r her husband's unwilling fidelity. She sent a man with linen
on board the _Adler_, where he was surprised to see Le Mamea in person,
and to be himself ordered instantly on shore. The news spread. If Mamea
were brought down from Lotoanuu, others might have come at the same
time. Tamasese himself and half his army might perhaps lie concealed on
board the German ships. And a watch was accordingly set and warriors
collected along the line of the shore. One detachment lay in some
rifle-pits by the mouth of the Fuisa. They were commanded by Seumanu;
and with his party, probably as the most contiguous to Apia, was the
war-correspondent, John Klein. Of English birth, but naturalised
American, this gentleman had been for some time representing the _New
York World_ in a very effective manner, always in the front, living in
the field with the Samoans, and in all vicissitudes of weather, toiling
to and fro with his despatches. His wisdom was perhaps not equal to his
energy. He made himself conspicuous, going about armed to the teeth in a
boat under the stars and stripes; and on one occasion, when he supposed
himself fired upon by the Tamaseses, had the petulance to empty his
revolver in the direction of their camp. By the light of the moon, which
was then nearly down, this party observed the _Olga's_ two boats and the
praam, which they described as "almost sinking with men," the boats
keeping well out towards the reef, the praam at the moment apparently
heading for the shore. An extreme agitation seems to have reigned in the
rifle-pits. What were the new-comers? What was their errand? Were they
Germans or Tamaseses? Had they a mind to attack? The praam was hailed in
Samoan and did not answer. It was proposed to fire upon her ere she drew
near. And at last, whether on his own suggestion or that of Seumanu,
Klein hailed her in English, and in terms of unnecessary melodrama. "Do
not try to land here," he cried. "If you do, your blood will be upon
your head." Spengler, who had never the least intention to touch at the
Fuisa, put up the head of the praam to her true course and continued to
move up the lagoon with an offing of some seventy or eighty yards. Along
all the irregularities and obstructions of the beach, across the mouth
of the Vaivasa, and through the startled village of Matafangatele,
Seumanu, Klein, and seven or eight others raced to keep up, spreading
the alarm and rousing reinforcements as they went. Presently a man on
hor