MALDEN ISLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 286, 27 August 1908, Page 2

MALDEN ISLAND.

TRACES OF ANCIENT INHABITANTS., (DY TEI.EORAI'H.—SI'ECIAL COIIItEEPOt)DENt,> > Ghristchurcil, August 24. The locally-owned barque lianksneld, which arrived at Lyttelton yesterday from Maiden Island, brought one passenger, Mr. Creighton, of the Bluff, who has spent the last eighteen ■ months on the Island as cook for the handful of white people there. Maiden Island is where much of the guano used in New Zealand conies from. There are thousands of tons there, and the deposits are worked by Kanakas under engagement to the Melbourne firm that leases the Island. There ,aro only seven white people on Maiden Island and ISO Kanakas. The latter are' omployed for twelve months, their wages being £2 10s. per month, while they are also found in stores—tinned ■ meat - threetimes per week, and rice and one pound of biscuits daily. They supplement this bill of faro with an occasional turtle, with'the eggs of sea birds, or with flying-fish. The wMto people Jive on the west side of the Island, and Kanakas on the eastern, side. Maldeu Island is about 25 miles in circiimferenco. Tho highest spot is tho "Flagstaff," alongside tho white men's houses, and is about 30ft. abovo sea level. The only vegetation is a few clumps of cocoanut. trees, some scrub, and a good deal of coarse grass. There' are about 200 goats running at large on tho Island, and a herd of pigs. There is no fresh water, and tho inhabitants are dependant on rain water collected in tanks. There are also two plants for condensing sea\yater. ; Mr. Creighton told a ' repijrter that' the sailing ships which load guano at Maiden Island are the only means of communication; with the outside world. Oil an averago about five ships, usually Norwegian, call at Maiden Island during the year. Mr. Creightoirs acquaintance with Maiden Island dates back for twenty years, and during that time he believed oisly' two steamers had called there. Life on the Island is terribly mono- , tonous for'the" whito people, practically tlie only recreation being reading, shooting, or fishing. The Island is frequented by millions of sea birds, but the. most interesting features of this lonely speck of land ai'e the trices of ancient inhabitants;, Its discoverers eighty years ago found largo square areas raised about three feet abovo the ordinary surface, and supported by blocks of wrought coral, each having in. its centre what , was supposed to be an altar or a tomb.' Mr. Creighton spoke of a number-of stone.slab, huts now broken down. No implements,, or.. tools, or other remains, have been found, and none of the Kanakas imported to work there appear to know anything of tho former inhabitants. Some years ;ago there were a number of flat stone slabs laid on tho ground in a line stretching from the site of the stone houses to tho seashore.