Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-11-20


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From tie Courier and Enquirer
The Ruin in Inc ISIanC Of TiHian, A Singular
Tradition.
The wonderful fctons of the Arabian Nights,
which we have all pored over in our childhood
with open mouths, and excited maginations, I'M
I'll We were so terrified by the exploits of the Ge-
NH and Ghosts that feared to turn our heads
lest we should see some uncouth spectre, can be
equalled by charming stories, the scenes of
which lie upon our own counent. The Amtri-
cas- abound in material for romame-real romence
romantic romanse ; not the sickly, yellow covered
trash which sentimental young ladies so fond
of reading, and which are the weak production of
the weak brains OF weak men, but good old fash
Toned wonder exciting story, equal if not exceeding
The famous lone Thousand and One" The stu
pendous remains of stupendouS race which ex-
listed on this continent long before it was known
to what are now called men the ruined cities, the
mounds the temples, ge her with the marvellous
traditions now known only 90 few, furnish mate
rial which might be made to shame the Eastern
>t,ryteerS.
We are not in he habit Of regaling the readers
of the Courier and Enquirer with stories but once
IN while we cnme ''once upon d time"
thai 1t would be a sin to consign to oblivion.
| We published the other day an extract from the
| EdgaroWn Mass Gazette, giving an account OF
a wonderful ancient city, discovered sometime ago
| by Capt. Alfred X. Fisher. OF the New Bedford
ship America" Capt Fisher stated that hav-
my occasion to visit Tnan, one OF the Ladrone
/ Islands, be, while walking over the island, came
70 the entrance OF tie mHn street OF large splen-
did city in ruins. The budng, we're all OF stone
Of a dark oeIor and ct the moss splendid descrp-
ION. In about The centre OF h, mann street, he
found twelve solid stone columns, six each side
of the street they were about torty-hve or fifty
feet IN height; surmounied by cap-stones of i'm
mcu>e weight. The columns ere ten feet at the
%. Captain Fisher thinks the columns would
weigh about sixty or seventy tons, and the cap
,.ones about | 5 tons. One of the columns had
fallen, and he had All opportunity to veiw its vast
proportions and Gne architecture From the prin-
crpaI street a large number of others streets di-
,erged. They all straight, and the build
Iiuls were OF stone. The whole of the city en-
! rely overgrown with Cocoa nut trees, which were
Gfy and sixty feet in height.
The same day this account appeared, we acct
dentally heard thar native OF one of the Ladrone
Islands, Don Juan Taytano, now living in this
CIV and had confirmed Captain Fishers state
ment in every particular. Our curiosity led Us
% visit Don Juan and hear hi, version OF the story
aud richly were we paid for trouble W.
found Don Juan to be an intelligent man, abou
forty years Of age, OF deep olive complexion, en-
.a9ng manner and quiet communicative DISPOSE
ton. He spoke Spanish with great deal OF grace
and revealed the traditions of the Tinlan ISLANDERS
with all the guslo OF All Eastern story teller.
He promised his relation, by informing US tina
Tnan is one of large roup of islands in tht
North Pacific, belong TO the Spanish Crown, AM
used mainly place ST exile Tor thlevs and othe
, criminals Many OF these islands have no name
whatever, and entirely unknown to navigators
, Il Il. Mo
rianas, of which place he is native, has popua
? ton Of few hundred. Next to Maranas, is the is
land of Rotan, which has few inhabitants only
next comes the island of Aguiguan, which is GOV
. cred with trees and immense rocks but is unnhab
tied Then comes Tnian, where this grand cit
!, is situated with the ruins of which Don Juan seem
e ed quite familiar, and which is inhabited by a te'
u Spanards next is the island of Caipan, also con
tanning few inhabitants next the islands OF In
d atan and Pagan. uninhabited. The climate c
these islands is warm and delightful; all the fruit
II of the tropics growing in profusion. The only an
: imals horses, COWS, sheep, DC, but there al
e no wild beasts or venomous reptiles to be founC
But to his story
Once upon time--so long ago that nobody re
collects exactly when it was--tradition states thu
IS there lived on the island of Tinian, in solitar
1t grandeur and master of all he surveyed, a gre;
giant named Dlohnannell. He was mighty NAL
:, forty feet high, and large IN proportion de W;
very handsome person, and possessed prod
l. gous strength. He had no friends or companion
ID This own species, but amused himself with wha'
IN an other large fish, which in those days were RI
OF tional beings and could speak. He had fine lor
beard and hair. sinews like iron, and nails
20 strong that he could use them tor chiselling
, blocks of stone, with which the island abounde
~ and dig down mountains with the greatest cas-
ne His voice, also, was so powerful that it could
ne heard for one hundred miles Diohnannell W
p accustomed to make short excursions upon Il
ct back Of favorite whale, but never went very
re from home. One day this whale told him, til
he been to neighboring island, called Caipa
IT and that he found it inhabited by another gia
be who lived in great stone house, and who had
OF fine young daughter. DjohnAnnell being SON
Is what Lonesome IN his island, determined to 80 a
- visit his brother giant, whose name was Taggg
and his daughter, who was called FInatInigga
nd So he mounted upon the back of his whale q I
Id whisks Of whose tail brought him Calpan.
As soon as he landed, Djohnanneli was met
as Tagga, whom he found to Be very fine man. @
IL hues proportions IS himself Tagga gave ms =
pt it0r hearty sIcorne. md invited hlm opone