The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-11
THE HUSBAND Of A QUEEN.
Good Fortune Which Came to a
Vsnturesome Young Man
Of California.
Tho Romance Of j. M. Salmond
and the Pretty Princess
Tinomana.
nc Is King Consort to the Ruler OF mn
Island Thirty-nine Miles In
Diameter

SAN Francisco, March 10. u. M. Salmond
who arrived here on the schooner Wander
bilt, while not a king, is the next thing TO
{, for he is husband to tho queen OF the
island of Rarotonga, in the Captain Cook
e,oup. Salmondsis All American and a San
Franciscan. He attended st. Mary's col
lepe here until about seventeen years OF age,
when the restraints of school life were too
much for his restless spirit, and he shipped
on a sailing vessel to Tahiti in 1873. Fol
v years he remained at his first landing
place, where his uncle, Alexander almon
lives. It runs in the blood to marry into roy
atty, and the uncle wooed and won a sister
of Queen Pomare. But young Salmond
could not rest content in Tahiti, and so i'll
1876 he found himself on Rarotongo. one OF
the islands of the Captain Cook GROUP
Soon he laid eyes on the pretty
Princess Tinomana, and it was a case OF
love at first sight on the part of each. Sal
mond made a formal demand for the hand
of the dusky princess. The consent OF the
queen mother was gwen and it was ratl-
fed by the islanders. But the course of
true love never runs smooth; soon obstacles
mountains high were in the path of the
ardent lovers. Jealousy was at work, and
the ereeu-eyed monster came near wrecklng
the happiness of two loving hearts. The
consent of the queen and the. islanders was
suddenly withdrawn. Love, Yankees and
Californians knew no such a thing as defeat
and Salmond was bound to wed the Prln-
cess Tinomana. :.
An American schooner, the Humboldt,
CAPTAIN Sanford, was standing OIL the
island of Rarotonga. and Salmond arranged
with the captain for an elopement. Little
Tinomana was willing; so was Captain
Sanford. At night they went out IN a small
boat to the schooner. The following Gay
thew stood off the island of Mangaea, when
they saw the British schooner Coronet.
Captain Rose, approaching. She halled the
Humboldt and demanded the delivery OF
Salmond and the princess. The authorities
had sent the Coronet after the elopers. Inc
Yankee captain hoisted the stars and stripes
and with a revolver in each hand refused to
allow any one to board the schooner
for the purpose of arrestlng the
fugitives until such terms were agreed to
as insured their absolute protection. Inc
princess thought it best to return, as the
property of the owners OF the hu ~ N
the island would be confscated II the cap
tain refused to deliver the fugitives. they
therefore returned on the Coronet.
Salmond now almost gave up his love az
fair as hopeless, and. leaving karotonga'
went to Raiatea, one OF the society group.
fIOm Lu&I0 uc Wen w All
same group. While there he received a no
tice from the authorities to return to Raro-
tonga. His princess was true, opposition
had ceased and they were welded with all
ceremony. On the death of the queen,
Tinomania's brother came into power, and
about ten years ago his death mace Sal
mond's wife a queen.
The little island is about thirty-nine
miles in diameter, and the population all
told is not much over $500. The island is
divided INTO three districts, each OF which
is ruled by a queen or chiettalness. The
western district Queen Tinomana rules,
while Queen Makea, her aunt, presides over
the destinies of the northern district, and
Queen Mure Poa rules the eastern.
In 1883 there was great fear among the
islanders that the French were coming to
seize and place them under the tri-color,
and accordingly the British government
was petitioned to assume a protectorate
over the islands. Now, the British resident,
as he is called, is the arbiter in all matters
where the foreigners and the %islanaers are
at variance. In each district there is a
Judge, and from his decisions, if the case is
one where a native is concerned, the hnai
appeal is taken to the queen, but where a
foreigner figures the final appeal is taken
to the British resident.