THE CAROLINE ISLANDS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 29 August 1891, Page 312

THE CAROLINE ISLANDS.

SEE

: ILLUSTRATIONS, FRONT PAGE. [ESE oLeeare islands in the Pacific Ocean, the possession of which formed at one time a bone of contention between Spain and Germany, lie to the north of New Guinea in 5.45 and 10'.25 N. tar., and extending to the east beyond 165 s E. long. They were named Carolines, or Carolinas, from

an island discovered by Lxzeano in 1636, and so named by him in honour of his Sovereign, Carlos 11. of Spain. These islands number about thirty, and until compara-

tively recently were seldom visited by Europeans. Hogoln, the largest, is situated on the eastern extremity of the group. Yap. in the extreme west, is next in size, being about two-thirds less. The others are very sraalL Most of the trade of these islands is in the hands of Englishmen and Germans, the staple articles of commerce being copra and b-rAe-rfe mcr. Though Spain claims soverignty over the Carolines, she never appears to have done much in the way of trading with them, bat seems to base her alleged right to their possession on the fact that they were discovered by a Spanish naval officer.

Among the more complete early accounts of the Caroline Islands is that by the -Jesuit, Juan Antonio Cantova, who visited several of the islands in 1721, and daring his second voyage thither, 1731, was killed at the Island of Mogmog. It is ehiedy the voyage of Captain Duperrey, in the French ship La Coquille, in 1828, to the surveys of Rear-Admiral Linke in the Russian corvette La Sexiarixe, and the works of Captain Cheyne, and Dr. Gulick of the Hawaiian mission, that we owe, says a writer in the Field, our present geographical knowledge of the Caroline Islands, for, though there are at the p-resent time several white settlers in the

Yap group acting as agents for English and German bouses, they have done little to furnish us with further information. Yap differs considerably from any other island in the group, inasmuch as it is larger and has a different soil, probably being of volcanic origin. It is, strictly speaking, not one island, out three, as the northern portion is intersected in two places by narrow channels. The northern half of the island is traversed by a ridge, which at one point attains an altitude of about L,loGft- ; the southern portion is fiat, covered with underwood, above which rise numerous cocoanut palms : and we doubt not that many of our readers will be somewhat surprised when they are informed that this

island, for the possession of which Germany and Spain were so nearly coming to loggerheads, is only seventeen miles long, with an average breadth of four miles —about half as large as the Isle of Wight—and that the valre of the whole of its produce would not be sufficient to pay the expenses of a small cruiser to protect those engaged in trade. The navigation is extremely dangerous, and its position is by no means exceptionally advantageous for the purposes of a coaling station. The native population is estimated at ten thousand. They are a fine able-bodied race, of light copper complexion, and are of Malay origin. Both

sexes wear long hair, and tuek it up in the form of a knob on the side of the head. The dress worn by the men is very scanty : but the females are decently clad, their dress con - sisring of a petticoat formed of long grass, or banana fibre. Both men and women wear hats made of palm leaves, similar to those worn by the Chinese. The implements of warfare in use among these people are knives, clubs, slings, and stones. The natives of Yap are now peaceably inclined to the white traders ; but not long ago they were notorious for their running and treachery, having murdered several crews of vessels, whom they had succeeded in surprising. Yiewed from the sea the island has a pleasant aspect, as will

be seen from oar illustration, being interspersed with many bouses, and Tillages with regularly laidout streets. Mast of these are stunted near the shore, amongst groves of coeoa-nut, bread fruit, and betel-nut trees. Each village has a large paved square, where the chiefs assemble for consultation ; and the booses, which are well constructed, having their sides covered in with wicker work, and their

roofs thatched with palm leaves, form an oblong, of which the square is the centre. Owing to the scarcity of large timber, the natives get their proas built at the Palau Islands. They are sometimes as much as seventy feet long, and are constructed with very small planks sewed together. The bottom is formed like a wedge, and the keel being ereeeent-shaped, they draw a gt»i deal of water. They are

very weatherly, and sail exceedingly fast in smooth water. The climate is described as being remarkably pleasant ; and though hurricanes are unknown, strong south-west gales prevail towards the close of the m.iosoon season, late in August and September. This is also the season of very light winds, when sailing vessels experience great ditficulty, and some danger, in getting about amongst the islands.