Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-11-10

-
London a few days ago, and
now lies in II back yard OF the palace
OF Kensington. II was the wreck OF
an old boat. with timbers blackened
and rotted In the deep mud where SO
many secrets OF the past lie buried
beneath this modern London OF ours.
Other relics OF the past have been
found there, including skull and
some bones. and In the Illustration the
modern civil engineer is thus shown
as grave digger.
Digging down for the foundations
of the new county hall at Westmtn-
ster. workmen had struck their spad es
against the ribs Of that old boat skel-
eton. and then had revealed its shape
and size. II was a Roman galley.
built OF oak that grew In Gaul when
Pan was worshlped In the woods. two
thousand years ago. The timbers were
hoisted on to trolley. and working
men who had escaped. or recovered,
from the strike fever drove their load
through the streets of London, and
then through Kensington Gardens.
What have you got there. mates?"
was shouted by soldier encamped In
the gardens after strike duty. and the
answer came back. "A Roman barge,
BIN. Friends. Romans, countrymen-
what's that we used to learnY"
A Roman boat A queer kind OF
craft TO be dragged through London
so queer that II we may believe the
reporters. soldier OF the Army Ser
vice corps had n strange thrill down
HIS spine ga though the ghost OF some
old general were passing Perhaps he
had read something about the Roman |
legions. lie pulled himself up and
seluted the old timbers as they were |
drawn past.
That Is a good story. should like |
TO have seen that British soldier salut- /
Ing the wreck OF the Roman galley. IL
was a salute across the ages. from I'M
perial London to imperial Rome. from
! soldier of King George to Caesars
egicns. It would not have been ridicu-
Gus II the last voyage OF that boat
lad been made into pageant. with
soldiers guarding the line OF route.
arms. and playing solemn
march music. as tho relic went by. for
iere In those blackened timbers Is
he cradle OF English history. and
'ach plank OF them Is a bridge across
Which we may pass from London OF
his twentieth century To Londinium
which WAS built upon the Thames
ank by the men who came in this
Id craft. not only with swords TO kill
ut With the wisdom and the virtues
[ an imperial race. and with the law
hitch they gave to their conquered
copies,
Who shall sing the song OF that
oat7 Who shall tell her taller Our
only may go voyaging 10
er upon the sea OF adventure since
lat day when strong brown hands ran
or down upon the beach below cliff
Gaul. and Roman soldiers. leaping 2
/. rowed her across the dancing
ayes or through the thick gray mist I
this island. almost all the world {
way as Virgil wrote. Who shall
" that these very timbers did not I
-" NeAt "a e"a' nVtt VI eiSntT kai-
" In which julius Caesar came to (
ritain torty.fiye years before the {
rsh Of Christi Perhaps Caesar him 4
II sat In the stern OF his boat. star.
K In his grim. silent way. with y
Iwk's eyes 81 the unknown land y
hose white ciiffs rose up before him 5
the long oars swept the water. ?
pen the shore thai day the British a
'ieftains stood with their warriors y
ID priests. ready TO defend their Il
nd against these strange invaders. G
no raised their flashing swords. The u
onsan soldiers rested on their oars. "
raid 70 land In the face OF such a Of
rong foe la one OF the hoats--was Il
Is tke boats standard bearer