Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-01-19
idea Dies HARD
Still Strong Belief in Mysterious
White Tribes.
Probably Born of That Mystery That
Surrounds the Unexpored Por-
tions Of the Earth.


For many centuries there has ex-
listed in the minds OF many civilized
peoples curious fascination with ref
erence 10 the idea that in remote parts
of the tropics, amid the dark-skinned
races, there flourish mysteriously iso-
lated white tribes bearing a strong
resemblance TO the civilized branches
Of the Caucasian race.
The early Adventures in Central and
South America brought home many
tales of extraordinary cities beyond the
mountains, and vague stories alloat
in South Africa 10 years ago fur
nished Rider Haggard with Il theme
for one of his novels.
Legends like these are met in al
most all the less explored regions of
the world, and they have always GER
tain features in common. The iso-
lated white people almost invariably
inhubit mountainous region in d
vague interior. always Just beyond
they hold aloof from the surrounding
races; they are seldom seen, and yet
are definitely stated 10 be more civ
ilized and better educated than the
darker masses whom they avoid.
Who they are and whence they came
no one knows; native fables afford no
explanation. Once it was thought
that forgotten white explorers might
have built up unknown kingdoms in
the wild places of the earth, but upon
examination these theories vanish as
rapidly as do the white tribes them
selves, and the ultimate explanation IS
almost prOSac.
Yet so strong a hold has the idea
gained that even in the beginning Of
the Twentieth century the possibility
of the existence Of genuine white
races has not been altogether scofled
at. Less than twenty wears ago an
American officer engaged in the Oper
ations against the Moros i'm The Phil
ippines collected apparently subslan-
tial evidence relating To a mysterious
white tribe in the islands OF Mudanao
The mountainous district in the center
of this island has never been explored
and even the coast is not well known
But along the seaboard many stories
are told of the fierce white people who
have their home in the forest-clad
ountains Of the Interior EycWlt-
D sses depose to having seen strange.
.air-compleXioned girl, who fed to-
ward the hills as soon as she was
addressed. Other men and women OF
a light-compleXioncd race are said to
have been seen by more vcaturcsume
natives. who were bold enough TO
approach the wild mountain district
The American officer was SO impressed
that he determined TO conduct an ex-
ploring expedition across the center
of the island. But apparently the
mysterious white race had vanished
for the world has as yet heard noth-
ing of his search being crowned with
success.
Arabia, however. can with more rea-
son boast of a white tribe. For years
stories Of such a race have been told
in the Persian gulf and an American
missionary stationed at Muscat alluded
some years ago to coffee house bah
bit III NOSt'Lu Oliltu tNltti lilti- a
mysterious race of leht-compleXioned
people who live somewhere in the
mountains, shun strangers and speak
a language all their own"
Various theories have been pro-
pounded TO explain the fable. but prob
ably the explanation is to be found IN
the narrative of journey made 10
Oman in 1876 by Col. ). j.. Miles.
British officer. Colonel Miles in the
course Of his travels came across
town named Sheraizi, in the heart of
the Green mountains. The strange
place was perchcd like an caelcs nest
on the top of a great cliff. ana was
Inhabited by people of lighter skin
than the rest of the tribes in The
interior. They rarely descended 10 the
plains and refused to mix with or in
termarry with the Arabs.
Colonel Miles found that they were
descendants of a portion Of the Per
sian army that invaded Oman i'm the
Fifth century The isolation of the
town and the curious behavior Of its
people gave rise to exaggerated stor rs
In the bazaars on the distant coast.