ross the harbor. As we
drew near the ship we suddenly realized that they were holding it in
the supposition that we were bringing a consular message. We saw Lloyd
running on deck to see us, but, alarmed at the situation, we took a
hasty departure. In the evening we heard very sweet and mournful
singing in the servants' quarters, and on asking what it was were told
by Talolo that it was a farewell to Loia (Lloyd). It was explained
that the song was told to go to France, to Tonga, and other places to
look for Lloyd, and, in case of not finding him there, to search all
over the world for him and carry pleasant dreams to him.

"_January 11._ To-day the Fiji man appeared in war paint--his nose
blackened and black stripes under his eyes. Lafaele says the war is
soon going to begin, adding 'Please, Tamaitai, you look out; when
Samoa man fight he all same devil.' While we were talking low, dull
thunder was rolling around the horizon, sounding, as we thought, very
like the noise of battle. Strange to say there was not a cloud in the
sky nor a flash of lightning to be seen.

"All the Samoan women married to white men wish to express their
gratitude to me for making it possible for them to return to their
native dress or, rather, the dress introduced among them by the
missionaries. Before we came, all such women were expected to dress in
European fashion, for otherwise they were not considered respectable,
and they were delighted and surprised when I and all the other women
at Vailima appeared in the missionary dress. This dress, called the
_holaku_, is nothing more than the old-fashioned sacque (known in
America as the 'Mother Hubbard'), which fortunately happened to be
the mode in England when the missionaries first came to the South
Seas. It was loose, cool, modest, and graceful, and so well suited to
the natives and the hot climate of the islands that it became the
regulation garment of the South Pacific. The climax seemed to be my
going to a party in a very handsome black silk _holaku_ with
embroidered yoke and sleeves. The husbands have removed the taboo and
several of the native ladies are to have fine silk gowns made in their
own pretty, graceful fashion. Corsets must be agony to the poor
creatures, and most of them are only the more clumsy and awkward for
these European barbarities. I am very glad I have inadvertently done
so much good."

The political pot was now boiling fiercely, but as the trouble in
Samoa has been