Africa
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CHABOE ISLAND is
THE CHINA MAIL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY › ̈19, 1955,
FOUR HUNDRED MEN DIED ON ICHABOE
NOT ONE OF THEM FROM NATURAL CAUSES
t
THE ISLAND OF
boxiles
MUMMIES
JOHN SINCLAIR tells another of
the world's strangest stories
an old leather bag containing diamonds worth about £2,000 on the shoreline, hidden under ecaweed. Another found a small box containing gold coins. Today the island is governed
Government by the Union South Africa as a guano station. It is within the sperrgebiet of Southwest (forbidden) arca Africa because of its diamondi- ferous are
or
never
visited by discase or common
the find and one of the bloodiest Ho was hunting for pirate Cape coloured man discovered iliness. of the 400 men episodes in world history ensued treasure, but when he discover- buried on the island not one as men fought with cutlass and ed the grave of three seamen adi knife, club and old pistols for who had been drowned 30 years died a natural death;
In a before an idea occurred to him. wore either murdered or supremacy on the island
wild, disorderly scorch for the
The corpse were perfectly killed accidentally. All are remainder of the pirate treasure. preserved and looked exactly as natural
Their mummies.
In the space of four weeks 85 they had on the day when they men were clubbed or mabbed to wore interred. The usual mum- bodies perfectly preserved. death Holes were dug and the mification associated with
The history of Ichale
placed in Egyptian irreverently
mummies was absent Island has run scarlet with them and covered with guano,
although the skins of the bodies the blood of men from the German captain, Hans Mol- had been parchment-dried.
Wuson immediately went to day when it was discovered ler, who had brought his wife
Men do not like to work there, expedi- the man who had been left by although one, known as "Mister along with him on an 120 years ago by a Boston
tion to the island, was foolish Captain Jones
officer-in Milo," actually lived on the Bealing schooner and even enough to allow the woman to charge of the island and, for a island for over 20 years as recently
1952 23
men necompany him and six of his few bottles of rum, bought half-
half-headman. When the Influeriza a-dozen of the nat
natural mummies. fought to the death as they crew on shore.
epidemic of
raged The woman discovered a small The sailor, Curtis, who sold through the world, not a single hunted for pirates' treasure enche of diamonds and was re-
Wilson the bodies to
dug up The Dotty WillBros. under turning to the ship with her about 100 graven in order to
(Continued on Page 7, Col. 1.) Captai Hiram K. Willia
husband in a small rowing-boat find seamen who had drowned Yankee nculer.
nst when it was swamped by no and who were therefore un-
Atlantic roller. Everyone in the boat was drowned and the
around
พรุ
the West African coast in search of seals when Williams
Ichahoe, spotted
while Wilts guano, at that time as valuable as gold for fertilisation purpose, In the process of making landing on the island three DT the Betty Willams saliors were drowned and buried Island.
Williams estimated
1
On
that
User
the
woman and the seven men were buried in a communal grave on the island.
Blood Bath
of
marked.
Grisly Cargo
With the grisly cargo on board Wilson set sail for North Africa and France, where he sold the mummies to museums on "genuine Egyptian mummies" taken from tomba in the African desert.
The blood bath
Ichaboe Island reached such fantastic proportions by 1880 that Queen
In Alexandria he sold one for Victoria ordered Captain Oliver just over £1,000, and for many J Junes, commander of HMS.
years the museum in Marseilles
!wn "genuine Furious to annex the island and had
Egypuan and the museum in mummies," resture some form at order. reported his tils-
Jones landed on the island on Naples reached Word of 社
had
London one. In 11 Wison sold one for about £700
guano deposit was 25ft. deep on the inland (it later proved (4) be 2011. Heep) and, on his return 10 Americo. covery
Liverpool. England,
Andrew
where June 21, 1001, and wildexes de to a dealer who in turn sold the
on
of Her behalf 13vingstone, a trader,
at once formed a company
fetch the gate discovered
Williams
Treasure Chest
more
had
than
Within one year 300 ships were anchored off the
Laland, ships front Eur
und America
Southern Africa Their men were busy digging Kuno. In the
course
ut the year that followed discovery of the guano island 135 men were either drowned, killed acclient ally or murdered and buried un the island.
