A GLIMPSE OF SAMOA. 77 



From the island the ship was provided with 

 " yams," a vegetable somewhat resembling the 

 potato, some of which weigh from twelve to 

 fifteen pounds ; "tarrow," a kind of Samoan turnip, 

 and different kinds of fruit. 



The Swift brought away from Samoa a white 

 man, who had married a native. He was loth 

 to leave her, and she was almost heart-broken at 

 losing him, but the thought of home was stronger 

 than his affection for his native bride, and so 

 they parted. 



The soil of the Samoan group, or Navigator's 

 Islands, is enriched by the decomposition of 

 volcanic rocks, and so the vegetation is luxurious 

 and the flowers are exceedingly brilliant. 



In 1830 the Christian religion began to work 

 its slow change among the people, and now 

 nearly all of the inhabitants are Christians. 



In 1889 the three powers most interested in 

 the matter — England, Germany and the United 

 States — recognized the independence of Samoa, 

 and its right to elect its own chief or king 

 according to its own laws and customs, making at 

 the same time, however, provision for the 

 establishment of a superior court for the adjust- 

 ment of claims and titles to lands, the raising of 

 taxes, and the restriction of the sale and use of 



