The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1863-09-15


ssder thai i i morbid and ralueless
curiosity which induces people 70 De-
dr % ,isit such a spot bui there is
40 impression, more oT less prevalent
I Ia Tie French provinces, thas the rea-
son uhy y many difficulties are thrown
in the wsy Of paying visit TO these
4 gigantic galleries i oaing 70 ,he fac
there Is an entry into his underground
world from tic palace Of the TuiIer
les. The proyincials reyerenlly be-
licvc that the roigning poientate,
whether king or emperor, Is afraid Of
assassins being able TO penetrate into
the palace by this enlry ii lhe caia-
combs become publicly known, and
their iniricacies made comprehend
be. Say 10 any one Of these proyin-
cials that The case would be met by
blocking Up this palalial entrance 10
the vaults, and you will get 10 return
a yiolen, shake u the head NO, no"
your eosntryman will answer; "if
majesty is afraid Of assassins entering
from the cataeombs, remember the
calaeombs would give a means Of es-
Gaping if assassins, in the shape Of
rebels, entered at the open gate
No, no--theyH not block up the pal
ace entrance TO the eatacombs. No,
MOI
Let this be as it may, It is certain
that ! and party Of four, exclusive
Of the guide, obtained permission to
visit underground Paris And il is
worthy Of remark, as illustrating upon
what small hinges serious events turn,
that if had not SAID the following
words 10 the cabman who took me to
the entrance, | should never have had
to endure what am about to describe.
These words were II do not re-
turn in halt an hour, drive off" So
saying, | paid the man in advance Tor
waiting, and followed my party to the
entrance-door, which was OF heavy
wood
My reason forretaining the cabman
was this had been waiting some
days for the official permission TO visit
the caiaeombs, and on the very morn
| ing when it arrived | was preparing
to start for London upon business al
moment. Now the train started at
twelve, and the written permit arriv-
cd at ten. | was undesirous of losing
the opportunity for my underground
exploration and was desirous ofstart-
ing by the twelve O'Clock train.
| therefore came to the conclusion that
| if half an hour in the catacombs (from
eleven to hal!.pasO would satisfy me,
could then catch the train by twelve
II had cab ready whereas If |
found the exploration sufficiently at
traclive to occupy more time, would
then delay my departure until the
evening.
/ found the catacombs extraordina-
ry, but monolonous. Every body
knows that they were originally
the stone mines which supplied the
building material Of Paris in fact, it
has been aptly said that Paris has
been built OF her own entrails. Let
there be the least volcanic shock be-
low Paris-she lies in a volcanic line
and the siupendous palaces, her
whole being, would be swallowed in
the tomb she herself has excavaled.
At the beginning Of this century
Napoleon decreed extra-mural inter-
ment, and all the graveyards within
the walls of Paris were broken up
and built over. The bones Of centur-
les were moved into the catacombs.--
Millions Of tbs dead French were car
ried thiiher, and tantastically arranged.
The visitor passes between two walls
Of skulls, which all seem TO stare at
him with gaslly blind stare.
Ten minutes were quite enough to
satisfy my curiosity but our guide,
true 10 his trade, kept on making the
wides, promises of coming wonders,
and, as couple Of my party were
ladies, / need not add that the party's
curiosity was stimulated by the asser-
tions oe our leader.
We each carried little lamp, and
we looked an odd group.
Well, said !, at last, a / really
think ! viii leave you 10 your prom
enade. can find my way back, ]
feel sure, and | have ye, time TO catch
the iraia.#
4 The guide laughed at the idea Of