A LONELY ISLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1922, Page 4

A LONELY ISLAND.

UNIQUE,IN ,XHE PACIFIC. ..SYDNEY, Jan 25. * \yiiat is.described as pile pf the most' peculiar islands in the .world, and one of the loneliest spots in t)ie Pacific— Walpole ,Inland —has juitt been visited by ,JVIr A. C. Mrudfpy, .F.R.G.S., Avho is noAV in Sydney. If© gave a .most interesting description of .the island, Walpole, which is situated about 150 miles east by south of Noumea, contains jhuge , deposits of guapo, and is, with Surprise Island and the Chester-' field Group, .leased {by the Austral Guano Company, Avhose headquarters are in Auckland. Mr Mackay is tlie company’s representative on Walpole. It is a-limestone table, 230 ft high, with perpendicular cliffs all round, accessible at practically only one spot at a break in the cliffs on the Avestern side, up which wide steps have been cut, and Avhere the loading is done. One of the peculiarities of the island is that it has been submerged—or been “up and down,” to use Mr Mackay’s own phrase—at least half-a-dozen times. Mr Mackay based this opinion upon the remarkably clear indications on the cliff sides of successive water levels, and upon many other evidences, including the fact that there is pumice and also coral and/ other shells on this curiously upraised island! showing that at one time it must harm keen at sealovel. Another most interesting feature is tlie many traces of ancient human habitation in the form of walls, obviously built by man; columns of coral, Bft. and 9ft .high; large tombs and claim-shell bladed instruments, a couple of which Mr Mackay has presented to the authorities of the Australian Museum.

The supposition that there was no water on the island has heen/ held to bef proof that it could never have heen inhabited, hut Mr Mackay says ho has found supplies of fresh water in two caves; and, moreover he is convinced that in the long agd there was a much greater land surface than at present. “Anyhow,” he said, “I have found undoubted signs of prehistoric habitation, and T have also found in places where the guano cements on the coral, the remains of the meiolnnia (horned turtle), which, I,am informed, have been found nowhere else excepting in South America and Lord HoAve Island.”

The island is one Trines of guano, mostly of brown colour, bnt in places bright orange of High grade. The present population consists of six white men, about.3o Japanese, and TOO of the Loyalty Islands—. n among the finest men in the world, white, brown, yellow,

or black.” Hie singing of the Loyalty .Islanders was he said. The ' island was qpveretl with a dense scrub. ' The camp was a very comfortable one, Mr -Mac-kay stated. They had plenty of poultry and goats, while in the garden everything grew luxuriate ' ly—vines, pineapples, pupawa, and all . - kinds of vegetables, tlie tomatoes grow- 1 ; ;.ing up to.2Jib in weight. The company • had installed mechanical dryers for the j guano, and other machinery, and short-'j My would be shipping from - Walpole j alone about 14,000 tons a year. The , steamers employed were the Glaucus and Maalita. | , Cricket and fishing were their recreations. On Sundays the Loyalty Is- ! landers hp|d two church services, which ■ the whole ,ptaflP ,a. psnt of attend- 1 ing. 1