Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-10
THE MICRoNEsIAN ISLANDS.

"" '"''audy evening Oi last week ltev. j.
Z. Thompson read to the New York Geonraph-
ical Society lecture on these islands, based
on his correspondence with DR.. Gulick. the son
of a missionary in the Sandwich Islands. who
having received a theological and medical edn
cation, is now resident in the Micronesian proup.
The following abstract is from the n. Y. Her
aid.
"The term Micronesian applies TO the region
of little isleis which lie some 5000 miles west
of the Sandwich isles They aie TO the north
east Of New Holland and New Guinea, between
400 and 1909 Of west longitude, and are in the
direct line of commerce between Sydney and
China. They number about one thousand,
from the simple barren rock to the well wood
ed and extensive island but only compare
lively small area of their entire surface can be
lived upon. DR.. Gulck is now located on the
Bonabee, or Isle of Ascension the third in i'm
portance of the basaiic groop of the Caroines.
This island might have been seen by Quiro-
sa in 1895, at the period Of his voyage from
Santa Cruzto the Philippines There still ex-
ist traditions among the natives, of men who
could only be killed by piercing them through
the eyes, obviously referring to men in armur
The Russian Admiral Luke passed by it inlS29,
since which it has only cecn visited four times
by national vessels. But visits from merchant
men are annually increasing, and American
whalers seem to make it place of frequent
stoppage. The island is not volcanic in lis
origin, but basaltc. 1t was originaIy barren
but decomposition has rendered it fertile, until
it now teens with luxurant foliage and vege-
iaiion of the South Pacific, down to the wa
ter's edge. Several streams waite. the island,
aud the shores are peculiarly romantic. here
and thee offering admirable anchorage for ship
ping. The climate is rather damp with a
mean temperature Of seventy degrees Fahrenheit
the thermometer not exceeding eghiy-four de-
greea any summer This season is the period
of the rains, and the trade winds last during the
winter and spring. The wonderous vegetation
rolling over the land into the sea reminds one
strongly of the Western coast of Africa in
deed, so thickly is Bonabee wooded that no
dwelling or habitation seems TO exist upon II,
and ships sometimes pass it considering it TO be
uninhabied.
The native products are the bread fruit, ban
anas, yams, cocoa, nuts, sago, mangoes, and
. AuhlHiiHuS' ''S oIP'eSf pNAHp'Nibo ohh SNNS'
potatoes have been introduced. The animals
are dogs, fowls and pigeons, with twenty differ.
ent kinds of fowl. These animals are not in.
digenous. There are no cows on the island
but the Sandwich folks will shortly send some
there. The population is about 5000. The
fuedal system of government obtains, and there
is n regular gradaiion Of chiefs from the throne
downwaIds. Or the bordes Of this island are
some famous ruins formed out of basalt prism.
Many traditions exist with respect to these de-
Ir1s. 1t can be gathered, however, that a some
what advanced race founded them, perhaps til,
ancestors of the present inhabitants.
Slrong's Island is 80 miles in diameter, ant
possesses four good larbors. So rapid is veg
citation there, that corn is ripe six weeks ahe
being planted. The natives are delicaely form
ed, aud of light copper color their eyes are
sunken, and their hair long, thin and black
Their deess is simply girdle round the loins
made of banana leaf. Their character DIR Gul
ck describes as mild agreeableness, and state!
that neither he nor his party were ever worried
by any disposition TO talk on their part. The,
are thoroughly honest aud harmless, and in ey
cry way the superlors of the savages.
The monarch Of the group, King George, i
about fifty years of age, and an intelligent, fin
looking man states that the island was for
merly very popuous, but that hurricane cam
and swept away all their breadlIut trees
their staff of life. The stores they had put b
were eaten up befure a new crop could be oh
tained, and numbers Of the inhabitants died q
starvation. Everybody in the island, from til
highest to the lowest, learns some trade th,
l King and his sons, for instance, are fishermen
Tatooing is performed by the King, and b
; some few others to whom he delegates the an
ihority. King George is evidently dsincline
to believe the marvellous, for he says that til
great ruins, which are ascribed 10 all snris 4
D people, were constructed by the islanders, t
protect themselves fIom seaward attacks. O
j DR.. Guck's asking him how the natives coul
get such immense blocks 10 SO great heigh,
he replied, by rolling them up inclined planes
l. no Doubt This may solve the problem ofll
pyramids. The inhabitants ofthis group seeI
10 be related 10 the Eastern islands, for foi
reasons they tattoo with similar devices-tho
: drink ava-they possess large public building
and they pay ceremon.ous attention to til
dead. The Wellington Islanders never h'
: any communication with the Micronesians, al
: yet they speak almost the same language, an
!, can perfectly understand each other"