a footnote to history- 第4部分

of　these；　〃you　can　be　in　a　new　conspiracy　every　day！〃　　Many；　on　the　

other　hand；　are　sincerely　concerned　for　the　future　of　the　country。　　

The　quarters　are　so　close　and　the　scale　is　so　small；　that　perhaps　

not　any　one　can　be　trusted　always　to　preserve　his　temper。　　Every　

one　tells　everything　he　knows；　that　is　our　country　sickness。　　

Nearly　every　one　has　been　betrayed　at　times；　and　told　a　trifle　

more；　the　way　our　sickness　takes　the　predisposed。　　And　the　news　

flies；　and　the　tongues　wag；　and　fists　are　shaken。　　Pot　boil　and　

caldron　bubble！



Within　the　memory　of　man；　the　white　people　of　Apia　lay　in　the　worst　

squalor　of　degradation。　　They　are　now　unspeakably　improved；　both　

men　and　women。　　To…day　they　must　be　called　a　more　than　fairly　

respectable　population；　and　a　much　more　than　fairly　intelligent。　　

The　whole　would　probably　not　fill　the　ranks　of　even　an　English　

half…battalion；　yet　there　are　a　surprising　number　above　the　average　

in　sense；　knowledge；　and　manners。　　The　trouble　（for　Samoa）　is　that　

they　are　all　here　after　a　livelihood。　　Some　are　sharp　

practitioners；　some　are　famous　（justly　or　not）　for　foul　play　in　

business。　　Tales　fly。　　One　merchant　warns　you　against　his　

neighbour；　the　neighbour　on　the　first　occasion　is　found　to　return　

the　compliment：　　each　with　a　good　circumstantial　story　to　the　

proof。　　There　is　so　much　copra　in　the　islands；　and　no　more；　a　man's　

share　of　it　is　his　share　of　bread；　and　commerce；　like　politics；　is　

here　narrowed　to　a　focus；　shows　its　ugly　side；　and　becomes　as　

personal　as　fisticuffs。　　Close　at　their　elbows；　in　all　this　

contention；　stands　the　native　looking　on。　　Like　a　child；　his　true　

analogue；　he　observes；　apprehends；　misapprehends；　and　is　usually　

silent。　　As　in　a　child；　a　considerable　intemperance　of　speech　is　

accompanied　by　some　power　of　secrecy。　　News　he　publishes；　his　

thoughts　have　often　to　be　dug　for。　　He　looks　on　at　the　rude　career　

of　the　dollar…hunt；　and　wonders。　　He　sees　these　men　rolling　in　a　

luxury　beyond　the　ambition　of　native　kings；　he　hears　them　accused　

by　each　other　of　the　meanest　trickery；　he　knows　some　of　them　to　be　

guilty；　and　what　is　he　to　think？　　He　is　strongly　conscious　of　his　

own　position　as　the　common　milk…cow；　and　what　is　he　to　do？　　〃Surely　

these　white　men　on　the　beach　are　not　great　chiefs？〃　is　a　common　

question；　perhaps　asked　with　some　design　of　flattering　the　person　

questioned。　　And　one；　stung　by　the　last　incident　into　an　unusual　

flow　of　English；　remarked　to　me：　〃I　begin　to　be　weary　of　white　men　

on　the　beach。〃



But　the　true　centre　of　trouble；　the　head　of　the　boil　of　which　Samoa　

languishes；　is　the　German　firm。　　From　the　conditions　of　business；　a　

great　island　house　must　ever　be　an　inheritance　of　care；　and　it　

chances　that　the　greatest　still　afoot　has　its　chief　seat　in　Apia　

bay；　and　has　sunk　the　main　part　of　its　capital　in　the　island　of　

Upolu。　　When　its　founder；　John　Caesar　Godeffroy；　went　bankrupt　over　

Russian　paper　and　Westphalian　iron；　his　most　considerable　asset　was　

found　to　be　the　South　Sea　business。　　This　passed　（I　understand）　

through　the　hands　of　Baring　Brothers　in　London；　and　is　now　run　by　a　

company　rejoicing　in　the　Gargantuan　name　of　the　DEUTSCHE　HANDELS　

UND　PLANTAGEN　GESELLSCHAFT　FUR　SUD…SEE　INSELN　ZU　HAMBURG。　　This　

piece　of　literature　is　（in　practice）　shortened　to　the　D。　H。　and　P。　

G。；　the　Old　Firm；　the　German　Firm；　the　Firm；　and　（among　humorists）　

the　Long　Handle　Firm。　　Even　from　the　deck　of　an　approaching　ship；　

the　island　is　seen　to　bear　its　signature　…　zones　of　cultivation　

showing　in　a　more　vivid　tint　of　green　on　the　dark　vest　of　forest。　　

The　total　area　in　use　is　near　ten　thousand　acres。　　Hedges　of　

fragrant　lime　enclose；　broad　avenues　intersect　them。　　You　shall　

walk　for　hours　in　parks　of　palm…tree　alleys；　regular；　like　soldiers　

on　parade；　in　the　recesses　of　the　hills　you　may　stumble　on　a　mill…

house；　tolling　and　trembling　there；　fathoms　deep　in　superincumbent　

forest。　　On　the　carpet　of　clean　sward；　troops　of　horses　and　herds　

of　handsome　cattle　may　be　seen　to　browse；　and　to　one　accustomed　to　

the　rough　luxuriance　of　the　tropics；　the　appearance　is　of　

fairyland。　　The　managers；　many　of　them　German　sea…captains；　are　

enthusiastic　in　their　new　employment。　　Experiment　is　continually　

afoot：　　coffee　and　cacao；　both　of　excellent　quality；　are　among　the　

more　recent　outputs；　and　from　one　plantation　quantities　of　

pineapples　are　sent　at　a　particular　season　to　the　Sydney　markets。　　

A　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　of　English　money；　perhaps　two　

