The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-02-13
GIFT FROM THE GODS
AMBER. so THE LEGEND GOES, Is
THE TEARS OF THE HELlADES.

AMBER, so THE LEGEND GOES, Is
THE TEARS OF THE HELiADEs.
The AncfeDts Highly Prized This
Fossil Gum-A Museum of Insects
and F1Owers-Its Virtues and Its
Uses-some of the Prize Lumps.
Few events in history have left a
more lasting impression on the earth
than the disastrous attempt of Phae-
thon to guide the chariot Of the sun.
Driving too near the earth, he set the
mountains on fire, dried up seas, made
Lydia desert and blackensd the faces
OF the Philippians. And mountains are
still burning, dried up seas are testified
by geology, the great African desert
yet exists, the Ethiopian has not been
able to change his skin. As Jack Cade
would say, they ARE alive to this day
to testify It."
And Phaethon's own sad fate is COM
memorated by a monument more last
Ing than brass. For when he was hurl-
ed down to the river Eridanus-the
modern Poly wrathful Jupiter his
sisters, the sun daughters, or Heiiades,
wept bitter tears. And SO the kindly
gods In pity changed them into poplar
trees and their tears into amber.
The tears of the Heliades are pre-
cious indeed to the student Of the life
of the past, for in them are preserved
in the most perfect state insects of
many species Amber is natures en-
balmer. Once buried in its preserving
matrix an organic body is preserved
DEMONSTRATING accidents. Here is one
of natures numerous hints to invent
ors. Even those grand old embalmers,
the Egyptians, could not embalm like
the Heliades with their amber tears.
Within the mass of amber may be
found flies and beetles in the most per-
feet state of preservation.
A student at one of our great univer
stiles once stated, on the authority of
the specimens In the university mu-
scum, that an insect usually had three
or four legs and never more than five.
But the insects In amber have their
proper complement of six. The VEIN
ings of their wings and their delicate
antennae are also beautifully preserv
ed.
Dragon flies pursuing the smaller
winged denizens of the air were them
selves entrapped and preserved for the
inspection of the curious of future
ages; the centiped exercising its many
legs in tree climbing reached the out
yelling tear and stuck fast; the spider
hunting the fly touched the sticky Sc
erection and could not tear itself away.
A veritable museum Of insects and
other small creatures is the the amber
dug out from the rocky strata of the
earth. 1t is also a museum of flowers
Ia preserver Of those delicate parts
Of the plant not often found otherwise
Here are the petals, the stamens, even
the grains Of pollen. Here again, are
the catkins Of several species of oak
and numbers of miscroscopical fungi.
Amber occurs in greatest abundance
along the Baltic coast, especially be-
tween Pillau and Grosz Hubenicken
Some 5000 persons are said to be en-
ployed there In the search for amber,
and in favorable seasons they will
gather from 5000 to 1900 hundred
weight A storm is a great boon to the
amber gatherers, for it washes the am
Der out of the cliffs and strews it along
the shore. In England amber is picked
up along the coasts of Norfolk and Es-
sex.
To the ancients amber was something
of mystery, which enhanced its fasci-
nation. The name of the philosopher
who first observed its electrical prop
erty is not known, but this was de-
scribed by Thales of Miletus. Amber
was known in the time of Homer, for
among the jewels offered by Phoeni-
clan traders to the queen Of SYRIA was
a gold necklace hung with bits of am
Der. In Rome in the time of Pliny it
was Of such repute that this writer
sarcastically observes that the price of
small amber figure, however diminu-
tive, exceeds that of a healthy slave.
But besides its value as an ornament,
personal or otherwise, various peculiar
virtues were attributed to amber. To
quote again that diligent collector of
the corn and chaff of the knowledge of
his time, True it is that a collar of
amber beads worn about the necks of
young infants is singular preserva-
tive to them against secret poison and |
a countercharm for witchcraft and |
sorceries." 1t was also, the same au-
thority Informs us, colored to initiate |
various precious stones.
And it is interesting to note that the |
Turks, who use amber largely as a |
mouthpiece for their pipes, believe that |
it prevents the spread of infection. |
Amber is also highly esteemed from a |
religious point of view by the follow
ers Of Mohammed, and large quantities |
are purchased by the pilgrims bound |
for the holy city of Mecca.
Amber has played its part as civ |
ilizer of the human race, for just as tin |
attracted Carthaginians and Phoeni- |
clans to England and thus advanced |
the social development of the Britons,
so amber drew the ancient traders to
the shores of the Baltic and promoted
the civilization of the tribes dwelling
there. To this are due the numerous
finds of Greek and Roman coins as well |
as of bronze instruments met with |
there. As regards the development of |
the human race, then. the tears of the |
Heliades have not been shed in vain
During the reign of Nero a great am
Der seeking expedition was sent from /
Rome to the shores of the Baltic, even
then renowned for the richness of its
deposits So successful We're the gath |
erers that they carried back to the i'm
perial city 1900 pounds Of amber as
a present 10 the emperor heavy
toll Of tears, but perhaps not uniting
tribute to the emperor who fiddled
while Rome was burning
Among this imperial amber was one
piece weighing thirteen pounds. a very
unusual size. In modern times piec- i
"a same weight was founu, Tor
which 1t is said $1,000 was refused.
Probably the record lump is that In the
royal cabinet at Berlin, which weighs
eighteen pounds.
Such pieces, however. are OF extreme
rarity, and the large size of certain yes