a footnote to history- 第15部分

The　native　opposition；　I　say；　was　in　a　sense　continuous。　　And　it　

kept　continuously　growing。　　The　sphere　of　Brandeis　was　limited　to　

Mulinuu　and　the　north　central　quarters　of　Upolu　…　practically　what　

is　shown　upon　the　map　opposite。　　There　the　taxes　were　expanded；　in　

the　out…districts；　men　paid　their　money　and　saw　no　return。　　Here　

the　eye　and　hand　of　the　dictator　were　ready　to　correct　the　scales　

of　justice；　in　the　out…districts；　all　things　lay　at　the　mercy　of　

the　native　magistrates；　and　their　oppressions　increased　with　the　

course　of　time　and　the　experience　of　impunity。　　In　the　spring　of　

the　year；　a　very　intelligent　observer　had　occasion　to　visit　many　

places　in　the　island　of　Savaii。　　〃Our　lives　are　not　worth　living；〃　

was　the　burthen　of　the　popular　complaint。　　〃We　are　groaning　under　

the　oppression　of　these　men。　　We　would　rather　die　than　continue　to　

endure　it。〃　　On　his　return　to　Apia；　he　made　haste　to　communicate　

his　impressions　to　Brandeis。　　Brandeis　replied　in　an　epigram：　

〃Where　there　has　been　anarchy　in　a　country；　there　must　be　

oppression　for　a　time。〃　　But　unfortunately　the　terms　of　the　epigram　

may　be　reversed；　and　personal　supervision　would　have　been　more　in　

season　than　wit。　　The　same　observer　who　conveyed　to　him　this　

warning　thinks　that；　if　Brandeis　had　himself　visited　the　districts　

and　inquired　into　complaints；　the　blow　might　yet　have　been　averted　

and　the　government　saved。　　At　last；　upon　a　certain　unconstitutional　

act　of　Tamasese；　the　discontent　took　life　and　fire。　　The　act　was　of　

his　own　conception；　the　dull　dog　was　ambitious。　　Brandeis　declares　

he　would　not　be　dissuaded；　perhaps　his　adviser　did　not　seriously　

try；　perhaps　did　not　dream　that　in　that　welter　of　contradictions；　

the　Samoan　constitution；　any　one　point　would　be　considered　sacred。　　

I　have　told　how　Tamasese　assumed　the　title　of　Tuiatua。　　In　August　

1888　a　year　after　his　installation；　he　took　a　more　formidable　step　

and　assumed　that　of　Malietoa。　　This　name；　as　I　have　said；　is　of　

peculiar　honour；　it　had　been　given　to；　it　had　never　been　taken　

from；　the　exiled　Laupepa；　those　in　whose　grant　it　lay；　stood　

punctilious　upon　their　rights；　and　Tamasese；　as　the　representative　

of　their　natural　opponents；　the　Tupua　line；　was　the　last　who　should　

have　had　it。　　And　there　was　yet　more；　though　I　almost　despair　to　

make　it　thinkable　by　Europeans。　　Certain　old　mats　are　handed　down；　

and　set　huge　store　by；　they　may　be　compared　to　coats　of　arms　or　

heirlooms　among　ourselves；　and　to　the　horror　of　more　than　one…half　

of　Samoa；　Tamasese；　the　head　of　the　Tupua；　began　collecting　

Malietoa　mats。　　It　was　felt　that　the　cup　was　full；　and　men　began　to　

prepare　secretly　for　rebellion。　　The　history　of　the　month　of　August　

is　unknown　to　whites；　it　passed　altogether　in　the　covert　of　the　

woods　or　in　the　stealthy　councils　of　Samoans。　　One　ominous　sign　was　

to　be　noted；　arms　and　ammunition　began　to　be　purchased　or　inquired　

about；　and　the　more　wary　traders　ordered　fresh　consignments　of　

material　of　war。　　But　the　rest　was　silence；　the　government　slept　in　

security；　and　Brandeis　was　summoned　at　last　from　a　public　dinner；　

to　find　rebellion　organised；　the　woods　behind　Apia　full　of　

insurgents；　and　a　plan　prepared；　and　in　the　very　article　of　

execution；　to　surprise　and　seize　Mulinuu。　　The　timely　discovery　

averted　all；　and　the　leaders　hastily　withdrew　towards　the　south　

side　of　the　island；　leaving　in　the　bush　a　rear…guard　under　a　young　

man　of　the　name　of　Saifaleupolu。　　According　to　some　accounts；　it　

scarce　numbered　forty；　the　leader　was　no　great　chief；　but　a　

handsome；　industrious　lad　who　seems　to　have　been　much　beloved。　　And　

upon　this　obstacle　Brandeis　fell。　　It　is　the　man's　fault　to　be　too　

impatient　of　results；　his　public　intention　to　free　Samoa　of　all　

debt　within　the　year；　depicts　him；　and　instead　of　continuing　to　

temporise　and　let　his　enemies　weary　and　disperse；　he　judged　it　

politic　to　strike　a　blow。　　He　struck　it；　with　what　seemed　to　be　

success；　and　the　sound　of　it　roused　Samoa　to　rebellion。



About　two　in　the　morning　of　August　31st；　Apia　was　wakened　by　men　

marching。　　Day　came；　and　Brandeis　and　his　war…party　were　already　

long　disappeared　in　the　woods。　　All　morning　belated　Tamaseseites　

were　still　to　be　seen　running　with　their　guns。　　All　morning　shots　

were　listened　for　in　vain；　but　over　the　top　of　the　forest；　far　up　

the　mountain；　smoke　was　for　some　time　observed　to　hang。　　About　ten　