It was about this Une that an American
Tomlinson, seaman, stumbled on to
Majesty, hoisting the Union Flag on a pole planted in the gunu, the notice The old pole and axed to it by Jones were sull to be seen on the ikland two
years ago.
mummy to the French Govern- ment for several thousand pounds.
The remainder of the mum-
area.
1918-1919
"And now, if Smith will be good enough to tell us on which of the planets he spent his Christmas holidays...”
~~(London Express Service.)
CRY... this land of SHADOW
K
Durban. flaming sorts of flowers LOOF is the name of and also a few irises to kid the place where you that you might be back Alan Paton lives... in England. about half an hour's
Durban nies were disposed of in Ameri- fast drive from
AL can ports
fantastic prices, through lovely hilly country especially as Wilson had bought with the Indian Ocean a
can
When the Furious arrived at the Ichaboe mausoleum 352 men up oddments of old jars and blue blur off to one side. svere buried there and
with one claywork woman.
were
It was shortly afterwards that one of the seu's most amazing characters, an American seaman named Barnabus Q. Wilson, of New Bedford, master of a small sailing vessel, arrived at Icha- bue
hieroglyphics
There is a great big silly barking dog that gets affec- tionate contumely.
of
in Paton
vice-chairman
one
of
Africa's of the to Stry.
Govern-
the Liberal Party South Africa (it has at pre- sent two Senators and two members of the Lower House of South Parliament), opposition parties dom's Nationalist Paton leads the way to ment. Alan Paton, the man who his workroom, a "rondavel"
He kicks off arrestingly wrote the controversial best- (round-house) cut off from seller "Cry The Beloved the living quarters. A cool, about his South Africa, the Country," which I suppose white-washed place with aland and its people: "Un- there Is no you blue-painted door, conical fortunately the have read and seen the film thatched roof, about 20ft, in country of South world's most salubrious place--if of. The
the diameter. story of Kumao family circumstance and
on them in Egypt and produced. these as having been found in centuries-old tombs with mummies.
the
where
island Ichaboo is an
one no
dles naturally.
ita ammonia Khano, with tent, Is without doubt
Wilson had the distinction of
of had
the powering smell of ammonia.
до
nid chest being known as the "Yanker one can withstand the over"
con- Second-hand Dealer
Seven Seas," but he
and
under nine feel of guaNO 1ining Spanish doubloone Jowels. Word leaked out about
scores of thousands of
coloured
It is also an island of wealth, fighting
interest in guatu or diamonds. for an recently as last year athe 20th century in the
Another
ROLEX
| rple rank of T
Triumph!
HONG KONG.
CABLE AND WIRELESS LIMITED.
[VIA IMPERIAL
16 JAN 1955
Holy Telegram makes the living putiken her 15 she wļa samad.
The Inton cat Home of Muring, things a
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28 15
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JUST REACHED ROLEX MARK OFFICIALLY
PRODUCTION STOP ROLEX
CERTIFIED
THREE
TIVES
INFORM
QUARTER MILLION
CHRONOWE TER
CHRONOME TER
HICHER
PRODUCTION
Plaza sood my REPLY to this talegra a
D
T ODATE
COMPETITORS COMBINED
Via Imperial
THAN
ALL
#OLEX
+
250,000 officially Certified
CHRONOMETERS
Every Oficially Cerified Chrows water carries the 'Role* Red, Szal, ·
ROLEX
A faridmark in the history of Time miegsurement,
shanty towns of Johannes- burg.
a
HIS OUTLOOK
Africa,"
"There is no he tells me. common factor. The words mean 'South Africa' don't the same thing to any two
of us."
