Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-16

wonder tney frequently rose against their guards,
and for some years records of the lonely spot are
gruesome with mutiny and murder. Since 1885
the Chilean Government has leased Juan Fernandez
to private spectators; and in year the British
warship Topaz landed party to erect a tablet
in memory of Sekirk
To-day there are some sixty persons living
the island, chiefly whalers. Seen from the sea- it
looks like great barren rock, but inland presents
a series of smiling valleys covered with flowers.
Fields of wild oats lush meadows rich and fragrant
shrubs, and vines running riot over mighty rocks
rivuets running through groves of myrtle, and
birds of lovely plumage-these the true features
of Juan Fernandez inland Nor must l forget to
mention the herds of wild horses and goats
To visitor from the outside world, of course,
the most interesting feature is Selkirls cave,
which he used house. Around the walls to-day
you will find Robinson CruSoe'S rude shelves and
cupboards; and not far off is Lookout Point, whose
lofty pinnacle than two thousand feet above
the level of the rolling Pacific.
Descendants of Mutneers
IN the vast ocean is Pitcairn Island, inhab
i tied by one hundred and seventy-two people,
eighty-five males and eghty-seven females de
scendants of the mutnous crew of the British ship
Bounty. These men were at first placed upon Nor
folk Island. To-day there is found a kind of ideal
colony leading the simple life amid orange groves
full of laughing children. No spirits or wines are
consumed, and even the fragrant tobacco plant is
left untouched to wther and perish. Pitcairn also
grievouSly troubled with rats, and consequence
the most carefully nurtured and protected.
All the islanders Seventh Day Adventists, and
their Sunday services when the entire colony joins
bath dinner is eaten in common, and the younger
children wait upon their elders in patrlarchal
fashion.
The show decided traces of their Tahitian
grandmothers, although some very fair, with
blue eyes. l noticed that most of them had their
front teeth missing, said to be due to the nces-
SAINT chewing of sugar cane. The Government
consists of chief magistrate elected annually, and
assisted by councils All heads of families eli
gble for election, and every adult has a vote. A
special council deals with the of boats and the
shipment and sale of produce. The islanders are
very poor agrcultursts The roots of the luxurious
palm trees foul and overgrown, and the orange
trees in shocking condition. The principal exports
vans, arrowroot, and coffee. Most of this goes
to the Paumota Archipelago, where it is taken by
trading schooners.
The Pitcairn Islanders themselves utterly cut
off from the outside world Perhaps once in a couple
of years stray whaer will arrive with clothes and
boots powder and shot, and cargo of literature
chiefly magazines and newspapers three or four
years old. 1t is almost impossible to realize the
mental condition of these people. The curious
thing is that they would not return to the world if
they could; indeed, they are given annual oppor-
tunty of doing. They content with their
island prison and their interests and outlook.