| Show I Jensens Travels IKTTEII NO 1 Saturday February math i9 Elder i Frank Culler and I Intent upon a I missionary and historical tour to the Tuaniotu Island boarded the fine I schooner Teavaroa Henry Mtrvln supercargo at n oclock a ni and nt 11 oclock noon we get sail and left the Papeell wharf Island of Tatull The wind being contrary and a very little of It at that It took u > two hours to get out ol the harbor hiving to tack a number of limes The American mall ln vessel I I Tropic Bird had mot of her Mill set as we passed her ready to go to led but could not set out against the wind The island of Tahiti and also the neighbor Island Mopici with their grand lohy f mountains look grand and I Impoitag from the sea Having cleared the reset at i oclock p m we soon iII i-II the trade wind which filled our nil nicely and enabled us to taken noriheaiterlv coupe There was quite i a heavy swell on the ocean which caused I everybody on board who were not sailors to reel and stipKr and contrary con-trary to my fond etptctilliui I got seasick sea-sick and fed the h hot several times during my list night on the Teavaroa Intact Kldtr Culler and I spent a miter able night lying on the cabin deck and trying In vials to sleep II was loo warm f and sickly in the cabin below Sunday February Klh We had kept a norlriisterly course all night and at 10 a m we lighted the Island uf Makatea itriignt ahead paling 1 to male the windward aide we passed Its extreme northwest point within a ills I lance 01 jro yards at 3 p nu which give us an excellent opportunity of sludtlrg the formation and vegetation of lasts land Makatea li an uplifted coral I island Is-land situated In latitude 15ji south orgltuJe MS taf west ul Creenwlclior shout us miles northeast ol Tahiti it Is I bout five miles I long by lour wide and I rl produces copra leans sweet potatoes etc which latter products the natives hate commenced to Import lo other islands Makatea unlike all the other Tuamotu Islands Is I elevated In the centre Its hlghtit point being 950 fret above sea level and Is l covered with a brush called tarnanu The only vlllare en the Island iltualcdon taw northeast coast the intubltants numbering about 150 are now nearly all Josephlles The Island I has recemly teen i vlllcd lb Y riders Eugene M Cannon and Alono I F Smith but 1 Cr I at success Ida 1 r not know at present e The west coast ot Makalea was very interesting lu loot at as we tailed by Its nearly perpendicular wails rise 10 a j height of about sane hundred feet flier t laps more and they abound wild caves and numerous strange formations the work ol corals and tue actions ol water cJuiIre he < t paitcenturles After leaving Iakalea we continued our voyiijcln the direction ot Kaglroa a I Monday I nI February myth The early I morning hour found us beating on the south cot of Kaglroa which Is I the largest of all the luamotu Islands ex lendicz as It does hoes northwest to south ass about forty two miles and is twenty nil us wide on an average Its centre li situated 14 In latitude I J 15 g south and longitude 147 ° qo west of Greenwich Green-wich 1 his I island lixe most of its sister Islands consuls merely ol a coral I reef whlcli here and there M covered with trees Some of these patches are several miles long and Irons a few yards to half a mile or more in width but others contain only a few acres some ol them as seen from a distance puts one In mind ol a huge bouquet ol t1 hers The lagoon Inside Ihe reef abound with pearl shells lot which the natives dive whenever the lagoon Is open for that purpose Cocoa nut trees are plentiful un sIrs Island and Ihe es port of cobra amounts to something like 400 tens a y wngrhra wwaslalne translated means long heaven was one of the Islinds ol Ihe luamotu group where Elder I Ilerja Olin F Grouard and other Elders at an zI day preached line Gospel with r orl r suceris Hid branch I organlnatluns were I kept up till about iS3j ncn tine Joseph lies Interfere l and caused the natives to Identify themselves with their organua Hon During the day Tenlra the Hawalhn i curtain ol line Teavaroi related I the fol owing d Je1 in arl hG I life Sometime Some-time In iSSj he sailed from Tubnal bound for lalilil as master of the schooner Atura focran having twelve I f t j ITI souls en board including lilmselr nil Hives there were eljlit men three women and one child The schooner woos vessel of seventeen Ions register I Alter proceeding about 135 miles Irons I the Port ol cm irulion a terrific whirlwind whirl-wind struck the vessel and capslied her I spilling IIIOt of the passengers In the ocean The captain I not being on duty ei r onc7Lr on lime but asleep In the I cabin was not aware of what hud happened till he I left his feet and soon Ins whole body In the water lie made a spring for the cabin I door and saran found I himself to Ktiher with nine others sitting on the ocelot the eiel which by this time had turned completely upside down Hut Iwo of the women were missing one el whom was Ihe captains own wile lloikh I they were supposed to be drowned already TeulrA who like most natives of the Pacific Islands Is a good diver and swimmer dove under the Vend icl Ve-nd tried to force Ins way Into the caiiln but atone or more heavy boxes hadrolled against the door irons the Inside In-side