Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23
TRISTAN DA CUNHA.
Something Of Little Island With a
History.


From the Pail Mall Gazette.
For some little time past the island OF
Tristan da Cunha has been brought some
what prominently to the notice of the pub
lie in connection with the doings of the ship
Pandora. To the majority of people the
island is little more than a name, for it
lies far out in the South Atlantic outside
the usual track of ships. and only on rare
occasions is news CLEANED Of it's inhabi-
tants. Yet for nearly hundred years
1t has been a British dependency, although
1t was discovered by the Portuguese ex-
plorer, Tristan da Cunha, in 1906, and was
at one time held by party of Americans
When, however, Napoleon was imprisoned
on the neighboring island of st. Helena
1t was deemed advisable to occupy Tristan
ia Cunha with British soldiers in order
to be prepared for eventualities. But when
Napoleon died the soldiers were withdrawn,
and from that time the island community
has consisted entirely of civilians
AT first the island contained only dozen
souls, of whom a man named Glass was
elected as chief After while few men
and women immigrants from the Cape ar
rived and formed little colony in one of
the few fertile tracts of the island AS
the years passed the population slowly In
creased, until at one time the island con-
tanned nearly one hundred souls Then
there came change. The little community
which had for so long been regarded as one
family, experienced process of disruption
Inc Old ways failed to appeal to some of
the younger members, while the limitations
OF their surroundings gave rise to a spirit
OF unrest When, therefore, an opportunity
occurred OF emigrating to the Cape they
gladly availed themselves of 1t.
Communication with Tristan is at the
best of times very limited. Occasionally,
however, small coasting vessels run down
from the Cape in order to do DEAF with
the inhabltants 1t was in one Of these
expeditions that 1 had an opportunity of
seeing the islanders and learning some
thing of their lives. Our ship had brought
up short distance from the beach. and
almost before we had the canvas furled
some of the islanders came aboard And
a strange sight they presented Hardly
two of the men were dressed alike Some
wore cast-off garments acquired from sail
ors or passing ships, some had homemade
clothing OF canvas, while others had coat
ana pants made of sheep Or goat skins
Unkempt and unshaven, they looked a
pretty wild lot. Yet their manner was
wholly at variance with their looks There
was a diffidence in their bearing which in
a woman one would have termed shyness
Their voices were quiet and not unpleas a MT
IN tone, and when they became merry, IN
stead or boisterous mirth, they laughed
quietly They had apparently the simplicity
and guilelessness of children. They made
known their wants almost deferentially
and they bartered their sheep, poultry and
vegetables in a generous spirit They had
need for most things on the island, it
seemed, and whatever was offered them
they gladly accepted
Indeed, in all their dealings they showed
none of the grabbing acquisitiveness which
usually marks the natives of southern seas
when 1t became necessary for the islanders
to return to the shore ACCOMPANIED them
hard pull brought us to the beach near
the little town that bears the name of Edin-
burgh. Before us lay a handful of Quaint
looking cottages. sprinkled in a plain at
me IN. loot OF dark, grim mountain some
thousands of feet high. It's base was bIaa !,
ana pare, but half way up a thick scrub
partially relieved its gauntness.