Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-01-13
ISLAND OF RAROTONGA
SOUTH SEA ISLAND A WONDER
FUL PANORAMA OF TROP-
ICAL BEAUTY.
DIR. EdwOrds, Our Special Represen-
tatiye Touring the South Sea
Islands, Writes of His Visit
to Averua.


the cessation of motion of the ship
and the gentle tapping of the waves
against the sides of the vessel, told
me that we had come to anchor off
the island of Rarotonga. A worm,
soft air, sweet as Elysium, laden
with those enticing odors of the trop-
les, come through my portfolio, and
| went out on deck to witness again
that marvel, tropical sunrise. The
break of the water $685. 80 reef
made sweet music, and a few lights
in the palm leaf huts on
shore indicated where the little town
of Avarua lay.
Daylight discloses a lovely island,
with background of jagged and sew
ere mountain peaks, standing like
clouds. Two great tiers of vegetat-
ion cover the hills with green to
their SUBMITS. The highest hill Is
1900 feet. and there is most pee
uliar green to it's verdure. In all the
fringe of coco palms-thousands up
on thousands of them, forming a
most beautiful picture This % the
island of RarotOnga, ...- .-vso ~uO
told me it was more beautiful than
either Tahiti or Raiatea made no
mistake.
With the coming Of daylight the
people woke up, and by the time
the sun rose the vessel was surround
ed by catamarans, with their queer
outriggers of poles, which were pull
ed alongside by the lusty armed
natives. Other boats, filled with
laughing and chattering natives,
pulled alongside, and as we We're
eager to get ashore we did not wait
for the breakfast going put took the
first boat that offered and went dane
fng.s6ver the reef to- the 1andfng.
have seen blue water, put surely
no where else in all the world can
it be so blue as it is here.
On shore is a most wonderful pam
Drama of tropical beauty. We were
welcomed by women and girls in gay
shawls, and men clad in pink shirts
and gaudy parous. Most OF these
people were lolling or squatting in a
large shed on the beach, and they
scarce changed their attitudes as they
sent their CHEEKY ''soranasa' after
us, as we passed along. Along the
main road if it may be called a road,
of Avarua is presented such pic
ture as makes ones heart ache to
think that he must leave 1t and go
again to the world of toIl ana strug-
gle. Cocoa palms, laden with nuts
almost to breaking, away in the
trade wind, which constantly sings
a melody of the South Seas, while
the giant forms of the lower BAN
anas sing in minor key as they sway
to the gentle breeze. All around are
orange trees, papias (called here by
the English, pawpaws, out they are
nothing like the pawpaw or the
southern states) manog and bread
fruit trees all laden with their fruit
The broad leaves of taro and sharp
spikes of pinapple from lower and
different green, while now and then
small cleared space shows the dis
tinctive green of sugar cane.
Tall, graceful bamboos wave over
great beds of most beautiful flowers,
of most gorgeous colorings. / wish 1t
were in my power to so paint this
picture with words that you could
see it in all of it's wonderful beauty.
1t Is lush of the tropics, and all
through this variety of plant life are
to be seen happy faced natives, all
beaming with the essence of good
will and welcome to the stranger.
Small Chilian ponies, fowls, pigeons,
cats and the ever present pig, which
is treated as a member of the family,
and sometimes, it is said, Is sucked
at the human breast, made up the
multitude of life, and through 1T
all bicycles and buggies go whirling
|brfskly along.
l have tried to give you the i'm
ression that came to me on the MORN
ing Of my landing on this wounderfui
island. 1t was such tumble of odd
tiles, such riot of colors, such an
enticement of aroma and such an
.enchantment of tropic life. that
can think of 1t only as a combination
that must be experienced to be un-
derstood. Comparisons cannot be
made between this contry and any
American states. There is nothing to
make comparisons with. In fact It
can scarcely be compared with the
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