VIII

In 1862, Savaii was visited by H.M.S. Fawn. The following is taken from the Notes on her cruise:

"9th July.—No canoe came off this morning or yesterday afternoon, the natives being afraid to venture near the guns of the Fawn, until they know how things are going to turn out with them, having a great fear of offending the papalangis, since the visit of the Cordelia, two years ago. On that occasion a murderer was given up here, and hanged at her yard-arm, but not before one of their villages had been burned and much property destroyed—among other things a fine war-canoe, over the relics of which they mourned with tears. On the present occasion, happily, they have not much cause for fear, as it is evident that the principal men have been most anxious to prevent any cause of offence being given by any of their people, who have generally acted with great forbearance towards the white men, and more scrupulous honesty than has been shown to them in return."

The narrator continues, that their visit occasioned great excitement, and on the day that Court cases were to be tried, they saw from the ship a stream of people coming towards the village, from east and west. The Court sat until four o'clock; the crowd was dense, inside and around the native house, and the officers were heartily glad when the business was concluded, the heat being very oppressive, crowded up as they were by hundreds of persons redolent of coco-nut oil. The chief case of dispute was about this article of commerce, obtained by the traders and not duly paid for. The Samoans had, in consequence, according to their custom, helped themselves, in some instances, to the debtors' property, but, as far as was proved, taking less than the actual value due to them.

The discourse turned also largely on pigs. The destruction page break

Samoan Tattooing (1)

page 73of any animal found in an enclosed plantation was a very rigid custom among the Samoans; but the European settlers seemed to think that their pigs ought to be excepted from the penalties, and to have the same license as their owners appeared to take in all things. "Pig is a term of great reproach when applied to a man, and anyone using it is subject to a heavy fine; if to a chief, fifty of the said animals is the usual penalty. These good-for-nothing fellows, however, who had for years received kindness and hospitality from the people among whom they have chosen to settle, are in the habit of using it, with the most opprobrious adjectives in addition, to whom they think fit; and on their own admission it is only surprising that some of them are alive at this day." The result of the investigations was, that the natives, though they had committed themselves on one or two occasions—for which fines were imposed and paid—were found not nearly so much in fault as the Europeans, who received a severe lecture, and were, to their surprise, made to pay their debts to the "Kanakas."

We get further evidence of missionary interference with native customs. The inhabitants of Savaii, it was said, were wealthier than their neighbours, making much coconut-oil, and receiving a considerable revenue from tattooing. The most expert artists in this trade were now to be found in Savaii, in consequence of the objection to the practice, as a relic of "heathenism," by the missionaries, who in other places, where they had more influence through the Christian chiefs, had almost put a stop to the custom. The young men came from the different parts of the group here to be thus ornamented, and very often remained permanently. The population of Manua was likely to be reduced from this cause, as those who indulged in the fashion were forbidden by law to return. The same influence prevented the custom from being carried on at Tonga; and the youth from these islands also came in large numbers for the purpose of being thus decorated, "more majorum, without which they would be considered boys, prevented from marrying for years, not allowed to speak in the presence of grown men, and obliged to perform menial offices."