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Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 5, 3 November 1877, Page 2

Divine Service.—The Rev. Dr. GeoA. Turner will preach (D.V.), to-morrow evening, in the Foreign Church at 7yo o'clock. The Weather—Yesterday a few light lint welcome showers oi" rain fell, ami at _tho time of our going to press, there is every sign of more, it is now about three months since we have had any rain worth speaking about, ami everything had become so dry that bush fires have heen prevalent, doing considerable damage to the cocoanut trees. Tub Toll Bridge.—Mr. Williamson

informs us, that lie is expecting building material in a few days for finishing the toll bridge between Apia and Matautu. it is to be made considerably wider, and another hand-rail will be put on; the whole structure to be well braced with iron, so that when completed it will be perfectly safe for crossing on horseback. This is very desirable, for during the rainy season the river is often so deep and rapid, that it is dangerous to ford. We understand that the cost of the bridge, together with the damming necessary to confine the river in .its proper channel, will be about SI2OU. Public Meeting.— a pul.li, r^wtiny

, »m iK neio. mis evening ;ii tho Samon »l Hotel, for the purpose" of electing a /Committee, and transacting all other business in connection with a Hcatta, and other Sports for the forthcoming (. nratmas holidays. We hope that those | at all interested in these kind of things will roll up, and give their valuable alii so that the sports may be a success, and enable us to forget that we are so far from civilisation for a day at least. PAI.OLO.—On Tuesday morning last, that worm-like inhabitant of the coral reefs, known by the name of Palolo, made its annual appearance, and as urual was a great centre of attraction. By five o'clock, the snot where this r vtvio,-,! » ..._ *. i

extraordinary creature was expected to rise, and remain for a very short time, was crowded with boats and canoes loaded with anxious expectant individuals, who, with their mouths watering, sat, net in hand, ready to catch the unsuspecting worm in order to enable them to have their annual feast. In consequence of the rush to get there, and the long stretch of shallow water to be got over, several or the Would-be fishers got their courage cooled by being turned into the water. Being desirous of witnessing the " rise " of this seaserpant on a small scale, we obtained a boat, and the necessary equipments to proceed to the scene of action. Well, we started, and got along very well until within about 200 yards of our destination when, bump told us we hail none too much water. The crew jumped out, and dragged the boat—which by-the-by will not need the barnacle scraper for the

next twelve mouths—over the coral, till they could drag it no further. In all haste we took to the water ourselves, and after some very hard trying we managed to get a little further on, but when we got just on the brink of the channel we were met by the returning multitude, who informed us that We wen) i too late. Upon receiving this informa- | tion we turned tail, and skedaddled homo las fast as clumps of coral and shoal ! water generally would let us, without seeing what we had lost two good hour's sleep on purpose to witness. We, like many other expeditionists, failed in our ol ject for want of a pilot.