Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-08-05
LADRONES AND CANARIES.
\ Description of the Isles Taken
From Spaiu.

Hiit, WcIc ulSCO|eTcu ny tlc SpaniafuS
in the first quarter of the sixteenth
century. The group lies in the South
Pacific Ocean, between latitude 13 de-
grccs and 81 degrees north and longi
tude IA degrees and lS6 degrees east,
and consists of fifteen islands, only
four of which, the more important be-
ing Guam and Rota, are inhabited.
They were discovered by Fernao de
Magalhaes, better known as Magellan,
in the course of cruise in the Pacific
Ocean, in 1921. They were called by
him Las Has dc los Ladrones-that
is to say, Thieves Islands-because of
the extraordinary propensity of the
natives to steal, especially every OBJ
ject in iron. that they could lay their
hands on. In 1867, during the reign
of Philip ", the Spaniards established
regular settlement on Guam and the
islands were renamed the Marianne
Islands, after Queen Maria Anna, who
sent there number of missionaries
for the propagation of the Christian
religion. At that time, the Spaniards
not having had time to ruin them by
bad government, the islands were in
fairly flourishing state, and their in
habitants numbered from 10000 to
GO,O00 souls.
The settlers were very well received,
and all went well until they began to
attack the independence of the natives
When the war was ended the natives
were practically exterminated, and to-
day the total population is estimated
at something between 5000 and l0,-
600.
Admiral Anson visited the islands
in 1912, and spoke OF them in the
most glowing terms, but when Byron
landed on one of them some years
later he was grievously disappointed,
for he found it deserted and overgrown
with impenetrable shrubbery. The
miserable condition OF the land was at
that time attributed, and apparently
with good reason, to the incompetent
and cruel administration of the Span
iards.
Naturally the islands are fertile and
capable enough of cultivation. The
cocoanut, the orange and the water
melon are indigenous to some of the
islands, and the Spaniards have intro
duced the culture OF the cotton plant,
sugar cane, rice, maize and so forth.
1t is said that one cocoanut tree
will feed man. A grove OF the fruit
trees to the islander is what herd of
cows is to the Pennsylvania farmer.
These, with the tons OF fish in the
lagoons, which are natural fish ponds,
are responsible for the profound indo-
lence of the natives. They can sup
port life without laboring. Some of
the breadfruit trees are 10 or IL feet
in diameter. A single tree is con.
sidered equal in life-supporting ca
pacity to two acres OF wheat. Then
there are other products-guava, corn,
ordinary wheat, bananas, figs and ar
row-rOot.
The Carolines are like the Ladrones,
only more extensive in number and
area, and densely populated. The
islands are widely scattered into three
great groups, the eastern, western and
central. Spain originally claimed
all the groups, but Germany recently
took the Marshall islands. The CEN
trail or main group, now belonging to
Spain, comprises 4S smaller groups,
making q total of about 400 or 500
islands.
Among the products of the country
are rice, corn, wheat, sugar, tobacco,
cotton, indigo, breadfruit, easier oil
and kindred necessaries of life. Among
the curious natural features are the
palm trees, that produce vegetable
ivory; banyan trees that grow down.
ward, the seeds being planted by birds
high up in other trees, deposited in
bark and crevices, sending down root
lets to gather substance and moisture
from the soil.
Another tree bears a fruit so ofien-
sive in odor that no man not in prac-
tice can endure it, but once in a
month the fruit tastes so deliciously
that he cannot stop eating until it is
devoured.
The women of the Carolines are
neat and attractive at home or among
their cocoanut trees. The men are
Industrious - everywhere Displaying
ingenuity and gentle thrift.
o. H. P. BELMONT, leading New