The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18
A rnENoH soolALIsrIo CoLoNY.
story OF q CommunistIc Experiment on q
South Pacific Island.

1895, from an island OF the South Pactfic,
addressed to a resident of Pondichery, In
India, gives some details concerning the fate
of a group OF distinguished French eniDres
who disappeared at the inception OF the
Asench Revolution as If they had been swal-
SySUi by the sea. For several years previous
TO the reception Of this news tho relatives
and friends of the vanished FrenChmen and
their families had searched In vain for trace
of them. The writer of the letter which
solved the mystery was a young French
botanist who in 1850 fed to Spain, thence to
Portugal and subsequently to Brazil. where
lie Joined in a professional capacity a Portu-
guese expedition Of four ships. This squadron
under the command of Senior de Grlsalva.
was fitted out for the purpose of exploring
an island on the South Pacific Ocean, whence
a sea rover had returned a year previous
with gold and pearls.
After u voyage Of seven months, stopping
at various Islands. the ships arrived at one
with a deep wide harbor entered through a
long narrow canal. The wind was fair at
this moment, so hat passage through the
inlet offered no difficulties; but In a few days
the trades shifted to the opposite direction,
effectually barring egress for the following
six months. In this emergency De GrisalYa
determined to dismantle and careen his
vessels and explore the island. There was
no evidence from the anchorage that II was
Inhabited, but when he had embarked in a
small boat with ten officers and men. among
whom was the botanist, in ascending a river
flowing into the harbor he was surprised to
hear the sound OF ba gpipes and to see shortly
afterward a man driving a herd Of twenty
COWS. The occupants Of the boat landed and
followed the herdsman.
The path led through cultivated fields and
ultimately to a mansion surrounded by a
stone wall about ten feet high, They found
an entrance. Proceeding to the house they
Knocked at q door and were told to enter.
In a spacious room was seated a distinguished
looking woman surrounded by a bevy OF
remarkably attractive girls. At sight of the
strangers in uniform the woman screamed.
This brought to her assistance a man whose
voice and face were familiar to the botanist
He recognized him as the Count de -,
the commander OF a French frigate during
the American Revoluti ion, whose secretary
he had been. The recognition was mutual.
The two former comrades greeted each other
cordially and the explorers were made well
come. Then followed explanations to ac-
count for the presence OF French people on
al uncharted island OF the South Seas.
The colony was composed OF Bretons.
Poitevins and Angevins, almost all former
naval officers OF noble birth, and their fam
lies. When evidences of the coming revolu-
ton admitted OF no further delay. they had
ned to England. taking with them all the
money and effects they could get together.
There they purchased three ships and a
sloop. These they loaded with provisions,
agricultural implements and domestic ami
mails. They also engaged workme en- skilled
In various trades to them. Their
dest lnati ion was known only to q few. The
voyage was a prosperous one. On january
ls, 1898. they landed on the island which
they called Hospitality. There they found
an asylum suited to their tastes, where.
under a socialistio organization. they could
live free from the ferocious prosecutions OF
Sansculottes. At first they were obliged TO
reside on their ships or in tents on shore.
but in six months each family was provided
with a house. In the meantime crops had
been eown and harvested. The island was
1856 miles long and ls4 wide. There was no
native population, although 1t was capable
of supporting a large number of inhabitants.
The Countess de -, when she had re-
covered from Der fright, explained how aston
ished she had been to see the strangers. Al
first she thought they were French officers
sent to seize and repatriate them. Now that
she knew the visitors were Portuguese she
put forth all her charming grace of manner
to make them welcome. She sent of the
Count, her husband. to assemble their frienda
to aid in celebrating the coming OF the unex-
pected guests.
Alarge Normandy woman in a few moments
built a table on ~trestles. 1t was not long
before it was laid with damask tablecloths,
dishes and plates of silver, napkins. crystal
carafes and bottles of wine. The Count
returned with eight young women and four
men. With the music. consisting Of flute,
two violins and a tambourine, came two other
ladies. Altogether twenty-nine people were
seated at the table. For dinner they had
soup. fish. a rago1t of fowl. plover. rail,
woodcock and another delicious bird I'M
known to the strangers. For vegetables
there were rice fried in cocoa Juice, and green
peas. and for dessert all kinds of tropical
fruits. The service vas that of a well ordered
house at Paris. What, however, appealed
more acutely to the visitors we're hampers
Of wheat bread, of which they had not tasted
for many months. After dinner there were
dancing and cards. While the officers were
being entertained the sailors were being
Toasted at another house.
At the time the letter of the botanist was
written the colonists in men. women and
children numbered l,2s7. All were Obliged
TO work, the women at duties suitable to their
sex. while the men, even those of noble birth,
we've not exempt from exercising some trade
or doing labor useful to the community. A
Marquise de Fucal, one of the former beau
ties of the Court of Versailles, was employed
at making nets, So it was with all. regardless
OF previous social consequence. The motto of
the colony was work and contentment."
Authorization was communal. There were
houses devoted TO the feeding Of the social
lists, each assigned TO the use of a certain
number congenial through sympathetic tastes
and similar rearing. At fixed hours the
entire population assembled for meals. The
menu was the same for all. Each house had
its own cooks. men or women. When the
hunters returned in the evening they de-
posted the game at a central station. built
for the purpose. II was the same with the
FISH taken each day and the fruits and vege-
tables brought from the fields. There was
abundance of everything. Each meal
was composed of three services and dessert,
Each person had Il pint of wine, a small glass
of rum and coffee. This manner Of eating
in common was found the more successful
after trial had been made Of each household
cooking its W meals. The communal syS-
tenn of feeding, IL was found, had superior
hdvanta ges. IL brought together all mem |
hers of the community without indiscriminate
promiscuity. The various groups were
Formed in the interest OF mutual tastes.
Sympathetic assemblagcs of many persons
dissipated ennui and i'll humor,
The system pursued in feeding the COM
munity. was carried into the workshops and !
into all branches of lah"- .--r of one |
trade I'll worh-o andcr ice same roof. The
most intelligent was chosen as foreman TO
direct and control all under him., while those |
who titled the soil were subjected 10 the