

had　territorial　rights；　it　was　monstrous　to　prevent　them　from　

entering　one　of　their　own　villages　because　a　German　trader　kept　the　

store；　and　in　case　property　suffered；　a　claim　for　compensation　was　

the　proper　remedy。　　Knappe　argued　that　this　was　a　question　between　

Germans　and　Samoans；　in　which　de　Coetlogon　had　nothing　to　see；　and　

that　he　must　protect　German　property　according　to　his　instructions。　　

To　which　de　Coetlogon　replied　that　he　was　himself　in　the　same　

attitude　to　the　property　of　the　British；　that　he　understood　Knappe　

to　be　intending　hostilities　against　Laulii；　that　Laulii　was　

mortgaged　to　the　MacArthurs；　that　its　crops　were　accordingly　

British　property；　and　that；　while　he　was　ever　willing　to　recognise　

the　territorial　rights　of　the　Samoans；　he　must　prevent　that　

property　from　being　molested　〃by　any　other　nation。〃　　〃But　if　a　

German　man…of…war　does　it？〃　asked　Knappe。　…　〃We　shall　prevent　it　to　

the　best　of　our　ability；〃　replied　the　colonel。　　It　is　to　the　credit　

of　both　men　that　this　trying　interview　should　have　been　conducted　

and　concluded　without　heat；　but　Knappe　must　have　returned　to　the　

ADLER　with　darker　anticipations。



At　sunrise　on　the　morning　of　the　15th；　the　three　ships；　each　loaded　

with　its　consul；　put　to　sea。　　It　is　hard　to　exaggerate　the　peril　of　

the　forenoon　that　followed；　as　they　lay　off　Laulii。　　Nobody　desired　

a　collision；　save　perhaps　the　reckless　Leary；　but　peace　and　war　

trembled　in　the　balance；　and　when　the　ADLER；　at　one　period；　lowered　

her　gun　ports；　war　appeared　to　preponderate。　　It　proved；　however；　

to　be　a　last　…　and　therefore　surely　an　unwise　…　extremity。　　Knappe　

contented　himself　with　visiting　the　rival　kings；　and　the　three　

ships　returned　to　Apia　before　noon。　　Beyond　a　doubt；　coming　after　

Knappe's　decisive　letter　of　the　day　before；　this　impotent　

conclusion　shook　the　credit　of　Germany　among　the　natives　of　both　

sides；　the　Tamaseses　fearing　they　were　deserted；　the　Mataafas　（with　

secret　delight）　hoping　they　were　feared。　　And　it　gave　an　impetus　to　

that　ridiculous　business　which　might　have　earned　for　the　whole　

episode　the　name　of　the　war　of　flags。　　British　and　American　flags　

had　been　planted　the　night　before；　and　were　seen　that　morning　

flying　over　what　they　claimed　about　Laulii。　　British　and　American　

passengers；　on　the　way　up　and　down；　pointed　out　from　the　decks　of　

the　warships；　with　generous　vagueness；　the　boundaries　of　

problematical　estates。　　Ten　days　later；　the　beach　of　Saluafata　bay　

fluttered　（as　I　have　told　in　the　last　chapter）　with　the　flag　of　

Germany。　　The　Americans　riposted　with　a　claim　to　Tamasese's　camp；　

some　small　part　of　which　（says　Knappe）　did　really　belong　to　〃an　

American　nigger。〃　　The　disease　spread；　the　flags　were　multiplied；　

the　operations　of　war　became　an　egg…dance　among　miniature　neutral　

territories；　and　though　all　men　took　a　hand　in　these　proceedings；　

all　men　in　turn　were　struck　with　their　absurdity。　　Mullan；　Leary's　

successor；　warned　Knappe；　in　an　emphatic　despatch；　not　to　squander　

and　discredit　the　solemnity　of　that　emblem　which　was　all　he　had　to　

be　a　defence　to　his　own　consulate。　　And　Knappe　himself；　in　his　

despatch　of　March　21st；　1889；　castigates　the　practice　with　much　

sense。　　But　this　was　after　the　tragicomic　culmination　had　been　

reached；　and　the　burnt　rags　of　one　of　these　too…frequently　

mendacious　signals　gone　on　a　progress　to　Washington；　like　Caesar's　

body；　arousing　indignation　where　it　came。　　To　such　results　are　

nations　conducted　by　the　patent　artifices　of　a　Becker。



The　discussion　of　the　morning；　the　silent　menace　and　defiance　of　

the　voyage　to　Laulii；　might　have　set　the　best…natured　by　the　ears。　　

But　Knappe　and　de　Coetlogon　took　their　difference　in　excellent　

part。　　On　the　morrow；　November　16th；　they　sat　down　together　with　

Blacklock　in　conference。　　The　English　consul　introduced　his　

colleagues；　who　shook　hands。　　If　Knappe　were　dead…weighted　with　the　

inheritance　of　Becker；　Blacklock　was　handicapped　by　reminiscences　

of　Leary；　it　is　the　more　to　the　credit　of　this　inexperienced　man　

that　he　should　have　maintained　in　the　future　so　excellent　an　

attitude　of　firmness　and　moderation；　and　that　when　the　crash　came；　

Knappe　and　de　Coetlogon；　not　Knappe　and　Blacklock；　were　found　to　be　

the　protagonists　of　the　drama。　　The　conference　was　futile。　　The　

English　and　American　consuls　admitted　but　one　cure　of　the　evils　of　

