TRISTAN DA CUNHA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 May 1925, Page 6

TRISTAN DA CUNHA.

THE LONELIEST ISLAND

The Rev. Martyn Rogers, who over three years ago gave up his church in England to go as a, British missionary to Tristan da Cun ha, a lonely island in the South Atlantic, is back in England, with his young wife and baby. The latter—a golden-haired child —is named “Edward,” after the Prince of Wales, at the islanders’ special request.

“The people.have signed a petition asking the British Government to send an annual mail to the island,” said Mr Rogers. “It is the only means of getting food and clothes. There are 140 inhabitants, and for 15 months they lived on fish and sea birds, so that we should have what little meat (beef and mutton) there was. When our baby was born tiuee years ago an old woman of 90 nursed my wife. The people are all related, and there are only five names on the island.

“My wife played the organ and taught the choir, and ive had four services a day in our church, which, with a little school, all helped to build. The people are half-coloured, and are all Church of England and speak English. We buried three people while we were there, and solemnised four weddings—the latter at a farewell service before we left —when bot-h brides and bridegrooms wept, and the proceedings more resembled a funeral! “For the wedding breakfast we had dry bread and tea —which were great luxuries. On the rare occasions when a is sighted everybody makes a rush Tor the beach and for the: tiny canvas -boats' the islanders fashion for themselves. We had our letters writ-! ten for months waiting for a chance to get a ship to take them. We were; two years without news. All we knew j was that Lloyd George was in Parha-j ment and that Princess Alary was mar-J ried. Our baby has never seen a piece ] of cake or chocolate or eaten any white) bread.” j!

Z\li- Rogers added that he had had an interview with the Prime Minister of South Africa with regard to the islanders settling in Cape Colony, but no an angemnet had vet been made.