Frank Coffee

“ In addition to its picturesqueness, the island possesses an equable climate, and the luxurious wealth of its vegetation and the varied charms of its natural beauties have warranted its description as "a small terrestrial paradise, which nature delights to beautify." It is noted as the home of the Kentia palms, which are indigenous to this one spot alone of the earth's surface. The Kentia palms are acknowledged as the hardiest, the most beautiful and most useful of all palms, and for decorative purposes cannot be excelled. ”

“ There must be something peculiar about the soil of this island, as it also grows onions of a freakish nature, as is evidenced by a case of onions being washed ashore from a wreck, and which when planted in April, produces a small, nice flavored pickling onion, while those planted in June produces large white cooking onions.
Maiden Island, in the possession of the Melbourne firm of Grice, Summer & Co., is peopled by about a hundred Kanakas, who work the phosphate deposits. It is an arid little spot and has no lures whatever as a tourist resort. ”

“ Communication with Fanning Island has been most unsatisfactory for the residents. Sometimes, the Oceanic Company's steamers would stop there going one way; then it was discontinued because the service did not pay. Later on, the Union Company's, of New Zealand, steamers stopped there occasionally, but they were discontinued also. The Pacific Cable Board built an auxiliary schooner, The Strathcona, in Auckland, in 1917, to run between Fanning Island and Honolulu. But on its maiden trip to Fanning Island the vessel was wrecked at a total loss. ”

“ The inhabitants seem to be a happy people, with no desire to be disturbed or influenced by the outside world.
Pitcairn Island is about two and a half miles long and one mile wide. In the center of it rises a hill a thousand feet high. The island comes under the administration of the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific.
Norfolk Island Norfolk Island, to which the other descendants of the Bounty migrated, is one of the most lovely island jewels set in the Pacific. It is about a thousand miles from Sydney, and four hundred miles northwest of New Zealand. ”

“ Hundreds of acres—in the case of what are known as Nan Matal ruins, as much as eleven square miles—are covered by the remains of walls, canals, and earthworks of the most stupendous character, built upon a general plan such as could have been only conceived by men of power and intelligence, acquainted with mechanical appliances for raising enormous weights and transporting huge blocks of stone considerable distances by both land and water. ”

“ Whatever race is responsible for the depredations, much indignation has been aroused by the barbarous practice. These cruel poachers are accused of driving the birds, which are very tame and fat, into caves and starving them until they are emaciated, when the feathers are easily removed. ”

“ If one was quick and dexterous enough, he could catch one and eat it alive!
The crew and passengers of the Aeon remained on Christmas Island for several weeks, then Captain Downey salved a gasolene engine, installed it in a life-boat, and in this he proceeded to Fanning Island, one hundred and forty-five miles northwest. There he cabled his agents, Howard Smith & Co., Sydney. In due time the Union Company's steamer Manuka stopped at Christmas Island, sent boats ashore and rescued the passengers, crew and mail. ”

“ As we have noted before, birds have been introduced to destroy insect pests, and in time have become pests themselves, calling for destruction. One settler at Rapa imported a setting of eggs from California, and having no hens he put them in an incubator to hatch, and in due time a brood of chickens came out ”

“ In order to check this vandalism and protect the birds, the United States sent a man-o'-war, the Thetis, in 1909, to Lysan Lisianski and Midway Island on a cruise to warn invaders. On arrival the naval authorities arrested twenty-four Japanese poachers and took them to Honolulu for trial. At that time it was estimated that three hundred thousand birds were destroyed annually.
New settlers, who have introduced domestic animals to the Pacific islands, have strange experiences. ”

“ These works, which strike even civilized men with astonishment, could have been only carried out by the labor of thousands of men working in concert and under command; and they proved that their builders must have had at the time of their erection some form of settled government and system of religion. ”