TRISTAN DA CUNHA

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3894, 26 April 1937, Page 7

TRISTAN DA CUNHA

LIFE ON A LONELY ISLAND. “Harbour again. And one of our happiest tasks accomplished—the visit to Tristan da Cunha,” wrote Adrian Seligman in the “News Chronicle” recently. He continues:—. As the Cape Pilar’s boats made the beach, the entire population turned out to greet us. Women swept down to embrace the crew. Letters, letters, news from the outside world was what they wanted. First letter opened by the Rev. Harold Wilde, vicar, schoolmaster, magistrate, administrator, and doctor of the island, was an income tax demand. The largest mail was received by Agnes Rogers, the only Romn Catholic in a Protestant community. Keynotes of Tristan’s life are courtesy, good health, and contentment. There is no money, no hurry, no crime, no punishment. The lack of necessity ever to raise their voices has rendered Tristanites physically incapable, of shouting. The population numbers 187. In the last three years there has been only one death, and that was due to an accident. . In the same period there were 12 births. Seven surnames suffice for the whole population—Glass, Rogers. Green, Swain, Hodges, Repetto, and Lavarello. Families with the last two names are descendants of Italian shipwrecked sailors who settled on the island. Normal lighting is by sea elephant oil lamps. Islanders have no watches, and tell the time by the sun. When a Dutch submarine recently visited the island the population refused at first to launch boats, thinking it a whale. Women wear ankle-long dresses with girdles and kerchiefs over the head. A Boy Scout troop 20 strong boasts a flag presented by Shackleton. .Industries on the island are clothweaving, making of penguin skin mats, agriculture, and fishing. In their 17 surf-boats made of local brushwood covered with canvas the island’s fishermen show remarkab.e navigating skill on the gigantic rollers.