The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-03-30
A Visit to the BONN Islands.

Out in the Eastern Seas, about 10
degrees due south of Japan, far away
from the great high roads of COM
merce, where the placid waters of the
/ Pacific are never broken into foam by
the rest ss paddles of n steamer
where mails are not, and newspapers
thing m,thought OF, there lies a
group of islands, known to but few
outside that hardy band of mariners
who, in hopes OF striking oil, pursue
the Leyiathan to the worlds end, and
brave alike the fiery calms of the
Equator, and the bitter blasts of the
Polar regions.
And yet there are reasons why one,
at least, of this group, should be bet
ter known, for it is United States
property, and believe the only land,
outside of our continent, held ny our
Government.
l wonder whether the Government
knows that it owns it? The group
consists of or 10 mountains, that,
upheaved by volcanic action, have
thrust their heads into the upper
world, and around whose bases the
coral insects, undisturbed, have built
their wondrous structures.
"Once upon a time, line of steam
ers was projected to take the place of
our noble clippers, and run between
those great marts of the West and
East-San Francisco and Shanghai.
Coaling depots, en- route, were nee
essary, and from their position, these
islands were suitable.
1t remained to be found out wheth-
er, in safe and good harbors, and 9TH
er requisites, they were as well adapt
ed. TO this end Commodore Perry
detailed the sloop- of-war Plymouth to
inspect, explore, survey, and report
Arriving one fine morning at the larg-
est OF the group, a canoe put off from
the shore, and q dark-complexioned
fellow, dressed in a sailors suit of
dungaree, Skinned the offered man
rope, and in fair English introduced
himself as the son of the Governor,
and licensed pilot, and through his
good skill the ship wound her way
between the reefs, and was soon snug
ly anchored in Port Lloyd Harbor
Here was found, shut in from the
outer world, little, happy Republic,
of perhaps "a hundred souls-the
males, mostly runaway sailors from
whale ships; the females, from the
neighboring inhabited islands, Kama
kas predominating.
They had an elected governor, had
formed a constitution, laws, and by
laws. One Nathaniel Slavery, an old
New Highlander, was Governor, and
maintained the dignity of the Office by
possessing three wives; that being al
least one more than were owned by
any of his people. The islanders
seemed perfectly contented. They
were in possession of every comfort
and some Injuries; delightful eli.
mate, neither hot nor cold; fertile
land, that rewarded slight labor witt
large crops of sweet potatoes, yams
, corn, onions, bananas, oranges, shad
docks-in short, the fruits of the TEN
perate and tropical zones; crops large
enough to supply not only their wants
but to enable them to carry on quit
commerce with the passing whaiers
; who, in return, supplied them will
! calicoes, tobacco, powder, shot, anc
i whiskey. What none could moderat
( men ask for? The hills were wei
! stocked with game, including wil'
> hogs and goats, the progeny of som
: pairs of each let loose upon the islan'
years ago. Delicious fish abound, AM
y are so eager to be caught, that Their
: is hardly any excitement in their cap
r ture, and have hauled in a l0-pound