The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-11-12
Captain Of Sophia Sutherland Is
| Under Cover.
WAS ONCE A SLAVE TRADER.
Another Expedition Ex-Consul
General Churchilrs Interest
ing Story-In Solomons.

Not many weeks ago the San Fran
cisco papers came out with a great
yarn about the sailing of the schooner
Sophia Sutherland for the Solomon
Islands with gang of very warlike
and determined men after the gold that
someone said was simply lying about
to be gathered up in baskets. The
reports went on to say that the men
were ready for any kind of an emer-
gency and, in case of trouble with the
warlike and savage natives on the Solo
mon Islands, they would simply ami
hilate them.
A story brought up on the Mariposa
by Mr. Churchill, ex-American Consul
at Apia, Samoa, and told to reporter
of this paper, puts very different
light on the subject and, instead of
there being aboard the Sophia Suther-
land, a gang of fortune hunters hum
dred strong, there are or rather were,
only sixteen poor deluded San Fran
cisco young men who listened to the
fairy tales of a smooth-tongued adven-
turer and who are now very probably
seeking to get back home again. The
story told by Mr.. Churchill is as fol-
lows:
"The Sophia Sutherland arrived in
Apia, Samoa, where l was stationed as
American Consul, about two days be-
fore the departure of the Alameda on
her last trip north. The Customs auth
critics were looking for her and went
out Immediately. We arrived aboard
at the same time, being very anx-
ious to find out all about the firearms
reported to have been slowed away on
departure from the Coast. If there is
anything we hate down in Samoa, it is
firearms. You know why.
Instead of hundred men armed to
the teeth, we found only sixteen of the
most inoffensive looking young fell
lows. They were regular greenies
whom / took at once to be the dupes of
some sharp adventurer, suspicion
that I very soon found to be correct
Instead of remonstrance we found the
greatest willingness when told that
they would have to submit to the regu-
lations of the place which required
that all the arms be taken ashore and
put in bond in the Custom House. Up
on going below, what was our surprise
to find only eleven rifles, shotguns and
revolvers, not even enough to GO
around. The men were the meekest
beings 1 ever have had any dealings
with.
"They said that they had formed a
company to go to the Solomon Islands
and had dubbed themselves the South
Sea Commercial Company of San Fran
cisco with Captain Mclean, an old
salt, in command. A man called Green
wood was the mineral expert, another
Gingg, the secretary and treasurer and
Sorensen, Dane, the Trading Master
looked at all of them and found them
all strangers to me except the Dane
SOrensen I knew / had seen that face
somewhere and / felt pretty sure il
was when I was travelling among the
islands of the Western Pacific. / tried
my best to place him but finally gave
up the job.
"I talked with Sorensen for quite &
while and soon had him telling me al
about the islands down there. I soor
| found that he did not know mucl
about them but was only making bi,
talk 1t was not long before though
I would tell him what had seen. Thel
it was that Sorensen began to tall
about the weather and other subject
very remote from the one we had jus
been handling.
81 went ashore but for the life o
me, l could not cease thinking abou
the Dane. I knew he was a rascal Q
some kind. Finally l spoke to one Q
my friends about the vessel that ha
just arrived and, during the course G
our conversation, he asked me If
knew the man Sorensen. / told him
had run across him somewhere, bu
could not place him. DO you not re
member the schooner Albert? aske
my friend. That gave me the key
the situation. T recalled the man an
this is his history as I remember i
stIn the early sos, Sorensen. who
an expert pearl diver. arrived in Me
bourne and began to tell about tn
wonderful pearl beds in the Solomo
Islands All needed was little cap
tai His smooth address soon wo
over some Of the good people of Me
bourne who purchased the schoont
Albert. a very trim little vessel. an
fitted Sorensen out with a full divir
outfit competent captain and
good crew were put aboard and II
Albert started away one bright mOrl
, ing bound for the Solomon Island
When the vessel had gotten near OF
of the islands, the pearl diver deve