ISLAND EXPERIENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1922, Page 10

ISLAND EXPERIENCES.

»— . I 26 YEARS , WANDERING. ; IJJK .A 1.1. i IF 111 X I'AC.IWU . riy A. K. MOYSKIt.i I A .man yacht liku -ti-huom-r, »l.iii -■ |ininii'<l. sxitii polished kauri quavtci i deck and glittering bra>»«i>rk, rani I into Wkhind lliirhiiHi- h few week ■ ago. .mil her dii-ky .■nm .if i-land boy - Imaged Mini pin ashore mi Iliduon whar " her ear»n of copra. Site Aj- tin , I'iur laporn i hi- i- Tsiliitian fur Hip letimi ' iiunor mx I li.v A. 1.. Donald, Limited ■ luM niacin- lii-iii- Captain \ igs<> Hiif ■ h,h--.mi I'.mHi mi l.iiin ! ! \ I'.iiili'x'-. mi' launched jii-l before the wiir. < 1i M-liiimiPr during tin- iiiu'rxi'iiing year liadc ..I i In- Sumli l'a.ili-. I'iimimigi 1 huh lieilii? fieT Jipihl rcnir opera r ' villi ii/-i -Ki|.j,.i. ,-:tinM nil lioaril nr >i Queen Sire i. anil. In- gave im> .1 Vi-rj "■rt-.-il -urfuiui- wiicVi one <la,\ lii' inlil iin : lli.ll i hi- v.ii- llii' lir-i time fur -I ' war- i hiii h.- hail li.vn in ii dPeenl \ -ize.l -ca.poll. Gupfain liil=illH~!-01l' i« bx Ilillll i Dan-?, Inn mi« lii- i- a luitiiralUi'i -iibj... i. Aim..si „* thmtpjli i ni'ii- ilp-itiiiy hi,- smi lif<- mciii- Iμ limh ' lii-i-ii faipil lo I.',- -(~-i,i !n : -huid irad.-s fur as a buy he knrM all the hardship , ; iit vovaniiiji tii llinl far-nm-lln-m Dan \ . j«i, |m- ! <f«Hii.!i. tin- i-hnid iif Iceland r Sometime--, when in reininUceut vi'in "I lie -peak- hi ili.i-p i.ld li-clanil day-. re ' i lulling ih<- biihur iiortliPrn mili'<. I hi ' I i,i- and tbi- -now. and tlie .old. hritfh j beamy t>f the Aurora Borpali*. "Unce, , r I lie -aid,' -that northern lifchl was si , I bright ion AStatJd read a lunik Iv il . and didn't we gel real villainous uiMiihei . a ilav In lor!" An old. "windjammer,' : i he li;m|iie iW-ntiv. hroughl him In tin •j South Pacific in IHfM, and it was as ; , I vnnnj; man of !!> that lie paid (iff frciu f|licr :it Papeete. Hi- lia<l befell twi i i v.-ai- In ;>l-ii»'.''.in■him! tin- tti'lld ii lli. , I Hi'iiny. and --the beauty "f Tahit . i appealed s.. >l:uii;!l\ thnl in- drcidrd n :|nay. if he i-oiild. Ami hi* -kiin.-r ii»n--« i in?;, he packed his -Pn-rhiMt iiud landed a young Dnno. uuablp to sponk Kngli-li ■ French or Tnliitian. TAHITI OF THE OLD DAYS. ' Then begun fur him thai "chaiii'e am i/hange »f a sailor's lift." " tin- wander 'ii cutler* and erliooncre from i fc l' to isle, which now ■have- culminated ii hip present visit -to Auckland. When 1» lauded at Papeete in l8!)G--iiK'i<3i , ntall} lie learned to »ppak Tahitian before hi j acquired English the mail-boat wervichctwp'cji the Ffen.-h iwlnmls and *a.i Francisco xva.- enhdm-ted liy the hrigan tine lialilpp and (In , baniuentlnes Twpii I'.inl and 1 ity nf Papeete. There Wft, ; mi elijfgesliojv (heu of n mail pt.ciun.-lii] I aerviu! liotuiM-n Tiihili and S;ui Fran |.i.,i,. A. H. D.iiirtld. Ltd.. how ipwr. had a -teamer! the Kiclunond. run ! iiina from Auckland m the Cook (iroU| and Taliiti; aiid'ilii'ii liaok to Auoklaiul iTlii-re vii- noAvYarf ht" Papeete, and tin I -Niii Kram-ise.it ,■ . uiail.-carr.vuig sailini j \c--cfe used to moor in deep water olo« I in the beach. With II plank run out t> I tin- sluire. "After all those yeans.' In icniarked, ■there have not lieen ver; I inatt'iial changes in Tahiti. The water front lias gone rapidly ahead, hut i yon go into the town ami inland tlu-r is still much to remind one of thing as they were when first 1 landed there Will you believe mc when I cay Ilia ! ill the old tIaVH it w.ij uiiK'h more eec.ur and peaceful? -People then neve J thought .if turning the key in thei doors. But they lock up now. because with so many steamers calling, shad; people -get to Papeete at times, and— well, it's wisp to lip cautious." From ISnti to l'.Hlli Cil|)tain Rastnussei was living in. and trading between tit< French Islands, sometimes afloat nm sometime" ashore, at times sailing u> super-cargo, conducting; the iradinf j operation!) of the veesel. and on othei ' cruises shipping as skipper. It ww j copra and pearl shell mainly he trade* for, taking out from Papeete all sort; of merchandise, such as tinned food* clothing, cotton print?, and the hundred and one other items to be found in the trade room of these island vessels. Busi nes.- with the various islands was not conducted as a direct barter. The nopra and shell of the iiativpe was bought at an agreed price, and then Hip islander* would purchase, at a money valuation. What they needed, the linal adjustment being made in coin. During the ten years he spout trading between Tahiti and t,hp Paumotus. Captain Rasmiissen visited every one of the many island.' which are comprised in the Paumotti Group. And he can recall the loss ot .about :sn schooners during (hat samr j period of years. i MOTOR ( Ali AND AKHOPI.ANK. It was iv hi If running in and out ot Papeete ihal he saw a motor car for the first time: that car was landed at Papeete for the (lovpfnor. who bdfrttc usihl to drive through the town behind a pair of line high-stepping horses. And while on this aspect Of mechanical invention. I may mention that it was in j Auckland that he lirsl saw all aeroplane; the only thinj; that Surprised him about the flying mat-bin.- whs thai it did not make more noise! Leaving the French islands hi ItMJti. he Came West t<l till' I mil' Cl-nnl, ...i.l „,«,.

