a footnote to history-第35部分

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distinctly　and　consistently　averse　to　lying。



For　the　affair　of　the　Manono　prisoners；　the　chief　justice　is　only　

again　in　so　far　answerable　as　he　was　at　the　moment　absent　from　the　

seat　of　his　duties；　and　the　blame　falls　on　Baron　Senfft　von　

Pilsach；　president　of　the　municipal　council。　　There　were　in　Manono　

certain　dissidents；　loyal　to　Laupepa。　　Being　Manono　people；　I　

daresay　they　were　very　annoying　to　their　neighbours；　the　majority；　

as　they　belonged　to　the　same　island；　were　the　more　impatient；　and　

one　fine　day　fell　upon　and　destroyed　the　houses　and　harvests　of　the　

dissidents　〃according　to　the　laws　and　customs　of　Samoa。〃　　The　

president　went　down　to　the　unruly　island　in　a　war…ship　and　was　

landed　alone　upon　the　beach。　　To　one　so　much　a　stranger　to　the　

mansuetude　of　Polynesians；　this　must　have　seemed　an　act　of　

desperation；　and　the　baron's　gallantry　met　with　a　deserved　success。　　

The　six　ring…leaders；　acting　in　Mataafa's　interest；　had　been　guilty　

of　a　delict；　with　Mataafa's　approval；　they　delivered　themselves　

over　to　be　tried。　　On　Friday；　September　4；　1891；　they　were　

convicted　before　a　native　magistrate　and　sentenced　to　six　months'　

