Thrillers

Datoga Island

Name: Datoga Island
Author: Chetan Dave
ISBN: 9780759691551

by Chetan Dave

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Overview

Throughout the countless native communities of the Indonesian islands, the rumors and stories of the hostile Datoga tribe have existed for centuries. About how they defended their small island fiercely, not allowing any outsiders anywhere near their shores. There had, in fact, been many accounts of passing boats being hit with flaming arrows from the shoreline, an effective, stern warning from the natives to keep away from their island. No one understood why they were so guarded and what could be so precious that would warrant defense in such a vehement manner. Some have suggested a "lake of gold riches" located deep in the inland jungles. Others have spoken of a mysterious "cloudless thunder", an ancient force with the power to wake the dead. But no visitors to the island have ever come into contact with the tribe and lived to tell about it. All rumors are exactly that: just rumors. In the mid-1960s after intense pressure from fishermen, tour companies, and researchers, the! government sent exploratory troops to the island. A bloody confrontation with the natives ensued and the tribe was driven deep into the jungle, never to be heard from again. The government stated that they had been wiped out. The island was declared off limits except for a small camp of a government sponsored research project kept under tight watch and guard. It was deemed safe for tourist and fishing boats to circle, but not land on the island. And just like that, the hostile incidents stopped. No reports of any confrontations have surfaced for the better part of three decades, a definitive statistic of permanent victory in the government's eyes. So when the Norttcell Company of New York City inquired about the possibility of organizing their annually sponsored off-road jungle race on the untamed, rain forest location of Datoga Island, the government did not deliberate for very long before accepting the large chunk of money offered by the communications giant. It was only when two of the racers went missing without a trace did the trouble begin.