An Adventure in the Wilderness

AN ADVENTURE IN THE WILDERNESS. I1Y IRA P. BRIM.

On the 4th of April, 1005, accompanied by Elder G. A. Meyer- hoffer and the native Saints of the West end of the island of Savaii, Samoa,the writer, then a missionary in Samoa, made preparation for a journey of sixty miles on foot, to attend the • ''V- \vv' annual conference at Saleaula. The 5th found us all waiting for a boat

i ',' £ which was to have taken us,but being disappointed, we began our long and tiresome journey on foot. Some of the parts of country and water over which we traveled are shown in the illustrations. The night overtook us at the village of Sataua. The next we began £ -? day journey through an unknown country, (I mean by that, a trail by the seaside our

unknown by any of our party other Natives. than an old man perhaps eighty-five years of age) and after traveling for half a day we discovered that we were lost in the woods. However, this old man (his name, Logo- logo) remarked that a trail used to lead from the timber to the iron- bound coast, as it is commonly called, and we told him to pilot the way and we would follow. Now this trail led over rough rocks which had been thrown up by the old volcano of Savaii, and the whole part of that section of country of perhaps thirty miles, was volcanic matter, and afforded

AN ADVENTURE THE WILDERNESS. 521

very rough traveling, especially by those poor native Saints who had no other foot wear than that which nature provided, and their soles soon became worn off, until prints of crimson remained where many of them stepped. As night came on and clouds arose, there were also clouds arising in the minds of our poor old Saints, who complained as the children of Israel did, "You have brought us out in the wilderness to die." It was always understood that this trail was only passable by

Along the Coast.

night, owing to the severe heat of the noonday sun, so we sat down and waited the coming up of the beautiful moon which lights those islands almost as bright as day, but owing to the clouds we had a good but dim moon. Elder Meyerhoffer suggested prayers, and after our evening, family prayers, the writer, having a harmonica, started up a lively tune, at which all joined in dance, and soon all had forgotten that they were in the wilderness. Sup- per eaten, and the pig fed, (two of the boys carried a pig weigh- ing one hundred pounds,) we started on again, for we must make that rough trip before the hot sun came out again, or we would be overcome. One woman who had been carrying a boy of four years seemed to lag behind and finally gave out, her feet bleeding; she decided to leave the child, but I told her to strap him on my back and I would carry him, though it was rather a risky business to be carrying a half grown child, and be compelled to go over

r>22 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

strata of rock. In one place we had to cross a bridge where the sea had washed holes into the solid rock, leaving a small bridge of perhaps two feet wide. After carrying him for ten miles Elder Meyerhoffer relieved me for the same distance. By this time we had passed the worst part of our journey, and we came to a grove of cocoanut trees bearing fine fruit, of which we ate and drank freely and with thanksgiving. Continuing our journey for an

A Stream in the Jungle. A Road in the Tropics.

hour longer, we decided to try and rest and sleep for a short while, but I was unable to even get sleepy owing to the mosqui- toes, and soon heard wild chickens giving the daybreak signal. Arousing our company we were soon on our way, and that day arrived safe and sound at Saleaula where all enjoyed the true spirit of our instructive conference.

Albion, Idaho.