Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-28
Gen. Wheeler's Report Of His Recent
Visit and Inspection.
HOSPITALITY RECEIVED EVERYWHERE
Inhabitants Friendly and Hope for
.~~ Much Advancement.
CLIM ATE AND SCHOOLS

his recent visit and inspection of the Island
OF Guam, from which the following extracts
are taken:
II cannot learn that the Island of Guam
has ever been surveyed, but its area may
be stated OF about 100 square miles, one
half of which, it is estimated is susceptible
OF cultivation. Nearly all of the land is
still virgin SOIL my information being that
only about l per cent Is now under cult
walton. The population is about 5000 souls,
nearly all Of whom reside in the towns.
Those who own ranches also have rude
houses on them, where the family spends
portion of its time.
"The land, which Is regarded as arabic, is
very fertile, producing cocoanuts, oranges,
lemons, cacao, rice, corn, sugar cane beans,
tomatoes etc. the cocoanut trees having
an appearance of thrift and bearing power
superior to those l have seen in any other
part of the tropics. Deer and wild goats
are found in abundance, and for years form
ed the principal meat food of the Euro
peans (Spaniards); cows and pigs are also
reared
An Especially Fertile Country.
THE road from Agana to the north of
the island passes through an especially fer
tile country. In this section there is a
large table land, and where clcarings have
been made the ranches are in a good
state of cultivation. All other parts of
this table land is covered with a very thick
jungle, which can with difficulty be pene
trated by man on foot. The dugdug and
other bread-fruit trees grow to enormous
size on this island The trunk of the for
mer is supported about. its base with fiat
radiating buttresses.
THE belief in spirits nhabitiIg forests
and lonely places is widely spread through
out the islands of the Pacific. In Samoa
they are called 'Aitu.' in Guam Genie del
Monte or people of the woods. often de-
scribed being headess and jumping on
the backs. of people going through the
woods at night, did the devils upon the
saints of old They are supposed to fire.
quent especially the vicinity of banyan
trees. and of prehistoric remains, called
Latda.' These are upright stones in the
form of rough truncated pyramids,
ranged in two rows, and were very probably
some kind, or possibly they were sepulchral
monuments of ancient rulers. There are
many of them upon the Island of Guam.
Flying foxes are numerous. They fly in
full daylight, Tapping their wings slowly,
like a crow. They are eaten generally. and
are one of the usual staples of food. They
belong to the genus Pteropus, which IS
widely distributed over India, Ceylon, the
Malay archipelago, and the islands of the
Pacific. Besides this and species of small
er bat the only mammals are deer. rats,
mice and pigs. all introduced. There are
no snakes. Centipedes and wasps are COM
mon both indoors and out. There is a
small scorpion. The stings of none of these
are dangerous. Spiders are common. Some
of the spiders are very large but none are
dangerous. There are no tarantuaS There
are a number of fishes and articulates in
the fresh water streams. These are prob
ably peculiar to the island.
The One Industry.
1.-THE only industry of any consequence
in the Island of Guam Is the production and
expectation of copra. The price received
by the natives for copra from the traders
buying it on the island ranges from So to
81, Mexican. per hundredweight. These
merchants receive about double the above
price for the product in Japan In England
copra sells for SO per ton, gold.
There is a very good road between the
landing of Pitt on to Agana, and for two
miles beyond along the coast to the north
west To the north of Umata, along the
east side of the island, the roads are only
paths. The road across the island from
ASana to Page, is fairly good. All the roads
except the one from Pitt through A2ana,
become very bad in the wet season. but as
an the towns are on the coast, communica-
ton by sea is always available. We found
the towns very neat cities and towns in
deed. In Agana probably half the houses
are built of stone; the other houses are of
nlpa ana bamboo, very much like the
houses in Luzon.
The people were very cordial and friend
ly. AT every town we entered we We're met
by the leading men of the place-at two
places with United States flags flying
while flags were upon many of the houses |
bells were rung and other efforts We're
made by the natives to manifest regard for
the Americans. / saw a. few people who T
was informed, were pure Chamorros and
they impressed me very favorably Their
features were regular. their forms erect |
and tney We're in all respects fine physical
specimens. The people seemed very de-
sirous of establishing the kindest relations
with Americans and their conduct i'm |
pressed me with the idea that they hoped |
Ior and expected great advantages to come
TO the island from American rule There is
very little money on the island. Wages are
very low. The teacher at Urmata had a
nice school of little children and his nav
was only three pesos equal to 81. 80 gold
per month l understand that the paw has |
Deen or is about to be increased to S. Mex
lean, per month.
Settlement Of Caroline I.lander..
"A short distance north of Agana Is the |
settlement Of from seventy-iye to 100 Caro- |
line islanders. They preserve the native |
customs and method of dress and have
quite the appearance of American Indians |
They are Industrious and peaceable They
were brought to the island for EMPLOYMENT |
as farm laborers, but now they seem 70 oil
have their own houses or NOR. nronori,
huts, and they make living by cultfyatine
cocoanuts and small patches of ground and |
by catching fish.
former density of the population Of this
and other islands. Some Spanish writers
assert that the popula ton of the Island of /
Guam alone at one time was as, much &c |
10000 The. reports of Padre Sanvitoras
have been quoted to sustain these larss as
Inmates. He says that during the first 700
Of his labor e he ne baptized Il. 600 people and
converted 2o'oo9' put these statements, like !
the others to which allusion has been made
are certainly very much overrated. In 1sss
the population was reckoned at 5.61O Of |
NIyhi oh H,,-,c
eighteen on Tinian and 4a5 on saypan' the |
other islands being uninhabited. The nrese
ent estimate of 1900 may be taken as an |
approximately correct statement of the
population of Guam.
TT rains very heavily In the Mar,anos
and 1t may be affirmed. that there ara na
dry and rainy seasons. It rains nearly
every day. The Temperature is mild ana
much cooler than that Of the PhiIinpines
but the inhabitants declared that the heal
in August and September was almost suf. |
locating. The monsoons are felt at the
Marianas; that from the west takes place
from the middle OF June to the middle of |
hA fAl