WAYS OF THE WILD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 185, 6 August 1932, Page 1 (Supplement)

WAYS OF THE WILD.

A NATURALIST IN MELANESIA. THE COCONUT ROBBER CRAB. (By A. T. PYCROFT.) At the southern end of the bay, where the Southern Cross anchored at Macwo, or Aurora Island, the north-east island of the New Hebrides group, a fresh water river enters the sea. It can be seen from the sea, high up on the side of the island, falling over a broad, rocky face in several cascades. A number of the passengers and crew bathed in the fresh water, which was delightfully cool. I was anxious to collect as many land and fresh water shells as possible, and when wading in the river bed I secured several from the soles of my feet. This species had sharp spikes, which penetrated the skin. The spikes protect these shell fish from being preyed upon by fish. Beautiful butterflies ware flitting along the river bed and shore, but when we walked through the bush to rejoin the boat, the tall forest trees shut out all sunlight, the only sounds being the incessant noise of cicadas and the occasional cooing of a pigeon. The butterflies were at the tree tops in the sun. It was a sudden change to emerge from the darkness of the bush to the intense glare of a small white coral beach, where hundreds of hermit crabs, occupying shells of various kinds and sizes, scuttled off at our approach. The river we had bathed in was a well-known watering place from the early days. First the sandal wood traders and kidnappers, then labour recruiters from Queensland and Fiji, and former Southern Crosses had watered here. Bishop Selwyn and his son, Bishop John Selwyn, knew this river well, and had bathed in it. Bishop John Selwyn states that when stopping at Maewo in 1878, he heard that a woman had died at the next village, and suddenly one of his boys said Poor woman." ''Who V asked the Bishop. "The mother of the woman who had died," was the reply. She had implored them to take her life, as eha did not want to survive her daughter, so they hound the living woman and toe dead together, and then her son, the dead woman's brother, trod his living mother to death, believing that he did her ser viee. This had all been going on within 300 yards from the spot where ;the Bishop sat. A visit was paid after dinner to Latoro village, situated high up in the hush, the track to it being through thick bush. Walking was difficult as we neared our destination owing to the steep and slippery track. The village, which consisted of about a dozen houses, was surrounded by a pig-proof wooden fence. Under some coconut palms broken nuts and young nuts, with holes in the side, was evidence of the presence of the coconut robber crab, whose holes could also be seen in the ground. The natives obtained several for us. One was put into spirits; the others were cooked for tea, and much appreciated. We visited the river above the falls, and enjoyed another swim, and then refreshed ourselves with green coconuts. When we rejoined the ship at 5 p.m. the vessel was rolling heavily on account of a heavy westerly swell, although the sea was smooth. The swell increased during the night, an indication of a heavy westerly blow somewhere.

The Banks Islands. The vessel left an hour after midnight for Merelava, or Star Peak Island, in the Banks Group. This group lies to the north of the New Hebrides, Merelava being 40 miles from Maewo. The group comprises two larger islands and six small ones, and were originally discovered by Quiros. Lieut. Bligh passed through the group in 1789, during his remarkable boat voyage to Timor after the mutiny of the Bounty. Bligh named the group after Sir Joseph Banks. The Melanesian Mission are the only mission workers in this group, the total population of which is estimated at 2000. A Government estimate of the population in 1908 was 5000, it being then stated that the numbers are diminishing year by year. The Banks Group is governed the same as the New Hebrides, by the joint control of England and France. The inhabitants are of a type distinct from any of the New Hebrides Group in manners, customs, habits, language and appearance. In character they are, with the exception of the natives of one of the islands, Gaua, mild, quiet, inoffensive and friendly. The bow and arrow was the common weapon. They have a separate language of their own, with different dialects in some of the islands, and quite distinct from any language spoken in the New Hebrides or other islands. The dialect of one of the islands, Mota, is the one most commonly used and understood by all. It is also the language adopted by the mission for general use in their schools. Only Malaria Free Island. The Southern Cross arrived off Merelava at 7 a.m., but owing to the heavy westerly swell a landing was not possible. This island rises to a conicalshaped peak 2900 ft high. Deep water 6urrounds the island. The population is about 400, and it is the only island in the Banks and New Hebrides Groups which is free from malaria. The natives possess a few small outrigger canoes. Upon our return from the Solomons a landing was effected here. Viewing some of these mountainous islands from the sea, it was always of interest to me to see native gardens high up on the steep slopes. This was very noticeable as we approached Merelava, and I was anxious to go to one of the villages. We landed on to an outflow of lava, where many natives had assembled to meet us. The track to the from which the women obtain water, first village was alongside a steep gully, carrving it in bamboos up the steep track to the village. No water is available elsewhere than at several points at the base of the island. The soil is exceedingly rich, and there is a copious rainfall; in fact, the summit is generally wreathed in mist. I found the ascent to the village extremely steep, but was repaid by procuring several articles of interest." As we were unable to land at Merelava on our northern trip, the Southern Cross made a north-westerly course to Gaua, 33 miles distant. We were, however, also unable to land there, and as the wind had increased to a full gale it was decided to shelter in Mosino Bay, Vanua Lava.