Islanders
p. 89 · Read in the full issue
"Tolala" (Gordon Thomas) Comments On
The Mystic Mortlock Islanders
Dr. Peters’ assertion that the ortlock Islanders are the “prettiest rls in this part of the Pacific” ’IM, Jan., p. 79J suggests the need r organising a beauty contest nongst Territorial Island belles.
IROM my thi r t y-odd-year-old memories I would be inclined to back the Maty Island lasses, ;uart Inder, in the same story, iks these outlying islanders of the NG with Polynesia; I have always oked upon them as blown-away icronesians. I don’t know what e expert anthropological opinion is if there be one—for I do not re ember any expert having made a udy of these outpost isles: Maty, aa, Feads, Nissan, Mortlocks and asmans. The origin of their people ive always been shrouded in a xtain mystery.
And the Mortlocks Group has imbined with its mysterious back mind, romance and tragedy.
Together with Feads, Nissan, (Over)
This photograph of the Mort locks from the air, taken by Stuart Inder a few years ago, shows clearly the vast lagoon in the centre of the atoll. The Mort locks are about 200 miles north east of Bougainville, on the eastern extremity of the New Guinea Trust Territory.
Gordon Bladen, of Rabaul, recently took these photographs of the headstones of Highley and Altmann, on Kapiartu Island, in the Mortlock group. The stones are on the ground. He also took the photograph below of what is left of Mrs. Calder's five-roomed home of cement coral and local stones. Vegetation grows through it.