(Copyright, 1902, by Frank G, Carpenter.)
HA, Samoa, Dec. 21. (Special Cor
respondence of The lice.) I give
you my notes concerning Apia,
the capital of tho German colony
In Samoa, ns they wero written
on the ground. I came hero from Now Zea
land enrouto for San Francisco. Tho ships
start from Sydney and call at New Zealand
and tho Samonn and Hawaiian Islands on
tho way. It Is now four days slnco I left
Auckland, and It will tako mo four days
moro to get to Honolulu.
Steaming Is delightful down here along
tho equator. Wo have nothing but sun
shine, and such glorious sunshine. As wo
coasted the Islnnd of Savll, tho largest of
tho Samonn group, tho air was fresh and
tho wind strong enough to make It cool and
ploasant, Tho sea was a steel blue, with
silvery white caps dancing upon It between
us and tho shore, and tho sky was full of
white, smoky clouds. Savll makes mo think
of tho Hawaiian Islands. It Is long and
volcanic, but Its volcanic characteristics
aro hidden In verdure. As wo sailed by
It It seemed like a great bill of the shape
of a horso shoe, tho ends of tho shoe slop
ing down to tho water. Passing this we
soon reached tho Island of Upolu, on tho
porth coast of which Apia Is situated. Until
Upolu and Savll now belong to Germany,
all tho rest of the Islands having been
given up to the United States.
Ci-rniiiii Siuiina.
Tho Germans, In their greed for moro
land, were glad to take tho two larger
Islands. Out here It Is thought that wo
got tho best of tho bargain. Doth Savll
and Upolu together aro not as largo as
Ithcdu Island, and they aro of little valuo
outside their harbors, which aro not good.
Savll Is forty-seven miles long and twenty
eight miles wldo nnd Upolu Is much
smaller. Doth Islands aro mountainous,
fertllo and well watered. Lllto Tutulla,
thoy have been built up by the coral polyps,
aided by volcanoes.
As I came Into tho harbor of Apia tho
tldo was low and I could see a great garden
or bed of coral rising up out of tho water.
Hero nnd thcro along tho shore wero signs
of cultivation. Thero wero groves of cocoa
nut trees and further up tho mountains
plantations of cacao. In the green jungle
on tho bills I could sco hero and thcro a
patch of chocolate brown, whero tho ground
had been cleared for new cacao farms.
Just back of Apia tho whlto villa of Itobcrt
Louis Stevenson showed out and abovo it
roso mountain after mountain of different
shades of green or bluo, covered by tho
vegetation and tho clouds.
Tho country looked very beautiful In tho
tropical sunlight. The sky was full of
fleecy masses. Hero tho shadows turned
tho sea to green and thcro to navy blue,
while upon tho land they mndo a mass of
light and shade, added to by tho fresh green
crop shining out of tho old green forest.
Closo to tho water's edge wero what from
our steamer looked 1 II; o vast cornfields,
which tho captain said wero cocoanut or
chards, containing tens of thousands of
trees, loaded with millions of nuts.
Quite a business Is dono hero In copra.
Tho cocoanuts aro gathered, split open and
tho meat taken out. This is cut Into strips
of about 4.C Inches and dried in the sun,
when It shrinks to about halt that slzo and
Is known ns copra. After drying It Is
packed In burlap sacks, each containing
about seventy pounds, and thus shipped to
Europo and tho United States. It sells
hero for about 2 cents n pound and In
Liverpool or San Francisco for about 3
cents a pound.
I.ouU lit Apln.
I am much disappointed in Apia. From
Uobert Louis Stovenson's lotters and. the
fuss which tho town has made In the Inter
national history of tho recent past I ex
pected to And It a city. It Is a shabby
ltttlo vlllago of 350 foreigners. There aro
200 British and 150 Germans, with a few
Americans and French for good measure.
OurftNew Island in the Central Pacific
MAKI.NO KAVA TUB QIRL IN THE CENTER DOES
Tho town is right on tho sen and it runs
around tho harbor. It Is made up of bunga-low-shapcd
buildings, roofed with galvan
ized Iron. A great crowd of Samoans came
down to greet tho steamer and tho wholo
population of foreigners was out for tho
samo purpose.
I went up to tho Tlvoll hotel and havo
mado this my headquarters during my stay.
