The times., 1898-05-29

made of the palm fiber, casks of palm
oil, and whatever else the island produces.
put off from shore and are given to the
Spaniards. The calling of the ship is ir-
regular. but tribute is enforced with
merciless severity. whether the ship calls
once or four times a year, so that the ma
tives know what II means to be ruled by
Spaniards.
The Caroline Islanders seem in race 10
be a mixture of blood the Malay with
the Negrito, or savage black of Australia.
Wood. in speaking of the people of Ro-
manoff Island, one of the group says:
They are rather fine race, taller than
the generality of the Caroline Islanders,
| and possess tolerably good features.
They use the tatto with some profusion,
both sexes appearingto be equally addict
| ed TO II. They are better clothed than
many Polynesians, the men wearing
| short mat around their waists. and the
| women being clad In a very fine and
neatly made mat, falling nearly TO the
feet. The hair is long, and naturally
| curling, and is worn long by both sexes.
| Earrings are In great request and some
| Of them are enormously large
Bornabi. one of the largest Of the Car
oline group, is a volcanic island about
| seventy miles in circumference, with a
! considerable range of mountains in the
/ center. I'm consequence of this struc-
| ture it affords excellent harborage. and
| has become great place for whaling
| vessels. Like some parts of America
! within the same zone, and having a
| somewhat similar contour, the island is
very wet one so-that the combined
| heat and moisture produce 4 wonderful
| fertility of vegetation. Even on the
! higher parts of the island the fresh
water nourishes various trees and shrubs.
| while on the coast the mangroYe, which
| delights in salt water. absolutely grows
into the sea. and, by It's interlacing roots
| and branches. forms n barrier which can
not be penetrated except through the
| apertures made by the mouths of rivers
| and creeks. The inhabitants are of q
| fair average stature, the men being about
| five feet eight inches high, while the
women are much shorter. They are.
! however, well DroDortioned, and not
| stumpy or clumsy, as is too often the
| case with the women of undivided races.
| Like the RomanzoH Islanders they tattoo
| themselves literally, and both sexes
| wear black hair very long, keeping it
! well oiled and carefully dressed and in
case of people Of rank, adorning il with
wTeaths of flowers They have the same
| odd passion for turmeric which IS found
in the Polynesian race generally. anoint-
| ing themselves profusely with it, and
| AIltitbS COIN IlilE Ntlt4i naturally pleas
| ing copper color into a repulsive yellow"
| The Pelew savages have slightly i'm
proved in the matter of clothing by asso-
citation with the whites, and at present
| the women wear q mat or apron and the
men a breech clout. An order of nobil-
ity among people who have no clothes is
hardly TO be expected, and yet among
l rod ~
society; lords and ladies. rich and poor.
and in all probability Populist orators
! who tell the people how the rich are con-
stantly growing richer and the poor poor
| er. There is a king who confers a decor
alton which the Pelew group is as
| much valued as the Garter in England or
| the red ribbon of the Legion of Honor in
France The Rupack, or order of nobility
| in the Pelews, IS a bone bracelet
The Pelew Islanders are not warlike, but
| they have few weapons which they use
with great dexterity, among them being
a sword made of wood armed with fish
| teeth: a spear which is used as a spike
| and missile spear. II consists of piece
of wood about two feet fn length and
| having a notch at one end. When the
| warrior wishes to throw his spear he
| places the butt in the notch of the throw
ing stick. and with his left hand bends
the elastic bamboo shaft until it Is nearly
! t0en
| loosed and the spear projects itself to a
considerable distance by means of it's
! own electricity. To a European nothing
can be more awkward than this mode of
throwing the spear: but the Pelew Island
ers can send a weapon a considerable
| distance and aim it we'll besides Even
| without the aid of the throwing stick they
/ are no mean adopts at hurting the spear.
The fact that these far distant islands
of the sea are inhabited by some of the
| most degraded sayages on the earth has
| not prevented Chtistian effort in their
midst, and over twenty years ago mis-
sions were established on several islands
of the Caroline group; churches were
| built, the natives were taught to read
| schools for girls and boys We're founded
| and indications ofs q moral and mental
| advancement in the condition of the peo-
pie soon became apparent. The work
was hampered by the Epolitical complica-
| tions incident to the cpltroversy between
Germany and SPAIN with regard to
| ownership, and after the islands were
handed over completely to the sover-
eighty of Spain the government made
| strenuous efforts 10 stamp out the grow
ing movement. TIE ISLANDERS. however.
| rose in insurrection against Spanish op-
! preston and cruelty, and in several of the
| islands maSsacred the Spanish governors
and took possession of the fortifications.
| The energy of the islanders in defending
| themselves compelled the Spaniards to
| make concessions, but the result was a
serious backset to the missionary work
| With the islands under American control
| there is little doubt that an immense ad-
| vance will in the next few years be
| made in the condition of the people