Were There Pigmies

In W. Samoa?

By C. Philipp

ONE night in 1918, Johnny Smith, of Safotu, Savaii, accompanied by a Samoan native, was watching for turtles on the sandy beach some distance from the village. The following is his account of what he saw on that night.

“Waiting for turtles to come up to lay their eggs is a monotonous business, and only occasionally profitable. The moon was already well up and it must have been after midnight. My friend and I were thinking of giving up the watch and returning to the village. Suddenly we were surprised to see some shadowy forms walking out on to the beach from the dark bush, close by. They were about the height of ten or twelve-year old boys, and there were more than a dozen of them. I had often heard the natives talking about these strange little men, but this was the first time that I had actually seen them, and it was the last time too.

“They behaved timidly and seemed to be on the alert for a possible enemy, I could hear their voices as they spoke to one another in a queer tongue. They did not spot us, because we were lying on the sand, and for a minute or so we watched them as they waded into the shallow water along the shore. Soon they were groping about the sandy bottom with their hands in search of sea-urchins. By this time, my companion and I decided to try and catch one of them.

“Together we sprang to our feet and ran straight at them, but no sooner did they see us than a confusion of cries arose, and before you could ‘Jack Robinson’ they dived into the bush where It was useless to follow them. Their swiftness on foot was amazing.

“Next morning when I returned with some villagers to the spot we found a multitude of footprints on the sand as proof that my friend and I were not tell ing fairy-tales.”

THE belief in the existence of pigmies in various parts of Savaii seems to be supported by various accounts among the natives who refer to them as the “Au totoe” or “the remnants.” They are believed to be the remnants of a race which once, centuries ago, inhabited the island in great numbers. At the western end of the island are to be found caves which, it is said, were lived in by a small band of pigmies only as far back as 30 years ago.

Invariably they are described as timid and showing no inclination to fraternize or trust the Samoans.

Though it is generally believed that they have now become extinct, Mr. Smith believes that they may have retreated in land to the mountainous regions of the rugged island of Savaii.

A RATHER different story, told by the people of Samauga and neighbour ing villages, relates to an orator known as Maua’i, who lived about 50 years ago. But for the fact that it bears out the existence of pigmies, it might be discredited as a tale of pure imagination.

Maua’i was a great hunter, his chief sport being to track down wild pigs with the assistance of his dogs. One day, while out hunting, so the story goes, he lost his dogs for a while and when next he saw them they were wet and flecked with sand. This puzzled him as there was no sand in the vicinity and he was a great distance from the beach. He also noticed that the dogs behaved strangely, so much so that instead of following him home they ran back in

the direction from whence they had just come.

Following them, Maua’i was led to a cave into which the dogs disappeared.

Finding some dry brushwood, he made a torch and entered. For a short dis tance he followed the course of the tunnel till he reached a subterranean stream, the banks of which were sandy. Obvi ously this was where the dogs had been.

Continuing on, he reached a broad and spacious chamber where he saw an amazing sight. The story does not men tion the means by which the place was illuminated, but it is taken for granted that there was an opening in the roof as is often the case with old tunnels in a state of collapse.

The chamber in which he stood was actually a village, inhabited by bearded dwarfs who now gathered around him,

and in demonstrations of eager friend liness, offered him food and prevailed upon him to stay. How long he' did so is not known, but when he eventually left it was understood that he was their king and that he was to visit them often.

When confronted with any difficulty in

his own village, in the matter of food, he was to seek their assistance. There was one requirement, however, by which he had to abide, this being that he re vealed the secret to no one.

Maua’i kept the secret for some time.

Often his mysterious disappearance into the forest and his return with cooked pigs baffled his people. He was pestered with questions, and attempts were made to follow him, but without success.

A time came, however, when under the cunning flattery of chiefs and fellow orators, he weakened and betrayed the source of his wealth. But so fantastic was his story that no one believed him, and in the end he had to lead them to the cave. Torches were lit and the party entered, but they never reached the chamber of the dwarfs. The roof of the tunnel had collapsed and sealed off the chamber. Maua’i believed that this was the result of his betrayal.

Though he stuck to his story, no trace of the dwarfs was ever again found in the vicinity. But, to this day, when

feasts are held in the villages of Samauga and Safune, it is still the practice of the villagers to set aside a token-presentation of food to the “Au totoe.”

Who these pigmies were, or whence they came, may never be known. Per haps they were related to the race which is known to have inhabited the Carolines before the arrival there of the Chamorros and Malayans.

On the initiative of M. Cosnier, physical instructor at the Noumea College de la Perouse, 18 New Caledonian pupils will fly to Sydney to take part in athletic events against Australian public school boys. They will travel at their own ex pense, and will be lodged in Sydney schools or with private families.

Mr. C. Burge left Brisbane for Thursday Island by the “Wandana” on February 7, to take up duties with the education de partment." He was accompanied by his wife and three children.