The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-17
ISLANDERS
ON The SEA.
From Samoa To Hawaii
In Canoes in 1892.
MYSTERY or NAVIGATION
Natives Primitive Charts the Secrets
of Which are Rigidly
Preserved.

Far in the South seas where the ships
of civilization touch only incidentally
lives a people who may fairly be called
the most intrepid mariners in history,
says the Washington Star. Living ever
within sight and sound of the sea, they
have come to forget mankind's instinc-
tive fear of it. They swim almost as
naturally as they walk. In their frail-
looking but scientifically constructed
boats they make voyages such as TO
stagger belief, voyages that cover thou
sands of miles of ocean. In long CEN
turtles of sea-following they have evolv-
ed a science of navigation incompre-
hensible to us, but, judging from its
results, perfected to a high degree
Their history is full of long ocean wan
derings in which whole fleets took part,
and these accounts cannot be brushed
aside as myths, for there is ample evil
dence to support them. Today the ut
tie craft make their way confidently
through the perilous seas where the oc-
casional foreign ship with all the equip
ment of science goes with fear and
trembling.
All the South Sea Islanders are won
derful navigators. but at the present
time the inhabitants of the Marshall
Islands bear the palm for skill and
daring. Their type of craft is an un-
equal catamaran one hull being much
smaller than the other. This small
hull is on the port side and is connect
ed with the main boat by sort OF
platform. securely dashed. 1t serves to
keep the boat from overturning and
also to hold IL to the windward when
lacking. for these craft make their way
against the wind. The sail is like our
familiar leg-of-mutton sail. the gan,
however. being curved and running al
most perpendicular to the deck. The
mast is stepped amidships and can be
easily unstepped. Steering Is done
with a paddle. In large boat many
paddles are carried for use in case or
gales so severe as to render the sails
useless.
HOW THEY NAVIGATE.
No Marshall Island ship would ven
ture on a long voyage without It's star
Razer. chart reader and navigator. Inc
navigator has charge of the handling
of the ship: he is the executive ofncer.
If Il is a chiefs boat the chief himseiI
Il i'm command, but he must be guloeo
nv the directions of the chart reader
ga tho star gazer. who are the most
,,r,ortant nersons aboard. Between
them they map out the course deter
mining IL from the stars, the chart' the
currents and the movements or hshes
and birds.
Mr.. Brigham of the Bishop Museum
Is authority for saying that formerly
the Polynesian Islander had a rude
compass. for they made frameworks of
sticks. looking for all the world like
complicated kite frames, which were
kept in possession Of the craft called
"Makdalawa." or astronomers. These
frames were the compasses of the
South sea sailors. Set on the bow Of
the canoe and oriented correctly. they
plainly told the pilot how to steer. Lit
tie is known as to the construction of
them. Nowadays the islanders can get
the mariners compass and maps and
charts of European make. In the more
remote parts. however. they still de-
pend upon the old charts which are
perhaps the most curious specimens of
carto9raphy extant.
These charts are rnsde of splints of
cane tied together and at intervals lit
tie shells are attached. At first view
for the islands. but their meaning is
far more subtle. The trade winds and
the ocean currents move with great
steadiness in the equatorial region. If
you were sitting in low canoe and had
trained nautical ears You would hear a
ripple against one side of your craft
but not on the other, and this would
declare your course.
But. further. when this steady. NOV
ing ocean current strikes the shallow
water II Is arrested in front of an is
land, but moves on past the ends
making curve in the ripple. Each is
land makes its own curves and when
these curves meet there are cross lines
OF ripples resembling the pattern on the
back OF the watch. These are called
"dunungs," and shells are tied at these
points on the stick charts. as buoys
are marked by the lighthouse board OF
the photographic office.
SECRETS RIGIDLY PRESERVED.
Capt. Winkler of the German navy
who assiduously studied the Marshal
Island charts for years and who wa.
intimate with Chief Lojak. SAYS tina
the greatest secrecy is observed abou
the use OF these charts There js n,
coast survey or photographic office t.
furnish copies for a few cents To an,
navigator. II there were, some fin
morning the chief might rise I'D an,
find lot of his canoes and people gone
The EXTREMIST mystery has always pre
vailed concerning them and only Sc
lected persons are trained in their use
Captain Winkler says that general
whole people undertook a journe
under guidance of the chief and his pi
lot In fiotilla consisting of from 25 t
30 canoes. One canoe was pilot boa
and the expert navigators all gathers
on this one, the others following Il
line. The man on watch had to sin,
while on duty so that the others nigh
know that he was not asleep Thus tn
fleet would make its way along tn
highways or trails from one archipel
ago to another, far out of sight of al
land. for many days at time, but al
ways knowing their location.
About the year 1892 one Paao a cele
brated navigator. astrologer and prizes
In the Island of Samoa, conducted
company from that island to Hawai-
In large, open, double canoe. without