JUST GIRLS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 14

JUST GIRLS

A STKANGE STOlv'Y

A remarkable story of an island in the racifiu inhabited only by native girls and a few adult while women w;is I old by a mission sister, Miss Clarke, on her arrival in Sydney the other day. Sometimes lone male marauders land on the island in canoes only to be driven off with kjuves and sticks by the young Amazons. From the days of the great legends of the Amazons downwards, stories of an island in some remote region, inhabited by women only, have- been current. Some early maps placed an "Island of Women" on the coast of Western Australia, somewhere about the position of liottnest Island. Apparently the island is really to the cast of Australia (says tho Sydney "Sun").

A MISSIONARY'S AC OUNT.

The foot of man rarely treads, on the island of Bunanr, opposite Tulagi, which is inhabited only by native girls and their white teachers.

Miss Agatha Clarke, trained nurse and mission sister of the Australian Board of Missions, who has been teaching there, told of this island community on her arrival by the Mataram in Sydney. Gela Island was also in her nursing district, the natives surnindning her for eases of necessity.

"There are 30 schoolgirls on the island of Bunanr," she said. "They aro chosen from all parts, and speak various tongues. They aro taught Mota, which had been selected as the most suitable native language The girls remain for two years, and then return to their villages. ■ Under the system, it is hoped to raise the standard of native living, for special care is devoted to spiritual matters."

Miss Clarke said that the mission steamer, Southern Cross, called twice a year to land stores. Being only girls, the inhabitants of the island were not able to produce sufficient vegetables. Rico and biscuits formed the- main fare. There was no spring at the island, and the small community was entirely dependent on the rain. Sometimes their bathing bad to bo confined to a dip in the salt water.

"Tulagi is three miles away, and the risk of crossing in the dinghy is too great," said Miss Clarke. "Thero is a navigation light on our island, which burns continually. Should assistance be urgently required, it has been arranged that we should cover the light, for it is the duty of the sentry at Tulagi to watch the light."

Miss Clarke said that the work being done at the island was generally appreciated by the natives, and the white teachers were not a scrap afraid of re maining at the island

TREATMENT OF MARAUDERS

"There ha.ye, however, been marauders," continued Miss Clarke. "They have always come single-hand-ed in canoes. They have broken into the girls' sleeping houses, only to be hounded out with sticks and knives. The marauder always leaves his canoe on bamboo slides, and the quickness with which he is able to escape is really amazing."

Miss Clarke said that during the north-west monsoon season the island was in uo danger of visits of unwelcome strangers—the storm perils were too great.

"Our island is surrounded by sharks and crocodiles," said Miss Clarke, who told of a narrow escape she and a fellow teacher had had. While bathing in about five feet of water and conversing with one another, a big shark had swum between them. They were so "stunned" that they lost a few seconds in making for the shore.

"Until 30 years ago," said Miss Clarke, "natives used to worship the the shark god, throwing to the god the bodies of the dead from Thumb Koek."

Another custom was for the grandmother on the father's side to kill the first born, because of the belief that the husband, perhaps, was not the father of the child. Even now there is a. risk of a first born being allowed to die if it falls ill.

In a dinghy manned by half a dozen native girls Miss Clarke was recently rowed across to Gela Island to treat an urgent ease of sickness. A strong current was running and the dinghy half filled with water.. Miss Clarke in European clothes was at a decided disadvantage. She attended to tho urgent uasc, and the next morning did a round of the village, with natives who fully believed she would heal everybody.