The Pacific Triangle Part 32

DEAR SIR:

Your letter of 26th March has been forwarded to me from Samoa. I relinquished the Administration when Civil Government was established there.

The Chief whose funeral you saw was TAMASESE, a son of the late King Tamasese.... MATAAFA, the son of King Mataafa, died in the influenza epidemic in 1918 and I dug his grave with my own hands, everyone working hard to avoid a pestilence.

The Chief TAMASESE was made much of by the Germans when they were in Samoa, was taken a trip to Berlin but was not allowed to visit England.

He remained pro-German to the end; one of the few Samoans who did so.

On his death-bed Tamasese remembered a promise made to his deceased father (he said the spirit of his father appeared to him and reproached him) that he would bring the late King's bones to the family burying place and he could not die in peace until this was done. I was approached in the matter and at once sent a Government launch with the family party to get the bones, and they were put in a coffin and buried in the family ground. This done, Tamasese pa.s.sed away in peace in a very short time.

You are probably aware that when Tamasese's body was lying in state the hair was sprinkled with gold dust and a German crown made of white flowers was placed on the coffin. The widow had a Samoan house built alongside the tomb on the Mulinuu peninsula and lived in it for some months in spite of the stench which came from the tomb. She died in the influenza epidemic in 1918, having in the meantime named one of the native Samoan judges.

I am sorry the information I can give you is so meagre, but I have not my records here as yet.

Yours faithfully, ROBERT LOGAN, Colonel.

Weycroft, Axminster, Devon, England, 13th July, 1921.

B

DEAR MR. GREENBIE:

Your letter of Feb. 20th was forwarded on to me here, and reached me yesterday.

I regret that I cannot tell you definitely as to the celebration held in Samoa in 1915, in honor of the late "King"; I returned to Samoa in 1917 after an absence of some years, and heard nothing of it. I think, however, that the celebration must have been for Mataafa, as the natives told you that the deceased Chief had been the favorite of Mataafa.

Stevenson rather despised Laupepa who although an amiable man and the rightful King, was of feeble character, and when broken up by the suffering and indignity of his deportation by the Germans, weakly ceded the throne to Mataafa out of grat.i.tude for the stand taken by the latter on his behalf during the years of his exile.

My own conviction is that, had R. L. S. lived a few years longer, he would have realized that his champions.h.i.+p of Mataafa was a mistake, and precipitated the very event he wished to avoid--the German rule in Samoa.

Very sincerely yours, ----------

C

Apia, Samoa, October 5th, 1904.

A. M. Sutherland, Esq., San Francisco, U.S.A.

DEAR SIR:

The kind invitation extended to me by the members of the "Stevenson Fellows.h.i.+p" through your welcome letter or the 17th August, 1904, has been received by me with great delight. I thank you and the Committee from the bottom of my heart for remembering me, and for including my name in the long list of friends whom Tusitala has left behind to mourn his irreparable loss. I would have very much liked to be present and meet you all on this fitting occasion, but the fact is, my health and old age will not permit me to cross the vast waters over to America. So I send you many greetings wis.h.i.+ng the "Stevenson Fellows.h.i.+p" every success on the 13th November next. And whilst you are celebrating this memorable day in America, we shall even celebrate it in Samoa. It is true that I, like yourselves, revere the memory of Tusitala. Though the strong hand of Death has removed him from our midst, yet the remembrance of his many humane acts, let alone his literary career, will never be forgotten. That household name, Tusitala, is as euphonious to our Samoan ears as much as the name Stevenson is pleasing to all other European friends and admirers. Tusitala was born a hero, and he died a hero among men. He was a man of his word, but a man of deeds not words. When first I saw Tusitala he addressed me and said: "Samoa is a beautiful country.

I like its people and clime, and shall write in my books accordingly.

The Samoan Chiefs may be compared to our Scotch Chiefs at home in regard to their clans." "Then stay here with me," I said, "and make Samoa your home altogether." "That I will, and even if the Lord calls me," was the reply. Tusitala--story-writer--spoke the truth, for even now he is still with me in Samoa. Truth is great and must endure. Tusitala's religion and motto was: "Do ye to others as ye would have them do unto you."

Hence this n.o.ble, ill.u.s.trious man has won my love and admiration, as well as the esteem and respect of all who knew him. My G.o.d is the same G.o.d who called away Tusitala, and when it has pleased Him for my appointed time to come, then I will gladly join T. in that eternal home where we meet to part no more.

With perfect a.s.surance of my best wishes for your progress and prosperity,--I remain, dear sir, cordially yours,

M. I.

C. C. MATAAFA High Chief of Samoa.

D

April 24, 1921

DEAR MADAM:

Thank you very much for the letter which came some four months ago. I read it over, over and over again to memorise every word of the letter, and it was a glad toil. I thought of you and Mr. ... I thought of Messrs. F.... D.... and R.... and Miss G...., every body to-gether and every body separate that gave me untold happiness, and I heard the throbs of my heart. I told to my wife who is very glad to hear from me.

As you know I got married in the year of 1913. And we have five children now. Please don't be scared! Two boys and three daughters. Takako oldest daughter six year, seven months old. Takas.h.i.+ge, William (boy) four years; Fuziko Elsie two years and nearly four months; Chiyeko, Lucie eight months old. And this made me perfect papa, which is my joy and my pride! Beside this I have thirty acres of orange orchard (four years old) all is my own, and my wife's now which brought me four (boxes-horses) (?) poor fruit year before last, and seventy two boxes better fruit last year. I am expecting greater crop this fall. I read Mr. ---- article about June drop in California Cultivator, and irrigated my orchards last December and this year I started to wet from February which no body does this in this visinity (orchardists of here keep orchards with weeds and wild oats as high as my shoulder all winter and they wait irrigation until orchards perfectly dry and cracke.) I am taking care our orchards after Mr. ---- idea mostly with some of my own, as I feel as it mine but all of them are a collection of idea of other people's experiences.

I have debt of five thousand five hundreds dollars which need not to pay interest except one thousand five hundred dollars. This is my joy and my pride too, is it not?

Five children and five thousand five hundreds dollars debt are not big job to carry on, for me, but they make me very busy indeed. For this reason, I do not write to my friends, as often as I wish, of course I can, if I do, like this one, but it is great strain for me now.

Therefore please will kindly excuse, I shall not write you again until next Christmas probably.

Please remember me to Mr. ---- and All your family.

When you will come to Terra Bella to see Mr. ----.

When you have spare time, and when you thought of old servant, please stop a moment at my humble dwelling place and give me chance to hear your voice directly. That will be my honor, that which will encourage me, if it is possible with Mr. F. P. It will be a greater honor for us.

Befor I ask you to come to see us, we should go to see you first, but just excuse for the reasons as above written.

I shall leave the pen with prare of your sound health, and happiness.

G.o.d be with you.

From your old servant --------