The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-05-14
NATURE MAN
seen IN TAHITI

Darling, the back -to-nature man.
has come to the realm Of his Blessed
Isles. Among men garbed in loin cloths
and women bedecked in abbreviated
Mother Hubbards," the great believer
In few clothes sports in the almost
altogether" to his hearts content. Ia
hlti is his adopted Blessed Isle, and
there he has pitched his tent for keeps.
The word of Darling's realization OF
his ideals Is brought to Los Angeles by
John Thomas. noted traveller, who
last year introduced the famous
South Sea Island Fire Dancers" to
America
Thomas says he saw the back to ma
ture disciple over in Tahiti about a
month ago.
Los Angeles people. especially the
police, will remember Darling. He was
ago suddenly appeared on the streets
of Los Angeles clad-or rather unclad
lin fewer clothes than the law allows.
The police demonstrated.
Darling attempted to argue the case.
He asserted that he was a consump-
tive and back-to-nature, as far as
clothes counted, was the only treat
ment that would save his life.
But the brutal police said him nay.
Whereupon Darling reluctantly took to
overalls and a soft shirt, very decol-
lete.
Still the harsh police complained. So
Darling disappeared, to be heard of
again in Honolulu, where he seems to
have been unappreclated.
ACTUALLY DOES WORK.
But he has at las. come to the end
of his quest in the beautiful island Of
Tahiti of the Society Islands group.
He has, according to Mr.. Thomas, built
himself a hut about quarter of a
mile from the shore and surrounded it
with a small garden. His life is most
simple, restful and uneventful, for he
holds no communication with the ma
tives about him or the white men of
the island. without books, without
any attempts at pleasure. he let's run
the gamut of his years. The monotony
of his days is broken only by the
little work required to tend his min'a-
ture garden.
He is man alone in the world
But he seems to have found the much
sought-after health. Mr.. Thomas says.
At least, he moves in a society that
not even looks askance at his manner
of dressing.
Darling seems to have found his
hearts desire-health and the liberty
of indulging his passion for few clothes
But, after all, what's the use If you
have to step off the end of the world
to do it, say lovers of companionship,
"Still Tahitis not so bad" says Mr.,
Thomas. 1T is the lazy mans Para
disc, Nobody works-not even father
for father owns the land and the land
is everything in Tahiti.
by the way, Tahiti is no place for
real estate agents. You can't buy
land for love or money. You see, the
natives, who practically own all the
land, VIII not part with It. Their life
depends upon It, They feed from II
and derive an income from cocoanuts
and vanilla beans without the trouble OF
tilling. If they gave up their land they
would have To go To work. For Ia
h!tian that is impossible.
Is GIVEN SOME LAND.
Darling has got hold of little plat
of ground from the French govern
ment. DO you know that he is said
be a graduate from Harvard? When
! saw him he was the best imitation
OF an Italian picture OF Christ l have
ever encountered.
while | was al Tahiti | spent n few
days az Tau-Tira with Ori-Oki. the
old Tahtian CHIEF. with whom Robert
Louis stevenson visited for about three
months. The chief il now 70 years old
q hne-lpoking. stalwart fellow In spite
of his age.
Some European has opened hote
nt houren, an island hfteen miles away
| from Tahll This island Is said bS
tuurlsts iu bo the most beautiful II
tho world II h an hish ellis and
mountains covered with lropica
FnWlh
/