a footnote to history-第7部分

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the　flag　of　Samoa；　which　was　carefully　folded；　and　sent；　〃in　the　

most　polite　manner；〃　to　its　owner。　　The　consuls　of　England　and　the　

States　were　there　（the　excellent　gentlemen！）　to　protest。　　Last；　and　

yet　more　explicit；　the　German　commodore　who　visited　the　be…titled　

Tamasese；　addressed　the　king　…　we　may　surely　say　the　late　king　…　as　

〃the　High　Chief　Malietoa。〃



Had　he　no　party；　then？　　At　that　time；　it　is　probable；　he　might　have　

called　some　five…sevenths　of　Samoa　to　his　standard。　　And　yet　he　sat　

there；　helpless　monarch；　like　a　fowl　trussed　for　roasting。　　The　

blame　lies　with　himself；　because　he　was　a　helpless　creature；　it　

lies　also　with　England　and　the　States。　　Their　agents　on　the　spot　

preached　peace　（where　there　was　no　peace；　and　no　pretence　of　it）　

with　eloquence　and　iteration。　　Secretary　Bayard　seems　to　have　felt　

a　call　to　join　personally　in　the　solemn　farce；　and　was　at　the　

expense　of　a　telegram　in　which　he　assured　the　sinking　monarch　it　

was　〃for　the　higher　interests　of　Samoa〃　he　should　do　nothing。　　

There　was　no　man　better　at　doing　that；　the　advice　came　straight　

home；　and　was　devoutly　followed。　　And　to　be　just　to　the　great　

Powers；　something　was　done　in　Europe；　a　conference　was　called；　it　

was　agreed　to　send　commissioners　to　Samoa；　and　the　decks　had　to　be　

hastily　cleared　against　their　visit。　　Dr。　Stuebel　had　attached　the　

municipality　of　Apia　and　hoisted　the　German　war…flag　over　Mulinuu；　

the　American　consul　（in　a　sudden　access　of　good　service）　had　flown　

the　stars　and　stripes　over　Samoan　colours；　on　either　side　these　

steps　were　solemnly　retracted。　　The　Germans　expressly　disowned　

Tamasese；　and　the　islands　fell　into　a　period　of　suspense；　of　some　

twelve　months'　duration；　during　which　the　seat　of　the　history　was　

transferred　to　other　countries　and　escapes　my　purview。　　Here　on　the　

spot；　I　select　three　incidents：　　the　arrival　on　the　scene　of　a　new　

actor；　the　visit　of　the　Hawaiian　embassy；　and　the　riot　on　the　

Emperor's　birthday。　　The　rest　shall　be　silence；　only　it　must　be　

borne　in　view　that　Tamasese　all　the　while　continued　to　strengthen　

himself　in　Leulumoenga；　and　Laupepa　sat　inactive　listening　to　the　

song　of　consuls。



CAPTAIN　BRANDEIS。　　The　new　actor　was　Brandeis；　a　Bavarian　captain　

of　artillery；　of　a　romantic　and　adventurous　character。　　He　had　

served　with　credit　in　war；　but　soon　wearied　of　garrison　life；　

resigned　his　battery；　came　to　the　States；　found　employment　as　a　

civil　engineer；　visited　Cuba；　took　a　sub…contract　on　the　Panama　

canal；　caught　the　fever；　and　came　（for　the　sake　of　the　sea　voyage）　

to　Australia。　　He　had　that　natural　love　for　the　tropics　which　lies　

so　often　latent　in　persons　of　a　northern　birth；　difficulty　and　

danger　attracted　him；　and　when　he　was　picked　out　for　secret　duty；　

to　be　the　hand　of　Germany　in　Samoa；　there　is　no　doubt　but　he　

accepted　the　post　with　exhilaration。　　It　is　doubtful　if　a　better　

choice　could　have　been　made。　　He　had　courage；　integrity；　ideas　of　

his　own；　and　loved　the　employment；　the　people；　and　the　place。　　Yet　

there　was　a　fly　in　the　ointment。　　The　double　error　of　unnecessary　

stealth　and　of　the　immixture　of　a　trading　company　in　political　

affairs；　has　vitiated；　and　in　the　end　defeated；　much　German　policy。　　

And　Brandeis　was　introduced　to　the　islands　as　a　clerk；　and　sent　

down　to　Leulumoenga　（where　he　was　soon　drilling　the　troops　and　

