Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-07
CRUSOE SETTLEMENTS.
ROMANTIC LIFE ON A LITTLE
SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND.

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SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND.
Story Of . Runaway English Sailor-An-
other Little Colony in the Kermadec
Group-Casta~ays on q Coral Reef-Pit.
cairn Islanders.
About four months ago, as the English
bark Queens Island was passing Palnerston
Island, in the Southern Pacific. the captain
was surprised to see boat containing eight
persons put of from che shore. It was gen.
orally supposed that this little coral island,
one OF the lasst fmpoctaut Of the Hervey
group, and about three hundred miles from
its nearest neighbor. was uninhabited. Capt.
Reid. however, had sccidently approached
GEAR enough to this little specs in the ocean
TO discover another Of those romantic island
settlements which are now and then une1-
pectediy fopnd in the broad exranse Of the
great Pacific
The bronzed and rather scantily clad white
man who clambered up the side Of the bark
said he was William Marston, the chief of
the little island, where he had lived for
twenty-five years When be was o young
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man in Tahiti and made his way In small
sailhoat nearly 1000 miles west to the Her
vey group. BE took native wife and jour
neyed ON to Palmeyston Island, where be
built him a cabin and started a cocoanut
plantation. A few natives Joined him, and
now his little world contains thirty-three
human beings, Of whom fifteen are his own
children. English is the only language
spoken in this little community, whose island
horte IS not so large as some Dakota farms.
Here the subjects Of the runaway English
sailor live on the happiest terms, getting
along very well without the news and gossip
Of the world, while enjoying. nevertheless,
many Of the good things Of civilization
brought 30 them by small trading vessels, to
whom they sen the copra prepared from their
cocoanuts.
Within the past few years several islands
have been discovered in the Pacific which, it
was found, had long been known by small
traders, who In the interests Of monopoly
carefully kept their information to then-
selves. Alter the Sydney newspapers an
nounced the discovery of fine new island
not far from New Guinea a LEA captain in
port produced very good map Of the island
which he bad made several years before. He
had probably hoped to hand down tho secret
to his heirs as an exclusive trading privilege
In this way it has ha Soened that Marston's
little colony has fourished unknown save to
one or two traders, whose Interests have kept
them quiet
Hundreds Of the little islands Of the Pacific
are untnhabited, and are very rarely seen by
vessels Who knows but among them may
be modern Robinson Crusoes, waiting pa
tieDtly for sail, and living in fair degree
Of comfort upon the bounties Of which ma
ture is so lavish in those regionsl We have
recently told the story of Mr. Bell and his
little family, who are monarchs Of all they
survey in the Kermadec group, GOO miles
from their nearest neighbors The passen-
gers and crew of the bark Henry James, who
were rescued in May last from a coral reef
in Polynesia. know what it is to be cast
always in the Pacific, hundreds OF miles from
Inhabited islands. If they had not fortu-
natey saved their small boat they might
have been prisoners for many months ON the
little island Five men in the boat carried
the news Of their disaster !, 800 miles to Sa-
moa, and in less than two months deliver
ance came They needed clothing, but were
not otherwise in serious want, for fish and
cocoanuts had amply supplemented the slen-
der food supplies with which they had
reached their place Of refuge.
Among the jubilee presents received by
Queen Victoria were some hats and other
manufactures, most sklifully made of straw,
the humble tribute Of the most UNIQUE and
famous Of Pacific colonies. In 1890 the Pit
cairn islanders may celebrate the centennial
Of the landing of their mutinous fathers OH
the little rock where Lady Belcher, 6eir his
torian. says they have become ''such a COM
munity as has been the dream Of poets and
the aspiration of philosophers" 1t is not
often the world hears from these happy and
peaceful islanders now numbering 112 souls,
who have perpetuated the remarkable colony
founded ninety eight years ago by English
sailors; but it is refreshing now and then to
contemplate their idyllic existence cut Of as
they are from the busy world, tilling the fer
tile valleys of their little home only two and
quarter square miles in extent, possessing
schoolhouse and a church, but no Jail; intell-
gent, neat and clean, with plenty Of books
and fruit and flowers, simple hearted de-
vout people, and the only Christian COM
munity in the world that has no strong
drink, tobacco or money
A traveller on an English bark which
touched at Pitcairn in February last says he
saw among the islanders men who in stature
would be a credit to the Royal Guards, and
women who were fair to see, though their
garments were not rich and fashionable;
women who are skilled in the arts Of house
wifery, in the making Of fancy baskets and
she'll work, and some, too, who can play ex-
cellently on the little church organ Born
to this life of isolation, the Pitcairn Islander
bears with wonder and delight, but without
envy. OF the world beyond bis sea grit home
When, years ago, Pitcairn became too |
crowded, considering its slender resources,
and the people were removed by Great |
Britain 10 Norfolk, that island. small as it |
is bewihered than by its vastness Having |
only footpe&hs in Pitcairn, they thought the |
wagon roads OF Norfolk unsightly, and the |
echoes aroused by their voices in the stone
querter where convic.s had once lived i'm
pressed them as a NEST disagreeable novelty. |
A minority decided that they could not be !
happy among these strange surrounding,
and they returned to Pitcairn to live and die. |
New York Sun.
EYperfmentfno with tho Be<cars.