My vessel being moored, I spread an awning, and instead of going at once on shore I sat under it till late in the evening, listening with delight to the musical voices of the Samoan men and women.
A canoe coming down the harbor, with three young women in it, rested her paddles abreast the sloop.

One of the fair crew, hailing with the naive salutation, "Talofa lee" ("Love to you, chief"), asked: "Schoon come Melike ?" "Love to you," I answered, and said, "Yes." "You man come 'lone ?" Again I answered, "Yes." "I don't believe that.

You had other mans, and you eat 'em." At this sally the others laughed.

"What for you come long way ?" they asked.
"To hear you ladies sing," I replied.
[Illustration: First exchange of courtesies in Samoa.] "Oh, talofa lee!" they all cried, and sang on.

Their voices filled the air with music that rolled across to the grove of tall palms on the other side of the harbor and back.