OUT IN THE PACIFIC

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6384, 5 December 1907, Page 5

OUT IN THE PACIFIC

LIFE ON MALDEN ISLAND. Captain Schroder, of tho little schooner Alice, which has just arrived back at Wellington from a trip to the guano depot known as Maiden Island, gives an interesting account of life on this arid spot of sand away out in the Pacific 1 over three thousand miles from Wellington. The island is about six miles long by four miles wide, and is absolutely devoid of vegetation. Although only 240 miles south of tho Equator, the temperature rarely exceeds UOdeg, and owing to its proximity to the Line tho temperature varies but slightly night or day. Rain is scarce, and fresh water is obtained by condensation, for the purpose of which the Alice took a quantity of coal from Wellington on her lost trip. The island is in tho possession of Messrs Grice, Sumner and Co., of Melbourne, and several hundred tons of guano are shipped from the island every year. Tho island is peopled by about one hundred kanakas and Cook Islanders, who do the manual work. There are only six white m-sn in the community. Captain Carlson, the present manager, is known in New Zealand. He has with him his wife and infant.

There is no harbour at Malden Island, and tho mooring buoys are anchored in seventy fathoms of water, Tho Cook Islanders work in a separate gang from the Icanakas, but the friendliest relatione exist between tho two parties. One man is appointed official fisherman to the colony, and fish are so plentiful that the fisherman gets haw day’s work done before breakfast time. Tho wage paid the islanders is about £2 a month, in addition to their keep. The inroads made upon, tho guano deposits now necessitate the use of railway trucks to bring the guano to the shipping, a distance of three or four miles Each truck carries about two tons of guano, and each is fitted with a mast and sail, which are used when the wind is at a favourable slant for propelling the truck. About a thousand young oocoarrnts were planted, with a view to making a plantation, but the native® surreptitiously exhumed the cocoanuts for use as a change of diet.