to be as necessary as
medical treatment for their ails. An interesting example of this was
the case of Eliga, who was afflicted with an unsightly tumour on his
back. This, in a land where any sort of deformity is looked upon with
horror, caused the unfortunate man great unhappiness, besides
depriving him of his titles and estates. His kind master and mistress
had him examined by the surgeon of an English man-of-war that was in
the harbour, and the opinion was given that an operation was quite
feasible. Poor Eliga, however, was stricken with terror at the thought
and carefully explained that there were strings in the wen that were
tied about his heart, and if they were severed he would die. Besides,
he said, as his skin was different from the white man's, his insides
were probably different also. In the end, more to please them than
through any faith in it, he consented to the operation, although so
certain was he of a fatal ending that he had his house swept and
garnished, ready for the funeral. To comfort and cheer him through the
ordeal, both Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson went to his house and remained
with him until all was done. The result was most happy, and the
grateful man, now proudly holding up his head among his fellows,
composed in honour of the event "The Song of the Wen":

"O Tusitala, when you first came here I was ugly and poor and
deformed. I was jeered at and scorned by the unthinking. I ate grass;
a bunch of leaves was my sole garment, and I had nothing to hide my
ugliness. But now, O Tusitala, now I am beautiful; my body is sound
and handsome; I bear a great name; I am rich and powerful and
unashamed, and I owe it all to you, Tusitala. I have come to tell your
highness that I will not forget. Tusitala, I will work for you all my
life, and my family shall work for your family, and there shall be no
question of wage between us, only loving-kindness. My life is yours,
and I will be your servant till I die."[46]

[Footnote 46: The complete story of Eliga, most
agreeably told, may be found in _Vailima Memories_, by
Lloyd Osbourne and Isobel Strong.]

It was in Samoa that Mrs. Stevenson acquired the name of Tamaitai,[47]
by which she was known thenceforth to her family and intimate friends
until the day of her death. English words do not come easily from the
tongues of the natives, and so they obviate the difficulty by
bestowing names of their own upon strangers who com