The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-09-11
A LITTLE EDEN.
An Americans Odd and Prosperous Lit.
lie Kingdom.

lie kinsdoln.
Amid al the trouble which is al
present worrying the islanders Of the
South Pacific there is peace and
plenty on one Of the isles. There
guano 1IourlshcS in untold quanti-
ties; 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 hidcOus war club.
The little Eden referred to is known
on every navigator'S chart Of the Pa
cihc as Sophia Island2 and the mod
crn Adam who holds sway in it is 4
former San Franciscan 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 the
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
people, no trees, no houses. But to
the mind ambitious to do the think
ing for a small nation the objections
were very small ones, and within the
probability Of removal.
So King Morse caused hair to grow
on the bald pate Of his kingdom, and
today he WieldS his scepter Of au-
thority over quite community OF
dusky subjects with the ease and as
surance Of an expert club-swinger.
A schooner. recently arrived here
from Q 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 received.
The location Of Sophia Island is
considerably farther south than
either the Caroline or Gilbert group,
and the nautical position is in lati-
tude 10 deg. As min. south, longitude
l79 deg. - min. east.
At one time it was peopled by quite
a colony of natives, WHO were ruled
by one Of thei1 tribe. The encroach-'
ments Of the whites, however, thinned
them out, and a number of years ago
the disgusted native chief went into
solvency for the benefit Of his credit
ors-principally, however, for the
benefit Of himself. He disposed of
the kingdom to some unknown per-
son and his subjects swapped land
lords. The new owner did not prove
pronounced success as a 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, where they could be
well fed and well 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 "Duy."
1t thus occurred that j. H. Morse
happened along in a trading schooner
one day and stopped at Sophia. After
good deal of bartering the tract
changed hands a third time and fell
into the possession of Mr.. Morse in
consideration Of the sum of s., 900.
With a laudable view of producing
new and novel type of race to dis
tinguish his inland kingdom from its
many neighboring rivals, Mr.. Morse
induced a medley Of whites, half
breeds, Samoans, and Gilbert Island
ers to take up their habitationS in his
colony, himself officiating 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 Subdirided
into homesteads and plantations.
Houses were built and are still being
erected. The Island is rich In guano
BEES, which form one of the chief
profits of its commerce with trading
vessels.
King Morse governs his small en-
plre with gentlenesS. He carries his
code Of laws in his mind, and does ali
the planning, ordering and eXecut-
ing. He does not fear revolution or
q German protectorate, 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.
Mr.. Morse, who is well known in
this city, is a comparatively young
man, and has for years been engaged
in trading in the South Pacific. He
is perfectly contentcd with his lot
and manifests no desire to mix again
in the hurly-burly Of the San Fran
cisco world.
Capt. Molstad, who put into Sophia
Island to avoid dangerous gales, on
his way to this port, states that the
little Eden is increasing its prosper
ity. The crops are good and the re-
sources Of the place are great consId-
erlng its size and pOpulation.-San
francisco Chronicle.
| Only One In Sight.