Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-12

ill. That people being supposed to be
Experts at the business The process
vas not particularly difficult out of
ogs picked up from the sea. that had
lrifted. in many cases. from the Ameri
an coast above California, all the way
lcross the Pacific ocean. were hewn
ut shallow troughs. The ripe nut was
broken open, placed in these
roughs to be rotted by the
.un. When sufficiently softened the
scrap" was strained out and the oil
ure and clear. was ready for market
he cocoanut grows to great perfection
n this group. The trees are all notched
o that the climber can get toe hold
md the wiry islander runs up the 80
'eet from ground to fruit with the
greatest ease, throws down the nuts
hat are ready for use. thus visiting
very tree on the island as often as is
necessary to secure them perfectly
ipened for making oil
The water on the low land is brack-
sh. Purer and better is found up the
mountain side and is brought down in
bamboo log eight ten feet in length
nd five or six inches in diameter The
ections of the bamboo are hollow, each
ection holding from one to three gal
Dns. so that a water carrier will bring
II from 10 to 20 gallons at a trip. make
lalf a dozen trips day and receive
herefor a Spanish rial" 12l2 cents
Saypan's chief source of revenue.
oweVer. is dried beef. Good pasturagc
: found on the higher lands, and roam
rs wild in the mountains are hundreds;
+ cattle and among them there could
tot be found a single one that was not
If the purest white. The governors
on was the chief hunter and averaged
'hooting five bulls a week. The gov
'rnment imposed q heavy fine for kill
ng a COW or heifer After the hunte,.
las brought down his game, his men
emoVe the hide with their "machetas."
lefty separate the flesh from the
bone. pack the meat in lunches tied
ogether with strips of bark. and with
he fresh blood dripping down over
heir naked backs to their heels. sack
t to the beach, where it is cut into
hin strips and spread out on drying
ables to be cured by the sun Clouds
Il lies pounce upon the tempting feast
pread before them. The native over
seer and his help turn the shriveling
iesh until it shrinks and rattles in the
handling, when ii is packed in boxes
made of the hides that have been
stretched and dried for the purpose.
md sent to Guam where they soak il.
;ook it in various ways. and serve il
Up to friend and foe alike Really it is
lot bad eating. 1t would he better.
coil ~ -
process.
The dwelling of the governor who
existed and seemed to thrive on the
nunificent salary of $12 a month, was
quilt upon posts perhaps four feet from
The ground, as a precaution against
eentipedes and huge spiders that
abound in these ISLANDS. Several othe,
dwellings, were built in like manner
and occupied by men holding office
under the governor, but the average
native could afford no such luxury.
The solid ground was his floor, and a
lew deaths, more or less, from the bite
II a centipede, in that class, would not
count
The walls and floors of the better
housed were formed of bamboo strips
i"i' ii'ii Oil illSu apart, giving unOb-
itructed circulation to the heated wind
the dust and the flies. while windows
were entirely unnecessary The roofs
were matched. Hammocks hung in al
most every corner of the house and in
the shade of the trees. In them they
sit, swing, idle away the days and
dream away the nights with no
thought of the morrow and little of to-
day, except when hunger bids them
arise and eat, then a banana or two, a
slice of corn and cocoanut bread. half
and half grated together and baked in
a mud oven, heated with dried cocoa
nut husks. followed by "siesta,"
dolce far nient," forgetfulness.
JAY EFF BEE.
John Ballard, son of Cant II NJ Ra1