The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-05-22
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

SCIENTIFIC NOTES.
Ma. WruAy Dnoy, English engineer
in the employ Of the Egyptian Govern
men,, announces the discovery Of are
markable pe,lihel forest, located in the
LibYgn Desert. about three hours our
Yey from the Great Pyramid. Prom
Mr.. DIon's narrative, As recently pub
/ lishei IN Nq"frs. we coulense the fol-
lowing facts regarding this natural Won
der: On the western horizon Of the
Libvan Desert, and in full view, from
the summit, Of the grand Pyramid Of
Gheszeh, though removed from the
route Of desert-travellers there rises a
conical Llll, which has long been re-
gariel a, the ruins Of a pyramid. 4
nearer survey Of this supposed ruin lie.
termincs il 10 be the coulcal end Of a
! prism. shaped hill, stretching westward,
and standing boldly II OF the desert
plain. Il is upon the sides, and at the
base Of this hill, That the petrifei for
Is, ia located. Descending the steep
northern slope, the travellers, MessTs.
Dixon and Grant, discovered, near the
spot chosen for their camp, three largo
stone trees lying PROSTATE on the sand.
The largest Of these was f.ty.one feet
in length, and three feet six inches in
diameter at is widest end. and two fee,
at its smallest. They were branching
eEogenous trees, apparently a species ot
pine. Passing up the "vady,' or IA.
vine. 10 the north Of the hill. the whole
ieser, was found to b. lit rel with
fragments Of petrifed wood, from tsigs,
the size Of ones finger, to sections Of
branches and trunks. On the northern
flank Of the hill, hundred. OF immense
trees were lying half buried in the sand.
Some Of these were seventy feet in
length, ard In many instance, the bark
was still attached. All Of them were
c~1ogenyus trees, not a single palm hsy-
ing been discovered. From the absence
Of roots, il is presumed by the writer
tia, these trees had been driited here
by the sea. From the evident origin OF
this hill, upon the SUNNI, Of which
similar remains were also found. 1t was
named kom 81 khashob-the Hill OF
Wood. \ careful surrey determined
It's height 10 be seven hundred and fifty
fee. above the Nile-leyel a, Cairo, and
therefore one hundred and forty feet
higher than the summit OF the Great
Pyramid. In accounting for the e1is-
tencc Of these remains and their loca-
ton, NJ. Dixon states tina. "thc lorna.
ton Of the land would lead TO the sup
position that j: has been the ancient
coast-liuc, and tina. the trees dritted to
where they are now found, and were
there left III the briny waters Of an
evaporating sea or salt lake, and, as the
fibre Of the wood decayed slowly away,
the space OF each cell has been filed
up by the crystalline silica held in So
luton in the water We have already
noticed in the Journal the fact that
there have lately been found, in the
sands Of the TOOr istan Desert, we'll
preserved specimens Of marine mol
lusks, living representatives Of which
ara still found in the waters of the
Black and Mediterranean Seas. In
view Of these and other equally ftvora-
bic evidences, the theory Of an ancient
interior coast-line is not without reason
and authority. 1t will be Of interest to
travellers to Learn that this
reWly-discovered forest may be easily
reached from the Great Pyramid, only
a three hours journey either by don
KEY, camel, or horse, being also a win
Ter days journey from Cairo; were the
carriage-road, which now
to the pyramids, TO b. extended
short distance, the kom el Khashob
would be within an easy carrage-nde
rom the Egyptian capital.
TIE spirited discussion on "the na-
ure and origin Of the solar spots"
has been in progress for several
Teeks in the Paris Academy, SENS f.
10 have come TO an end. OF the
'ereral character Of this discussion, our
eaders have already been informed, bu,
; the existence Of these spots, their a.,
returns. and the electrical and
tmospheric phenomena known TO &C. Z
ompany them, give TO the question Of
heir origin a practical as well as scien- ,
ihc bearing, we present a brief resume
the discussion: Father eechi first 8
PRESENTS his views in q letter, IN which .
No vas unaersoodt to advance the theory c
,ions Isp''s we've simply solar ernp-
sons, Akin 10 volcanic a
o"n planet As opposed 70 V M. on cur /,