Tho town Itself Is easily exhausted. It has
a half dozen business houses, engaged In
shipping cacao and copra and In furnishing
tho natives with different kinds of fancy
goods, cottons nnd tinned stuffs. There aro
two photographers, a lot of consuls and a
baker's dozen or so of German ofllclals.
Tho Germans aro now doing tho bulk of tho
trado and they aro gradually gobbling up
tho plantation.
I rodo up to Robert Louis Stevenson's
home. It now belongs to a German and tho
cacao plantation upon which ho sweat so
profusely was bought at halt prlco by a
German planter. This planter has ma
terially added to tho house and Is fast de
stroying all vestiges of Stevenson. Ho has
a sign over tho gate In half a dozen lan
guages, beginning "Elngang verboten" and
going on to say In English, French and
Samonn that strangers aro prohibited from
coming Inside tho gate. Robert Louis
Stevenson's tomb Is overgrown with weeds
and tho pilgrimages to It from the Incoming
shlp3 aro less every year.
Aiikiiik the Sitiiiouim.
I have been taken around over tho Island
of Upolu by ono of tho Samonn chiefs. I
was Introduced to him In his house, n kind
of thatched shack not far from Apln. He
was halt naked when I enmo into tho
house, but ho dressed himself In my pres
ence nnd went about with mo. I find that
ho speaks good English. Ho knows the
Islands well nnd Is very Intelligent, ns aro
nil tho natives I havo so far met.
With my friend tho chief I visited many
of tho Samoan villages. Thoy aro mado up
of huts walled and roofed with thatch. It
Is not necessary that the walls bo tight, us
It Is always warm here, and the moro nlr
ycu can get tho better. Tho usual sleeping
plnco Is the floor nnd this Is also tho
sitting place.
Tho conditions aro Just nbcut the samo
In Tutulla and Manua as hero, and what I
wrlto about Upolu will do equally well for
our Islands. Tho peoplo sleep on grasi
mats, which thoy lay on tho ground. Thoy
uso as pillows a ltttlo stick of bamboo,
mounted on four short legs, which raises
their heads well up off tho floor. The
Samoans aro a cleanly people. Thoy nro
always bathing. You uoo them cvorywhoro
In tho water, both women and men. Tlicv
wndo about waist-deep In tho streams,
swim together in tho surf and splash ono
another, acting moro liko bnys in swim
ming than men nnd women.
Uncle Siiiu'k Snuioiiii DtiUKlitrrH.
I like tho Samoan girls and I th'nk Undo
Sam has materially added to his gallery of
American beauties by tho acquisition of
Tutulla nnd Manua. Manua, you know, Is
nn Island of ours a ltttlo beyond Tutulla,
which Is noted for Its pretty girls. Tho
Snmoan women havo beautiful forms. Thov
are strnighter than the statuo of Venus In
tho Cnpttoltno museum In Home, and thoy
aro as plump and as well formed as the
Venus do Medici. Thoy havo a rich chest
nut brown complexion, largo, soulful oyes,
which aro full of smiles, and luxuriant
black hair, which they often bleach to a
bright red by tho uso of lime and othor
things.
Doth women nnd men nro full of good
nature. Especially In Tutulla, where they
havo not been spoiled by foreigners, they
are gentle, kind and easily governed.
Our government steamer has been In port
here during my stay and its officers have
given mo much information about things In
our part of tho Samoan Islands. Thoy toll mo
that tho Tutullans already consider thorn
selves American citizens. They havo sworn
THE CHEWINO.
nllcglanco to tho United States and hurrah
for the Stars and Stripes us enthusiastically
ns wo do on tho Fourth of July. Tho gov
ernment has brought quiet to tho Island.
It has for years been torn up with wars
among tho different tribes, but tho naval
olllcials havo required that all tho guns bo
given up and tho peoplo nro now, figura
tively speaking, turning their swords Into
pruning hooks.
Wo nro ruling tho Samoans after tho
Dutch method; that Is, wo aro allowing
them to govern themselves nnd working
through their chiefs. Every vlllngo is n
ltttlo republic, with its own chief, who Is In
most cases a hereditary rulor. Thcso chiefs
havo been mado tho governors of their vil
lages and all work Is dono through them.
