THE ATOLLS AND ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH SEAS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 22

THE ATOLLS AND ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH SEAS.

(Scotsman, November 9, 1889.) From its cover, " Through the Atolls of the Groat South Sea " (by F. J. Moss) might be a boy's book of adventure. From its title it might be a naturalist's account of coral islands. It is neither of these, though it is as fascinating as the one and as full of valuable information as the other. It is the record by a New Zealand colonist and legislator, of many years' experience in wandering among the islands of the Western and Eastern Pacific, begun so far back as 1868, when he went as one of the early settlers and planters in Fiji. The freshest portion of his reminiscences, however, are those which he made a few years ago in the trading schooner of an Auckland firm, which made a long round of the old stations among the " lagoon islands," and sought at the same time for the Bites for establishing new places of call. On this trip he " crossed the equator six times, visited more than 40 islands, and returned to hear of deaths and changes, of Russian and German and French wars narrowly averted, of Irish excitements, and of other events that had stirred the great world," but of which not the faintest echo had reached the little world of the atolls and lagoons. South Sea life and South Sea business have changed utterly since the good old days of " coacoanut oil, beche de mer, and general wickedness." " Copra now is kiog," and the former order of things has disappeared." The traders of today — British and German— are almost a saintly lot compared with their predecessors of the " Bully Hayes" type ; although Mr Moss wishes that some of them " would take a friend's advice, swear less and be more careful in speech," even while charitably putting down the excrescences in their talk as " a mere bad habit" ot old sailors. He has preserved some rich and curious recollections of the good old wicked times in the South Sea,

and on the whole one cannot regret that this " age of romance " has come to an end. What has succeeded it on the islands is not much of an improvement, to the islanders at least. They are in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth, by the joint action of alien virtues and vices. Mr Moss speaks with high respect and admiration of the missionaries, but points out that under their hands the Polynesian race is threatening to "die of inanition." Where they have their way, not only is drinking tabooed, but smoking is inhibited, the accordion and jews-harp are proscribed, playing-cards are contraband, and games and amusements of all kinds, except going to prayer-meeting and debating in the " turi " house, are discountenanced. AmoDg the Manihiki natives " the Sabbath was observed with peculiar rigidity. They kindled no fires and smoked no tobacco, attended church services (five in the day), and spent the rest of the day listlessly lolling upon their mats and BleepiDg." Mr Moss asks — Can this last ? Can human, nature stand it? And he calls fora change *of system from one which has striven to eradicate all the old pagan beliefs and practices by suppressing as evil the native gaiety and lightness of heart of the islanders, if they are not to be improved off the face of the earth. Another cause of change is the progress which German trade and influence is making in the Pacific. Everywhere, he says, the natives would prefer, if they had a voice in the matter, to "turn .Peritane" — come under the British flag ; bub the Germans are more awake to their opportunities and less scrupulous in turning them to their own trading aud political advantage ; and the result is that their commerce and flag are now dominant over a large part of the South Sea. It would seem that it is the Australian and New Zealand colonists — whose natural domain of traffic and influence undoubtedly includes these islands — that most need wakening up. If they show enterprise and knowledge equal to those of the Germans, the mother country will be sure to see that they have equal fair play, >