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Photograph Courtesy U. S. National Museum 



A WOODEN CLUB FOUND ON EASTER ISLAND : ITS HIEROGLYPHICS HAVE NEVER BEEN 



DECIPHERED 



This specimen was collected by Paymaster W. J. Thompson, of the United States Navy, on 

 his visit to Easter Island in 1886, and deposited in the U. S. National Museum. 



decadence when labor may have become 

 scarce. It is, of course, possible that the 

 two methods proceeded concurrently, 

 rock-carvings being within the means of 

 those who could not procure the labor 

 necessary to move the statue. 



LEGEND EXPLAINS WHY IMAGE-MAKING 

 CEASED ON EASTER ISLAND 



Legendary lore throws no light on the 

 reasons which led to the desertion of this 

 labyrinth of work, but a story has been 

 invented which entirely satisfies the na- 

 tive mind and is repeated on every occa- 

 sion. It runs as follows : 



There was a certain old woman who 

 lived at the southern corner of the moun- 

 tain and occupied the position of cook to 

 the image-makers. She was the most im- 

 portant person of the establishment, and 

 moved the images by supernatural power 

 (mana), ordering them about at her will. 

 One day, when she was away, the work- 

 ers obtained a fine lobster, which had 

 been caught on the west coast. They ate 



it, leaving none for her. Unfortunately, 

 they forgot to conceal the remains, and 

 when the cook returned and found how 

 she had been treated, she arose in her 

 wrath, told all the images to fall down, 

 and thus brought the work to a standstill. 



While the scene on Raraku always 

 awakens a certain sense of awe, it is par- 

 ticularly inspiring at sunset, when, as the 

 light fades, the images gradually become 

 outlined as stupendous black figures 

 against the gorgeous coloring of the west. 



The most striking sight witnessed on the 

 island was a fire on the hillside. In order 

 to see our work more clearly, we set 

 alight the long, dry grass, always a vir- 

 tuous act on Easter Island, that the live 

 stock may have the benefit of the fresh 

 shoots. In a moment the whole landscape 

 was ablaze. The mountain, wreathed in 

 masses of driving smoke, grew to por- 

 tentous size. In the quarries, below the 

 whirl of flame, the great statues stood 

 out calmly, with quiet smiles, like stoical 

 souls in Hades. 



