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was almost beyond the reach of any human speaking voice； the
proceedings besides continued in the midst； yet it was
possible to catch snatches of this elaborate and cut…and…dry
oratory … it was possible for me； for instance； to catch the
description of my gift and myself as the ALII TUSITALA； O LE
ALII O MALO TETELE … the chief White Information； the chief
of the great Governments。 Gay designation？ In the house； in
our three curule chairs； we sat and looked on。 On our left a
little group of the family。 In front of us； at our feet； an
ancient Talking…man； crowned with green leaves； his profile
almost exactly Dante's； Popo his name。 He had worshipped
idols in his youth； he had been full grown before the first
missionary came hither from Tahiti； this makes him over
eighty。 Near by him sat his son and colleague。 In the group
on our left； his little grandchild sat with her legs crossed
and her hands turned； the model already （at some three years
old） of Samoan etiquette。 Still further off to our right；
Mataafa sat on the ground through all the business； and still
I saw his lips moving； and the beads of his rosary slip
stealthily through his hand。 We had kava； and the King's
drinking was hailed by the Popos （father and son） with a
singular ululation； perfectly new to my ears； it means； to
the expert； 'Long live Tuiatua'； to the inexpert； is a mere
voice of barbarous wolves。 We had dinner； retired a bit
behind the central pillar of the house； and； when the King
was done eating； the ululation was repeated。 I had my eyes
on Mataafa's face； and I saw pride and gratified ambition
spring to life there and be instantly sucked in again。 It
was the first time； since the difference with Laupepa； that
Popo and his son had openly joined him； and given him the due
cry as Tuiatua … one of the eight royal names of the islands；
as I hope you will know before this reaches you。
Not long after we had dined； the food…bringing was over。 The
gifts （carefully noted and tallied as they came in） were now
announced by a humorous orator； who convulsed the audience；
introducing singing notes； now on the name of the article；
now on the number； six thousand odd heads of taro； three
hundred and nineteen cooked pigs； and one thing that
particularly caught me （by good luck）； a single turtle 'for
the King' … LE TASI MO LE TUPU。 Then came one of the
strangest sights I have yet witnessed。 The two most
important persons there （bar Mataafa） were Popo and his son。
They rose； holding their long shod rods of talking men；
passed forth from the house； broke into a strange dance； the
father capering with outstretched arms and rod； the son
crouching and gambolling beside him in a manner
indescribable； and presently began to extend the circle of
this dance among the acres of cooked food。 WHATEVER THEY
LEAPED OVER； WHATEVER THEY CALLED FOR； BECAME THEIRS。 To see
mediaeval Dante thus demean himself struck a kind of a chill
of incongruity into our Philistine souls； but even in a great
part of the Samoan concourse； these antique and （I
understand） quite local manners awoke laughter。 One of my
biscuit tins and a live calf were among the spoils he
claimed； but the large majority of the cooked food （having
once proved his dignity） he re…presented to the King。
Then came the turn of LE ALII TUSITALA。 He would not dance；
but he was given … five live hens； four gourds of oil； four
fine tapas； a hundred heads of taro； two cooked pigs； a
cooked shark； two or three cocoanut branches strung with
kava； and the turtle； who soon after breathed his last； I
believe； from sunstroke。 It was a royal present for 'the
chief of the great powers。' I should say the gifts were； on
the proper signal； dragged out of the field of food by a
troop of young men； all with their lava…lavas kilted almost
into a loin…cloth。 The art is to swoop on the food…field；
pick up with unerring swiftness the right things and
quantities； swoop forth again on the open； and separate；
leaving the gifts in a new pile： so you may see a covey of
birds in a corn…field。 This reminds me of a very inhumane
but beautiful passage I had forgotten in its place。 The
gift…giving was still in full swing； when there came a troop
of some ninety men all in tafa lava…lavas of a purplish
colour； they paused； and of a sudden there went up from them
