The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-18

This reticence he had patiently over
come little by little, and consequently
bit by bit a tolerably explicit little
chapter of history was built up. 1t ap-
peared that in older days Ponape was
much more populous than at present.
All the tribes in the days of the builders
We're united under a powerful line of
kings. The last of this dynasty met his
death facing great invasion of barba-
rians 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 arrive in great fleet OF canoes
under the command of a fierce and ter
rible warrior, Icho- Kalakl Jakal. Inc
savage invaders poured in upon the
peaceful settlers and blotted out the an
cient civilization after a great battle, In
which numbers were slain on both sldes.
Part Of the walls were thrown down,
and the defenders were either slain IN
battle or offered up in solemn sacrifice
to the war gods of their conquerots.
King Chau-te-Leur himself in his flight
persisted in the waters of the Chapalap
river, at the head of Metatlanim har-
Dor. The Ami changed him into 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 center of the inner pre-
cinct, facing the great gateway. 1t IS
about eight feet in depth, rooted in with
six enormous slabs of basalt. The floor
ing was paved with some heavy basalt
blocks which they had great trouble in
lifting away. Below this was layer OF
soft vegetable mold, thickly matted
with a tough root growth that made ex-
cavation somewhat troublesome. The
side nearest the entrance threatened
soon to fall into ruins, and they had to
pursue digging operations very eau
tiously in this corner for fear of being
crushed by the collapsing of these
mighty masses of masonry. There are
three other tombs or vaults besides the
large central one, situated on the south
west, east and northwest sides, r5spec-
lively They are smaller in size, and
gave up rather scanty results to their
excavators. 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 dungeons to
|
ishment greatly dreaded by the natives
in their childlike horror of the dark and
of the viewless spirit forms with which
their fancy peoples these lonesome
places. THE eyes of the spirits are
watching everything you do said Ke-
rou, one of the lecturers workmen. as
he rendered his resignation. II know
they are angry; they will not iniure you
| h., LII l., /,
will punish us. am very much afraid;
] cannot sleep at night and would like
| to go home" Standing on the south
west angle, where the wall is nearly
forty feet in height, one looked down
upon a green abyss of nodding wood
land with never a glimpse of the net
work of canals ripping below. The
northeast angle Is occupied by a" enor-
nous banyan tree, towering full fifty
feet above the masonry in which it
stands firm-rooted thrusting its bunch
es of thread-like root fiber into every
crevice. These, as they swell exerc Sc a
constant and gradually 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 if
nothing Is done to remove the tree, this
side Of the wall will settle down into
ruins A tangle of weeds. grasses and
cfeepers thickly carpets the precinct.
Beyond the two small cross walls on
the inner side of the great outer wall on
the southwest side Is a remarkable slab,
inclning to a crescent shape, balanced
on two solid shafts projecting out of
the masonry This, when tapped, gives
a clear ringing sound, and was probably
used for an alarum or for a sort of a
bell in sacred ceremonies, The north
west angle gives a happy impression Of
the style of architecture, the two walls
at their junction running up high and
bluff, like the bows of Japanese junk. |
Beneath, the terrace fronting on the |
waterway Is overgrown by belt of !
young cocoanut palms of recent growth |
News of the excavations, and of the |
havoc being made in the jungle in clear |
ing operations finally reached the ears
of King Paul, who at once put stop to |
the work Most unfortunately his SUI
perstitious terrors were confirmed by a |
very severe epidemic of influenza that |
broke out in the tribe shortly after thar |
departure, and carried off many of the |
Metaanim people. The result Of the |
excavations in the central vault was
distinctly encouraging, and it was a
great pity more time could not have
been spent at it.
Thoroughly to explore and clear the |
labyrinth of this Micronesian Venice |
and to make thorough excavations
would take several months hard work.
1t was very difficult to get the natives
to work here, owing to their dread Of
the vengeance of the ancestral spirits
and heroes lowering around these holy
places, ready to let loose some terrible
judgment upon the head of rash intru-
ders. Another great drawback to ex-
ploration likely to continue during the
reign Of King Paul is a deep-seated
hostility to the white man felt by many
of the Metalanim trbesmen.
The lecture was followed by a discus
sion opened by Admiral Bridge, and the
proceedings concluded with vote Of
thanks to Mr.. Christian.--London
Times.