Our naval officials sit behind tho chiefs and
pull tho strings and tho peoplo think thoy
nro ruling themselves. In this way schools
havo been established and sotno of tho old
customs havo been abolished. Tho govern
ment desires to encourago education ns far
as posslblo and missionary work Is ro
spocted. At present tho Islands havo a
revenuo of $7,500 a year, tho taxes being
paid In copra.
Fortune MnkliiK In Smiion.
I havo been asked to Invcstlgato tho
chances for Americans to mako fortunes In
the Samonn Islands. Itobcrt Louis Steven-
MANUA MAIDS ARE NOTED FOR
DEAUTY.
son tried It nnd failed. Ho mado about
$20,000 a year out of his books, but as far
ns I can, learn not n cent out of cacao. Tho
Islands havo an excellent cllmnto. It is
good for consumptives, and If tho consump
tive bo anything clso than nn Impractical
newspaper or literary man ho might mnlo
money nt cocoanut raising or cacao plant
ing. Thcro aro men who have cacao plun
tntiens on Upolu who aro making money.
Cacao plants aro thoso whlh produce tho
seeds from which chocolnto is made. They
aro planted hero In rows about fourteen
feet npart and sometimes closer. About
200 rows can bo grown upon an acre. It
tako3 four yoars boforo tho trees come Into
bearing, nnd nfter that time, If proporly
cared for, they aro profitable. Ono Samoan
planter named Moors has netted $1,200 a
year from sixty acres nnd thero aro others
who havo dono equally ns well.
Mr. Moors has 3,000 trees set out nt Pago
Pago and he expects to set out more, Some
of the native chiefs have plantations and
thero Is a man named Caruthors who
netted $000 from loss than eight acres of
cacao In 1899. Mr. Moors says that two
thirds of all tho land in tho Samoan Islands
is suitable tor tho growth of cacao.
I am not suro as to prices of lands on
Tutulla, but I doubt not thoy could bo
bought very cheap. Dack In the country
land Is leased as low as 25 cents per aero
NAVAL STATION ON PAGO PAGO DAY,
and about Apia good lands are sold nt from
$15 to $50 per acre. It costs about $50 nn
ncro to clear the Jungle nnd set out a
plantation, but small crops cau bo raised
between tho trees nnd If well handled the
plantation will pay In n short time.
As to cocoanuts, I think thcro Is a good
deal of money In raising thorn almost any
whero out In tho Pacific. Tho lands near
tho coast of almost all tho Islands will pro
duco good trees nnd n good cocoanut plan
tation will yield $1 a trco every year. ThU
Is so especially In the Philippines, where,
If properly handled, they will yield more.
Our IhIuiiiI of Milium.
I hnvo n photograph recently taken of
tho vlllago of Manua, on our Island of
Manua. This Is tho Island next largest to
Tutulla. Wo havo altogether four or flvo
Islands out here; thoy nro Tutulla, Manua,
Ofu nnd Olcsega. Mnnua contains about
twenty square miles. It Is mountainous
nnd surrounded by coral reefs. Tho moun
tains nro about a hnlf-tnllo In height, bu
tho hind rises so gradually that tho wholo
Island can bo cultivated. Tho Manuuus are
much the snmo ns tho Tutullans. Thov
number nltogothor nbout 2,000, but thoy nro
out of the lino of ocean steamship travel
and nro moro interesting than tho Samoans
of tho other Islands. Thoy havo had mis
sionaries for tho last soventy years and
aro Christians. Thoy havo churches nnd
schools nnd live peacefully under their
king. Thoy produco enough food for them
selves nnd sell enough copra to buy what
they want In other wnyk. Tho American
officers say thnt cocoanut and bannun
plnntntlnns nro being put out on nil i.ur
Islands nnd that they will scon Increase In
production and wealth. They havo noth
ing but good to say of tho peoplo.
It Is Interesting to hear nnval officers
toll their experiences In theso out-of-tlrj-way
Islands. Thoy wero recolved In grcnt
stato by tho king of Manua, who trcntid
them to kava boforo ho discussed buslnnss
with them. Ho hnd his chiefs with him
nnd his wife, tho quocn, sat besldo hlra
during tho audience. Tho kava was brought
In by tho belle of tho Island In a cuu
fastened to n branch of cocoanut palm. It
was first given to tho king, who handed It
back to hor, whereupon shu filled It and
again gavo It to his majesty. Ho drank
some of It, first pouring somu on tho
ground. After this It was presented to
Commander Tilloy nnd tho othor ohlcors
and thoy drank It, although they kmw
very woll how It was mado.
