Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-15
#aiseellausuus Reading.
BLOWN OUT FROM LAND.
Theory Of tho PeopIins Of Pacific 10.
lands.


Theory of tho Peoplins Of Pacific To-.
lands.
Mr.. James w. Davidson, our consul
in Formosa, has Just told Of a very
remarkable journey made by sixteen
natives of the Pelew Islands, who were
picked UP nearly dead on the Island
Of Formosa- They were saVages who
had never heard Of Formosa, but the
winds and waves carried them to that
far off shore.
Some Formosans saw the poor
wretches one morning on a beach OF
their northeast coast, also, three
canoes, the like Of which they had
never seen before. The canoes were
fitted with outriggers which helped
to steady the little vessels among the
waves. In other respects, also, they
differed from canoes common in that
part Of the Malay Archipelago. Some
Chinese who came to the spot thought
the party had probably come from the
southeast coast Of Formosa, and that
the men belonged to one Of the savage
and hostile tribes. Others were Of the
opinion that they had come from the
Bashee Islands to the south Of For
mosa-
The men were scattered along the
beach in a very weak and famished
condition. Only two or three Of them
could speak, but no one understood
their language. They were taken to
the custom house, where they were
we'll cared for and slowly increased In
strength. Only one Of them died, an
he succumbed from sheer exhaustion
about a week after his arrival. All OF
them were fed on diluted food at first,
as their stomachs could not retain
solids.
Every one was greatly surprised
when it was possible at last to learn
the story of their adventures. The
men had been fishing few miles from
one Of the Pelew Islands, where they
lived. A heavy gale came up and car
ried them away from their fishing
grounds. They had in their canoes
considerable quantity Of fish, and dur
ing their long journey, while the sport
of the waves and winds, they lived on
fish, though when their original supply
was exhausted they were unable to
catch a sufficient number to meet their
needs.
They drifted this way and that for
sixty days and had not the slightest
idea where they were when they f.
nally came within sight Of the noun
tains of Formosa. The next day they
were cast up on the beach; and 1t
speaks we'll for the strength Of their
craft as we'll as their own powers OF
endurance that they had held out so
long.
When they had recovered sufficient
strength to undertake the journey
home they were sent to Hongkong,
whence they obtained passage to the
Caroline Islands, and soon after were
taken home by a vessel plying in the
island trade. Their friends welcomed
them as though they had risen from
the dead.
This Is one Of the involuntary voy-
ages of which SO many records have
now been collected that anthropolo-
gists believe they adequately explain
the means by which the widely sew
cred bits Of land in the wastes Of the
Pacific received their inhabitants. In
some way or another the persons
found on these bits Of land must have
been brought there; but the problem
how they were transported could not
be satisfactorily explained as the re-
suit Of the expertness Of oceanic peo-
pies in navigation.
About ten years ago patient Ger
man student named Otto Sittig COL
lected a great many instances Of the
involuntary voyages Of these oceanic
peoples from one island to another.
lie found that may Of them, while out
at sea in their small craft had been
carried over 1000 miles to other is
lands. The authentic evidence he col
lected covered a period Of about 160
years, up to the time he made his in
vestigatlons.
He deduced from these facts the
conclusion that the aboriginal inhab-
itants Of hundreds Of islands in the
Pacific were derived originally from
the inhabitants of myriad islands to
the west Of Polynesia, who were scat
tered among other lands by winds or
currents that caught them while out
at sea in their boats and carried them
sometimes hundreds of miles from their
native islands.-Chicago nter-Ocean.