The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-04
MARQUESAN NEWS
COMES TO AUTHOR
OF MYSTIC ISLES"
Frederick. O'Brien Told
In Letter of Changes
Wrought by Time.

Frederick O'Brien. author OF
Mystic Isles o. the South Seas" ana
white shadows in the South sess."
has received "A letter from his former
home In the Marquesan Isia nos which
will convey POIGNANT message TO
those who have loved the charsctc
he portrayed in his first book. white
Shadows in the South Seas. The
letter is from Monsieur LIE Brunnec.
the French trader long resident in
the island OF Hiva-Oa. who was
friend OF OBrien. 1t is written from
that melancholy valley OF Atuona
where Gausuin died. where Stevenson
sojourned, and where O'Br!en slept
in the Golden Bed in the House of
the Dead Leper. Written in French.
the letter saws:
81 have received the copy Of White
Shadows in the South Seas you sent
me. and thank you for VI. The book
has been read by me to many persons.
and all say that the picture you have
made OF the people here is frappante.
and the opinion is that your book is
In English the worthy successor OF
the famous. Marriage OF Loti' which
all French people have read. II you
came back here 10 Atuona. you would
not ItcoEIlLt our NtlldEF Ol hluOnds
on account Of the many buildings
erected since you left. Because Of
the high price Of copra during the
war. the Marquessns were rolling In
gold, or more really. in paper money.
for four years. and naturally new
traders stores were put up.
Time Changes All.
"Baufre's shack is replaced by a
handsome store. and where Gaucuin
lived once Is the establishment OF the
Conpagnle Savale de TOceanie
which owned the Saint Francois. the
ship you departed in. There is a
nice house for the Commissairc. the
successor OF Bauda. 4 new building
has been erected on the grounds
where GauCuin's studio was. and
goods are being sold where that
great man painted his bizarre pic
lures. There are other government
buildings. 1t is not necessary 10 eN-
plain TO YOU that the French system
OF colonization f. TO have moro off
cials the fewer natives there are 10
govern. There are now. what With
the officials and the traders. twenty
whites at Atuona. OF course. ] de
test this Asscmblnge OF my race be-
Cduse OF tntlI TACK OF rove OF nature
and Of their foolish conventions. for
I love best the simplicity OF the
primitive. and so I have taken refuge
at Tahauku where | am now a long
time in the former house OF the
German trader Kriech.
Here is some news OF your former
native friends:
The Roll Called.
'Apporo. to whom you gave the
Golden Bed. has divorced Puhei. With
out going to law. and Apporo took
another husband. All three. Apporo.
Puhei. and the new husband shared
the Golden Bed. But one fine day
Puhei went 10 Tauata and returned
with another wife. This created dis
cord: Apporo expelled all of them.
and lives now alone with the Golden
Bed.
Pierre Guilletoue il always the
same. drinking hard and very hearty.
'Baufre. the shaggy tailor and
trader. has gone to France with his
'bone-white children
Madame Bapp and her husband
have left, as also Andre Bauda.
''L'Hermier des Plantes. the Cover
nor when you were here. is the
French governor Of the Congo IN
Africa.
Flag. the Eendarme. is dead OF
tuberculosis.
"koki. former cook for the COVER
nor. and prisoner then for making