he vas at first unable to cflert an entrance but succeeded after diving several times In pushing the door open when he found the tao women Handing In water to the mcL being just able lo breathe tiding one ol them to lollow him at n tune by uivlng fur the door he succeeded pulling Hum out from the Interior of Ihe vessel 1 and them helped them In a po > tlon on the keel Thus all hands were saved to Ur but how to proceed next was a question of slat Im rlince Most ol me others seemed to hate Ion their presence of mint and could think of no means of escape from the doumed vessel but Ihe captain tin aided by lire olheis set 10 work lo un Listen tne little boat which was secured to the deck or rigging ol lire vessel ds eta under the water fills he did by ellv nic down repeatedly and Moplni tinder the water as long as postible working at than rupee At length his toll was rewarded and to the great Joy of all line little cull scarcely ten feet long was floating on lop of the water To bad It out was an easy task hat alter eight persons had Cot Into It It commenced to sink thus showing leant it was altogether Inadequate Inade-quate to carry away any more than half 01 the shlsn recked people and even that umber would by no means be safe Incase In-case of stormy weather and a rough sea Something else must yet be done In order or-der lo save all hough considerably exhausted Irom his previous diving Ihe captain renewed Ills labors under water succeeded alter going down many limes In unfastening Ihe booms of the ihlp and bringing them together with sonic of the sills to the service All hands now went to work assisting the captain III constructing a sort of a craft by lying the two booms together with three ropes In such a way that the boat occupied a central r position between them being lashed lo the timber and thus prevented from sinking Secured In this manner all the people alter deciding de-ciding to make their wiy to Tahiti If possible left the cipslied vessel at 6 siting clock having on a Irlday occurred evening in the morning the cap A womans shawl fastened to a short sticker paddle which was raised from the raft served the purpose ol a sail the canvass liken from the schooner having been used to wrap around the boat I Being exposed to the mercy dOI wind and I wives the unique ratter was kept heading head-ing in Ihe direction of Tahiti for three days but as the wind was contrary that Island was about as far elf at the end ol Hut lime as when hey I started out The wind lt blowing In tire direction ol Kututu It was now decided I change course and head for thai Island and alter sufferIng suffer-Ing teriibly from want ol I food and water ia t f I ter a slncfe box of oranges being the only eatables secured from the schooner Hurntu was finally reiched on the Saturday Satur-day just eight days Irom the time of the shipwrecking As the raft was thrown violently against Ihe reel all the people were cast Into lire sea but they hid strength enough left to swim to shore and tnus they were all saved The people peo-ple ol Rurutu Healed the unfortunate navlgitors with great kindness and al 1 her recuperating lor several day they were taken back on another vessel to their own Island fubaat As an appreciation appre-ciation I ol bravery and true merit I Cap tab Tcuira was subsequently awarded a gold medal by the Trench povernment 01 which he nppevs to be justly proud 0IT 1 appears Jullrr Tuesday February iHlh arty In the j morning the Maml of Kaukura was seen straight 1 ahead and we were making good speed towards dl it when the wind 1 suddenly died out and left us drilling i helplessly I at sea About noon however a breeze sprang up which enabled I ui lo leach that particular molu or part ol Kaukura which Is I known as Kaltahltl where some of the people 1 are located temporality to gather do dry cocoanuts I nfra r far the markets At i oclock p m the snip ooat was launched and rider Cuter and t landed together with a pan ol I the crew who were going lo I I work with the cobra The passage over the reel at this point is a dangerous one and several accidents have happened of late both to men and boats but the weather being good we got safely In On landing we met a number ol natives who greeted us warmly and Imlled us Into name ol their huts wnere we were liven cocoanut milk to drink We then enjoyed In long conversations with tome of the leading men present among whom were Tetuarcre who pro n sides over the J ln ephlto orgim Ulan I on i ore3 the Island I of Ia Kiukura llder Culler I talked a long time to the people who gathered to lee us and they all seemed very much pleased w ith w hat they heard anal when vie tell they presented us I with two t baskets ol cocoanuts and two live chickens We returned to the ship I alter sundown The Island ol Kaukura Is I twentysix miles lone from northwest to southeast and ten miles broad on an average Its west point Is In latitude I IStl south lruoJ deanl fo tOUll tJ 61 andsnbout longitude rg6So wet and about 195 miles northeast of Tahiti It has a boat entrance near the northwest end About ass Ions of cobra li exported Irom I the ol Island per year The I lagoon also atwun s 1 will I s h I b u t it It I closed at present i Among peat those Elder Cutler and I met on shore that two while traders ol the Island one Peter