THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 
545 
3. The Marshall Islands. 
The Marshall Archipelago, running in a N.W. and 
S.E. direction for about 500 miles, is arranged in two 
parallel chains, that to the east being known as the 
Eadack, and that to the west as the Ealick, group. Of 
the entire number of forty-six islands, the eight smallest 
only are flat coral islands encircled by reefs, all the rest 
being atolls. The entire land area has been estimated at 
150 square miles, and the population at about 10,000. 
First seen by Saavedra in 1529, the group came into the 
possession of Germany in 1885. Their rule is not par¬ 
ticularly successful, heavy taxes pressing hard upon the 
natives; but the large copra trade renders the islands 
valuable, and several trading firms, chiefly German, are 
established in the archipelago. Jaluit is the capital and 
seat of administration, if such a term can be used. 
The vegetation of the Marshall group, though luxu¬ 
riant as compared with that of the barren Gilbert Islands, 
is still inferior in exuberance and variety to that of the 
Carolines, and continually diminishes and becomes more 
stunted as we proceed northwards. From the coco-nut 
and pandanus the natives draw their chief supplies of 
food, and in some islands the bread-fruit is also found. 
From the root of Tacca pinnatifida a sort of flour is pre¬ 
pared. Yams, banana, and taro are also cultivated, and 
some species of Hibiscus yield a strong description of 
bast. 
The natives, who are mostly pagans, are said to be 
decreasing rapidly in number, partly, no doubt, from 
the constant state of tribal war which prevails. Cap¬ 
tain Cyprian Bridge describes the men as tall, and the 
women as singularly short, but often very good-looking, 
