Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-04

MAxDsvLs Or PEOPLE on sPnclxs
OF LAND IN THE PACIFIC.
rAs First News LsrA Howe IsIasd
Heard Of the world in Hais .
rsar-xe. FINED for swesrias On
: Norfolk.


entire population Of . little island In the
Pacific ocean. trooped down 10 the land
ing place wild with Joy and excitement.
They saw . small steamer entering
through . gap In the coral reef that
frinses their island. and moving slowly
towards the wharf. The only horse on the
island was hurriedly hitched to his cart
and trotted away 10 the landing with
ali the children the vehicle could hold
to help honor the occasion. No wonder
the fifteen families on Lord Howe Island
cheercd and threw UP their hats. II was
the FIRST timc In half year that they
had heard from the outer world. They
were beginning 20 think that they were
forsaken when TIRE steamer Thetis. from
Sydney. suddenly appeared in the offing.
bringing supplies for the handful OF
people on this little rock in the big ocean.
1t happened In this way: Though LORD
Howe Island IL about 40 miles out IN the
bcean, II Is politically part OF New south
Wales. Norfolk Island. several hundred
miles still further out at sea. is also. nomi-
pally. a part OF this Australian province,
though she let's both Islands SHIFT Tor
themselves most OF the time. -Four times
q year the mall schooner. Mary Ogiiv'e.
has been sent out from Sydney to v'sit
the oceanic outposts. on her last trip
the schooner was totally wrecked on the
precipitous coast of Norfolk Island. III
took some months for the news TO reach
sydney, and the dispatch OF another
vessel. and 80 II happened that Lota
Howe Island was cut OF from the rest Oh
the world for half year.
THE ~aturp NJ the Tnefls with news VI
the islanders has brought the coIonis.s
of Lord Howe and Norfolk Unto promi-
nent place In the columns OF the austria
liam press. Lord Howe IL one OF the
smallest Inhabited islands OF any ocean,
and Ia typical Of the few rocks scattered
here and there which give sus,ensnee
20 a handful Of people. II is shapeu ~
sctly like boomerang. IL ~ e'sn' iI,es
long and from one and half to TWO ih'ies
wide II. basalt sides rise In places
non feet above the surface OF the sea.
n is nothing but a prodgious rock thrus'
into the air by plutonic forces. ana one
would think that people would De wlsihs
90 scratch very hard for n living peto'e
fhay would isolate themselves In such
home. ,n,,pu
Rut this haif-tropical island has ex-
traordinary verdure and beauty.
porter OF one of the Sydney papers, WIZ
was sent out on the Ihetis' say
never 40 anything so picturesque as VIZ
towering mountains dotted mere anu 'ho'o
s,,,h the little white cottages OF inc
fifteen families who stood cheering az
the water edge Strange 10 relate, one
OF the largest buildings is the pIiSVn'
and II would be this most useless Duiiu
ing on the island II IL were not utiii1v.
ms a general store-house. III mas not he'u
a prisoner since 1862 when an American
was killed In fight over "oiiia''
Next door 10 the prison is the sc"ooi-
house, and this contiguity. under the CIR
cumstances, Is not so very objectiohdpie.
Here the widow OF Captain Cavaye was
leading seventeen little folks along 'hc
path OF knowledge when the cry was
raised. "a ship at last!" and school was
dismissed instanter.
But the people OF the little island are
not very happy, and they blame New
South Wales for It, Nobody owns the
land ne ills. The island has never been
surveyed. and the people are not per
United TO hold land in seyeralty. Inc
young folks tire OF the isolated life. ana
most of them emigrate TO the 1naihiahu.
over four hundred of them have left
their native isle, and this is the reason
why Lord Howe Island, though white
families have lived there for more than
only sixty-three. But the humble peo-
ple have their blessings There isn't
physician among them. and most of them
die OF cid age. Their medicine-chest con-
tains only one specific for all Ills, ana
that is camphor. They raise plenty 10
eat, but they are very poor because they
export so little. A few years ago the
cucumbers Of Lord Howe Island were
more highly priced In Australia Tor
pickle making than the home product.
but OF late years the island cucumbers
have developed a sudden tendency to rot
on the vines. and Australia no longer
looks TO them for pickles. There Is no
such thing as theft, drunkenness. or pro-
family on the island. but for all that the
natives seem to lack good deal that
makes life worth living.
After a few days the Thetis steamed
away, 500 miles. to Norfolk Island. TO put
this other speck i'm the ocean again in
touch with the world. Small as 1t is.
Norfolk Is five times as large as Lord
Howe Island. Everybody has heard of
the Pitcairn Islanders. but there may be
many who do not know that three fourths
Of the descendants OF the Bounty mutt
neers and their Tahitian wives no longer
live on Pitcairn, but for nearly forty
years have titled the soil Of Norfolk or
hunted the whale around its coasts. II
was In 1856 that the Pitcairn Colony.
grown too large for their two or three
square miles of territory. were all trans
ferred to Norfolk, where these simple.
God-feartng people were In striking con-
trast with the convict colony Great Bril-
tain had maintained there. The last OF
these poor wretches had been taken
away, and an era of peace succeeded the
days OF violence and bloodshed when the
convicts, treated with incredible severity
were shot down even in the church where
they sometimes took refuge.
WE'RE HoMEsICK.
Two years after their removal TO Nor
folk Island twenty-eight OF the pitcairn
natives. homeslok for the beloved rock on
which they were born. were taken back
20 II. and their descendants are the Pit
cairu Islanders of to-day. Their relatives
on Norfolk have admitted good many
strangers into the Colony. but still the
most CONSPICUOUS names are the Chris
tians. McCoys, Quintals, Adamses, and
Youngs. Of the original mutineers. No
more skilfui and fearless whalers can be
found. They have been known, when
thrown from their boats by an enraged
leviathan. more than once TO give him
his eath-wound. burying their harpoons
deep In hts side while they were founder,
ing In the water. They are the most re-
people. and any OF them would willingly
die for the Others a while ago one OF
the Evanses saw comrade tossed In the
air BY a wounded whale. The mans leg
was broken. and, as he fell into the
water. he WAS helpless. Evans sprang
overheard. reached him just as he was
sinking. and held him until help came
nearly half an hour later. He was asked I:
what would you have done II he had
died while you held him. II would have
gone down with him. that Is ALL" he re-
piled.
This little community has the ordering
Of most Of It's affairs. and Its history to-
day Is as unique as its beginning was
remarkable. Fancy a civilized society
that pays no taxes and yet has paid Of
ficiais. THIS is because the Norfolk
islanders have money In bank In the
community's name Years ago the Me-
lanesian Missions acquired land on the
island for their headquarters by the
payment OF $1,000. This sum was added
10 3l5.0o. the part due 20 the Norfolk
islanders OF the Pitcairn fund. raised In
England. The $4,000 was invested IN
Sydney and the interest pays the very
modest salaries Of the Chief Magistrate
the two councillors who assist him In
public sfsairs the pastor. the DOCTOR and
all the other expenses OF the public ser