high into the air a flight of live chickens； which； as they
came down again； were sent again into the air； for perhaps a
minute； from the midst of a singular turmoil of flying arms
and shouting voices； I assure you； it was very beautiful to
see； but how many chickens were killed？
No sooner was my food set out than I was to be going。 I had
a little serious talk with Mataafa on the floor； and we went
down to the boat； where we got our food aboard； such a cargo
… like the Swiss Family Robinson； we said。 However； a squall
began； Tauilo refused to let us go； and we came back to the
house for half…an…hour or so； when my ladies distinguished
themselves by walking through a Fono （council）； my mother
actually taking up a position between Mataafa and Popo！ It
was about five when we started … turtle； pigs； taro； etc。； my
mother； Belle； myself； Tauilo； a portly friend of hers with
the voice of an angel； and a pronunciation so delicate and
true that you could follow Samoan as she sang； and the two
tired boys Frank and Jimmie； with the two bad oars and the
two slippery rowlocks to impel the whole。 Sale Taylor took
the canoe and a strong Samoan to paddle him。 Presently after
he went inshore； and passed us a little after； with his arms
folded； and TWO strong Samoans impelling him Apia…ward。 This
was too much for Belle； who hailed； taunted him； and made him
return to the boat with one of the Samoans； setting Jimmie
instead in the canoe。 Then began our torment； Sale and the
Samoan took the oars； sat on the same thwart （where they
could get no swing on the boat had they tried）； and
deliberately ladled at the lagoon。 We lay enchanted。 Night
fell； there was a light visible on shore； it did not move。
The two women sang； Belle joining them in the hymns she has
learned at family worship。 Then a squall came up； we sat a
while in roaring midnight under rivers of rain； and； when it
blew by； there was the light again； immovable。 A second
squall followed； one of the worst I was ever out in； we could
scarce catch our breath in the cold； dashing deluge。 When it
went； we were so cold that the water in the bottom of the
boat （which I was then baling） seemed like a warm footbath in
comparison； and Belle and I； who were still barefoot； were
quite restored by laving in it。
All this time I had kept my temper； and refrained as far as
might be from any interference； for I saw （in our friend's
mulish humour） he always contrived to twist it to our
disadvantage。 But now came the acute point。 Young Frank now
took an oar。 He was a little fellow； near as frail as
myself； and very short； if he weighed nine stone； it was the
outside； but his blood was up。 He took stroke； moved the big
Samoan forward to bow； and set to work to pull him round in
fine style。 Instantly a kind of race competition … almost
race hatred … sprang up。 We jeered the Samoan。 Sale
declared it was the trim of the boat： 'if this lady was aft'
（Tauilo's portly friend） 'he would row round Frank。' We
insisted on her coming aft； and Frank still rowed round the
Samoan。 When the Samoan caught a crab （the thing was
continual with these wretched oars and rowlocks）； we shouted
and jeered； when Frank caught one； Sale and the Samoan jeered
and yelled。 But anyway the boat moved； and presently we got
up with Mulinuu； where I finally lost my temper； when I found
that Sale proposed to go ashore and make a visit … in fact；
we all three did。 It is not worth while going into； but I
must give you one snatch of the subsequent conversation as we
pulled round Apia bay。 'This Samoan；' said Sale； 'received
seven German bullets in the field of Fangalii。' 'I am
delighted to hear it；' said Belle。 'His brother was killed
there；' pursued Sale； and Belle； prompt as an echo； 'Then
there are no more of the family？ how delightful！' Sale was
sufficiently surprised to change the subject； he began to
praise Frank's rowing with insufferable condescension： 'But
it is after all not to be wondered at；' said he； 'because he
has been for some time a sailor。 My good man； is it three or
five years that you have been to sea？' And Frank； in a
defiant shout： 'Two！' Whereupon； so high did the ill…feeling
run； that we three clapped and applauded and shouted； so that
the President （whose house we were then passing） doubtless
started at the sounds。 It was nine when we got to the hotel；
at first n