"Look
two
PERFECT for writing, I'd
le broods,, then: say, but Paton stares Paton proves to bo
are only here, there
for weak eyes be. somewhat moodily down at a
119, of just-finished type alternatives hind gold-rimmed spectacles, pile
short man,
◄ RENE
MacCOLL meets Alan Paton
on either some kind of MacCOLL's Searchlight Series introduces
A compact face, pink from script (50,000 words
"South Africa the land complete race domina- the sun, and lined. Grey hair brushed back. Wearing and its people," to be dis tion, whether white
or United or black, elsea a man who found a NEW 'Darkest Africa' tributed among a pink blouse, grey slacks, and a fawn sweater knotted States schoolchildren) and common society
that the only all of us. What else can we society. The only consequence across his shoulders. Hands announces very aquare
and capable way he can really get effec- do?"
tive work from himself is to looking.
write away from home.
for
of racial domination in, sooner or later, revolution.
must
More
"Wo brooding try to get common pri- An artisan's hands, could
"Cry The Beloved Coun- vlieges for all of us, whatever it the race, and if in the end be, but this one is a type-
turns out that there happen to writer artisan. Takes a lot try," It appears, was "start-
people than of trouble over every ques- ed in Norway and finished in be more black
San Francisco," And he white enjoying those privileges adds: "How I envy Ernest it can't be helped." California-style house and Hemingway he lives
garden, Hibiscus Cuba, permanently lovely
All those from home." Bougainvillaea.
tion.
in
Another pause. This country away wordt face the facts--won't face A common tho challenge of
calculated risk
we must take. The important question is really we not what sort of country shall be living in in 50 years' time but what sort of a world
"The task of the Government is simply to see that justice is
"And if it is a world that
hate done-und leave the rest to the overwhelmingly people."
A long pause. "We must be
We absolutely honest.
Igust realise that £1 common society could lend eventually to a black domination here-but that is
NATHANIEL GUBBINS
"I
Lollo" make some LOVE scribbled all over news,
I don't
hotcha,
hotcha. Finished, Albert?
comment on
read want to
the
the
Hotcha,
Hotcha,
hotche
you must.
All right.
Lollo, Lollo, lovely Lollo Though my heart is tin and
hollow
hotcha.
hotcha, but nothing that
hotcha,
Animals And The
Stars
a metal
the walls of our papers. If I can't draw Lollo can
in- workroom
worlle a poem about her? If dicated that ALBERT THE ROBOT COLUMNIST, was in no mood to help me.
He had been staring for hours at the newspaper photographs of the Italian Gina Lollo- Alm actress brigida and was just about to draw her portrait over the book-shelves when he was stopped.
Put that crayon down, Albert. Can't I draw a picture with- trut a fuss?
No, Albert.
I was only going to draw Lolio's face.
I said put that crayon down, Albert.
All right. No picture, no work.
You're in a bad mood today, Albert, Are you suffering from metal fatigue?
No.
Then what's the matter? ........... I love Lofto, -
You have been in love with Marilyn Monroe,
Mise World,
Though I'm just
follow
I have feelings, lovely Lollo And cach night upon
Pollow
Albert.
Lollo, Lotio, Lolio. Lollo, Lotto, you're
dream giri
You're my strawberry
cream girl
You're the ice cubes in
lock pail
You're the cherry in
the
Animals'
S readers of AS my Newspapor, edited by N. Gubbins, Esq., have asked for a feature "What the Stars Ford tell for Animals," here is some mu advice for beasts and birds born the under the 12 signs of and Zodiac.
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19), my Get out of your rat and
cocktail You're the custard on Ty
Jam ple
You're the bolled egg in my
ham ple You're a sonnet, you're a
ballad
your quick- silver mind cannot cope with. Catz who wait their opportunity will and the larder door left open at last and the Sunday joint available.
(June 22-July 23) Cancer A bad day for bears born under this sign. Most of the buns will be thrown at other bears, though you may get a stale one towards evening.
