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surprise； if with no more admiration。 Doubtless all had their
reward in a sense of duty done； doubtless； also； as the days
passed； in the spectacle of many traits of gratitude and patience；
and in the success that waited on their efforts。 Out of a hundred
cases treated； only five died。 They were all well…behaved； though
full of childish wiles。 One old gentleman； a high chief； was
seized with alarming symptoms of belly…ache whenever Mrs。 de
Coetlogon went her rounds at night： he was after brandy。 Others
were insatiable for morphine or opium。 A chief woman had her foot
amputated under chloroform。 〃Let me see my foot！ Why does it not
hurt？〃 she cried。 〃It hurt so badly before I went to sleep。〃
Siteoni； whose name has been already mentioned； had his shoulder…
blade excised； lay the longest of any； perhaps behaved the worst；
and was on all these grounds the favourite。 At times he was
furiously irritable； and would rail upon his family and rise in bed
until he swooned with pain。 Once on the balcony he was thought to
be dying； his family keeping round his mat； his father exhorting
him to be prepared； when Mrs。 de Coetlogon brought him round again
with brandy and smelling…salts。 After discharge； he returned upon
a visit of gratitude； and it was observed； that instead of coming
straight to the door； he went and stood long under his umbrella on
that spot of ground where his mat had been stretched and he had
endured pain so many months。 Similar visits were the rule； I
believe without exception； and the grateful patients loaded Mrs。 de
Coetlogon with gifts which （had that been possible in Polynesia）
she would willingly have declined； for they were often of value to
the givers。
The tissue of my story is one of rapacity； intrigue； and the
triumphs of temper； the hospital at the consulate stands out almost
alone as an episode of human beauty； and I dwell on it with
satisfaction。 But it was not regarded at the time with universal
favour； and even to…day its institution is thought by many to have
been impolitic。 It was opened； it stood open； for the wounded of
either party。 As a matter of fact it was never used but by the
Mataafas； and the Tamaseses were cared for exclusively by German
doctors。 In the progressive decivilisation of the town； these
duties of humanity became thus a ground of quarrel。 When the
Mataafa hurt were first brought together after the battle of
Matautu； and some more or less amateur surgeons were dressing
wounds on a green by the wayside； one from the German consulate
went by in the road。 〃Why don't you let the dogs die？〃 he asked。
〃Go to hell；〃 was the rejoinder。 Such were the amenities of Apia。
But Becker reserved for himself the extreme expression of this
spirit。 On November 7th hostilities began again between the Samoan
armies； and an inconclusive skirmish sent a fresh crop of wounded
to the de Coetlogons。 Next door to the consulate； some native
houses and a chapel （now ruinous） stood on a green。 Chapel and
houses were certainly Samoan； but the ground was under a land…claim
of the German firm； and de Coetlogon wrote to Becker requesting
permission （in case it should prove necessary） to use these
structures for his wounded。 Before an answer came； the hospital
was startled by the appearance of a case of gangrene； and the
patient was hastily removed into the chapel。 A rebel laid on
German ground … here was an atrocity！ The day before his own
relief； November 11th； Becker ordered the man's instant removal。
By his aggressive carriage and singular mixture of violence and
cunning； he had already largely brought about the fall of Brandeis；
and forced into an attitude of hostility the whole non…German
population of the islands。 Now； in his last hour of office； by
this wanton buffet to his English colleague； he prepared a
continuance of evil days for his successor。 If the object of
diplomacy be the organisation of failure in the midst of hate； he
was a great diplomatist。 And amongst a certain party on the beach
he is still named as the ideal consul。
CHAPTER VII … THE SAMOAN CAMPS
NOVEMBER 1888
WHEN Brandeis and Tamasese fled by night from Mulinuu； they carried
their wandering government some six miles to windward； to a
position above Lotoanuu。 For some three miles to the eastward of
Apia； the shores of Upolu are low and the ground rises with a
gentle acclivity； much of which waves with German plantations。 A
barrier reef encloses a lagoon passable for boats： and the
traveller skims there； on smooth； many…tinted shallows； between the
wall of the breakers on the one hand； and on the other a succession
of palm…tree capes and cheerful beach…side villages。 Beyond the
great plantation of Vailele； the character of the coast is changed。
The barrier reef abruptly ceases； the surf beats direct upon the
shore； and the mountains and untenanted forest of the interior
descend sheer into the sea。 The first mountain promontory is
Letongo。 The bay beyond is called Laulii； and became the
headquarters of Mataafa。 And on the next projection； on steep；
intricate ground； veiled in forest and cut up by gorges and
defiles； Tamasese fortified his lines。 This greenwood citadel；
which proved impregnable by Samoan arms； may be regarded as his
front； the sea covered his right； and his rear extended along the
coast as far as Saluafata； and thus commanded and drew upon a rich
country； including the plain of Falefa。
He was left in peace from 11th October till November 6th。 But his
adversary is not wholly to be blamed for this delay； which depended
upon island etiquette。 His Savaii contingent had not yet come in；
and to have moved again without waiting for them would have been
surely to offend； perhaps to lose them。 With the month of November
they began to arrive： on the 2nd twenty boats； on the 3rd twenty…
nine； on the 5th seventeen。 On the 6th the position Mataafa had so
long occupied on the skirts of Apia was deserted； all that day and
night his force kept streaming eastward to Laulii； and on the 7th
the siege of Lotoanuu was opened with a brisk skirmish。
Each side built forts； facing across the gorge of a brook。 An
endless fusillade and shouting maintained the spirit of the
warriors； and at night； even if the firing slackened； the pickets
continued to exchange from either side volleys of songs and pungent
pleasantries。 Nearer hostilities were rendered difficult by the
nature of the ground； where men must thread dense bush and clamber
on the face of precipices。 Apia was near enough； a man； if he had
a dollar or two； could walk in before a battle and array himself in
silk or velvet。 Casualties were not common； there was nothing to
cast gloom upon the camps； and no more danger than was required to
give a spice to the perpetual firing。 For the young warriors it