St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-07
A LITTLE EDEN.
An Americans Odd and Prosper.
Gus Little Kingdom.

Gus Little Kingdom.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Amid all the trouble which is at pres
ent worrying the islanders of the South
Pacific there is peace in plenty on one
of the isles. There guano flourishes in
untold quantities; there are cocoanuts
plentiful enough for armies OF apes to
play base ball 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
Franciscan named j. ii. 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 OBJ
tanned for money. When he bought the
island, King Morris discovered it to he
absolutely bald. There were no people,
no trees. no houses. But to the mind
ambitio US to do the thinking for small
alton the objections were very small
ones, and within the probability OF re-
moval.
So King Morse caused hairs to grow
on the bald pate of his kingdom, and to-
day he yields his sceptor OF authority
over quite a community of dusky sub
jectS with the ease and assurance OF an
expert club-swinger.
A schooner recently arrived here from
trading voyage to the South seas, and
from her commander, Capt. MOlStad,
quite an interesting account of the white
chief and his black kingdom was re
ceved.
The location of Sophia island is con-
Siderably farther south than either the
Caroline OF Gilbert group. and the nauti-
cal position is in latitude 10 deg 40 min
south, longitude 179 deg SO min east.
at one time it was peOpled by quite a
colony of natives, who were ruled by
one of their tribe. The entertainments
OF the whites, however, thinned them
out, and a number of years ago the dis
gusted native chief went into sOlvency
for the benefit of his creditors-prin
cipally, however, for the benefit of him.
self. He disposed of the kingdom to
some unknown person and his subjects
snapped landlords. The new owner
did not prove pronounced success as
ruler, and this time his secondhand
subjects became disguised, and, taking
to their canoes, padded away from So
phia to some friendly port in the Gilbert
group, WuClc llCy COulu NC WOlA lON oilA
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"
1t thus occurred that j. ii. Morse hap
pened along in trading schooner one
day and stopped at Sophia. After
good deal of bartering the tract changed
hands third time and fell into the pos
session OF Mr.. Morse in consideration OF
the sum of $1,000.
With laudable view of producing
new and novel type of race to distin-
gulsh his island kingdom from its many
neighboring rivals, Mr.. Morse induced
a medley of whites, half-breeds, Sa-
means and Gilbert Islanders to take up
their habitations in his colony, himself
officiating from time to time as king,
sheriff, clergyman and employer.
The barren spots i'll 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 its COM
merce with trading vessels.
King Morse governs his small empire
with gentleness. He carries his code of
laws in his mind, and does all the plan
ming, ordering and executing. He
does not fear a revolution or German
protectorate, for he owns every foot of
his territory. He is on the best of di-
plomatic terms with the chiefs of Bu-
larlari, Taputeweal and other islands of
note, and is generally regarded as a
power in South Sea politics.
Mr.. 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.
Capt. Mollstad, who put into Sophia
island to avoid dangerous gales, on his
way to this port, states that the little
Eden is increasing its prosperity. The
crops are good and the resources of the
place are great, considering its size and
population