Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-01-19
PITCAIRN WOMEN
SAID TO Be IN.
need OfcLOTHEs
Sea Captain GNos INTEREST," ]
Information Abeut Little
Dot in Pacific.
SELDOM ToUc1D BY SHIPS
An Abundance 81 eeod 10 Raised on
the Island. but NsthIns From
Which Clothes con De Made.
People speah nnolish, Are
Honest and nsIIsious.


People speak rnolish, Are
Honest and Religious.
New York.-Miu Flora McFlimsey
of Madison square who really and
truly had nothing % wear, was in
deed in sad plight but her plight
was not nearly so sd 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 a 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, 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 1900 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 a blight in the coast line is
known as Bounty bay. The Port
Hardy, though nominally touching, did
not anchor, but merely "lay to" off
shore. That was sufficient invita-
ton to 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
a 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 CASTOR garments Of men. So
they have sent a 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,
parafin oil. soap and nails, all of
which the captain has promised to
take back to them II 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 colorins. They
speak no other language than Eng
lish, 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 heen derived
from Alexander Smith, one of the orig
inal settlers, who afterward changed
his name to John Adams and endeav-
ored to atone for his mutinous con-
duct by educating and civilizing the
rising generation. There is one church
and one schoolhouse on the island and
the children seem to be well instructed.
So far as Captain Griffiths knows,
the only animals on the island are
goats, though pigs are mentioned by
earlier visitors. Fruits, especially
oranges of large size and excellent
quality, are abundant. Breadfruit,
yams, potatoes and sugar cane are
also grown. About the only industry
besides agriculture Is the manufacture
of straw hats from native straw.
The only vessel regularly visiting
the island Is a seaman's missionary
schooner from San Francisco, which
touches there about once In six
months. The islanders are now, how
ever. trying to build schooner them
selves for trading purposes, and to
that end were helped by Captain Grit
fiths with 200 pounds of nails and a
bale Of oakum, which he happened to
be able to spare. He says the island
ers have great admiration for Amer
lea.
The story of Pitcairn island is one of
the strangest in history. The island
was discovered by Carteret In 1857
and named by him after one of his
officers, but 1t was not again visited
by Europeans until 1t was taken pos
session, Of by some Of the Bounty mu-
tineers. William Bligh, an English
naval officer, who had made the cir
cumnavigating voyage under Captain
Cook. was sent out In December, 1877,
to Tahiti, in command Of the ship
Bounty, to collect breadfruit trees for
transplanting In the West Indies. The
Bounty arrived at Tahiti in October,
17S8, 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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PNaflahAP ANN Aan~ns-A