[Illustration: SAMOAN WOMAN IN COSTUME OF THE PAST.] SAMOA A HUNDRED YEARS AGO AND LONG BEFORE. BY GEORGE TURNER, LL.D. OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. FIRST PRINTED LONDON 1884 Reprinted by Institute of Pacific Studies University of the South Pacific 1984 [Illustration: _Samoa_ London: Macmillan & Co.] [Illustration: SAMOAN MAN IN COSTUME OF THE PAST.] CONTENTS CHAPTER I. POSITION OF THE ISLANDS--EARLY VISITORS AND TRADITIONARY ORIGIN CHAPTER II. SAMOA--ORIGIN OF THE NAME CHAPTER III. A FUTURE STATE--RELIGION, ETC. CHAPTER IV. GODS SUPERIOR--WAR AND GENERAL VILLAGE GODS CHAPTER V. GODS INFERIOR, OR HOUSEHOLD GODS CHAPTER VI. THE PEOPLE--INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD CHAPTER VII. ADULT AND ADVANCED YEARS CHAPTER VIII. FOOD--COOKING--LIQUORS CHAPTER IX. CLOTHING CHAPTER X. AMUSEMENTS CHAPTER XI. MORTALITY, LONGEVITY, DISEASES, ETC. CHAPTER XII. DEATH AND BURIAL CHAPTER XIII. HOUSES CHAPTER XIV. CANOES CHAPTER XV. ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE CHAPTER XVI. GOVERNMENT AND LAWS CHAPTER XVII. WARS CHAPTER XVIII. THE HEAVENS, AND THE HEAVENLY BODIES CHAPTER XIX. THE ORIGIN OF FIRE, AND OTHER STORIES CHAPTER XX. NAMES OF THE ISLANDS--ILLUSTRATING MIGRATIONS, ETC. CHAPTER XXI. POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND PLACES OF NOTE ON UPOLU CHAPTER XXII. POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND PLACES OF NOTE ON SAVAII CHAPTER I. POSITION OF THE ISLANDS--EARLY VISITORS AND TRADITIONARY ORIGIN. Samoa is the native name of the group of volcanic islands in central Polynesia long known as the "Navigators Islands." They are situated about 3000 miles from Sydney, and stand on the charts between the parallels of 13° and 15° south latitude, and 168° and 173° west longitude. The mountains of Savaii, one of which is 4000 feet high, may be seen 50 miles off, and, on coming near, the stranger finds a lovely island, 150 miles in circumference, and covered with vegetation as far as the eye can reach. The mountains of Upolu and Tutuila rise 2000 and 3000 feet above the level of the sea, and present the same aspect of richness and fertility. These are the principal islands of the group. They run east and west. Upolu, 130 miles in circumference, is in the middle, having Savaii 10 miles to the west; and Tutuila, an island 80 miles in circumference, about 40 miles to the east. There are several smaller islands which are inhabited, and several other isolated romantic spots here and there which are not inhabited.