HISTORY OF THE ATOLL, 1854-1871 31 



the settlement and the people. But tlie philosopher was a 

 man of action too, for no one who dreams only may rule 

 a settlement of two hundred Malays, many of whom were of 

 chain-gang blood, in an atoll seven hundred miles from land. 

 The closing days of the life of Koss Secundus were spent 

 in the enjoyment of the society of his family, and in the 

 investigation of the natural resources of his islands. 



In 1841 he had married S'pia Dupong, a Malay lady of 

 Royal Solo blood, and a woman of the most remarkable force 

 of character. 



There are many stories told of her bravery and loyalty, and 

 she exerted a great and beneficial influence over the people. 

 She became the chief moral guide in the atoll, all her deeds 

 echoed the nobility and generosity of her nature, and she 

 always upheld with proud and unswerving loyalty the traditions 

 of the old Malay stock. To her nine children were born, and, 

 though she died many years before her lord, her name is one 

 that will long be remembered in the islands, for she was a 

 good and a brave woman. 



In 1872 Ross Secundus contracted Java fever. What- 

 ever the true nature of that complaint may be, it is one that 

 runs a fatal course with great rapidity ; he succumbed to it 

 after a brief illness, and was buried in Pulu Selma, 



His grave lies near to that of his father, and his memory 

 as a wise and kindly ruler is dearly cherished by all the 

 islanders. 



