Allardyce, W.L, "Rotooma and the Rotoomans," Proceedings of Queensland Branch of the Geographical society of Australasia, 1885-6, Pp. 130-144.
The object of this
Allardyce, W.L, "Rotooma and the Rotoomans," Proceedings of Queensland Branch of the Geographical society of Australasia, 1885-6, Pp. 130-144.
The object of this paper is to endeavour to supply you with some information regarding one of our latest colonial annexations; its climate and people, with a few of their peculiar customs. The island in question is called Rotooma, and I may mention that it is invariably misnamed by being called Rotoomá.It is situated in the Pacific in 12o 30' south latitude, 177o 10' east longitude, and was discovered by the "Pandora" in 1793, when searching for the mutineers of the "Bounty."The mainland is seven miles long by three miles broad, and contains about 9,000 acres. How then did this speck in the Pacific come to be annexed? Well, it came about in this way. There occurred in Rotooma, about 1878, a religious war, and the Catholics and Wesleyans fought together. Fortunately, the struggle did not last long, though a number of people were killed, and shortly afterwards three Rotooma chiefs came to Fiji, and in the name of themselves and their people offered the island to England. Their offer was accepted, and on the 13th of May, 1881, Rotooma was formally annexed to the British dominions. On approaching from the south west you pass through a channel four miles broad, which lies between several small islands and the mainland. The first of these, Hoflua, at once strikes attention owing to the fact that the island is divided into two parts by a narrow strait of deep water several fathoms broad, while high overhead the rocks are connected, forming a huge picturesque arch. No one lives on this island, which contains a number of cocoanuts, is the natural home of thousands of sea birds, and is only accessible in the finest weather. The next island, or, rather, two small islands close together encircled by a reef, are called Hattana. There is no passage in the reef, but they can generally be approached from the lee side during the south east trades. They are uninhabited, very low lying, and are covered with cocoanuts and shrubs. The last of these islets, Waya, it in shape not unlike a sugar loaf, rising straight out of the sea, and has a height of nearly six hundred feet. In a small hollow, facing the south east, is the only village, which is composed of five men, including a Fijian teacher, and some thirty women and children. There is no landing place, and for months in bad weather they are altogether cut off from communication with their friends on the opposite shore. To go there in a boat either necessitates your swimming ashore or waiting till a small canoe is launched, in which are two men, who will come off for you. Apparently it is but a choice of too evils--an immediate dunking by jumping off the boat into the water, or a temporary postponement of the same operation by trusting one's self to the canoe. However, so skillfully do these men manage the canoe, that the landing, as a rule, merely necessitates a wetting of the feet. They patiently wait their opportunity, and when a large swell comes they paddle with all their strength and run the canoe, which draws but an inch or two of water, up a smooth rock, where they quickly jump out and hold on to it till the receding suction has ceased, when they drag the canoe up the rock before the next heavy swell comes. This is the only place in Rotooma where a drink of really fresh water can always be obtained. At best it is but a very diminutive stream, and in the dry weather to draw a bucketful would take some little time.The mainland is divided into seven districts, viz.:--Ituteu, Itumutu, Malhaha, Oinafa, Noatau, Pepsei and Faguta. There are two fairly good anchorages on the north side during the trade winds, but the reef is everywhere a sure one. The soil is that rich black volcanic earth which makes vegetation so dense and luxuriant. Cocoanuts abound everywhere, even on the hills, which range from two to six hundred feet, while finer groves of ifi (Inocarpus edulis) and hefo (Callophylum) trees are rarely to be met with anywhere. At present, there are but one or two old women who make the oil from the Callophylum, and that too but very impure. The aana (Caladium esculentum), yam, "ooh" (Dioscorea) exists in many varieties, and oranges, limes lemons, bananas, mummy apples, and pineapples are to be found in large quantities, while vi (Spondias dulcis), breadfruit, "ool" (Artocarous), and fava, a large tree whi