attending the
missionary services on a certain Sabbath afternoon, returned to his
cabin where he was soon after found going through all the barbaric
ceremonies of his ancient faith before a wooden image, beating time on
a rude tom-tom, and performing other strange rites. The missionary, who
had come to bring him some medicine for a chronic trouble from which he
suffered, expressed his surprise that he should be thus engaged in
idolatrous worship after so recently participating in the Christian
ceremonies. "Ah!" said the old savage, "me fish with two hook. I catchee
fish. Fish no like one hook, he bite other hook." It was naively
expressed, but signified that by accepting both creeds,--that of the
Samoan priests and that of the missionaries,--he would have two chances
instead of one of getting to the better world, toward which even South
Sea Islanders hopefully turn their eyes.

On the occasion of our second visit to the Samoans,--that is, on the
return voyage coming north,--we had more opportunity to study the race;
but the shrill whistle of the steamer finally warned our visitors away
from the vessel,--a signal which they well understood and generally
heeded. The Government boat having put her mail on board, there was
nothing further to detain us. When we were once more fairly under way,
it was found that one of the natives had been left on board bargaining
with the passengers in the cabin below. He coolly tied up the silver he
had received for his wares in a knot of his breech-cloth, stepped to the
ship's side, and plunged headlong into the sea. Rising quickly to the
surface he struck out for Tutuila, a league and more away, with no more
seeming hesitation than we would feel in beginning a walk of a like
distance upon the land. Once he was seen to turn upon his back and float
for a moment leisurely upon the surface, but soon resumed his swimming
position again, heading steadily for the land.

At that moment the cry came from forward, "There she blows!" the usual
signal at sea for a whale in sight, and all eyes were turned to watch
the gambols of a large whale and her calf, half a mile to windward. It
will be remembered that these were once famous whaling latitudes, but
this adventurous industry has now become almost a thing of the past in
these regions. In the mean time the Leviathan and its giant baby were
lashing the sea and sending up small mountains of spray, the calf
occasionally leaping quite out of the water i