The morning call., 1894-05-12
FROM SEAMAN TO MONARCH.
Thirty Years on Coral Reef AS
a Ruler.
RETURNING TO SAVAGERY.
Peter the Sailor Solves the Problem
of Barbarism Versus CivjliZa-
tion by Actual Experience.

On lonely little coral reef near the
island of Raratonga, in the South Seas,
lived Peter the sailor. A strong, we'll
knit amiable boy of 19 was he when he
landed at his island home. and for thirty
years he was monarch of all he surveyed.
This is not said to place Peter in the same
category as the rulers Of the world, how
ever, for, beyond few followers clad ID
scant calico and banana leaves, the sailor
boasted of no subject ready and willing tc
obey his commands.
Peter returned 10 civilization and made
several voyages in whalers and sealers
This happened about two years ago. He
went north with the whaler Cape Horn
Pigeon on her last voyage, and was dis
charged when the vessel reached this port.
He has been hunting for another job, and,
being unable to find one. has become dis
gusted with plebeian life in cosmopolitan
San Francisco. and desires to return to
the coral reef near Raratonga and again
become cipher in the sum of existence.
He will leave on the first trader clearing
for the southern archipelago.
Peter, whose real name is Peter How
dep, remembers England, but vaguely.
He did recall though that he took to sail
ing when he was mere child. Officiating e
as cabin-boy to a big, bluff skipper of a
Calcutta trader, who used to tell him thai
"'Tis a fone chance the young mon ha'
In tn So Seas"
The bluff skipper spoke not very often.
and when he did he never wasted idle
words for the simple pleasure of hearing
himself articulate.
Peter was impressed. He left the Liver
pool docks, joined trading bark. and.
before many months had rolled by, was at
Butaritari. and sufficiently entranced with
the neighborhOod to relinQuish the pleas
ure of drawing his wages. so he deserted
his ship.
Drifting about from island to island and
familiariZng himself with the manner and
customs of the South Sea islanders Peter
finally became the prOtege of big chief
at Raratonga. under whose chieftaincY the
young man served for couple of years.
About thirty miles from Raratonga is a
small island, scarcely as large in circum-
ference as a one-mile racecourse, on which
dwelt score or more members of the
chiefs tribe. who thrived by trading with
occasionally visiting vessels, and barter in
tropical fruits and seashells.
Peter was made king of this tiny do
main, that was known to the natives as
"lllula," or "lonely spot" It derived its
name from the fact that it is somewhat
separated from the balance of the group.
Peter took up his abode on the reef. He
built for himself little square house with
a thatched roof that served as a palace.
4
subjects clustered their huts about the
young monarch's headquarters and looked
to him for the adjustment of all matters
pertaining to affairs Of state or finance.
Unfortunately Peter was unromantically
poor. So were his people. 1t might have
been much more interesting had his nara
tive gone on to tell about how the island
king grew fabnloqsly wealthy. married a
nut-brown maiden and lived reckless
jolly life of extravaganza.
Not so. Years rolled on and Peter got
poorer. Months and months passed by
and his tribe became gradually aware that
the traders were not calling at the island
like they used to in ye good old times of
yore.
Peter grew trifle lonesome once in a
while and oflen wondered how the big
busy world would look to him. He viewed
himself in broken traders mirror and
saw that his eyes did not have their usual
snap and brilliaDcy and that beneath the
tan Of the tropical sun the healthy color of
youth had faded away.
The brigantine Morning Star called al
his island one time several years ago, and
one of the missionaries on board spoke to
him of San Francisco and the Pacific
Coast. Then the missionary mentioned d
England, and Peter began to wonder if
the pleasures Of his Old home in civiliza-
ton would not greatly outweigh the
mOn otony of mis- life on the island. His old
friend the chief at Raratonga had died,
likewise bad many of his own little colony
succum bed TO the ravages of disease and
the encroachments of old age.
The products of the island had to be
carried many miles in boats, long and
: dangerous journey, to a marker. The
nearest ship ever came to the place in
late years was just enough to show her
topsails above the horizon, then to fade
away in the distance like some torturing
N irage of a dead past.
Only eight warriors, as many women
and few children remained of the native
inhabitants of the island. These were not
starving. TO be sure. for no man could ever
starVe as long as nature provided him with
plantains and fruit in plenty. But beads
were scarce. calico scarcer and all the little
trinkets that are acquired by active trad
ing which go to make up the wealth of
South Sea island community were lacking.
Peter had been nearly thirty years on
the reef. During all of that time he had
seen very few white men, but he had
become thoroughly versed in the ways
and manners of his dark-skinned friends.
The natives loved him and he loved the
natives.
The sailor did not like to leave his