favour；　and　even　to…day　its　institution　is　thought　by　many　to　have
  been　impolitic。　　It　was　opened；　it　stood　open；　for　the　wounded　of
  either　party。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　never　used　but　by　the
  Mataafas；　and　the　Tamaseses　were　cared　for　exclusively　by　German
  doctors。　　In　the　progressive　decivilisation　of　the　town；　these
  duties　of　humanity　became　thus　a　ground　of　quarrel。　　When　the
  Mataafa　hurt　were　first　brought　together　after　the　battle　of
  Matautu；　and　some　more　or　less　amateur　surgeons　were　dressing
  wounds　on　a　green　by　the　wayside；　one　from　the　German　consulate
  went　by　in　the　road。　　〃Why　don't　you　let　the　dogs　die？〃　he　asked。
  〃Go　to　hell；〃　was　the　rejoinder。　　Such　were　the　amenities　of　Apia。
  But　Becker　reserved　for　himself　the　extreme　expression　of　this
  spirit。　　On　November　7th　hostilities　began　again　between　the　Samoan
  armies；　and　an　inconclusive　skirmish　sent　a　fresh　crop　of　wounded
  to　the　de　Coetlogons。　　Next　door　to　the　consulate；　some　native
  houses　and　a　chapel　（now　ruinous）　stood　on　a　green。　　Chapel　and
  houses　were　certainly　Samoan；　but　the　ground　was　under　a　land…claim
  of　the　German　firm；　and　de　Coetlogon　wrote　to　Becker　requesting
  permission　（in　case　it　should　prove　necessary）　to　use　these
  structures　for　his　wounded。　　Before　an　answer　came；　the　hospital
  was　startled　by　the　appearance　of　a　case　of　gangrene；　and　the
  patient　was　hastily　removed　into　the　chapel。　　A　rebel　laid　on
  German　ground　…　here　was　an　atrocity！　　The　day　before　his　own
  relief；　November　11th；　Becker　ordered　the　man's　instant　removal。
  By　his　aggressive　carriage　and　singular　mixture　of　violence　and
  cunning；　he　had　already　largely　brought　about　the　fall　of　Brandeis；
  and　forced　into　an　attitude　of　hostility　the　whole　non…German
  population　of　the　islands。　　Now；　in　his　last　hour　of　office；　by
  this　wanton　buffet　to　his　English　colleague；　he　prepared　a
  continuance　of　evil　days　for　his　successor。　　If　the　object　of
  diplomacy　be　the　organisation　of　failure　in　the　midst　of　hate；　he
  was　a　great　diplomatist。　　And　amongst　a　certain　party　on　the　beach
  he　is　still　named　as　the　ideal　consul。
  CHAPTER　VII　…　THE　SAMOAN　CAMPS
  NOVEMBER　1888
  WHEN　Brandeis　and　Tamasese　fled　by　night　from　Mulinuu；　they　carried
  their　wandering　government　some　six　miles　to　windward；　to　a
  position　above　Lotoanuu。　　For　some　three　miles　to　the　eastward　of
  Apia；　the　shores　of　Upolu　are　low　and　the　ground　rises　with　a
  gentle　acclivity；　much　of　which　waves　with　German　plantations。　　A
  barrier　reef　encloses　a　lagoon　passable　for　boats：　　and　the
  traveller　skims　there；　on　smooth；　many…tinted　shallows；　between　the
  wall　of　the　breakers　on　the　one　hand；　and　on　the　other　a　succession
  of　palm…tree　capes　and　cheerful　beach…side　villages。　　Beyond　the
  great　plantation　of　Vailele；　the　character　of　the　coast　is　changed。
  The　barrier　reef　abruptly　ceases；　the　surf　beats　direct　upon　the
  shore；　and　the　mountains　and　untenanted　forest　of　the　interior
  descend　sheer　into　the　sea。　　The　first　mountain　promontory　is
  Letongo。　　The　bay　beyond　is　called　Laulii；　and　became　the
  headquarters　of　Mataafa。　　And　on　the　next　projection；　on　steep；
  intricate　ground；　veiled　in　forest　and　cut　up　by　gorges　and
  defiles；　Tamasese　fortified　his　lines。　　This　greenwood　citadel；
  which　proved　impregnable　by　Samoan　arms；　may　be　regarded　as　his
  front；　the　sea　covered　his　right；　and　his　rear　extended　along　the
  coast　as　far　as　Saluafata；　and　thus　commanded　and　drew　upon　a　rich
  country；　including　the　plain　of　Falefa。
  He　was　left　in　peace　from　11th　October　till　November　6th。　　But　his
  adversary　is　not　wholly　to　be　blamed　for　this　delay；　which　depended
  upon　island　etiquette。　　His　Savaii　contingent　had　not　yet　come　in；
  and　to　have　moved　again　without　waiting　for　them　would　have　been
  surely　to　offend；　perhaps　to　lose　them。　　With　the　month　of　November
  they　began　to　arrive：　　on　the　2nd　twenty　boats；　on　the　3rd　twenty…
  nine；　on　the　5th　seventeen。　　On　the　6th　the　position　Mataafa　had　so
  long　occupied　on　the　skirts　of　Apia　was　deserted；　all　that　day　and
  night　his　force　kept　streaming　eastward　to　Laulii；　and　on　the　7th
  the　siege　of　Lotoanuu　was　opened　with　a　brisk　skirmish。
  Each　side　built　forts；　facing　across　the　gorge　of　a　brook。　　An
  endless　fusillade　and　shouting　maintained　the　spirit　of　the
  warriors；　and　at　night；　even　if　the　firing　slackened；　the　pickets
  continued　to　exchange　from　either　side　volleys　of　songs　and　pungent
