Notable People of the Pacific

MANY years ago, I read in the Syd ney Morning Herald an account of the romantic career of “the Queen of Sudest Island.” I never for got that description of a remarkable woman, who ruled a large tropical island 60 miles long by 10 miles across and its 20,000 natives, with firmness and justice, and who, as oc casion demanded, was trader, planter, engineer, gold-miner, master-mariner and pastoralist.

Therefore, it was with keen interest that, at the meeting held in Sydney to form a Pacific Islands Association, I met Mrs. Elizabeth Mahony, whose great ability and courage, and fine, womanly qualities, have been warmly praised by such famous people as Sir William MacGregor, Miss Beatrice Grimshaw and Sir Hubert Murray. Al though she is now 76 years of age and lives quietly in retirement at Bathurst, N.S.W., one immediately recognises an extraordinary personality. She is tall as straight and slim as one of her own palm trees, and has a face in which strength of character, unusual beauty and great kindness and charity are strikingly combined. Every faculty is alert, her memory is marvellous, her knowledge of affairs is wide and well informed, her judgments marked by tolerance —it is a delight to talk with her.

Mrs. Mahony was 34 years old when, in 1889, she accompanied her husband, the late Mr. John Mahony, in a “gold rush” to Sudest Island, which lies south-east of New Guinea. Most of the prospectors, after many hardships, drifted away; but Mr. and Mrs.

Mahony and Mr. Carvey, Mr. Mah ony’s partner, remained in Sudest and established themselves as traders and planters. The natives were pleasant, tractable people and easily managed.

Before the coming of the whites, head hunters from other groups, and the mainland, decimated them; but during the Mahony regime they increased con siderably in numbers. At one time, there were about 20,000 on the island; but, in later years, measles, whooping cough and influenza played havoc

among them, and they are now dying out quickly.

Some 12 years after they went to Sudest, Mr. Mahony died, and Mr.

Carvey sold out his share to Mrs.

Mahony and returned to Ireland. Af ter that, for nearly 20 years, the in domitable woman carried on alone, with the help of her children and a small, loyal staff She was literally the Queen of Sudest—her word was law.

She turned her capable hands to every thing—bought and sold, and produced copra; traded in trocas, shell and gum; introduced and bred cattle and horses; employed gangs of natives on gold digging—all these islands eastward of Papua are gold-bearing; and she kept several cutters and launches, which she often navigated herself, for trading with other islands. She sometimes made long voyages, her native crew her only companions.

It is a stirring tale, full of adventure, colour and romance, this story of how a courageous woman conquered circum stance and ruled a tropic isle wisely, beneficently and successfully—for she made a small fortue there. But the fascinating account of her life would need a book.

There are those who say a woman is “elderly” at 40. Mrs. Mahony was well beyond that dreaded age when her husband died and she took charge of her Pacific domain. She was over 60 before she even thought of retiring.

During her reign at Sudest —about 33 years—she was honoured and loved by all who knew her, Europeans and natives alike. Stern duty and heavy responsibility never hardened her —she remained, and still is, a sweet and gentle woman, her hand ever ready to go out in charity. As we walked down George Street in the rain she was ac costed by a dirty individual whose out look was obviously limited to beer. I was inclined to be harsh with the gentleman, but she insisted on giving him a coin. I hope, when he reads this, he will appreciate the fact that he was saved from violence by the Queen of

Sudest. — R.W.R.

Mrs. Elizabeth Mahony, Known Throughout the Central Pacific as "The Queen of Sudest”