Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-11-09
A Visit 20 the Catacombs of Paris
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A Visit TO the CatAcOmbs of Paris.
From scribncr's MGnthly.l
The Parisaus are allowed to peep at
the Catacombs from time to time, and
strangers generally accompany the men
who work in those sombre regions, and
who make weekly descent 1t is quite
an undertaking to visit the chambers
where the most interesting relics are
stored. Some morning you find your
self waiting, with three or four hun dred
others, at the great entrance in the Rue
D'Enfer. Throngs of old women with
the full and complete History of the
Catacombs," din the excellence Of their
wsres in your ears They also offer you
somethine which you must take-a tin
candlestick and one or two oRndles-to
light your way, and possibly an oil
cloth cloak TO protect you from the
damp. AT given moment the uni
formed functionary of the Government
appears, orders the entrance to be
cleared, and descends a few steps. He
cries out to the men below to count the
ladies and gentlemen rs they 60
down, and they will be counted again
while they are on their way back. 1t
would be comparatively easy to lose one
or two Of them. That would reflect dis
credit on the administration. ul.fr .
Now you begin the descent-down a
long fight of solid stone steps which
wind around a pillar From time to
time the lugubrious procession pauses,
to allow some one to recover from dizzi-
ness. or because some lady cries out
that a wretch is dropping candle wax on
her garments. At last the bottom is
reached, and one fnds himself in a
long, narrow passage, slightly vaulted
above. A pale face CLEANS out from a
niche on the side Of the passage. It is
that of one of the workmen. His lips
move--he is counting the visitors once
more. The passage is not very high,
aud one is compelled to walk in stoop'
ing posture. Gradually, however, it
widens, and we arrive at the Ossuary,
and reed, over our heads, Memoria Ma
jorum.
1t is estimated that at least seven mil
lions of skeletons have been placed in
the Catacombs since they wers first
really invaded BY the ,moderns. The
Ossnary, which the guides now light up
with glaring torches, contains al the
skeletons and scattered bones which
have been collected in old cemeteries,
Clutches and monasteties since lIe5.
An epoch long and grandiose--ihat from
the time Of the Cesars until ls5l-
is represented in this vast vault The
Merovingian kings lie cheek by jowi
with those who, perished in the Place de
Greve 10 Ia Revolution, and beggar and
prince have qven their skulls to make
monument. Twelve mRsons are em-
Moved every day in the year in this
vault in arranging and sorting the bones.
The walls are made entirely Of skulls
yertebra. kneejoints and arm-bones,
The polished skulls grin horribly at one
as he passes, and one can almost fancy
them endowed with life.
Daring the great revolution eart-loadi
of bodies we're shot down In the Cats
combs nightly, while priests ehante6
hasty masses over them, and the bodies
were then decomposed by chemical agen
cies, that one might get at the bones a
speedily as possible. Lookl hers 70 an
other inscription, very prettily dsue u
bones. "lSicufundo dissHosfri fuxernat
Stone tablets az every division in th.
vault show The section Of Paris IRON
which the bones we're tskeu. ln thi
y laplsrg great pillars have been plsoed =
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