The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-23
THE ELlICE ISLES.
Something About the Most Recent Acquisi-
tiOns to the British Empire.


lions to the British Empire.
The most recent acquisitions of the
English in the South Pacific do not ap-
pear to have attracted much attention
at any time. Thus far they have not
shown any great capacities for trading
adventure. They are not thickly pop
ulated, and their inhabitants are sim
pie IN their requirements. Whatever
their future prospects may be, at pres
ent they possess little more than STRAIT
egetic value. Fiji, Samos, and the New
Hebrides are easily reached from the
Ellice Isles, and they stretch across a
large expanse of ocean. Nevertheless
information of substantial descrip-
ton Is easily found concerning the in
habitantS of the Ellice Isles. So far as
muscular appearance goes they are
described as being of magnificent
race, the men averaging six feet in
height. They are quiet and peaceable,
and their only wars are waged against
foreign invaders, such as those from
Tonga. Quarrels are rare and are
easily settled by the authority of the
King, who is chosen from among four
or five of the chief families. The pa
cific character and muscular strength
OF the islanders seems to have attract
ed the slave-traders, and in 1868 one of
the islands suffered much from the in
cursions of Peruvian slavers, and its
inhabitants are now very few in num-
Der. Funafuti, or Ellice Isle, may be
taken as typical of the rest in
geographical position. The island
is rather group of islets,
surrounding a lagoon twelve
miles in breadth, which, in case of
Funafuti, can be entered by ships of
some size; in more than one island,
however, the lagoon is of fresh, and
not of seawater. AS a rule, the soil is
sandy, and supports very little vegeta-
ton but the cOcOanut and kindred
trees. The natives have learned how
to produce artificial soil by digging
broad trenches from six to eight feet in
depth, and filling them with decayed
wood, leaves and vegetable refuse,
from which a more varied harvest can
be gathered. Language mostly shows
hluSulp W IHc CdIIOdu peoples Dut III
Nui Cor Netherland) the tongue is
similar to that of the Gilbert Isles, diff
fering totally from the rest of the in
habitants of the Ellicc Islands. 1t is q
feature in the local traditions of Funa-
futi that the islands were once formed
by man who went about on the ocean
with basket of sand on his back, and
wheresoever some sand ran out an
island sprang up. Missionary enter
prise has been very successful among
these islands, especially those visited
by the ministers of the London Mis-
sionary Society. A recent traveller re-
counts that the native pastors have or
ganized an inter-island postal service
of considerable efficiency by means of
frigate birds used as carrier pigeons.
These birds, which feed mostly on fish,
live on perches of peculiar make.
When the wind serves one of the birds
is liberated, and will at once proceed
down wind to one of the neighbOring
islands and there seek a corresponding
perch, which is, of course, at the local
minister's house. The message is rolled
up inside light piece of reed and at
tached to the birds wing. Official in
formation on the subject of the Ellice
Isles is scarce; for they do not appear
to have attracted much trade to their
Shores Chicago Times.