PINGELAP. 341 



the northeastern part, towards the gap which separates Puigelap from 

 Tugulu Ishmd. The islands, as far as we could see, were formed by 

 high beaches thrown up on the two faces, forming a central sink, run-" 

 ning parallel with the shore lines. High breakers are seen directly across 

 the eastern gap, as the sea during the season of the trades runs high on 

 the windward side. No island in the Carolines has probably so large a 

 population in proportion to the extent of land as this atoll. No less than 

 1000 inhabitants are said to live on the southern island (Pingelap), and 

 certainly, as we approached it, the number of natives crowding the 

 beach, with the many canoes drawn up near high-water mark (PI. 183, 

 fig. 4), would indicate a large population, depending for its food on the 

 products of the sea, and on the supply of cocoanuts growing upon the 

 islands. The intercourse of the natives of Pingelap with the outside 

 world is most limited ; when we pa.ssed the natives had not seen a ship 

 manned by whites for more than eight months. 



We did not observe the base underlying the loose material of this 

 atoll ; judging from the structure of the adjoining islands, this base 

 probably consists of volcanic rocks. The low atolls in the Carolines 

 hold to the volcanic islands of the group the same relation which the 

 atoll of Tetiaroa holds to the volcanic islands in the Society group, 

 although in the region adjoining both the Carolines and the Society 

 Islands atolls exist which are undoubtedly built upon platforms of a 

 limestone origin, and some of the Carohnes are composed of elevated 

 coraliiferous limestones. 



The atoll of MokiP re.sembles Pingelap in every respect. Namoluk 

 and Ifalik have the same general features. Feys or Tromelin Island, 

 according to the description in the '• Sailing Directions " and the Admiralty 

 Chart,^ is an elevated coraliiferous limestone plateau of about two and 

 one-half miles in circumference, steep to and rising to a height of thirty 

 feet. This and the Oraluk or Bordelaise group are the only elevated 

 coral reefs of the group ; the latter is about half-way between Ponapi 

 and Truk. We did not visit Oraluk ; the '• Sailing Directions " state 

 that on the northwestern extremity of the group an elevated coral reef 

 1 A. Chart 7 72. 2 Ibid. 



