The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-09

very pleasing and refreshing appearance
TO the eye after the continual sameness
week after week of the ocean. 1t is quite
destitute of trees, but clothed with Vege-
tation from the beach to the very summit
OF the highest hills, which are 1000 feet
high. Seen from the southeast it has the
appearance of two islands, but, on a near
er approach, the two hiilocks at the nortn-
east END are very conspicuous, and, as
you approach, you see what looks like
an open bay or passage, but, as you make
inshore, you can see 1t is just the low
lands between two extinct volcanoes
The crater, with a deep chasm in its
northeast face, mentioned by Admiral
Beechey, is strongly defined and an ex-
cellent landmark, At the south point are
main island having the appearance of a
large fore-and-aft vessel under sail, stand
ing south and lying over to the breeze,
The other is fiat and low.
THE king is an unusually fine specimen
OF humanity for the South seas He is
We'll built man, standing about FIVE feet
ten inches or five feet eleven inches; has
strong and intelligent face; speaks quite
little English and, most remarkable of
all Tor an islander, plays the piano. The
way in which he executed the washing
ton POST march was wonderful. He in
formed me that he had spent a year in
the catholic mission school at Honolulu
diawallan Islands. He was dressed in
a complete uniform of past captain of
the Chdlean navy, which was given him
Dy one or the captains on his annual visit
70 the island. The population of the is
land numbers about $50 or 400 and they
are nearly all fair specimens of the Poly
mes msslan race. and rather good looking.
Inelr religion is nominally the Roman
Catholic, priest coming from Valparaiso
generally with the companys ship some
times staying over trip and the neat
little church abreast of the ANCHORAGE is
a very pleasant feature of the landscape.
Inc crosses in the little cemtery, on the
caurch' ana very large one on the top
on one OF the extinct craters, seems to
Drlng one within the circle of civilization.
we stood of the island four or five hours
We Will ne, the boat went ashore and brought
OF some live stock l had traded for
The crew did a brisk trade with the
natives for sweet potatoes, bananas. eggs
and fowls, the articles in demand for
oarT pelhg soap, tobacco and matches,
cloth was in great demand. and calico
was literally worth its weight in silver
Unfortunately. there was not much aboard
t tnS snip we could spare but all the soap,
TOBACCO ana matches we could spare the
natives got. | was much pleased with the
pehaVlor or the natives, as although they
wanted all they could get yet SOAP seemed
to be their first and LAST want. and the
few natives who succeeded in Obtaining
soap seemed to be particularly happy
and, much as clothing and tobacco seemed
70 pc priced, yet soap seemed, judging
by their actions, to be considered the cap
ital prize. All the natives, the king ex-
copied brought off to the ship some ar
ticle to give us in exchange for our Eli
ropean goods. Some brought eggs and
sweet potatoes, others fowls and fruit
W ME the Flg-OuJ OF most OF the natives
was curious and very nondescript, yet
they were all remarkably clean, decent
and well behaved
only a very few wore complete suits of
clothing, the great majority being consid
cred fully dressed if they had on a single
garment The kings personal staff, how
ever were supplied with full suits. though
OF a very mixed nature, from broadcloth
TO Jute bagging. 1t looked very cornical
to see his majesty's secretary of state
trying to sustain the dignity of his office
0elaDiQ1tcQ do
IRON sacking, topped off with a dress
coat that, in days long past and gone,
had probably encased the form of some
dandy at some swell affair in Europe or
America. The contrast between the coat
and trousers made the man look ludicrous
Uniforms with lots of gold braid and brass
buttons are greatly in demand, and il is
safe to say, from the king down. that
there is not man on the island but what
would mortgage his house and his wife
to possess one.
II tried to get a photograph of a group
of the common natives, but / could not
get them TO keep still for an instant. They
seemed to nave general idea Of what
wanted of them when / showed them a
photo, and they were regular dandies in
their way, smoothing their hair and try
ing to straighten their curious mixed toys
but keep still they could not. The king
and his group, however, stood still long
enough for me TO set a good picture of
them.
The king is well liked by his people.
they saying: He is very good king His
majesty informed me that there were
about 375 or 400 natives on the island. The
Europeans consisted of an Englishman
and a Frechma3., who had cast their lot
with them and seemed to be particularly
well pleased with their lot, judging from
their contented appearance. Neither the
Chilean governor nor the lessees' agent
speak English but the Englisman is a
general interpreter for ALL
There are something like $4,000 sheep
5000 cattle and 200 horses on the island
The ones We received from the king.
though small, were in fine condition, the
sheep weighing about sixty pounds each
the cattle ranging from $50 to 600 pounds
American whaler occasionally and q
Chilean government ship about once a
year, with a vessel once a year to take
the track of ships bound from Cape Horn
10 Sal he .,a,.