a footnote to history-第34部分

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Half　flying。〃





Now；　in　one　part　of　Mataafa's　behaviour　his　purpose　is　beyond　

mistake。　　Towards　the　provisions　of　the　Berlin　Act；　his　desire　to　

be　formally　obedient　is　manifest。　　The　Act　imposed　the　tax。　　He　has　

paid　his　taxes；　although　he　thus　contributes　to　the　ways　and　means　

of　his　immediate　rival。　　The　Act　decreed　the　supreme　court；　and　he　

sends　his　partisans　to　be　tried　at　Mulinuu；　although　he　thus　places　

them　（as　I　shall　have　occasion　to　show）　in　a　position　far　from　

wholly　safe。　　From　this　literal　conformity；　in　matters　regulated；　

to　the　terms　of　the　Berlin　plenipotentiaries；　we　may　plausibly　

infer；　in　regard　to　the　rest；　a　no　less　exact　observance　of　the　

famous　and　obscure　〃laws　and　customs　of　Samoa。〃



But　though　it　may　be　possible　to　attain；　in　the　study；　to　some　such　

adumbration　of　an　understanding；　it　were　plainly　unfair　to　expect　

it　of　officials　in　the　hurry　of　events。　　Our　two　white　officers　

have　accordingly　been　no　more　perspicacious　than　was　to　be　looked　

for；　and　I　think　they　have　sometimes　been　less　wise。　　It　was　not　

wise　in　the　president　to　proclaim　Mataafa　and　his　followers　rebels　

and　their　estates　confiscated。　　Such　words　are　not　respectable　till　

they　repose　on　force；　on　the　lips　of　an　angry　white　man；　standing　

alone　on　a　small　promontory；　they　were　both　dangerous　and　absurd；　

they　might　have　provoked　ruin；　thanks　to　the　character　of　Mataafa；　

they　only　raised　a　smile　and　damaged　the　authority　of　government。　　

And　again　it　is　not　wise　in　the　government　of　Mulinuu　to　have　twice　

attempted　to　precipitate　hostilities；　once　in　Savaii；　once　here　in　

the　Tuamasanga。　　The　fate　of　the　Savaii　attempt　I　never　heard；　it　

seems　to　have　been　stillborn。　　The　other　passed　under　my　eyes。　　A　

war…party　was　armed　in　Apia；　and　despatched　across　the　island　

against　Mataafa　villages；　where　it　was　to　seize　the　women　and　

children。　　It　was　absent　for　some　days；　engaged　in　feasting　with　

those　whom　it　went　out　to　fight；　and　returned　at　last；　innocuous　

and　replete。　　In　this　fortunate　though　undignified　ending　we　may　

read　the　fact　that　the　natives　on　Laupepa's　side　are　sometimes　more　

wise　than　their　advisers。　　Indeed；　for　our　last　twelve　months　of　

miraculous　peace　under　what　seem　to　be　two　rival　kings；　the　credit　

is　due　first　of　all　to　Mataafa；　and　second　to　the　half…heartedness；　

or　the　forbearance；　or　both；　of　the　natives　in　the　other　camp。　　The　

voice　of　the　two　whites　has　ever　been　for　war。　　They　have　published　

at　least　one　incendiary　proclamation；　they　have　armed　and　sent　into　

the　field　at　least　one　Samoan　war…party；　they　have　continually　

besieged　captains　of　war…ships　to　attack　Malie；　and　the　captains　of　

the　war…ships　have　religiously　refused。　　Thus　in　the　last　twelve　

months　our　European　rulers　have　drawn　a　picture　of　themselves；　as　

bearded　like　the　pard；　full　of　strange　oaths；　and　gesticulating　

like　semaphores；　while　over　against　them　Mataafa　reposes　smilingly　

obstinate；　and　their　own　retainers　surround　them；　frowningly　inert。　　

Into　the　question　of　motive　I　refuse　to　enter；　but　if　we　come　to　

war　in　these　islands；　and　with　no　fresh　occasion；　it　will　be　a　

manufactured　war；　and　one　that　has　been　manufactured；　against　the　

grain　of　opinion；　by　two　foreigners。



