The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-05
WOMAN'S ISLAND IS FOUND,
AMAZONIAN SETTLEMENT IN jolly
JAPAN.
Farmers aud oarswomen - TAese
strange Women Are Quite Aha.
TO Defend Their Island Ax.,..,
Aggressors, bat They Like riuerx

MY attention was first drawn 10 .h.I
subject or modern Amaxons by means ~
a japanese picture book. writes paws.s
Aresear IN the Christchurch. New Zaa.
and Press. IL had been exposed for sal.
IN native shop at Tokyo. and attrac;esE
the attention OF Il visitor, who broursts
the curiosity 10 me simply as a specina.s
OF artistic work. The book consisted ~ =
series OF pictures deIinea.ing the advs,.I
lures OF the crew OF a shipwrecked yessel
me boat containing the suryivais arrived
on the shores of an island tenant.d onlyI
py women The artist had depicted witsI
harharic fidelity 20 nature and with Sr,m
hunfor. how the attentions OF the nun,srI
GUS Tair ones became embarrassing 10 tia
s'naH party or visitors. until at last thu
sailors had TO fly TO their boat and escan.l
TO the dangers OF the deep rather than enI
cure the overwhelming attentions OF hoss.
esses too fair and kind. The book and i,sI
subject would have passed from my menu
DRY as mere pleasantly had | NOT socr
after found what one may call the 'let,exl
press OF the illustrations. circulating a..
legend in the Friendly islands 4 e,rl
cumsiance so remarkable as this coinci.l
dence OF ideas in peoples so far removed
both in point Of distance and OF race asl
the Tongans and the japanese could MOI,
fail 10 strike one deeply interested in The
The Tongan legend was heard by Mar
liner at the beginning OF the century. lonrs
before any white coionists resided IN Tho
Friendly islands. and although / have not
been able 70 get the story direct from Fiji
or Samoa, / have not the slightest douhs
that voyagers SO hardy as japanese and
Poiyneeians are famous for having beer
In past centuries. must have had some
foundation In fact on which TO build sa
"A "a AZ Hon, ha.x.
In the relation OF tho celebrated missions
airy. DR.. James Chalmers, OF New GuineaI
Here Is the modern account OF the Wo-l
mans island:
''At Port Moresby I had heard OF a wol
mans land land where only women
perfect Amazons-- lived and ruled These
ladies were reported 10 be excellent filserl
of the soil, splendid canoeists In sailing OF
padding, and quite able to hold their own
against the attacks OF the sterner SEX
who sometimes tried TO invade their counI
try.
ITO find SO interesting a community was
OF great moment AS no part OF the coast
from the East cape TO Port Moreshy would
Dc left unvisited by US. We We're certain
10 come across the Amazonian settlement
We heard that Mailiukolo CToulonl canoes
with women were more numerous. and
some very large ones with women alonel
In the early morning we were of the
islands and soon ready TO land. On cross
ing the reef, We met two canoes, one with
men and one with women. We signed I'd
them TO 30 TO the vessel. while we pulled
up 10 the large village on the north sideI
AS the boat touched the fine, hard. SAM
dy beach, a man. the only being In sight
ran down and stood in front. ] went for, ,
ward 10 spring ashore, but he said must
not. Finding he knew the Dauna! dialecti
| said 10 him | must land; that l was
friend. and gave him my name. which nj +,
already knew from tie east. | gave him
a strip OF red cloth and stepped ashore
when he ran away into the bush,
AT our first approach | could only seq.
this one man. but now | saw hundreds OF
grass petticoats on women standing undei
the houses. | could not see the uppef
parts OF their bodies, only the petticoatt>
and feet. They were indeed quiet until ~
advanced nearer. when one wild scream
was given that would try stronger nervet
than mine, and signs 10 keep away. Ii re- :
CURED more inquistiveness than ] poet \
sessed TO proceed. retired a few paced
warning the boats crew to keep = good
lookout. and especially from the bush END
OF tho village. where the man ran to- IL
invited the dusky damsels to come TO mel :
IL they objected TO my visiting them; but
no. must return whence ! came; they
had seen me. that was enough. No MI
friends, we must noet, ana you VIII hase :
some presents /
81 held up my beads and red CLOTH but
strange 10 say they seemed 20 have ne
effect on that strange crowd. / never saH :
50 many women together How were w I
10 meet? was the question, 10 be balked
by them would never do. | threw on tht
beach piece Of red cloth and a few beads
walked away quite careesaly and appaft Y
entity not noticing what was taking place,
h. ND az
turns eyes fixed on me- advances. stops :
crosses her hands pressing her breast
Poor thing net courage enough; 80. light -
ning speed back. II Is evident the old lal y
dies object 10 the younger ones attempt
ing and they are themselves too friEhH
erred. Another young damsei. about Y
10 years old. comes out. runs, haits, walh
eat-iike, lest the touch OF her feet on IN
sand should waken mo from my reveri1
another halt holds her chest. lest IN
spirit should take it's flight. or the patter .
ing heart Jump right out. fear II VS.
beyond the slight patter then. and hm
reached the stentorian thump OF serious
times On: rush: well done! She psc9
cloth and beads up. l.
Il have gained my point and viii soos1,
have the crowds-~no need to walt 80 lonJ
10 have the bats picked up now. and az
ter a few more such temptings. II Ii dohs
I am heSeged by the noisiest crowd haY
ever met. and am truly glad 10 escape q =
board the boat. We went 10 the vess9
and brought her around to the west sids
where we anchored, ard | again lands4
Crowds met me on the beach. but no mc1,,
I gave my beads unfortunately. ar
soon there was a quarrel between the of
ladies' and the young ones. The at'JI
were ordered of. and because they wouNW
not go I must go. The old ladies' inslstet
on my getting into the boat. and oesM
now assisted by the few men wa met Ia
the canoe. I thought u better TO compN
Long after we leHt the beach we hear
those old cracked. grabbed voices anaths, - :.
rnatlzlne the younger members of cha
community. -.
II am fully convinced that this II sH =
wonans island. and can easily ACCOM-
for its being 80 BY stray canoes from sn
westward" u
Compositions. -