THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1879.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 107, 18 October 1879, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1879.

Apology.—We have to npologiso to our subscribers for the smalluess of our | sheet to-day. There lias been a good' deal of sickness iu our midst during the last two or three weeks, and as we'are Dot proof against influenza and other complaints, the whole of our staff lias beeu more or loss prostrated during this week ; so much so that wo have found it impossible to issue more than-half a.sheet upon this occasion. When our readers remember that we have only just sufficient hands to do the work, and that should one even be taken ill it is impossible to replace him no matter how much were offered, thoy will no doubt consider that we have dono our best under the circumstances, and forgive us for having deprived them unintentionally out of half of their paper. High Commissioner's Court.—The hearing of a cause, Ruge, Hedemann and Co., v. Ah Sam, for the recovery of the sum of S3OO on an overdue promissory note, was called before R. S. Swanston, Esq., Deputy Commissioner, on Saturday last. There was no appearance of the defendant, and judgment was given with costs of court, for the plaintiffs. Mr. Chas. 11. Rawson appeared for the plaintiffs. The War.—On Monday last a fight took place at Safata, on the south side of Upolu, between the king party and the old government party. So far as we can learn, and the information is pretty gonerally substantiated, the king party lost seven heads and one killed, whilst the other party lost two heads, four killed and had six wounded. Up to yesterday morning no further fighting had taken place on the north side than wo reported in our last, although it is said that a big fight is imminent. Tutuila.—By the arrival of the brigantine Active from Tutuila, we learn the island is actively preparing for war, and it was expected to be reported at any moment thai hostilities had commenced. The cause of the impending civil war at Tutuila has nothing to do with that of the war at present being carried on upon this island, but, so far as we can learn it has arisen out of a disagreement between the chief of Leone and Mauga, chief of Pagopago, both of whom desire to be acknowledged the head chief of the island. It will be remembered that some 18 mouths ago a similar tight took place between these two parties, at which time Mauga was vanquished and he and his party sent to Upolu as prisoners. Some months afterwards they were released and reinstated in their lauds at Pagopago. Doubtless it is to clear himsolf of stigma of hayina been a prisoner that has induced Mauga to again take up tho cudgels. Porxi) Drowned.—The body of a Chinaman, supposed to have been a steward on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna, was found floating in the harbour on Tuesday afternoon hut. The manner of his drowning is clouded in mystery. Some people are of opinion that he had been shot in the head with small shot, by some fellow peeking to plunder him of his money, but others who have had considerable experience in gun-shot wounds contradict this idea, but are of opinion that the abrasions upon the head were caused by bumping against the reef From the fact of the body being iu a perfectly nude state we incline to the opinion that he "jumped the ship," in order to escape from it, and having struck his head against the reof was stunned and sank. We would advise the Neutral Territory Government to make arrangements whereby some inquiry could be made into such mysterious deaths, and moreover to enable tho police to have the dead hod}- placed inside of some place, pending the inquiry. The body of tlifi Chinaman above referred to was loft in tho open air from the time he was picked up about 4 o'clock in tho afternoon till past one o'clock p.m. on the following day. The only means provided—and that was done by the deceased's fellowcountrymen—to keep him from tho ravages of dogs, and the numerous pigs which roam about our streets, was that the body was placed in a boat raised upon a couple of stools. One of the resident Chinamen paid a handsome prico to a native to watch over the body nt . night. The stench the next morning in the vicinity was sufficient to breed a , pestilence, and by the time arrangements were made for the deceased's burial, do- ■ composition had so far set in that it was ■ found necessary to bury him, boat nnd