In the bombardment we can scarce suppose them to have believed.

But Tamasese must have both believed and trembled.

The prestige of the European Powers was still unbroken.

No native would then have dreamed of defying these colossal ships, worked by mysterious powers, and laden with outlandish instruments of death.

None would have dreamed of resisting those strange but quite unrealised Great Powers, understood (with difficulty) to be larger than Tonga and Samoa put together, and known to be prolific of prints, knives, hard biscuit, picture-books, and other luxuries, as well as of overbearing men and inconsistent orders.