Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1913-02-07

os land. about one-fourth the size Of Barbados.
and yet surrounded by charm OF mystery pos
wessed by few places in the world
The island merged into the clear light or MIS-
cory early In the eighteenth century, when 1t was
discovered by the Dutch captain, Jacob Royce
veen, in 1922. He gave to the island its present
name In commemorative OF the day on which
land WAS sighted. Some SO years later 1t was
~rediscovered" by some Spanish sailors. From
that time to the present day Easter Island has
been visited explored, and studied by noted
travellers scientists and investigators from all
Sands and 1t promises to afford these opportunt
ties for expeditions for years TO come
GEOGRAPHICALLY considered. it Kies 27 degrees so
minutes south OF the equator, that 1t is not
actually within the tropics. It's position is about
1900 miles from the mainland OF South America.
and 400 miles distant from its nearest neigh
Dor the Pitcairn Islands Within its limited
area triangular in shape, there are three craters
Of extinct volcanoes, of them nearly 1000 feet
high Some of the soil is fertile and the island
appears to have been wooded at one time. for
decayed trunks of considerable size are still
found: now, however, there thrive only few
bushes from 10 to IL feet high The natives
grow many sorts of tropical fruits including
bananas. sugar cane, and sweet potatoes. Goats,
fowl. sheep and fair number of cattle are reared
by the few hundred inhabitants, the sole dwellers
of today in that mystic land The climate is
not unlike that of Madeira with one wet and one
brackish springs by the seashore and pools In
side the craters of the volcanoes. All in all.
however the island is considered salubTious and
healthful.
The chief interest Of the island is to be found
Ca the wonderful statues and other amazing
archaeological remains. In it's narrow and con-
fined expanse 1t encompasses mystery Of vast
propcrtions-an egima that has taxed the in
genufty of scientists quite as much as did OF old
she far-famed riddle of the Sphinx In this tiny
Island is remarkable display Of hundreds OF
gcuIptured statues colossal in size, and erected
upon Cyclopean masonry; stone houses over 100
feet In length with walls six feet in thickness
bqilt like forts; and tablets curiously inscribed
with hierogiyphics in no way resembling any
thing else in the world. doubtless the written
language of the ancient inhabitants, but one to
which the key has been lost.
Remarkable as all of these ruins are from the
strangeness OF their appearance. the greatest In
terest and the greatest problem which they pre-
sent to us is the story that they might tell OF the
vanished civilization which erected them. That
they are OF prehistoric origin can not be CUES
toned but who were the builders OF these won
d6rfld specimens? What OF men or giants
carved and placed in their present position the
titanic stone heads that stand out In lonely ma
festy amid the barren wastes of this lonely little
fsles Whence came these ancient workers IN
stone. and whittier have they gone? What tools
did they use to execute these singular statues
and buildings and In what epoch lid they per
f0rm these curiosities?
Such fascinating questions and many others
equally pertinent present themselves to the
student. but. alas. the answer Is yet to be had
ArchaeoIogists must continue for while longer
30 delve among the enshrouded mysteries Of
these ruins before they reveal the true story
af This worlds wonderland. Az present the chap
ters which hare hSsn written on the fnbject are
comparatively few in number. and no conspicu
ousIy definite In context Conjectules are an
many as there are explorers and the number Of
opinions venturod varies in the same ratio. Prog.
ress ais In all matters OF science. Is necessarily
slow But LEI us stop for moment to examine
these statues and platforms. and relics, which
hare excited the student world and to see what