Clieived liy l'ri tly (ilrU.
Tho preparation of kava Is much tho same
ns that of chlcha In Iiollvln. Chlcha Is a
beer made of corn, tho grains of which nro
chowed up by Indian girls nnd expectorntod
into n pet In which thoy nro left to fer
ment. Knvn comes from n root grown in
tho Pacific Islands, and thu knva roots nro
chowed up by tho protty Samoan girls and
mado Into a drink nfter tho following man
ner: Tho kava Is first washed and then cut
up Into llttlo cubes. Then a young girl,
preferubly a pretty girl, after wabhlng her
hands nnd rinsing hor mouth, begins to
work. Sho puts ono cubu of knva Into her
mouth nnd chows It vigorously. When It is
woll masticated sho adds another and an
other until sho has within her lips and
SHOWING START ON NEW STEEL WHARF
checks a mass of masticated fiber ns big ns
tin egg.
This she takes out and lays In n large Hut
bowl and then begins to form another egg.
Sho keeps on making eggs until nil tho root
Is chewed. Then wntcr Is poured Into tho
bowl nnd tho girl begins to Intend thu
fibrous irnss under It. Finally tho Juice
goes out of thu fiber Into tho wntor. It Is
strained through other fiber until It Is clear.
It Is now of n milky color and It tastes for
all tho world liko n mlxtura of soapsuds
nnd bitters. It Is not nn Intoxicant, but
when taken In excess It goes to your knees,
rendering you tumble to walk straight for
a time. This drink Is used In all tho
Islands of tho Pacific, nnd hero In Samoa
nnyono who Is making knva has tho right
to ask any girl who Is passing, no matter
who eho may bo, to como In and chow for
him.
MIhnIiuin III Sllllllill.
I understand thnt thu Iondvv-Mlarfio.w.fy-
flocloty is doing much good throughout nil
pnrts of Samoa. It has been working hero
for nlniost three goiiointlona nnd It now
claims 27,000 converts. Thero nro also
Roman Catholic missionaries on come of
the islands, nil'! nltogothcr tho people nro
lollgious. It seoins to mo thnt tho average
morality among the natives of many of the
Islands of tho Pacific Is far higher than
among tho foreigners, It Is tho foreigners
who bring In tho whisky, nnd tho average
bonth-coiubliic Under is not a man to ho
respected, nlthough there aro hlgli-clasH
business men scattered through thu vnrlous
archipelagoes.
Tho London Missionary socloty has dono
a great deal of work In tho FIJIs, tho Ton
gas nnd other Islands. It hns organized a
girls' high school in our possessions re
cently and It Is doing much to elevate the
people.
There aro a number of Improvements go
ing on nbout Pago Pago bay. A steel pier
Is bclnc built nnd coal sheds hnvo been
erected. Tho pier was, I understand, first
put down upon cornl rock Instead of bed
rock. After n tlmo tho rock broko through
and It Is said that a largo part of tho work
will havo to bo dono over ngnln. Tho har
bor of Pugo Pago Is by far tho best on thn
Islands and It will probably bo tho chief
coaling placo for tho strainers which crosa
this part of tho Pacific, taking tho placo
which Apia lias now,
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Not a Common Farmer
Syracusu Herald: "What, my daughter
marry you, a common clod of a farmer?
Young man, you must ho crazy," remarked
tho choleric old gentleman with tho Mark
Ilnnna build.
Wo looked to seo thu young man in tho
overalls wither up and disappear, hut In
stead ho smiled faintly, even haughtily,
and, Jingling a hunch of loose change In his
packet, pensively reiiinrked:
"Mr. Vandcrfeller, I plnnted twenty acres
to potntocs last spring, and tho crop was
n success."
"Whit!" cried tho old man, surpriso nnd
reinorsu In his tones, "twenty ticrcs of
potatoes? And I called you n farmer?
You're an agriculturist, Bir, and I'm proud
to havo you as a son-in-law."
