THE MUSEUM. 



A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Research in Natural Science. 



Vol. III. 



ALBION, N. Y., APRIL 15, 189 



/• 



No. 6 



A Visit to the Bat Cave at 

 Tapueleele. 



I had been stopping for a few days 

 with a native family in Iva, at the east- 

 ern end of Savaii, the largest of the 

 Samoan Islands. My guide and inter- 

 preter was a native boy from Apia — 

 the principal town of the islands — who 

 spoke very fair English, and was more- 

 over reliable and trustworthy; traits 

 none too common among those who 

 have come most under the influence of 

 tricky and unscrupulous whites. 



My baggage consisted of a lot of 

 spirits, and other material necessary 

 for the collection and preservation of 

 scientific material. The coal-reefs 



along the shore teemed with life, birds 

 in variety flocked through the thickets, 

 strange plants and flowers were abun- 

 dant on all sides, but I was concerned 

 for the moment with the preparation 

 for a visit to a bat cave some seven 

 miles distant. I had been told that 

 there were two caves in the islands in 

 which small bats lived in great abund- 

 ance, the one most easily reached be- 

 in Tapueleele, a little village a few 

 miles back in the mountains. Misi my 

 interpreter was a bright youth, and as 

 I learned later was much in favor with 

 the young ladies whom we met along 

 our way. A couple of baskets contain- 

 ing green cocoanuts, a tin or two of 

 meat for our consumption, and some 

 pieces of tobacco, and of kava root, to 

 give as presents, was all we took with 

 us. 



A young man from the house went 

 along to carry our baskets and show us 

 the way. Having said "tafa," fgood- 

 bye) we started about nine in the 



morning on our journey. Our route 

 was along a well beaten footpath to 

 the westward much of the way along 

 the coast, where our view, hid- 

 den by thick undergrowth among the 

 stems of the ever present palms, now 

 opened out on the broad expanse of 

 ocean to the northward. The brown- 

 skinned natives in their odd little out- 

 rigger canoes were often seen paddl- 

 ing around over the reefs, or wading 

 about, spear in hand, in quest of fish for 

 the morning meal. The reader will 

 wonder what time these people have 

 their breakfasts, but patience, I shall 

 tell you about it later. At frequent 

 intervals as we advanced we came to 

 stone-walls about four feet in height 

 built of black volcanic rocks, and serv- 

 ing to keep the pigs of one village or 

 household from straying into the next. 

 Stepping stones or slanting logs with 

 notches for the feet in the upper side 

 assist the barefooted natives over in 

 safety and ease, but were not conven- 

 ient for my stiff-soled shoes. Often 

 too we passed fresh water pools, open- 

 ing directly to the sea, furnishing good 

 water for drinking and cooking, places 

 for washing clothes, and that which is 

 still nearer to the Samoans heart, an 

 excellent place to bathe. 



The Samoan people, naturally a so- 

 ciable folk, have established them- 

 selves in villages, most of which are 

 scattered along near the coast. There 

 is no regularity in the positions of their 

 house, being nestled away under the 

 shade of the bread-fruit tree or the 

 slender cocoa-palms. 



The morning is the best time to see 

 them at their various occupations, for 



