The Ghost Islands of the Carolines

Riesenberg, Saul H (1975-07-01). "The Ghost Islands of the Carolines". Micronesica. 11 (1): 7–33. ISSN 0026-279 .

• Has attachment: File:IDCMTF8J.pdf

Abstract: The native names of three islands of the Carolines have been misapplied on modern maps to neighboring islands, each name displacing the correct name of the island to the east. These names, in altered form, are Gaferut, West Fayu, and Pikelot. The name of a fourth, mythical place has been similarly misapplied to the westernmost of the three, Gaferut. The first error seems to have been made in 1804 by Don Luis de Torres, who misunderstood the information supplied him on his voyage of discovery by a Woleai navigator. The second error, which occurred in 1905, seems attributable to District Magistrate Arno Senfft, who apparently mistook sailing directions given him by a Lamotrek man to the mythical island of Kaafiror (cognate to Gaferut) as applicable to a real place. Kaafiror is supposed to lie northeast of Yap; it has vanished, due to fear of the Spanish, but it reappears now and then; possibly there is a real basis for this myth. It may be the same place as Sepin, which is also said to have disappeared, but which Yapese identify with Hunter's Reef.