The sun., 1907-08-18
PLEASANT ISLAND.
A BIT Of Land I'm the Pacific Named for the
Natives AmiabIe Traits.

Natives AmiabIe Traits.
The solitary little island OF Naurl rises
from Pacific depths Of about $4,000 feet
some 400 miles west Of the nearest land of
the Gilbert group. u Ia scarcely as large
as an American township and Il is an atoll.
but il differs 40 much from nearly all the
other atolls Of the Pacific that II has at
tracted much attention.
The atolls rise only little above the sea
level. and after the traveller has seen two
or three OF them he concludes that they are
very monotonous But part Of the outer
rim Of Nauru is verdant ridge about 200
feet high. and what was once the lagoon
encircled by coral reef isnow plain. slightly
rolling and strewn with coral fragments.
This atoll evidently had peculiar history
that made it different from many OF the
other atolls Here and there are bits Of
volcanic rock and vestiges Of ancient craters
that help to explain this history.
The time was when volcanic forces lifted
the submarine mountain on which stood
the circle Of coral and the lagoon within il
until the lagoon was above the sea level
and its waters drained away. leaving a dry
plain. So here we see an atoll lifted into
the air 30 that its whole formation may be
Stuuieu dDDVo Tue sea leVel.
Nobody knows when emigrants came in
their small boats to settle on the little island,
but there is every reason to believe that
they sailed from the Gilbert Islands. Their
habits and arts are very similar to those
OF the Gilbert Islanders and there are strik-
ing resemblances between their langua ges
Their names for many plants are almost or
quite identical with the names for these
plants in the Gilbert Archipelago.
IL was a case Of the migrations, voluntary
or accidental. that have brought human
inhabitants to many a Pacific isle. Prob
ably boat or two were driven out Of sight
OF land in a storm and the castavays finally
1anded on this unknown strand, the progeni-
tors OF the few hundred natives who now
inhabit the island.
when white men came less frequently
than they do now the natives used to throng
the beach, welcome the visitors with glad
shouts and lavish their best hospitality upon
them. There were factions among them
and they were often at war until they were
disarmed by the German warship Eber
after the island became part of the German
Pacific possessions.
Every visitor for years past has said
that they are the most gentle, peaceable
and friendly people that could be ina gined,
and these attractive qualities induced SOME
English seafarers to give a new name to
the island by which it is now everywhere
known. Even on the German maps are
found both the native name Nauru and the
name now in use. Pleasant Island.
Considering its smallness, the island
has become remarkably conspicuous in a
nnT gtnI
size produces 30 large an amount OF copra,
the dried meat of the cocoanut
Several years ago great phosphate beds
were found in the interior and they are
proving a gold mine to the German Jaluit
Company. which is working the deposits
in connection with an English company.
The latter discovered beds also in Banaba
Island. about hundred miles away, and the
two companies are working both deposits
together.
They had hard work getting the phos-
pilates on board ship at Pleasant Island
during the first years of the industry, but the
steel bridge they now let down over the
hold Of vessel as she lies little way from
the shore, dumping 100 tons an hour into
the ship. is the greatest wonder in the world
to the natives.
There is an island in the Caribbean which
is similar in it's history 10 Pleasant Island.
1t is the Dutch island of Curacao which
was once an enormous atoll but was lifted
by subterranean forces till the ring around
the lagoon was hundreds of feet in the air
and the lagoon became dry land. On the
south side of the island large deposits Of
phosphates have been discovered and the
beds are now the scene of an important