The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-03-31

lieu InGO CaY6fnS anu deep PITS, 1nGO
mines and wells, to avoid its blighting,
poisonous breath. The earth was swept
with fame. Then came scathing, grind
ing showers of stone and sand, tearing
away the forests, filling the valleys, lev
cling and burying the cities. Great at
sank beneath the sea, the bridge was do
stroyed forever, and the people persisted
from the face of the earth.
''The legends differ, even in our fam
lily tales; some tell of two who survived
in their canoe, others on the back of the
turtle; but the common Atzlan tale, the
one we tell the children, is nearer the
truth. 1t says that the people first came
from a cave in mountain, where they
were entombed when they fed, with cat
tie and other animals. There was but
dim light, lasting only few hours each
day, but there were two blind men who
cheered the dull hours with flute play
ing.
Zone Of these struck the roof by
chance with his flute, bringing out
hollow sound, upon which the elders of
the tribe determined to bore in that di-
rection. The flute was set up against
the roof, and the raccoon sent up the
tube to dig way out, but he could not.
Then the earthworm mounted and bored
until he found himself on the outside of
the mountain surrounded by water; this
water soon flowed off, leaving only mud.
The worm returned to the cave, and the
raccOon went up into the mud, sinking
into it midleg deep, as the marks on his
fur show to this day.
''The mud dried away, and the animals
began coming up from the cave. This
took several days; then came the men.
When they were under ground they
spoke one tongue, but when they came
forth they had many languages. The
earth was then very small; the light
was as scanty as it had been below:
there was no heaven, no sun, no stars.
So council was held and a committee
appointed to make these. They made
the heavens and set the stars in patterns
of bears, birds and such things, but
wolf rushed in and scattered them about
as they now lie. This is the legend" said
'Iklapel, ''and it conceals the truth in its
mythical language.
F'As have said, mankind took refuge
in caverns, but they were all, according
to our records, destroyed with the ex-
ception of two. Some lived to see the
earth swept with water and covered
many feet deep with mud and then with
ice. They had no food, and they de-
voured each other until they were exter-
minated.
"But far, far in the south, where the
fire and stony rain and the floods were
less severe, there survived two people,
the progenitors of the Atzlan race-a
white man and red woman. In canoe
they came here from the sea, and they
built new cities and populated the earth.
But it took many ages to do this, and
the people have forgotten their origin,
but as they had existed in darkness for so
long, when the sun returned they wor-
SHIPPED it and have continued to do SO
ever since, and have made the serpent
their god of evil since that day when,
filed with terror, they saw the sun swal-
lowed up
'ENot only single kingdom was de-
stroyed, but half the world continued
the priest. Cali mankind was believed
to have been swept away in the dire
catastrophe, and although we know that
some were spared they were left desti-
tute and wretched, becoming savagea
and cannibals ere they rose to their for
mer state.
However" continued Iklapel, ''the
destruction of the city of Atlantis Oc-
Cured at period when mankind had
arrived at q state of great learning and
civilization, for we know that the most
wondrous cities then stood on the shores
of the western ocean, to which came
great ships from far away toward the
setting sun, from distant islands, taking
many months for their voyages, anC
bringing rare and curious treasures
! from another race. It was the people
/ of the far south who were spared, anC
! they gradually came northward, extend
ing their settlements along the grea
4 rivers, building mounds in imitation C.
the sacred city,
GIVE seen them" interrupted Gilbert
''and they are the source of much dis
cussion among our learned men,"
''They still exist them" inquired Ikla
! pei, and continued: ''These people Wen
far to the north and dug deep in tn,
earth for copper on the borders of TIT
north sea. We have none of this cop
per left. It long ago vanished, but tn,
memory of it fingers with us. Twas
rare and valuable metal. After q Ions
time the cities of the great country o
Xibaba, which had sunk in the Sc;
where strip of land had been, slowl.
rose again and were rebuilt, All thi
was long ago, long ago, before the SCI
had left these deserts above US, but afte
| time wild and savage race over1oYet
the land from the north, strange il
speech and dark, fearful and blood
thirsty. They drove our people bacl
until they were obliged to dwell in tn
inaccessible cliff houses and build them
selves walled towers for defense, for the
were not a warlike race.
'sSince the people lived in the cave
and cliff houses, the rivers have Gu
their way deep into the earth, leavin
the dwellings of our forefathers hig
! upon the cliffs, so you may know tina
many ages have passed since them
[To BE CONTINUED
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