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Malaysian Island as Gulliver’s Lilliput

Was Lilliput, the fictitious island from the 1726 novel “Gulliver’s travels” by Jonathon Swift, based on the geographical location of Christmas Island? Dr Victor Purcell (1896 – 1965) seemed to think so.

MALAYSIAN ISLAND AS GULLIVER’S LILLIPUT

A curious fact about Christmas Island was mentioned by Dr. Victor Purcell M.C.S. in an address in Kuala Lumpur.

“Some years ago I happened to be looking at the first edition of “Gulliver’s Travels” which was first published in 1726″, he said.

“There was a map as a frontispiece. This map showed Lilliput and Blefuscu in precisely the same relation to Java, Sumatra, and the Straits of Sunda as Christmas Island bears in actuality. Australia too was in its right relative position.

“The latitude was indeed considerably out, but I don’t think they knew much about the latitude of these parts before the voyages of Captain Cook in the seventeen seventies.

“I thought this was a strange coincidence and tried to find out more. I then discovered that Swift based the geographical part of “Gulliver’s Travels” on Dampier’s ‘Voyages’ which were published earlier in the century. Dampier, as I knew, had visited Christmas Island (or Moni) in 1688.

There being no other island within hundreds of miles it seems certain that Swift placed Lilliput where Christmas Island is”.

“Source: The Straits Times 9 August 1940, page 10 © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission”.

Lilliput Map
The frontispiece map from the 1st Edition of Gulliver’s Travels

I did a little investigating of my own about the two islands shown on the map. Interestingly, in some early maps two islands were shown together in the vicinity of Christmas Island. It was speculated that either there was a mapping mistake (meaning one of them was in fact a phantom island and that two islands shown were in fact just the one) or that there was a geological event and one of the islands disappeared. A friend did suggest that there was a coral atoll near Christmas Island. To read more about the early mapping and naming of Christmas Island read the article on this page.

At the bottom right hand corner of the map you will see a V shape labelled “Dimens Land”. At the time of writing Gulliver’s Travels, the east coast of Australia had not yet been mapped but the south east portion of Tasmania (Van Dieman’s Land) had been. It was not known either at that time that Tasmania was in fact an island. It wouldn’t be mapped fully until circumnavigated by Flinders and Bass in 1798/99. The fact that “Dimens Land” is a part of Australia, although not in the right position, doesn’t really matter as we know that Swift mentioned real geographic locations to give authenticity to his illusionary places.

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Christmas Island Archives was selected for preservation by the State Library of Western Australia. It is now listed in perpetuity on PANDORA, Australia’s website archive established by the National Library of Australia.

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An ammunition cave used by the Japanese during the An ammunition cave used by the Japanese during their occupation of Christmas Island in WW2. The circular opening in the wall is where I believe a ventilation pipe was inserted. Its purpose was to keep a stable temperature and extract noxious fumes. Its use as an ammunition cave may have predated WW2. To find out more about this cave read Helena van der Riet's excellent thesis "The Archaeology of the Japanese World War II Occupation of Christmas Island". It can be found on my website (see link in my bio) under the "Documents" section. 
#christmasisland #cave #ammunition #ww2 #ww2history #worldwar2 #worldwar2history #japaneseoccupation #ww2japanese #christmasislandarchives
I love Victor Purcell's observations of human beha I love Victor Purcell's observations of human behaviour on Christmas Island in 1926. The European community caused him the most angst.
#christmasisland #christmasislandhistory #history #islandlife #colonial #straitssettlements #christmasislandarchives
An old water tank near South Point located along t An old water tank near South Point located along the old railway track. I understand that a couple of years ago it was totally overgrown by the jungle and was invisible until it was cleared.
#christmasisland #ruin #relic #industrialrelic #watertank #colonial #christmasislandarchives
Back in 2020 as we were leaving the Old European C Back in 2020 as we were leaving the Old European Cemetery my sis-in-law @mily_barrett spotted this now 72 year old engraving in the concrete path. A nice little reminder from a long gone workman that he was once doing a job there.
"1.7.1951
Pipe Repar" ... 
The last seen letter is partially obscured. The word repair has likely been misspelt?
#christmasisland #history #christmasislandhistory #relic #cemetery #path #oldpath #christmasislandarchives
A sad end for Norman Howard. His gravesite lies in A sad end for Norman Howard. His gravesite lies in the Old European Cemetery on Christmas Island. His story and the mystery loss of his headstone lead to a surprising misidentification of his gravesite. Read about it now on my website. See bio for link. Look under “latest updates” for “Norman Howard - turning in his grave”.
"In memory of Norman Howard
European Overseer
Aged 32
Died 6.3.24"
#christmasisland #straitssettlements #christmasislandhistory #cemetery #headstone #gravesite #grave #colonialhistory #christmasislandarchives
Straits settlement 1 cent coins that I found parti Straits settlement 1 cent coins that I found partially buried. The verdigris colour of one of them caught my eye. How I came to be in that specific spot to find them is another whole story LOL. I donated them to the Island's Tai Jin House museum.
Left top to bottom:
Tails side “Straits Settlements 1936”.
Head side “George V King and Emperor of India” 
Right top to bottom:
Tails side “Commissioners of Currency Malaya 1939”
Head side “George VI King Emperor”
There was another 1 cent coin found along with these as well and was dated 1943. 
I am not sure if such a small denomination would have been used for gambling? However, it has been told that on the Island when Straits Settlement coins were no longer a viable currency they would be saved and then scattered/given as offerings to the good brothers during the Hungry Ghost month. I found these coins during that very month in an area that metal detectorists had been over previously. Perhaps the coins were revealed to me 🙂
#christmasisland #christmasislandhistory #christmasislandrelic #relic #relichunting #indianoceanislands #ghostmonth #straitssettlementscoins #straitssettlements #oldcoins #christmasislandarchives
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