in broad day under the
eyes of the town and shipping, and returned with it, singing as they
went. On Grevsmuehl's wharf, a light showed them a crowd of German
blue-jackets clustered, and a hail was heard. "Stop the singing so that
we may hear what is said," said one of the chiefs in the _taumualua_.
The song ceased; the hail was heard again, "_Au mai le fana_--bring the
gun"; and the natives report themselves to have replied in the
affirmative, and declare that they had begun to back the boat. It is
perhaps not needful to believe them. A volley at least was fired from
the wharf, at about fifty yards' range and with a very ill direction,
one bullet whistling over Pelly's head on board the _Lizard_. The
natives jumped overboard; and swimming under the lee of the _taumualua_
(where they escaped a second volley) dragged her towards the east. As
soon as they were out of range and past the Mulivai, the German border,
they got on board and (again singing--though perhaps a different song)
continued their return along the English and American shore. Off Matautu
they were hailed from the seaward by one of the _Adler's_ boats, which
had been suddenly despatched on the sound of the firing or had stood
ready all evening to secure the gun. The hail was in German; the Samoans
knew not what it meant, but took the precaution to jump overboard and
swim for land. Two volleys and some dropping shot were poured upon them
in the water; but they dived, scattered, and came to land unhurt in
different quarters of Matautu. The volleys, fired inshore, raked the
highway, a British house was again pierced by numerous bullets, and
these sudden sounds of war scattered consternation through the town.

Two British subjects, Hetherington-Carruthers, a solicitor, and Maben, a
land-surveyor--the first being in particular a man well versed in the
native mind and language--hastened at once to their consul; assured him
the Mataafas would be roused to fury by this onslaught in the neutral
zone, that the German quarter would be certainly attacked, and the rest
of the town and white inhabitants exposed to a peril very difficult of
estimation; and prevailed upon him to intrust them with a mission to the
king. By the time they reached headquarters, the warriors were already
taking post round Matafele, and the agitation of Mataafa himself was
betrayed in the fact that he spoke with the deputation standing and gun
in hand: a breach of high-chief dignity perhaps unpa