fortifying　the　position　of　the　rebel　king）　as　an　agent　of　the　

German　firm。　　What　this　mystification　cost　in　the　end　I　shall　tell　

in　another　place；　and　even　in　the　beginning；　it　deceived　no　one。　　

Brandeis　is　a　man　of　notable　personal　appearance；　he　looks　the　part　

allotted　him；　and　the　military　clerk　was　soon　the　centre　of　

observation　and　rumour。　　Malietoa　wrote　and　complained　of　his　

presence　to　Becker；　who　had　succeeded　Dr。　Stuebel　in　the　consulate。　　

Becker　replied；　〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　gentleman　Brandeis。　　

Be　it　well　known　that　the　gentleman　Brandeis　has　no　appointment　in　

a　military　character；　but　resides　peaceably　assisting　the　

government　of　Leulumoenga　in　their　work；　for　Brandeis　is　a　quiet；　

sensible　gentleman。〃　　And　then　he　promised　to　send　the　vice…consul　

to　〃get　information　of　the　captain's　doings〃：　　surely　

supererogation　of　deceit。



THE　HAWAIIAN　EMBASSY。　　The　prime　minister　of　the　Hawaiian　kingdom　

was；　at　this　period；　an　adventurer　of　the　name　of　Gibson。　　He　

claimed；　on　the　strength　of　a　romantic　story；　to　be　the　heir　of　a　

great　English　house。　　He　had　played　a　part　in　a　revolt　in　Java；　had　

languished　in　Dutch　fetters；　and　had　risen　to　be　a　trusted　agent　of　

Brigham　Young；　the　Utah　president。　　It　was　in　this　character　of　a　

Mormon　emissary　that　he　first　came　to　the　islands　of　Hawaii；　where　

he　collected　a　large　sum　of　money　for　the　Church　of　the　Latter　Day　

Saints。　　At　a　given　moment；　he　dropped　his　saintship　and　appeared　

as　a　Christian　and　the　owner　of　a　part　of　the　island　of　Lanai。　　The　

steps　of　the　transformation　are　obscure；　they　seem；　at　least；　to　

have　been　ill…received　at　Salt　Lake；　and　there　is　evidence　to　the　

effect　that　he　was　followed　to　the　islands　by　Mormon　assassins。　　

His　first　attempt　on　politics　was　made　under　the　auspices　of　what　

is　called　the　missionary　party；　and　the　canvass　conducted　largely　

（it　is　said　with　tears）　on　the　platform　at　prayer…meetings。　　It　

resulted　in　defeat。　　Without　any　decency　of　delay　he　changed　his　

colours；　abjured　the　errors　of　reform；　and；　with　the　support　of　the　

Catholics；　rose　to　the　chief　power。　　In　a　very　brief　interval　he　

had　thus　run　through　the　gamut　of　religions　in　the　South　Seas。　　It　

does　not　appear　that　he　was　any　more　particular　in　politics；　but　he　

was　careful　to　consult　the　character　and　prejudices　of　the　late　

king；　Kalakaua。　　That　amiable；　far　from　unaccomplished；　but　too　

convivial　sovereign；　had　a　continued　use　for　money：　　Gibson　was　

observant　to　keep　him　well　supplied。　　Kalakaua　（one　of　the　most　

theoretical　of　men）　was　filled　with　visionary　schemes　for　the　

protection　and　development　of　the　Polynesian　race：　　Gibson　fell　in　

step　with　him；　it　is　even　thought　he　may　have　shared　in　his　

illusions。　　The　king　and　minister　at　least　conceived　between　them　a　

scheme　of　island　confederation　…　the　most　obvious　fault　of　which　

was　that　it　came　too　late　…　and　armed　and　fitted　out　the　cruiser　

KAIMILOA；　nest…egg　of　the　future　navy　of　Hawaii。　　Samoa；　the　most　

important　group　still　independent；　and　one　immediately　threatened　

with　aggression；　was　chosen　for　the　scene　of　action。　　The　Hon。　John　

E。　Bush；　a　half…caste　Hawaiian；　sailed　（December　1887）　for　Apia　as　

minister…plenipotentiary；　accompanied　by　a　secretary　of　legation；　

Henry　F。　Poor；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　ready　for　sea；　the　war…ship　

