The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-05-21
prepared by the National ososrapl

prepared By the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington, D. c.
When Germany started into the col
onizing business centuries later thar
other powers and got control Of the
worlds left overs" she looked OF
the island Of Nauru, far out in the
Pacific, as one Of the least Of her
possessions. But even before the
World war It came to be recognized
that Nauru. It's size considered, Is one
Of the worlds richest Islands. Now il
IS under a British mandate and the
wealth It produces Is falling into
[ other Golfers. Phosphate rock is the
I reason for Nauru's Importance; it
holds millions OF tons Of this valuable
fertilizer
Nauru, or Pleasant island, is almost
at the jumping-of place of the world
1t is only thirteen degrees west OF the
international date line, and half a
degree south of the Equator. Thus il
is one Of what sailors call the Line
islands"
Before it fell to Germany It knew
no white rulers, but was governed by
its own laws and chiefs; but white in
fluence had impinged upon il for many
years. Whaling ships from New Eng
land ports called there and traded fire.
arms for drinking coconuts and island
pigs. 1t was rather poor island in
those far-Off days, before its great
wealth was discovered. It had no san
dalwood or tortoise shell; no pearls
or beche-de-mer: not even cOpra. for
copra was not made in the Pacific be-
fore 1872 and coconut oil was not an
article of commerce.
The Nauruans have never been can
nibals, but they had the reputation of
being savage warriors. a traveller
from New Zealand who visited the is
land just before the Germans took
possession found the natives all armed
and involved in deadly feuds. He
counted nine kinds of rifles of English
and American make, besides several
traders living near each other along
the beach and some of their half-caste
descendants are there today.
When Germany took over the islands
she gave the natives certain number
of days to give up their arms. They
generally obeyed. but q few threw
theirs into the caves which underlie
the island. where they are found from
time TO time by exploring parties.
Germans Taught copra Making.
Ii
mans credit in the Pacific: They built |
roads and they taught the natives 10 |
make copra.
Copra is easily made and stored. |
The meat of the ripe coconut is broken |
into pieces and dried in the sun just 1
long enough to extract the moisture; /
then it is bagged and ready for sale. /
In the South seas ccpra is a magic
word For this the Pacific trader
fares the malaria and Savages OF the
Solomons and she New Hebrides. and !
the teeth of the coral reefs. The trade
store and copra shed stand on the
beach Of every coral isle. and when
steamer or schooner calls. the surf
,oats go in and out. over the reef at
high tide or through intricate chan
lelS when there is an open lagoon.
'arry;ng trade goods and returning
With bags OF -epra.
The Gerre au colonial government
lid not know what 4 treasure Il had
nder its feet. but was contcnr 10 run
little trade store. branch OF the
aluit store, which sold to the natives
obacco and beer, Alaska canned sal
son. sugar rice and ship biscuits
d exchange FOR copra. Ii also sold
rints al d thin japanese silks Tor the
fother Hubbard dresses which the
merican missionaries taught TIE ma
We women to wear and for the lava
WAS which the native men wore To :
le mission churches. |
Then came a great change owing TO {
lie discovery of phosphate. '
According TO biologists, Nauru. like I
phrodite, rose dripping from the sea I
yes ago. This emergence may have o
zen sudden. or the process of eleva-
on may have peen gradual. At any ?
tie, when the coral island was ex- :
,sed it must have looked like the "
ntastic structures built in aquari- =
ms. with pinnacles. towers, bridges, ii
ing buttresses. and other architec- Z
raj fantasies upreared into the air. Il
Then came the sea birds. millions
ID millions of them, feeding on the is
undant sea food. nesting in the coral. b.
itching their young In ever-increas- is
: multitudes. and depositing the III