e. About four in the morning, the visitor in his house will be
awakened by the note of a pipe, blown without, very softly and to a
soothing melody. This is Mataafa's private luxury to lead on pleasant
dreams. We have a bird here in Samoa that about the same hour of
darkness sings in the bush. The father of Mataafa, while he lived, was
a great friend and protector to all living creatures, and passed under
the by-name of _the King of Birds_. It may be it was among the woodland
clients of the sire that the son acquired his fancy for this morning
music.

* * * * *

I have now sought to render without extenuation the impressions
received: of dignity, plenty, and peace at Malie, of bankruptcy and
distraction at Mulinuu. And I wish I might here bring to an end
ungrateful labours. But I am sensible that there remain two points on
which it would be improper to be silent. I should be blamed if I did not
indicate a practical conclusion; and I should blame myself if I did not
do a little justice to that tried company of the Land Commissioners.

The Land Commission has been in many senses unfortunate. The original
German member, a gentleman of the name of Eggert, fell early into
precarious health; his work was from the first interrupted, he was at
last (to the regret of all that knew him) invalided home; and his
successor had but just arrived. In like manner, the first American
commissioner, Henry C. Ide, a man of character and intelligence, was
recalled (I believe by private affairs) when he was but just settling
into the spirit of the work; and though his place was promptly filled by
ex-Governor Ormsbee, a worthy successor, distinguished by strong and
vivacious common sense, the break was again sensible. The English
commissioner, my friend Bazett Michael Haggard, is thus the only one who
has continued at his post since the beginning. And yet, in spite of
these unusual changes, the Commission has a record perhaps unrivalled
among international commissions. It has been unanimous practically from
the first until the last; and out of some four hundred cases disposed
of, there is but one on which the members were divided. It was the more
unfortunate they should have early fallen in a difficulty with the
chief justice. The original ground of this is supposed to be a
difference of opinion as to the import of the Berlin Act, on which, as a
layman, it would be unbecoming if I were to offer an opinion. But i