a footnote to history-第27章
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unpursued; they reoccupied them one after another; and re…
established their lines to the very borders of Saluafata。 Night
fell; Mataafa had taken Saluafata; Tamasese had lost it; and that
was all。 But the day came near to have a different and very
singular issue。 The village was not long in the hands of the
Mataafas; when a schooner; flying German colours; put into the bay
and was immediately surrounded by their boats。 It chanced that
Brandeis was on board。 Word of it had gone abroad; and the boats
as they approached demanded him with threats。 The late premier;
alone; entirely unarmed; and a prey to natural and painful
feelings; concealed himself below。 The captain of the schooner
remained on deck; pointed to the German colours; and defied
approaching boats。 Again the prestige of a great Power triumphed;
the Samoans fell back before the bunting; the schooner worked out
of the bay; Brandeis escaped。 He himself apprehended the worst if
he fell into Samoan hands; it is my diffident impression that his
life would have been safe。
On the 22nd; a new German war…ship; the EBER; of tragic memory;
came to Apia from the Gilberts; where she had been disarming
turbulent islands。 The rest of that day and all night she loaded
stores from the firm; and on the morrow reached Saluafata bay。
Thanks to the misconduct of the Mataafas; the most of the foreshore
was still in the hands of the Tamaseses; and they were thus able to
receive from the EBER both the stores and weapons。 The weapons had
been sold long since to Tarawa; Apaiang; and Pleasant Island;
places unheard of by the general reader; where obscure inhabitants
paid for these instruments of death in money or in labour; misused
them as it was known they would be misused; and had been disarmed
by force。 The EBER had brought back the guns to a German counter;
whence many must have been originally sold; and was here engaged;
like a shopboy; in their distribution to fresh purchasers。 Such is
the vicious circle of the traffic in weapons of war。 Another aid
of a more metaphysical nature was ministered by the EBER to
Tamasese; in the shape of uncountable German flags。 The full
history of this epidemic of bunting falls to be told in the next
chapter。 But the fact has to be chronicled here; for I believe it
was to these flags that we owe the visit of the ADAMS; and my next
and best authentic glance into a native camp。 The ADAMS arrived in
Saluafata on the 26th。 On the morrow Leary and Moors landed at the
village。 It was still occupied by Mataafas; mostly from Manono and
Savaii; few in number; high in spirit。 The Tamasese pickets were
meanwhile within musket range; there was maintained a steady
sputtering of shots; and yet a party of Tamasese women were here on
a visit to the women of Manono; with whom they sat talking and
smoking; under the fire of their own relatives。 It was reported
that Leary took part in a council of war; and promised to join with
his broadside in the next attack。 It is certain he did nothing of
the sort: equally certain that; in Tamasese circles; he was firmly
credited with having done so。 And this heightens the extraordinary
character of what I have now to tell。 Prudence and delicacy alike
ought to have forbid the camp of Tamasese to the feet of either
Leary or Moors。 Moors was the original … there was a time when he
had been the only … opponent of the puppet king。 Leary had driven
him from the seat of government; it was but a week or two since he
had threatened to bombard him in his present refuge。 Both were in
close and daily council with his adversary; and it was no secret
that Moors was supplying the latter with food。 They were
partisans; it lacked but a hair that they should be called
belligerents; it were idle to try to deny they were the most
dangerous of spies。 And yet these two now sailed across the bay
and landed inside the Tamasese lines at Salelesi。 On the very
beach they had another glimpse of the artlessness of Samoan war。
Hitherto the Tamasese fleet; being hardy and unencumbered; had made
a fool of the huge floating forts upon the other side; and here
they were tolling; not to produce another boat on their own pattern
in which they had always enjoyed the advantage; but to make a new
one the type of their enemies'; of which they had now proved the
uselessness for months。 It came on to rain as the Americans
landed; and though none offered to oppose their coming ashore; none
invited them to take shelter。 They were nowise abashed; entered a
house unbidden; and were made welcome with obvious reserve。 The
rain clearing off; they set forth westward; deeper into the heart
of the enemies' position。 Three or four young men ran some way
before them; doubtless to give warning; and Leary; with his
indomitable taste for mischief; kept inquiring as he went after
〃the high chief〃 Tamasese。 The line of the beach was one
continuous breastwork; some thirty odd iron cannon of all sizes and
patterns stood mounted in embrasures; plenty grape and canister lay
ready; and at every hundred yards or so the German flag was flying。
The numbers of the guns and flags I give as I received them; though
they test my faith。 At the house of Brandeis … a little;
weatherboard house; crammed at the time with natives; men; women;
and squalling children … Leary and Moors again asked for 〃the high
chief;〃 and; were again assured that he was farther on。 A little
beyond; the road ran in one place somewhat inland; the two
Americans had gone down to the line of the beach to continue their
inspection of the breastwork; when Brandeis himself; in his shirt…
sleeves and accompanied by several German officers; passed them by
the line of the road。 The two parties saluted in silence。 Beyond
Eva Point there was an observable change for the worse in the
reception of the Americans; some whom they met began to mutter at
Moors; and the adventurers; with tardy but commendable prudence;
desisted from their search after the high chief; and began to
retrace their steps。 On the return; Suatele and some chiefs were
drinking kava in a 〃big house;〃 and called them in to join … their
only invitation。 But the night was closing; the rain had begun
again: they stayed but for civility; and returned on board the
ADAMS; wet and hungry; and I believe delighted with their
expedition。 It was perhaps the last as it was certainly one of the
most extreme examples of that divinity which once hedged the white
in Samoa。 The feeling was already different in the camp of
Mataafa; where the safety of a German loiterer had been a matter of
extreme concern。 Ten days later; three commissioners; an
Englishman; an American; and a German; approached a post of
Mataafas; were challenged by an old man with a gun; and mentioned
in answer what they were。 〃IFEA SIAMANI? Which is the German?〃
cried the old gentleman; dancing; and with his finger on the
trigger; and the commissioners stood somewhile in a very anxious
posture; till they were released by the opportune arrival of a
chief。 It was November the 27th when Leary and Moors completed
their absurd excursion; in about three weeks an event was to befall
which changed at once; and probably for ever; the relations of the
natives and the whites。
By the 28th Tamasese had collected seventeen hundred men in the
trenches before Saluafata; thinking to attack next day。 But the
Mataafas evacuated the place in the night。 At half…past five on
the morning of the 29th a signal…gun was fired in the trenches at
Laulii; and the Tamasese citadel was assaulted and defended with a
fury new among Samoans。 When the battle ended on the following
day; one or more outworks remained in the possession of Mataafa。
Another had been taken and lost as many as four times。 Carried
originally by a mixed force