The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-08-22
A BRIGHT WOMAN ON THEPACIFIC.

AAC -AoAtAiy GA@SoAlHC WHICH our
Government devotes to reports from
Consuls does not contain large
proportion or romantic or exciting
literature. The fastest issue, howev-
er, tells of the notable career of a
young women in the Southern and
Western Pacific, and the story is
worthy of wider currency than the
Reports from the Consuls" is like
ly to give it.
This lady is Mrs. Emma E. For
sythe, the daughter of Mr.. Coe,
formerly our Consul in Samoa. Her
mother was the daughter OF a
Samoan chief. 1t has often been
remarked that the female offspring
of the native women OF the Pacific
and white men are likely to possess
more than an ordinary share of
beauty. Lady Belcher and others
have described the charms of some
Of the maidens of Pitcairn Island,
who are descended from the Bounty
mutineers and Tahitan women. At
the time of her marriage with the
young Englishman, Forsythe, Miss
Coe was called the mcss beautiful
woman in Samoa. Lord Pembroke
was very much impressed with her
charms, and sketched her portrait
at length in his book, "South Sea
Bubbles"
The young lady received her edu-
cation in San Francisco, where she
long resided, and she is in tastes
and feelings thorough American.
Her energy and intelligence were
remarkable, and Mr.. Griffen, form
erly our Consul at Samoa, says that
as a girl she was better informed
with regard to the trade and COM
merce of the Southern Pacific than
any American living in that region.
She saw plenty of opportunities for
making money, and after the death
of her husband went into business
fer herself with astonishing results.
Ten years ago. she visited the
island of New Britain, near New
Guinea, and although the Papuans
there are cannibals, and among
the widest and most debased OF
savages, Mrs. Forsythe felt certain
that on the high and comparatively
healthy table lands OF the east end
of the island there was a chance to
start prosperous plantations. OF
course her long acquaintance with
Pacific islanders was of great advan-
tage in her negotiations with the
native chiefs. For mere trihe she
purchased from these chiefs large
amount of land. She then organiz-
ed a firm of planters and trading
merchants under the name of Thoms
as Farrell & Co., of which she took
the management and owned con-
trolling interest. It is said that she
has mortgage on the entire prop
erty of the company, which is the
largest doing business under any
flag in the Western Pacific. On
this savage island she has lived ever
since, extending her plantations and
landed possessions. Her property
and business arc far larger than
those of all other foreigners on the
island put together.
Her land is all surveyed, and it
embraces 10000 acres. Her larg-
est plantation Raaluan contains
1850 acres of the choicest land on
the island. Recent statistics of her
trade are not at hand, but four years
ago she exported 1852 tons of copra,
81 tons Of pearl shell, IS tons of
beche de mer, and $1,000 pounds OF
South Sea Island cotton. At that
time she employed in her business
schooner and a little steamer
which she purchased in Sydney,
and at last accounts she was about
to send an agent to San Francisco
to have several vessels built there
especially for her trade. She is ex-
tending her enterprises far and near
among the islands, and needs a lit
tie feet to convey to foreign mark
cts the products raised on her plan
tations or bought by her agents.
Mrs. Forsythe gives constant en-
nloyment To a force IF f;fty Errono