since he has bot-n most directly rngagPd in that t.rade. visiting jiracticafly all the outlying islands, but with Han.tonga iis hi~ trading centre, lie had one lonely spell of six years us ;1 liad.-r on Mitiaro Island. He'was then th ily permanent white resident on that liny isle lull occaj sinniilly an old I'lirtuuiicsc sailor, known j :is Charlie ticne came to tin- island with i liis wife for a t'.-w weeks nf easy life. -'j.Mitiaro mm e\erci»Cs a far gVeater " I appeal for (aptilin Kasmiiswn. fur it is "there that he has hi- wife and hi- per- ; ! nianeiil honie. > ' AfliT lii- I'm Itiguc*; \ isit-'i died, n>l 1" swifaring iiiciui. tireil nl bmrliiiesy. once ' niorc Weill nlimit a- -up. r . srri;.. <■(' I he 1 inter-island -.-hnoui-: Vaiie. riiiiiiinr. frniu .the Cnnk liiniip In Pcnrhyii and other ! i-utlyhitf island.-, l.jiier In- vwis. lor nlmnt I j two yiur*. >kipper oi Ihe Vailo. but In- ! j lift that vessel in Max. lnjii. and inuk •lover l.if ci.niiinu-.il v iiis present ••■.•--d. I I tin- I'iarc Tapnro. In lii-r lie has ranged : oxer ihe Kasicrn PiiciHc, a- fur n- Tahiti. ■ : -mil In .-cures ~f nl In , inlands, ai a limn I : Ih-1- ~i vthh-li hi< ...MI.I-. A. |:. Dnmibl. . : 1.: d.. have ilieir i-wn iuulilig Hlalloii-. I Man,\ lime- the I iu-e Titjmrn hits, il.-xpiti 1 : :ili.| \\ iih thi' glii;iiii|.iiniie gniliy. hei i \;\\ ■ . |iiart- rdi'i-k m. :■ i lie ii-'.iii e.iiiin has -' im-iI us a dam iiii: \',< i-r. in ii. r mi.-, i|liai-ter!> she h.i- limil i!I I in:< - li-li m, i rf'Zi-ll white \.'y:igi-!-.«. a Mil .al'.i.i-; lit -1:i;:'. an i:. In -lamiarv. lIIIKI. a icrriii ' hurricane '■ >wept through ihe I'lilluiotll-. ana the I grpiitfsi h.ss of life' in eiii-i.-d nl ilu- ' island ..I Uikui ru, where < attain li:.:. ! aiu.-scn was then livinj;. In ~t i e ' ' I 4(10 native- were killed nr drowned. Tiie I ; sea was rolling in henvih for Hirer days. I mill during tin- I to i. hours of tin-; I actual hurricam ihe waves wen- wasii-j j ing over ihe whole ol the low-lying; ! island. Standing un the liighe.-l point.' J Ihe people of the islund hud the -en up, !to their knci»i<. The mating uoUc of the! I storm ilriiwiiotl all other sound. Trees J were torn up and swept away, but m> I one could lii'iit' tin- siniishiiig ..I' the I : limber ~, ihe -. ream- of the i«liuidei-< , .I a< I hey Wel'e hurled i<. di'.-trm-t iotl

