The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-09-19
Novel Sports.

Considering their lack OF opportuni.
ties, the people of the Gilbert islands
manage to amuse themselves In va
riety of ways. Out of halves Of cocoa
nut shells, with the husks attached,
fleets of miniature ships are built, and
their sails, made from broad, dry,
thick leaf, being set, the tiny boats are
ranged in line by an excited crowd Of
yachtsmen. and sent on their course
over the lagoon toward some floats
anchored half mile or SO away, the
race creating as much excitement as
any civilized regatta. Their kites are
made of the flat thin leaves of the
pandanus, fastened together by their
edges, and shaped like the long, mar
row pinlons OF u sea-bird. The frame
work of the kite is built of the thin but
strong and elastic midribs of the Cocoa
nut pinn@, and the whole machine is
so light and so nicely balanced and
deity strung that no tail" is needed
to balance them in the air. In size
they vary from six inches to six feet in
length.
Another form of aeronautic toy Is q
kite shaped like those already de-
scribed, but furnished at the tip of
each wing with a piece of light wood
hanging from the end of the short
string. The one flying this kite wades
into the water short distance where
the wind is blowing off the land. and
losses the toy into the air. 1t Is carried
along by the breeze, sinking as it goes
until the bits of wood touch the water,
when the kite, being relieved Of their
weight, springs into the air, again to
descend and rise in a succession Of
graceful bounds, until it is lost to sight
out at sea. No small amount of skill
is shown in adjusting the weight Of the
bits of wood to that of the kite to have
it affected by the wind as has been de-
scribed.
In the game of checkers, and in all
its varieties. they are very skillful and
in manufacturing loop of string in
the game of "cat cradle" they are only
excelled by the Esquimaux in the num-
Der and variety of the figures they will
construct on their taper fingers. Jack
stones" 'jackstraws." and other in
door games they are very fond of and
proficient in. Among the boys and
young men foot races, leaping, and
wrestling are practiced good deal.
and much agility and muscular energy
shown.
In their dances there is much slow,
rhythmic movement, which differs
from the Hawaiian halas in the absence
of the undulatory motions of the body.
A group of men and women will gath
er together for a dance and form in
two rows opposite each other. One
steps forward as q leader, and chant
is commenced. The time is accented
by an occasional stamp of the foot, or q
resounding slap on the mat covering
the body or the muscular part of the
upper arm and chest. The stamps and
blows grow more frequent as the song
is sung, the voices are raised higher
and higher, the words are shouted
faster and faster, until, a climax being
reached, the stanza concludes with
three echoing stamps and claps, and
the noise suddenly ceases.
The Gilbert islands were once &C
counted to be one of the most savage
races in the Pacific. But few vessels
touched at the group, and they lay of
and on while they procured cocoanuts,
fish, .etc. If a vessel did anchor Of
when boats were sent in, a most care
full watch had to be kept lest the crew:
should be murdered and the boa
captured or vessels driven ashore. -
Pacific Commercial advertiser.