The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-16
THE PETRIFIED CITY.
Fables of Towns In Which Everything
Was Turned to Stone.

Was Turned to Stone.
Among cities of fable the petrifed
variety was interesting. We have 1t in
post parts Of this world-our prosaic
islands knew it, but as submarine
curiosity. In the days when London en-
joyed ths presence of an ambassador
from Tripoli, that parsonage astonished
the Royal society once at least. The
famous traveller, DR.. Shaw, had men
toned the story of petrfied village
near Cyrene. Scientific people derided
1t, scientific people upheld tin short
discussion arose. Some members Of
the Royal society, recollecting that
there were grave and responsible inhab.
itants Of Tripoli within reach, put tho
question before the ambassador. He
explained with a vengeance. One Of his
friends, person, Of course, whose hon
or could not be impugned, was well ac-
guainted with tho spot. Shaw made .
great mistake in describing ties . vii
lage. City was thu proper word. The
walks Enclosed an exact circle, numer-
Gus streets crossed at right angbeA with
shops and avenues of trees, and q noble
castle stood IN the midst. In the shops
and streets were people variously EN-,
ployed-the gentleman noticed In espe-
cial baker and bis customers, loaresin
hand, a woman sucking her baby, etc.
He entered the castle and found king,
or somebody Of rank, lying on q gor-
geous bed with guards about him. Ami
mails abounded, such as donkeys, cam
els, oxen, sheep, birds. but everything
was stone of q peculiar blush tint even
the money lying on shop counters and
In peoples hands; witness brought q
quantity away, and the ambassador re-
GREETED that he could not find soma
pieces presented to himself at the mo-
ment. A description was forthcoming.
however; the coins wero as large az
English shillings, with horses head
on one side and writing In unknown
characters on the other. A happy httle
touch represented that many of the fig
ures had lost head or limbs-petrifac-
tions will not endure forever, Of course.
The Royal Society expressed warm
gratitude for this communication.
: It Is scarcely worth while to seekthe
origin of fable which4s suffi ciently ex-
planned by the vagaries of imagination.
That it was localized at Cyrene-among
countless other spots-may be due to
che presence Of large and well-pre-
served metropolis there, with many
He himself made a long and perflous
Journey to Harnam, In Nurnidia- where,
as the Arabs ayouched, a Bedouin en-
campment was on view, surrounded by
oxen and sheep, all turned TO stone. In
this instance no shadow of foundation
for the. legend could be found. But IL
was so widely diffused in those days
that rumors of the marvel reached the
court of France. and NJ. lie Marie, con-
sui at Tripoli, received instructions 10
inquire He employed some JAMS
saries, who even undertook TO bring
away petrified Bedouin: but they
pointed out, very reasonably, that a
full grown specimen would be too
heavy. The consul declared that
baby would satisfy him, to begin with
at any rate. After many months, dur
ing which his interest was kept up by
frequent drafts for expenses, the JAN
fssaries returned, and, sure enough. |
they had stone baby-a very pretty |
one, too. for it proved afterwards TO be |
q little statue of Cupid found among tho
ruins OF Leptis; they had broken OF
the wings and CULVER. Bruce also was |
tempted 10 visit this spot, called Ras |
Sem; and Capt. Smyth, of her maiesty's |
ship Adventure, went in search OF Il, but |
in another direction. The sultan OF |
Fezzan told him a story much like the
ambassador, and he travelled, full Of /
hope, nine days through desert coun-
try. In this. case, however, there were
really buildings and bas-re,iefs of men
and animals, if not Standardization
Standard.