ality.
Though most of the white traders at the outlying villages nowadays make
nothing beyond a scanty living, they are as a rule very hospitable and
pleased to see and entertain white visitors as well as their poor means
will allow, and in nine cases out of ten would feel hurt if they were
ignored and the native teacher's house visited first; for between the
average trader and the native teacher there is always a natural and yet
reasonable jealousy. And here let me say a word in praise of the Samoan
teacher--in Samoa. Away from his native land, in charge of a mission
station in another part of Polynesia or Melanesia, he is too often
pompous and overbearing alike to his flock and to the white trader. Here
he is far from the control and supervision of the white missionaries,
who only visit him twice in the year, and consequently he thinks himself
a man of vast importance. But in Samoa his superiors are prompt to curb
any inclination he may evince to ride the high horse over his flock or
interfere with any matter not strictly connected with his charge. So, in
Samoa, the native teacher is generally a good fellow, the soul of
hospitality, and anxious to entertain any chance white visitor; and
although the Samoans are not bigoted ranters like the Tongans or
Fijians, and the teachers have not anything like the undue and improper
influence over the people possessed by the native ministers in Tonga or
Fiji, to needlessly offend one would be resented by the villagers and
make the visitor's stay anything but pleasant. As for the white
missionaries in Samoa, all I need say of them is that they are
gentlemen, and that the words "Mission House" are synonymous in most
cases with warm welcome to the traveller.

Travelling inland in Savaii or crossing Upolu from north to south, or
_vice-versa,_ is very delightful, though one misses much of the lovely
scenery that unfolds itself in a panorama-like manner when sailing along
the coast. One journey that can easily be accomplished in a day is that
from Apia to Safata. Carriers are easily obtainable, and some splendid
pigeon shooting can be had an hour or two after leaving Apia till within
a few miles of Safata. Pigeons are about the only game to be had in
Samoa, though the _manutagi_, or ring-dove, is very plentiful, but one
hardly likes to shoot such dear little creatures. Occasionally one may
get a wild duck or two and some fearful-looking wild fowls--the progeny
of the domestic fowl. Wil