The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-05-21

I l
the lower creyices were filed and q
gradually rising body Of guano at
tanned at length a level with the tops
Of the pinnacles, and then rose above
them and lay in level plateau across
the island.
Vast Phosphate Deposits.
On the margin the rains, the winds.
and the breakers, spouting high
against the coral, washed away this
deposit, 50 that ramparts Of bare pin
nacles stood up and still stand all
around the island; but the coral walls
back from the shore held safe the
treasure. After this the teeming bird
life deserted the island, how or why
is mystery.
Then under Natures forces q trans
formation occurred. Guano is chiefly
phosphoric acid and nitrogen; coral is
chiefly lime. Somehow, by the close
contact, the guano became changed
into phosphate OF lime. which is guano
raised to the nth power II had now
become q hard rock, Odorless and
generally colorless, although some
specimens show fine. dark stratifca-
ton and take q high polish.
4 British trading company operat-
ing from Sydney discovered phosphate
on Ocean island, a smaller neighbor OF
Nauru, and then found the larger de-
posits on the latter island. : lease
was obtained from the Germans OF q
partnership basis and when the World
war started the exploitation was prov
ing profitable for both groups
There were exciting times on the
little islands during the war. An Aus
tralian warship called. replaced the
German flag by the British and re-
ceived the agreement of the German
residents 10 submit 10 British control.
But when the ship had sailed away
the Germans seized control and de-
ported the British residents 10 Ocean
island. 1t was months before word
could be gotten to the outside world
and another ship sent TO arrest the
Germans and restore British control
on the island.
Nauru has about twelve hundred na-
tiveS. In 1918 all indicated their de
sire to become British subjects.
How Phosphate Is Mined.
Phosphate is mined by Chinese
coolies in open QuarrieS. but these
are not Ike stone quarries. where
everything IS taken out as the work
The phosphate IS packed /
between the coral pinnscles as
tightly as the filing in a tooth and 4
must be excavated. leaving the pin /
nacIeS standing.
There is, perhaps, no hotter work 4
ng place on earth. for as the work /
men descend. digging and blasting.
hey are below the level of the trade
winds cool breath and exposed 10
he fierce rays of the tropic sun.
When 4 coolie has filed a pair of
'asketS he hangs one on each end of
carrying-pOle and makes his way By
levious paths through the worAed-Ou,
'laces to 4 central carrier. called the
flying fox" running on a cable. He
humps his baskets and trOts back for
mother load. while the carrier con.
eys the phosphate 10 hopper. Il tall
rOOden towe- with chutes. from
rhich it IS dropped into cars ready TO
AXE il 20 the dryers. huge buildings
crushing and drying ma
hinery and storage bins for the fin
sled product.
Two classes Of iahorers. the workers
! the phosphate field and tie loading
rews on the cars and boats. include &
NV natives cf Nauru. The former. as .
e have seen. are Chinese coolies. the
tier kanakas recruited from other .
lands. ?
Nauru is about seven and a half ?
lies long and half as wide and is Z
laped like an oyster. II is bordered /,
: the reef. which is bare at low tidr, ,
I'd inside of which is beach Of 2,
hire coral sand. The beach above 8
lie level is covered with cocOuut
Inns interSpersed with pandanuS and
her trees and shrubs.
Back of the cOccnut plain rises a
liSade of tall coral pinnacles whose Al
itch is covered by forest of ever p,
cen trees, the most common one De- II
: the tamanu with handsome deep =
cen leaves. resembling laurel, and II
wers like orange blossoms. q
In the center of one end of the p
and is small lagoon surrounded .
a coconut grove. The broad plateau q
as the natires lvr OIL, q
der the coconut trees =