Samoa

sa-mo'a, or Samoan Islands, a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific Ocean, known formerly as the Navigator Islands. They are about 2,000 miles south of Hawaii, somewhat over 4,000 miles southwest from San Francisco. The group was discovered by white men in 1721. It was named by the French in 1768. The first examination of the islands which might be called a survey was made by Commodore Wilkes of the United States navy in 1839. The Samoans are a people of Malay origin. They are a bright, active, alert race with light step and graceful person. The men possess great strength. The inhabitants have been converted to Christianity. It is said that the Sabbath is better observed here than in any European country. In 1899, owing to quarrels between rival chieftains, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States, the nations having commercial interests at stake, agreed by treaty to divide the group along the line of longitude 171 degrees west of Greenwich; the United States, took the islands east of that line; Germany, those lying on the west.

The total population of the islands is about 40,000, 1,000 being Europeans. Pango-Pango, well adapted to the purposes of a naval station, is the chief harbor of the Americans. Apia is the German harbor. The chief exports are cotton, sugar, coffee, and cocoanuts. The dried kernels of the cocoanut are exported as copra. The houses are oval in shape, and are built of the wood of the breadfruit tree. A thatch of sugarcane or palm leaves protects the inhabitants from rain. The climate is delightful, especially for people of feeble health. The Samoans are a lighthearted race. Food is obtained easily. They spend a great part of their time in dancing, feasting, singing, and going to church. They live in villages. Robert Louis Stevenson, it may be remembered, died on one of the Samoan Islands in 1894.