62 
Hadley himself was trained for the sea, on H.M.S. “Worcester” on 
the Thames, and was messmate with Admiral Togo. There are two 
other small boats used for tortoise catching. The attendance at 
school and labour is voluntary. The training of the lads appeared 
to be on sound, practical lines, for they sometimes form the entire 
crew of the cutter, which is very creditable, as the craft requires 
constantly skilful and smart handling in the intricate navigation 
of the sound and its swirling waters. 
The produce of the work amounts to about £400 annually, 
which Mr. Hadley states more than half supports the mission, 
and he claims that his mission earns more than any other mission 
in Western Australia. Negotiations were made a few years ago 
with the Church of England to take control, but they fell through. 
Mr. Hadley emphasised the fact that the comparative isolation 
of the island was a most important factor to the success of the 
mission. The children, he believes, are free from evil habits; 
among them are tw r o lialf-castes, born before the mission was 
started. To the writer, all looked contented and happy, bright 
smiles and laughter come from the children all day long, making 
the place joyous, and Mr. Hadley says it is music to his ears. The 
modest bearing of the women was very noticeable. Their daily 
routine is as folloAvs: — Several of them assemble at the mission in 
the early morning and prepare the men’s breakfast; after this is 
eaten, the men return to their camp, and then the women have their 
breakfast; a similar division is maintained during the other meals. 
Regarding the non-increase of the population of the island, Mr. 
Horace Smith attributes it to polygamy, the men cohabiting more 
frequently with the older, stronger, but not more motherly women, 
and often leaving the younger wives childless; other reasons may 
exist, and contribute in a minor degree, such as abortion, when 
intercourse with pearlers, etc., lias taken place. 
Mr. Hadley, who has now returned after a fifteen months trip 
to England, states that up to the end of 1913, the increase of births 
over deaths was normal with the white population of Australia. 
Since then there has been one birth only, while there have been six 
deaths; four of these were due to old age, but two were young mar- 
ried men, who wasted away ; he says there is no disease, there are only 
two on the sick list and they are old women long past child bearing; 
he has married three couples since his return; he considers that on 
the mainland a similar change of birth rate has occurred. 
LANGUAGE. 
The following vocabulary has been compiled by Mr. Bird, it is 
in the form prepared under the direction of the Registrar General, 
Malcolm A. C. Fraser, in 1904, for use in this State, and he kindly 
supplied the writer with a copy for compiling this information. 