Peterson was nhhaleswlcfc Dine the other George Richmond an American from the Stale Massachusetts Nil choonr otolher vessel Irom 1ahlil hiving called for along a-long I time Ihe Island had been short of provisions lor over two months and even the traders asserted that they had been without bread lor three weeks All the Ibur consumed here Is Imported from ban FrancISCo I late Is sold by the local t asters at Ihe rate ot seven Chilnn dollars per too pounds Mr Richmond has married a native wile willi whom he has twelve children The other man simply lives with a native woman Wednesday February 19th The shipping ol cobra was continued from yesterday and It took all day before the W r3 ltro r nbt crew finished their labors In the evenIng even-Ing all the men came on board and the shin stood siR T and on all night as she ad rtr j1 hair done all day S Elder Cutler and I remaining on board spent Ihe day readIng read-Ing and writing The day was exceedingly exceed-ingly hot and life on the Teavaroa that day Was In consequence anything but pleasant About luurleen tons of cobra was taken on board Cnbrt has only been known In the 1adfic ocean during the last twenty years It was first Introduced Intro-duced by CodelTro and company Ihe well known Hamburg House who laid the foundation ot the German Interests In the boulll seas The introduction ol cobra changed the lace of the oil trade and gave a new value 10 the low atolls or lagoon Islands which are the cocoanuts cocoa-nuts natural home The kernel ol the nut Is dried and sent to Hamburg or other European ports where the I oil I Is extracted and the reluse sent as oil cake to England The cocoa palm loves the sea air and the sail spray and on these low atolls it gets both The absence ol crass or other competing growths makes the cost of cultlvitlon mall The cost ol Kathciing the I hart har-t is also I easy The fruit which ripens flI cJ on the tree Is collected I and husked when It falls and the kernel alter being dried in the sun Is cut ui and loaded in g lkllnt ralr ulj nt bulk In the ship a hold The natives are very skilllul In the preparation ol cobra I and they seem to like the work connected i connect-ed with It Thursday Iebruary aolh We awoke early enough to behold the beautiful sunrise at which lime we were only lull a mile oaf 1anau the only village of any Importance on the Island of Kaukura At 6 oclock a m Elder Cutler and my sell landed with lie ships boat which brought goods on shore The boat landing here Is I quite site and consists ol a break In the reef through which 11e3r small I vessel can approach i the dry sandy beach within one hundred leet or so As soon as we landed line Inhabitants Inhabi-tants of the village Hocked around to shame hands and bid us welcome and we were at once conducted through the main portion ol the village to the house of Teum Ihe native trader whom we had met before on Ihe neighboring molu The principal men ol the blind IIt rrJln oUIa soon gathered or rather followed us there nod we now spent about nn hour in llvelv conversatiolr tolling I them something some-thing I about Church I hlslor I and showing them le I sspecimens of locks Irom some of our Temples etc which seem ed to interest them very much When we were ready to leave some of them made us presents of shells and said they were much pleased with our visit th1rhaw Fl do the village I of Panau occupies I nearly the entire surface ot the molu known by that name which Is about half a mile long b > a quarter of a mile wide and is I covered with young Ihrllly cocoanul trees These have all been planted since the cyclone In toys when the entire en-tire Island was bereft Its fine growth of trees and brush of every kind also the whole village was destroyed only one house being left Handing and the ruined condition of that one wns pointed point-ed out to mas we passed The most imposing structure ol the village Is the Catholic Church I a stone building surmounted sur-mounted with a little spire which presents pre-sents u fine appearance from lire tea eat meeting house which the rJ Josephlles are suing r is ha plain II lumber structure with board shutters Instead ol windows Tnli also was built after the cyclone I mostly brush the materiil 1 which had been In the former one that was blown down by the norm lire main thoroughfare thorough-fare ol the village Is lined r on both tides with cocoanut trees and Ihe houses many ot which are built In European style lie scattered somewhat Irregular on both sides of tine alley liefore the cyclone the Island contained over soo Inhabitants now It has carcdy much above hall of Hut number according to the Information we could obtain alone al-one hundred persons perished timing the storm This catastrophe need not have happened but when the natives saw their Island almost Inundated by ocean water which the terrific wind blowed over It and their cocoanut trees pulled up by the roots or break square over In other instances some ol them seemed to lose their presence of mind and ordinary judgment as they took to their boats and pushed of on to Ihel lagoon la-goon but ol course no boat could live upon the waler In shah weather and the consequence was that all those who embarked em-barked were drowned while all who remained re-mained on land escaped with their lives though