For　the　last　and　worst　of　the　mistakes　on　the　Laupepa　side　it　would　

be　unfair　to　blame　any　but　the　king　himself。　　Capable　both　of　

virtuous　resolutions　and　of　fits　of　apathetic　obstinacy；　His　

Majesty　is　usually　the　whip…top　of　competitive　advisers；　and　his　

conduct　is　so　unstable　as　to　wear　at　times　an　appearance　of　

treachery　which　would　surprise　himself　if　he　could　see　it。　　Take；　

for　example；　the　experience　of　Lieutenant　Ulfsparre；　late　chief　of　

police；　and　（so　to　speak）　commander　of　the　forces。　　His　men　were　

under　orders　for　a　certain　hour；　he　found　himself　almost　alone　at　

the　place　of　muster；　and　learned　the　king　had　sent　the　soldiery　on　

errands。　　He　sought　an　audience；　explained　that　he　was　here　to　

implant　discipline；　that　（with　this　purpose　in　view）　his　men　could　

only　receive　orders　through　himself；　and　if　that　condition　were　not　

agreed　to　and　faithfully　observed；　he　must　send　in　his　papers。　　The　

king　was　as　usual　easily　persuaded；　the　interview　passed　and　ended　

to　the　satisfaction　of　all　parties　engaged　…　and　the　bargain　was　

kept　for　one　day。　　On　the　day　after；　the　troops　were　again　

dispersed　as　post…runners；　and　their　commander　resigned。　　With　such　

a　sovereign；　I　repeat；　it　would　be　unfair　to　blame　any　individual　

minister　for　any　specific　fault。　　And　yet　the　policy　of　our　two　

whites　against　Mataafa　has　appeared　uniformly　so　excessive　and　

implacable；　that　the　blame　of　the　last　scandal　is　laid　generally　at　

their　doors。　　It　is　yet　fresh。　　Lauati；　towards　the　end　of　last　

year；　became　deeply　concerned　about　the　situation；　and　by　great　

personal　exertions　and　the　charms　of　oratory　brought　Savaii　and　

Manono　into　agreement　upon　certain　terms　of　compromise：　　Laupepa　

still　to　be　king；　Mataafa　to　accept　a　high　executive　office　

comparable　to　that　of　our　own　prime　minister；　and　the　two　

governments　to　coalesce。　　Intractable　Manono　was　a　party。　　Malie　

was　said　to　view　the　proposal　with　resignation；　if　not　relief。　　

Peace　was　thought　secure。　　The　night　before　the　king　was　to　receive　

Lauati；　I　met　one　of　his　company；　…　the　family　chief；　Iina；　…　and　

we　shook　hands　over　the　unexpected　issue　of　our　troubles。　　What　no　

one　dreamed　was　that　Laupepa　would　refuse。　　And　he　did。　　He　refused　

undisputed　royalty　for　himself　and　peace　for　these　unhappy　islands；　

and　the　two　whites　on　Mulinuu　rightly　or　wrongly　got　the　blame　of　

it。



But　their　policy　has　another　and　a　more　awkward　side。　　About　the　

time　of　the　secession　to　Malie；　many　ugly　things　were　said；　I　will　

not　repeat　that　which　I　hope　and　believe　the　speakers　did　not　

wholly　mean；　let　it　suffice　that；　if　rumour　carried　to　Mataafa　the　

language　I　have　heard　used　in　my　own　house　and　before　my　own　native　

servants；　he　would　be　highly　justified　in　keeping　clear　of　Apia　and　

the　whites。　　One　gentleman　whose　opinion　I　respect；　and　am　so　bold　

as　to　hope　I　may　in　some　points　modify；　will　understand　the　

allusion　and　appreciate　my　reserve。　　About　the　same　time　there　

occurred　an　incident；　upon　which　I　must　be　more　particular。　　A　was　

a　gentleman　who　had　long　been　an　intimate　of　Mataafa's；　and　had　

recently　（upon　account；　indeed；　of　the　secession　to　Malie）　more　or　

less　wholly　broken　off　relations。　　To　him　came　one　whom　I　shall　

call　B　with　a　dastardly　proposition。　　It　may　have　been　B's　own；　in　

