第 3 节
作者:
闪啊闪 更新:2024-08-29 08:48 字数:9322
But it does not appear he was at all expected to give with a good
grace。 The dictionary is well stocked with expressions standing
ready; like missiles; to be discharged upon the locusts … 〃troop of
shamefaced ones;〃 〃you draw in your head like a tern;〃 〃you make
your voice small like a whistle…pipe;〃 〃you beg like one
delirious〃; and the verb PONGITAI; 〃to look cross;〃 is equipped
with the pregnant rider; 〃as at the sight of beggars。〃
This insolence of beggars and the weakness of proprietors can only
be illustrated by examples。 We have a girl in our service to whom
we had given some finery; that she might wait at table; and (at her
own request) some warm clothing against the cold mornings of the
bush。 She went on a visit to her family; and returned in an old
tablecloth; her whole wardrobe having been divided out among
relatives in the course of twenty…four hours。 A pastor in the
province of Atua; being a handy; busy man; bought a boat for a
hundred dollars; fifty of which he paid down。 Presently after;
relatives came to him upon a visit and took a fancy to his new
possession。 〃We have long been wanting a boat;〃 said they。 〃Give
us this one。〃 So; when the visit was done; they departed in the
boat。 The pastor; meanwhile; travelled into Savaii the best way he
could; sold a parcel of land; and begged mats among his other
relatives; to pay the remainder of the price of the boat which was
no longer his。 You might think this was enough; but some months
later; the harpies; having broken a thwart; brought back the boat
to be repaired and repainted by the original owner。
Such customs; it might be argued; being double…edged; will
ultimately right themselves。 But it is otherwise in practice。
Such folk as the pastor's harpy relatives will generally have a
boat; and will never have paid for it; such men as the pastor may
have sometimes paid for a boat; but they will never have one。 It
is there as it is with us at home: the measure of the abuse of
either system is the blackness of the individual heart。 The same
man; who would drive his poor relatives from his own door in
England; would besiege in Samoa the doors of the rich; and the
essence of the dishonesty in either case is to pursue one's own
advantage and to be indifferent to the losses of one's neighbour。
But the particular drawback of the Polynesian system is to depress
and stagger industry。 To work more is there only to be more
pillaged; to save is impossible。 The family has then made a good
day of it when all are filled and nothing remains over for the crew
of free…booters; and the injustice of the system begins to be
recognised even in Samoa。 One native is said to have amassed a
certain fortune; two clever lads have individually expressed to us
their discontent with a system which taxes industry to pamper
idleness; and I hear that in one village of Savaii a law has been
passed forbidding gifts under the penalty of a sharp fine。
Under this economic regimen; the unpopularity of taxes; which
strike all at the same time; which expose the industrious to a
perfect siege of mendicancy; and the lazy to be actually condemned
to a day's labour; may be imagined without words。 It is more
important to note the concurrent relaxation of all sense of
property。 From applying for help to kinsmen who are scarce
permitted to refuse; it is but a step to taking from them (in the
dictionary phrase) 〃without permission〃; from that to theft at
large is but a hair's…breadth。
CHAPTER II … THE ELEMENTS OF DISCORD: FOREIGN
THE huge majority of Samoans; like other God…fearing folk in other
countries; are perfectly content with their own manners。 And upon
one condition; it is plain they might enjoy themselves far beyond
the average of man。 Seated in islands very rich in food; the
idleness of the many idle would scarce matter; and the provinces
might continue to bestow their names among rival pretenders; and
fall into war and enjoy that a while; and drop into peace and enjoy
that; in a manner highly to be envied。 But the condition … that
they should be let alone … is now no longer possible。 More than a
hundred years ago; and following closely on the heels of Cook; an
irregular invasion of adventurers began to swarm about the isles of
the Pacific。 The seven sleepers of Polynesia stand; still but half
aroused; in the midst of the century of competition。 And the
island races; comparable to a shopful of crockery launched upon the
stream of time; now fall to make their desperate voyage among pots
of brass and adamant。
Apia; the port and mart; is the seat of the political sickness of
Samoa。 At the foot of a peaked; woody mountain; the coast makes a
deep indent; roughly semicircular。 In front the barrier reef is
broken by the fresh water of the streams; if the swell be from the
north; it enters almost without diminution; and the war…ships roll
dizzily at their moorings; and along the fringing coral which
follows the configuration of the beach; the surf breaks with a
continuous uproar。 In wild weather; as the world knows; the roads
are untenable。 Along the whole shore; which is everywhere green
and level and overlooked by inland mountain…tops; the town lies
drawn out in strings and clusters。 The western horn is Mulinuu;
the eastern; Matautu; and from one to the other of these extremes;
I ask the reader to walk。 He will find more of the history of
Samoa spread before his eyes in that excursion; than has yet been
collected in the blue…books or the white…books of the world。
Mulinuu (where the walk is to begin) is a flat; wind…swept
promontory; planted with palms; backed against a swamp of
mangroves; and occupied by a rather miserable village。 The reader
is informed that this is the proper residence of the Samoan kings;
he will be the more surprised to observe a board set up; and to
read that this historic village is the property of the German firm。
But these boards; which are among the commonest features of the
landscape; may be rather taken to imply that the claim has been
disputed。 A little farther east he skirts the stores; offices; and
barracks of the firm itself。 Thence he will pass through Matafele;
the one really town…like portion of this long string of villages;
by German bars and stores and the German consulate; and reach the
Catholic mission and cathedral standing by the mouth of a small
river。 The bridge which crosses here (bridge of Mulivai) is a
frontier; behind is Matafele; beyond; Apia proper; behind; Germans
are supreme; beyond; with but few exceptions; all is Anglo…Saxon。
Here the reader will go forward past the stores of Mr。 Moors
(American) and Messrs。 MacArthur (English); past the English
mission; the office of the English newspaper; the English church;
and the old American consulate; till he reaches the mouth of a
larger river; the Vaisingano。 Beyond; in Matautu; his way takes
him in the shade of many trees and by scattered dwellings; and
presently brings him beside a great range of offices; the place and
the monument of a German who fought the German firm during his
life。 His house (now he is dead) remains pointed like a discharged
cannon at the citadel of his old enemies。 Fitly enough; it is at
present leased and occupied by Englishmen。 A little farther; and
the reader gains the eastern flanking angle of the bay; where
stands the pilot…house and signal…post; and whence he can see; on
the line of the main coast of the island; the British and the new
American consulates。
The course of his walk will have been enlivened by a considerable
to and fro of pleasure and business。 He will have encountered many
varieties of whites; … sailors; merchants; clerks; priests;
Protestant missionaries in their pith helmets; and the nondescript
hangers…on of any island beach。 And the sailors are sometimes in
considerable force; but not the residents。 He will think at times
there are more signboards than men to own them。 It may chance it
is a full day in the harbour; he will then have seen all manner of
ships; from men…of…war and deep…sea packets to the labour vessels
of the German firm and the cockboat island schooner; and if he be
of an arithmetical turn; he may calculate that there are more
whites afloat in Apia bay than whites ashore in the whole
Archipelago。 On the other hand; he will have encountered all ranks
of natives; chiefs and pastors in their scrupulous white clothes;
perhaps the king himself; attended by guards in uniform; smiling
policemen with their pewter stars; girls; women; crowds of cheerful
children。 And he will have asked himself with some surprise where
these reside。 Here and there; in the back yards of European
establishments; he may have had a glimpse of a native house elbowed
in a cor