The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-31
ON EASTER ISLAND.
Wonderful Discoveries of an
American Exploring Party.
SKELETONS AND HUGE STATUES.
CsunibaI Propensities OF the Natives
strange Remains OF Human Handi.
work on Rock in the Pacific.

wonder has been recently explored by an
expedition of the Smithsonian institu-
ton, with the result OF throwing a food
al light upon its history and the origin of
the marvels of human handiwork found
there. This far-of spot in the midst of
the vast Pacific goes far to realize in So
Der matter of fact the description given
BY Rider Haggard of the imaginary king.
dom of Kor, once the residence of nu-
merous population and afterwards an i'm
mense cemetery, its thousands of rocky
cayens filled with the bones of moldering
dead. Such. in truth, is the famous
Easter island. which has long been puz-
sIe TO ethnologists and students of an
tiquity. Tablets of wood have been dis
covered, bearing inscriptions in an
ancient language. which tell many sur
prising things, and these, together with
numerous curiosities for the national mu-
seam and a great amount of information.
have been brought away.
Although bat a rock of lava thrown nm
from the depths Of the sea, and having an
area Of only thirty-two square miles, Easter
island once possessed a population of more
than $1,000. 1t is actually honey-combed
with caves formed by bubbles of expand
ing gases during volcanic action, and these
we're used for dwelling-places by the peo-
pie while alive. their bones reposinp in
them after death. The entire island is one
metropolis. Not merely are the caverns
crowded With skeletons. but everywhere
are scattered the ruins of enormous tombs
and catacombs. The huge quantities of
human remains found, not less than the
Ia h. r.
prove the occupancy of large population
for . period covering many hundreds
Of years. Most remarkable of the tombs
are immense platforms built of rough
and hewn stones, which were formerly
surmounted by colossal statues. These
statues, which now lie prone and scattered
shout, were executed by ancient sculptors.
whose art has persisted with them. The
art OF this nearly vanished race has left
memorials. not only in the shape of such
statues, but on the very rocks of the
island, which are carved with strange and
fantastic images of mythical animals,
human faces, birds, fishes, etc. Within
the caves, and on the walls and ceilings of
houses built of slabs of stone, are painted
the most curious frescoes in similar de-
sgns with red, black and white pigments.
Up in the mountains are found the
Workshops of the sculptors who carved
the great stone images out of the volcanic
rock. Inside of a huge extinct crater is
discovered one of these statue factories,
where the effigies may be seen in all stages
OF incompletion, from the rude outline
drawing on the rock to the finished work
Of art, ready to be cut loose and taken
2wo H. Al r
IN height, the head alone measuring
twenty-eight feet, and it is in as perfect
ambition as when it was first completed.
There are ninety-three such statues within
ne crater, of various sizes, and forty of
them are finished and ready to be trans
ported 10 the burial platforms which they
we're designed to adorn.
II Is now known that the first process
n earvlng one of these images was to select
asuitable rock and sketch upon it the out
line Of the proposed statue The front of
was then carved into shape and finished,
the last work being to cut the back loose.
Twas then hoisted out of the crater and
lowered to the plain below by a system of
ehocks and wedges, after which q road
was made to the intended destination and
covered with seaweeds, and over this the
colossus was dragged with hempen ropes
ny as many men as were needed. Finally
~ was fOiitu up on al iDcilDe dL the rear
Of the platform and set in place there So
great feat of engineering was involved
ihat one is lost in wonder at the patience
and ingenuity of savages who were able to
accomplish IL without either mechanical
knowledge or appliances. The average
Weight OF the images is about twelve tons.
but some of them weigh as much as forty
TONS each; They were transported over
mn ana dale to every part of the island,
often for distance of many miles.
The interior of the volcanic crater is cut
INTO terraces, one above the other, where
we quarrying Of these stone giants was
uone. outside OF the crater, on the west
sac OF the mountain. is bigger work
shop, where l55 statues are to be seen, in
eluiing those which stand at the foot of
me volcano, ready for removal to the plat
iorms 10 form an estimate OF the magni-
tude OF the labor performed by the image
makers, the expedition counted all the
engles on the island. which were found to
number 5o5. Most of them lie near the plat
FORMS along the shore, not one being left
Aaaalng, while many more are scattered
over the plain toward the village of Vaihu,
"a lying face downward. This latter
point seems strange, inasmuch as they
soula hardly have been hauled in such a
IAsulon, one would think. Some of the
ssseues represent females. Doubtless gray
ava was selected as the material because
iva, was easily worked with rude stone i'm
PIGMENTS. One of the images bears the
us1ks OF cutting tools about its throat,
sao local traditions say that il belonged
~ powerful clan which was finally de-
Rated IN war. the victors thereupon at
@,nptng 10 chop off its head.
~ used 10 be supposed that these stone
.hsil's were gods, but it is now known
slsy represent persons of distinction, and
~ ~ SCI up as monuments to perpetuate
saeR memory. The smallest of them that
- neen found measures three feet in
asght They are all very much alike,
sach being the upper half of human fig
me cut of at the hips. The faces are of
- unyarying type, with heavy brows,
rae. ss . nose and short upper lip. In every
80 tne head is cut Hat on top, so as 10
Sou ,he crown. All the effigies, upon be-
~ paced In position, were adorned with
~asssVe crowns of red tufa, sometimes
r.shsng as much as three tons and meas
r..ss Twelve feet in diameter. The burial
Aaorms were usually near the beach,
II, eaat the images could look out upon
rs sea They were constructed OF rough
sa.ess OF rock ordinarily, with facing of
h.. stones neatly Joined, enclosing cham
rs which were filled with corpses
lspped IN dried grass and laid at full
49, with their heads toward the ocean.
rsnp.eeh one platform was discovered a
s -..s containing a vast number of skulls
tssy packed together From the fact
ssa,.a al of these crsnia were those of
,sns, is presumed that they were
N 0osnles OF war. The largest platform is
~ seet long, nine feet wide, and eight feet
So 90 1t was ornamented with fifteen
ssahtlc statutes, all of which are now
i,, aomh down on their faces, their crowns
wing hear by.
els.a Hnage-makers were 8 privileged
f @ss, ana their profession descended from
al s. n 70 son. For some reason. which in
IA. PROBABILITY Will forever remain a mys-
ma .ner work was suddenly discontin-