Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-09-29
FROM TIE SOUTH SEAS.
Rsturn Of 1wi SAT- LAX BOYS aud
something Of TN society
Islands.

sen returned on Saturday from the
Boeleiy Islands, portion oil the earth
locate 4 90 remotely from us, that very
little ls known OF Il. Tneso Elders,
together with ak Others, left this city
Tor the scene OF miss ionary labofn
FEB. rs, 1898, and consequently they
have been absent for a period OF threo
years ana seven mon,hs, during VIII ich
time they report having had a time Of
rejoicing among the natives OF the far.
~ south sea..
On leaving this city they went by
rail- 10 San Ffaneisco. thence by sail.
ing vessel 10 Tahiti, where they te.
malned for several days. rahiti no.
longs to tho Society Islands group, and
IL an Island separate aud apart from
the Others. Ith OF volcaaic formation
aud agriculture IL carried on 20 quite
an extent Nearly all the tropical
frults are raised there and the natives
make their living by trading with the
Europesnt. On this island the natives
have adopted largely the customs OF
Tue Eufopesbs, and they are rapidly
gaining ground In the scale OF civillEs.
ton.
After q short stay on tho islaui Of
Tahiti, Elders Woodbury. and Laften
were assigned TO their respective fields
Of labor ~ Missionaries, tue former
going 10 the upper conference OF
The Lower Archipelago or TuAmolu
group, while the latter commenced his
InboIa among the natives Of tho lower
Tuamotu conference. Here the Ei.
deIs were confronted with arrange
conditions, being adrit upon n foreign
shore, surrounded by temi-civilized
people, whose cusioms were 70 vastly
different from thoie OF their own aud
whose language 10 them was some.
thing with which they were wholly
unacquhintod. Nothing dauntsd,
however, they commenced their Ia.
bors trusting In tho bolp VI the Lord
and In few montha they were able
10 converse with tho people almost a.
intelligently 10 the natives did with
ope another. Daring their stay upon
the Islands the Elders baptized mum.
eroua souls AZ members OF the
Church, established sunday schools
aud taught the natives 90 revere ami
honor the nAmo OF the Deity and 10
abide by His commandments. They
also taught them the necessity Of living
moral lives aud did everything that
could 10 done TO help them along In
the scale Of intelligence and civlliEa.
tion.
There are now In the Society Isiands
mission about 1000 members OF the
Church, aud several branches have
been organized In which regular
ntellngs anu conferences are held
from time g. time. For some time the
French governmont-undef whose
control the islanus aTe--Teiuaed 10 allow
tho Mormon Elders TO preach among
the people but alter awhile through
the ofioits OF the Eldefs there, ana the
general authofitits OF tho Church, the
government was prevailed upon TO al.
low the missionaries to 10 on with their
work iu travelling among ;ho natlvel,
preaching the Gospel.
Tue natives Of tho Society Islands
ntp naturally very hospilAble, and
while they haven't much 10 do with,
they shate that which they have with
thoss who travel among them. Their
only occupation IL that OF diving Tor
pearl oysters, anu aking cobra from
The cocoanui, the latter being the only
fruit found on the Tuamotu group.
Cobra 10 dried and finely chopped CO.
coanui, which, together with
the pontl oytterp, they trade
with the Europeans for other
kinds OF food and sufficient
clothing with which TO cover their
nuueneir. The Society Islanders arc
expert divers, anu In gathering the
Jearl oysters, some OF them have been
known 10 remain under the water for
little over three minute. They dive
all tue way from 100 10 1875 ieel In
dep.b.
'ihs Society Islands group embraces
quite n number Of Islands ana IL made
up Of two divisions. Tahiti ana the
Austrnl islands, both u which are OF
volcanic formation, form one division,
while the luamotu group makes up
the other dlylsien. 1he latter group
ut Islands Ia of coral formation hnd
consequently agriculture thereon IL an
inpossibility, The cocoanut, however,
II said TO thrive and noufisn better on
these Islands than elsewhere, the
product Of tue ruAmotu islands being
EASILY diAlinRu ished from that OF the
other iales by lie sweet favor. Thu
only Animals on tho Tusmotu group
arc the pix, tho dog aud the cat.
The Islands ore of an oblong shape
and vary rom 10 10 100 miles in lenglb.
In tho Q inter- Vt each Ia u lagoon, into
which the natives Give Tor pearls aud
pearl oysters. The Elders In travelling
from one island to another, do 80 by
means Of small boais, some OF which
are go small that pto plo not acquainted
with sailing IN them would shuddst At
the thoughts OF attempting navigAtio
by means OF such insig uincant affairs.
Thu natives, however, are always on
hand b render assistance 10 those who
feel rather diiiident In making the
voyage IN them. One feature on the
islGnus which beet mss somewhat dls.
tasteful 10 ths foreigner, 10 the poor
mail oefvice, ss II IL said 10 DO no un.
common thing 10 receive mail some
ten OF eleven months alter the date
up which II was written.
Eidefs Woodbury. anu Larsen re-
turn hume Ia splendid health, mono
the w0rsu Tor their experiences in the
South seAs. They have enjoyed their
lab0Is exceedingly ana leel that G0l's
blessing has been Win them while
nwty. There arc now on the islsnds
seven Elders, all Of whom are IN good
health ana energetic In their LAHORE.
Elder Cutler VINO has presided over
the mlssi.n Tor some time ~ expected
10 return home as Goon Ms bis successor
arrives IN the neld.