hundred　thousand；　lie　sunk　in　these　magnificent　estates。　　In　

estimating　the　expense　of　maintenance　quite　a　fleet　of　ships　must　

be　remembered；　and　a　strong　staff　of　captains；　supercargoes；　

overseers；　and　clerks。　　These　last　mess　together　at　a　liberal　

board；　the　wages　are　high；　and　the　staff　is　inspired　with　a　strong　

and　pleasing　sentiment　of　loyalty　to　their　employers。



Seven　or　eight　hundred　imported　men　and　women　toil　for　the　company　

on　contracts　of　three　or　of　five　years；　and　at　a　hypothetical　wage　

of　a　few　dollars　in　the　month。　　I　am　now　on　a　burning　question：　　

the　labour　traffic；　and　I　shall　ask　permission　in　this　place　only　

to　touch　it　with　the　tongs。　　Suffice　it　to　say　that　in　Queensland；　

Fiji；　New　Caledonia；　and　Hawaii　it　has　been　either　suppressed　or　

placed　under　close　public　supervision。　　In　Samoa；　where　it　still　

flourishes；　there　is　no　regulation　of　which　the　public　receives　any　

evidence；　and　the　dirty　linen　of　the　firm；　if　there　be　any　dirty；　

and　if　it　be　ever　washed　at　all；　is　washed　in　private。　　This　is　

unfortunate；　if　Germans　would　believe　it。　　But　they　have　no　idea　of　

publicity；　keep　their　business　to　themselves；　rather　affect　to　

〃move　in　a　mysterious　way；〃　and　are　naturally　incensed　by　

criticisms；　which　they　consider　hypocritical；　from　men　who　would　

import　〃labour〃　for　themselves；　if　they　could　afford　it；　and　would　

probably　maltreat　them　if　they　dared。　　It　is　said　the　whip　is　very　

busy　on　some　of　the　plantations；　it　is　said　that　punitive　extra…

labour；　by　which　the　thrall's　term　of　service　is　extended；　has　

grown　to　be　an　abuse；　and　it　is　complained　that；　even　where　that　

term　is　out；　much　irregularity　occurs　in　the　repatriation　of　the　

discharged。　　To　all　this　I　can　say　nothing；　good　or　bad。　　A　certain　

number　of　the　thralls；　many　of　them　wild　negritos　from　the　west；　

have　taken　to　the　bush；　harbour　there　in　a　state　partly　bestial；　or　

creep　into　the　back　quarters　of　the　town　to　do　a　day's　stealthy　

labour　under　the　nose　of　their　proprietors。　　Twelve　were　arrested　

one　morning　in　my　own　boys'　kitchen。　　Farther　in　the　bush；　huts；　

small　patches　of　cultivation；　and　smoking　ovens；　have　been　found　by　

hunters。　　There　are　still　three　runaways　in　the　woods　of　Tutuila；　

whither　they　escaped　upon　a　raft。　　And　the　Samoans　regard　these　

dark…skinned　rangers　with　extreme　alarm；　the　fourth　refugee　in　

Tutuila　was　shot　down　（as　I　was　told　in　that　island）　while　carrying　

off　the　virgin　of　a　village；　and　tales　of　cannibalism　run　round　the　

country；　and　the　natives　shudder　about　the　evening　fire。　　For　the　

Samoans　are　not　cannibals；　do　not　seem　to　remember　when　they　were；　

and　regard　the　practice　with　a　disfavour　equal　to　our　own。



