Pine Island (AV 12) - Naval Cruise Book

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PESCADCRES I . The islands were used long ago by the pi- rates that infested the waters in the Forrnosan Straits, they operated large swift junks and would overtake the merchant ships and kill the passengers and crew and take the vessel and its cargo back to the Pescadores Islands. The gold and silver were melted down into block forms and stored 1n the many caves on the 1slands along w1th the bolts of silk and other valuable 1tems Later the Japanese forces occupied these 1slands and used these caves to store their supplies and also as air ra1d shelters to hide from the devas tating raids of our carrier planes during World War II The Japanese made many changes to the islands and the most prominent was in changing the physical features of the islands from hills and mountains to a table top plateau appearance. This was accomplished by employing many la- borers carrying dirt and rocks in baskets slung from their shoulders, to the lower areas of the island or to f1ll in behind the coral reefs The reason for this work was twofold First it would provide flat land for cultivation by the natives to supply food to the milltary personnel and also for export to Japan Secondly the military experts he lieved that the islands could more easily be de fended with the mobility of their forces over the ff ,QWM yy ,faww WWW ff, fff f M! fpyynf ,4 ff ,Jeff fa' fi! I, WWW My ef 'iyfwyf f X Mlkfly ft' ,af W M W may 2 ff is yama-1-M f ' fa ,wg 1 ,ffwi ' f 1 on ff lf yfffyff g Z! if ffff jf! 9' 7 W ff fl ff X ff 1 ' W f f 1 4 fifffrf Mfg! W f ff? f ff ff if fi ' 5 fffffff f f Q Y ew f a W f f , -V f if I fl ff f W ff X! A-' k if IW W1 1 ,9- fonjiqgf I J ffl! Wy ,wwf 1' iii av f WW f 4 99, gf! I ,aff 5, 426, ig AM, ,,2f 0a4 fx? W! Af ,MW nw ff M W ,aww f 1 f fyfwf af! f ww fy W 6 f XM, f f ,QAM www My f ,WWW , Q' f Aww 4 vf7,Wn,agff', M jvggaf f W if f fym if 7' X Y M A f av W AMA, if 3? Y-Z? if wif WW Y 'VW ja 'f X if W! WW My ff ,M W mf ! f f A a ima, WW 4' W if iwff 'Q rg, f-ff' by aff Z' 7 'V If sa X gy 1 ,W ay i vm 'W Q. ff QM is it it 'mm M '94, am f wg WW as W1 3 K 3' ,EL 'Q' 'W .www N. ,TX 4 NN M MW! if a W Wmwivfiffi V Q WW .....sa f MW , af f ,V 22' f SJW? Q7 Mm ff? 6.41 ff wwanuuovvdh J -Ar

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through,the'narrovv'alleys, followed by a hundred or so relatives and friends moaning a vveirdchant- ing tune. Thetomb is a large masonry structure -resembling the,Womb,- and- is 'popularly called Womb Tombs of which .there are 35,000 scattered around Okinawa. The families will go into .debt for many generations in order to have a scrumptuous resting place, presumably there is 'a superstition that they Will bettreated a little better in the' other World. The grandsons and great- grandsonsz are expected to pay off this debt, What alegacyto inheritlp 5 Well getting back to the procession..It groups - around the small courtyard in front of the tomb and here the body is removed. from the hearse,' While at group of 'men are busily lremoving the ,heavy marble slab sealing up the opening. Then the body is passed through the opening and set on a large stone pedestalin the middle' of the room, it will be placed in the exact same position as it came into this life at birth. Symbolizing a return to the other World exactly as he came into. this one. The opening is then' resealedand- the family and friends will have a feast, complete with music and food 'right out in front of the tomb.' Theyare celebrating his safe return to the other world. Seems funny to us doesn't it? After the body has been in the tomb for at least six months it is then the duty of the oldest 'unmarried daughter, and if there are no ' daughters then' it falls upon the I nearest -and oldest unmarried female relative, to enter the tomb and remqvie the remaining flesh from the bones and ,after cleaning the bones they are then placed in large urns and set on shelves around the interior of the tomb. 'What aplife these girls lead. Always Working in the fields and doing all the hard work 'while -.the men and 'boys play. Possibly this isthe reason why all the girls get married ,at the tender young age of twelve to escaepetbat chore in the tomb. ' s 1 V B. M. Stein, LIT3 'zeal' l

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level terrain. . A The center. of activity was at the town of Makung, the capital and largest city of the Pes- cadores Islands. It wa.s approached through an opening or gate through' the great masonry wall that ran around the city to protect it from the raids of sea pirates or eager warlords. The building sitting over the main entrance is reported to be haunted, and the local people ,will have nothing to do with it as it is reported that at least one 'person every year' is found hanging from its ,balcony with a rope around- his neck. Also the local executions are conducted here for the condemned prisoners. ' The port of Makung is a scene of activity with the many largejunks discharging their car- goes of soft coal, canned food, bolted cloth, articles made of bamboo and bales of leatherg For the return trip large baskets of vegetables, and bun- dles of .dried fish are carefully stacked aboard and yet 'T the remaining space may beused by the passengers. Q T ' The most interesting spot in Makung waS the large, supermarkets where' all the house-wives conducted their shopping amid the hustle and bus- tle and the loud din that accompanies all Oriental marketsp All the counters areffilled with many' ,strange foods and vegetables, some are cooked and placed in 'colorful display, remembering the- warnf ing of our- medical officer we had to forego all thoughts of sampling the tasty looking dishes. It was most interesting to note howdependent these people are on the bamboo tree for many articles were manufactured from the fibers such as string and cord, baskets, hats, floor mats, furniture, baby carriages, shoes and sandles and even rain coatsQ The meat market section was most unusual as the pigs and chickens were lying around, alive and their feet were tied together waiting for some ,individual to select the ,pig or chicken and it would be taken out-and slaughtered and then ere- turned to be cut up in .the choice 'cutsgthat the customer -may desire. A Many times in sightseeing around the 'town ofr country side one may observe two women with a live pig or two strung up by its feet to the bamboo pole which they support on their shoulders and are market bound, or maybe carrying five or six chickens in each hand all trussed up by ,their feet. 'These will, be exchanged for other 'items that their men- folks may need and probably they maybe allowed to buy a little something for the house.- as