Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-25
ISLE OF O7AHEI7E.
Arrival There Of Eight Young Mormon
Missionaries.
OBSERVATIONS BY THE WAY.
Among the Natives Of the Society Group
Tropical sccnes.-Nail Matters.
miscellaneous.

written from Papiete, Island OF rnhih,
by Elder Eugene Cannon, son oil
Elder Angus NJ. Cannon Of this city,
who, with seven OF Utsh's young mon
Elders COT, Ksssitsr, Fox, Sudbury,
Woodbury., Cutler and Larson--rs'
Gently left this city to engage In
missionary lsbors among tho natives
OF the Society Islands;
March 20, 1s93.-We arrived here
last Tuesday evening, March 2lst, all
well, and feeling TO rejoice Ia seeing
lupd again. We hal very quick
voyage, coming down In twenty daye
and i've hours. We left San Francis
co Mt 1910 pun, March let. After we
had been out about an hour the tug
boat left US, ana we went down Into
the cabin for dinner. alto good
dinner, and then wo went up on deck
and sang some songs. II was about .
pm. when l went down TO write In
my Journal. I had written about q
page when I felt q peculiar sensation
come over me-. IL was not long before
l wac up on the deck and feeding the
fish with the nice dinner that had
just partaken Of. I was sick four days
and then l was able TO get around.
Seasickness IL something not to DO
desired, much less forgotten.
The first week II was cold cut on
deck, and then we got warm weather.
We crossed the equator on the 10Th.
II was net as wnrm as expected IL
would be, although It was quite hot
during the day. Al night 1t was
nice and cool and we would 20,
together and sing songs. During our
trip we caught two largo dolphin fsh,
one weighing eighteen aud the other
thirty pounds. They were very
beautiful nsh, and when out OF the
water changed their color.
IL was evening wheu We sailed down
tho coast Of this Island, and everything
looked grand. Tho green hiilr, the
little cottages under the shade Of the
majestic coeoanut palms, and natives
dr,sssd In their cloud" colored dresAes
rushing down 10 the wharf, made ap
interesting sight. Tao mountains are
quite high, Que peake reaching 10 an
altitude Of 5000 feet. Tho villages
which I have seen arc along the sea-
shore.
After the vessel came 10 anohnr We
went ashore and took n stroll through
the village. We found 1t quite warm
whom we were walking, but did NOS
feel like we DO at home In the summer.
The climate felt about like that In tho
conservatory ut San Francisco. The
days are quite warm, but the evenings
are nice and cool. Although one per.
spires quite freely, hs docs not feel
like We do ut homo. l suppose one
reason Is bsoAuhe We have Just come
rom cold region.
The streets here are about thirty or
forty fsct wide, and run 10 all direc-
tons. The morals Of the people are
bad; oil they seem to care tor are rum,
gin and cigarettes. Passing through
the streets, we could sec young girls
smoking cigarettes and drinking rum.
What have seen among these peopl,
make me feel to pity them more than
anything else, aud can say 1 am
thankful to my Heavenly Father that
was horn and reared among people
who are so much better OF, and have
not the temptations that these have.
We saw what 10 called y native band.
II consisted OF . dozen natives, mostly
women, sitting in a circle; one was
playing nm ACCORDION, one flute, and
tho rest were singing. ono will start
up tune and the rest Join In the
chorus. What . racket they make!
They pass the Jug and glass around,
all partaking OF the contents. They
gather around the market place In thv
evenings, and there those proceedings
are carried on.
Brother Brswn was moi here 10 meet
US, 30 We returned to the ship To sleep.
The next day we had 10 obtain place
TO stop Ut until Brother Brown comes.
We rented . small house aud moved
our trunks. We eat down a, tho lunch
bouse, and then We have what fruit
We desire.
Monday, March Give have ms,
some very kind natives here. This
FIRST day, when We were on shore,
some cams and shook hands with us,
and greeted us with "tau rara" (good
morning). They gave us some nice ba.
nanas and cocoaputs, and We mado out
that they were Mormons, but We after.
wards found they were Josephites.
There have been a good many call GU
US and give us native words. We
have been upable to find any menu
bers OF the Church yet, but some have
told us that there are few here.
There are q great many half cRstcs
here, and some Chinese have married
native women and have families. The
people follow the French style by
opening their stores al 3 or IA. M,
have tea at and breakfast at 10 n. IN. ,
when they close their stores Tor two
hours and then open again, having
dinner Vt 6p. N.
We have obtained Tahitlan Bihies
but have boon unable TO obtain die
tionary. A Protestant minister has a
few, but he would not sell any 10 Mur.
mons, telling US that he wanted them
for their missionaries.
Fruit 10 plentiful here, but there L.
not such u variety as thought TO fnd.
1t can DO obtained cheaper early in
the morning, about 8 O'Clock, than any
other time. Bananas sell In the nom.
Ing Mt tsn cents for basket OF about
I'VE dozen; oranges ore the same price
The latter are quite nice and fuzzy,
but thoy are not 80 nios
as tho California naval oranges.
Cocoanuts are picked whom they are
green. The meat IL much softer than
that obtained Ia the coconnuts
ut home. They sell five for ton cent?.
LINES sell for a flame for basket OF
ab:ut ak dozen.
The heavy clothes l brought with
me nm afraid will be OF 10 use, as /.
10 quite warm here aud the people
don't wear many clothes. Moat ui
them wear white linen suits, that Il
tho men, and they look very nice In
them. Some OF the men and boyl
wear breecholou,r, and some hev,
shirts on, but have not yet noticed )
pair Of tuspenders or paper collar coz
tune. The shoes | brought down
believe will do all rluhI hut vyhas