Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-06
A Day on Shore. No. Is.

Between the latitude of 26 degrees
! and 80 minutes, and % degrees, north,
and about longitude 142 degrees, east. is
| a group of Islands very little known
! They were discovered in 1927 by Cap
| tain Beechey of the English ship Bios
com. who took possession of them for
| the English. These islands had been
settled by the japanese 200 years be-
| fore, but We're abandoned by them so
years later and nothing was known Of
them among civilized nations until
Copt. Beecheys accidental dis
| covery. The English did not
deem them of sufficient value
! to establish a colony there. SO
| that today Spain claims the property
/ rs hers, although at the time of my
| visit there was not a spanard living on
the group. OF volcanic origin. sur
rounded in part by coral reefs, the bold
| shores often present the only barrier to
the long, even swells of the Pacific
| that break with thunderous reverbera-
| tions upon the perpendicular walls that
rave faced their onslaught for ages.
The principal harbor isat Peal island
This harbor is one of the safest in the
| known world, large enough to accom-
i'ipiait tiit Nholt VI 1iiClc foJtl = HAY
with room to spare-holdng ground
hat is simply perfect, with depth OF
water varying from 10 to 40 fathoms,
protected on every side from any winds
that blow, IA ship might swing at her
! nchor here. defying the elements from
i enc years end to another.
Peal is the only island that is in
'lahted. From our anchorage, on three
sides, could be seen beaches of greater
II less extent, few rods back the
dwelling of the owner of the land that
spread out toward the foot hills. The
eanana trees loaded With fruit, the
onion patches. sweet potatoes, vans,
pumpkins, melons and sugar cane
Srcwing in profusion, here and there
an attempt at raising tobacco, while
pigs, goats and fowl were free to roam
mong the growing crops, and seemed
! 70 understand that it was their duty to
let everything alone.
The upland is heavily tmbered, the
growth diminishing in size as you
climb the mountains, until trees be-
come shrubs and shrubs give way to
barren lodges, Il thousand feet above
the level of the sea. Dark cavernous
! .,ulches down which the mountain
torrents flow, worn into ungainly shapes
| 10y the ever running water, topping
| boulders ready to leap from the hill
| side into the valley beneath at the first
trembling of the earth, frowning cliffs
| reEt in twain by some CONFUSION of
| nature, huge trees overhanging the
| bare, brown bluffs, are something Of
! what one sees in half an hours walk
| inland on this largest of the Archbishop
| Islands, or. as they are better known
among seafaring men. BONN islands,
| In 1880 one Englishman, one Italian,
! one Dane two Americans and Is Sand
eich islanders, ten of the latter being
women. settled on this island for good
| BY some mutual understanding the
| different beaches, with the land back
Of them. varying in extent from one
half an acre to 20 acres, was allotted,
according to the necessities and abil-
lities of the settler, and all turned to,
to make existence worth their while.
That this lot of people were hiding
| themselves from the world may be easily
| believed and l have it from good
authority, that the leading spirits of
| this colony We're fugitives from justice,
some of them being guilty of treason,
| murder and lesser crimes. The banana
was brought from the Ladrone islands,
at once fiourshed, reaching a perfec-
| ton seldom equaled, and today is the
principal article of food. This fruit
may be found in all stages of growth
| for the whole twelve months of the
year. and is partaken of dozen times
a day, or as often as necessary to keep
the craving stomach under control.
| or in ln