Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1879-05-06
a CONTINENT LOST IN TILE SEA
Atlantis. Once Powerful, now sunk
Beneath the Ocean.

SuutiHeHt ul lHd Aidntlcs Can pe
traced in the Atlantic ocean by the
islands which were left at its angles
when the great submarine earthquake
drew the vast territory down into the
sea. Fernando Noronia, st. Paul,
Cape Verde, the Azores or Western
Islands, Madeira and portion Of the
West India Islands constitute all that
is left Of this once popuious continent.
Before proceeding to discussion Of
the why and wherefore Of these lost
continents, we shall quote from the
genealogical views Of Plato embodied
in the Tmmus. Timnns is discourse
ing Of the origin Of the universe and
man, and he il relating to Socrates
and Criticus what an Egyptian priest
told Scion, the great Greek lawgiver,
about The ancient history Of the Athe-
Man. when that worthy was visiting
Egypt, Said he:
MANY and mighty deeds Of your
State are here recorded in writing,
aud call forth our admiration; never
theiess. there is one in particular,
Which in magnitude and valor SUR
passes them all. For these #ritings
relate what prodigious force your
city once overcame, when mighty
warlikc power, rushing from the At
lantic Sea, spread itself with hostile
tury all over Europe and Asia. The
sea, indeed, was then navigabie, and
had an island fronting that mouth
which you in your tongue call the Pill
lars Of Hercules (Suaits Of Gihralter);
and this island was larger than Lydia
and Asia put together; the sea is i'm
deed true sea, and the land that en-
tirely surrounds it may truly and
most correctly be called continent
In this Atlantic island, then, was
formed powerful league Of kings,
who suhdued the entire island, togeth-
or with many others, and parts also
of the continent; besides which they
subjected to their rule the inland ports
Of Lydia, as far as Egypt, and Europe,
also, as far as fyrrbenia. The whole
force, then, being collected in pow
erful league, undertook to enslave
both Your country (Greece) aud ours
Egypt, and al the land beside that
which lies within their mouth.
subsequently,, however, through
violent earthquakes and deluges,
Which brought desolation in single
lay and night the whole Of the war
ike race was at once merged under
he earth, and the Atlantic Island it.
'elf was plunged beneath tie sea aud
'ntirely disappeared--w whence even
low that sea in the interior Of tha
is neither navigahle nor to
'o traced ont, being blocked by the
treat depth of mud which the subsid. /
ng island PRODUCED
Atlantis was not less than 5000
100 Of square miles in extent. 1t is
l0st probable that it was not an is
and, as ancientiy supposed, but was l
continent joined 10 South American. 9
'ardlnal iPutfas, in the fourteenth q
entury, believed that three or four :
avs sailing beyond the Straits OF |
ibra'ter would bring the navigator |
J India. 1t was his book, Image a
andi, which first inspired Columbus
50 ia search of the new world.
Atlantis was region Of delights,
5 climate was generally mellow o.
Ined, restful and seductive. Ii was u,
laad Sin which il seemed always af "a
moon" The airs flowed gently and "
olhlngly over mountain and plain HI
ID waited the ,dors Of flowers, the Ii
e OF which have never been found -
nOGprn tnras a-....,1 -.