Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-01

Today the little craft make their way con-
fidently through the perilOus seas where
the occasional foreign ship with all the
equipment of science goes with fear and
trembling.
All the South Sea Islanders are wonderful
navigators, but at the present time the in
habitants of the Marshall Islands bear the
palm for skill and daring Their type of
craft is an unequal catamaran, one hull be-
Ing much smaller than the other. This
small hull is on the port side and Is con-
nected with the main boat by sort of
platform. securely dashed. 1t serves to keep
the boat from cyerturning and also to hold
it to windward when lacking, for these
craft make their way against the wind
The sail Is like our familiar leg-of-mutton
sail. the gaff, however, being curved. and
running almost perpendicular to the deck.
The mast is stepped amidshlps and be
easily unstepped. Steering is done with
paddle. In a large boat many paddles are
carried for use in case of gales severe as
to render the sail useless.
How They Navigate.
No Marshall Island ship would venture on
long voyage without its star gazer chart
reader and navigator. The navigator has
charge of the handling of the ship: he is
the executive officer. If it is a chiefs boat
the chief himself is in command, but he
must be guided by the directions of the
chart reader and the star gaZer who are
the most important persons aboard Be
tween them they map out the course deter
mining 1t from the stars. the chart, the
currents and the movements of fishes and
birds.
Mr.. Brigham of the Paul-Bishop Museum
Is authority for saying that formerly the
Palynesian Islander had a rude compass,
for they made frameworks of sticks .ook
Ing for all the world like complicated kite
frames, which were kept in possession OF
the craft called 'Makaalawa," or astrono-
merj. These frames were the compasses
of the South sea sailors. Set on the bow Of
the canoe, and oriented correctly, they
plainly told me pilot how to steer. Little is
known as to the construction of them. Now
adays the islanders can get the mariners
compass and maps and charts of European
they sill depend upon the old charts which
are. perhaps. the most curious specime MS
of photography eXtant.
These charts are made of splints of cane
tied together, and at intervals little shells
are attached. AT first view the impress
is that the shells stand for islands. bu.
their meaning Is far more subtle. The
trade winds and the ocean currents move
with great steadiEess in the equatorial
region. If you were sitting in low canoe
and haG trained nautical ears you would
hear ripple against one side of your craft
but not on the other, and this would de-
clare your course.
But. further, when this steady, moving
ocean current strikes the shallow water it
is arrested in from. of an island but moves
on past the ends. making curve in the
ripple. Eacii island makes its own curves,
and when these curves meet there are
cross lines of rippes resembling the pattern
on the back of the watch. These are called
''dunungs," and shells are tied at these
points the stick charts. as buoys are
marked by the light house board or tha
hydr graphic office.
Secrets RiEidIy Preserved.
Capt. " inkler of the German navy, who
Assiduously studied the Marshall Island