Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1861-01-05
Ghe Rolpnesiar.
LECTURES ON MGR ESIA.
BY
REV. L. III. GULICK, NJ. ID.
LECTURE v.
THE GILBERT ISLANDS.

THE GILBERT ISLANDS.
The history of discovery in this archipelago is
briefly, and sufficiently for our present purpose,
given in paragraph by Findlay in his Directory
of the Pacific Ocean: The first island discovered
was the easternmost, Byron Island, so named from
the commander, who saw it June 3, l765. The
next were the northern groups discovered by the
ships Scarborough and Charlotte, commanded by
Capts. Marshall and Gilbert. There is loose ac-
count of this discovery given in Governor Philips
voyage in 1888. The next authority in order is a
chart contained in Dalrymple's Collection, drawn
by Roger Simpson and George Bass, officers of the
Nautilus. under Capt Bishop, Tin 1897 In the
Table of Positions. by John Purdy, is an account
Of some of the islands seen by the brig Eizabeth
about 1909. In 1924 Capt. Duperrey visited and
explored many of them but by far the most COM
plete account of them is given in the account of
the United States Exploring Expedition (lS4l.
1t was Krusenstern who gave the name of Gil
bert to this large group, and who subdivded it into
the three groups of Scarborough, Simpson and
Kingsmill the last name including Drummond's
Island and all to the South of it, then very
tainly known. In Commodore Wilkes Narrative
the name kingsmill was Improperly extended to
the whole group, and since then this has been its
usual designation by Americans and American au
thorities.
This group consists of fifteen, or perhaps more
properly sixteen, low, coral islands, only two of
most northern islands that were explored both by
Duperrey, and Capt. Hudson, of the United States
Exploring Expedition; yet the remaining islands
to the South are now scarcely less known, even
geographically, from their waters having been the
resort of sperm whales and consequently extensive
ly visited during the last twenty years by the cap
tors of the whale and our knowledge of the whole
group has greatly increased. Since the visit of
the United States Exploring Expedition those is
lands have grown into some Importance to the CIV
ilzed world from their production of cOcoanut OIL
Very many sailors have at different times resided
on shore-not an island of the group but has thus
been thoroughly explored-and there are several
who seem to have made their home there, particu-
larly respectable trader of rapidly increasing
wealth, named Randall
On the 9th of January, 1874, the Columbia,
Capt Kelley, New London, was wrecked on No
nouti (Sydenham' 8 Island): The ships company
we're roughly treated, but all were taken off in
safety twenty three days after. January 9th,
1913, the Triton, Capt. Thomas Spencer, of New
London, very nearly taken by the natives of
this same island under the leadership of POrtu-
gunse. The Captain and boats were de-
tained on shore under very aggravating crcum-
stances, but the Portuguese having been killed In
the attempt to take the vessel, their lives were
spared and they effected their escape, with the
consent of the natives, on the 18th of the same
month, very full and interesting account of which
was published in the Friend of September and Oc
tober, 1S49. In 1850, the Flying For, Capt.
Brown, was wrecked on the same obnoxious island.
One of the mates, named Walker, with the cooper
ard eight white men of the ships company, and a
Rotuma native, made the passage to Simpsons Is
land. There they engaged in trade for cocoanut
oil, but ere many months the cupidity and ire Of
the natives were reused and every one of the for
eigners were killed. since which no white man has
been allowed to reside among them.
The whaleship OntdriO, Capt. SlOcum, of New
Bedford, was wrecked on Pitts Island in January,
1852. but through the influence of Capt. Randall,
resident there, lives were lost, and much even
of the oil was saved. In August of the same year
the same island was visited by the Protestant mis-
sionary company then on their way westward to
establish themselves Kusaie and POnap.
In November 1857, mission station was taken
on Apaiang, or Charlotte's Island, by Rev. III.
Bingham Jr., and Hawaiian associate. In Sep
tember, 1860, n second station was taken by two
Hawaiians on the neighboring island of Tarawa.
The language has been reduced to writing, and a
number of children fluent readers. But the
desire for knowledge has yet to be awakened IN
the minds of the masses. and the missionary
heart longs for more definite evidence of an evan
gelical acceptance of Savior by any one of that
numerous people.
Nothing is more remarkable at the Gilbert Is
lands to one who has visited other parts of Micro
sia than the great number of the people. Else
where the sparseness of the population is painful
but here the overtlowing swarms are continually
surprising one. The smallest of the atOlls Peru,
whose diameter is not more than about TIVE miles,
has a population of from 500 to 1000, and Ara
nuka has 1000, while Tapiteuwea has from 1000
to 5000. In almost every other part OF Micro
nesia the houses are scattered, and if there are
what may be termed villages, they are but small
collections of houses and in very Close proximity
to each other; while here the habit is to cOngre
gate in towns, where the houses are In nearly as
close relation to each other as possible. These
villages areas is almost invariably the case on
the low annular isands-on the inner or lagoon
shore and as one lays at anchor within the col
lections of low white-roofed houses stretching
along under the cocoanut groves, may be every
few miles, the canoe sheds first, in row along the
beach, and then the dwellings, which are nothing
more than roofs, standing promiscuously Just be-
hind, usually with large council-house in the
midst.
On landing. the swarms of children, guiltless OF
clothing, are perfectly surprising to one who has
mourned over the desolations Ponapi and Kusaie.
The numbers of old men and women also arc among |
the most pleasant objects seen, even though we
know that the old women are the drudges. SO
prolific are they as yet the greater number OF
the islands-so uncontaminated with foreign dis
ease-that their population Is deliberately limited
by practicng abortion to prevent too great a num-
her of mouths reason denied by Mr.. Hale
Their numbers are also shown by the sangunary |
nature of their battles. The accounts given by /
Wilkes, on the authority Of his informants, are
doubtless correct. Since the establishment OF our
mission on Apaiang party of more than thous-
and came over from Tarawa. Many were slain on
the fats while attempting to land; others were
taken alive and held slaves; while hundreds
fed in their proas and were never more heard Of
their houses stand to this day empty along the |
northern shores of Tarawa.
By far the greater half of the population of Mi