The Late Outrage.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 6, 3 November 1888, Page 2

The Late Outrage.

Punnc Mketixo

At tho request of the Chairman of the public mooting held at the Tivoli Tlotel on Saturday we publish the affidavits of 12 of tho Samnans who wore in the tnumuulua which was fiwl upon by the boats from H.I.G.M.S. Adler on Tuesday evening last. Those affidavits which were sworn to before the Vico-CouHul General of tho United States fully doscribos all the Ramoans done from the time they left Matautu in the afternoon until they were attacked by the Adler's boat about 8 o'clock, when they took to the ?ea and abandoned their boat It is not necessary to detail the particulars of the outrage, the affidavits fully explains them. The evidence of those men are as far as wo can learn true ia every particular, It will he now necessary for the German Consul to explain why in the first place he allowed the native boat to be fired into. In common fairness to the Samoan people and for future safety of the Foreign residents it is demanded of him. It will also be necessary to explain his extraordinary communication to the U.S. ViceConeul General.

We, the undorsigned aboriginal natives of Samoa, severally make oath and say as follows: —We started from Malafagalite on Tuesday afternoon last, the 23rd October, 1888, between five and six o'clock, in a taumualua. Twenty-six uien and a woman started from Malafngalite. On our arrival at Matautu the woman went ashore, and two pien came on board. Wo then left Matautu and went on in the taumualua to Mntafele We called in at Mntafele and two of us, Le Va'u and Vadatiau, went ashore to get some others to come with us who know where a cannon that wn wore gring to pick np van lying. Two chiefs and three boyn came on hoar i at Mutttfolo, and the two men who wont ashore also returned and came on board. We left Matufelo with thirty-three mon on the taumualua and went to the back of the reef opposite Mulinuu. It was sundown when we loft Matautu. We did not go nnhor.< at Mulinuu Point. Thero Was only one boat. . Tho taumualua that we were iu went for the caunon. We did tot see any othor native boat. Whon wo got to the baek of the roof in deep wator tho fivo mon who came on- board at Mutufele said: "This is whore the cannon is." Some of us jumped overboard with a rope, tied it round the cannon and pullod the cannon, on board. This was a long way from Mulinuu Point. Nobody challenged us from tho Point: Wo came away after getting the cannon on board, singing a song. Wo came towards Matafolo to put tho mon ashore we bad taken off there. Wo got in front of Grevsmuhl's Wharf. When wo got opposite the wharf we observed a number of hi nod German sailors standing upon it. Pome person on the wharf callod out to us in Samoan, "Aumai le fana (bring the gun)." One of the chiefs on the taumualuu said

I »top the singing so that wo may hoar what is said. The staging was stopped, then the same voice that we heard before culled out again," Aumai le fana." Then one of the chiefs called out in reply, " Ua lelei ole a avatu le fana (all right, we will give you the gun)." Immediately afterwards the sailors ou | the wharf fired ou the l»oat. We all jumped overboard. We were about fifty foet from the wharf when the sailors fired upon us. There was a light upon the wharf. We were backing in towards tho wharf when the shots were fired. We had no guns I whatsoever in the boat except the ' snitill cannon that wo had picked up jon the reef. There was uo dynamite J or otber oxplosivo in the tuumuulua. Wo kept ou tho far side of the tau- ! innalmi and towed her up towards the | Mulivui river. Two volleys were fired on us from the wharf. When wo got : to tho Mulivui we went on board the I taumualua again.- The first volley wan fired while we wore in the boat. The sonond while wo were in the water. The taumualua leaked budly after the filing. We had difficulty in keeping lrer afloat. We heard the bullets whistle past our ears when tho volleys wero fired. After getting into the taumunlua at the Mulivai we caun up iilung the beach to Matautu. We were siuging as we went. When we got closo to Mr. Carruthers* premises we observed a German boat on the seaside coming towards us as if to head us off. We heard some one calling out to us in German, hut we did not understand what was said. When we saw it was a German man-of-war's boat and heard German voices we jumped overboard, being afrniil of being fired on again. We jumped over on the shore side. I As soon us wo got over the side a volley went off. We were at this time on tho shore side of the German boat. Two voile) s wero tired upon us when we wero in the water, aud afterwards scattered shots. No one was si ruck. We all dived under the water. Snide ut ua swam one way aud some another. We came ashore at different places. After we landed we saw some of tho German sailors in the taumualua. Nauuaoote Vaisau Levoa Lau Taito Alaivaa Mana Saii-aui Afoa Sosene Po'amoto Tali Subscribed and sworn to before me this twenty-sixth day of October, 1»88. W. Blacklock. U.S Vice-Consul, Apia, Samoa.

We do hereb)* certify that the above instrument has been interpreted by us to tho abovo signers, aud that they thoroughly understood the contents. G. Scanlan. S. Leauance.

I, Harold Chatfield, of Apia, Samoa, hereby state as follows: —I remember Tuesday evening lost, the 23rd instant. I was about half-past seven o'clock in Ah Pub's house at Matautu. I heard some singing in the Samoan language which 1 supposed to come from a Samoan boat. It was a Samoan boat song I heard. When I heard tho singing I came out on the verandah and saw a big taimaloa coming along at full, speed. The taimaloa got as far as Mr. Eugo's black punts when something ran into it. I ran down on hearing the sploshing sound to tho end of Mr. Carruthers' Wharf, and then I saw two Samoans, one named Falau and the other Wali, our cook boy. They wero both laughing, and Wali said in Samoan "Lofagualu leo'ami " I then saw mon swimming from the taimaloa, About a minute after the taimaloa was run into some people begun to fire from a boat outside oi tho taimaloa. When they began to tiro I ran off to Ah Pah's house and wont through to the bock. I waited thorn about a miuuto, and went into Mr. Cnrrutlmrs'plooe to tell them. My father, Mr. Gurr and Mr. Oarruthers wore thero. I was there about two or three minutes when Falau came in with a rifle, and be said something in Samoan to Mr. Garruthera, and Mr. Carruthers answered him in the same language. There were no shots fired

from the shore aa far as I could aee. Harold O. CHATrastDSubscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of October, 1888. W. Blacklook, U.S. Vice-Consul. I, James Youug, of Apia, Samoa, bailiff, make oath and say as follows: —I remember Tuesday evening last, the 23rd October. lam at present in charge of Ah Pah's house at Matuutu. I wus outside on the verandah of Ah Pah's house ou Tuesday night between eight and nine o'clock. My attention was attracted by a great splashing in the water. Charles Edward was with me. I was on the verandah. He was in the road outside. I remarked to him that a native boat must have capsized. He said, I think so too. Ahout half a minute afterwards a volley was fired. I could hear the sound of the bullets. Three of the bullets struck the house on the verandah on which I wus standing. A second volley was fired aud then some scatterd shots. I went inside then, fearing a fight would take place and I might he shot. I stayed two or three minutes in the house and then came outside and saw several Samoaus coming up from .the beaeh. The Sanioan* were not armed. The natives said that the German man-of-war boat hud fired upon thorn. James Young. Subscribed and sworn to before in» this twenty-seventh day of October, 1888. W. Blacklock, U.S. Vice-Consul, Apia, Samoa. Wo also have affidavits from Falan and Wali, two Samoans, corroborating the other evidence.