The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-23
4 MYSTERIOUS ISLAND.
Miangas l. in Philippine Waters. but the
r Dutch Hing Now EioRtrs Over IL.

A little island lying about seventy mites east
81 the most southern ro'nt oil Minlarno has
given kcrs more rrrplpyity within the
past two centuries than perhaps any other lt
Of land NJ 80 little importance. II i the island
~ Miangas and has long ilgUred on the maps
under the Spanish alias Of Paimas Island
Though 100 mites north OF the Dutch Eroun OF
the MOluccas the flag 81 tho Netherlands now
floats over II. having been raised there by the
Dutch Government steamer De Rnai IN lS'h
The Government in lSaS published tho par
~ti,ularS Of It's appropriation and proof OF us
identity with the hong lost land seen by Dam
pier. whose brief account Of IL was printed III
London in 172t The story OF the myStica-
ton OF Geographcrs and the final solution "i
the problem is told IN RTUldufS NHrdupJ"'
by Prof DR.. A. Wichmann Of Utrecht.
The native name OF the island was first men,
toned bv William Dampier, the English sailor.
who wrote in rlrt, The island Meangis lies
within twenty leagues Of Mindanao. There
arn three small islands that abound with gold
and cloves. ii ! may credit my author Prince
JColy. who was born on one Of them. saw
the island twice and two more close by 1t.
Each Of tho three seemed to be about four or
five leagues round and OF a good hcighth."
There was much controversy in the cigh-
tecnth century over tho identity Of this island.
European vessels sought In vain for II. Some
gcographcrs asserted that Dampicr's infoima-
ton was Inaccurate and that he had mistaken
one OF the Talaut group for Meangis, and that
Nanusa was one of the neighboring islands no
described. Others believed he had reference
to the Nanusa group. Three little Islands south
east of Cape st. AuGustin or Mindanao were
supposed by still others to be the land
referred to by Dampier. They appeared
on some Of the maps as The English
Myangces,' Thus the maps OF the last cen
fury shove the islands In q number OF
| positions. but most authorities believed them
to be identical with the Nanusa group and this
hypothesis has been in favor until quite re-
Gently. The renowned geograrher Heinrich
Berghaus made u careful study OF the question
in lS32 without reaching any conclusion. The
Du'chman Stemfoort and Ten Sicthoif, In 1883.
declared that the Nanusa group could not be
| the islands referred TO by Dampler and, accord
ing TO DR.. Wichmann, they constructed" II
new group TO the north to which they applied
| the name "Melangics.' In lSSS Mr.. EbbInge-
W0hhen declared that tho existence Of the
| islands could not be shown unless further evil
dcnce was discovered. The name has disap-
| pparcd from most or all of the maps since
INN- iNhuN' 10 AitF iois w h'S
OF the Islands had been merely hynot hetlcal.
In lS2J, however. A. }. Van Delten had de-
clGred that ralmas Island was the island OF
Mrlangies' lie had hlt the nail ON tho head.
but no attention was paid TO him.
In 1880 Mr.. f.. Steller, a missionary on
Saugir. one OF the Dutch islands, wrote to DR..
Michmaun that the identity Of hampers
Meangls had undoubtedly been discovered, II
wa rHImas Island. Dampier's reconsideration
OF the native name did not correctly represent
it, pronunciation and Miangas IL the preferred
orthography. Later IN the same year he wrote
that Mr., llauet, commander Of the Dutch, Coy
crnmpnt steamer De Raai, had visited the
island, surveyed II and, determined r. posi-
ton to be > 81 ;}W' north latitude and 1913 32
81 east longitude. The inhabitants, about
400 IN number. can plainly see the mountains
that i siani. The Dutch dag was raised over
the island and II was tho intention 10 return
and formally invest the chief with the COVER
norShip under the suHeralnty OF the Neither
cause il was thought the Spaniards. with
whom he had an active trade. might compel
HIM to hoist the spanish ilag.
There 1, only one island. but the proof Is sat
isfactory that Danricr was tailoring under an
optical delusion when he told Of three islands;
Cartaret named Paimas 'Hummock Island
ana in his brief description, printed In 1913, he
said: One ridge OF mountains rises behind
another, 50 that AZ 2 great distance It appears
not like one island, but several John Hunter
also wrote in 1888 that at the northwest point
OF Palmas Is a high rounded hill! and not far
from II are. others gradually decreasing In
height and that AZ "a distance ui five sea miles
they have the appearance OF rising separately
out Of the sea.
The official confirmation Of these statements
by the Dutch Government, In lS9S. leaves no
room for doubt that Palmas and Miangas are
Identical. The Old maps remain TO show tho
pcrplcXity Of tho earlier photographers and
the way they made the mysterious island travel
| around the eastern border OF the Celebes Sea.