And it gave an impetus to that ridiculous business which might have earned for the whole episode the name of the war of flags.

British and American flags had been planted the night before, and were seen that morning flying over what they claimed about Laulii.

British and American passengers, on the way up and down, pointed out from the decks of the war-ships, with generous vagueness, the boundaries of problematical estates.

Ten days later, the beach of Saluafata bay fluttered (as I have told in the last chapter) with the flag of Germany.

The Americans riposted with a claim to Tamasese's camp, some small part of which (says Knappe) did really belong to "an American nigger." The disease spread, the flags were multiplied, the operations of war became an egg-dance among miniature neutral territories; and though all men took a hand in these proceedings, all men in turn were struck with their absurdity.