The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-12-30
Sea Captain Gives INTEREST," ]
Information About Little
Dot in Pacific.
SELDOM TOUCHED BY SHIPS
An Abundance of Food Is Raised on
the Island, but Nothing From
Which Clothes Can Be Made
People Speak English, Are
Honest and Religious.

New YOrk.-NIiss Flora McF'llmsey
truly had nothing to wear, was In
deed in sad plight, but her plight
was not nearly SO sad as is that Of the
Pitcairn island ladies, according to the
report brought to this city by the
ship Port Hardy, which arrived via
London few days ago.
The Port Hardy plies between New
York and Australia, returning by
way of London, and is commanded
by Captain GrifIiths. He had visited
Pitcairn island in 1891 and, having a
desire to revisit 1t, touched there on
his last voyage out, In June of this
year. The island, n mere speck in
the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean,
lies about half way between the west
ern extremity of the Panama canal
and New Zealand.
The island is a rocky prOmontOry
rising from 1000 to 1000 feet above
the sea level. 1t is about two and a
half miles long and one mile wide.
1t Is well wooded and covered with
luxuriant tropical vegetation. The
sides are sheer rock cliffs and there is
no harbor or anchorage for ships,
though blight In the coast line Is
known as Bounty bay. The Port
Hardy, though nominally touching, did
not anchor, but merely clay TO" off
shore. That was a sufficient invita-
ton to q number of the islanders, men,
women and children, to come aboard.
The inhabitants, 100 in round numbers,
were amply supplied with food, but
badly In need Of clothing, especially
the women, who have nothing with
which to make dresses. Their sisters
Of Murray Hill will recognize that as
really trying situation. The fact is
that an abundance of food is raised
on the island, but nothing from which
clothing may be made. AS the island
has no trade with anywhere and ships
seldom touch there, the Pitcairn wOm-
en- have been reduced to the pitiful
necessity Of fashioning their dresses
from the cast-off garments Of men. So
they have sent moving appeal by
Captain Griffiths to their more fortu-
nate sisters of New York for service
able dressmaking material. They
also need thread, needles and some
other articles such as writing paper,
pencils, states for school children,
paraffin oil, soap and nails, all of
which the captain has promised to
take back to them If they are given
to him.
Speak Good English.
Concerning the people of Pitcairn,
Captain Griffiths said that the women
were dusky-hued, like their Tahitian
maternal ancestors, but the men have
more Of the European coloring. They
speak no other language than Eng
fish, and excellent English, too. They
were strictly honest and exceedingly
religious. In religion they are Sew
enth Day Adventists. Their religious
Ideas appear to have Neen derived
from Alexander Smith, one of the orig.
inal settlers, who afterward changed
enOeAV
ored to atone for his mutinous con
duct by educating and civilizing tn,
rising generation. There is one church
and one schoolhouse on the island an,
the children seem to be well instructed
So far as Captain Grifiths knows
the only animals on the island ar
goats, though pigs are mentioned b,
earlier visitors. Fruits, especiall
oranges Of large size and excellen
quality, are abundant. Breadfruit
yams. potatoes and sugar cane ar
also grown. About the only industr,
besides agriculture is the manufactur,
or straw hats from native straw.
The only vessel regularly visitin,
the island is a seaman's missioner,
schooner from San Francisco. which
touches there about once In ST,
months. The islanders are now. how
ever, trying to build a schooner them
selves for trading purposes, and tc
Inat END were helped by Captain Grit.
nths with 200 pounds of nails and n
Dale OF oakum, which he happened 70
De able TO spare. He says the island.
ers have great admiration for Amer.
lea.
The story of Pitcairn island is one q,
the strangest in history. The island
was discovered by Carteret in 17e7
and named by him after one of his
officers. but it was not again visited
by Europeans until 1t was taken nos.
session of by some of the Bounty mn.
tineers. William Bligh, an Enr-S~
naval officer. who had made the cir
cumnavigating voyage under Captain
Cook. was sent out In December. 1887
to Tahiti, in command of the sbir
Bounty, to collect breadfruit trees fol
TRANSFORMING in the West Indies. The
Bounty arrived at Tahiti in October
17SS, and remained there six months
collecting the plants. With more than
1000 plants aboard she set sail for
Jamaica, April 4. 1889. Bligh was a
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