ROMANTIC ISLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1931, Page 8

ROMANTIC ISLAND

MAN’S EIGHTY-SEVEN DECENDANTS. PEARLS FOR SHIRTS. SYDNEY, August 27. A romantic spot, a small coral island on which 87 half-castes who comprise the population, all descended from a white man who is still living, was visited by the American freighter Golden Coast, which arrived in Sydney this week from the United States. Palmerston is the name of this small atoll, which is marked ° n ly on the largest, charts of the Pacific Ocean. It- is about 500 miles east of the Tongan Group, and about the same distance from Tahiti. It is about two miles wide and four miles long and perfectly Hat. “We did not know that we were so close to the island until we saw a ship’s boat coming towards us, full o. wildly gesticulating natives,’’ said one of the officers of the ship, relating the experiences of the Golden Coast. The Golden Coast slowed down, and a rope ladder was lowered for the natives to come aboard. To the surprise of the .ship’s company, the first to clamber up the ship’s side was an , old white mail. He was dressed in khaki shorts*, a tattered white shirt, and a homemade straw hat, decorated with the red tail plume of a bo’siin bird. “i)ad“ as this old man was called by his hallcaste sons who rowed him out, told the officers of the Golden Coast a remarkable story.

Speaking in perfect English, he told them that nearly 60 years ago—he could not be sure, for lie had lost track of all time—lie and two native women had settled on that island, which he had discovered while trading. 'They took with them building materials and a small supply of food, and settled down to grow copra. Being very Hat, the island is frequented razed by hurricanes, which level everything in their path, so, after their home had been blown down several times, the trader an<l his native wives decided to build a kind of a flat house, which so <ar has not been blown over, in time a family arrived, and now he was progenitor of the entire population. The Golden Coast was the first steamer to visit the island lor s'ome years. A mis. j sion schooner visits Paimerston every I six months, but it missed last trip, and, in consequence, all the inhabit--1 ants’ clothes were in a sad state of disrepair. I "Dud,” after he had been speaking I to Captain Svedstrup, of the freighter, I lor a few minutes, pulled out from inside his shirt a dirty white handker- | chief, from which he took several perfect pearls. He said he had many more in his Rouse for clothes. An officer thereupon gave the patriarch ail old shirt which he had bought at a Sydney bargain sale for 4s 6d, and wlncn he had worn for two years, and lie received a big pearl in return. Ail members of the crew traded in old shirts, coats, trousers, etc., and. received 1 rear Is of varying value. The islanders re. used money, but took a supply ol food and matches. Tropical fruits grow in abundance on the island, and there is a fresh water spring. The men appeared to be perfect physically. They were all more than’ six feet high, had perlect teeth, jet Irlack curly hair, and handsome, regular features. Tile Golden Coast stayed olf the island for about six hours.