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SAMOS

1670

SAN ANGELCt

In February, 1900, a naval governor was appointed for Tutuila. The island of Tutuila, 70 miles from Apia, has an area of about 54 square miles, with a population of 3,800-Manua and the other islets have a united area of about 25 square miles, with about 2,000 inhabitants. Tutuila is mountainous, luxuriantly wooded and fertile. It is described as the most pleasing of the Samoan islands. The harbor at Pago-Pago, which penetrates the south coast, is the only good harbor in Samoa. The German islands of Savaii and Upolu have a combined area of 1,000 square miles, with a population of 33,000.

Sa'mos, an island in the ^Egean Sea near the Asia Minor coast. It covers 180 square miles. A chain of mountains runs through the island. Between it and the mainland runs the mile-wide channel of Mycale, where in 479 B. C. the Persian fleet was routed by the Greeks. The main product is wine, though olive-oil, raisins and hides are also exported. Tanning is an important business. The capital is Vathy. The old city of Samos is now called Tigani. It was celebrated for its aqueduct, cut almost a mile through the heart of a mountain; a huge mole built to protect the harbor; and its temple to Hera, in early times famous red pottery was made in Samos. The Samians, like the Corinthians, were among the earliest and most daring sailors; a Samian is said to have first passed the pillars of Hercules into the Atlantic; and Samos was the mother of colonies in Thrace, Cilicia, Crete, Italy and Sicily. The island was mistress of the J&gean Isles under its greatest ruler, Poly crates (532-522 B. C.). No Greeks were more patriotic than the Samians in the War of Independence in 1821, but they were forced, though the rest of Greece became free, to remain in the hands of their masters, the Turks. The island is, however, governed by a Greek who is called Prince of Samos. Population is 54,840. See Tozer's Islands of the JEgean.

Samothra'ce or Samothra'ki is an island in the northeast of the ^Egean Sea. Mt. Saoce, 5,248 feet high, takes up nearly its whole surface, sixty-eight square miles. From this peak Poseidon watched the combats on the plain of Troy. Samothrace for many years was a sacred spot, where were worshipped the strange gods known as the Cabeiri. In 1457 and again in 1821 the Turks killed nearly all its people. Population about 2,000. See Marston's Greece and the JEgean.

Samp'son, William T., rear-admiral of the United States navy, was born at Palmyra, N. Y., in 1840. He graduated at Annapolis, first in his class, in 1861. He was on the Patapsco when she was destroyed by a torpedo in Charleston harbor, 1865. He was made lieutenant-commander in 1866 and commander in 1874. He served six years as instructor at Annapolis and successively

commanded the Swatara, Iowa and San Francisco. On the outbreak of the war with Spain he was appointed acting rear-admiral, March 26, 1898, and placed in command of the North-Atlantic squadron operating against Spain in Cuban waters. When the Spanish fleet under Cervera took refuge in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, Sampson established a close blockade of that port, resulting in the destruction of the Spanish fleet when it attempted to escape from the harbor, July 3, 1898. At the close of the war he was made rear-admiral. He died on May 6, 1902.

Sam'son "judged Israel twenty years." He was a Danite and a native of Zorah. At his birth he became a Nazarite, and in accordance with this vow his head remained unshorn and his lips never knew the taste of wine. The account of his marvelous feats of strength and his fall through his love for Delilah, a Philistine woman, forms one of the most interesting of Bible stories.

Sam'uel, the last of the judges, the first of the prophets and, next to Moses, the greatest man in the early history of Israel as a nation. He was an Ephraimite; and, set apart by his mother for the priesthood, he became a temple-attendant under Eli, the high priest, at Shiloh. While but a child he foretold the downfall of Eli and his house. Twenty years after his master's death he gathered the people at Mizpah, routed the Philistines, and governed the nation for twenty years. On the people's wishing for a king Samuel reluctantly anointed Saul and afterwards David as kings of Israel.

Samurai (sti'moo-rt), the military class in the feudal days of Japan, were retainers of the daimios or nobles. Originally it would seem that the term was restricted to the guards of the imperial palace; but it became so generalized as to include all whose profession was war. The samurai had a great reputation for courage, daring and feats of arms. Their power began to wane after the abolition of the feudal system in 1871, which was the turning-point of the Japanese civilization. Their name was changed in 1878 to the more peaceful title of shizoki. The last stand of the conservative samurai led to the civil war of 1877, which resulted in their defeat and the change of name already mentioned. Many of them had loyally accepted the changes in their ancient standing, keenly as these changes were felt.

San An'gelo, Tex., county-seat of Tom Green County, is on Concho River. Livestock and agricultural interests are com-

WILLIAM T. SAMPSON