Wichita eagle., 1890-03-02

cap. and was lifted and lowered bv means OF
the ears 1t Immediately occurred TO the
acute mind of DR.. Herschel that this was 6
provideatial Continuance to protect the eyes
OF the animal from the great extremes O;
| light and darkness to which eli the inhab
itants of our side of the moon are periodically
subjected.
The next animal perceived would be class
| ed on earth monster. 1t was Of a blush
lead color, about the size of goat, with a
head and beard like him, and single horn
slightly inclined forward from the perpen-
dicular The female was destitute of the
horn and beard, b-t bad a much longer tail
| 1t was gregarious, and chiefly abounded on
| the acclivitous glades of the woods In eleg-
ance of symmetry il rivaled the antelope,
and like him it seemed an agile, sprightIy
creature, running with great speed, and
| springing from the green turf with all the
| unaccountable antics OF a young lamb or kit
! ten This beautiful creature afforded US the
most exquisite amusement. The nimicrv of
| its movements upon our white painted can
vas was as faithful and luminous as that of
animals within a few yards of the camera
obscura, when seen pictured upon Its tym-
pan. Frequently when attempting to pat
our fingers upon its beard, it would suddenly
! bound away into oblivion, as if conscious of
our earthly impertinence; but then Others
! would appear, whom we could not prevent
nibbling the heritage, say or do what we
would to them.
On examining the center Of this delightful
valley We found large branching river,
Astounding with lovely islands and water
birds Of numerous kinds. A species Of gray
pelican was the most numerous: but black
/ and white crane, with unreasonably long legs
and BILL was also quits common We watched
their pisciverous experiments long time, in
hopes Of catching sight OF lunar fish: but
although we were not gratified in this re-
spect we could easily guess the purpose with
which they plunged their long necks so deep
ly beneath the water. Near the upper ex-
trcmity of one of these islands we obtained
glimpse of a strange amphibious creature, Of
spherical form, which rolled with great We
locity across the pebbly beach, and was lost
sight of in the strong current which set off
from this angle Of the island. We were COM
PEELED. however, to leave this prolific valley
UNEMPLOYED, on account of clouds whichewere
evidently accommodating in the lunar atInos-
phere, our own being perfectly translucent.
But this was itself an interesting discovery,
denied the existence OF any humid atmosphere
in this planet.
VARIETIES OF LUNAR LIFE.
We bore with some impotence the cloudy
weather of the 18th and 18th, but the even
ing OF Jan Is was one Of pearly purity and
loveliness DR.. Herschel informed US that he
should direct our researches to the parts
numbered 2. II, 2G and 90 in Bunts map and
which are respectively known in the modern
catalogue by the names Of Endymion, Cleo
medeS Langrenus and Petavius. To the care
full inspection Of these. and the regions be-
tween them and the extreme western rim, he
proposed to devote the whole of this highly
favorable night. Taking then our twenty
five mile breadth of surface upon the field of
view and reducing it to a slow movement
we carefully inspected the lofty mountain
range. In them we found many extinct vol
canoes and one active. a detailed descrip-
tion is onlitted) The adjacent low land is
fertile to excess. We couuted not less than
twelve luxuriant forests, divided by Omen
plains, which waved in an ocean of verdure,
and were probably prairies like those OF
North America. In three of these we dis
covered numerous herds of quadrupeds sim
liar to our friends the bisons in the valley of
the Unicorn, but Of much larger size; and
scarcely piece of woodland occurred in our
panorama which did not dazzle our vision
with f1ocks of white or red birds upon the
wing.
Dr.. Herschel has classified not less than
thirty-eight species of forest trees and nearly
twice this number of plants found in this
tract alone, which are widely different to
those found in more equatorial ATTITUDES. OF /!
animals he classified nine species of NAM
malta and five of ovipara. Among the for |
mer is small kind of reindeer, the elk, the !
moose the horned bear and the biped beaver |
The last resembles the beaver of the earth in |
every other respect than in its restitution OF |
a tail and its invariable habit OF walking
upon only two feet 1t carries its young in |
its arms like human being and moves with |
an easy gliding motion. Its huts gre con-
structed better and higher than those Of |
many tribes Of human savaoes, and from the |
Of smoke in nearly all of them !
there is no doubt of it's being acquainted with |
the use of fire. Still its head and body differ |
only in the points stated from that of the |
beaver, and it was never seen except on the |
borders of lakes and rivers, in which it has
been observed to immerse for a period OF
several seconds.
Thirty degrees south of this is the Immense
annular mountain, located on the accepted
maps of the moon as Cleomedes, and on all
the spurs of this elevation we found but one
creature-a large white bird resembling the
stork- But the streams flowing therefrom
unite IN the largest inland sea that has been
found throughout the seven and e. half
millions of square miles which this illum-
mated side of the moon contains It's
width from east to west is 19S miles and
from north 20 south 2G6 miles. It's shape,
TO the northward, is not unlike that of
The Bay of Bengal, and il is studded
With small Islands, most of which are vol
canIc. Two Of these on the eastern side are
now violently eruptive; but our lowest mag
1lIying power was too great to examine them
with convenience, on account Of the cloud of
smoke and ashes which beclouGed our field of
view; as seen by Lieut.. Drummond, through
our rejecting telescope Of 2O0O times, they
exhibited great brilliancy.
In bay on the western side OF the sea is
IN island ffty-five miles long, OF g crescent
,orm, crowded through its entire sweep with
he most superb and wonderful natural beau
les, both of vegetation and geology. Its
ills are pinnacled with tall quartz crystals.
# 50 rich yellow and orange hue that we at
irst supposed them to be pointed flames of
ire; and they spring up thus from smooth
ound brows of hills which a-s covered Is
With a vr4veU mantle Even III the enchant-
ne little valleys OF this winding island we
ould often see these splendid natural spires,
mounting in the midst OF deep green woods,
Ike church steeples III the wales Of " estmore-
and We here first noticed tie lunar palm
Tee. which differs iron that of our tropical
attitudes only in me popularity Of very large
riTson flowers instead of the spadix pro
ruded from the common calyx