ISLAND TREASURES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 152, 30 June 1932, Page 8

ISLAND TREASURES

UNIQUE COLLECTION MADE ACQUISITION FOR MUSEUM 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, reports the New Zealand Herald. 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 two and a-half months’ cruise visiting many out-of-the-way islands, and securing about 1000 specimens, which should add considerably tG the value of the Island collection in the museum. The butterflies, of brilliant tropical hues, number over 100. A cinematograph machine and a camera were among the appliances taken by the naturalist on the cruise. A total of 132 photographic plates was exposed, and they will be presented to the museum. Among the most interesting photographs obtained were eight of Polynesian men, heavily tatooed, 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 are totally different in type from the Melanesians, having long hair, stained yellow through treatment with lime. Relics of 111-fated Explorer Long ocean voyages are 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 Perouso expedition were wrecked in 1788, and in 1883 relics of the expedition wore found at Tikopia. showing that they had been transported by canoe across the 120-mile strip of ocean.

When the Southern Cross was at Vanikoro the eight Polynesian voyag. ers expected to be conveyed back to their island by the steamer, as the trade winds will prevent the return of the canoes, and in expectation of a joyous home-coining they had decked themselves out with branches of the drascina 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 nursing sisters, with the help of the missionaries, made 19 injeetions for yaws in the two hours we were there. I was informed that three injections were necessary to effect

a cure. Good work- is Vising done at the mission hospital / at Fuabu and some distance from thr hospital lepers who havo been brought there from the neighbouring islands are segregated. They receive treatment from the hospital authorities.” The natives■ throughout the mission field are taught the Mota 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 lEnglish more useful to the islanders. iMr Pycroft was struck by the fact thatArpidgin English is not viewed favourably by the mission authorities and thad commands to the island crew on the Southern Cross are all given in plain English. Primitive Forms of Bfroney Probably the most treasured acquisition of the cniise was the purchase of two coils of real feather money, peculiar to Santa Crux. These valuable curiosities, which ari» employed as a medium of exchange for the purchase, for example, of wives and the cementing of friendship, ••(insist, of two or three fathoms ot' fibre entirely covered with the red feathers of birds. Another important prize was a complete red shell money mint, v>ith all the necessary appliances for making native money. It was purchased at the Bina Lagoon, on the west coast of Malta. Mr Pycroll said that one of the most interesting events of the cruise was an inspection of the artificial islands at the Bina Lagoon. They were 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.