The Opelousas courier., 1903-02-14
lDTLIC ISLAND LIFE,
RIO Drunkenness, Crime, Police, JaiIs
or Courts in Cccos-keeI:n1.
Away from the ordinary track

Away from the ordinary track OF
ships, and blessed with a splendid eli
mate, are the CO-cos-Keeling Islands,
in the Straits Archipelago. Their his
tory is as strange and romantic as
their present lie is curious and
unique.
In 1925 a Scotch sailor named Ross
landed and, seeing that the isles were
very good, he took possession and set
tied there with his family. The natives
were gentle and t~eachable, so that
Ross had no difficulty in making him
self their ruler. In 1851 he hoisted
the Union Jack as a p~recaution against
the visit of a wandering French
of-War, and six years later the isles
were formally annexed by the British
Government. With rare tact and wis
dom Ross devoted himself to govern
ing the people over whom he had SO
quantity established himself as King,
and on his deeease he b~eQueathed his
mission of government and proprie-
torship of the Co-cos-Keeling to his
sor. The present me and ruler OF
the islands, j. G. Clunies Ross, is the
third in succession. He was studying
engineering at Glasgow when his
fathers death called him to the fore
fifteen years ago. Abandoning his
European ambitions, he settled il his
kingdom, married a Co cos wife, and
devoted his life to the welfare of the
natives, who are his children rather
than subjects. The work of the ROSES
in thus ordering these East Indian is
lands forms a fascinating story, and
the Co-cos-keeling group, though gen
orally unknown, is perhaps the most
picturesque in the British Empire. The
little hOrse-shOe-shaped cluster of is
lands, three days steaming south Of
Java, are blessed with a perfect eli
mate, luxuriant soil, and man here
is seen at his very best.
The inhabitants number about 600,
of whom 400 are Co-cos born and the
remainder coolie laborers from Java.
Under the rule of the Roses the only
white residents, schools have been es-
tablisEed, and all the islanders are
well CuuIdlNAi, Lax ACKNOWLEDGEMENT f.
chief being A. Ross, q master of arts
of Glasgow University. Every male
is also trained to work il brass, iron
and wood, and is a skilled artisan.
Every Co-cos girl similarly serves q
term of apprenticeship in Clunies
Ross house, learning sewing, cook
ing and the whole round of domestic
art under the tuition Of his wife. For
merly the Coeos parents used to ar
range their children's marriages, but
under the e order each man and
woman is a free agent, and chooses a
partner according to European usage.
Marriages are celebrated according to
the Mohammedan law, but polygamy
Is prohibited, and there have been only
two divorces in the last fifty years.
There is neither Jail nor policeman,
for crime does not exist in these is
lands. Opium and alcohol are forbid
den, and the willy Chinese is also e
Guided. Vaccination is compulsory,
and all GALES are made By barter, for
Mr.. Ross will not allow money, hold
ing it to be the root of all evil.
The industries of the island consist
in gathering cocoanuts and preparing
their oil and copra. Beche de mer ard
a bark for dying are also exported by
a chartered vessel, which calls anu
ally for the purpose. Provisions are
fetched once an month from Batavia,
but rice is the only food largely I'M
Dorfod for fruit ahnrn6S in tho is-
lands, poultry is plentiful and the
sea teens with fish. The gentle and
handsome native leads a life idylic,
in graceful content and happiness IN
der the parental eye of Ruler Ross III.
He carefully guards his little Utopia
against the Introduction of European
customs with their attendant ills.
Christmas Island, close by, is SINH
larly ruled by his brother, Andrew
Ross. Coffee fourishes there, AMI so
do rats and cats, almost to the extent
of a plague. Hitherto these at ms of
Britain have enjoyed serene isolation,
but the new electric cable from Dur
ban to Adelaide touches at the Co-cos-
Keeling and Christmas islands, so that
they are now linked with the greater
world, not, it is to be hoped, to the
spelling of their arcadian character
Pail Mall Gazette.