Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-23
THE ARK.
The Log Of NOah's Voyage Res.
cued and Fully Translated.

Considerable competition aas re-
Gently been shown by the discoveries
of ancient manuscripts and the finders
of ancient relics The latter have
suddenly come to the front by the dis
covery of Noah's Ark in that part Of
the Armenian plateau still known as
Mount Ararat. The find was made
by party Of Russian engineers who
were surveying glacier. An extra
ordinary spell of hot weather had
melted away great portion of the
Araxes glacier, and they we're sur
prised to see sticking out of the ice
what at first appeared to be the rude
facade of an ancient dwelling. On
closer examination it was found
to be composed Of longitudinal
layers of gopher wood, sup
ported by immense: frames, still in a
remarkable state of preservation.
Assistance having been summoned
from Nakhehewan, the work OF un-
covering the find was commenced
under the most extraordinary difficult
ties, and in weeks time the indefati-
gable explorers had uncovered Sec
ton of what they claimed to be Noah's
ark, as it bore indisputable evidence of
having been used as boat. At this
point archaeology could afford to rest
at any ordinary period of the world,
and we should expect the luckiest
finders to form a,syndicate aud open a
bazaar for the sale of relics. But in
our antiquarian industry take another
turn. 1t ism t looking for merchandise
SO much as for testimony. We must
not forget that the planting OF the
Cardiff Giant was not so much to
make money as to establish the mis-
sing link. The Noah's Ark Syndicate
are only following the tactics of the
antiquary who recently offered to sell
an original manuscript OF the Mosaic
law, signed by Moses, to the British
Museum. They are trying to cor
rect the record with facts. With
these principles in view, the reader
must not be surprised to learn by the
latest dispatches from our representa-.
tive, Mr.. Benjamin, who is not going
to Persia for nothing, that the engin.
GERS have broken through the third
compartment of the ark, aud, in the
true spirit of the age. has discovered
the original log kept by Noah and his
sons. Startling as this announcement
is, it is backed up by the documents,
which must stand for what they are
worth without any comment of ours.
IPhilology, ethnology and archaeology
must fight it out for themselves. A
newspaper can only narrate the occur
renee. The document, which is writ
ten on the hide of what appears to
have been an icbthyosaurus, is in
characters that make the cuniform in
scriptions look sick. The translations
are hastily done, and, as we might
expect, betray the Chaldean origin Of
the whole thing.
November Ii, 637 B. CAN got in
to day. No signs of shower. If ii
don't rain tomorrow | might as well
\ give up business. The women have
had a fight over their staterooms, as
expected. Mrs. Shem is in the bow
| She couldn't stand the smell of the
mastodons. What airsl
| November 17.-Clouding up. The
aquarium tanks in the steerage have
caused me more trouble than anything
else. Yesterday unicorn busted two
of them with his horns. | suspect
I've lost six or eight species of lizards
and pOsterity will never forgive me
The crowd continues to groan at US
all day and want to know where ii
water is coming from to float thil
boat. That's, a copumdrum, 1t il
not pleasant to be called an old crank
by the population. Ham has beer
sampling my wines. He thinks
don't know it.
November 49, Raining like I -
The crowds are not SO perfectly dead
certain about the water. Six spotted
megetharium stampeded to-day ant
lgot overheard
November 19.-Got of to-day. Took
in gang planks at $50. Rain cominl
down violently. Crowd very riotOuE
on shore. Contractors wanted theil
pay. Gave 'em all forty day paper
Aerders who had driven in the ele
plant and rhinosseri were very abus'
i've. Ham foOlishly struck one O
them with his umbrella. Coming
down lively now. Looks as if it woulI
be considerable Of a shower after all
Here hiatus occurs, and it is I'll,
opinion of the translator that, whel
be got out Of the sight Of land, Noah
who was 4 heavy drinker, went belo7
and stayed there, leaving the log I,
Shem. pht 9al sIylII
I November 2O.-Wet wether. Ok
i man cranky as j. (Transla
tofi-bed bug.) Drinks too much 70
q navigator. Keeps the best liquo
in the snake department. Had 6gh
with the o tie ogioal Bureau to-day
J Sham and ,Ianeth struok. sWore the