ISLAND TREASURES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17818, 29 June 1932, Page 6

ISLAND TREASURES

UNIQUE COLLECTION MADE CRUISE BY A NATURALIST An amazing assortment of Island curios, including native shells, plants, butterflies, stuffed birds, crocodiles, snails, snakes, flying foxes, spears, kites, and fishing nets, was brought by the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross, which returned to Auckland on Saturday from her Island cruise. They were collected in the New Hebrides, Santa Cruz and Solomon Groups by the Auckland naturalist Mr. A. T. Pycroft, for presentation to the Auckland Museum, and were obtained from the natives of the Islands in exchange for tobacco, calico, pipes, knives and fishhooks.

Mr. Pycroft accompanied the steamer on its 2A months’ cruise, visiting many out-of-the-way islands and securing about ICCO specimens, which should add considerably to the value of the Island collodion in the museum. The butterflies, of brilliant tropical hues, number over ICO.

A cinematograph macliine and a camera were among the appliances taken by the naturalist oil the cruise. A total of 132 photographic plates was exposed, and they will he presented to the museum. Among the most interesting photographs obtained were of eight Polynesian men, heavily tattooed, who arrived at Vanikoro, in the Santa Cruz Group, after a voyage of 120 miles in dug-out canoes from their home on the island of Tikopia. These men arc totally different- in type from the Melanesians, having long hair. stained yellow through treatment with lime.

HELTCS OF ILL-FATED EXPLORER Long ocean voyages arc seldom undertaken by canoe in modern times, said Mr. Pycroft, but they were very frequent in older days. It- was at Vanikoro that the two ships of the La Peronso expedition were wrecked in 1788, and in 183" relics of the expedition were found at Tikopia. showing that they had been transported across the 120-mile strip of ocean.

When the Southern Cross was at Vanikoro the eight Polynesian voyagers expected to he conveyed hack to their island hv the steamer, as the trade wind will prevent the return of the canoes, and in expectation of a ioyous homecoming they had decked themselves out with branches of the drnsrina and hibiscus flowers in their hair, they were overcome with grief when told that the Southern Cross was not calling at Tikopia. RAVAGES OF DISEASE

“There is a great need for more medical assistance in Melanesia,’’ said Mr. Pycroft. “Yaws and other diseases are common on many of the islands and the cases are pitiable to see, especially the children. On one island on which we landed two mu-sing sisters, with the help of the missionaries, made 19 injections for yaws in the two hours we were there. I was informed that three injections are necessary to effect a cure. Good work is being done at the. mission hospital at Fuabu and some distance from the hospital lepers who have been brought there from the neighboring islands are segregated. They receive treatment from the hospital authorities." The natives throughout the mission field are taught the Mot a language in the schools, but Mr. Pycroft was informed that the synod has now decided to have English taught instead, as the growing association of the natives and planters and traders renders a knowledge of English more useful to the islanders. Mr. Pycroft was struck by the fact that pidgin English is not viewed favorably by the mission authorities and that commands to the island crew on the South eru Cross are all given in plain English. PRIMITIVE FORMS OF MONEY Probably the most treasured ncquisition of the cruise was the purchase ot two coils of red feather money, peculiar to Santa Cm/.. The,so valuable curiosities, which are employed as a medium ot exchange for the purchase, for example, of wives and the cementing of friendship, consist of two or three fathoms of fibre, entirely covered with the red feathers of birds. Another important prize was a complete red shell money mint, with all the necessary appliances for making native money. It was purchased at the Rina Lagoon, on the west coast of' Malata.

Mr. Pycroft said that one of the most interesting events of tho cruise was an inspection of tln* artificial islands at the Rina Lagoon. They wore made years ago by taking heaps of coral out in canoes and tipping them into the water until a number of islands appeared, on which huts could be built for protection against ferocious bush tribes. :.