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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 78

Sights for the Tourist

Sights for the Tourist.

Of all of the South Sea islands, Samoa presents the most attractive face towards the tourist, and in German Samoa he may revel in Nature's very bosom. The scenery everywhere is gorgeous and magnificent. Three years ago a volcanic outbreak opened up on the north side of Savaii, and without intermission since then the activity has been going on. At first billions of incandescent rocks were hurled heavens high until a hollow peak was built up out of a valley, to an elevation of perhaps 1500ft above the sea level. As the opening grew larger the discharge of incandescent rock stopped, and immense streams of molten lava filled up the inequalities of the ground, making for itself a smooth course towards the sea-coast, some ten miles distant. It is now-estimated that during the past three years some 60 square miles of land have been covered with lava, several valleys being filled to a depth of probably 600ft, and the sea coast has been extended perhaps threequarters of a mile. The furious output of this immense volcano seems rather on the increase than otherwise. Five native villages have passed out of sight, and page 16 even their former sites are merely conjectural, for the thickness of the lava flow is seldom under 30ft in any place. No lives have so far been lost, for as a usual thing the approach of a lava flow is slow, and overpoweringly majestic, and is a sight which once witnessed is never forgotten. No sightscer can possibly do the important and interesting points in German Sanoa in less than one month. It would take a good part of the time to get to know the people, especially the brown young ladies, who are most persuasive and attractive, and who have so often charmed the wanderer to stay in these beautiful islands for the remainder of his lite.