552 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



Captain Wilson of the Antelope, packet, who was wrecked 

 there in 1783, is said to have found the natives " delicate 

 in their sentiments, friendly in their disposition, and, in 

 short, a people that do honour to the human race " ; and 

 Captain Cheyne says that they are far more intelligent 

 and polished in their manners than the Caroline islanders. 

 Captain Wilson brought home with him Prince Lee Boo, 

 son of the king, Abba Thulle, a young man who evinced ■ 

 so much aptitude for civilisation and such an excellent 

 disposition, that his death from smallpox excited uni- 

 versal regret throughout England. Later travellers have 

 given a less favourable account of the Pelew islanders ; 

 but, as in so many other cases, they have probably since 

 had good reason to dislike their European visitors, and 

 have had many injuries to revenge. Civilisation of a 

 certain kind has reached the islands, and the customs are 

 altering, but the wars still continue. 



Dr. Carl Semper, who spent nearly a year upon the 

 Pelews, has given a full account of the peculiar customs 

 and political organisation of the natives. They have 

 invented an order of knighthood which the king has the 

 exclusive right to award, as well as to take back from 

 those who may have fallen into disgrace. It is called 

 " Klilt," and its insignia is the first cervical vertebra of 

 the dugong or sea-calf {Halicore). The investiture and 

 resumption of the order are alike a very formidable pro- 

 ceeding, the hand being violently thrust through the 

 narrow ring of the fish-bone, whereby a finger is occasion- 

 ally lost, and the skin in any case torn off Yet the 

 honour is purchased from the State for so much tripang 

 by seafarers. Still more curious are the clubs and con- 

 fraternities into which the people of various ranks are 

 associated, with intricate rules and ceremonies which 

 cannot here be given in detail. The women form similar 