  pleasantries。　　Nearer　hostilities　were　rendered　difficult　by　the
  nature　of　the　ground；　where　men　must　thread　dense　bush　and　clamber
  on　the　face　of　precipices。　　Apia　was　near　enough；　a　man；　if　he　had
  a　dollar　or　two；　could　walk　in　before　a　battle　and　array　himself　in
  silk　or　velvet。　　Casualties　were　not　common；　there　was　nothing　to
  cast　gloom　upon　the　camps；　and　no　more　danger　than　was　required　to
  give　a　spice　to　the　perpetual　firing。　　For　the　young　warriors　it
  was　a　period　of　admirable　enjoyment。　　But　the　anxiety　of　Mataafa
  must　have　been　great　and　growing。　　His　force　was　now　considerable。
  It　was　scarce　likely　he　should　ever　have　more。　　That　he　should　be
  long　able　to　supply　them　with　ammunition　seemed　incredible；　at　the
  rates　then　or　soon　after　current；　hundreds　of　pounds　sterling　might
  be　easily　blown　into　the　air　by　the　skirmishers　in　the　course　of　a
  few　days。　　And　in　the　meanwhile；　on　the　mountain　opposite；　his
  outnumbered　adversary　held　his　ground　unshaken。
  By　this　time　the　partisanship　of　the　whites　was　unconcealed。
  Americans　supplied　Mataafa　with　ammunition；　English　and　Americans
  openly　subscribed　together　and　sent　boat…loads　of　provisions　to　his
  camp。　　One　such　boat　started　from　Apia　on　a　day　of　rain；　it　was
  pulled　by　six　oars；　three　being　paid　by　Moors；　three　by　the
  MacArthurs；　Moors　himself　and　a　clerk　of　the　MacArthurs'　were　in
  charge；　and　the　load　included　not　only　beef　and　biscuit；　but　three
  or　four　thousand　rounds　of　ammunition。　　They　came　ashore　in　Laulii；
  and　carried　the　gift　to　Mataafa。　　While　they　were　yet　in　his　house
  a　bullet　passed　overhead；　and　out　of　his　door　they　could　see　the
  Tamasese　pickets　on　the　opposite　hill。　　Thence　they　made　their　way
  to　the　left　flank　of　the　Mataafa　position　next　the　sea。　　A　Tamasese
  barricade　was　visible　across　the　stream。　　It　rained；　but　the
  warriors　crowded　in　their　shanties；　squatted　in　the　mud；　and
  maintained　an　excited　conversation。　　Balls　flew；　either　faction；
  both　happy　as　lords；　spotting　for　the　other　in　chance　shots；　and
  missing。　　One　point　is　characteristic　of　that　war；　experts　in
  native　feeling　doubt　if　it　will　characterise　the　next。　　The　two
  white　visitors　passed　without　and　between　the　lines　to　a　rocky
  point　upon　the　beach。　　The　person　of　Moors　was　well　known；　the
  purpose　of　their　coming　to　Laulii　must　have　been　already　bruited
  abroad；　yet　they　were　not　fired　upon。　　From　the　point　they　spied　a
  crow's　nest；　or　hanging　fortification；　higher　up；　and；　judging　it
  was　a　good　position　for　a　general　view；　obtained　a　guide。　　He　led
  them　up　a　steep　side　of　the　mountain；　where　they　must　climb　by
  roots　and　tufts　of　grass；　and　coming　to　an　open　hill…top　with　some
  scattered　trees；　bade　them　wait；　let　him　draw　the　fire；　and　then　be
  swift　to　follow。　　Perhaps　a　dozen　balls　whistled　about　him　ere　he
  had　crossed　the　dangerous　passage　and　dropped　on　the　farther　side
  into　the　crow's…nest；　the　white　men；　briskly　following；　escaped
  unhurt。　　The　crow's…nest　was　built　like　a　bartizan　on　the
  precipitous　front　of　the　position。　　Across　the　ravine；　perhaps　at
  five　hundred　yards；　heads　were　to　be　seen　popping　up　and　down　in　a
  fort　of　Tamesese's。　　On　both　sides　the　same　enthusiasm　without
  council；　the　same　senseless　vigilance；　reigned。　　Some　took　aim；
  some　blazed　before　them　at　a　venture。　　Now　…　when　a　head　showed　on
  the　other　side　…　one　would　take　a　crack　at　it；　remarking　that　it
  would　never　do　to　〃miss　a　chance。〃　　Now　they　would　all　fire　a
  volley　and　bob　down；　a　return　volley　rang　across　the　ravine；　and
  was　punctually　answered：　　harmless　as　lawn…tennis。　　The　whites
  expostulated　in　vain。　　The　warriors；　drunken　with　noise；　made
  answer　by　a　fresh　general　discharge　and　bade　their　visitors　run
  while　it　was　time。　　Upon　their　return　to　headquarters；　men　were
  covering　the　front　with　sheets　of　coral　limestone；　two　balls　having
  passed　through　the　house　in　the　interval。　　Mataafa　sat　within；　over
  his　kava　bowl；　unmoved。　　The　picture　is　of　a　piece　throughout：
  excellent　courage；　super…excellent　folly；　a　war　of　school…children；
  expensive　guns　and　cartridges　used　like　squibs　or　catherine…wheels
  on　Guy　Fawkes's　Day。
  On　the　20th　Mataafa　changed　his　attack。　　Tamasese's　front　was
  seemingly　impregnable。　　Something　must　be　tried　upon　his　rear。
  There　was　his　bread…basket；　a　small　success　in　that　direction　would
  immediately　curtail　his　resources；　and　it　might　b