Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-01-04

ENGLISH coLoNlsTs LIVE
ON MiD-FACIFiC ISLE

From the New York Telegram.


From the New York Telegram.
In the Pacific ocean,, midway be-
tween California and Australia. there
is a mountain Of rocks 1000 feet high
with an area Of about two miles square
known as Pitcairn Island, whose in
habttants. numbering exactly 100. in
Guiding a clergyman and his wife, have
sent an appeal through Capt. Griffith
Griffiths of the steamship Port Hardy.
TO the people of the United States for
clothing. paper n pencils. paraffin.
Oil. soap and nails.
That is all we need" said the clergy-
man and the chief magistrate or gov
ernor of the island to Captain Grit
fiths June 2 when the Port Hardy. IN
its way to the United States, stopped
after sighting two large W~haleDOats,
each carrying so men. women and
children. two miles off Pitcairn.
Captain Griffiths ana the crew of
60 men gave the natives all the cloth
ing they could spare. The women and
young girls, ali barefootea. We're greatly
disappointed when told there We're no
Women's clothes.
a sailing vessel from Tahiti, 500
miles to the northwest and the near
est island, had called at Pitcairn 10
months before. which was the only
word the natives had heard of the out
side world in four years.
Borrow an English Flag.
At that time they were told England
was at war, and the island being an
English possession the natives Dor
rowed an English flag from the master
Of the sailing vessel and climbed to the
top Of Pitcairn, where the flag was
placed and was still flying when the
Fort Hardy came to a stop last June
The natives of Pitcairn are the d.
rect descendants of the crew of II. NJ.
S. Bounty. which, April IS, 1889. mu-
ting the commander, Lieut.. William
Bligh. n those Of the crew who
wished to go with him. adrift i'll open
boats. The Bounty put in at Pitcairn.
where it remained for several months.
Fletcher Christian, leader, and IA men
then went to Tahiti. where II men and
their wives We're taken aboard and the
return trip to Pitcairn was made. The
Bounty was then set OF fire and de-
stroyed.
No one except the masters Of SAIL
ing vessels and steamships set foot on
the island no one ever stopped there
more than a few days until 20 years
ago. when a clergyman and his wife
Went from Melbourn on hearing that
the natives of Pitcairn We're very re-
.igious. but without a minister Of the
gospel. They are Seventh Day Ad-
ventists.
All Can Read and Write.
The clergyman on his arrival found
4 small hut built among the trees Of
branches and straw. which was used
as a school where the mothers of the
children gathered each day and gave
instructions. He was so impressed
with the piety of the natives that he
has never left the island. The result
Is that all of the $50 persons know how
to read and WRITE
The soil Of Pitcairn Is volcanic and
fertile, the climate variable and rainy.
With a temperature ranging from 10 to
100 degrees. This people live on fruit
and fish and wild birds. They do not
like beef or pork, and alcoholic bever-
ages and tobacco are unknown to them.
According to the chief officer. Mr..
Allen, the inhabitants, aside from being
religious. are very intelligent and are
excellent painters. The women do the
finest Of needlework. While the meE
make the finest OF straw hats.
Ihree days each week everyone who
is able bodied works at building roads
and improving the sland. The other
three days are devoted to their own
homes. Sunday. after attending church
Tor three hours, they make calls or rest.
There Is little or no illness among the
inhabitants. Several hundred goats
are the only animals on the island, and
from these milk is obtained.
The ambition Of the inhabitants al
present is to build a schooner large
enough to trade their fruit for cloth.
ing with the inhabitants of other isl.
ahos. lhey nave no money, their mot.
to being All for one and one for ALL
Bible Is Their Guide.
When four of the young girls were
asked if they would not like to &c to
Australia and see other people, each
shook her head and said she preferred
Fltcalrn to any other pIaca in tina
world.
young woman. Emily Mccoy, daughter
OF Matthew Mccoy. sometimes calico
ling OF Pitcairn" and a lineal de-
s &c OF the fanou old mutineer
leave the island, following the death al
ner mother. and came to the United
States to study medicine. Miss NC
Coy went to Bridgeport, Conn, where
last June she Was graduated as a nurse
n lived at the Graduate Nurses.
club. ui'eS
There is no sin on the island OF
Pitcairn Miss Mccoy said at that
!lme. Tor the reason that the only
book the inhabitants study is the bible.
NO opponents are of record and no
vloiat,ons OF the marriage vow have
and" " oe ISL
MISS McCoy was anxious to get back
to Pitcairn. and left Bridgeport several
nonths ago. and nothing has been
heard OF her since. It is believed she
Went TO Panama. where. she hoped to
ontaln passage Oh some vessel going
either to Pitcairn or one of the nearby
islands. '
Judge Met "Yom kippur."
From the st. Louis Times.
y. Lyer. judge OF the United States