The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-11-07
A COLONY OF CONvICTS'
CURIOUS LITTLE WORLD DIsoov-
Erred IN MID OCEAN.
Exiles of Ecuador Living on a
Walled Island-A Ruler More
L Autocratic Than the Gar.

Exiles of Ecuador Living on n
Walled Island-A Ruler More
L Autocratic Than the Gar.
) On the largest of the Galapagos
Islands exists curious colony. "The
island is between six and seven hundred
miles from the mainland of Ecuador"
said Prof. Lee to a Lewiston Me- Jour
nal reporter, ''almost under the equator.
It is walled in with high volcanic rocks,
and very difficult of access. Years ago
the Ecuador Government planted con-
vict colony on one of the islands, but
the convicts revolted, killed the Gov
ernor, and made their escape on a
schooner. For long time afterward
the islands were uninhabited, and all of
them are so today except Chatham,
where we landed. Behind the walls of
rock we found fertile country, in a
high state of cultivation.
''About $50 persons make their home
there and are governed by a shrewl and
progressive man of the Spanish race
named Cobos. lie makss no claim to
sovereignty, but his control seems as alb
solute as that of the Gar. His subjects
are convicts from Ecuador. Years ago
it appears, he was engaged in gathering
orchilla, a kind of moss which is v6lua-
BILE for the manufacture of dyes. He got
rich at this business, but lost his for
tune through some transaction with the
Government of Ecuador. Possibly using
that as an argument, he asked for and
was granted this island OF Chatham, the
condition being that he should receive
and care for the convicts sent thither
from the mainland This was perhaps
ten or twelve years ago.
''The colony has now little world of
its own, cut off from civilization by
hundreds of miles of ocean. Only now
aud then, at long intervals, has any
vessel landed there, except the schooners
owned by Governor Cobos, and the in
habitants have, therefore, no means of
escape. These people do not share their
rulers progressiveness. They are an
odd and rather unprepossessing lot.
Most of them are natives of Ecuador and
some probably half Indian. There was
an English woman, also, on the island.
She was only about tweuty-t five years
old, with blue eyes and light hair, but
as tough specimen as | ever came
across. The inhabitants are about
equally divided between the sexes. They
have an abundance of food, and in that
climate the kind OF dress to be worn and
the amount of it are not subjects that
trouble anybody great deal. You can
judge what sort of creatures they are
when you remember that they are the
criminal classes of a population which
at best is backward in culture.
"The Governor is the only person on
the island who knows anything of the
world. He has travelled somewhat, can
speak English after fashion and con-
trives to keep up within about six
months of the times. In conversation
he showed pretty clear knowledge OF
affairs in Europe and America. AL
though monarch, in all essential re
spects, this man acknowledges his de.
pendence on the government of Ecuador
but he rules his subjects as he pleases
and, perhaps, somewhat tyrannically,
for there are conspiacies constantly or
foot against his life, and he has to main
tain miniature standing army. Th
currency OF the island is made of shee
lead, with the value, the name of tn
Governor and the name of the islanC
stamped upon each coin.
'Seven prisoners of State were il
durance while we were on the island
under charge of having plotted to tax
the Governors life during a recent fes
tival, and to set up new government
What punishment they were to receiv
was not definitely decided, but Cobo
intimated that he should Danish them t
one of the other and desert islands at
distance, where they would be furnished
with a little food for temporary us
and few tools, and left to shift 70
themselves.
''The land in Chatham is under cult
vation. Sugar cane is raised and rur
made of Fruits, hides, mats, orchill
and other products are shipped in con
siderable quantities to Guayaquil."