imprisonment；　or；　I　should　rather　say；　detention；　for　it　was　

expressly　directed　that　they　were　to　be　used　as　gentlemen　and　not　

as　prisoners；　that　the　door　was　to　stand　open；　and　that　all　their　

wishes　should　be　gratified。　　This　extraordinary　sentence　fell　upon　

the　accused　like　a　thunderbolt。　　There　is　no　need　to　suppose　

perfidy；　where　a　careless　interpreter　suffices　to　explain　all；　but　

the　six　chiefs　claim　to　have　understood　their　coming　to　Apia　as　an　

act　of　submission　merely　formal；　that　they　came　in　fact　under　an　

implied　indemnity；　and　that　the　president　stood　pledged　to　see　them　

scatheless。　　Already；　on　their　way　from　the　court…house；　they　were　

tumultuously　surrounded　by　friends　and　clansmen；　who　pressed　and　

cried　upon　them　to　escape；　Lieutenant　Ulfsparre　must　order　his　men　

to　load；　and　with　that　the　momentary　effervescence　died　away。　　Next　

day；　Saturday；　5th；　the　chief　justice　took　his　departure　from　the　

islands　…　a　step　never　yet　explained　and　（in　view　of　the　doings　of　

the　day　before　and　the　remonstrances　of　other　officials）　hard　to　

justify。　　The　president；　an　amiable　and　brave　young　man　of　singular　

inexperience；　was　thus　left　to　face　the　growing　difficulty　by　

himself。　　The　clansmen　of　the　prisoners；　to　the　number　of　near　upon　

a　hundred；　lay　in　Vaiusu；　a　village　half　way　between　Apia　and　

Malie；　there　they　talked　big；　thence　sent　menacing　messages；　the　

gaol　should　be　broken　in　the　night；　they　said；　and　the　six　martyrs　

rescued。　　Allowance　is　to　be　made　for　the　character　of　the　people　

of　Manono；　turbulent　fellows；　boastful　of　tongue；　but　of　late　days　

not　thought　to　be　answerably　bold　in　person。　　Yet　the　moment　was　

anxious。　　The　government　of　Mulinuu　had　gained　an　important　moral　

victory　by　the　surrender　and　condemnation　of　the　chiefs；　and　it　was　

needful　the　victory　should　be　maintained。　　The　guard　upon　the　gaol　

was　accordingly　strengthened；　a　war…party　was　sent　to　watch　the　

Vaiusu　road　under　Asi；　and　the　chiefs　of　the　Vaimaunga　were　

notified　to　arm　and　assemble　their　men。　　It　must　be　supposed　the　

president　was　doubtful　of　the　loyalty　of　these　assistants。　　He　

turned　at　least　to　the　war…ships；　where　it　seems　he　was　rebuffed；　

thence　he　fled　into　the　arms　of　the　wrecker　gang；　where　he　was　

unhappily　more　successful。　　The　government　of　Washington　had　

presented　to　the　Samoan　king　the　wrecks　of　the　TRENTON　and　the　

VANDALIA；　an　American　syndicate　had　been　formed　to　break　them　up；　

an　experienced　gang　was　in　consequence　settled　in　Apia　and　the　

report　of　submarine　explosions　had　long　grown　familiar　in　the　ears　

of　residents。　　From　these　artificers　the　president　obtained　a　

supply　of　dynamite；　the　needful　mechanism；　and　the　loan　of　a　

mechanic；　the　gaol　was　mined；　and　the　Manono　people　in　Vaiusu　were　

advertised　of　the　fact　in　a　letter　signed　by　Laupepa。　　Partly　by　

the　indiscretion　of　the　mechanic；　who　had　sought　to　embolden　

himself　（like　Lady　Macbeth）　with　liquor　for　his　somewhat　dreadful　

task；　the　story　leaked　immediately　out　and　raised　a　very　general；　

or　I　might　say　almost　universal；　reprobation。　　Some　blamed　the　

proposed　deed　because　it　was　barbarous　and　a　foul　example　to　set　

before　a　race　half　barbarous　itself；　others　because　it　was　illegal；　

others　again　because；　in　the　face　of　so　weak　an　enemy；　it　appeared　

pitifully　pusillanimous；　almost　all　because　it　tended　to　

precipitate　and　embitter　war。　　In　the　midst　of　the　turmoil　he　had　

raised；　and　under　the　immediate　pressure　of　certain　indignant　white　

residents；　the　baron　fell　back　upon　a　new　expedient；　certainly　less　

barbarous；　perhaps　no　more　legal；　and　on　Monday　afternoon；　

September　7th；　packed　his　six　prisoners　on　board　the　cutter　

LANCASHIRE　LASS；　and　deported　them　to　the　neighbouring　low…island　

group　of　the　Tokelaus。　　We　watched　her　put　to　sea　with　mingled　

feelings。　　Anything　were　better　than　dynamite；　but　this　was　not　

good。　　The　men　had　been　summoned　in　the　name　of　law；　they　had　

surrendered；　the　law　had　uttered　its　voice；　they　were　under　one　

sentence　duly　delivered；　and　now　the　president；　by　no　right　with　

which　we　were　acquainted；　had　exchanged　it　for　another。　　It　was　

perhaps　no　less　fortunate；　though　it　was　more　pardonable　in　a　

stranger；　that　he　had　increased　the　punishment　to　that　which；　in　

the　eyes　of　Samoans；　ranks　next　to　death；　…　exile　from　their　native　

