Samoa Under the Sailing Gods

V

V

The impression made on the Savaiians generally by the Administrator, I think, was not unfavourable. They were impressed by his high military rank. They had, of course, already met him in 1923. On this latest malanga, however, he seems to have made them various promises which were not fulfilled; which cannot in the long run have redounded to his credit. At Falealupo, for instance, the chiefs asked me when the Administrator was going to send them the cart and horse that he had promised, on seeing the long road by which they brought their food-stuffs from the plantations. I could scarcely credit that such a promise had been made; but my interpreter assured me that he too had been present and had heard it. I replied that if the promise had been made I had no doubt that in due course it would be fulfilled. It never was. This was typical of incidents in one or two other villages.