The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-09
SYMMES ANTICIPATED.
An Alleged Journey Through the Confer o
H.

An Allesed Journey Through the Center OF
tho Earth.
The Cincinnati Gazette SAYS: John
Cleve Symmes' theory that the earth is
open at the poles and habitable within,
though perhaps original with him as a
scientific hypothesis, has been antici-
pated in whole or in part by various
writer's of romance. Leaving out OF the
question Holberg's Journey of Nicholas
Klimius into the Subterranean World" !"
written early in the last century, and
the Chevalier de Mouhy's "Adventures
of an Egyptian into the interior of our
globe" there is very curious " Rela-
tion OF Voyage from the Arctic to the
Antarctic Pole by the Center OF the
World" by an anonymous author, writ
ten in French, and first published in
1928. Its hero, who claims to have
made the trip in TIA, did not inh as
smooth sailing as Capt. Symmes ex-
pected, but in some points the narra-
tive is sufficiently akin to his views as
to warrant the idea that he may posi-,
bly, have seen it.
The story is, in brief, as follows: 4
veteran traveller, who does not give his
name, was seized with a desire to see
the polar regions, and embarked at
Amsterdam in whale ship bound for
Greenland. On the tenth day out
thick fog surrounded the vessel, and
violent wind arose which carried it to.
ward Iceland. After an interval of
calm O still more severe gale drove it
out OF it's course, and reckoning was
lost. Finally the ship reached sea full
CT floating ice, and an observation being
taken, the position was found to be
seventy-three degrees and twenty-five
minutes of north latitude. A strong,
though slow current, was constantly
driving the ship toward the pole. An
old sailor then recollected that famous
Arctic pilot had told him that near the
north pole there was frightful whirl-
pool, seventy or eighty leagues in cir.
cumference, believed to be the most
dangerous in the world. This story
frie eht.ned the officers and crew, but
they could not check or alter their
course.
The ship began to whirl about, and
what they had at first taken to be
white island proved to be maelstrom.
Death seemed to stare them in the face,
and the only thing they could do to
avoid being washed or swung overheard
was to retire below, closing all the
matches after them. They hal been shut
up only ten or twelve minutes. when
they felt themselves descending into
profound abyss with Uncomfortable
rapidity. The roaring Of the waters was
incessant and terrible, and so great was
their alarm that they only attained full
consciousness by discovering that the
noise had ceased and the ship was lying
still. The pilot ventured to go on deck
and was soon fallowed by the rest. They
found themselves on calm sea, but
were 80 hemmed ir by fog that they
could see nothing of their surroundings.
Taking an observation they found they
were in seventy-one degrees, eight
minutes of south latitude.
Their period of unconscious fright
must have been protracted, or the rapid
ity of the voyage must have been very
great, to permit so sudden transit from
one end Of the earth's diameter to the
other to pass unobserved, but We are
chroniclers, not critics. They had reach
ed the Antarctic waters. A cold north
west wind sprang up, but warm rain
soon dispelled its chilliness. An aurora
lighted up the sky, but neither sun nor
stars were visible. Land came in sight
and when they anchored they found the
shore lined with immense rose bushes,
or rather trees. the country rose in
terraces, with high mountains in the
background. Game was plenty, and
clear streams furnished an abundance
of clear water. The south was shut off
by mist. They found warm lake
with five cascades, valley of white
roses, and finally monument. compos-
ed OF a fiat rock OF triangular shape,
resting on six columns, and covered with
inscriptions in an unknown character.
There were other marvels We need not
describe. Returning on board, they
discovered that all was not agreeable in
these regions. Immense flying fish,
with wings like those of bat, lowered
around the vessel, and three of them
pounced on two unfortunate sailors,
carrying them away, and tearing them
to pieces as they flew. Continuing their
voyage, they saw a fog-surrounded
promontory, wonderful jet of water,
several volcanoes, and a fearful battle bet
ween two white bears and three sea
calves. Next they passed strait on
whose shores bears were far too abund-
ant to make the locality agreeable for
residence. Then they came to q beauti-
full land where there were curious re-
mains of an ancient veil, and where q
wonderful bird was seen with kind of
crown on it's head, and whose nest was
made underground. After being treat
ed to the sight OF many meteorological
wonders in the form of columns of fire
shooting up from the sea, of wonder
fully.perfect parhelion, or mock sun,
and OF q mountain that appeared to be
suspended in the air, the adventures at
last reached the cape of Good Hope.
The people Of Cape Town were no doubt
astounded at the narration of their ex-
periences, but local sensation was re-
quired to bring the story up with a good
round turn. A former acquaintance OF
the hero had apparently died, but his
friend was no. so sure Of it, 80 he had
the tomb opened and the pleasure OF
resuscitating him. With this the record
closes.
A True Hero.
The city Of Marseilles in France was
once afflicted with the plague. So ter