the　time：　　that　the　farce　of　the　Tamasese　monarchy　should　cease。　　

It　was　one　which　the　German　refused　to　consider。　　And　the　agents　

separated　without　reaching　any　result；　save　that　diplomatic　

relations　had　been　restored　between　the　States　and　Germany；　and　

that　all　three　were　convinced　of　their　fundamental　differences。



Knappe　and　de　Coetlogon　were　still　friends；　they　had　disputed　and　

differed　and　come　within　a　finger's　breadth　of　war；　and　they　were　

still　friends。　　But　an　event　was　at　hand　which　was　to　separate　them　

for　ever。　　On　December　4th　came　the　ROYALIST；　Captain　Hand；　to　

relieve　the　LIZARD。　　Pelly　of　course　had　to　take　his　canvas　from　

the　consulate　hospital；　but　he　had　in　charge　certain　awnings　

belonging　to　the　ROYALIST；　and　with　these　they　made　shift　to　cover　

the　wounded；　at　that　time　（after　the　fight　at　Laulii）　more　than　

usually　numerous。　　A　lieutenant　came　to　the　consulate；　and　

delivered　（as　I　have　received　it）　the　following　message：　〃Captain　

Hand's　compliments；　and　he　says　you　must　get　rid　of　these　niggers　

at　once；　and　he　will　help　you　to　do　it。〃　　Doubtless　the　reply　was　

no　more　civil　than　the　message。　　The　promised　〃help；〃　at　least；　

followed　promptly。　　A　boat's　crew　landed　and　the　awnings　were　

stripped　from　the　wounded；　Hand　himself　standing　on　the　colonel's　

verandah　to　direct　operations。　　It　were　fruitless　to　discuss　this　

passage　from　the　humanitarian　point　of　view；　or　from　that　of　formal　

courtesy。　　The　mind　of　the　new　captain　was　plainly　not　directed　to　

these　objects。　　But　it　is　understood　that　he　considered　the　

existence　of　a　hospital　a　source　of　irritation　to　Germans　and　a　

fault　in　policy。　　His　own　rude　act　proved　in　the　result　far　more　

impolitic。　　The　hospital　had　now　been　open　some　two　months；　and　de　

Coetlogon　was　still　on　friendly　terms　with　Knappe；　and　he　and　his　

wife　were　engaged　to　dine　with　him　that　day。　　By　the　morrow　that　

was　practically　ended。　　For　the　rape　of　the　awnings　had　two　

results：　　one；　which　was　the　fault　of　de　Coetlogon；　not　at　all　of　

Hand；　who　could　not　have　foreseen　it；　the　other　which　it　was　his　

duty　to　have　seen　and　prevented。　　The　first　was　this：　　the　de　

Coetlogons　found　themselves　left　with　their　wounded　exposed　to　the　

inclemencies　of　the　season；　they　must　all　be　transported　into　the　

house　and　verandah；　in　the　distress　and　pressure　of　this　task；　the　

dinner　engagement　was　too　long　forgotten；　and　a　note　of　excuse　did　

not　reach　the　German　consulate　before　the　table　was　set；　and　Knappe　

dressed　to　receive　his　visitors。　　The　second　consequence　was　

inevitable。　　Captain　Hand　was　scarce　landed　ere　it　became　public　

（was　〃SOFORT　BEKANNT；〃　writes　Knappe）　that　he　and　the　consul　were　

in　opposition。　　All　that　had　been　gained　by　the　demonstration　at　

Laulii　was　thus　immediately　cast　away；　de　Coetlogon's　prestige　was　

lessened；　and　it　must　be　said　plainly　that　Hand　did　less　than　

nothing　to　restore　it。　　Twice　indeed　he　interfered；　both　times　with　

success；　and　once；　when　his　own　person　had　been　endangered；　with　

vehemence；　but　during　all　the　strange　doings　I　have　to　narrate；　he　

remained　in　close　intimacy　with　the　German　consulate；　and　on　one　

occasion　may　be　said　to　have　acted　as　its　marshal。　　After　the　worst　

is　over；　after　Bismarck　has　told　Knappe　that　〃the　protests　of　his　

English　colleague　were　grounded；〃　that　his　own　conduct　〃has　not　

been　good；〃　and　that　in　any　dispute　which　may　arise　he　〃will　find　

himself　in　the　wrong；〃　Knappe　can　still　plead　in　his　defence　that　

Captain　Hand　〃has　always　maintained　friendly　intercourse　with　the　

German　authorities。〃　　Singular　epitaph　for　an　English　sailor。　　In　

this　complicity　on　the　part　of　Hand　we　may　find　the　reason　…　and　I　

had　almost　said；　the　excuse　…　of　much　that　was　excessive　in　the　

bearing　of　the　unfortunate　Knappe。



On　the　11th　December；　Mataafa　received　twenty…eight　thousand　

cartridges；　brought　into　the　country　in　salt…beef　kegs　by　the　

British　ship　RICHMOND。　　This　not　only　sharpened　the　animosity　

between　whites；　following　so　closely　on　the　German　fizzle　at　

Laulii；　it　raised　a　convulsion　in　the　camp　of　Tamasese。　　On　the　

13th　Brandeis　addressed　to　Knappe　his　famous　and　fatal　letter。　　I　

may　not　describe　it　as　a　letter　of　burning　words；　but　it　is　plainly　

dictated　by　a　burning　heart。　　Tamasese　and　his　chiefs；　he　

announces；　are　now　sick　of　the　business；　and　ready　to　make　peace　

with　Mataafa。　　They　began　the　wa