Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-03-26

river but the podies OF an those VINO
were famous for beauty. wisdom or any
good quality were preserved by pro.
cess of embalming. which they evidently
thought would make them endure for
ages. There are probably Il, 900 separate
bodies here and they represent more than
twenty successive generations. if rightly
understand the system Of family group
ing. If people lived as long as they do
now, there was an average OF about
fifteen additions each year to this great
Westminster Abbey OF the past. From
sort of map painted on one Of the alls
! obtain the idea Of many an thickly-
populated communities which used this
place as the sepulchre OF their chosen few.
f identity that was before volcanic
ou.burst made the channel OF tho river
like n cauldron boiling over endless fires.
All along the course are towns marked,
groups Of rock-hewn rooms on the cllfis,
populated lands on the river, promonto-
ries from whose sides fountains OF light
seem to spring. Did thousands OF peo-
pie once live and find happiness in these
vast vaults of death? Things must have
been very different then from now. They
must have had many reservoirs OF nat
ural gas. The animal life in the river
must have been much more varied. In
deed, there are pictures in the hall OF
war, as have named it, that show two
things plainly-that there were thous-
ands of cavSrns. extending over hun
drels of miles, and peopled by animals
with which the heroes fought, and that
the river was swarming with existence.
Moreover. find everywhere. chief OF
the symbols of life, in the most sacred
places, food-root like water-nut. from
which grew white leaves and seeds
There must have been some electric
principle evolved here by the vast warm
lakes Of the river. lit with soft light ev-
erywhere at certain seasons. For now
come TO the strangest fact Of all that
gather from the records Of the race
these people had two kinds of light ono
they found and lit-that they knew as
the lesser God of Life; the other, COM
ing from north to south, twice each year,
filled for many weeks the whole chan
mel OF the river, from depth 10 dome,
making the very water translucent The
water.root and its grain ripened and
were harvested in the last days OF the
light Two crops year they gathered,
and held their Days of the Feasts Of the
Greater God Of Life.
have tried 10 put together all can OK
their picture writings and their paint
ings, so as to understand what sort Of
men and women they were. | confess
that have learned TO admire them
greatly. They were strong, brave, low
ing, and beautiful people. am sorry
they are all gone. never cared half so
much about the dead Etruscans or Car
thaginians. The earliest chapter in their
history, 50 far ~ discover, is picture
Of a line Of men and women descending
into a cave and a dragon pursuing them.
This seems 10 point to former residence
on the face of the earth, and 10 sonIo
disaster-war, flood, pestilence, or some
fierce monster which drove the sur
vivors into the depths Of the earth for
shelter
But all these thoughts are vain and
foolish have explored the cliffs Of tho
river and the walls of the mighty halls
which shelter me. have attempted 10
cut a tunnel upward past tho waterfall.
using the ancient weapons which lie in
such numbers on the floor. The bronze
wears out too fast, but if live long
enough something may be done. will
close my record and launch 1t down tho
river. Then will try to cut my way
out TO the sunlight.
Here the story closed. Some day,
perhaps. an old man. white haired and
pale as one from the lowest dungeon Of
bastilc, will climb slowly out Of some
canon Of the Rockies to tell the world
more about his discovery Of lost race.