Pearling Industry
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
History of Torres St.
In January PIM, on pages 93-4, WHM tells the interesting story of the origin of the now famous pearling industry of Torres Strait.
His story carried the history to 1871. Here is a further instal ment—an account of what hap pened in the years immediately following 1871. , S was to be expected, there was L very keen rivalry between the gangs of shellers; and one of icir methods of keeping a good ,tch to themselves was the hoisting a yellow flag when an opposition aft appeared. One such incident ncerns a rival captain who, bowl g up to inquire why the quarantine ig was flying, was informed that aallpox had broken out “ten en already dead, 15 others not ipected to live!” The solicitous :ipper cleared out straightaway, id the men “not expected to live” illected a ton of shell before dark!
When the first band of L.M.S. mis onaries landed in the Strait in 71, Captain Banner (whom they id previously known in Lifu as saring a good reputation) aided tern by lending a whaleboat and •oviding them with useful infor ation about the Islands and New uinea.
approximate Airways Fares
Hie following figures ate not guaranteed curate, but they are approximately rrect. Details should be obtained from e Air Company named in the Table, iless otherwise indicated, figures are in istrallan currency.
TWELVE months later, the Government Resident at Somerset reported that the Captain had dipd on Tnhr 99 at Warrior Island. Since this happened, he wrote, the Island has been a perfeet pandemonium. The Kanakas appear to have taken possession of the large quantity of rum and other spirits landed from the Pakeha and, while maddened with drink, to have plundered the station and distributed the trade amongst the natives of the island. The only two Europeans there had lost all control over the men, and it will be well if nothing more serious occurs before the rum is all finished.”
When I was in the Strait thirty years ago, old hands amongst the Tu-Tu men (then living at Yam Island) still recounted with deeply
reminiscent trimmings the big junketing that followed the demise of r I T ? a^ a ii n Ba 2 na -”
The Sydney firm with which he was connected sent up a tombstone to mar k his grave. High tides caused it to collapse some time later; and islanders found its broken sections just the right thing for sharpening their sheath knives. But portions of it were carried away by native friends of the old captain, and placed on one of their own graves at Stephen Island, That was where I last saw the remains of the monument to the man who inaugurated the Torres Strait pearling era with its adven ture, romance, and tragedy, and who although perhaps he didn’t know it may be accounted one of the colonisers to whom the British race owes so much.
Jprom Sydney To—
Mngie iresby . £46 11 0 tteturn £83 16 0 Table wo. 2. 2a. e .. 55 7 0 99 13 0 2, 3 haul .. 64 10 0 116 19 0 2, 3 tniara,
Bsi ..
80 7 0 144 13 0 5 la, y Hebrides 51 9 0 92 13 0 9 tumea, tJC . . 43 3 0 77 14 0 10. 9, 6 irfolk Ir 25 0 0 *5 0 0 8 Howe . 12 8 6 24 17 0 7 a d 1 . 60 10 0 108 18 0 u v a [Fiji) . 64 2 0 115 5 0 ckland 47 5 0 85 1 0 12 ellington . 47 5 0 85 1 0 13 irlstch. (from delb.) . 52 18 0 95 5 0 -nolulu . 225 9 0 405 16 0 1 Fran’co 279 1 0 502 5 0 mcouver 279 1 0 502 5 0 1 ipeete (via Suva direct) . 129 18 0 233 17 0 18
"Rom Auckland
(NZ Currency) TO:
Tf. Is. .
Single £15 12 0 Return £28 2 0 Table No. 11 ji . . . 35 15 0 i 64 7 0 1 16 moa . . 47 2 0 84 16 0 16 tutaki . 67 11 0 121 12 0 18 .peete 82 10 0 148 10 0 18