The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-04-02
FOR AN Ell DORADO
Another Expedition to
Leave the Coast.
Mermaid Fitting Out to Start
About May 1st For
South Sea.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20.-An
other band of colenists will tempt
fortune in the South Sea Islands after
the style of the Brotherhood of the
South Seas that left in the Percy Ed
wards. The new expedition is headed
by no less a parsonage than the noted
Capt. Alexander Mclean, who will
command the vessel which will take
the colonists to the South Seas.
: Mclean has not been able to find
any daring and risky operation to
busy his mind recently, and an adven
turous trip to the South Seas will just
suit him. The man who will guide the
colonists to an island where peace and
prosperity are to be found is Captain
Quinton. He has commanded four diff
ferent vessels running to the South
Sea Islands both from this city and
sydney He has been all through the
various groups and speaks the Ian
guage of the natives.
The promoters of the new scheme
are not as secretive as the Brother
hood leaders were, and talk plainly of
their venture as a business proposition.
Captain Mclean, Captain Quinton and
some others have bought the whaling
bark Mermaid, now laid up in Oakland
Greek, and will bring her over to this
city in two weeks to fit up for the trip.
The proposition is TO take 80 colonists
down to one of the Solomon Islands in
tho ha RI Norm y i'll ", n q hnr1t Nov LET
A little after that a good cruising
schooner will be purchased and an
other band of colonists will go down to
the islands in her. The cOlonists will
develop the island they select, and the
schooner will be kept there for trading
purposes, while the bark will ply be-
tween the colony and this port.
The bark Mermaid is an old vessel,
but her timbers are strong and we'll
preserved All evidences of her hav-
ing been a whaler will be destroyed.
Already most of the whaling tackle
has been taken off the vessel. Between
decks will be fitted up for passengers,
and the bark will take nothing but
colonists and supplies. The promoters
of the scheme have had an advertise
ment in the papers for a day or two.
and there has been rush of applicants
already to A. S. Lowndes' office, at sos
Battery street.
Captain Quinton is full of enthusi-
asm about the project. He says that
the Solomon Islands are very rich, and
only want to be developed. He has no
fear of the cannibals. as some islands
have very few inhabitants, and they
live along the shore without ever pene
trating into the interior. Captain
Quinton is posted on the resources of
the islands. and gives glowing ac
counts of the prospects. The islands
are rich in valuable woods and fruits.
Wild goats and hogs roam about wait
ing to be hunted by enthusiastic sports
men. Flocks Of pigeons darken the
sky. and the waters TEEN with fish. He
says that there are pearl fisheries
about the waters, and that on one of
the islands there is a copper mine.
As for the cannibals, Captain Quin
toms own words on the subject are:
There is no particular fear of the
cannibals. I have eaten with them.
They live on wild pigs. game and fish,
except when there is battle, and then
those slain are eaten just as if they
were pigs or goats. Because they are
cannibals does not indicate that they
are going TO kill you in order to eat
you. Where we are going, however,
there are very few natives. and they
are not troublesome. We would out
number them and they would fear u.s."