followed　in　support。　　The　expedition　was　futile　in　its　course；　

almost　tragic　in　result。　　The　KAIMILOA　was　from　the　first　a　scene　

of　disaster　and　dilapidation：　　the　stores　were　sold；　the　crew　

revolted；　for　a　great　part　of　a　night　she　was　in　the　hands　of　

mutineers；　and　the　secretary　lay　bound　upon　the　deck。　　The　mission；　

installing　itself　at　first　with　extravagance　in　Matautu；　was　helped　

at　last　out　of　the　island　by　the　advances　of　a　private　citizen。　　

And　they　returned　from　dreams　of　Polynesian　independence　to　find　

their　own　city　in　the　hands　of　a　clique　of　white　shopkeepers；　and　

the　great　Gibson　once　again　in　gaol。　　Yet　the　farce　had　not　been　

quite　without　effect。　　It　had　encouraged　the　natives　for　the　

moment；　and　it　seems　to　have　ruffled　permanently　the　temper　of　the　

Germans。　　So　might　a　fly　irritate　Caesar。



The　arrival　of　a　mission　from　Hawaii　would　scarce　affect　the　

composure　of　the　courts　of　Europe。　　But　in　the　eyes　of　Polynesians　

the　little　kingdom　occupies　a　place　apart。　　It　is　there　alone　that　

men　of　their　race　enjoy　most　of　the　advantages　and　all　the　pomp　of　

independence；　news　of　Hawaii　and　descriptions　of　Honolulu　are　

grateful　topics　in　all　parts　of　the　South　Seas；　and　there　is　no　

better　introduction　than　a　photograph　in　which　the　bearer　shall　be　

represented　in　company　with　Kalakaua。　　Laupepa　was；　besides；　sunk　

to　the　point　at　which　an　unfortunate　begins　to　clutch　at　straws；　

and　he　received　the　mission　with　delight。　　Letters　were　exchanged　

between　him　and　Kalakaua；　a　deed　of　confederation　was　signed；　17th　

February　1887；　and　the　signature　celebrated　in　the　new　house　of　the　

Hawaiian　embassy　with　some　original　ceremonies。　　Malietoa　Laupepa　

came；　attended　by　his　ministry；　several　hundred　chiefs；　two　guards；　

and　six　policemen。　　Always　decent；　he　withdrew　at　an　early　hour；　by　

those　that　remained；　all　decency　appears　to　have　been　forgotten；　

high　chiefs　were　seen　to　dance；　and　day　found　the　house　carpeted　

with　slumbering　grandees；　who　must　be　roused；　doctored　with　coffee；　

and　sent　home。　　As　a　first　chapter　in　the　history　of　Polynesian　

Confederation；　it　was　hardly　cheering；　and　Laupepa　remarked　to　one　

of　the　embassy；　with　equal　dignity　and　sense：　〃If　you　have　come　

here　to　teach　my　people　to　drink；　I　wish　you　had　stayed　away。〃



The　Germans　looked　on　from　the　first　with　natural　irritation　that　a　

power　of　the　powerlessness　of　Hawaii　should　thus　profit　by　its　

undeniable　footing　in　the　family　of　nations；　and　send　embassies；　

and　make　believe　to　have　a　navy；　and　bark　and　snap　at　the　heels　of　

the　great　German　Empire。　　But　Becker　could　not　prevent　the　hunted　

Laupepa　from　taking　refuge　in　any　hole　that　offered；　and　he　could　

afford　to　smile　at　the　fantastic　orgie　in　the　embassy。　　It　was　

another　matter　when　the　Hawaiians　approached　the　intractable　

Mataafa；　sitting　still　in　his　Atua　government　like　Achilles　in　his　

tent；　helping　neither　side；　and　（as　the　Germans　suspected）　keeping　

the　eggs　warm　for　himself。　　When　the　KAIMILOA　steamed　out　of　Apia　

on　this　visit；　the　German　war…ship　ADLER　followed　at　her　heels；　and　

Mataafa　was　no　sooner　set　down　with　the　embassy　than　he　was　

summoned