The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-06
TRISTAN ISLANDS.
Pact aud HomaHcr Of the Most UHknswa
SpoI of Earth.

Thirteen hundred mIles eouth of 81
Helena, and fifteen hundred miles Yves
Of the Cape Of Good Hope. and nearly
on line between the Cape Of Good Hop,
and Cape Horn. lies Tristan DE Cunha
OF Tristan D'Acunha, cluster Of thre'
volcanic islands, the largest Of which
gives the name 10 the group. The othei
two are the Inaccessible Island ard th,
Nightingale Island. The group received
its name from Portuguese navigator
who discovered il in 1906. Inaccessible
Island lies about eighteen miles south
west from Tristan, and Nightingale Is
land twenty miles south. The largest
island il the only one permanently IN
habitei, and is probably the most
isolated and remote Of all the abodes 0l
men. IL is nearly circular, and contains
about forty square miles. On the north
side il rises abruptly 10 an elevation
Of about Thousand feet, and from the
summit Of the cliffs the land rises 10 a
conical peak {, 1926 feet high. The sur,
face consists Of abrupt ridges covered
with bushes, with deep ravines and
chasms between. The summit is 4
crater five hundred yards wide, and
filled with water. On the northwest
side Of the island is "A narrow plain, some
hundred and fifty feet above the level oi
the SEA, with excellent soil, and in a
high state Of cultivation. Here lives the
famous Glass colony.
There had been residents ON the
island off and on at various times. be-
ginning in 1870 when Capt Patten,
from Philadelphia, settled there for giI
months. When Napoleon was confined
at 81. Helena in 1917, the British took
possession Of the island, and maintained
a guard there. The next year the guard
was withdrawn, but a corporal OF artil.
lery, by the name of Glass, with his wife
and two soldiers who we're induced IL
join HIM were allowed % remain. Since
that time the island has been constantly
inhabited. In 1923 the little settlement
numbered seventeen persons, Of whom
three were women. SIX years later Capt.
Morrrll visited the island in the u. 5.
ship Antarctic, and the colony compris-
ei then twenty seven families, and they
were able 10 supply passing ships with
bullocks, COWS, sheep and pigs and fresh
vegetables aud milk IN any quantity
In 1896 there was population of forty
two on the island. and IN 1882 Capt.
Denham visited the group Of islands
and Tristau's population then numbered
eighty-fye. He described "the young
Inea aud young women as pArtaking OF
the mulatto caste, wives Of the first
settlers being natives of the Cape Of
Good Hope and ST. Helena, but the
children of the second generation he
would term handsome brunettes, Of q
strikingly fine figure" Before Capt
Denham's visit the great majority OF
the population had been males, but "a
time went on, and a new generation
sprang mp, the Young men IN the ad
yenturous spirit Of life found theiI
island home quiet, and they had de
parted. seeking more stirring occupa-
ton elsewhere. Accordingly, in 1852
the women we're considerably III the
majority.
Glass has lon 9 held the title Of gov,
ernor. lie was ScotchmAu. aud scent
to have been n man OF sound principle,
81 great energy aud industry, and q
have acquired IN a remarkable degree
the confidence of the little community
Their minister. Mr. Taylor. wrote an ac
count of the little society, which vas
published IN 1850 He spoke IN th,
highest terms Of the moral character oi
his flock. going 40 far AS 30 say that b,
could find no vice 10 contend witt
They had no formal government, AMI a
they had no rum. government was les
needed Whaiever disputes thy ha,
were settled by hsticufIs, nth by
ISLANDERS present 10 secure fair play
Gov. Glass died in 1853. the year after
Capt Denham's = visit, aud was succeed
al hy sort Of tAcit consent. 10y Green
Who had married one of GLASS daughters
In 1857, the Dnke OF Edinburgh visiteC
Tristan, in the Galatea, and in honor q
his royal highness. the chief settlemeu
was named. Sixteen children had beer
born since the departure OF Mr.. Taylor
and the colony, instead OF diving out, a
Mr.. Taylor feared. had taken q new
start, the population having increase,
from forty-seven 10 eighty-si1, whicl
seems 10 be about the normal figure
| In 1870. the island had a population o
sixty, Of which thirty-flve we're childreI
under ten years OF age.
/ In his "Voyage Of the Challenger.
/ Sir Wyville Thompson describes a visi
he made to this interesting colony. i
consisted at that time October, 1873.
Of eighty four persons, in fifteen fami
/ lies. the females being slightly in tht
majority. He speaks Of the young mel
as fine-lookng and sturdy. somewhat O
the English type, but most Of them will
dash OF dark blood. Green was still
the governor, and they looked up 20 hin
with respect and confidence. They pos
sass from 800 10 600 head Of cattle. al
eduAl number of sheep and pigs. an,
poultry in large abundance. From
/ eight to dozen American ships visit
them yearly, and from them they Obtain
what they want, 10y the process OF bar
ter. They live in cottages Of two OF
three rooms. built Of dark brown tufa
ceous stone which they blast from th,
rocks above, and shape with great accur
acy with axes. Many of the blocks arr
upward Of ton IN weight, and as ther,
is no lime on the island. they have 20 b'
| fitted into each other on the Byclopear
plan. But with all their precautions
| the winds are SO violent that som etimet
even these massive dwellings are blowr
down. The furniture of the rooms il
scanty. owing 10 the difficulty of procur
ing wood. but passing ships furnish
them warm fabrics enough 20 supply
bedding, and 10 enable the women tc
dress in n comfortable and seemly style
Low stone walls partition the lanc
round the cottages into small enclosures
which are cultivated as gardens, an,
here all the ordinary European vegeta
/ bles thrive fairly. The goods OF tn,
colonists are in no sense in common
Each he's his own property in land ant
| in stock. A newcomer receives "A gran
| OF certain extent of land, and he get'
some grazing rights, and the rest OF thu
settlers help him in fencing his patel
and in working it and preparing il for
| first crop. Then they contribute th'
necessary cattle, sheep, potato seed
etc. tn start him. This assistance i
repaid either in kind, in labor, or il
money. When difficulties occnr the.
are referred 10 Green, or are settled b!
| the general consent The old argumen
of the fist is still occasionally resorte,
to. Sir w. Thompson suggests, tina
"this system is probably another sourc
of the apparently exceptional moralit.
Of tho place; in 40 small communit.
where all are 80 entirely independent
no misconduct affecting the interests o
others can be tolerated or easily con
cealed, and as there is no specia
machinery for tho detection and punish
ment of offences, the final remedy lies Il
1. Ll..........l.-a. liz. r1nAaN