Two incidents ~f iiiat imich-:-iid-mi episode remain viviiilx ini|.ic-scd on Ihe memory of mv friend. cine ohl intlivc xvn» crouching uiili hi- wife ,-uid \elv large-family of youngsters on the hi»li pet point. He covt'ied them with mats. and then, in a momentary lull. Captain Rasmusseii heard him .-ay ■Lord, yon ■jive them to mc. and now you may tttkp tlu'lii ngllill." That old t iiri.-tian nalivp and all his family wi-n> saved.

<Mie old unman wns caught by the soli, washed through the lagoon, out lo si-a. and Stranded on an island JO miles away. There -die found h damaged canoe and two cocoa mi t>. Ten days later she miuuvged to drift of phdillc llP.k to Hiko.ru. The two cocoamlls bad apparently fcupt her just alive. When she landed home she w : us waiillermg in her mind, but later ou she got well and rei -livered her memory. AITKLAXn AND ISLAND Pitß'E?. Cliatiges bnve. of eowree. taken jilavt , during the jia:-t quarter of a century ill the rcnuirenieiits Of tile islanders in the way of trade goods: The* demand for red cotton print with big white flower decoration, used by both men and women, still prevails. In early , days few of the natives wore shoes, but now many of them have adopted footwear, and in Karotonga and Tahiti most of the women insist, on having; shops. But there is no mile for rubbish. The native is very discriminating and demands, and

gets, good valup for his money. It is | jusl ;i little surprisinjr that, in com-: paring price*, hoiti Captain Raeniuesen I and his young Australian supercargo. have noticed various articles of clotliiti" exhibitor! in nlihji Windows in A.ut-kllinrl at prices Himilar 10 those charged tv inlanders at siu'li illntnnl. i>o'mt* :i« Pen rliyn Maiul. you miles north of Rim»tiiiijrn: "I chilli lie nr|«,| t(', v ,.( h,,fU I<T ! llf . island* Hgaiii." -aid tin , •■aptllin when he \v:i- leaviiiy. "I i-an'l tell van wliiii it is thai si, i'iillh'h maii bitrU li< the i-hind-. lint I do kif»w tlil» wlien n mini hie lived then- for two or ihne veins ho never seems 1 1< vtniil to •>i-t iivvny npniii. Ulnnd life now X i.iencetiil ami i-\U\ There lire, liientv of kind, luispiiab!.. i)co|i'p up there.' tnit tliere are vitv l"e-.\ rich men lii he foiinil. I!,, .|,e",,ther hand. in. line need lie ill waul."