The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-22
A WHOPPER CERTAINLY.

Ii Is question NHetHtT lying ID d nat
ural or acquired faculty. eve may be
pardoned for speaking of the habit as a
faculty, seeing it is SO common.) Cler-
pymen will tell us that man is naturally
derraved and that religion is the only
thing which can cleanse him of the sin
in which he comes clothed into the world.
But mental philosophy insists that truth
is innate and that mendacity comes from
evil associations. But no matter which
theory We may adopt, it does not lessen
our belief in the tremendous amount OF
lying going on. At short intervals the
newspapers give publicity to some
"whopper'' clothed with such plausibili-
ty that though the reason rejects 1t as
improbable. still there remains the
doubt that it may be true. Some years
ago everybody was startled by the an
nouncement that a chemist had discover
ed something which would set the oceans
on fire and the earth furnished nothing
which could extinguish the flames.
Everybody heaYed a sigh of relief when
it was found thar the man with the fear
full secret was murdered. 1t would not
be outside the bounds of credulity to be-
leye that the devil was killed by some
modern David, if faith can comprehend
the existence Of his satanic majesty.
The latest Of these lies which it is i'm
possible to believe, and equally difficult
to diyest oneself Of the pleasing sense"
that it may be 50" is given to the pub
lie by the Inter Occnn. The story, pur-
ports to be an account of the discovery
Of the expedition headed by Sir John
Franklin. It is in brief as follows: An
old man, living in New Brunswick TWEEN
ty years ago, had some time before been
on whaling voyage in the North Allan
tie. He was wrecked and made his way
to Greenland. There he found an Eng
lish sailor named Swarts, in very poor
health. Swarts stated that a man named
Thompson had given him a bundle of
manuscript at the same time exacting a
promise that SwaTts would deliver it to
n person in England. Swarts gave this
to the New Brunswick sailor, who in
turn showed it to man named Clifford.
Clifford expressed wish to obtain pos
session Of the manuscript. This alarmed
the other and his former haunts from
that time forth knew him no more. Gift
ford then wrote an epitomo of the con-
tents Of the manuscript and as he was on
his way to California gave it to man
named Walker Unfortunately Walker
was n migratory bird himself and mis-
laid the manuscript. 1t was found with
in The last week and published in Mon
days Inter ocean.
It states that a small party of the ex-
petition headed by Thompson, found a
narrow winding passage through which
a current set from the north. After
many hardships they reached an open
sea in which was an island. They divid-
ed into two parties and went in opposite
directions around the island, which they
estimated to be $50 miles in circumfer
ence They then proceeded to walk
across the island, but after having walked
about 500 miles found that they were
not yet within sight of water. An island
whose diameter is greater than its cir
of geometry. Six returned 10 the boats
but Thompson and q companion kept on
with their explorations and became con
yinced that they were going into the
bowels Of the earth. The north star was
directly overhead; the sun was not to be
seen though it was the long day at the
pole; the temperature was mild, and q
gentle breeze blew through the axis,
changing its direction every few hours.
The vegetation was Of an unknown kind.
Light was given by q new luminary and
the strange country was inhabited by a
diminutiye race of people. There was
no water hut species of banana gave
sufficient moisture that made the lack OF
water uufelt. The two came TO the con-
clusion that the earth was q hollow
sphere the interior beng reopled. The
two explorers remained several months
and returned 10 find the boats gone
They travelled afoot on the ice. Williams,
Thompson seompanion, died, but Thomp-
son himself reached the shores Of Green
land and died there after surrendering
his manuscript 10 the old sailor whom he
met
This story will match those of Jules
Verne, Edgar 4. Poe or any other ire
mendous liar. Scientists may go to the
North Pole and solve the question of
where body win come to rest when
thrown into hole passing through the
earth.