Men Who Knew Yesterday

By Eric Ramsden

5. —Percy H. Edmunds, Lately

of Easter Island

PERCY H. EDMUNDS was a lad of six teen when his parents, on their re turn to England, left him in the Argen tine. After gaining experience on cattle stations in South America for some years he was offered the management of a sheep and cattle station on Easter Island.

For nearly thirty years, with occasional visits to South America and to Europe, he remained there —one of the loneliest and most isolated spots in all the Pacific.

At first, he received his mail at least annually. During the years of the Great War, however, he was lucky if he received it every two years.

Nowadays, the tall, quietly-spoken Englishman, sparse of hair, but still in excellent physical trim, makes his home in Tahiti. After Easter Island, Papeete must seem like a metropolis to him! He has been for so long in the Pacific that Europe no longer appeals to him —at least, he would not like to face a European winter . . . So he has built himself a natty little bungalow at the edge of the lagoon in the Pare district, and there he is content to sit and smoke and dream of the age-old mystery, the gigantic statues that for the last century and more have puzzled foreign visitors, since the Island was visited by Cook, de la Perouse, and others.

Percy Edmunds likes to talk in figures —just as any Australian farmer might

do. In such and such a year there were so many sheep on Easter Island, and, in cidentally—so many head of cattle. By sending to Australia he was able to im prove the flocks. When he first went to the Island most of the sheep had been killed off, and the old rams were worse than useless. Gradually, he improved the strain, until he was able to speak of his sheep with justifiable pride. After all, 40,000 acres is a considerable property to manage: such a station in any part of the world, let alone on a remote Pacific isle, takes expert handling.

There were no white neighbours.

For five years, until the outbreak of the Great War, he spoke only with natives — that is, apart from the annual visit of a vessel with provisions. The islanders, de scendants of fathers and mothers who had been for years at the mercy of slavers for the Peruvian nitrate mines, were not a particularly romantic lot. The Anglo- Chilean company which controlled the island kept the Englishman well supplied with literature. There was ample time for reading—and thinking. Occasionally, a warship would call for fresh meat.

There were times when he was actually short of supplies; but, generally stores sufficient for two years were landed in bulk.

“More than anything else,” he confessed after a moment’s reflection, “I think I missed soap!”

In June, 1913, the disabled El Dorado, en route from Oregon to Atifogasto, was caught in a gale; the deck-load had

moved to such an extent that her com mander was forced to take to the ship s boat. The nearest land was Easter Island —7OO miles distant. To add to his diffi culties the captain, in the transfer, lost his chronometer. However, in due course, he made the island. There Percy Ed munds provided him with a watch. With its assistance (in place of a chronometer), in sixteen days he reached Mangareva, in

the Gambier Group. From there he sailed the remaining 900 miles to Tahiti—a feat of navigation that can be compared only with the exploits of the Polynesians of old! Some of the crew remained at Easter Island until they were taken off by a vessel.

There were other visitors mostly scientists interested in the statues. A caller of importance, in 1914, however, was Admiral von Spee, commander of the German Pacific Squadron. Instruc tions were given to every sailor that the islanders were not to be told of the war then raging in Europe. “But, of course, the news leaked out,” commented Mr. Ed munds.

The cruisers were supplied with meat; half a bullock alone was sent each day to the flagship. The Germans paid in cash. Still maintaining the pretence that they were on a normal cruise, the Ger mans passed on, to defeat Admiral Cradock off Coronel, and to be wiped out by Ad miral Sturdee at the Falkland Islands.

Percy Edmunds was probably the last English-speaking person to have speech with the German admiral, who went down with the Scharnhorst.

Judge Paul Cruyl, President of the Condominium Joint Court, arrived in Sydney from Vila, New Hebrides, by the Morinda on January 29.