Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-10-02
c..,,..ton anal tn. Lost Atlantis.

Until the recent volcanic OutDreaks In
the Atlantic coast, very few people were
aware that Charleston and its harbors,
and sounds, were catacombed with fs-
suree. caves, and rock that proved clear
" the earth in that vicinity had been the
scene OF volcanic disturbance at some
previous period; that in fact the city and
its surroundings slumbered as it were
upon bed Of fire which was liable to
break forth at any time. The assurance
of scientific men that the Atlantic may
at any time sweep over the unfortunate
city, brings wildly to mind the story,
long regarded by many as myth, OF the
last Atlantis, but comparative philology
lends it's aid to subetantiate the tact that
such an island really existed.
The Inhabitants of Venezuela and OF
Guinea retained traditions Of a convul-
sion which swallowed up vast country
in the region now covered by the ATTAIN
tic ocean. The So ties, the ancient in
habitants of Central America, have ira
ditiou Of the ''cataclysm Of the Antilles"
The Indians of North America have a
similar Legend. The tribes located first
in southwark have circumstantial mar
rative to the effect that the waves were
seen rolling in like mountains from the
east, and that OF the millions OF people
who fed to the hills for refuge, but one
man (seven in other accounts) were
saved, from whom descended the present
Indian races, q religions festival was in
stituted to commemorate the dread
event, and to beseech the Almighty not
10 revisit the earth with such terrors.
Nine thousand years before Plato lived
and wrote there existed, he tells us, in
the ocean that separates the old world
from the new, an island larger than Asia
Minor and northern Africa combined; he
locates it in what is now watery waste,
midway between the westward projection
OF the desert coast of Africa, and the cor.
responding indentation by the Gulf Of
Mexico. On its western shores were
other and smaller islands, by way Of
which access might be had to vast con.
tinent beyond. Its civilization was az
advanced as that of ancient Egypt. lts
people were descended from Neptune
and mortal women, and by force OF arms
their war ors penetrated into Africa al
far eastward as Egypt, and into Europt
Is far as the shores of the Tyrahenia1
sea, 1.-THE western coast of Italy Theil
conouests we're checked by the Greek
after the Albanian sea-kings, had at
tempted to subjugate Europe, Africa ant
Asia, and the deed was accounted one o
the glories of Athens. At length, how
ever, the people became SO desperatel..
wicked, that the island with all its IN
habitauts was swept away by a deluge
L. :. day and night Atlantis diappearet
beneath the waves. Another account
slightly varied, says that after the de
feat of the islanders a terrific earthquake
attended by inupdations of the sea caus
ed the island to sink, and for long tim
thereafter the ocean was impossible b.
reason Of the muddy shoals. Such
the substance of legend first communi
Gated to Scion by an Egyptian priest
and, no doubt, founded on facts that hav
existed from a very early date. On tn
old Venetian maps Atlantis was place
to the westward of Canaries and til
Azores.
The Greeks, the Egyptians, the Gaul
and the Romans possessed traditions O
this subject, and all substantially agree
with each other. At the date Of the e1
istenoe of Atlantis, according to Hum
boldt, what is now the strait Of Gibralta
was probably bridged by solid isthmu
at least as wide as that of Suez, thu
closing the Mediterranean and maxim
of it an inland sea. The same convu
sion of nature which engulfed the Ian
established communication between til
Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Charlie
Frederic Martins the great French bo
anist, says that autobiography, geolog
and botany agree in teaching us that tt
Azores, the Canariee, and the Maderas al
the remains Of great continent whic
formerly united Europe to North Anne
lea. For many centuries the Saragost
sea, that vast e1panse of floating wee
has occupied the locality given to tn
island. TIE ancients attributed the 9,
istenoe of this meadow sea to the sinkin
OF Atlantis. For four hundred yesr
and probably much longer period th
great sea-mesdow hes not changed i
position. Aristotle tells us that son
Phoenician vessels were driven by cas-
erly gales to part Of the ocean tn
was covered with weeds and PUSHES.
1892 the little feet of Columbus pass
through the mass Of floating vegetatio
much to the alarm Of the crew, wi
found their presence denoted rocks al
shoals. It has been found, howeve
from soundings in different parts OF t
Saragossa sea, that the water is OF gre
depth.
Recent explorations have given facts
the world that substantiate the Atlsn'
theory to remarkable degree. Tive
hard to leave this fascinating subje
without dwelling upon the thought til
the existence Of this island OF Allan
once admitted the presence OF the Al
rhymes in this continent, the remains
higher civilization in Central Amerit
the remains of extensive relics that lol
sntedates the Aztec rule, may be eas1