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A USTRALASIA ILL US TRA TED. 



THE SAMOAX KING, TAMASESE. 



not unknown amongst them. The arms of the Samoans consisted of clubs and spears, 

 buc of late years they have become possessed of the most approved rifles and guns, 

 with which their wars are now carried on. Wars were always frequent, and for many years 

 past there has been no settled peace in the Group. The principal food productions of 

 the Islands are cocoa-nuts, faro, yams, bread-fruit, bananas, and sweet potatoes. Pigs, 



fowls and fish are very plentiful, and all tropi- 

 cal fruits can be grown in abundance. The 

 guava, orange, custard apple, pine-apple, mango, 

 etc., have been introduced and thrive well. The 

 Islands are comparatively healthy, though the 

 high temperature, averaging eighty degrees du- 

 ring the year, and the great moisture of the 

 atmosphere are very enervating to most Euro- 

 peans. Elephantiasis is very prevalent, and few 

 escape its effects. The Group is subject to 

 severe hurricanes, which occur generally from 

 December to April. The most dangerous sea- 

 son is the first three months in each year. 



The language of the Samoans is probably 

 more soft and musical than that of any other 

 Polynesian race. It has also, more than any 

 other dialect, a distinct vocabulary of words 



which are always used in addressing superiors, and on other occasions of ceremony. 

 No one can properly speak Samoan who is not thoroughly conversant with the polite 

 form of words as well as the form used in ordinary intercourse. The rule is that a 

 person must always use the common word in speaking of himself, but the polite form 

 must always be used by another in addressing him, e.g., gasegaxc (polite form) and 

 mat (ordinary) both mean sickness. Any person asking after the health of another, 

 would use the former word, gascgasc, but the one questioned would use the latter word in 

 reply. Finagalo (polite form) and loto (ordinary) mean will or opinion. "What is 

 your Jinagalo about this?" would be the question ; the reply would be, "My loto is 

 so-and-so." The names of many articles which it was not considered polite to mention, 

 were changed to something which was the direct opposite, e.g.. fire-wood was called 

 banana-stem; a knife was a nut-leaf; a pig was called pusi, a cat, etc. When it was neces- 

 sary to use the word which was not considered polite, it was always prefaced by an 

 apologetic phrase. The Polynesian custom of changing the name of any object when the 

 name had been appropriated by a chief, was very common, e.g., pc\i, the flying-fox, 

 becomes mami/agi, or heaven bird or animal, in all the districts of which PC' a is the chief. 

 Talo is not used as the name of that vegetable in another district, because the chief 

 had taken the original name. Fiti is not used in any form in another part of Savaii, 

 because Tui Eiti was one of the old sacred chiefs. 



In the Government of the country the power of the chiefs predominated, but was 

 effectively controlled by the heads of families, and especially by the tnlafales, or orators. 

 There was no general Government for the whole Group. Regular meetings were held by 



