Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-06-02

prepared by the National Geographic
Society," Washington, D. c.
What, in "the New Pacific" that the
Washington conference is believed to
have created, will be the future of
Frances island possessions nearest to
the United States-the MarqueSaS? In
a few years these fertile, lovely is
lands, now left practically alone, may
be treated as a geographical clean
slate, for the natives are rapidly dying
off.
The Spanish navigator Mendana,
first discovered the islands with their
towering black cliffs, and sailed
through a break into a wonderful bay,
once the crater of a huge volcano.
What must have been his amazement
is shared by the traveller today. With
in the bay, what a contrast! Where
once telluric fires burned, the luXuri-
ant verdure of the tropics now over
runs the immense ampitheater in riot
Gus prOfusiOn. 1t is as il nature in
repentant mood were pouring out her
gifts with unstinted hand to cover the
sears and desolation wrought by vol
canic fury.
Tree and vine flower and shrub,
cover the abrupt, almost vertical sides
of the huge basin and Chamber high
over ridge after ridge of the knife
like hills; choke the deep ravineS and
valleys with their prolific mass OF
bloom and foliage, and, creeping in
rich abundance almost to the waters
edge, climb the black basalt cliffs tow
ering over the bay, thus seeking to
soften their harsh broken outlines be-
meath a rank growth of vines and
MOSES.
Great cascades, springing from the
living rock high on the mountain side,
leap over mighty precipices, cleaning
like strands of silver INF the sunlight,
to be lost in the mysterious depths OF
dark gorgeS far below. These waters
wind through dark, tortuous ravines
and form the racing stream that tum-
bles swiftly between the twisting hills
into the steep valley. OF Hanavave,
where it rushes over its rocky bed to
pass into the blue waters of the quiet
bay.
Revond the crescent Of white sand
that lies between the cliffs, banyan,
mango. and breadfruit trees minngle
their brilliant foliage and blossoms
with the slender brown trunks and
waving frond of the pandanus and
COCO palm.
Less than O century ago this forest
was thickly dotted with the brown
matched huts of the Hanavavans, each
upon its paepae or platform OF stone
constructed without mortar or cement.
Thousands of these paepae, no longer
in use, cling to the vertical SIDES OF val
levs and ravines in state OF perfect
preservation, the platform usually ~
by 80 or 40 feet, level and unoroken'
often walled up 10 or 10 feet on the
lower side.
Beautiful Women, Fierce Men.
To describe the dainty, gracefui
Marquesanne as she unquestlonaoiy
was before Cooks advent may lay the
describer open to the charge OF eAas-
<rorat;on But from Mendana to Ste
yenson with Melville for good meas
ura her remarkable beauty was a
source of surprise and admiration.
When women possess beautiful, lux
uriant hair. fine eyes, perfect teetn'
q slender, graceful form. SKIN OF vel
vet texture and unblemisneo surface
end these physical attractions are
combined with vivacity OF spirit anu
action, exaggeration becomes oilncui =.
- oil chronicIerS of the Is
lands have for several centuries agreed
80 deceive the world, such was the
nTaronesanne; so she is today wneh
sickness has not diminished her charm.
The men were fierce. cruel cannipa,s'
whose chief occupation, aside from .le
Indulgence of their amative procllv ,s
ties was the killing of both men anu
women of other tribes for gastronoinic
purposes. +na ",aw
The all-powsrful tapu was the law
and the propnsts" of the MarQuesan'