Each week, by plane, train, truck -- and local mail carriers, TIME is rushed to its readers in 185 countries. And sometimes, given unexpected help, the magazine's circulation reaches far beyond our far-reaching distribution system. For more than three years, 37 readers on an isolated Pacific island have been receiving TIME in, of all things, a tin can. The copies arrive courtesy of William H. Dame, the gift-shop manager on the Matson Lines' S.S. Monterey, who loads a watertight container with recent issues each time his ship passes the volcanic isle on its transpacific trips. Waiting canoeists complete the delivery.

Curious to hear about TIME'S impact on the 600 or so natives of Niuafo'ou (which is generally called Tin Can Island in honor of its un usual mail-delivery system), Dame enclosed a questionnaire with some recent issues. He received a written reply from Kitione Mamata, the island's telegraph operator.

Does anyone on the island subscribe to TIME?

"No. There is no one on the island subscribe to TIME or else other News papers or else magazine."

How many people, other than yourself, are there on the island who read English well enough to follow the news through the pages of TIME?

"Well, only nine out of 37 seen each copy that you've send recently. All the uneducated people keen to see such magazines pictures and cut them hanging and fixed to walls and roofings [rafters] of their Tongan houses. But they first keen to know and understand from any reader what's that picture for? Who are these men on the cover of every TIME? Good or Bad, Brave or wealthy, Communist or else?"

What happens to the magazines?

"Finally magazines after six or more months kept by readers for reference, then give them out to other people and pupils too for covering their exercise books."

As a correspondent, Telegraph Operator Mamata proved irrepressible. When Dame asked him if he would like to see cruise ships call regularly, he almost bubbled over.

"Before giving my answer, I would like to give you a question: why are you sailing around to different islands, but not staying in your homeland? (Ha! Ha!) There are lots of people here still remaining uneducated and if they see such liners call here always and touch different magazines you've brought ashore--there will be a little thing that will live and stir in their mind and cause their mind to think." Even with a thousand sheets of paper to spell out his enthusiasm for the kind of offisland contact that now comes mainly through TIME, said Mamata, "surely I can't finish."

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