Bunk. I repeat it for you alone : Would you please cool down for a while on wild theories. We're talking about 239 souls. Thanks.
I have no wild theories. That's my point: nothing seems to fit; therefore, I think the current situation was unintended. However, with Occam as a guide, I still think it worth trying to deduce what might have been the original intention, because that may then indicate where to look.