which　case　he　were　the　more　unpardonable；　but　from　the　closeness　of　

his　intercourse　with　the　chief　justice；　as　well　as　from　the　terms　

used　in　the　interview；　men　judged　otherwise。　　It　was　proposed　that　

A　should　simulate　a　renewal　of　the　friendship；　decoy　Mataafa　to　a　

suitable　place；　and　have　him　there　arrested。　　What　should　follow　in　

those　days　of　violent　speech　was　at　the　least　disputable；　and　the　

proposal　was　of　course　refused。　　〃You　do　not　understand；〃　was　the　

base　rejoinder。　　〃YOU　will　have　no　discredit。　　The　Germans　are　to　

take　the　blame　of　the　arrest。〃　Of　course；　upon　the　testimony　of　a　

gentleman　so　depraved；　it　were　unfair　to　hang　a　dog；　and　both　the　

Germans　and　the　chief　justice　must　be　held　innocent。　　But　the　chief　

justice　has　shown　that　he　can　himself　be　led；　by　his　animosity　

against　Mataafa；　into　questionable　acts。　　Certain　natives　of　Malie　

were　accused　of　stealing　pigs；　the　chief　justice　summoned　them　

through　Mataafa；　several　were　sent；　and　along　with　them　a　written　

promise　that；　if　others　were　required；　these　also　should　be　

forthcoming　upon　requisition。　　Such　as　came　were　duly　tried　and　

acquitted；　and　Mataafa's　offer　was　communicated　to　the　chief　

justice；　who　made　a　formal　answer；　and　the　same　day　（in　pursuance　

of　his　constant　design　to　have　Malie　attacked　by　war…ships）　

reported　to　one　of　the　consuls　that　his　warrant　would　not　run　in　

the　country　and　that　certain　of　the　accused　had　been　withheld。　　At　

least；　this　is　not　fair　dealing；　and　the　next　instance　I　have　to　

give　is　possibly　worse。　　For　one　blunder　the　chief　justice　is　only　

so　far　responsible；　in　that　he　was　not　present　where　it　seems　he　

should　have　been；　when　it　was　made。　　He　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　

silly　proscription　of　the　Mataafas；　he　has　always　disliked　the　

measure；　and　it　occurred　to　him　at　last　that　he　might　get　rid　of　

this　dangerous　absurdity　and　at　the　same　time　reap　a　further　

advantage。　　Let　Mataafa　leave　Malie　for　any　other　district　in　

Samoa；　it　should　be　construed　as　an　act　of　submission　and　the　

confiscation　and　proscription　instantly　recalled。　　This　was　

certainly　well　devised；　the　government　escaped　from　their　own　false　

position；　and　by　the　same　stroke　lowered　the　prestige　of　their　

adversaries。　　But　unhappily　the　chief　justice　did　not　put　all　his　

eggs　in　one　basket。　　Concurrently　with　these　negotiations　he　began　

again　to　move　the　captain　of　one　of　the　war…ships　to　shell　the　

rebel　village；　the　captain；　conceiving　the　extremity　wholly　

unjustified；　not　only　refused　these　instances；　but　more　or　less　

publicly　complained　of　their　being　made；　the　matter　came　to　the　

knowledge　of　the　white　resident　who　was　at　that　time　playing　the　

part　of　intermediary　with　Malie；　and　he；　in　natural　anger　and　

disgust；　withdrew　from　the　negotiation。　　These　duplicities；　always　

deplorable　when　discovered；　are　never　more　fatal　than　with　men　

imperfectly　civilised。　　Almost　incapable　of　truth　themselves；　they　

cherish　a　particular　score　of　the　same　fault　in　whites。　　And　

Mataafa　is　besides　an　exceptional　native。　　I　would　scarce　dare　say　

of　any　Samoan　that　he　is　truthful；　though　I　seem　to　have　

encountered　the　phenomenon；　but　I　must　say　of　Mataafa　that　he　seems　

distinctly　and　consistently　averse　to　lying。



For　the　affair　of　the　Manono　prisoners；　the　chief