The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-13
Observation-Disclosures bring this con-
dition about. Will the South real
ize and utilize this opportunity?
Easter Island: Tiny Setting For a
World Mystery.


disappeared beneath the Pacific at
the time of the recent destructive
earthquakes shocks in Chile. is the
subject of the following bulletin
from the Washington. D. c., head
quarters of the National Geograph-
ic Society.
eff Easter Island had sunk be-
meath the ocean as it was rumored
to have done says the bulletin.
"tIlis final dropping of the curtain
on the island might have gone,
some way toward solving it's mys-
terry: for this tiny bit of land with
its unique gigantic statues is
shrouded in mystery and has re-
NAMED since its discovery one of
the worlds unsolved riddles. One
theory has been that it represents
the last pinnacle of an ancient Pa
citic Atlantis which disappeared
beneath the waters many centuries
ago-a theory to which a disap-,
.pearance of the island might OBJ
viously lend support.
Far From Everywhere
Situated 1000 miles west of
South America and almost an equal
distance from other Pacific islands,
Easter. Island is one of the most
isolated Inhabited regions on the
globe. It's greatest length is less
than Is miles and its greatest
width about seven, but its triangu-
lar shape gives it an area of only so
square miles. Many an island so
small has gone practically unno-
ticed; but former inhabitants un-
Willingly advertised Easter Island
by setting up huge images along its
beaches; and to geographers and
students of human institutions and
activities it is as famous as any
island of the Seven Seas.
s.The mystery of Easter Island
became recognized when Dutch
navigators discovered it on Easter
morning 1872 and reported that
hundreds of strange stone figures
of men more than 80 feet high stood
everywhere about its margins,
their backs TO, the sea. The ma
tives had only the crudest Of tales
to account for these images which
evidently. had been fashioned, ages
before.
Recent study has shown that
the images were mounted on ter
races below which the bodies of the
dead were exposed and often bur-
led. But whence came the idea
for such statues on this isolated
island. and how some of them
Weighing many tons. were moved
and set in place by the natives,
have proved battling enismas.
Gigantic Statues Wear Hats
The statues were carved from
volcanic lava on the slopes of an
extinct volcano. Scores Of them
lenlain still in and near the quar-
res. Others have been moved var
ious distances. some remaining
horizontal. others placed in an up
right position. Some were moved
the natives say by magic-for
miles across the island. Altogether
nearly 200 of the huge figures are
row visible, and others are believed
to have been buried in landsiides.
The largest standing statues are
So feet high. but one still reclining
in its quarry measures Ga feet in
length. On the heads of many of
the figures were placed great
cylindrical hats of a different col
ored stene. each weighing several
tons.
Easter Island. discovered by the
Dutch and for a while possessed
by, the Spanish. now belongs to
Chile. but for long periods there
has been no civil Chilean repre-
sentative in residence. A Chilean
company operates a cattle and
sheep ranch on the island winch
supports luxuriant growth OF grass
es. About once a year ship calls.
leaves supplies and takes away
wool and hides. The cattle are
Killed for their hides alone. and
the surplus meat is thrown away
Used For Base by Germans
"only about 200 natives, Kama
kas. now live on the island. but it
is supposed to have supported sew
eral thousand inhabitants in the
past. Peruvian slave traders KID
Mapped close to 1000 at one time
during the past century. Since
then there has been practically no
tribal organization.
Easter Island played its part
in the World War and evidently
had figured for years in German
naval plans over against der Tag.
German vessels from all ports OF
the Pacific quietly assembled there
in the summer of 1914 preparatory
to united action under Admiral
von Spec. But it was rendezvous
with death. From there the as
sembled fleet sailed to its destruc-
ton by British squadron off the
Falklands."
Boil Weeyil OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Is 1t?
1-I,.,cor colIeoe Dec There