houses were very full of men, but all seemingly unarmed.
Immediately beyond is that river over which we passed in our scamper
with Lady Jersey; it was all solitary. Three hundred yards beyond is a
second ford; and there--I came face to face with war. Under the trees on
the further bank sat a picket of seven men with Winchesters; their faces
bright, their eyes ardent. As we came up, they did not speak or move;
only their eyes followed us. The horses drank, and we passed the ford.
"Talofa!" I said, and the commandant of the picket said "Talofa"; and
then, when we were almost by, remembered himself and asked where we were
going. "To Faamuina," I said, and we rode on. Every house by the wayside
was crowded with armed men. There was the European house of a Chinaman
on the right-hand side: a flag of truce flying over the gate--indeed we
saw three of these in what little way we penetrated into Mataafa's
lines--all the foreigners trying to protect their goods; and the
Chinaman's verandah overflowed with men and girls and Winchesters. By
the way we met a party of about ten or a dozen marching with their guns
and cartridge-belts, and the cheerful alacrity and brightness of their
looks set my head turning with envy and sympathy. Arrived at Vaiusu, the
houses about the _malae_ (village green) were thronged with men, all
armed. On the outside of the council-house (which was all full within)
there stood an orator; he had his back turned to his audience, and
seemed to address the world at large; all the time we were there his
strong voice continued unabated, and I heard snatches of political
wisdom rising and falling.

The house of Faamuina stands on a knoll in the _malae_. Thither we
mounted, a boy ran out and took our horses, and we went in. Faamuina was
there himself, his wife Palepa, three other chiefs, and some attendants;
and here again was this exulting spectacle as of people on their
marriage day. Faamuina (when I last saw him) was an elderly, limping
gentleman, with much of the debility of age; it was a bright-eyed boy
that greeted me; the lady was no less excited; all had cartridge-belts.
We stayed but a little while to smoke a selui; I would not have kava
made, as I thought my escapade was already dangerous (perhaps even
blameworthy) enough. On the way back, we were much greeted, and on
coming to the ford, the commandant came and asked me if there were many
on the other side. "Very many," said I; not that I knew, but I would