Leo (July
and then
roject race domination, there will be little to fear here."
I tell Paton that at the brand- now Orange Free State gold- mining town the other day
I
and to
had БЕСП white doctors
ministering nursing sisters sick Negroes, and how did that square with the Malan-Strydom Apartheid race polley?
He
replied: "Apartheid Est impossible.. Our Nationalist legislators will be famous in history-Just the way that King Canute is famous
"Doctors and nurses I envy, because they can transcend the oftending colour bar without society,
serve humanity whatever Its race, without twinge."
can
HIS
FAREWELL
ค
24 - Aug. 21.)—AT this point Mrs Paton puts Keep cool, calm and collected. A her head into the rondavel Although the morning will be a and says how about tea,
tea
bit nerve-racking, lions hunted being a highly Important matter in the jungle will be missed by in the nud-morning scene here- yards and will have a pleasarit abouts." afternoon on a full stomach,
Virgo (Aug. 24-8ept. 28).--- A cheerful, exciting day for all animals. The evening very fav- do ourablo
particularly cats,
Domething different. If you are friend for a get-together with!
a cow kick the bucket over. You will feel better, afterwards.
Fisors (Feb. 20-March 20) A pleasant day providing you don't poke your nose into other animals, business. This applies particularly to little dogs cx changing the courtesies,
You're the dressing on my Almatians
salad
the ice-cream in
You're my shepherd's pie on
Arion
with
So off we froop to a sit-down mack of tea and brown bread and butter, and Christmas coko, :
Then we pile into the car and Libra
(Sept. 24-Oct, 23) Paton drives me in tearaway The boss is moody, the family style to Bee the Valley of tho temperamental. No need to up- Thousand Hills, a consationally set yourself if others find fault. beautiful arrangement of diving, This applies mainly to dogs. undulating earth. But.
across Boorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 14) even this lovely scene lles tho You may be the target of un-thick shadow of Aparthold... tair criticism. If water has been epilled on the scullery floor both Back through the sunshine wa
all (March 21-Agrii_20) cats and dogs are advised to charge, pust
the woll- A pleasant surprise in store. If spend the day away from home, appointed, lushly be-gardened where land now you are a bear more buns than
compared usual will be thrown at you to Balitarius (Nov. 28-Dec, 22), now houses, day; it a sparrow a shower of Could be on amusing day for costs 2000, an acro crumbe from Lollo, I'm your slavey
an unexpected elephants. You may soo some with £40 in the 1930's,
body you have disliked for yours You're my Yorkshire pud quarter. Fortunate dogs will and have fun in
Own Here's Kloof again, and it ta Your find bones buried by other special way.
timo for *mo to go back and Albert, when you have finish-" dogs,
Taurus - (April 21-May 21) Capricorn (Dec, 22-J40, 29) Durban. Paton leans into the Horses born under this sign window of my taxi to bkt me that she's od eating Gina Lollobrigida
and
and almost winsles, perhaps we could get on with Oba vifand those wall disposed particularly so-called friends. A "You know,"
Observe the conventions
handle people army, farewell
ho vouchenton, something electo
towards you, Parrots should be Lello, Lollo, lovely Lolla
wonderful day for throwing politics is really not my job. Though my heart is in and specially careful of language bords who ay they are so fond I'm a writer."
used in front of strangers of horse. and A Gaminë. (Már 18-June 21),mi Minor difficulties will crop up,
15 other entrants for the Mias World beauty competition, and most of the fashion models in the
glowy magazines. Now It's Gina Lollobrigida, I supporo K You
happily married?
People get divorced.
They don't get divorced" for rabots with 1in lega jandiva riveted chest and a brain full of valves and batteries.- Let's read the pROWER:2nd,aeo," it I can
onday
DE
halloso, I could sit for hours
watch ven,
› {World Ohypeight.]
Maybo--but a 'writer who seems to talk a lot of seELOG.
·