LIFE IN SAMOA. 219 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



LIFE IX SAMOA. 



THE Samoan race is immensely superior to the average 

 Fijian. The natives are tall, handsome men, of a light brown 

 colour, many of them not being so dark as some Italians or 

 Spaniards. They are docile, truthful, hospitable, and very 

 lively ; and in conversation among themselves, or in their 

 dealings with foreigners, they are exceedingly courteous. 

 They have different styles of salutation corresponding with 

 the social rank of the person addressed. For instance, in 

 addressing the chiefs or distinguished strangers, they use the 

 expression Lau Afio, or your Majesty. In speaking to chiefs 

 of lower rank, they address them as Lau Susunga, as we would 

 use the words, your Lordship. To chiefs of yet lower degree, 

 the term All A tula is used ; and to common people the 

 salutation is Sau in the singular, or Omai in the plural, simply 

 meaning, ' You have arrived,' or 'You are here.' I think the 

 language of Samoa is the most musical I ever heard, and the 

 easiest to acquire : each syllable contains one or more vowels, 

 and some have no consonants at all. M is understood before 

 b, n before d and g, c and t are identical in pronunciation and 

 are used indiscriminately. The language is quite different from 

 the Fijian ' lingo ;' and while a Fijian has no word to express 

 ' Thank you,' or ' Good-morning,' or ' Good-night,' the Samoan 

 language abounds in kindly expressions. The Fijian, when 

 you part at night to retire to rest, says Sa rnoce (' Go to bed '). 

 The Samoan says Ka Lofa ('My love '). In Fijian -'Bring me 

 some water,' is Kautomai na wal ; in Samoan, Omai sa vat. 

 Differing from the Fijians, the men as a rule only tattoo ; 

 not on their faces, as is the case with the Maories, but on 