they lost nearly all thelrproperiy No other Island of Ihe fnamotu group suffered that storm to such an extent as Kaukuraai the centre or Ihe heaviest part of the cyclone seemed to strike It with all Its force Among the natives with whom we convened at Panati I wn an old man by Ihe name of iehopei who claimed to have met the tale Hider Ilenjamln F I Crouard on the Island ol Kagiruj about the year 1853 or just before that Eider returned lo America He also said that there was a continuous branch ot the Church on Kiukura Irom the time the American Elders lath till the Josephltes came ClIOAbout 730 a m we returned to the ship wlucn about hall an hour later set sail for tin neighboring island of Aruba about twenty mi es Distant About 10 a m the tree lops uf that Island were seen ahead but as Ihe wind was contrary con-trary It took us till late In the afternoon to roach a point olf Rullnl that name ol that particular motu of Aruba where Ihe village stands and the people live About 3 p in the ships boat was launched and lest for the village I Jumped J in at the last moment but Elder Culler who was not through with his toilette was Ida behind As the wind blowed toward the Iliand the ship dared not go in close lo the reef hence the crew had lo row the boat a long distance to the place of landing and as the sea had a cry heavy swell on the lowing was difficult and we were tossed about considerably before we got through the passage and reached the stone whtrf In front of Ihe lllage Here I was In a fix without Interpreter as the hew bnnls I temporarily located on the Island while fishing for shells soon gathered around me at the home to which 1 was first conducted con-ducted but the native brother who was our fellow passenger and who also n111tlhirotl landed could fa talk a very little broken ngllsh I and I got along as well as 1 could with his services I also Introduced Intro-duced myself to Mr Carl Hanson a Swede and one of the traders of the Island from whom I obtained several particulars In regard In the island of Arulua which Is nearly circular In shape and measures about fifteen miles across lagoon Included In most places Tne pass which our boat came through Is I the only passsge which connects con-nects the lagoon with the ocean It ll deep enougn for vessels of twenty or thirty tons burden only and as the current snd liasnd sit Isccn rent often moos very swill ind It Is en the southeast windward side ol the Island the entrance Is very dangerous The little village which is near udden from sight I In the cocoam grove lies on a small auto on the tight hand side as we enter Tne reef around the lagoon Is I pretty well covered with egctailon except on Ihe west and south where there Is consldcrvlile bare reel Arutua Is noted for iu hue pearl shells some ol which are marvels lor site In one year alone I3S6J fifteen tons of shells were fished out ol the lagoon but this season has been an unsuccessful one and all the transient divers are preparing to leave as they cannot find shells I In paying quaulitles nlfa cyclone llor 8Vy destroyed de-stroyed most ol the trees ol Arutua hence the present beautiful growth of eocottnul trees consists mostly of new plantations Arulua U I about tits miles northwest uflaliill fhat and the two neighboring Islands Kaukuia and Aputakl were named Ihe 1alliser Islands by Captain Cook Ilelorc 111t I than village Marerenui a brother In Ihe Church made me a present pres-ent ol a line pair of shells and we returned re-turned to the ship about sundown reachIng reach-Ing It with much dilhculty as the towing tow-ing had 10 be done against the wind and hlili rolling waves riday November iisu vvc nail sailed tu and Iro all night and when the light of the morning dawned upon us we were coasting along the west line ol Apallki but just as the crew was getting the boat rcauy to go ashore a Hrench lug rain I storm set In w rr continued I all i I day and thus we were compelled to spend a very dull day In an inactive manner at sea Several squalls struck the vessel which somewhat relieved the monotony but the real excitement of the day was the catching of a Urge wool lish Ion the Ihh tans 1 which had been lo lowing the snip lor some distance dis-tance Thelish which weighed several hundred pounds and was a beautiful specimen ul lil kind was successfully hauied alongside the vessel where he was speared I or harpooned almost to death but just ns the crew which was considerably excited was in the act ol lifting him bodily on board Ihe lish made one last desperate struggle sod I thus jerked hlmsell loose from the hands that held him and was lost as he sank In the ocean It was too bad We could have got him just as well as not Ind the crew not been so excited tht they neglected to secure him with ro HI before attempting lo haul him on board In the afternoon notwithstanding the rain Mr Hcrvin and pan ol the crew landed in the boat On their return u was derided to rail ut once for ihe Is land ol Manlhl distant about sixty mild In a nonhirly direction Consiqunliy about sundown wo set sail fur that i land an I lire wind being Iworable and the weitliv now Being RO d we sped toward Manlhl at the late cl ten mtlei an hour during the night ANDREW IRMKOV IsLANiior MANIIII luamou Archl i pelazo South Pacific Ocean February amigo s91 |
