The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-02

tbs equator on the south.As to the ex-
fent OF these Islands, OnesIuan Fernan-
deg de Cordoba, the Spanish governor
az the Eastern CarolineB. md Slgnor
Cortes, governor OF the Western Caro-
lines and the Pelews, reported within
these administrative dlstticts, mot so
long ago, a total land areaSof $50 square
miles, and population otSS5, 900 natives
and SOS ,Spanlards, only four of the lat
fer being women. The Pelews, with a
land surface Of about 200 square miles.
have been so frightfully depopulnted by
massacre and disease that, instead OF
the 10000 inhabitants at the beginning
OF this century, 1t lie thought that there
u1e not more than 10000 people all told
at present.
The CarolInes proper are an assem-
blage OF little groups OF islands and is
lets, OF reefs and atolls, extending east
and west from 1871 degrees to 164 de-
urees east longitude, which would not,
despite their formidable array OF names,
cover a greater surface than Is occu-
pied by st. Petersburg and Its suburbs,
IL we except two large volcanic is
lands. The entire dry surface OF the
CarolInes proper Is about S45 square
miles, and the population $1,000.
or the Ladrones and the Carollnes 1t
has been said that the former are the
least known part of the known world,
and the latter the best known Of the
unknown. and while Spain has long
counted them among her insuiar posses
sIons neither she herself nor the Is
lands nor science. have ever derived
any profit from the title. For what we
do know we are Indebted to circumnaVl-
gators, scientific expeditions, mission
aries. traders, shipwrecks, incidental
whalers, and mother-of-pearl gatherers.
The Manila pearl OF the European
factories, and the edible snail OF the
Chinese, known as beche-de-mer, or
tropang, are brought In large quantlt-
les from the CarolInes by small ira
ders, who are In partnership with the
natives; and an immense trade Is car
rled on by capitalists in copra, the dried
pIeces az cocaanut OF which oil, soap.
and feed for cattle are made, and these
voyagers from early times have brought
news and facts to western and eastern
seekers after knowledge. The ecclesi-
astlcal sources o. information have also
been quite numerous. Father Cantova's
'Lettres edIaaates, and the geographic
al. chronological and linguistic writings
OF the American Protestant missionar-
les 81 the present century being the
mos, prominent.
Salllag vessels plying between Aus
tralla and China have the choice OF
three different routes. In thfaAding the
Islands OF the Carollnes, dtid Rocha,
Saavedra, Drake. John Hall, and many
othe. scientists and navlgators whose
names are historical have left a tangle
Of tracks over the chart of the Caro-
lines that looks good deal like the
web Of a crazy spider,
Two important volcanic. Islands are
Ponapl or Ascension. and KouBale. Ou-
Ian or Strong; and these, with Ronk or
Hogolou. are known as the. High Is
lands: the rest. Some 500 In nunber. be-
Ing atolis, the work OF zoophstes, which
have strewn with dangerous rocks the
route OF the navigator Many Of the
latter are uninhabited, The archipelago
IS naturally divided into three principal
groups OF unequal extent; and these
were subdivlded by the natives into
what might be called political groups,
consisting each OF O number Of Islands
united under the authority OF tamol,
CT chief, his residence being the capi-
tai Of little Kingdom. Captain Luke
counted ten of these island Kingdoms In
iHo OF the natural groups: and the
French naturalist GaHmard has left a
sort % political description OF one OF
these little empires Of the sea.
The High Islands are described as pre-
senting to the eye immense forest glades
with giant trees on every hand, their
houghs and trunks covered wiki won
druusly graceful ferns. the seeds OF
which have doubtless been sown BY the
winds. Long streamers OF various
gFowthS depend from the long branches
and the long cord-liSe stems OF the yam
remind one OF the rigging OF a ship:
One tree" says a recent writer. 'had
roots like a cluster OF organ pipes; they
grew closely together to q distance OF
ten feet from the ground and then re-
solved themselves into one trunk. Inc
scaRty branches were ornanented with
graceful ribbOn-llke foliage and heavy
fruit" This was the paudanus. and
perhaps at u httie distance a bunch OF
palms VIII rock their slnuous forms TO
and fro: and, amid the growths, the
pretty scarlet hibiscus. kind of spirea,
and a white, waXy flower with the scent
OF the tuberose, will be seen growing
in profuslon. In the dense, impressive
shade, black veiyety birds fit about
without sound, and now and then a
flying fox sails overhead on It's OUT
stretched wings.
The Htte banks OF sand and coral
known as the low Islands might be sup
posed. on account Of their want OF SOIL
and their exposure to the salt spray, SO
!n3mlcal 10 vegetation, TO be devoid OF
Plan. life; but here are found the cocoa
nut tree. the bread fruit tree, and even
the Barrlngtonia and other trees, which
attain enormous dimensions, serving
thus az lighthouses or beacons 10 the
native nayigaFors. Their roots drive
themselves into the clefts OF the coral.
UpheavinE great pieces and thus produc-
ing cavities which are niied up again
with dead leaves and other organic de-
brls. and thus n bit OF sOll II formed for
the termination OF new plants, whose
feeds are 10 be EOwn by the winds, the
currents, and the birds.
Tho little children OF the Carolinenns
were a source Of delight to the sailors
Of the Russian navigator k3tZebueS and
that Gentleman himself is glad 10 record
the marked affection displayed by the
Caroline women for their little ones.
These children must he remarkably at
tractive; their skin IL ilHe and aght;
Their eyes brilliant and lively, and their
bodies and limbs exquIsltely formcd;nnd
they move with a natural gTncc, and
rr.hce an innocence, mingled with tim-
idity that makes one long 10 give them
III, Into a higher atmosphere OF iRteAl-
Rence and morality. The forchends OF
their parents arc lofty, and large In the
region Of thought. Their mothers have
Geiicateiy arched eyebrows. biacK and
piercing eyes. a finely aquilinc nose. thin
and expressive lips ard gently round
az ,.Ef. -. LII. q :, .gF...- tIfrh0