Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-02-13
HUMAN TELESCOPES.
Race of Men Possessing Wonderful
Powers of Vision.

Powers OF vision.
There is n race of men who can see as
far with the naked eye us an ordinary
man can with telescope. Every
man his own telescope" might be ap-
piled with propriety to these fortunate
persons. They live in wild state in
the south of Africa, among the tribes of
Eushmen. The name "Bushman" is
an Anglicism of the Dutch word
"Bjoseman," meaning imam of the
woods"
These human telescopes have derived
their extraordinary power of vision, &C.
cording to Mr.. Herbert Spencer,
through necessity. If 1t were not for
this they must have long ago become
extinct. They are remarkably small
in stature for wild men, and they offer
an easy prey for the large, fierce. beasts
that infest certain parts of Southern
Africa. And, on account of their di-
minutive size, they are not able to fight
on equal terms with their warlilke and
larger proportional neighbors.
"Bushmen," says Mr.. Spencer, shave
to guard against enemies, brute and
human, and must be ever on the alert
to kill or snare animals serving for
food. To identify distant moving OBJ
jects as such is therefore essential to
the preservation of life. Here is one
who, perhaps from some advantageous
variation in the form of lenses, or in
the adjusting of muscles, or in the ret
inal elements, has vision so keen that
he recognizes man, or a lion, or a
springbok, when it's distance is half n
mile greater than that at which other
persons can recognize it,"
Travellers in the region of the long
sighted Bushmen have reported some
truly remarkable feats with the eyes.
One day while European was walk
ing in company with a friendly Bush
man, the latter suddenly stopped and
pointing ahead in some alarm ex-
claimed
"a lion"
The white man stared until his eyes
ached, but he could make out nothing.
Thinking that the native must have
made mistake, he insisted on going
forward though his companion urged
him to retreat. When they had nd
vanced little further the Bushman
again came to a halt. and absolutely
refused to go on another step, for, as he
explained, he could distinguish not
only a lion, but also a number Of cubs
1t would be very dangerous, he said, to
tamper with lioness while nursing
her cubs.
The European, however, still unable
to see lion, much less the cubs, pushed
on boldly. When he had advanced q
quarter of a mile he saw an object NOV.
ing slowly along in the distance at the
| point to which the Bushman had di.
rected his gaze. Still doubling that d
human being could possess such mar
velous powers of vision, he approached
nearer, and finally distinguished the
form of lion making leisurely for q
line of timber.
The limit of mans power of vision il
established by necessity. II our exist
ence depended on our ability to Sc,
tw ice as far as we do, this additional
power would be acquired by practice
Deerslayer, of Misunderstanding
fame, surprised everyone by his long
sightedness. Probably he could SEE
further than these Bushmen, but hi
was II fiction character. All woodsmen
and as n general thing all persons living
an outdoor life, give their eyes practic,
Mt long range, which ultimately makes
their accuracy of sight seem wonderful
to man who never uses his eyes ex
cept 10 read.
A man with the cyesight OF Bush
man, aided by the immense Lick tele
scope, might be able easily to tell al
about the canals of Mars and settle a
once the much-vexed question as t.
whether that planet is inhabited. T,
Il person so gifted, Mars would appeal
many times clearer and nearer than t,
man of ordinary vision.-N. Y. World