The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
C~ARoLINES LOST RACE.
CYCLoPEAN RUINS OF NAN-MATAE
AL THAT 81 LEFT OF II

pearaRce-Stone Walls 40 Feet High and
1876 Feet Long Made with Blocks Car
rlod Thirty observation-disclosures Tomb.
An exploration OF the strange Cyclopean
ruins in the Nan Natal islets Off tho coast Of
Ponape, In the eastern Carolines, was made by
Mr.. L. w. Christian in 1896. He has just
givon an account Il OF his discoveries to the Royal
Geographical Society in London. and what he
had to say about the ruins is hero reprinted
from the Times. Mr.. Christian went from
Sydney to Ponape and from the harbor Of
Metalanim. on the east coast, explored the
Nan-Matal ruins:
THE area occupied by the islets OF Nam
Natal is about nina square miles. For the
most part they are deserted. and altogether
there are not above twenty people living on
the three or four inhabited ones. Some OF
them are planted with cocoanuts and bread
fruit, and are visited occasionally by fishing
parties. The Kings island OF Tomun and the
shores OF Metalanim harbor are fairly thickly
populated. but the folk as a rule give Nam
Natal a pretty wide berth. They say the place
is haunted. and on certain OF the islets, such
as and Pei-Kap, nothing will in-
duce them to set foot. All the enormous guam
tity Of basalt which the ancient builders used
must have been brought in canoes or RATED
down the coast. a distance Of twenty to thirty
miles. These pillars and blocks were carried
down to the sea from the dales below the
precipices OF U and the great perpendicular
scarp OF Chokach. where the columnar basalt
formation is very strikingly marked. Here ,
were grand natural uuarries. whence the
builders might select all the shafts and pill
lars required lying around ready shaped TO
their hand.
The first Of the islets visited from Uchen-
tau was Nan -Tauach. tho most remarkable OF
all the Metalanim ruins. The waterfront is
faced with q solid terrace of massive stone-
work, about six feet wide. standing over six
feet above tho shallow waterway. Above
is a striking example Of immensely solid
Cyclonean masonry. A great wall. between
twenty and thirty feet high and about
ten feet in thickness. formed of basaltio
prlsms laid alternately lengthwise and cross
wise. incloses an oblong space. which can be
entered only by the great gateway in the mid
die Of tho west face. and by a small portal in
the northwest corner. The right side of the
gateway is overshadowed and all but hidden
from view by the dense LEAKAGE Of a huge Ikoik
rec. In olden times the walls must have been
considerably greater in height, but much Of
tho masonry has now fallen into ruin.
"A series OF huge rude steps leads into q
spacious courtyard. strewn with fragments OF
fallen pillars. This encircles a second ter
raced inclosure topped by a remarkable pro-
jecting frieze or cornice of stonework. Tho
outer Enclosures were 1855 feet by 115 feet;
the wall varying in height from 20 feet to
nearly 40 feet; the inner. which forms a sec
ond conforming paralleloGram. measuring 30
feet by rs feet. Height OF the wall, 10 feet to
10 feet: average thickness. 8 feet. Another
rude flight of steps leads up to the great CEN
trail vault or treasure chamber. said to be the
grave Of an ancient monarch. who bore the
dynastic title OF Chau-te-Leur.
1T was difficult to gain much
about the old traditions at first. The natives
certainly know something about the history
OF these ruins. but do not care to talk of them
to strangers. This reticence was overcome
little by little, and consequently bit by bit a
tolerably explicit little chapter OF history was
built up. 1t appeared that in olden days Pom
ape was much more pOpulous than at present.
All the tribes in the days of the builders were
united under a powerful line OF kings. The
last of this dynasty met his death facing a
great invasion Of barbarians from Pati-Air.
the barren lands OF the south. probably some ="
portion Of New Guinea. the New Hebrides or
some neighboring portion OF Melanesian area.
They arrived in a great fleet Of canoes under
the command of a fierce and terrible warrior.
Icho-Kalakal. The savage invaders poured
in upon the peaceful settlers and blotted out
the ancient civilization after a great battle. in
which numbers we're slain on both sides. Part
OF the walls were thrown down and the de-
tenders were either slain in battle or offered
up in solemn sacrifice to the war gods Of their
conQuerors. King Chnu-te-Leur himself in
his flight persisted in the Chaplain River. at
the head of Metalanim harbor. The AMI
changed him into n blue river fish. which the
folk Of Metalanim to this day will not eat.
THE underground chamber or vault which
bears King Chau-te-Leur's name lies right in
the centre of the inner precinct, facing tho
great gateway. 1t is about eight feet in depth.
rooted In with six enormous slabs OF basalt
Tho flooring was paved by some heavy basalt
blocks. which they had great trouble in lifting
away. Below this was a layer OF soft vegeta-
BILE mould, thickly matted with a tough root
growth that made excavation somewhat trou-
blesome. The side nearest the entrance threat
enad soon to fall into ruins and they had to
pursue digging operations very cautiously in
this corner for fear of being crushed by the cole
lapsinR Of these mighty masses of masonry.
There are three other tombs or vaults be-
sides the large central one. situated on the
southwest east and northwest sides respec-
lively. They are smaller in size. and gave IN
rather scanty results to their excavations. The
one on the east side is very narrow and some
twelve feet in depth. Paul. the King Of the
Metalanim tribe. sometimes used them as dun
geons to. coniine those who offended him-a
punishment greatly dreaded by the natives. in
their childlike horror Of, the dark an OF the
viewless spirit forms with which their fancy
peoples these lonesome places. The eyes OF
the spirits ars watching everything you do
said Keroun. one Of the workmen. as he ten
dered his resignation. I know they are an-
cry: they will not injure you because you are .
white man. but they will punish US. am very
much afraid; l cannot sleep at night, and I
would like to go home '
standing on the southwest angle. where
the wallis nearly forty feetin height. one looked
down upon a green abyss of nodding wood
land. with never a glimpse Of the network OF
canals ripping below. The northeast anglo 10
occupied by an enormous banyan tree. tower
ing full fifty feet above the masonry in which
II stands firmly rooted. thrusting it's punches
of bread like root fibre into every crevice.
These. as they swell. exercise a constant and
increasing force. wrenching the
blocks out of place. When a high wind blows
the structure is racked through and through
in every Joint and keystone. Sooner or later.
il nothing Is done to remove the tree. this
side Of the wall will settle down into ruins.
A tnnDla ~ Waada QraaaAa' and pranppra