AT SAMOA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 103, 24 September 1914, Page 7

AT SAMOA.

AUCKLAND TOLUNTEER'S EXPIiR lENCE3.

KAVA WITH THUS ''.KING." Some entertaining de;<:riptions of doings tit Samoa are given by a member of tlio Auckland Divisional Signal Company (College ltifles) -in a letter to ibis parents, dated September 6th. "There was & mild scare last night," he -writes. "It was reported about 10.30 p.m. that three ahipu were approaching the con*t They stopped soiMe distance off, and began to signal in an unknown code. Threo lamps on different part* of the island answered them a few words, and then disappeared before troops coud arrive at tilw apots. All troops were called to stations, and Colonel Logan and his staff never Blept all night. They stood in our lines practically all night, anxiously reading ereo-y message from the pilot tfatioß. At on* a.m. we bad to remove our tents, and baggage, out of tight of the harbor. The picket boats scanned the 'harbor all night. The Shirs, whatever they wore, steamed away a good two hour* before daybreak. Col•acl Logan himself saw both the light* at »«a and the lights flashing ashore. The troops hav« keen scouring the country all day in a quiet manner, but suvc found no trace of anything suspicious, except Wife place where one lamp was situated. Fire of us (I am) one) are going out to-night to Observatory Point, where one of the lamps waa , found. Our instructions arc to challenge if aayona approohes, and if our clallenga u not obeyed at once, to shoot. "The 'King* of Samoa. Mafcalolo, sent us a present of Bananas, nmmmv apples, and coeoamrts when we first arrived," continues the lot tor. "Four of ns waited on him, the other night, to return our thanks, and to make him a email .present of a piece of ttike, He received ns most graciously, and paid high compliments to the English. He spoke English very well, so we got on splendidly. Moet delicious cceoanuts were given to sj to drink, and were most refreshing. Then the native women came In t« unalte kara. A b»,vl was given to e&eh, and the chief and we four raised them and cried, 'Marionoto' ('€ood lu«k')! I took a mouthful and was nearly sick. Kava tastes exactly a» you would imagine Tarnish to taste. I was Incky, as I was sitting in front of a window, and at a convenient moment tipped it all out without anyone noticing. The chief wag delighted at our cxclauations of pleasure at the Samoan national drink. I did the same thing every lime the vile stuff was handed reund. We hod fish and boiled bananas. The natives sang to us, and presented us with beads. We then, in turn, sang to the natives, and they wore charmed, especially with "Everybody's Doing It,' and they demanded it again ami again. Before we left 'his Majesty' presented 11s with mats all round, to sleep on. We have invited him to dinner with us one eveaing, and lie is going to ooaie."