New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-18
AREniARkABLE DISCOVERY.

As il i. were with an especial view to up.
setting all our school boy lore. here comes
remarkable historical discovery. narrated
by Rio Janeivo correspondent of the New
York Herald. to the effect that Brazil was
discovered by the Phpnciaus some five
centuries or more before the Christian era.
A planter living in Parahiba. one Of the
most eastern provinces in the Brazilian EN-
pice. has urearthet an engraved stone
bearing Ph.raician inscription commend.
rating ysi: to that place in the day. Of
one of tho King Hirans. 4 copy Of tie
inscription was forwarded to the Historic al
Society OF Rio for examination. and Sencr
Ladisiao Netto. the director Of the Rio Nh.
scum. has given Guch attention and great
care to deciphelng the hieroglyphics.
His Efforts We're successful and highly
satisfactory. to himself at least, as he was
able to make on: the inscription sufficiently
TO learn tliat the stone il question vas a
commemorative monument: erected by re.
fugees. or exi!es. who. after coasting down
the Red sea and along the African coast for
twelve lunar months. were drifted upon the
American coast through some unknown
agency. which the director explains through
the medium of Commodore Maury's treatise
on oceanic currents. Which of the pLpni.
clan monarchs was the Hiram of the epoch
does no: appear. and the writer being in
doub. whether i: was Hiram King OF Tyre,
the ally Of King Solomon. who Ieigned from
$50 ?i7. B. c.. another sovereign Of that
name who occupied the Pbunician throne
from 553 to 55... i. c.. or still another O.
which we have no clear historic record. who
voyage was made il the years 5iI-5i2. E.
c.. twenty six years after the siege OF Tyre
by N.buchadnezza and touv years teIo: e
the req Of Cyrus.
1t is not our purpose to examine the sub
iect from scientific standpoint. ncr to d.a.
cuss it on the score Of probable truth as re.
gaciei from q historic po;E! Of view. 1: is
peii.a pa very iluus:tu! if we shall ever re
ca:ye any more satisfactory information
concerning the rccen: discovery than has
beea given by the Learned pundit. and i. is
wei! enough to swallow the story as genu'
inc. ratIe: than attelHp. 10 u.sNFONe tES
siiyhtes. item o. the narrative.
To the schoo.boy OF romantic mind who
ha. read of the Trials and rerils Of the early
vova.e:s. ard learned from childhood to
! yenera.e and 1eyere tie names Of Chris
| topl,e. Columbus. Americas Nespucius and
| others who. he was told. went fortl: en-
| e.rands Of discovery. and were the first to
| land on the AmeIic { ntinert after years
| of dil.geut labor and peril. the recent intel;
| i.seuc. that the F.mnic:ans are entitled t.
| the cieii: hitherto accorded to the mariners
| O: ia. fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
must be depressing il, :le extreme.
Then what aids 70 knock the romance ,"i
| OF h;s:or-. as we used 20 read il. 'ye an
Gent mariners" i.om PATuca found
| America wigiou: AZ effort. and without. So
far a. anything appears to the contrary
! oven knowledge CT what they had done
Bat then. after ali. it is only wonder tina!
| somebody iiin; fin! tue Alnarar con::nen:
| ahead o: the PLn.Iic:aus-i. is such il biz
| p.ac. il does seem as though tuey could
hardy help finding IL.