UPOLU. 75 



with which writers commend the good quahties of uii- 

 civihzed or semi-civihzed people. A remarkable instance 

 of this is furnished by Captain Wilkes/ who, in his notice of 

 the Samoans, has had manifestly every desire to be just to 

 them. Having remarked that when this group was first 

 discovei'ed the natives were represented as being ferocious 

 and treacherous, he fairly accounts for this as being the 

 result of the sanguinary conflicts with the boats of La 

 Perouse's squadron, which originated an impression appa- 

 rently sustained by various acts, arising not unfrequently 

 out of a j ust resentment caused by wrongs committed upon 

 them by lawless traders. So far they are whitewashed, 

 but presently, he adds, ' the instance of Oportuno, how- 

 ever, shows that this idea of their character is not without 

 foundation.' Now this chief Oportuno, of Savaii, was a 

 brutal fellow, who was detested by the other chiefs for his 

 outrages ; and it is not easy to understand why his personal 

 and exceptional brutality is to be taken as illustrative of 

 the Samoan character any more than the atrocities of the 

 lawless traders in these regions can be made evidence as to 

 Bi'itish character. This little disparagement disposed of, 

 til en follows a little eulogium : ' Both sexes show great 

 kindness for their children, and age is so much respected, 

 that only old men are admitted to council.' Now, again, 

 the turn comes for a little disparagement : ' As a shade on 

 this picture they are covetous, indolent, fickle, and httle 

 reliance can be placed upon them.' Fortunately, we get 



1 ' United States Exploring Expedition,' vol. ii. pp. 126, 127. 



