The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-08-07

Of AgricuIture.)- WNU Service.
TN THE interests of governmental
economy the lonely island of Guam,
one of the smallest of American
possessions will be taken from the
list of American naval bases and
turned over TO another government de
partment, possibly the Department of
Interior, which has already suggested
that Guam would make an attractive
national park
Guam's military Importance has al
ways been theoretical, but as part of
the chain of mid-Pacific American step
ping stones, leading from California
through the Hawaiian islands to the
Philippines, Guam has also provided
a handy landing place and relay sta
ton for cable lines across the Pacific,
and a base for repairs and supplies
for American vessels plying midway
lanes. More than LOO miles of open
water separate it from the Philippines
while the ocean jump TO Midway,
nearest Of che Hawaiian islands, is
even greater-some LOO miles.
Guam's strategic value is out OF all
proportion to its size and population.
In area II is about three and half
times as large as Nantucket, having a
length of less than 80 miles and an
average width OF about six miles.
Only 1890 people, more than nine
tenths of whom are native Guamese,
a people similar TO the Filipinos, in
habit this coral-reefed oasis. The
population, however, is growing. It
Jumped 40 per cent in the last decade.
The island Of Guam was discovered
on March 6, 1921. by Magellan. after
a passage of three months and twenty
days from the strait which bears his
name. An account Of the privationS
whom died on the way across the
hitherto unexplored ocean, is graph
ticauy given by Antonio Pigafetta,
NIageIlan's historian. He describes
how the expedition arrived at Guam
with the crews suffering from scurvy
and in a starving condition, having
been compelled on the passage to eat
rats and even the leather from off
the standing rigging TO keep soul and
body together In comparison with
MageIlan's feat Of crossing the vast
Pacific. the first voyage of Columbus
from the Canary islands to the West
Indies seems Insignificant.
Raded by Magellan.
The natives Of Guam came to meet
the SpaniardS in strange flying praOs"
(canoes provided with outriggers and
triangular sails of mats). The Span
iards had dropped anchor, turled their
sails. and were about TO land when it
was discovered that a small boat which
rode astern of the flagship was miss
ing. Suspecting the natives of having
stolen it. Magellan himself went
ashore at the head Of landing party
Of 40 armed men. burned 40 or so
houses and many boats, and killed
seven or eight natives, male and fe-
male. He then returned to his ship
with the missing boat and Immediately
set sail. continuing his course to the
westward.
The natives did not fare much bet
ter at the hands of later visitors. Mis-
sionaries came in 1868.
Though Guam lies within the trop-
ics. its climate is tempered throughout
the greater part Of the year by brisk
trade wind blowing from the north
east and east. Its mountains are not
high enough TO cause marked differ
ences in the distribution of rain on the
island. and the island is not Of suffi-
Gent extent TO cause the daily alter
Mating currents of air known as land
and sea breezes Generally speaking,
the seasons conform in a measure with
those Of Manila. the least rain falling
in the colder months or the periods
called winter by the natives, and the
greater rainfall occurring in the warm
months. which are called summer by
the natives.
Though the mean monthly tempera-
ture varies only . degrees on either
side of the mean annual temperature
vet the winters" of Guam are so
definitely marked that certain wasps
which during the summer make their
nests in the open fields among the
bushes invade the houses Of the peo-
pie at that season and hibernate there
The forest vegetation of Guam con-
sists almost entirely Of strand trees
epiphytal ferns. lianas, and few IN
dershrubs. The majority of the
species are included in what Schimper
has called the Barringtonia formation.
The principal trees are the wild fer
tile breadfruit; the Indian almond !;
jack-in-the-box. and the giant banyan.
How They Catch Fish.
The fruit Of another common tree
(Barringtonia speciosa) the natives
use TO stupefy fish. The fruit is pound
ed into a paste, inclosed in a bag. and
kept over night. The time of an espe-
cially low tide is selected, and bags
of the pounded fruit are taken out on
the reef next morning and sunk in
certain deep holes in the reef The
fish soon appear at the surface. some
of them lifeless, others attempting to
swim, or family struggling with their
ventral side uppermost. The natives
scoop them In their hands, sometimes
even diving for them.
Nothing more striking could be
imagined than the picture presented
by the conglomeration of strange
shapes and bright colors-snakelike
sea eels. voracious lizard-fishes, gar
like houndfishes. with their jaws pro-
IoDood into a Sharu hoax. loDp Snout