The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-11-24
OF THE
SCHOONER LAUREL
ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH PA
HERE LAST MARCH.

South Pacific, arrived at Suva, Fiji, |
October 49, after a cruise filled with
many incidents of interest. The Lau-
rel is owned by Frank Burnett, and his
party includes himself, his wife and
daughter and Messrs Wigham, Coate |
and Cook. From this port the Laurel
went to Tanning Island. Her cruise |
thence is thus recounted in the West |
ern Pacific Herald of Suva.
From flaming Island sailed to RAJ
hahanga to pick up Mrs. Greig and
Messrs. ]. and d. Greig. The two lat
ter had, however, left for Christmas
Island.
THE schooner then went to Manahi- |
Xxi and Penryhn, and thence to Christ
mas Island to pick up the Greigs. They
had however left the day before the
Laurel arrived. Christmas Island is
about fifty miles in circumference, but
suffers from having practically no
rainfall The Pacific Island Co. has
been for years past spending $1,000 per
annum IL the endeavor to grow cocoa
nuts en- the island, but the result has
been a great failure. There is a coral
reef round the island, and but for the
want OF water would be fine proper
ty. 1t has been reported lately that
pearl shell has been found there; if So
| the find will prove a valuable asset.
1T was reported that the last of al
|
| Christmas Island about five years ago,
and there is a standing reward of el00
| offered by a London professor for it's
| capture. The Greig Brothers spent
three Gays in the search, but as the
! difficulty of travelling was so great, ow-
ing to having to carry water and pro-
Visions they gave up the search
From Christmas Island the party
proceeded to Tanning Island, and
! thence to Washington. Washington is
one of the finest islands in the Pacific.
| There IS a large fresh waterlake in the
! center--probably the crater of an ex-
| tinct volcano. Tropical fruit of every
kind grows luXuriantly and although
| 1t is only 90 miles from Tanning Island
| there is great difference in the Vege-
tation.
1t was decided that the next point
to call at would be Tart tart, the north
| ernmOst island of the Gilbert group.
One hundred and seventy miles had
been covered, when against all prece-
dents the schooner struck a current
running to the eastward a a speed of
10 knots a day. Gains also prevailed.
The consequence was that a month lat
err the schooner was 700 miles further
back.
ION the 9Th of August, when south
of Baker Island, a small speck was
i-Seen or the horizon For some days
l'Lie snip ll&tl Deeil passing trunks OF
trees snd other vegetation floating by,
so it was a miracle the little boat as it
4 proved to be was noticed. AS soon as
! it was discovered what it was. the
4 schooner was brought up to the wind
and the boat picked up. 1t was a
small half-decked cut ter of about 30
feet in length, and its occupants were
| a white trader named Wilson and two
natives. They were at once taken or
| board and attended to. Their story
| was that Wilson had set sail from No
| mouth, one of the Gilberts, two weeks
previously, to go to a. neighhoring ISL
! and. He got out of sight of land and
thought the current was taking him to
| the west of the group, whereas as a
matter of fact the current was setting
| to the east, so that he was beating for
the American continent instead of for
the islands. When the Laurel sighted
| him the food supply was reduced to
! three cocoanuts. One of the natives
| had tied some iron round his feet and
intended to jump overheard when the
| schooner was sighted. Wilson had
collapsed altogether. The boat was
! quite out of the track of regular trad
ing vessels and had the Laurel not
sighted them they would undoubted-
| ~ have been host.
las the captain realized they could
| not get to Taratara in the face of the
| current, course was steered for No
| DOut, calling at Nukanau en- route
! Here AR Burnett picked up some fine
| curios, including a complete suit of
| armour made of cOir Five weeks were
spent at NOnouti, and then the Laurel
| went 10 Tarawa, the seat of govern
| ment. Mr.. Campbell, the Commission
er, was absent, but Mr.. COgswell, Dep
| lty Commissioner, and Mr.. Murdoch,
Government agent We're there.
gfx A.
Gilberts, examining the country gener-
ally AS far as the islands are con-
cerned, he says, one can scarcely be-
lieye thai three men could have done
so much in such a short time II is
only few years since the PrOteceo
was established. The Islanders We're
the most turbulent in these spas-pret-
~ kings and chiefs for ever fighting
Now, one is as safe there as in Suva.
Beauti 'ul hard roads of coral have been
formed which any city park might be 3
proud of. The natives has to devote
three days in each week for public |
works, for his own benefit, and the |
scheme works well The native pays |
a tax of % shillings per annum, for !
which he has a piece of land SUFFICIENT |
for his requirements. This pays the |
hlng's taxes, the cost of government |
salaries of kauberas. (native represent
atives), native magistrates, and the
police force. Any surplus remaining
Is put by for a famine year-drougbt
for the relief Of distress, etc.
"Cocoanuts are practically the only
things grown, and coarse kind of ia
ro. In famine years the natives pound /
up the fruit of the screw pine.
The secret of the government sue
cess seems to be that they let the ma
tives manage their own domestic af- /
fairs.
There are three missions in the ISL
ands-the Boston Mission (ProtestanD |,
with headquarters at Honolulu: the
London Mission (Congrega tlonaD; and |
Roman Catholic. The first-named have ,
lei |