Ethnography of Micronesia. Q 



the inhabitants number some 220, as mentioned above. Ships cast 

 anchor, most of them, off this village. Lele has wellknown ruins 

 witli stone walls. 



Knsaie was discovered in 1804 by Crozer, an American, who 

 gave it the namo of Strong Island, in honour, it is said, of the 

 governor of Massachusetts, United States, at that time.i It is also 

 called Ualan. 



The five islands or groups of islands above described are 

 usually divided into two groups. Palau and Yap form the West 

 Caroline Islands, while the rest are called the East Caroline Islands. 



The Marshall Islands include two chains of atolls, running nearly 

 parallel to each other from north-west to south-east, between 4^ 

 30' and 15^ N. lat., and 16P and 172° E. long. The eastern 

 group, called Eatak (Radak), has 15 atolls wùth a total area of 51 

 square miles. The w^estern one, called Ralik, includes 18 islands, 

 the area measuring 170 square miles. The island that occupies 

 the most important position is Jaluit (Jalut), which is the only 

 trade center for the whole archipelago. It has a native population 

 of 1,000. Tliere is a long shaped islet of the same name belonging 

 to Jaluit. The islet has a native village, Jabor, at its north end 

 on the widest part. There the ships cast anchor. I also visited 

 this village. I w^as informed that, owing to the number of ships 

 visiting the island, the natives had lost their former simplicity, and 

 had become cunning from contact with the outside world. 



The discovery of the Marshall Islands began in 1529, when 

 Alvaro de Saavedra found part of the archipelago.'^ He called 

 them "Los Pintados," after observing the fine tattooing of the 



1 Accortling to Christian, Kusaie was discovered in September of 1529, by Alvaro de Saavetlrjx- 

 See '• The Caroline Islands," p. 23. 



- It is also said that in 1520 .\lonzo de Salazar discovered one of the Islands of the 

 Marshall group. F. W. Christian, ibil, p. 23. 



