it attained a high style of
comedy; at another, when a pistol was most foolishly drawn, it bordered
on drama; and it may be said to have ended in a mixed genus, when Poor
was finally packed into the corrugated iron gaol along with the forfeited
ministers. Meanwhile the captain of his boat, Siteoni, of whom I shall
have to tell again, had cleverly withdrawn the boat's-crew at an early
stage of the quarrel. Among the population beyond Tamasese's marches, he
collected a body of armed men, returned before dawn to Leulumoenga,
demolished the corrugated iron gaol, and liberated the Hawaiian secretary
and the rump of the rebel cabinet. No opposition was shown; and
doubtless the rescue was connived at by Brandeis, who had gained his
point. Poor had the face to complain the next day to Becker; but to
compete with Becker in effrontery was labour lost. "You have been
repeatedly warned, Mr. Poor, not to expose yourself among these savages,"
said he.

Not long after, the presence of the _Kaimiloa_ was made _a casus belli_
by the Germans; and the rough-and-tumble embassy withdrew, on borrowed
money, to find their own government in hot water to the neck.

* * * * *

_The Emperor's Birthday_. It is possible, and it is alleged, that the
Germans entered into the conference with hope. But it is certain they
were resolved to remain prepared for either fate. And I take the liberty
of believing that Laupepa was not forgiven his duplicity; that, during
this interval, he stood marked like a tree for felling; and that his
conduct was daily scrutinised for further pretexts of offence. On the
evening of the Emperor's birthday, March 22nd, 1887, certain Germans were
congregated in a public bar. The season and the place considered, it is
scarce cynical to assume they had been drinking; nor, so much being
granted, can it be thought exorbitant to suppose them possibly in fault
for the squabble that took place. A squabble, I say; but I am willing to
call it a riot. And this was the new fault of Laupepa; this it is that
was described by a German commodore as "the trampling upon by Malietoa of
the German Emperor." I pass the rhetoric by to examine the point of
liability. Four natives were brought to trial for this horrid fact: not
before a native judge, but before the German magistrate of the tripartite
municipality of Apia. One was acquitted, one condemned for theft, and
two for assault. On appeal, not to Malietoa, but to the three co