贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > a footnote to history >

第12章

a footnote to history-第12章

小说: a footnote to history 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




continual stream of visitors and messengers。  Day after day the 

German blue…jackets were employed in the hopeless enterprise of 

beating the forests for the fugitive; day after day they were 

suffered to pass unhurt under the guns of ambushed Samoans; day 

after day they returned; exhausted and disappointed; to Apia。  

Seumanu Tafa; high chief of Apia; was known to be in the forest 

with the king; his wife; Fatuila; was seized; imprisoned in the 

German hospital; and when it was thought her spirit was 

sufficiently reduced; brought up for cross…examination。  The wise 

lady confined herself in answer to a single word。  〃Is your husband 

near Apia?〃  〃Yes。〃  〃Is he far from Apia?〃  〃Yes。〃 〃Is he with the 

king?〃  〃Yes。〃  〃Are he and the king in different places?〃  〃Yes。〃  

Whereupon the witness was discharged。  About the 10th of September; 

Laupepa was secretly in Apia at the American consulate with two 

companions。  The German pickets were close set and visited by a 

strong patrol; and on his return; his party was observed and hailed 

and fired on by a sentry。  They ran away on all fours in the dark; 

and so doing plumped upon another sentry; whom Laupepa grappled and 

flung in a ditch; for the Sheet of Paper; although infirm of 

character; is; like most Samoans; of an able body。  The second 

sentry (like the first) fired after his assailants at random in the 

dark; and the two shots awoke the curiosity of Apia。  On the 

afternoon of the 16th; the day of the hand…shakings; Suatele; a 

high chief; despatched two boys across the island with a letter。  

They were most of the night upon the road; it was near three in the 

morning before the sentries in the camp of Malietoa beheld their 

lantern drawing near out of the wood; but the king was at once 

awakened。  The news was decisive and the letter peremptory; if 

Malietoa did not give himself up before ten on the morrow; he was 

told that great sorrows must befall his country。  I have not been 

able to draw Laupepa as a hero; but he is a man of certain virtues; 

which the Germans had now given him an occasion to display。  

Without hesitation he sacrificed himself; penned his touching 

farewell to Samoa; and making more expedition than the messengers; 

passed early behind Apia to the banks of the Vaisingano。  As he 

passed; he detached a messenger to Mataafa at the Catholic mission。  

Mataafa followed by the same road; and the pair met at the river…

side and went and sat together in a house。  All present were in 

tears。  〃Do not let us weep;〃 said the talking man; Lauati。  〃We 

have no cause for shame。  We do not yield to Tamasese; but to the 

invincible strangers。〃  The departing king bequeathed the care of 

his country to Mataafa; and when the latter sought to console him 

with the commodore's promises; he shook his head; and declared his 

assurance that he was going to a life of exile; and perhaps to 

death。  About two o'clock the meeting broke up; Mataafa returned to 

the Catholic mission by the back of the town; and Malietoa 

proceeded by the beach road to the German naval hospital; where he 

was received (as he owns; with perfect civility) by Brandeis。  

About three; Becker brought him forth again。  As they went to the 

wharf; the people wept and clung to their departing monarch。  A 

boat carried him on board the BISMARCK; and he vanished from his 

countrymen。  Yet it was long rumoured that he still lay in the 

harbour; and so late as October 7th; a boy; who had been paddling 

round the CAROLA; professed to have seen and spoken with him。  Here 

again the needless mystery affected by the Germans bitterly 

disserved them。  The uncertainty which thus hung over Laupepa's 

fate; kept his name continually in men's mouths。  The words of his 

farewell rang in their ears: 〃To all Samoa:  On account of my great 

love to my country and my great affection to all Samoa; this is the 

reason that I deliver up my body to the German government。  That 

government may do as they wish to me。  The reason of this is; 

because I do not desire that the blood of Samoa shall be spilt for 

me again。  But I do not know what is my offence which has caused 

their anger to me and to my country。〃  And then; apostrophising the 

different provinces: 〃Tuamasanga; farewell!  Manono and family; 

farewell!  So; also; Salafai; Tutuila; Aana; and Atua; farewell!  

If we do not again see one another in this world; pray that we may 

be again together above。〃  So the sheep departed with the halo of a 

saint; and men thought of him as of some King Arthur snatched into 

Avilion。



On board the BISMARCK; the commodore shook hands with him; told him 

he was to be 〃taken away from all the chiefs with whom he had been 

accustomed;〃 and had him taken to the wardroom under guard。  The 

next day he was sent to sea in the ADLER。  There went with him his 

brother Moli; one Meisake; and one Alualu; half…caste German; to 

interpret。  He was respectfully used; he dined in the stern with 

the officers; but the boys dined 〃near where the fire was。〃  They 

come to a 〃newly…formed place〃 in Australia; where the ALBATROSS 

was lying; and a British ship; which he knew to be a man…of…war 

〃because the officers were nicely dressed and wore epaulettes。〃  

Here he was transhipped; 〃in a boat with a screen;〃 which he 

supposed was to conceal him from the British ship; and on board the 

ALBATROSS was sent below and told he must stay there till they had 

sailed。  Later; however; he was allowed to come on deck; where he 

found they had rigged a screen (perhaps an awning) under which he 

walked; looking at 〃the newly…formed settlement;〃 and admiring a 

big house 〃where he was sure the governor lived。〃  From Australia; 

they sailed some time; and reached an anchorage where a consul…

general came on board; and where Laupepa was only allowed on deck 

at night。  He could then see the lights of a town with wharves; he 

supposes Cape Town。  Off the Cameroons they anchored or lay…to; far 

at sea; and sent a boat ashore to see (he supposes) that there was 

no British man…of…war。  It was the next morning before the boat 

returned; when the ALBATROSS stood in and came to anchor near 

another German ship。  Here Alualu came to him on deck and told him 

this was the place。  〃That is an astonishing thing;〃 said he。  〃I 

thought I was to go to Germany; I do not know what this means; I do 

not know what will be the end of it; my heart is troubled。〃  

Whereupon Alualu burst into tears。  A little after; Laupepa was 

called below to the captain and the governor。  The last addressed 

him: 〃This is my own place; a good place; a warm place。  My house 

is not yet finished; but when it is; you shall live in one of my 

rooms until I can make a house for you。〃  Then he was taken ashore 

and brought to a tall; iron house。  〃This house is regulated;〃 said 

the governor; 〃there is no fire allowed to burn in it。〃  In one 

part of this house; weapons of the government were hung up; there 

was a passage; and on the other side of the passage; fifty 

criminals were chained together; two and two; by the ankles。  The 

windows were out of reach; and there was only one door; which was 

opened at six in the morning and shut again at six at night。  All 

day he had his liberty; went to the Baptist Mission; and walked 

about viewing the negroes; who were 〃like the sand on the seashore〃 

for number。  At six they were called into the house and shut in for 

the night without beds or lights。  〃Although they gave me no 

light;〃 said he; with a smile; 〃I could see I was in a prison。〃  

Good food was given him:  biscuits; 〃tea made with warm water;〃 

beef; etc。; all excellent。  Once; in their walks; they spied a 

breadfruit tree bearing in the garden of an English merchant; ran 

back to the prison to get a shilling; and came and offered to 

purchase。  〃I am not going to sell breadfruit to you people;〃 said 

the merchant; 〃come and take what you l

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的