The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-13
|DOB BICYCLE TRACK MNAO AGENT SAYS ADVERTISE COLONY OF NMNN D
ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS SAIL FOR
THE SOUTH SEAS.
The Brig Percy Edwards Expected at
Honolulu Next Week-She Is on Her
Way to the Fiji Group.

Honolulu is to receive visit in the
near future from the United States
Brotherhood of the South Sea Islands,
the federation of adventurous spirits
which recently purchased the brig
Percy Edwards and fitted her out Tor
a cruise in the South Seas, in search
of a suitable place to establish model
colony. The Edwards sailed from San
Francisco on February Goth. and, with
fair weather, ought to reach Honolulu
by the middle of next week.
The brig is commanded by Capt.
Peterson, an experienced navigator,
and has on board ninety-nine vigorous
men, the majority under 80 years of
age, and all under 50. There are
scarcely enough sailors aboard to
handle the vessel, but OF stout hearts
and willing hands there are Il plenty.
The San Francisco Chronicle says of
the enterprise:
"The plan of the company has
changed from the scheme of the orig
inator, a clever promoter named Rein
hardt. One day, reading an article in
newspaper about manless isle in
the southern seas Reinhardt and c.
w. Opdycke suggested an expedition
to the place. Reinhardt hired a room
on Mission street and gave out word
that he was forming an expedition of
men to become husbands to these
dusky queens of the tropics. He knew
nothing of the Pacific isles, but he had
large imagination and a glib tongue.
First he used only his Imagination,
then he procured map and finally OBJ
tanned a book describing voyage
among the islands. He relieved his
overworked Imagination by reading
from the book to those who asked for
information about the expedition.
| When about fifteen men had gathered
around Reinhardt and Opdycke they
| murmured at Reinhardt's dictation
and with such effect that afterward
his contral waned until it was lost al
together. Opdycke is poor and could
not gather the money to pay his
share, hence he is not one of the nine
| ty-nine on the brig. Reinhardt is On
board the Percy Edwards, but not III
authority. And the destination of the
vessel is not one of the manless isles
of the sea.
atwood says that the arrange
ments for the expedition were made
with order and decorum. The ar5irlrs
of incorporation were drawn with
care. Applicants for stock were invest
| igated by committe to the end that
the lazy, the drunken and the dissolute
should be excluded. Many applications
stock paid $52, some $50, some $50 and
some paid 500. OF the total sum col
lected So, 100 was paid for the brig
Percy Edwards and 1900 was the cost
of fitting her for sea. The cost of edi-
bles for the voyage was $1,000. For
5000 were purchased calico, snowy Jew
elry and trinkets, for use in trading
among the island people. The remand
er, with the exception of 5000, was
spent for agricultural implements,
seeds. sewing machines, guns and am
munition, for use of the colonists
when they shall have found Il new
home. The 5000 is the cash capital OF
the corporation still in the treasury.
Several of the adventurers took mus
ical instruments, violins, banJoes and
guitars.
"The destination is Leouka, one of
the Fiji group, via Honolulu and Suva
The company bears letter from hex
Brittanc majesty's Consul General
here to The British Governor of the
islands. The information given the
adyenturers to Leouka is that the
island is about the size Of Maryland
with wooded mountains rich in min
erals and plains of fertile soil. True il
is that only two men of the ninety
nine have ever been in the islands o.
the Pacific, but if the information is
meager the hope is great.
atwood says that no attempu tC
take forcible possession of any land
will be made. The company vii! trea
with the proper authorities AID pa
the natives for the land. The native
population of Leouka is sparse, accord
ing to the two travelled men OF tn,
ninety-nine, and there is no praporder
ance of women"