The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1892-01-30
IHEY WEAR NO CLOTHF.
Natives of n South Sea Island Who Retain
Their Pristin. simplicity.

Though missionaries have been labor.
ing for years on the Fiji islands and the
large European settlement at Suwa has
served to spread civilized customs Vet
there Is one OF the islands, never visited
by travellers, where the natives still retain
their pristine simplicity, writes "A cor.
,, respondent OF the St. Louis Globe d. mo.
crat. On this island, Lambes q, IN Eng
ilsn company, has just secured $4,000
acres OF land. which Is being cleared for a
sugar plantation. Lambasse lies back
OF Suwa ana to reach il ship has to
sail through very difficult pass of the
serf reef. The schooner Corsair, which
took Il load of lumber from here TO the
sugar company, has just returned and
Capt. William Colby tells some intefe It.
ing atorleS of these Fijians
I'VE found them, he said, going
around just as Adam and Eve did-stark
naked. SO far as We could see. neither
felt the slightest shame Our vessel was
a great curiosity, and as she lay in the
harbor hundreds of them came swimming
and clambered all orer her deck aud rig
ging. They would always come in
party Of dozen or more and they would
make a great splashing in order to scare
away the sharks. Itese mons ters will at.
tack one man, but they are frightened
away 10y the noise of many. Most of the
men have but one wife, though the chiefs
sometimes have more. The women are
chasie. When they swarmed up the side
of the vessr. the sailors were mucu anus
ed, but II any one attempted the slightest
liberty with women she would jump over
the rail- and Swiru ashore
"Oae day the queen and dozen Of her
court ladies swan out to Us. Sne differed
from them oniy In that she wore about her
waist -,lrdle with small apron woven
OF some sort of fiber. offered her
pound Of tobacco for 1t and without the
slightest hesitation she took it of and
gave it to me
The natives are very fond of tobacco
and pay in that form Is about the only
thing that will induce them to work
There is no need of clothing. and If they
open their mouths food will fall in. At
first | was very conscientious about giving
full pounds of tobacco. but when my
supply ran short began giving two
plugs for pound. | was surprised no
objection vas made to the short weight. |
until found that the n Missionaries give |
only one plug for pound.
The missionaries have not produced |
any deep effect. though the natives are |
very pious and go to church several times
q day. Church dues are collected not in |
money, but n produce. and the church is ,
known In the native tongue by the mater |
ial in which the revenues are paid. Thus, |
the English church IS the cocoanut meat
church; the presbyterians have the cocoa
nut oil church and the catholics the dried |
she'll 6sh church.
The islanders are extremely fond OF |
drink. and when we viewed the king we
saw how their liquor was made. The |
queen called In dozen young women. who |
sat down around vat and began chewing |
a certain kind of root. A fast as they |
chewed it up they spit it into the vat. To |
his palpy stuff water is added. After
has taken place the solid part ,
is skim aed out, leaving their liquor, ! |
was not anxious to taste stuff mace in this |
way. but / had to for fear of offending the
royal family"