Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-28

Beauty--A Curious Crowd--At Home In
the water--A shark.
A gentleman who has visited many Of I
she out Of the way corners OF the world !
gives the following account OF group OF l
South sea islands that are rarely visited
by white men:
There Is race OF people living almost
exactly equidistant between the two con-
tinents OF America aud Asia, who, though
they dwell in the tropics and are not far
distant from lands which are types OF the
luxuriousness Of vegetation, the abunu-
ance OF moisture and the variety OF seem
cry associated generally with the equa-
torial regions of the world, still have no
words In their primitive language for
such natural features rs n river, stream,
lake, pond, spring or other body of fresh
water; or for mountain, hill, valley, plain,
crag or bluff; for a meadow, pasture, field 1
or grass plat Of any kind; for any four footed
animal, save, perhaps, species OF rat;
for any land bird; for but two or three
flowers or fruits, and for no minerals or
metals, simply because none OF these
physical features belong to their land.
None of the fauna and flora 30 common
elsewhere are indigenous to that country.
This singula. region is now called the
"Gilbert Islands," formerly known as the
''kingsmill Group and locally, as the
ssRadck Chain of Coral Atolls. They
/ lie between 115 degs. and Ia degs. w.
| and degs. s. and 80 minis. \. of the
equator. On the isothermic charts they
are encircled by "A line OF their own, with
| in which prevails the highest average
temperature of any spot in the world, not
that il seems to be very ''hot" there, but
the temperature vnries but little night or
day, winter OF summer.
/ Tb. ia Ia m M
islands lying close to each other in a long
chain, running nearly north and south.
Each island Is made OF coral built prob
ably, on volcanic peaks, which are either
the remains of a sunken continent or the
highest point OF areas OF slowly rising
land Whichever hypothesis Is correct
there, these wonderful islands are thou
sands of miles distant from the nearest
important bodies Of land, each lying-to
quote Professor Dana's words in his
Coral and Coral Islands - like a
wreath thrown upon the water" in the
illimitable waste of the Pacific.
The Gilbert Islanders, while probably
nearly related to the IIawaiians, are not
their equals physically or mentally. Still
they are n flno looking people, and among
them may be found many specimens OF
manly and womanly beauty. There is no
difficulty in noting their physical charac-
teristics, as the ordinary clothing" Of
the men is a short mat wrapped around
the middle, and of the women a thick
fringed belt tied about the hips just below
the waist. Sometimes the females-the
older ones-are further screened by a
child carelessly thrown over the back OF
riding astride of one hip, but this Is only
done when the bowling youngsters refuse
TO he left behind when the villagers rush
to the beach to see the white strangers.
! The young girls often coquettishly
screen their heads and necks-from the
sun-with broad fans simply braided from
n palm leaf One article of dress theJ
much affect are pretty little models of {
woman's bonnet of the ''coal scuttle'
! pattern. These are not worn on the head
: where they would look ridiculous, being
only big enough for a small doll, but ar
fastened to their coal black, glossy hair
!. which is very abundant, and of whicl
: they are very vain.
. This rather seant costume Is complete
!, by suspending about the neck a fiat dis
: cut from a pearly shell. but that this
i not strictly an essential part of their d-es
. was proven by their taking Off and giyin
:, us several of them-for tobaccol
The crowd that mustered on the beac
as we landed was noisy and curious, bu
good naturedly so. When, as happene
| n
=, toned to a near view of white mel
a they-the young witches of girls especial
10 --indulged in much merriment at our III
;. couth appearance. They made great fui
n our interpreter told US, of the heay
h "homesn broad leafed hatsl we wore,
m our being wrapped up in Clothes and
our feet being cased In little canoes toV
shoes), so that we could hardly wal
through the loose, dry sand.
But when from the pockets OF ol
s'loose skins we drew plugs of tobacc
their ridicule changed to respectful a
miration, and a hundred little attentio
were paid us. They knew what tobac
was, and coveted 1t.
The Gilbert Islanders manage 10 have
good deal of fun. Being as much at hor
In the water as they are on what la
they have, they all--big and little-go
bathing at all hours OF the day and moo
light nights. What they can't do in a
under the water isn't worth attemptir
In the serious business of fishing, {.
they are up TO all sorts of tricks. A m
will provide himself with n lot OF wa
tight cocoanut shells as floats, and frs
each he suspends three or four short lii
armed with fish hooks made out OF shs
fish bones. These he takes in his can
and, going out little way. baits
hooks and sets the shells floating abo
Soon he will see one bob and WI
around, and then, slipping overheard,
disappears under the water for tin
While down he goes from float to fio
detaching the fish from the hook, stow
them into a net hung around his ne
baits the hook from supply he carries
his mouth and eventually returns to
canoe with his net crowded full. All I
Ell he does without taking breath, apr
the entity.
win At times they will discover some 6
I'm the lagoon where "A shark has est
lished himself. They will feed him ft
day or two with a mixture of fish
-, cocoanut meat until he is gorged. Tn
sah calling the village out To help in the sp'
d tne q thick rope OF cocoanut fibre Is laid al
si' the beach, the noosed end being carl
the out in a canoe until over the sleep
OK. brute. One man then slides oyerbo1
and, quietly descending, manages TO
- the moose over the shark taA and dl
- !. -. 1t tight This being done, tie sigma
80 given, and as the crowd af vihag
chanting merrly, tramp over the be
with the rope, the infurated but help
per shark Is dragged backward on to
rth- ahore and there dispatched with cl,
OF II Is great fun for she simple minded
tiyes.-San Francisco Bulletin.
the
Ut Long Distance Ride