The St. Johns herald., 1891-08-06
KING MORSE'S ISLAND.
The Strange Life of a Former Res-
 ident of San Francisco.
He Reigns Supreme Over the Island oi Sophia in the Pacific Ocean, Which with His Title He Has
 Purchased.

Sophia in the Pacific Ocean, Which
 with His Title He Has
 Purchased.
 Amid all the trouble which is at present worrying the islanders of the south Pacific there is peace in plenty on one of the isles, says the San Francisco Chronicle. There guano flourishes in untold quantities; there are cocoanuts plentiful enough for armies of apes to play 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 chart of the Pacific as Sophia island, and the modern Adam who holds sway in it is former San Fran ciscan named J. H. Morse He IS rex, chief, lord, or whatever other title has passed to him with the island.
 The isle is his by purchase, and his royal title, like many others, was ob- tained for money. When he bought the island King Morse discovered 1t to be absolutely bald. There were no peo- pie, no trees, no houses. But to the mind ambitious 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 wields his scepter of authority over quite community of dusky sub iects with the ease and assurance CT an expert club-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- grees 45 minutes south, longitude 179 degrees g minutes east.
 At one time it was peopled by quite a colony of natives, who were ruled by one of their tribe. The encroachments of the whites thinned them out, how ever, and number of years ago the dis gusted native chief went into insolv- encv 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 Swappeu Ianu1UTc5. ,ae7s--e&H1Eler did not prove pronounced success as 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 Gil bert group, where they could be well fed and we'll ruled at 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. Fl. Morse hap pened along in trading schooner one day and stopped at Sophia. After a good deal of bartering the tract changed hands third time and fell into the pos session of Mir. Morse in consideration ot 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 boring rivals, Mir. Morse induced med lev of whites, half-breeds, SanoanS. 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 a 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 its com merce with trading vessels.
 King Morse governs his small empire with gentleness. He carries his code O! laws in his mind, and does all the plan ming, ordering, and executing. He does not fear a revolution or German pro tectorate, for he owns every foot of his territory. He is on the best of diplomatic terms with the chiefs of Bularlari. Taputeweal, and other islands of note. and is generally regarded as a power in South sea politics.
 MT. Morse, who is well known in this city, is comparatively young man, and has for years been engaged in trading in the South Pacific. He is perfectly contented with his lot, and manifests no desire to mix again in the hurly. burly of the San Francisco world
 Captain Mollstall who put into Sophia island to avoid dangerous gales on his way to this port, states that the little Eden is increasing it's prosperity. The crops are good and the resources of the place are great, considering it's size and population.
 Reads Like Olden Times.
 A touching incident occurred at the Swedish court the other day. A coun