Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-15
The Secrets of the Earrh.

The work Of constructing railways in this
country, and the innumerable excavations made
for precious metals, have led within a short
time to not few important discoveries in eth
noogy, as well as in relation to prehistoric Incl
dents and phenomena, and will doubtless lead
10 many more. The remains of once popu-
lous city have been found in the very heart of
the continents city dotted all over with mys-
ferrous towers, in the top story of which, con.
nected with those. below by no ladder or stair
case, one solitary skeleton is seeu while no hui
man remains can be discovered anywhere else
In tue wilds Of Nevada, or the arid plains of
Mariposa, the bones of some gigantic mammal
have been disinterred. Again. among the suppos
ed haunts of tribes that preceded the Aztecs
evidence is stumbled on that makes it necessary
to assign far earlier period to the first occupa-
tion of the continent by our race than any hith-
erto accepted or pronounced credible. In the
new world, with its vast lakes, and virgin for
ests, and solemn, far-stretching prairies, YES
tiges of man are traced, and signs of the work
of his hand are found which are declared by an
hquarlans to have existed long before the re-
hottest epoch of recorded history.
But, while these discoveries are being made in
the new world, we must not suppose that none
are taking place in the old. The explorations
in Central Africa, in Australia, and other once
unknown regions, are yearly adding to our
stock Of knowledge, and, from what, TO most of
us, are the more interesting lands of classical
antiquity, fresh details are constantly supplied
There are men who, regardless of the din of
war, Indifferent to the seductions of gain, and
able to dispense with the charms of society, de-
vote themselves to researches that may inure to
the common enlightenment Of their kind Such
person is MIR. John Finlay, who, having his
headquarters at Athens, sallies forth to different
famous spots of Greece,-like for instance the
plains of Marathon, where great numbers are
known TO have fallen, and delves in the earth
for weapons, or ornaments, or any other frag-
ments that may tell fresh story or serve to
connect and verify old ones. Mr. Finlay has
obtained in the tumulus at Marathon rich
store of obsidian fand other arrow heads. He
now possesses no fewer than $50 Greek weapons,
or fragments of weapons,-axes hammers and
spearheads being most numerous, land he affirms
that the oldest antiquities in a country long
visited by able observers in search of these rel
les, have hitherto, by some unaccountable over
sight, almost entirely escaped notice. Mr.. Fin
lay is also persuaded that when the lakes of
Greece are carefully examined by skillful per-
sons, evidences will be found of lake-dwellings
similar to those of Switzerland, Italy, Ireland
and Scotland. Assuredly no more attractive
and delightful field of archaeological research
can De imagined than that of the land of Cad
mus and Homer, of Plato and Leonidas.
hardly atless interesting field, however, exists
under the surface of the country MIR Haw.
thoIne called "our old home" Some subterra-
mean discoveries have lately been made. one of
winch, that of the Victoria cave" bids fair. Il IL
sad, 70 throw light on the condition Of the RI.
mano-Celtic inhabitants Of Ribblesdale after tha
withdrawal Of the Roman egions, The battle
OF Hastings seems far off to most Of us. but the
contents Of the "Yictoris faYen give hdings Of