The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-30
I'm TEAE NARQJHSaS.

The Marquisas Islands, in the South Pa
oifc Ocean, better known probably to
many as the Washington Group, are con-
sidered by navigators as the garden islands
of the world; ia fact, as an old navigator
once expressed it, the Garden of Eden was
situated there, and not in Asia.
In 1912, the whaling brig Maria Theresa,
Captain Holmes, sailed from the port of
New Bedford, Mass, for the whaling
grounds of the Pacific, and among her
crew, ranking as ordinary seaman, was a
young man, who shipped under the name
of Charles K. Roberts. He gave his age as
twenty-five years, and stated that he had
never been to sea, but desired to see what
a whaling voyage really was.
He was shipped and made himself
general favorite with crew and officers, and
when the ship reached the port of Kline he
was given all the share of money that he
desired and liberty to spend his off watches
with the dusky damselb he fancied.
His first acquaintance was with what they
call in that classic retreat a Tueeny Ca for
tune teller), and she, thinking that the
young sailor had more money than brains,
concluded to have part of it,
! She told him that if he would consent to
remain upon the islands he could have all
the girls he wanted.
She told him to get an "appe" (apple)
and take the seeds out of it, and, after
grinding them between two stones, to put
the powder in mess of poi and let the
girls cot it, and they would at once fall
into his arms. He did as directed, but in
stead of girls falling into his arms he fell
into a sound slumber, and when he awoko,
instead of finding girl in his arms, he
found himself robbed and his ship gone to
sea without him.
He had too much sense to make fuss
about the matter, and simply made virtue
of necessity. He married one of the girls
of the tribe in whose power he was, and
as the customs of the country require a
certain amount of tattooing, he submitted
to it.
Mr.. Roberts lived for many years with
the people he had married among, and to-
day expresses himself as perfectly satisfied
with his condition among them. The ci-
mate, he says, far surpasses all others he
has ever been in, and the people, when
you are once familiar with them, are as
hospitable as heart could DESIRE
But, says this resident of the island,
they thoroughly hate the French, while
Americans and English are respected and
treated with the utmost courtesy as long as
they are in their islands.
Mr.. Roberts statements of the glories of
this paradise on earth would almost tempt
man to leave civilization and go to the
Marquisas.
Some years ago, Mr.. Roberts left his
island home and took his dusky bride to
England, and afterward to Australia, but
the longing, to see his native land was toe
great, and so from Sydney he took ship,
and few days ago arrived in the port OF
New York.
The other night he left for his native
home, and, as he says, after an absence Of
about thirty y-six years, he hardly expects
his folks will remember him.
"But," said the old sailor and adyen,
turer, 81 have an amulet that will prove
; my identity. Not that l want money, but
want my folks to recognize me and look
upon my wife as one of the family. Il
they don't, I'll go back. - Shenandoah
Herald.