Wichita eagle., 1890-03-02

HUMAN BEINGS IN THE NOON.
On the plain We were again delighted By
the discovery Of animals The first observed
was quadruped with an amazingly long
neck, head like sheep, bearing two long
| spiral horns, white as polished ivory, and
standing in perpendicular parallel to each
other. Its body was like that of the deer
hut its forelegs were most disproportionally
long, and its tail, which was very bushy and
! Of a snowy whiteness, curled high over it,
| rump, and hung two or three feet by its side
Its colors were bright bay and white il
brindled patches, clearly defined, but of nc
regular form. 1t was found only in pairs, in
| spaces between the woods, and we had nc
opportunity Of witnessing its speed or habits.
| But few minutes only elapsed before three
| specimens Of another animal appeared, SC
well known to us all that we fairly laughed
| at the recognition of SO familiar an acQuaint-
! ance in 50 distant land. They were neither
more nor less than three good large sheep,
! which would not have disgraced the farms OF
| Worcestershire or the shanbleS Of Leadenhau
market. With the utmost scrutiny we could
| find 10 mark Of distinction between these
| and those of our native soil; they had not
| even the appendage over the eyes, which !
| have described as common to lunar quadru-
peds.
Soon they appeared in focks. How ar
| IDENTIFY we longed for sight Of the shepherd!
We had at last concluded that there was
none-that no man held dominion in this
lunar wOrld-wben we were thrilled with as
constituent to perceive four successive focks
Of large winged creatures, wholly unlike any
kind of birds, descend with q slow, even mo-
ton from the cliffs on the western side and
alght upon the plain. They were first no.
ticed by Dr.. HerSchel who exclaimed: "NoW,
gentlemen, my theories against your proofs,
which you have often found pretty even
bet, we have here something worth looking
at | was confident that II ever We found
beings in human shape it would be in this
longitude, and that they would be provided
by their Creator with some extraordinary
powers of locomotion; first exchange for my
number D" This lens, being soon introduced,
gave us fine half mile distance, and we
counted three parties Of these creatures--of
twelve, nine and fifteen in each-walking
erect toward a small wood near the base of
the eastern precipices. Certainly they were
like human beings, for their wings had row
disappeared and their attitude in walking
was both erect and dignitied Having OBJ
served them at this distance fer some min
utes we introduced lens II z, which brought
them to the apparent proximity of eighty
yards-the highest clear magnitude we pos
sesSed
About half OF the first party had passed be-
yond our canvas; but of all the others we
had perfectly distinct and deliberate view.
They averaged four feet in height, were COW
cred, except on the face, with short and
Ill ~;
composed of thin membrane, without hair,
lying snugly upon their backs, from the top
of the shoulders to the calves of the legs. The
face, which was Of q yellowish flesh color, was
a slight improvement upon that Of the large
oranG oatang, being moro open and intelli-
gent III its expression, and having much
greater expansion Of forehead. The mouth
however, was very prominent, though some
what relieved by thick beard upon the low
er jaw. and by lips FAR more human than
those of any species OF the sinia genus. In
general symmetry Of body and limbs they
were infinitely superior to the orang outang:
SO much SO that, but for their long wings.
Lieut.. Drummond said they would look as well
on a parade ground as some OF the old cock
ney militia The hair on the head was
darker color than tnat OF the body. closely
curled, but apparently not woolly. and ar
ranged III two curious semicircles over the
temples of the forehead. Their feet could
only be seen as they were alternately lifted
Ill walking; but, from what we could see OF
them in so transient view, they appeared
thin and very protuberant at the heel.
Whilst passing across the canvas, and
whenever We afterwards saw them, these
creatures were evidently engaged in CONVEX.
cation; their Gesticulation, more particularly
the varied action of their hands and arms,
appeared impassioned and emphatic We
hence inferred that they were rational beings |
and although not perhaps of so high an order |
as others which We discovered the next month |
on the shores of the Bay of Rainbows, that
they were capable of producing works of art
and contrivance. The next view we obtained |
of them was still more favorable 1t was
on the borders Of little lake. or expanded /
stream, which we then for the first time per-
ceived running down the valley to a large |
lake, and having on its eastern margin small |
wood.
Some Of these creatures had crossed this |
water and were lying like spread eagles on the .
skirts of tho wood We could then perceive
that they possessed wings of great expansion,
and were similar in structure to those of the
bat, being semi-trsnsparent membrane ex-
banded in curvilineal divisions by means of
straight radii, united at the back by the dor
sa! lDteguments. But what astonished Us
very much was the circumstance Of this
membrane being continued, from the shoul-
ders 20 the legs, united all the way down,
though gradually decreasing in width. The
wings seemed completely under tte command
Of volition, for those Of the creatures whom
we saw bathing in the water spread them
70 their full width, waved them es
1uCNs co theirs 70 shake of tie water and
.aen as instantly closed them again in COM
pact form. Our ftrther observation Of the
habits of these creatures. who were Of both
sexes, led to results so very remarkable that
prefer they should first be laid before ths
Dublic in Dr.. HerschelS own work. where
nave reason to know they are fully and faith
July stated, however incredulously they may
DC received. The three families then almost
spread their wings, and were
ost in the dark confines OF the canvas be-
lore we had time 70 breathe from our par
llyzing astonishment. We scientifically de-
nominated them the Vespertilio-homo. or
nan-bat; and they are doubtless innocent
md happy creatures, notwithstanding that
some of their amusenea;s would but i'll COM
port with our terrestrial notions OF decorum-
INTERESTING DETAILS TO CONE.
Sorenlote do their social actions appear tobe
rom those common in mixed asserlblages on
his globe that Dr. Herschel requested some
II the civil and military authorities OF the
,olony and several Episcopal and Wesleyan
ministers 10 visit the observatory late in
March and become eve witnesses. Their
certificates VIII appear in the forthcoming
'eport o. Dr.. Hsrsch=l. which though The
Journal ms been favored with but few
hints on the subj-ct1 we arc contdeu. viii De