Washington telegraph., 1853-08-31
Interesting Acc0uFtE os the Eavf-
gRtOr's Islands.

gators islands.
Bv an arrival from Samao OF Navigator 5
Islands the San Francisco Times lately re-
ceiyed a flc Of the Samaon Reporter, Il
newspaper published semi-annualy at lie
principal station of the British missions
among those Islands From the copies Of
this Journal and from conversation, with I'F
Van Camp aud Mr. George G. BisSell. Who
arrived at San Francisco from the Islands
the Times obtained some interesting inform
alton respecting them, and embodied it in
an article from which we extract the mate
rial portion, as follows:
DIR. Van Camp went to the Islands on
tie old ship Orpheus, and being left there
with his wife and children. was during pc
riod of half a year, enabled to gather much
knowledge Of the people and the place Of
their abiding Mr. George G. Bissell has
lived ever fifteen years at the Islands, hav-
ing settled at Upolu in the harbor of Appia,
where during visit Of the American squad
ron under Wilkes, he become pilot, and has
since kept sort of public house for cap
tains whom he assisted in their trading Gpe-
rations with the natives Mr.. Biseell, whose
history has been somewhat eventfnl at least,
was born in Boston, December 3D., 1870
He left Wilmington, Delaware. january 8.
1886 shipping as a sailor on the whale ship
Nye, OF New Bedford The vessel arrived
at Navigator's Island in March, 1887, and
be, with ten Others including the captain,
left the ship for sone sufficient reason. The
Captain, Job Sherman, Of New Bedford,
shortly afterwards took passage on an Eng
iish bark, intending to return to New Bed
ford, but was never heard of afterwards-
Mr. Cogswell, mate Of the Nyc, subseqnent-
" toek that vessel home.
Matrimony in Simao is managed in
rather mcrcenary way. Mr.. BiSsell espouscd
a native woman, and gave her brother
waistcoat, a white shirt, two fathoms of cloth
and an axe for his bargain He has Gye
children born at the Islands, two of whom
the eldest, are girls, and are now being e9u-
ca ed In New England Natives use mats
chiefly as currency. and sometimes hogs.-
A lot Of these a lover sends TO the brother,
or If she has none. TO the male cousin Of
his mistress, who, if She accepts, does not
return them, and the swain goes IN for the
prize An old gun Tast getting off, is very
available in negotiation for farm or
wife. During some years, as many as sey-
enty-fve. vessels, principally whalers, visit
the principal port Of the group. Since
California was occupied, ships trading with
Australia also stop there FOR fresh vegetables.
meat and water. From IIpolu to Sydney.
the sailing distance is 1850 miles-to San
francisco from the same point, I, 100 miles.
Appia IS seaport town containing about
500 Inhabitants \ missionary College is
located at Malua ten miles distant where
the savages are taught Horticulture and the
sciences. A school for girls Is managed by
Mr. and Mrs Mills, two very good people
from Scotland There are some dozen
Missionaries among the group.
The New Testaments and Prayer Books
are printed in the native language by the
London Missionary press. The products of
the islands are cocoa nuts, cocoa nut oils,
bananas, mummy apple, currie, ginger
root, yams. bread fruit, eggs poultry of all
kinds and hogs These they exchange Tor
cotton cloths, hatchets, hoes. knives. scissors
Jews harps, accordeons, and anything TO
please their fancy Indigo is indigenous to
the Islands. also cotton and tobacco. In
preparing the latter, they take the stalk
from the leaves and dying wrap them in CO.
Goa nut fibre. and with rope tied to tree,
compress the mass.
About 50 Whites reside at Appia, Eng
lish and American Church is held three
times ON Sunday, in an lion chapel. The
Samaon Reporter is published every Janua-
ry and July, by Samuel Ella.
The Times adds that Mr.. Bissell brought
with him beautiful collection of corals.
shells. &c. also fruits. prepared tobacco oils
and other products &c, used by the sama-
ons.