SAMOA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 364, 1 May 1889, Page 5

SAMOA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

■ ' ' AriA, Samoa, April 16, 1889. THE AMERICAN HEAD-QUARTERS are at AJessrs Wm. Me Arthur and Co.'s. Their copia-fahed and yard are occupied by nearly 400 men. Captain Farquhar of the Trenton, and sovei'al other officers have started a. me&s, and the " Sbard and Sfcripcs" is hoisted daily on McAvfchur's flagstaff to the &train& of '' The Btarspangled Banner."

THE NIPSIC AND OLGA FLOATED OFF. On Wednesday evening, thc2lst of Maich, Ihcro was tremendous excitement on the beach. The native 1 * were shouting and rush in<^ about us it the woild were coming to an end, while t he sailors w eie cheering heartily. It was high water, and the Nip&ic was seen to bo moving. In a few minutes she was afloat, and on the following morning she was taken to her anchorage in the middlo of the harbour. The event \va& a pleasant surpri.se, and a caieful examination shows that she is not much damaged. She has lost her false keel and a portion of her real keel, rind some amount oi her copper sheathing has been lorn off. She albo requires a now rudder and a new smoke stack. She i& going to use the Va^idalia'a smoke stack, and when the necessary repairs aie completed she will probably go to Auckland to bo docked.

THE TRENTON still lies stranded, opposite McArthur and Co. 's store. She has been to a great extent dismantled. At present little hope is entertained, of saving her. It is supposed that some rock.s have pierced her bottom amidship, as the water rises and falls in her as the tide flows and ebbs.

RECOVERY OF BODIES. | Not many bodies have been recovered' j bub every now and then a mutilated and disfigured corps-© is picked up and buried. One body (supposed to be that of Captain Schoomaker, of the Vandalia) was washed ashore on the day that the Nipsic was floated, but nothing has yet been seen of the body of Captain Wallis, of the Eber. That vessel went clean undei the water when she capsized, and since then .she has evidently biokon up, as portions of her have been washed ashore. l

ADMIRAL KIAIBERLEY AT A SIVA* Last Thursday week, a siva, or native dance, was given in a native hou.se, and Admiral Kirnbcrley and many other officers were present. The men and the dusky beauties who took part in it were nob quite in full dresfc, that is fco &ay they had something on, though cocoanut oil constituted their principal garment. When the genuine siva is danced, cocoanub oil is the only article ai attire, out this particular dance took place clo-^e to a church, and perhaps the odour ot sanctity in the neighbourhood produced some restraining effect. To those who have witnessed a Maori haka, there is nothing; particulfirly new in a Samoan siva. The chanting and clapping of hands are done in perfect time, and the movements of the perfomier& are grotesque and sometimes suggestive. On this occasion the extraoidinary ingenuity with which the young ladies kept their very short skirts in their proper place was admirable. Thepioceedings wore dhersified by an abortive attempt of one of the feminine pei formers to kiss the Admiral. She scored a hit, if she did not secure a kiss, for there was great laughter and applause as the amorous dam&el made the effort.

A MEMORIAL SERVICE. On Sunday morning, Match 24, a memolial sei\ice was held at the barracks, Merits McAithnr's yard, a^ a last tribute of rc-peet to fche American officers and men who had perished during the hunicane. The service wae conducted by the Hew Mr McAhster, chaplain of the Trenton, and it was a brief and simple one. The Trenton's band played " Adeste Fideles," then the choir oi European l-esidents sang '• Jesus, Lover of My Soul. " The chaplain read a psalm, and recited a few prayers, and after he had concluded the choir sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Rev. W. Hill, of the London Missionary Society, pronounced the Benediction, and another selection of sacred music by the Trenton's band terminated the proceedings. Admiral Kimberley and all the other olKcer» were piesent, and about 500 seamen. A large number of the European and native population also attended the son ice. On the Friday previous, a solemn requiem mass wad celebrated in the Roman (Jacholic Church, for the lepose of the souls- ] of the CJeiman officers and men who had been lost. Admiral Kimberley also attended this service. Col. do Coetlogan, the Biitish Consul, was Hke-wiso present, but j the geneial attendance was not very large.

