IN SAMOA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 56, 8 March 1915, Page 2

IN SAMOA

PICTURESQUE HEADQUARTERS. A member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Samoa gives the following interesting description of a picturesque locality : — "We are just now at Vailima, the former residence of the late R. L. Stevenson, latterly the residence of the German Governors, and just now the residence of Colonel Logan and headquarters staff. It is a beautiful place, two-story, and plenty of ventilation. Mind "you, there is nothing extravagant about the house ; in New Zealand it would look something like a big cricket pavilion, but it is the surroundings that are so fine. I came up here as corporal of the guard. As I write, I can see the Pacific (from the lower verandah) at the edge of a waving mass of green foliage. On my left and overlooking the house is the Vaea mountain, on the top of which is Stevenson's tomb. It is about the height of Mount "Victoria, but probably a bit higher, and covered with dense bush. To get the body to the grave a track had to be cut through the dense bush. This was done by the natives, and is known as 'The Path of Loving Hearts. In the spacious gardens of the house almost all tropical fruits can be found, although very few oranges can be got. The reason for this is that the trees nave grown almost wild. They have never been cut back, and, consequently, everything goes to wood. In one corner of the garden is a clump of bamboo, about 30 feet high; quite dwarfed, however, by a tree about 60 feet. Cocoa beans and coconut* are plentiful, as are also bananas, mangoes, and pineapples, lemons and limes. But it is the swimming pool that is the loveliest spot of all. Just about 150 yards away is a smalt mountain stream. About 60 yards down is a waterfall of about 15 feet in height. The water falls into a gully and the stream is dammed by a concrete weir about 5 feet high and 6 feet thick. The swimming pool is about 36 feet by 30 feet across, It is just a basin, but is concealed from the tropic sun by towering overhanging trees. To is always cool and inviting. "The sth Regiment is camped at a placo called Malifa, in the grounds of the German school. It is about half a mile from the town of Apia, and very hot and dusty, too. But, my' word, 1 wish you were here to see the lavish colours of fish, flowers, and birds. Out in the_ harbour the brilliant fish dart about in the transparent sea, while in the bush the reds and yellows of the flowers are simply gorgeous, while the birds, though I have not seen many species, are very brilliant in plumage. The climate here is peculiar, and makes one feel yerj^ flabby and listless. I doubt if it will do some of our crowd any good. 1 can understand now the taihoa of the Maori. You simply feel as if you don't want to stroll about — that comfortable feeling which makes' you loth to leave bed in winter, only somehow ingrained in your very skin. You feel as if you wanted compressing a little. It has been very fine here lately, but when' it does rain — 'Oh, my colonial oath,' Wellington can take a back seat and southerly busters can retire abashed. It is just as if long yards of perfectly straight water were falling on the roof incessantly."