The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-16
MARSHALL ISLANDS
TAKEN FROM GERMANY
Seized BY Japan Soon Afsse Outbscak
OF tho World War.

OF tho World War.
washington, ID. C., March is.--The
Marshall Islands which, along with
the Caroltnes. were setned BY Japan
from Germany soon after the out
break of the world war. are described
In q bulletin issued by the National
Geographic Society.
The two chains Of curiousty
~ S-AiA k-da44&x>--
ms OF low-lytng coral reefs encircling
lasoons. known as the Marshall
of an imaginary line between the
Philippines and Hawaii" the bulletin
says.
Guam. Samoa and Honolulu form
a triangle Of trade routes, with its
sides not penetrated by important
steamship lines. Near the center of
this isolated Pacific zone are the Mar
shall Islands.
'Berore the war Sydney was reach
ed by steamer. a voyage Of more than
5000 miles. The only other egress Is
a steamer to Ponape which connects
with the French line to Singapore.
lake two loosely strung chains Of
Jewels, the islands stretch from
northwest to southeast. each with its
lagoon setting sncaaed by a strangely
shaped c1rclet OF coral. some like tri-
angles. harps and stirrups. and one
outlining a bulls head with it's horns.
'.straight-haired. dark-brown ma
tives, still preserving the religious
to be found. Once 4 sturdy. reliant.
sea-faring psople-for they were the
best mariners In the Pacinc-ths
white mans coming. as in the casa OF
his advent among the Eskimo and the
Indian, did not seem wholly benefi-
oial. In teaching them ways to live
more easily civilization robbed them
OF that boldness and adventure which
made them the hardest Of the Micro
neasian peoples. Many Of the young
died of tuberculosis.
eaniEsd into at least three clans.
called sspts. First were the mobiles,
from whom each community chose its
chief; then the lesser mobiles, and a
third group, some of whom might
own property, but none Of whom
could have more than one VITA.
woman was given a higher posi-
ton than amongst most savaGes be-
cause succession was through the fe-
male line. But the chiefs power was
absolute. to the point of life and
death. One ambitious ruler learned
an alphabet and Is said to have be-
headed all his subjects who seemed
likely to acquire moro knowledge
than he had. In some islands the
mother was allowed to keep only the
first three children. She had to bury
the fourth.
"skilful and fearless navigators, the
natives used bread tree wood to
make sailing canoes In which they
vised charts, made OF stiolxs, show
ing the locations of islands and the
directions OF prevailing winds.
Ancestor worship was their pre-
dominant religious sentiment. with
petitions and gifts they worshipped
the departed. whose spirits were sup
posed TO return to earth in certain
palm trees which they set Off In
stone enclosures. Birds ana fishes
sometimes embodied these spirits.
thsy believed, and thus certain spe-
cies became taboo.
Examples of taboo abound. Some
served a useful purpose. Coconut
fruit might not be eaten until the
bread fruit no longer was available.
thus giving tbs former a chance 10
ripen, Fruit from the trees of a de-
parted trfbesman also was taboo for
a time to those outside his family.
This assured his wife and children a
means OF sustenance. Chiefs and
ctshS-o VA t1io hiGHUot CAdSH AA&O WoNo
immune from injury.
''Tattooing OF the young was a re-
ligfous ceremonial. and. like the Pa
puans, they inserted wooden discs in
their ear lobes to disfend them.
Homes OF the natives were not
pretentious. Floors were raised
above the ground to escape the rats
and fhstched roofs covered the COM
bination house and storage room
THE two island groups are known
as the Relax and Ralik chains. Their
entire area Is not more than 100
square miles; their native population
y s $3.50. with fewer tasaaa SOC faSajgn-
err, The seat Of German government
was on Jaiuit and the most populous
island Is Ma3eru. with but 1000 per-
sons.
"Other explorers HAD touched AT
tho islands, but they, with the Gilbert
group, took their names from Cap
tains Marshall and Gilbert. who ex-
plorsd them in 1893. Ths aermana