the holder of any of the five _names_, in short, he is a
man to be reckoned with; in so far as he is king of Samoa, I cannot find
but what the president of a college debating society is a far more
formidable officer. And unfortunately, although the credit side of the
account proves thus imaginary, the debit side is actual and heavy. For
he is now set up to be the mark of consuls; he will be badgered to raise
taxes, to make roads, to punish crime, to quell rebellion: and how he is
to do it is not asked.

If I am in the least right in my presentation of this obscure matter, no
one need be surprised to hear that the land is full of war and rumours
of war. Scarce a year goes by but what some province is in arms, or sits
sulky and menacing, holding parliaments, disregarding the king's
proclamations and planting food in the bush, the first step of military
preparation. The religious sentiment of the people is indeed for peace
at any price; no pastor can bear arms; and even the layman who does so
is denied the sacraments. In the last war the college of Malua, where
the picked youth are prepared for the ministry, lost but a single
student; the rest, in the bosom of a bleeding country, and deaf to the
voices of vanity and honour, peacefully pursued their studies. But if
the church looks askance on war, the warrior in no extremity of need or
passion forgets his consideration for the church. The houses and gardens
of her ministers stand safe in the midst of armies; a way is reserved
for themselves along the beach, where they may be seen in their white
kilts and jackets openly passing the lines, while not a hundred yards
behind the skirmishers will be exchanging the useless volleys of
barbaric warfare. Women are also respected; they are not fired upon; and
they are suffered to pass between the hostile camps, exchanging gossip,
spreading rumour, and divulging to either army the secret councils of
the other. This is plainly no savage war; it has all the punctilio of
the barbarian, and all his parade; feasts precede battles, fine dresses
and songs decorate and enliven the field; and the young soldier comes to
camp burning (on the one hand) to distinguish himself by acts of valour,
and (on the other) to display his acquaintance with field etiquette.
Thus after Mataafa became involved in hostilities against the Germans,
and had another code to observe beside his own, he was always asking his
white advisers if "things were done correctly.