The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-16
A QUEER EXPEDITION.

wards, with it's one hundred active
men, each of whom has paid hundred
dollars for leave to join the eXpedi-
one. According to the accounts given,
ton, is certainly an extraordinary
Capt. Peterson, the head and organizer
of the expedition, is first going to the
island Levouka, in the FIJI group,
which he claims is very fertile and
sparsely populated. Now there is no
such island in the FIJI group, as the
Directory for the Navigation of the
South Pacific, on consultation, shews.
There is an island of the name among
the Tonga islands. 1t is a very low
coral island and by no means very fer
tile The water supply is execrable.
The island is seven miles long and not
above two or three broad. The high
est elevation is 40 feet. 1t is the Ton
gan seat of government and by no
means sparsely inhabited. Then there
is the town of Levulla in the Fijis. But
it is a town, not an island. Whether
it is the mythical and non-eXistant Lee
foul<a, of the FIJI group, or the Lee
fouka coral islet of the Tonga islands
or the town of Levuka it is pretty hard
to understand.
Again FIJI is a British Crown col
ony, and should there be islands in
the group to colonize, it would have to
be done by negotiation and purchase
from the present owners through the
Governor, the Council and the Land
Commissioner, for they have, as in all
British Colonies, very stringent land
law. You can't walk in and squat"
now as you used to be able in Austria
liza in the first two decades of the pres
ent century.
According to their monetary state
ment these one hundred adventures
have expended $1,000 out of the $4,000
collected. This leaves them $4,000 to
buy land and stock it with the neces-
The sum would be ample for two or
even four men, but for one hundred
men it is ridiculous.
But they have, or Capt. Peterson
has, another scheme. 1t is to go down
TO the Solomon islands. This is by far
the most likely, and hence the arms
carried by the party.
There are countless stories floating
about the Islands of the South
Pacific and retailed among the docks
and wharves of San Francisco of ships
having been wrecked upon out of the
way islands. These ships are always
full of treasure and the old salt who
tells the tale is the last survivor who
has any knowledge of the locality. A
story very similar to this was told The
Star some months ago, and the party
telling it would promise fortune to
anyone who would supply the means
for the expedition Such a scheme is
one to easily attract adventurous
youth.
To attempt to COLOMBO any part of
the Solomon group, with out a small
army to protect the colonists during
their hours of labor and of rest would
be simply to court the massacre of the
whole party. Mendana tried it with
a large force of trained soldiers, a
number of farmers and laborers, three
fine ships and ample tools, agricultural
implements and provisions. He failed
completely and no one has ever tried
it since.
The Solomon Islands have been the
scene of countless massacres of both
ship and boats crews, including those
of men of war, and many gallant Off
GERS and bluejackets of various nations
have fallen under the spears of the
treacherous natives.
Whatever becomes Of this expedition
will be interesting to learn. There
must be strong inducement offered
TO have men, many of whom expressed
themselves as i'll off, to raise the nee
essary 500 to enable them to join the
expedition, and then to raise further
for kit arms and ammunition.