The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-09
The Coming Comet.

THE COLLISION WITH THE EARTH WHICH Is
TO HAPPEN AUGUST IL.
1t will be prudent to get ones affair in Or
der during the next five months-for on the
18th of August a comet is to come into collis-
ion with the earth, and great will be the PAN
ic and the damage. At least, the Swiss Times
utters this prophesy, and one of the English
papers tells us what may happen.
Let us for brief period "dally with false
surmise," and endeavor to return to the sim
pie faith ofa child. Let us imagine that the
astronomer has really prophesied our ap-
preaching fate, and that the prophecy is cor
rect. Within few weeks we shall be able
without the help of telescopes to see the little
cloud, no bigger than a mans hand, and
fraught with omens more dreadful than have
ever before affrighted the human race. 1t will
grow slowly at first, but afterwards with a
rate of increase almost perceptible to our
naked vision, till at last the whole sky will be
lit up with the fiery portent. Night by night
we shall watch its terrible growth, and before
long 1t will be brilliant enough to outshine
the sun itself. The temperature will rise to
be first tropical, and then hotter than any
thing that is endured in the hottest room OF a
Turkish bath. But the time during which
we shall be conscious of excessive heat will be
brief indeed. The two large bodies plunged
toward each other at pace compared with
which the speed of cannon ball is absolute
rest, will crash into each other with hid
eous collision. If we happen to be placed be-
tween two such antagonists, we shall not
have time even for an ejaculation. The pet-
ty race OF insects that erawls among the little
excresences on the earth's skin will be in
simultaneously dismissed from existence.
On the other side of the world we shall
perhaps have just one fash OF sensation. We
shall see the mountains, without any meta
phor, skipping like rams, and be ourselves
sent spinning into space just as the dust-to
indulge in humble simile-is knocked off the
under side of carpet by the blows upon its
upper surface. For an instant we shall have
glimpse of the broken fragments of the
earth starting off, each on its new career, to
whirl through the universe, each bearing wit h
it-so we shall remember on the faith of a
President of the British Association-some
minute germs to begin over again that end
less process of evolution which will have
come to so summary conclusion here. Or,
If we please, we may contemplate another al
Tentative, and suppose that we just miss the
nucleus OF the comet, but are wrapped in his
fiery tail, which will turn oceans into steam.
disspate the eternal ice of the poles, and
SINCE the world into the likeness of an Amer
lean prairie after fire.
Nothing will be left but a vast surface of
grey ashes, gradually to be converted into
mud as the waters again condense ard de-
scend upon the depopulated planet. Alas
we cannot claim the eloquence which would
be necessary to do justice to such tremendous
catastrophes. Milton writing under the su-
perintendence of DR.. Cumming might possi-
bly, be equal to the task ofdescribing the COM
plete and instantaneous ruin of a world: but
nature IS not prodigal; she only gives one
such mind at a time.
We have ventured to suggest the bare out
ines OF purely imaginary picture which our
readers must fill up for themselves.
The LOST LAND OF OPHIR.-The great
German geographer, Herr Peterman, says
that England has at last discovered the long
lost land of Ophir so celebrated in the Bible
for its stores of gold and precious stones.
Zimbabye is the place. 1t is rich to alluvial
| gold, precious stones and diamonds. 1t pos
! sesses ruins of extensive piles of buildings of
unquestionable and remote antiquity. Three
| days' Journey from Zimbaybe similar ruins
have been found. Strange to say the present
inhabitants only entered the country forty
yCaAS olhSSt esAA hhOy AVbdIu the ruins WIN
awe and invest them with sacred character.
The geography of the place agrees with the
Bible description. Herr Carl Mauch says
that England's 'newly acquired diamond
fields in East Africa are identical with the
Ophir of the Bible from which King Solomon
is said TO have conveyed gold, ivory and pre-
cious stones to Jerusalem for the construction
of the Temple"
Fifty years ago no fine wool was grown
except in Spain. In 1854 small flock was
sent to the elector of Saxony as a great pre-
sent from the king of Spain, whence came the
entire product of Saxony wool, now of such
immense value. In 1900, during the invasion
of Spain by the French, some OF the valuable
flock were sold to raise money. The Ameri-
| can CONSUL Mr.. Jarvis, at Lisbon, purchased
! 1,4OO head, and sent them to this country.
| Such was the origin of the immense aocks of
fine wool sheep in the United States at the
present time.
Joaquin Miller lectured in San Francisco
few nights ago. He introduced himself by
saying that this was his first attempt to lee
ture, and, If the then condition of his mind
remained unchanged, it would be his last.
de spoke without notes, and talked about
life In London. He closed with the following
remark: 81 thank you for your attention,
and lifting his eyes upward,) l am thankful
to Him who doeth all things well that have
been enabled to get through" Afterward,
at the request of the audience, he read some
L IL Al. =