The　firm　is　Gulliver　among　the　Lilliputs；　and　it　must　not　be　

forgotten；　that　while　the　small；　independent　traders　are　fighting　

for　their　own　hand；　and　inflamed　with　the　usual　jealousy　against　

corporations；　the　Germans　are　inspired　with　a　sense　of　the　

greatness　of　their　affairs　and　interests。　　The　thought　of　the　money　

sunk；　the　sight　of　these　costly　and　beautiful　plantations；　menaced　

yearly　by　the　returning　forest；　and　the　responsibility　of　

administering　with　one　hand　so　many　conjunct　fortunes；　might　well　

nerve　the　manager　of　such　a　company　for　desperate　and　questionable　

deeds。　　Upon　this　scale；　commercial　sharpness　has　an　air　of　

patriotism；　and　I　can　imagine　the　man；　so　far　from　haggling　over　

the　scourge　for　a　few　Solomon　islanders；　prepared　to　oppress　rival　

firms；　overthrow　inconvenient　monarchs；　and　let　loose　the　dogs　of　

war。　　Whatever　he　may　decide；　he　will　not　want　for　backing。　　Every　

clerk　will　be　eager　to　be　up　and　strike　a　blow；　and　most　Germans　in　

the　group；　whatever　they　may　babble　of　the　firm　over　the　walnuts　

and　the　wine；　will　rally　round　the　national　concern　at　the　approach　

of　difficulty。　　They　are　so　few　…　I　am　ashamed　to　give　their　

number；　it　were　to　challenge　contradiction　…　they　are　so　few；　and　

the　amount　of　national　capital　buried　at　their　feet　is　so　vast；　

that　we　must　not　wonder　if　they　seem　oppressed　with　greatness　and　

the　sense　of　empire。　　Other　whites　take　part　in　our　brabbles；　while　

temper　holds　out；　with　a　certain　schoolboy　entertainment。　　In　the　

Germans　alone；　no　trace　of　humour　is　to　be　observed；　and　their　

solemnity　is　accompanied　by　a　touchiness　often　beyond　belief。　　

Patriotism　flies　in　arms　about　a　hen；　and　if　you　comment　upon　the　

colour　of　a　Dutch　umbrella；　you　have　cast　a　stone　against　the　

German　Emperor。　　I　give　one　instance；　typical　although　extreme。　　

One　who　had　returned　from　Tutuila　on　the　mail　cutter　complained　of　

the　vermin　with　which　she　is　infested。　　He　was　suddenly　and　sharply　

brought　to　a　stand。　　The　ship　of　which　he　spoke；　he　was　reminded；　

was　a　German　ship。



John　Caesar　Godeffroy　himself　had　never　visited　the　islands；　his　

sons　and　nephews　came；　indeed；　but　scarcely　to　reap　laurels；　and　

the　mainspring　and　headpiece　of　this　great　concern；　until　death　

took　him；　was　a　certain　remarkable　man　of　the　name　of　Theodor　

Weber。　　He　was　of　an　artful　and　commanding　character；　in　the　

smallest　thing　or　the　greatest；　without　fear　or　scruple；　equally　

able　to　affect；　equally　ready　to　adopt；　the　most　engaging　

politeness　or　the　most　imperious　airs　of　domination。　　It　was　he　who　

did　most　damage　to　rival　traders；　it　was　he　who　most　harried　the