land　and　friends。　　And　the　LANCASHIRE　LASS　appeared　to　carry　away　

with　her　into　the　uttermost　parts　of　the　sea　the　honour　of　the　

administration　and　the　prestige　of　the　supreme　court。



The　policy　of　the　government　towards　Mataafa　has　thus　been　of　a　

piece　throughout；　always　would…be　violent；　it　has　been　almost　

always　defaced　with　some　appearance　of　perfidy　or　unfairness。　　The　

policy　of　Mataafa　（though　extremely　bewildering　to　any　white）　

appears　everywhere　consistent　with　itself；　and　the　man's　bearing　

has　always　been　calm。　　But　to　represent　the　fulness　of　the　

contrast；　it　is　necessary　that　I　should　give　some　description　of　

the　two　capitals；　or　the　two　camps；　and　the　ways　and　means　of　the　

regular　and　irregular　government。



MULINUU。　　Mulinuu；　the　reader　may　remember；　is　a　narrow　finger　of　

land　planted　in　cocoa…palms；　which　runs　forth　into　the　lagoon　

perhaps　three　quarters　of　a　mile。　　To　the　east　is　the　bay　of　Apia。　　

To　the　west；　there　is；　first　of　all；　a　mangrove　swamp；　the　

mangroves　excellently　green；　the　mud　ink…black；　and　its　face　

crawled　upon　by　countless　insects　and　black　and　scarlet　crabs。　　

Beyond　the　swamp　is　a　wide　and　shallow　bay　of　the　lagoon；　bounded　

to　the　west　by　Faleula　Point。　　Faleula　is　the　next　village　to　

Malie；　so　that　from　the　top　of　some　tall　palm　in　Malie　it　should　be　

possible　to　descry　against　the　eastern　heavens　the　palms　of　

Mulinuu。　　The　trade　wind　sweeps　over　the　low　peninsula　and　cleanses　

it　from　the　contagion　of　the　swamp。　　Samoans　have　a　quaint　phrase　

in　their　language；　when　out　of　health；　they　seek　exposed　places　on　

the　shore　〃to　eat　the　wind；〃　say　they；　and　there　can　be　few　better　

places　for　such　a　diet　than　the　point　of　Mulinuu。



Two　European　houses　stand　conspicuous　on　the　harbour　side；　in　

Europe　they　would　seem　poor　enough；　but　they　are　fine　houses　for　

Samoa。　　One　is　new；　it　was　built　the　other　day　under　the　apologetic　

title　of　a　Government　House；　to　be　the　residence　of　Baron　Senfft。　　

The　other　is　historical；　it　was　built　by　Brandeis　on　a　mortgage；　

and　is　now　occupied　by　the　chief　justice　on　conditions　never　

understood；　the　rumour　going　uncontradicted　that　he　sits　rent　free。　　

I　do　not　say　it　is　true；　I　say　it　goes　uncontradicted；　and　there　is　

one　peculiarity　of　our　officials　in　a　nutshell；　…　their　remarkable　

indifference　to　their　own　character。　　From　the　one　house　to　the　

other　extends　a　scattering　village　for　the　Faipule　or　native　

parliament　men。　　In　the　days　of　Tamasese　this　was　a　brave　place；　

both　his　own　house　and　those　of　the　Faipule　good；　and　the　whole　

excellently　ordered　and　approached　by　a　sanded　way。　　It　is　now　like　

a　neglected　bush…town；　and　speaks　of　apathy　in　all　concerned。　　But　

the　chief　scandal　of　Mulinuu　is　elsewhere。　　The　house　of　the　

president　stands　just　to　seaward　of　the　isthmus；　where　the　watch　is　

set　nightly；　and　armed　men　guard　the　uneasy　slumbers　of　the　

government。　　On　the　landward　side　there　stands　a　monument　to　the　

poor　German　lads　who　fell　at　Fangalii；　just　beyond　which　the　

passer…by　may　chance　to　observe　a　little　house　standing　back…ward　

from　the　road。　　It　is　such　a　house　as　a　commoner　might　use　in　a　

bush　village；　none　could　dream　that　it　gave　shelter　even　to　a　

family　chief；　yet　this　is　the　palace　of　Malietoa…Natoaitele…

Tamasoalii　Laupepa；　king　of　Samoa。　　As　you　sit　in　his　company　under　

this　humble　shelter；　you　shall　see；　between　the　posts；　the　new　

house　of　the　president。　　His　Majesty　himself　beholds　it　daily；　and　

the　tenor　of　his　thoughts　may　be　divined。　　The　fine　house　of　a　

Samoan　chief　is　his　appropriate　attribute；　yet；　after　seventeen　

months；　the　government　（well　housed　themselves）　have　not　yet　found　

…　have　not　yet　sought　…　a　roof…tree　for　their　sovereign。　　And　the　

lodging　is　typical。　　I　take　up　the　president's　financial　statement　

of　September　8；　1891。　　I　find　the　king's　allowance　to　figure　at　

seventy…five　dollars　a　month；　and　I　find　that　he　is　further　（though　

somewhat　obscurely）　debited　with　the　salaries　of　either　two　or　

three　clerks。　　Take　the　outside　figure；　and　the　sum　expended　on　or　

for　His　Majesty　amounts　to　ninety…five　dollars　in　the　month。　　

Lieutenant　Ulfsparre　and　Dr。　Hagberg　（the　chief　justice's　Swedish　

friends）　drew　in　the　same　period　one　hundred　and　forty　and　one　

hundred　dollars　respectively　on　account　of　salary　alone。　　And　it　

should　be　observed　that　Dr。　Hagb