The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-20
KING hIORSE'S ISLAND.
erbs Strange Life of Former Res
ident Of San Francisco.
EHc ReiEns Supreme Over the Island OF
- Sophia In tho Pacific Ocean, Which
with His Tito He Has
Purchased.

south Pacific there is peace in plenty on
one of the isles, says the San Francisco
chronicle. There guano fourishes in
s untold quantities; there arc cocoanuts
iplents1al enough for armies of apes to
Pig baseball with, and the natives are
absolutely friendly with one another,
knowing not the hideous war-club.
The little Eden referred to is known on
every navigator's chart of the Pacific as
Sophia island, and the modern Adam who
i holds sway in it is former San Fran
ciscan named j. ii. Morse. He is rex,
chief. lord, or whatever other title has
paced to him with the island.
The isle is his by purchase, and his
royal title, like many others, was OBJ
tanned for money. When he bought
the island King Morse discovered it to
be absolutely bald. There were no peo-
pie, no trees, no houses. But to the
mind am bilious to do the thinking for
small nation these objections were very
small ones and within the probability
of removal.
So King Morse caused hairs to grow
on the bald pate OF his kingdom, and to-
day he yields his sccptcr of authority
over quite community Of duslSy sub
,JCCtS WIFI JilS GUST dAu QSSli uuCS VI XII
expert clpb-swinger.
A Schooner recently arrived here from
a trading voyage to the South seas, and
from her commander, Captain Mollstad,
quite an interesting account of the
white chief and his black kingdom was
received.
The location of Sophia island is con-
siderably farther south than either the
Caroline or Gilbert group, and the
nautical position is in latitude 10 de-
grces As minutes south, longitude ITO
degrees 80 minutes east.
At one time it was peopled by quite
colony of natives, who we're ruled by
one of their tribe. The cncroachments
of the whites thinned them out, how
ever, and n number of years ago the dis
gusted native chief went into insolv-
ency for the benefit of his creditors
principally, however, for the benefit of
himself. He disposed of his kingdom to
some unknown person and his subjects
snapped landlords. The new owner
did not prove pronounced success as a
ruler, and this time, his secondhand
subjects becoming disgusted, and, talk
ing to their canoes, padded away from
Sophia to some friendly port in the Gill
bert group, where they could be well
fed and well ruled Mt the same time.
Having nobody to rule and feeling the
weight and worthlessness of his ocean
estate, the boycotted owner looked
about for good buy"
It thus occurred that J. II. Morse hap
pened along in trading schooner one
day and stopped at Sophia. After q
90 I, - fl,n ~ oh
hands third time and fell into the pos
session of Mr.. Morse in consideration of
the sum of FIVE thousand dollars.
With laudable view of producing a
new and novel type Of race to dis
tinguish his island from its many neigh
rivals, Mr.. Morse induced med
sS1e& of whites, half-breeds, Samoans,
and Gilbert islanders to take up their
habitations in his colony, himself offici-
ating from time to time as king, sheriff,
clergyman, and employer.
The barren spots in the island were
covered with growth of banana and
cocoanut trees in great abundance, and
the island has been subdivided into
homesteads and plantations. Houses
were built and are still being erected.
The island is rich in guano beds, which
form one of the chief profits of it's com
merce with trading vessels.
3 liking orse governs his small empire
#awith gentlencss. He carries his code of
Avs In his mind, and does all the plan
ordering, and executing. He does
&2$$&e# fear a revolution or q German pro-
ssorate, for he owns every foot of his
43 # tory. He is on the best of diplomatic
f$s82A4Ss with the chiefs of BuIarlari
2 atewenl. and other islands of note,
is generally regarded as n power
onth sea politics.
8d58A-. Morse, who is well known in this
is a comparatively young man, and
SS sor years been engaged in trading
$s South Pacific. lie is perfectly
tented with his lot, and manifests
lesire to mix again in the hurly-
ely of the San Francisco world.
ptain Mollstall, who put into Sophia
nd to avoid dangerous gales on his
## to this port, states that the little
y is increasing its prosperity. The
sA are good and the resources of the
are great, considering its size and
ltion.
sSSs Reads Like olden Times.
lching incident occurred at the
d court the other day. A coun-
an asked and obtained an audi
ing Oscar, whom she told that
gamped all the way to Stock
v her dwelling in n remote
country in order to pray his
to remit the remainder of q
II of seyeHyears' penal servitude
4