STEAM COMMUNICATION. Tho intelligence that the Union Company have put on the Mawhera to run between this place and Auckland has been received here with great pleasure, especially as &he is apparently to come heie at shoifcer intervals than .Richmond. The American uaval ofiicers here consider it not at all unlikely that ariangements will be made for the ' Frisco mail steamers to call here instead of at Tutuila. The additional delay would be very short, and the advantage during the present unsettled state of affairs would be very gieat. At present the mails aie brought generally in a small German, schooner from Tufcuila. Very often she fcnkes seveial days to come back, and sometimes she is delayed most unaccountably. It may be purely accidental, but; it may al?o be the le.sult of a little German strategy, particularly when the Lubeek irom Sydney is expected about (he tame time with important Herman despatches. The German authorities naturally like to get their despatches if uos&ible before the other mail arrives.

THE FATE OF A SAMOAN AOHAN. The clay of the hurricane was marked by a tragic incident reminding one forcibly of the fate of Achan, who coveted the goodly Babylonish garment, the wedge of gold, and the shekels of silver belonging to a deceased Canaanite. By Mataata's orders between 300 and 400 Samoans under the command of the great fighting chief, Seumanataia, were sent down to the beach to render what assistance they could. By their efforts a number of lives were saved. Several of them, however, sacrificed their own lives in unsuccessful attempts to save others. Tho kindly and forgiving disposition of the Samoans was manifested in all these efforts, for they were as zealous in their attempts to save Germans as in their efforts to rescue Americans. But there are black sheep, in every flock, and Soumanatafa, as he stood j on the beach, saw one native lulling the ■ pockets of the body of a sailor just washed j ashore. Without a moment's hesitation, the chief strode up to the pilferer and slew him with one blow. It was a severe punishment, but it produced a salutary effect. GERMANY TO RENEW HOSTILITIES. There are very disquieting rumours afloat 1 to the effect that a> large German force will arrivo. here in a fortnight* or three weeks to

renew hostilities against Mataafa. Ifc is generally believed that, despite the Conference, Germany is determined to wreak a bloody revenge on Mataafa for the death of the, officers and men killed towards the end ot last year. Mataafa is evidently on the alert, for the warriors who had returned to their homes in Savaii have been summoned back. In view of these rumours, the noriwithdrawal by Germany of the declai'ation of war has a deep and. sinister significance. Since the departure of the Olga for Sydney, only a small German force is left here, and as the declaration of war against Mataafa has not been withdrawn, that chiei might, if he chose, make matters very awkward for the Germans hero, and be strictly within his rights as a belligerent. However, it is morally certain that he will return good for evil and refrain from molesting his enemies in their present helpless condition., Mataafa attended mass on Sunday morning guarded by an escort of armed natives. He i? a zealous Roman Catholic, but this was his first appearance in church for a long time, his absence being attributable to a probably well-grounded fear that the Germans might make some attempt to capture him should he venture into town. At present, of course, they are too weak to do so. The total German force now here consists of eighty marines and four officers. They have quarters on the Gorman firm's premises. INCIDENTS OF THE HURRICANE. The body of a German sailor was found washed up on one of the reefs in double hons. It would appear that the prisoner were never released from one of the German ships, — if the Eber, there was probably not time. The captain of the Vandalia, just before the vetsel struck, ordered all pnsoncis to be released and all irons struck off. It is a singular fact all the pii.=oners were saved. Dr. Cordeiro, of the Vandalia, in trying to get on to the Trenton, fell from the foretop, and broke his leg at the knee. Nott withstanding this he strugged hard, and I was eventually saved. After ho got onshore I this brave fellow set his own leg, and then worked hard for a week in the hospital, attending to the sick and wounded, setting broken legs, arms, etc. One of the sailors of the Vandalia was washed overboard, and after struggling in the water for fully an hour, was swept out by the current, and eventually swept on board the weather side of his own vessel by a huge wave. He was badly injured and cut up, but was one of those saved. It is said that the paymaster of the Adlcr was shut up in his state room for forty-eight hours after the vessel was thrown upon the reef. When discovered he was insane and has since died. April 17. THE NIPSIC. The Nipsic is now ready for sea. She is taking in coal. A temporary rudder has been constructed and fixed. lam informed that the Mawhera was to have been paid £50 per day till the arrival of the Nipsic in Auckland Harbour. There is considerable sickness amongst the sailors on shore. Dysentery is very common ; about 50 at present suffering from it.