Samoa

This name was given to the Samoan Islands by Bougainville who was impressed

by the locals' skills in maneuvering their boats. Today it's impressive to see the

Samoans sail their outrigger canoes.

The islands were visited by the ill-fated H.M.S. Pandora in 1791 in search for the

Bounty Mutineers. Meanwhile Lieut. Bligh was back in England and Fletcher

Christian still had a few years left on Pitcairn Island before being shot by four

Tahitians - although Cadet Peter Heywood spotted him in Plymouth 15 years later

The surgeon of the ship - Hamilton - wrote this about the Tutuila visit: "One woman

amongst many others came on board. She was six feet high, of exquisite beauty,

and exact symmetry, being naked, and unconscious of her being so, added a lustre

to her charms"