a　dead　man　was　carried　in；　lashed　under　a　pole　like　a　dead　pig；　his　

rosary　（for　he　was　a　Catholic）　hanging　nearly　to　the　ground。　　Next　

came　a　young　fellow　wounded；　sitting　in　a　rope　swung　from　a　pole；　

two　fellows　bearing　him；　two　running　behind　for　a　relief。　　At　last　

about　eleven；　three　or　four　heavy　volleys　and　a　great　shouting　were　

heard　from　the　bush　town　Tanungamanono；　the　affair　was　over；　the　

victorious　force；　on　the　march　back；　was　there　celebrating　its　

victory　by　the　way。　　Presently　after；　it　marched　through　Apia；　five　

or　six　hundred　strong；　in　tolerable　order　and　strutting　with　the　

ludicrous　assumption　of　the　triumphant　islander。　　Women　who　had　

been　buying　bread　ran　and　gave　them　loaves。　　At　the　tail　end　came　

Brandeis　himself；　smoking　a　cigar；　deadly　pale；　and　with　perhaps　an　

increase　of　his　usual　nervous　manner。　　One　spoke　to　him　by　the　way。　　

He　expressed　his　sorrow　the　action　had　been　forced　on　him。　　〃Poor　

people；　it's　all　the　worse　for　them！〃　he　said。　　〃It'll　have　to　be　

done　another　way　now。〃　　And　it　was　supposed　by　his　hearer　that　he　

referred　to　intervention　from　the　German　war…ships。　　He　meant；　he　

said；　to　put　a　stop　to　head…hunting；　his　men　had　taken　two　that　

day；　he　added；　but　he　had　not　suffered　them　to　bring　them　in；　and　

they　had　been　left　in　Tanungamanono。　　Thither　my　informant　rode；　

was　attracted　by　the　sound　of　walling；　and　saw　in　a　house　the　two　

heads　washed　and　combed；　and　the　sister　of　one　of　the　dead　

lamenting　in　the　island　fashion　and　kissing　the　cold　face。　　Soon　

after；　a　small　grave　was　dug；　the　heads　were　buried　in　a　beef　box；　

and　the　pastor　read　the　service。　　The　body　of　Saifaleupolu　himself　

was　recovered　unmutilated；　brought　down　from　the　forest；　and　buried　

behind　Apia。



The　same　afternoon；　the　men　of　Vaimaunga　were　ordered　to　report　in　

Mulinuu；　where　Tamasese's　flag　was　half…masted　for　the　death　of　a　

chief　in　the　skirmish。　　Vaimaunga　is　that　district　of　Taumasanga　

which　includes　the　bay　and　the　foothills　behind　Apia；　and　both　

province　and　district　are　strong　Malietoa。　　Not　one　man；　it　is　

said；　obeyed　the　summons。　　Night　came；　and　the　town　lay　in　unusual　

silence；　no　one　abroad；　the　blinds　down　around　the　native　houses；　

the　men　within　sleeping　on　their　arms；　the　old　women　keeping　watch　

in　pairs。　　And　in　the　course　of　the　two　following　days　all　

Vaimaunga　was　gone　into　the　bush；　the　very　gaoler　setting　free　his　

prisoners　and　joining　them　in　their　escape。　　Hear　the　words　of　the　

chiefs　in　the　23rd　article　of　their　complaint：　〃Some　of　the　chiefs　

fled　to　the　bush　from　fear　of　being　reported；　fear　of　German　men…

of…war；　constantly　being　accused；　etc。；　and　Brandeis　commanded　that　

they　were　to　be　shot　on　sight。　　This　act　was　carried　out　by　

Brandeis　on　the　31st　day　of　August；　1888。　　After　this　we　evaded　

these　laws；　we　could　not　stand　them；　our　patience　was　worn　out　with　

the　constant　wickedness　of　Tamasese　and　Brandeis。　　We　were　tired　

out　and　could　stand　no　longer　the　acts　of　these　two　men。〃



So　through　an　ill…timed　skirmish；　two　severed　heads；　and　a　dead　

body；　the　rule　of　Brandeis　came　to　a　sudden　end。　　We　shall　see　him　

a　while　longer　fighting　for　existence　in　a　losing　battle；　but　his　

government　…　take　it　for　all　in　all；　the　most　promising　that　has　

ever　been　in　these　unlucky　islands　…　was　from　that　hour　a　piece　of　

history。







CHAPTER　V　…　THE　BATTLE　OF　MATAUTU

SEPTEMBER　1888







THE　revolution　had　all　the　character　of　a　popular　movement。　　Many　

of　the　high　chiefs　were　detained　in　Mulinuu；　the　commons　trooped　to　

the　bush　under　inferior　leaders。　　A　camp　was　chosen　near　Faleula；　

threatening　Mulinuu；　well　placed　for　the　arrival　of　recruits　and　

close　to　a　German　plantation　from　which　the　force　could　be　

subsisted。　　Manono　came；　all　Tuamasanga；　much　of　Savaii；　and　part　

of　Aana；　Tamasese's　own　government　and　titular　seat。　　Both　sides　

were　arming。　　It　was　a　brave　day　for　the　trader；　though　not　so　

brave　as　some　that　followed；　when　a　single　cartridge　is　said　to　

have　been　sold　for　twelve　cents　currency　…　between　nine　and　ten　

cents　gold。　　Yet　even　among　the　traders　a　strong　party　feeling　

reigned；　and　it　was　the　common　practice　to　ask　a　purchaser　upon　

which　side　he　meant　to　fight。



On　September　5th；　Brandeis　published　a　letter：　〃To　the　chiefs　of　

Tuamasanga；　Manono；　and　Faasaleleanga　in　the　Bush：　　Chiefs；　by　

authority　of　his　majesty　Tamasese；　the　king　of　Samoa；　I　make　known　

to　you　all　that　the　Ge