The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-19

IMAGES on SHORE OF EASTER ISLAND.
interruptodly from the southeastern extremity
of Asia 10 nearly across the Pacific Ocean, and
ON the American Continent in line with these
islands forms Of the most ancient works simi-
lar 20 themost ancient found in the East which
belong 10 a period coeval with that Of the for
gotten sciences Of the Old World and 70 the
first ages Of man.
SOME OF THE SKELETONS
found in the eaverns Of Kentucky and Ten
nessee were wrapped in feather blankets char
acterstc Of the Sandwich and Fiji Islands,
and the best-defned specimens Of art among the
antiquities Of Ohio aud Kentucky arc clearly
of Polynesiau character, from which IL would
appear that there existed al one time a COM
muuicati0n between the continents Of Asia and
America by way Of the Polyncsian Islands All
over the Pacific Islands the domestic animals
were found % he the pig dog and fowl as was
the case with those nations Of IIamite origin,
especially so in Egypt.
IN CcylOn there was found by the earliest
discoveries an extensive commerce, where the
nations Of the then East met The ships Of the
West and exchanged commodities. 50 great
WAS this commercial depot in prehistoric times
that the maritime nations Of the then COM
mcrcal world met here 10 worship the god Of
the sea, for which purpose great temples were
erected and dedicated 1.-THE Neptune OF pre.bi
l0AIt hEiSs Altifr Nbt, alG 10 It AAAA AbuitAI
remains Of ancient cities, tanks and deserted
water courses in which rivers were diverted
from their natural channels; opposing hills
were cut through, and immense aqueducts
leaped the valleys, carrying the water TO large
reservoirs for distribution 10 the lands FOR irri
cation, the most perfect system Of agriculture
conceivable, similar to the Egyptian methods
OF distributing the waters Of thu Nile. In Java
and Peru the people used identical means OF
~
sides were tcrraCOd or levoled Do steps, 50 that
every spot could be flooded OF dried at pleasure.
in Sumatra we End the same system again.
On the Tonga Islands there was found an
ancient monument consisting Of two perpen-
dicular rectangular blocks Of stone almost 40
feet high supporting a large slab across the
top, the stone Of which is said TO be not found
on the island.
THE REMAINS FOUND IN JAVA
were most extensive, both in number and size,
aud were constructed mainly Of Fat brick with
out mortar on cement crowded with bas reliefs,
and covered with figures deliberately executed
in hard stone, as was tho case in Peru.
ia Java some temples were built on pyra-
mids, having staircase on the slopes leading 10
the edifce like those Of the TOltecs in Mexico.
Coming TO the outpost Of the Pacific Islands on
this route we find Easter Island, only IL miles
long and four miles wide, On which there were
49, AlAtHf AAb ALEdNCA lluAhH VI AHttE anu
paddles, as well as other wooden articles, were
found covered with hieroglyphics Here too
were found the ruins Of stone houses built in a
regular line, with doors facing the sea, the walls
Of which were five feet wide 90 10 30 feet high
and two or three hundred feet long were lined
with slabs Of stone ike tiles painted with
figures Of birds, faces and mythic animals and
geometrie figures. Back Of these houses was an
extensive platform, upon which stood pedustals
to a number Of colossal images some more than
80 feet IN hight
IN Peru Mexico Central America, and Yuca-
tan the massive ruins were in form aud char
acter almost identical with those Of the East;
castles Of Asiatic origin existed with the TOltecs
OF Mexico and the lUcas Of Peru: the common
wealth Of each was divided into classes: priests.
warriors, and tillers Of the soil whilst the land
was held in common. ia Peru and Mexico,
copper was employed 10 make agricultural
tools, and was used In the mechanic arts aud
they had process Of icmpcriug il as hard as
steel, lost art Of Egypt
in religion we find IN most all the Pacific IS
lands and with tho ancient races Of America a
striking similarity 10 that Of the Egyptians.
They had belief in one supreme being, the
creator Of all things, and a class Of
SECONDARY GODS
who owed their existence % the supreme god.
and who dWclt IN the clements aud in an man
ner OF animals and when these animals died
they were embamcd and deposited with un-
usual bODOB ln Java the serpent Is bcauti-
fully sculptured on the temples, and IL was
commonly worshiped throughout the Pacific
Islands as the god Of crops. marked con-
nection common 10 all mytA0logies between
the old serpent and the fruits OF the earth. Ia
/ Poru as well as in Egypt the supreme god
acted in the sun, which they BOrshipcd with
! the highest titles Of honor.
IN Egypt the sun god was expressed by a
circle aud the asp, and in Peru this same form
Of a snake Is 10 be found in some Of their rclig-
! iOus signs. The single snake iu Egypt was the
! representative sign Of the evil god, and more
I than likely tho single serpent met with in
same spirit
in most Of the Pacific Islands and IN Peru
especially they emhalmcd the dead and
anointed the body with mixture Of Oh aud