The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1888. THE KERMADEC ISLANDS.
As most people are aware, the Imperial Government two years or so ago, formally annexed to the British Crown the small group of islands known as the Kermadecs, which have since been made a dependency of New Zealand. On this account our readerß will perhaps be interested to learn something of what they are like, nor will that interest be lessened jrhen it is stated that their natural features, their flora and fauna, are so precisely similar to those of this ColoDy, as to lead to the assumption that there was a time, m the geologic ages, when they were actually connected with it. From time to time despriptive notices, more or less detailed, have been published, but fuller particulars may probably shortly be looked for, as a resuit of a visit to the islands by the Government steamer, Stella. In antici patiou of this, however, the "Napier Daily Telegraph" recently gave the following very readable account from the notes of Mr J. T. Large, of Wairoa, who was a passenger to the Kermadecs on the occasion of the Stella's trip :— The Kermadec group consist of several islands and islets, the largest of which I is Sunday Island, and it lies about 600 miles to the north-east of Auckland, a little to the eastward of the route to Fiji. Sunday island is about 7000 acres m extent, possesses two craters, and is rugged and precipitous, It io tfye only one that is inhabited, Some years ago there were several settlers there, but, while an American whaler was lying off the landing place, a tremendous volcanic eruption occurred, and the whole of them deserted the island for good, being frightened that they would all be swallowed up. Since then a Mr Bp]\ and his family have settled tljerfl, and there he remains to this day with his wife, nine children (some of them grown up), and an old gentleman who acts as tutor. Mr Bell's
I object m settling, there was to grow tropical fruits, and find his market at .AueU&od, but tfao etfjeifle b»» failed
through the irregularity of communication, and the extreme difficulty of landing on the island, through the heavy sea that breaks nearly constantly on the rugged, rocky coast. As showing the difficulty of landing, it may be mentioned that, about four years ago, Mr Bell visited Napier for the purpose of purchasing five hundred merino sheep; these he bought through Mr C. B. Hoadley from Mr ft. D. McLean, and a schooner was chartered for their conveyance to the Kerraadec Islands. On arriving there it was late m the afternoon, and only fifty were got ashore before dark. It then came on to blow and the schooner stood out to sea, and was not able to get back for nine days, when the rest of the sheep were dead, This last trip of the Stella Captain Faiachild took over nine calves, and these let us hope, will form the nucleus of a fine herd of cattle ; he also took some geese and turkeys, and an immense stock of books. And here on a lonely island, dwell this family, apparently happy and contented, working hard to support life on the fruits of the earth. They cultivate yams, taro, and banunas, they milk goats, they fish, and at the proper season of the year they can capture the mutton bird m any quantity. Their isolation is only broken by rare visits from American whalers, when an interchange of articles of necessity takes place, tbe shipß taking fresh vegetables and fruit, and the islanders dungaree and calico, for clothing, and a few groceries. There is only one known spring on the island, and that is too far off from the little settlement to be of use, the water supply being dependent on rain, which is collected m tanks. At the time of the Stella's visit there was, apparently , neither tea nor sugar m the storo-room, nor was the absence of those articles referred to, so it may be supposed that they are not regarded m the light of necessities. When the Islands were annexed by New Zealand the Government granted Mr Bell one hundred acres of land, and gave him the right to lease a further area. His possession of the whole island is not, however, likely to be disturbed, for the generality of mankind find no attraction m a life that differs little from that of shipwrecked castaways. , It is difficult to foretell the future of Mr Bell's settlement ; it is impossible to suppoße that the young ladies of the family will remain contented with a condition that offers no prospect of marriage unless m the improbable arrival of eligible bachelors who will be willing to bury themselves alive for the sake of a sort of Robinson Crusoe existence. And soflit must be also with the yonng men of the family ; the natural ambition of the Anglo-Saxon race is sure to stir them to move from a narrow sphere, aud to desert an island that offers no scope for their energies beyond that which may be required to provide them with food. As? the Stella dipped her flag m adieux to the lonely Bettlers watching her depar ture, there must have risen m the minds of the younger of them an intense desire to go once more into the busy world. That desire will go on increasing ; and, probably by the time Mr and Mrs Bell have paid their debt to Nature, their children, freed from the loyality to their parents which now binds them all together, will, lkethe former inhabitants, desert the island, and leave it m its ■olitude.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 2 October 1888, Page 2
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957The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1888. THE KERMADEC ISLANDS. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 2 October 1888, Page 2
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