Please see PMB MS 480 for full entry.

John T. Arundel's diaries from the Pacific, largely Kiribati and Nauru as follows:
Reel 1: Diary, January - October 1905; Reel 2: Diary, October 1905 - 15 June 1909; Reel 3: Diary 17 June 1909 - 31 December 1910. In 1897, John T. Arundel & Co merged its business with trading and plantation firm Henderson and Macfarlane. They formed the Pacific Islands Company Ltd (PIC), which was based in London with trading activities in the Pacific, particularly Kiribati. In 1902, PIC became the Pacific Phosphate Company and began phosphate mining on Banaba, Kiribati in 1901 and on Nauru in 1906. See also PMB MS 14, 498

Richard Branscombe Chave, was born in 1849, probably in England. He was manager of the guano diggings on Starbuck Island (part of the central Line islands of Kiribati) in 1871, when the island was under lease from the British Government to Holder Bros. of London. Subsequently, Chave appears to have returned to his profession as a sailor.

In 1871, Chave, then 22, was in charge of a guano team of three Europeans and 50 Rarotongans working on Starbuck Island. When provisions began to run low, and there was no sign of a brig which was to bring replenishments, Chave and three Rarotongans set off in a large boat to try to reach Malden Island, 120 miles away, which was being worked for guano by a Melbourne company. After becoming lost and surviving a capsize, the party reached Penrhyn Island, several hundred miles in the opposite direction. Later, Chave and a Penrhyn Islander tried to sail back to Starbuck Island, but again Chave became lost and he and his companion finally drifted to an uninhabited island, which proved to be Suwarrow Atoll, where they lived for two years before being rescued. Chave's narrative gives a vivid account of his adventures up to a point where he and his companion had been on Suwarrow for about nine months. For further details, see the Bureau's newsletter Pambu, Nov. 1968:4, pp.5-9 and Jan. 1969:6, pp.6-9.

Dr George Alexander Turner (son of the Rev. Dr George Turner, author of 'Samoa A Hundred Years Ago and Long Before', London, 1884) was a medical missionary in Samoa from 1868 to 1879.

The journal describes two voyages through the Tokelau, Ellice and Gilbert Groups (Tuvalu and Kiribati) in the mission ship John Williams. The first voyage was from 26 May to 2 August 1874; and the second from 11 May to 21 July 1878. Much of the material is on mission matters, with occasional reference to matters of more general interest. See also the Bureau's newsletter Pambu January-March 1971:22, pp.1-6.

Harry J. Moors (1854-1926) was born in Detroit and died in Apia, Western Samoa. As an agent for the Hawaiian Board of Immigration, he made several voyages to the Gilbert Islands [Kiribati] and Marshall Islands around 1880 to recruit labourers for Hawaii's sugar plantations. In 1883, he settled in Apia, Western Samoa, and became a successful trader and planter. Moors was closely associated with Robert Louis Stevenson during the novelist's five years (1889-1894) in Samoa and in 1910 he published a book of reminiscences entitled 'With Stevenson in Samoa'. Moors stated in that book that Stevenson had once urged him to write down some of the 'wonderful stories' he had related to Stevenson about his early career. Moors acted on this encouragement, and after Stevenson died, he wrote two novels, of which 'Tapu: A Tale of Adventure in the South Seas' is one. Neither of the novels was published. See also the Bureau's newsletter 'Pambu', September 1968:4

The novel is based on Moors' experiences in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands as a labour recruiter for the Hawaiian Board of Immigration. The title page states that it is from the diary of John T. Bradley. Preface by Arthur Mahaffy.

Harry J. Moors (1854-1926), was born in Detroit and died in Apia, Western Samoa. As an agent for the Hawaiian Board of Immigration, he made several voyages to the Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands around 1880 to recruit labourers for Hawaii's sugar plantations. In 1883, he settled in Apia, Western Samoa, and became a successful trader and planter. Moors was closely associated with Robert Louis Stevenson during the novelist's five years (1889-1894) in Samoa, and in 1910 he published a book of reminiscences entitled 'With Stevenson in Samoa'. Moors stated in that book that Stevenson had once urged him to write down some of the wonderful stories he had related to Stevenson about his early career. Moors acted on this encouragement, and after Stevenson died, he wrote two novels, of which 'The Tokanoa: A plain tale of some strange adventures in the Gilberts' is one. Neither of the novels was published. See also the Bureau's newsletter 'Pambu', September 1968:4.

The novel is based on Moors' experiences in the Gilbert Islands [Kiribati] as a labour recruiter for the Hawaiian Board of Immigration. The title page states that it is compiled from the diary of John T. Bradley, labor agent.

Please see PMB MS 493 for full entry.

Newspaper clippings, official printed documents and typescripts on the Pacific phosphate industry. Largely associated with mining in Kiribati and Nauru. See also PMB MS 14, 480-495.