La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-09-03
TheCarofineS.
Archipelago Which Spain
Failed to Develop.

Az the comparative isolation of the
Caroline Archipelago has kept the
characteristics OF the islands n sealed
book to the general reading public. tn.
statements made by +. W. Christian,
of the Polynesian Society, of wciIlng.
toh' New Zealand. are interesting and
Important.
Spanish Micronesia. according to the
treaty made with Germany In 1885,.
lies between the equatorial line to th.
south ana the eleventh northern par
hiieI and the mcridians I39 degrees II
minutes and "a seconds and ITO de-
srees IL minutes and "a seconds east.
ern longitude. Six hundred and nifty
TWO Islands lie scattered over this wide
stretch OF sea The Spanish do not
place the Marlannes I.adrone islands,
IN micronesia: the large southernmost
Island, Guam or Gunjan. lies some $50
miles TO the north Of Lamotrek. The
Caroline Archipelago consists of th!r.
fy-six minor groups. of which the nine
following are the principal: The Pala-
os or Peicws. Zap. Uluthi. Uleai. Ma
monuito. Iiogolen or Ruk. the East
and West MortIocks. Banohe or Pom
ape, and kusnIe. otherwise called
Ualan or Strong's Island.
TWO HUNDRED ISLANDS.
The Pelew group contains some 200
Islands and islets. The principal ISL
and Is Bab-el-Thnob, which In area is
equal to all the rest put together. The
most important OF the rest are Korror.
Uruk-Tapci. Malk. Pelciu and Angaur
The population OF the Pelews Is esti-
mated ut some 1900. but is probabl-
much more. The language is pccu-
liar aud bizarre AIalayan dialect. The
principal products are turtle-shell. co
pra and Bcche de mer IIolothuriaD
which In the Chinese markets brings
as much as s400 a ton. There Is al
ways civil war going on in the group
between fhe various tribes. Captain
Butran oil the Nelnsco latcly sunk at
Manila). who visited the group In 1855.
gives these ratives II good rame. Cap
tain Okecfc. however. n wealthy ira
der of Yap. gives them n doubtful rep
utation. putting thcm down as n folk
Of piratical and turbulent charac
ter.
In oldcn time there was great com
mcrclal activity here. Bat-elThaob
Is rich In good timber. Grea: quanti-
ties OF ynms. brcadfruit and coconnuts
are grown. Alligators are found In
some of the creeks. and peculiar Kind
OF horned frog. There is abundance
OF good pasture for horses and cattle.
-. fftI hn izt Ia
have done next to nothin; to show
their occupation. and everything goes
III much as oefore There IS no span.
ish garrison. The county Is we'll
worth opening up to honest and encr-
getic trade. All that is needed here N
little iirmness with the petty local
rajahs. A fringing reef iifty-threc
miles long from north to south sur
rounds the Pellcws--a menace to nav
igators which haa destroyed many 4
ttatao- hohnL vessel.
YAp is FULL OF RELICS.
Some 800 miles northeast of rclcws
are zap and the other isicts Of the
group. zap is surrounded by coral
reef thirty-tivc miles long by i've broad.
There are hardly any riyulets. but
inland are extensive swamps. careful
ly planted with the watertnro (coloca-
sia). The Island is full of relics OF a
vanished clviiization-old embank-
incnts and terraces, sites OF ancient
cultivation, paved roads; paes or
ancient platforms OF stone. faced with
huge circular quartz wheels. set UP at
their sides; enormous council lodges OF
quaint design. with bold. high and pro-
jecting gables. and lofty carvcn pill
lars. Walls OF ancient fish ponds and
stone weirs Ill the lagoon between the
reef and the shore. making navigation
u difficult proposition
There are some 5000 natives on Yap
kindly. Industrious and generally
speaking. n quaint and peace
able folk, dark in color. and
speaking II barbarous dialect. The
fruits OF the soil are sweet
potatoes. vans. of which there Is n
great variety. tnro dak). mammee ap.
pies or pawpaws, pineapplcs. bananas
ipao). sugar cane tmaqniD. breadfruIt
tthnu,. and the tropical almond