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the youth's companion : surfing in samoa, 1900 

The Youth's Companion : Surf Riding in Samoa, 1900.

[The Youth's Companion]:
Mid-ocean America, Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Selections from The Youth's Companion.
Perry Mason Co., Boston,
1900.

Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/midoceanamericai00bost
Introduction
This eclectic collection of articles contains a very brief reference to juvenile surfboard riding in Samoa:


"Little boys will swim about in the boiling surf, and even for amusement allow themselves to be carried on the waves right over the reefs, with nothing but a small piece of wood to hold on to."

Page 28
The Samoan Islands.

Tutuila, the latest acquisition of the United States, is one of the three most important of the Samoan Islands, which number nine, besides several uninhabitable rocky islets.
These islands were little known until 1830, when native teachers from the Society Islands first landed.
On account of the numerous canoes which were seen, and the great dexterity of the natives in paddling them through the surf, the islands were called the Navigators Islands, but Samoa is the native name for the group.


Page 29

In addition to these features, picture to yourself villages situated at the foot of the hills near the shore, and canoes full of natives navigating these waters, or steering skilfully through the surf, and you will have a pretty good general idea of the islands as seen by the first visitors in the days of heathen Samoa.


Page 30

The Samoans were always very cleanly of person, bathing very frequently.
Mothers would take their infant children into the water on their backs, and little mites of three or four years of age would paddle about in the water without the slightest fear.
The result has been that, to this day, the natives, both men and

Page 31

women, are very expert in the water, and can swim and dive like fishes.
Little boys will swim about in the boiling surf, and even for amusement allow

[Illustration]
PRETTY AND GRACEFUL.

themselves to be carried on the waves right over the reefs, with nothing but a small piece of wood to hold on to.

An instance

Page 32

occurred in my father's time of a woman swimming eighteen miles.





[The Youth's Companion
]:
Mid-ocean America,
Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Selections from The Youth's Companion.
Perry Mason Co., Boston,
1900.

Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/midoceanamericai00bost


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Geoff Cater (2014) : The Youth's Companion : Surf Riding in Samoa, 1900.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1900_Youths_Companion_Samoa.html