Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-15
How an Englishman Sought to
Establish q Paradise for Him.
self on Earth.
After Six Weeks Sailing the Island OF
1ubai is Reached and Occupied.
Later War Breaks Ont, the Leader is
Killed and the Island Deserted.

INSPIRED leader OF men. His name was
Benjamin Marks, and he Was anything
but educated and refined. His idea was
to secure power and place for himself, but
he was so good at assembling that no one
mistrusted this until too late. By visions
prophecies and downright lying he in,
duced sixty-fye people to set out with him
In search of paradise on earth. A brig
called the True Blue carried the crowd
away, and | was an apprentice on the
brig. She had come out from England
several years before, and had been sailing
between New Zealand and some of the
islands to the north. The day we left
Poverty Bay | was fifteen years old, and a
stout lad for my age.
The first stop we made was at Sunday
Island, which then had about 500 inhab-
itants. There was neither law, order nor
decency among them, bat Marks managed
to keep this fact from his people. From a
trading schooner there he got such in
formation as induced him to change the
course to the northwest, and we bore
away for the PaumOtu group. This group
takes in large and small, about 1000
islands, ard includes the Marquesa,
Society, and Cook Islands. It is on a
direct east and west line between Brazil
and Australia, and is from 50 to 800 south
of the equator.
We had six weeks sailing after leaving
Sunday Island, and there were frequent
quarrels among the elect. Many would
have returned if possible, and had not
Marks possessed peculiar personal mag
netism the trouble would have been more
disastrous. One morning we sighted
land dead ahead, and before noon the peo-
pie had forgotten all their differences and
were happy again. The island is down
on the newer charts as Tubai but for many
years was known as Paradise. We came
up with it at about 2 O'clock and Marks
and others were Iowed ashore for a visit
of inspection. The island is thirteen
miles long by seven broad, but mile or
so at either end is low and swampy and
covered at high water. There is also d
large marsh on the eastern shore. After a
day and halfspent in prospecting, Marks
decided that the island would do. 1t was
finely wooded had many springs and
creeks, and the land gradually rose to a
plateau high and dry Lying so near the
equator, there was scarce need Of clothing
and winter would be known only by three
or four weeks of rain.
1t took US about week to discharge
cargo and get ready TO sail as some of the
sailors lent a hand to help build temporary
shelters for the people. When the ship
had been cleared and everything was ready
for saying goodby, the captain of the
brig, whose name was Dartwood, who
had been reasonably kind to me, ordered
me into yawl with another of the crew to
pull MIN ashore to deliver bundle which
had been forgotten. noticed that the
boat had her mast ana sail lying in her,
but this fact had no significance to me just
then. The people bad settled on the rising
ground, a mile from the landing. and as
we reached the shore l was instructed to
carry The bundle to the settlement |
started off very briskly, and in the course
of twenty minutes placed the bundle in
Mark hands. No sooner had turned to
go than was roughly seized, thrown to
the ground and my ankles and hands Sc
curely dashed. Upon demanding an ex-
PLANTATION, Marks said:
81 gave the captain G5 for you, and you
belong to me. 1t is no use to raise row.
If you behave yourself you will be well
treated if not, you will get badly
handled"
at once proceeded to raise row with
my voice, reviling the whole band after
70 castle fashion, but they turned in and
beat me until was forced to cry for
mercy.
The only object Marks could have had
in buying me WIS to make me his slave
and drudge. The captain did actually sell
me for a Els note, as alleged and in after
years, when got him INTO court in Well
ington, it cost him $500 to settle matters
After being licked into silence, | realized
that my best way was to induIe whaG
could not cure. The brig had gone, and
if did not take hold with some show of
spirit Marks would make life uncomfortable.
| expressed sorrow at my conduct, promls-
ed to do better, and was united and put to
work.
All the houses were to be erected on one
line, facing the south. That of Marks bad
already been begun. 1t was the summer
season there, and one could lie out at night
without the least inconvenience. A certain
number were to work at the houses while
others cleared land and planted crops. and
even the children six years old had tasks
allotted them. While all were busy nc
one had time for regrets, and think it was
fully six weeks before ! received a hint
all was not satisfactory. Every hut was
now completed and the crops planted, but
the people had come to see that they were
simply to make an easy living. They had
no use for manners, dress, education or
money. w nile Cney mao no taxes TO pay
or laws to Cypress them, they had no deeds
to the land, and whatever Marks said must
be obeyed. He did not take ON autocratic
powers until all necessary work had been
accomplished. Then he proceeded to show
himself in his true spirit. He was to be
boss and idler. while others worked anc
obeyed. His arguments were to go with
out dispute. Had he not descended tC
triaes the people would have borne will
him, but by ard by he wanted to dictate
in even the smallest things, and one day
there was an awful row between all hands
Fists and clubs were used and many were
injured, and the result was secession
Thirty persons withdrew from the Mark:
government and set up for themselves un
der the leadership of a man named Baker
They demanded half of everything, anc
the Marks faction had to grant it or bring
on another fight. Thus, from three
month from landing in Paradise w;
had state Of affairs which would hav,
oisgraced an African village.
Marks had treated me fairly we'll up t.
the time of the split. My sympathies wer,
with the other party, and learning of this
he tied ne to a tree and whipped me unit
| tainted away. He then chained me to
log for week, and when | was released
he forced me to drudge from daylight t
dark. One day | ran away to the north O
the island, and for two weeks kept clea
of the men who were hunting FOR me-
lived On wild fruits and roots, and wa
enjoying myself immensely when caught
Marks Gave mo another heatjncr and