Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-10-31

EVIDENCES sIuTiNG THAT n DID EFAILY
EXIST.

From the Popular S-ivn,s Magazine
Ages ago the Americas presented very
different appearance from what they now do
Then an immense peninsula extended itself
from Mexico, Central America and New
Granada So far into the Atlantic that Madeira,
the Azores. and the West India Islands are
now fragments Of it. This peninsula was a
fair and fertile country, inhabited by rich
and civilized nations-a people vcrsed in the
arts of war and civilization. country cover
at with large cities and magnificent palaces
their rulers according to tradition, reign
ing not only on the Atlantic Continent, but
OVER Islands far and near, even into Europe
and Asia. suddenly without warning. this
whole fair land was cngulfcd 10y the SEA in
mighty CONFUSION of nature.
Now, this catastrophe is not impossible or
even improbable Instances are not wanting
of large tracts Of Land, several hundred miles
in extent, disappearing in like manner.
The Island Of FeTdinandca suddenly appear
cd, and after while as suddenly disappear
cd. In 1919, during an earthquake in India,
an immense tract of land near the River In
dus sank from view, and large Like now
occupies its place.
The whole bed Of the Atlantic, where At
lantis IS said TO have been situated. consists
OF extinct volcanoes. The terrible Lisbon
earthquake Of 1853, and the later American
shook, created cou!motion throughout the
whole Atlantic area
That Atlantis possessed great facilities for
making a sudden exit cannot be doubted.
Its very situation gives good color to the
narratives of ancient Grccian historians and
Toltccian traditions. that 1T disappeared by
earthquakes and inundations@
PluiarCh. in his life of Philosopher Scion,
lIcrodpius and other ancient writers. speaks
# lpr,l : foo 4 -
possible To believe Otherwise than that Seneca
thought Of Atlantis when he writes in his
tragedy of ''Nicdca; - Late centuries will
appear when the oceans veil will lift To open
q vast country. New worlds will Thctsvs
Unvcil. Ultima Thule lIccland) will not re-
main the earth's boundary" He evidently
believed in the unknown island and contin-
ent and knew II would not remain forever I'M
known.
Diodorus Siculus says that Opposite to.
Africa lies an island, which, on account of
its magnitude, is worthy to be mentioned
II is several days distant from Africa 1t
has fertile soil, many mountains and not
a few plains, uncNccllcd in their beauty 1t
is watcrcd by many navigablc rivers. and
there are to be found estates in abundance
adorned with fine buildings" Again he SAYS.
indeed, 1t appears. on account of the
ahundancr OF lis charms, as though il were
the abode OF gods and not Of men
The situation. the description Of the coun-
try, in fact, every particular agrees pre-
ciscly with our idea of Atlantis: and what
other land now in existence agrees in any
way with this description; what islands Of
magnitude that contain navigablc rivers,
large fertile plains and mountains:
Brlsscur lie Bourhourr who Baldwin saws
has studied the monuments, writings andt
III Sc IL =.
" and thoroughly than any man living, is
an advocate Of this theory; and to him are
we indebted for most of our TRANSACTIONS of
the traditions and histories of the ancient
Americans
Within the last twenty-five wears all
sciences relating to the past and present of
man have been enormously developed. Old,
Wnrn-Out, useless theories have been dis
carried new facts have taken their places.
discoveries have followed discoveries each
discovery helping 10 form, link by link, the
chain ot human history.
We are beginning to perceive that We are
but vet Young in the knowledge Of human
history: but we have as vet picked up but
bright pebble OF thought or glittering shell
OF theory, while before us lies the whole vast
sea of human history uncNplorcd. That we
are beginning to acknowledge this is good
sign; for. when man or mankind acknowl-
edge their ignorance, they have ut least a sure
foundation to build upon
Again, the spirit of higotry- spirit
that told men to SCOrn and deride Gallileo !
and Columbus-is fast passing away and in
its stead comes the spirit of ratiOnality-a !
spirit that tells men to look upon 4 new idea |
or theory. even ii it does run outside of the |
accustomed rut. with a reasoning if not fav,
oible eye. And we have faith as science |
grows TO granderproportions and dispels some |
Of the mist that now cnvclops it. that some
day not far distant will bring forward an his |
toric Edison that shall bring together the |
faint v.ice of the prehistoric past and the |
bright, clear voice Of the present that some
future Champollion will discover. among !
tho =rrinci cities uI The Americas. an Amer |
lean RoSetta-stonc that will complete the |
chain of human history.