n his present
refuge. Both were in close and daily council with his adversary, and it
was no secret that Moors was supplying the latter with food. They were
partisans; it lacked but a hair that they should be called belligerents;
it were idle to try to deny they were the most dangerous of spies. And
yet these two now sailed across the bay and landed inside the Tamasese
lines at Salelesi. On the very beach they had another glimpse of the
artlessness of Samoan war. Hitherto the Tamasese fleet, being hardy and
unencumbered, had made a fool of the huge floating forts upon the other
side; and here they were toiling, not to produce another boat on their
own pattern in which they had always enjoyed the advantage, but to make a
new one the type of their enemies', of which they had now proved the
uselessness for months. It came on to rain as the Americans landed; and
though none offered to oppose their coming ashore, none invited them to
take shelter. They were nowise abashed, entered a house unbidden, and
were made welcome with obvious reserve. The rain clearing off, they set
forth westward, deeper into the heart of the enemies' position. Three or
four young men ran some way before them, doubtless to give warning; and
Leary, with his indomitable taste for mischief, kept inquiring as he went
after "the high chief" Tamasese. The line of the beach was one
continuous breastwork; some thirty odd iron cannon of all sizes and
patterns stood mounted in embrasures; plenty grape and canister lay
ready; and at every hundred yards or so the German flag was flying. The
numbers of the guns and flags I give as I received them, though they test
my faith. At the house of Brandeis--a little, weatherboard house,
crammed at the time with natives, men, women, and squalling
children--Leary and Moors again asked for "the high chief," and, were
again assured that he was farther on. A little beyond, the road ran in
one place somewhat inland, the two Americans had gone down to the line of
the beach to continue their inspection of the breastwork, when Brandeis
himself, in his shirt-sleeves and accompanied by several German officers,
passed them by the line of the road. The two parties saluted in silence.
Beyond Eva Point there was an observable change for the worse in the
reception of the Americans; some whom they met began to mutter at Moors;
and the adventurers, with tardy but commendable prudence, desisted from
their search after the high