Easter Island
pp. 17-18 · Read in the full issue
Mysteries
A Solution Claimed
IT was claimed by Professor Carl Tau ber, a Swiss scientist, who was in Sydney on the cruising ship “Reli ance”, on April 2, that he has evolved the riddle of the “writings” upon the stone monuments at Easter Island, which have baffled scientists since they first were dis covered there 74 years ago. The inscrip tions are in the form of pictographs of men, birds and fish.
It has been thought that if the Easter Island writings can be deciphered, the world might learn something of the ear liest history of Polynesia, and know whether there actually was in the Paci
fic a great nation, powerful and cul tured, which sank into the sea several hundred years ago.
Professor Tauber s&ys that after 15 years’ research, he has identified the hieroglyphics, and _he says “they tell the story of Easter Island, which is the bur ial-ground of the greatest sea heroes of those people”. However, he is keeping his findings a secret until they are pub lished in Paris towards the end of this year.
Port Moresby will remember Professor Tauber. He was so interested in studying the Papuan natives that he was left be hind when the “Reliance” sailed, and the great ship had to put back from 40 miles out, in order to pick him up from a launch in which he was chasing her.
Pilot J. Todd has resigned from Steph en’s Aviation Limited, New Guinea.
Mr. F. Miller, clerk of Madang, New Guinea, reached Sydney by the “Mac dhui” on April 14, on holidays.