The San Francisco call., 1897-07-31
Collapse of the Expedi-
ton to the ManIess
Eden.
Split Up by Dissensions and
Scattered in Little Groups
Everywhere.
Humorous Letter of a San DIegan
Who Is Stranded on the Fill
Islands.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, July 30.-An inter-
esting letter was received in this city to-
night from George Schiebl formerly q
compositor on the Sun, who left here some
months ago to join the cooperative expe-
dition to colonize the alleged manless
Eden Island in the South Seas. The island
was said to be inhabited solely by savage
women whose great desire was to secure
for themselves: civilized husbands. The
1etter tells in g1aphic style how the expe-
.dition succeeded. or rather failed to sue
tceed. SchJeble:writes under date of June
9, iron. ViriaY Fl il Islands. He says:
Friend Nei1berrv:- This is quite. different
place andttar tanner titan the solomon Islands,
10 which the United Brotherhood of the South
Sea Islands. bad Intended going. However.
am we'll satisfied. l: have been in many
fool ventures, but this beats them all. l have
enjoyed il hugely. 1t is The greatest farce,
ever heard Of. GAIA 1t the erowning joke of
the nineteenth century. Ii ever we should
meet, why then, indeed, well smile.
cannot tell youin this letter all about the
Bable ofiCQnientlon, fights, schemes, chques,
csc, that*caused the party to split up, the
queer. characters on boaEd-that Twill reserve
for some future time. The Percy Edwards
sailed for Auckland, New Zealand, ten days
ago with about. sixty meu. Seven teen are at
-t9is plsoe and twen{y-three left Suva for an
island about 700 miles distant in small
5 oop with tneiF share. Of the provisions, etc;
on hoard but word has been received that the
boat ran OF reef near LeVukA and every
thing lost they barely escaping with their
lives. =.
A Amsn-of-wsr, the Lizard, escorted the Percy
Edwards on her way 10 New Zealand, so that
the ca aptain:cGnnor.6 be forced 10 take the sixty
men TO theSoiC mons, there was some tai
. Of d l2EtynX.end cnaHgeot course "nen once
outside the port, The iunny part OF 1t is that
the authorities and people were scared, anu no
wonder News paper reports OF the most eX-
aggerated kind preceded US, telling of the
large nuantftges Of guns and ammunition on
beard the desperate character OF The passen-
gers cutthrCats, renegAdes and escaped con-
yictS rom ali parts OF she Unlted states, but
suCh W6s not the case,
Ne struck terror 10 the bold Briious' hearts
and sewers. men-Ol-wGr had to be dispatched
to Suva 10 allsy their fears. Two orders IN
enye inpes about half an arms length were
received from the captain OF the war vessel.
One was warning US not toIand on the Solo
mon Islands and he other was q demand for
the immediate payment OF note due more
than two years hence to one Smythe by the
brotherhood. The seventeen at this place
intended leasing land and growing bananas.
. Mr.. Berkeley brought US here IN sterl-wheel
steamer about three weeks ago, promising to
= bring horses, pioWS, etc, a te days later, but
he hasnot yet shown up. We are now split
again. seven OF US having demanded our pro
ra ia share, SO each OF US nave small packages
of beans, peas, rice, -four, small mirrors,
calico, red bandanas, harmonicas, butcher
knives, hatchets, etc.
. :This.place is about fifty miles from Suva up
the Rewa River. We are camPed in aban-
doned sugar:mill about the size OF Hazards
Pavilion. open and buiItofiron. 1t is situated
about sevenry-hve taet above the rivers sur
lace on rise of gSouud. ana com nmanGs a
splendid view. on the opposite side rise nigh
bluffs, covered with dense grow III OF ferns
and palms, while in the background, about
thirty. or forty. miles distant, rugged and
Jagged noun tains, similar to the Olym pics,
span the hofizQn. The river Will compare
with the Sacramen to in width, but probably
not in volume of water. 1t is clear, cool ana
deep ard smooth and placid as noun ain
lake al times. Sugar cane in plenty IS close
by, and succulent, sweet and juicy it is.
When we are not cheWl ng cane we go Doalng
in q Fiiian canoe, or have swing, which l
have suspended from the rafters Of the mill
Oh, '.tthe sOns-of rest" as THE CALL called
US are having a good time You ought to
hear my honeric laughter, as you term it,:fill
the huge building and re-echo from the bluffs
oppQsiIe. The natives are OF splendid phys
ique. :TheT are not as. ofack as a negro, but
their features some what resem bic those of
black IN an. Their hair Is tAlck and bushy,
about four inehes long, and IS combed out IN
taompadour sty le from ALI sides of the head.
A sul1I: about tour yards OF calico, tied about
MS leips com pleIes his costume. The women
yiresssin5farly. Their limbs and busts are of
classfc:mold. but the face is sadly lacking in
beautyis tamTG.
ranges Between. 70 and 80. 1t rafus good
deal. freouen showers falling every day-100
inches having / am told fallen last month.
This. yoIi know, is. winter, lying 19 degrees
south of the equatoi II the summer is as
easant it is all ideal climate. Haven't had
a cold, and am feeling as well as. ever in my
life What I will eventually do it is hard to
say lust now. Provisions. on hand will prob
ably last four: to six months. and when they
are consumed it. wilt then be time to look
about ior means to get back to the States,
monthly inc Of. steamers from Australia to
Vancouver. B: c., stopping at SuVa.
The MOSQUITOES and flies are trou blesome, but
we are all prenared, as'we had plenty Of net
ting and cheesecloth with US, l am Sleeping
in a hammock party coyereu with canvas ana
netting we were actually out forty five Gays
from San francisco. We gain day alter
crossing the. one hundred and eightieIh de-
gree The passage was smooth with the
ceotion OF d weeks run from Honolulu to
Tanning Island. A strong south. wind and
heavy seas shook the old tub up considerably
and she leaked badly, so it was decided 10
.rtn into the harbor at Tanning Island, bout
prfri yyay between here and Hon olplu. After
beating about there for about TWO days and
half waiting for a favorable wind TO enter, 1t
was finally. given up and Levuka was reached,
after considerable calm weather and nght
winds.
While the brig was never actually becalmed,
sii!l there were times when not more than
three miles were run in tour hours, and at
such times the more adven turous induiged In
q swim in midoceHn, some diving from the
rails and bowsprit and others clinging to ropes
and ladders fastened TO the bow, their bodies
dragging on the surface OF the wafer by the
slow motion OF the boat making scarce dis
70 rn tI1la rinrIe Yours. GEORGE SCHEIBLE.