Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-11-30
FASTER ISLAND.
Tiny Spot IN Pacific Mystery Which
Has Interested World.

noS increased World.
Easter island, rumored to have dis
appeared beneath the Pacific at the
time OF the recent destructive earth.
Quake shocks in Chile, is the subject
OF the following bulletin from the
National Geographic society:
II Easter island has sunk beneath
the ocean as it is rumored to have
done. says the bulletin. this final
dropping OF the curtain on the island
might have gone some way to-
ward solving its mystery, for this
tiny bit OF land with its unique gi-
gantic statues Is shrouded in mys-
terry and has remained since its dis
fcovery one of the worlds unsolyed
riddles. One theory is that 1t rep
regents the last pinnacle of ancient
Pacific Atlantis which disappeared
beneath the waters many centuries
ago-a theory to which disappear
ance Of the island might obviously
lend support. -.
"Situted 1000 miles west Of South
America and almost an equal dis
tance from other Pacific islands,
Easter island Is one OF the most iso-
lated inhabited regions on the globe.
Its greatest length is less than Is
miles. and its greatest width about z,
but It's triangular shape gives it an
area OF only so square miles. Many
an island SO small has gone practi-
cafiy unnoticed, but former inhabi-
tants unwittingly advertised Easter
island by setting up huge images
along its beach, and to geographers
and students Of human institutions
and activities 1t Is as famous as any
island OF the Seven Seas.
The mystery Of Easter island be-
came recognized when Dutch navlga-
tors discovered It on Easter morning
1872 and reported that hundreds OF
strange stone figures of men more
than 30 feet high stood everywhere
about its margins, their backs to the
sea. The natives had only the crud-
est OF tales to account for these i'm
ages. which evidently had been fash
ioned ages before.
Recent study has shown that the
images were mounted on terraces
below which the bodies of the dead
were exposed and often buried. But
whence came the idea for such stat
ues on this isolated island, and how
some OF them Weighing many tons
were moved and set in place by the
natives, have proved bafilling enig-
mas.
/ The statues were carved from VOL
canic lava ON the slopes of an ex-
tinct volcano. Scores of them remain
still in and near the Quarries. Others
have been moved various distances,
some. remaining horizontal, others
placed In an upright position. Some
were moved-the natives say by
masic-for miles across the island.
Altogether nearly 200 of the huge
figures are now visible and others
are believed to have been buried In
the landslides. The largest standing
statues are 80 feet high, bit one still
reclining in It's quarry measures g.
feet In length. On the heads of many
OF the figures were placed great CYL
indrical hats Of different colored
stone, each weighing several tons.
Easter island, discovered by the
Dutch and for q while possessed by
Spain, now belongs to Chile, but for
long periods there have been no
civil Chilean representatives in resi-
dence. A Chilean company operates
a cattle and sheep ranch on the Is
land, which supports a luxuriant
growth Of grasses. About once a
year a. ship calls, leaves supplies and
takes away wool and hides. The cat
tie are killed for their hides alone and
the surplus meat is thrown away.
only about 200 natives, Kanakas,
now live on the island, but it is sup
posed to have supported several thou
sand Inhabitants in the past. Peru
Wan slave traders kidnapped close to
1000 at one time during the past CEN
tury. Since then there has been prac-
tically NO tribal organization.
Easter island payed its part in
the World war and evidently had fig
ursd for years in German naval
plans. German vessels from all
ports Of the Pacific quietly assem-
bled there In the summer Of 1914
preparatory to united action under
Admiral Won Spec. But 1t was rem
desvouz OF death. From there tie as
sembled fleet saied to It's destruction
by British squadron off the Falk-
lands"
.
Death Of Little BOy.