THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6261, 10 December 1881, Page 6

THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS.

•■ [FROM OUR OWN CORRESI'ONDKST.] Taiohae, Nokahiva, September 10. The Marquesas, situated some 900 miles to I ' the N.E. of Tahiti, are a group of eleven large, lofty islands, eight of which are inhabited, were first discovered by Mandana, a Spaniard, in 1595, and formally taken possession of in the name of His Catholic Majesty Philip If. of Spain—a ceremony which was accompanied by sowing some maize. Nothing, however, is subsequently recorded of them until visited by Cook in 1774. Shortly after this period ships began to visit the group, and it became a place of considerable importance to English and American whalers, several of which annually recruit here. A most interesting book called "Typce' , (so named after a large fertile valley situ ited on the island of Nukahiva) was writ'en, about the year 1545, by Herman Melville, a runaway sailor belonging to an American whaler, who spent six months as prisoner with, the savage tribes then inhabiting Typee. The French planted their fiig at Taiohae (Nukahiva) about the year 181"., and erected forts, barracks. Government House, and other fine buildings, but it is only during the last ten or twelve years that tho place has become anything irore than a French naval and military station. Nukahiva, from where I write, derives its importance from the fact of being the head-quarters of the Gavcrnment. It is also the port of call for the mail vessels from San Francisco. Here the President, as he is styled, a French naval oliicer of high grade, resides. His retinue consists of a C'/i.* r' clu Service AdminUlralif (Monsieur Gazengal), a sergeant of marines, one soldier, and some half a dozen gensd 'armes. The present Resident, M. Cliastanie, with his charming wife, is highly respected. His assistance to business men, just decisions in all matters of dispute, added to the genial hospitality, as displayed alike to strangers visiting these islands aud to permanent residents, stamps him at once as a most popular man. The commerce of this group is steadily on the increase. Its vast resources are, as yet, barely touched upon, but year by year, as additional capital is invested, our exports will continue to grow, until these obscure, almost unknown islands will assume an importance second to none of the sister groups to the westward. The want of capital necessary to develop the vast natural resources of these fine islands has hitherto been the great drawback to progress and prosperity. In past years a considerable trade was done with New Zealand direct, and the writer arrived at Nukahiva from Auckland by the brigantine Coronet—then owned by Messrs. Owen and Graham—in IS7I, with a large cargo of goods consigned to Captain John Hart. Since that date, however, a monthly mail line (American sailing vessels), subsidised by the French Government, l-etween San Francisco and Tahiti has been established, and as these vessels touch at Nnkahiva on the downward trip to Tahiti, the trade with New Zealand has almost entirely ceased. Regular communication with the outside world has accomplished this cud. .Still New Zealand, by reason of its proximity to the home markets, possessing as it does the advantage of cheap freights to London as compared with San Francisco, ought really to be onr port: for transhipment of produce. For the purchase of Manchester goods, now so largely used here, Auckland again is the port to which, in course of time, we will naturally turn. The only business houses of importance established here at present are A. Crawford and Co., of San Francisco, and Captain John Hart. The la'.ter gentleman, in addition to ordinary business, owns cotton and cofTi-e plantations on this and neighbouring islands of the group, which give emplovmont to over 500 hands—chiefly Chinese. " One half were obtained, on contract; from San Francisco, the remainder being old hands from the Atiiiiaono Plantation, owned bv the (now defunct) T.C. and C.P.Co., of Tahiti. The cotton, when picked, is brought here to be ginned and baled ready for shipment home. The extensive ginning machinery, driven by steam power, lends quite an appearance of activity and bustle to our otherwise de-serted-looking bay. Cotton is the staple trade, although copra and fungus are now largely exported, The bulk of these, instead of going to Auckland as formerly, is now sent to Tahiti, and there transhipped either to San Francisco, whence it is reshipped home at great expense, or to Hamburg, by German vessels belonging to or churtdreil by the Societo Commen-iale de l'Oc-eanie, of Tahiti. On the island of Dominique, where is situated Captain Hart's largest cot'on plantation, a large number of the natives are still cannibals, and continue in a most savace state, in spite of the laudable efforts of the Roman Catholic Mission. A few months ago, during a dispute about laud on that island, Captain Hart was compelled in self-de-fence, to lire upon and mortally wouud a chief named Timaw, a notorious cannibal, as well as a great scoundrel. This man is said to have eaten a portion of his own father, after ho had killed him, and has feasted times out of number on the bodies of his victims. A long account of this atiair appeared in the San Francisco papers at the time, but the facts were generally greatly exaggerated. The dull routine of our bay was pleasantly relieved a short time ago by a visit from the steam yacht Wanderer, of 750 tons, belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron of Cowcs. Mr. Lambert, with his wife and family and a party of friends, is making a tour round the world. The writer, accompanied by our esteemed €%■/ da Serrtre, M. Gazongcl, were cordially welcomed, and spent a most agreeable Sunday afternoon on board this magnificent vessel. She took her departure from this, bound for Tahiti, on the ISth of July, whence it was Mr. Lambert's intention to go on to Rarotong.t, Fiji, Sydney, Navigators, Chinn, and Japan, and thence home by way of the Suez Canal. September 2S. The vessels in port here now are Prowler (formerly the Will Watch, running between Auckland and the Bay of Islands), Loreley, of Tahiti, and Sronge, of Marquesas. Tho Governor and residents generally are making active preparations to receive the I-'reaeh admiral, due hero on the Ist October in the ironclad s.s, Triumphante, from San Francisco. The steam corvettes Hugou and Hussard will be here from Tahiti a few days before that time, Taiohae Bay being the spot to rendezvous. The mail vessel from San Francisco will arrive at auymo ment, and as the stores are short of provisions her arrival is looked for with some eagerness. Recent rains have doue much good for the cotton plantations, and cotton picking will begin in earnest in October. Some attempt, I understand, is being made to float a company in San Francisco for the purpose of cotton planting in tlic neighbouring valley of Typee, formerly owned and worked as a cotton plantation by the late Mr. W. Stewart, manager of the T.C. andC.P. Company at Tahiti. Should the project succeed much good would result; for this group, additional capital and labour alone being wanted to develop the great natural resources of the group—adapted more especially for cotton planting.