sketches new and old-第29章
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strata of limestone。 Up…shootings of igneous rock through fractures in
water formations were common； but here was the first instance where
water…formed rock had been so projected。 It was a great and noble
discovery； and its value to science was considered to be inestimable。
A critical examination of some of the lower strata demonstrated the
presence of fossil ants and tumble…bugs （the latter accompanied by their
peculiar goods）； and with high gratification the fact was enrolled upon
the scientific record； for this was proof that these vulgar laborers
belonged to the first and lowest orders of created beings； though at the
same time there was something repulsive in the reflection that the
perfect and exquisite creature of the modern uppermost order owed its
origin to such ignominious beings through the mysterious law of
Development of Species。
The Tumble…Bug； overhearing this discussion； said he was willing that the
parvenus of these new times should find what comfort they might in their
wise…drawn theories； since as far as he was concerned he was content to
be of the old first families and proud to point back to his place among
the old original aristocracy of the land。
〃Enjoy your mushroom dignity； stinking of the varnish of yesterday's
veneering； since you like it；〃 said he； 〃suffice it for the Tumble…Bugs
that they come of a race that rolled their fragrant spheres down the
solemn aisles of antiquity； and left their imperishable works embalmed in
the Old Red Sandstone to proclaim it to the wasting centuries as they
file along the highway of Time！〃
〃Oh； take a walk！〃 said the chief of the eKpedition； with derision。
The summer passed； and winter approached。 In and about many of the
caverns were what seemed to be inscriptions。 Most of the scientists said
they were inscriptions； a few said they were not。 The chief philologist；
Professor Woodlouse； maintained that they were writings； done in a
character utterly unknown to scholars； and in a language equally unknown。
He had early ordered his artists and draftsmen to make facsimiles of all
that were discovered； and had set himself about finding the key to the
hidden tongue。 In this work he had followed the method which had always
been used by decipherers previously。 That is to say； he placed a number
of copies of inscriptions before him and studied them both collectively
and in detail。 To begin with； he placed the following copies together：
THE AMERICAN HOTEL。 MEALS AT ALL HOURS。
THE SHADES。 NO SMOKING。
BOATS FOR HIRE CHEAP UNION PRAYER MEETING； 6 P。M。
BILLIARDS。 THE WATERSIDE JOURNAL。
THE A1 BARBER SHOP。 TELEGRAPH OFFICE。
KEEP OFF THE GRASS。 TRY BRANDRETH'S PILLS。
COTTAGES FOR RENT DURING THE WATERING SEASON。
FOR SALE CHEAP。 FOR SALE CHEAP。
FOR SALE CHEAP。 FOR SALE CHEAP。
At first it seemed to the professor that this was a sign…language； and
that each word was represented by a distinct sign； further examination
convinced him that it was a written language； and that every letter of
its alphabet was represented by a character of its own； and finally he
decided that it was a language which conveyed itself partly by letters；
and partly by signs or hieroglyphics。 This conclusion was forced upon
him by the discovery of several specimens of the following nature：
He observed that certain inscriptions were met with in greater frequency
than others。 Such as 〃FOR SALE CHEAP〃； 〃BILLIARDS〃； 〃S。 T。1860X〃；
〃KENO〃； 〃ALE ON DRAUGHT。〃 Naturally； then； these must be religious
maxims。 But this idea was cast aside by and by； as the mystery of the
strange alphabet began to clear itself。 In time； the professor was
enabled to translate several of the inscriptions with considerable
plausibility； though not to the perfect satisfaction of all the scholars。
Still； he made constant and encouraging progress。
Finally a cavern was discovered with these inscriptions upon it：
WATERSIDE MUSEUM。
Open at All Hours。
Admission 50 cents。
WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF
WAX…WORKS； ANCIENT FOSSILS；
ETC。
Professor Woodlouse affirmed that the word 〃Museum〃 was equivalent to the
phrase 〃lumgath molo；〃 or 〃Burial Place。〃 Upon entering； the scientists
were well astonished。 But what they saw may be best conveyed in the
language of their own official report：
〃Erect； in a row； were a sort of rigid great figures which struck us
instantly as belonging to the long extinct species of reptile called MAN；
described in our ancient records。 This was a peculiarly gratifying
discovery； because of late times it has become fashionable to regard this
creature as a myth and a superstition； a work of the inventive
imaginations of our remote ancestors。 But here； indeed； was Man；
perfectly preserved； in a fossil state。 And this was his burial place；
as already ascertained by the inscription。 And now it began to be
suspected that the caverns we had been inspecting had been his ancient
haunts in that old time that he roamed the earthfor upon the breast of
each of these tall fossils was an inscription in the character heretofore
noticed。 One read； 'CAPTAIN KIDD THE PIRATE'； another； 'QUEEN VICTORIA'；
another； 'ABE LINCOLN'； another； 'GEORGE WASHINGTON；' etc。
〃With feverish interest we called for our ancient scientific records to
discover if perchance the description of Man there set down would tally
with the fossils before us。 Professor Woodlouse read it aloud in its
quaint and musty phraseology； to wit：
〃'In ye time of our fathers Man still walked ye earth； as by tradition we
know。 It was a creature of exceeding great size； being compassed about
with a loose skin； sometimes of one color； sometimes of many； the which
it was able to cast at will； which being done； the hind legs were
discovered to be armed with short claws like to a mole's but broader； and
ye forelegs with fingers of a curious slimness and a length much more
prodigious than a frog's； armed also with broad talons for scratching in
ye earth for its food。 It had a sort of feathers upon its head such as
hath a rat； but longer； and a beak suitable for seeking its food by ye
smell thereof。 When it was stirred with happiness； it leaked water from
its eyes； and when it suffered or was sad； it manifested it with a
horrible hellish cackling clamor that was exceeding dreadful to hear and
made one long that it might rend itself and perish； and so end its
troubles。 Two Mans being together； they uttered noises at each other
like this： 〃Haw…haw…hawdam good； dam good；〃 together with other sounds
of more or less likeness to these； wherefore ye poets conceived that they
talked； but poets be always ready to catch at any frantic folly； God he
knows。 Sometimes this creature goeth about with a long stick ye which it
putteth to its face and bloweth fire and smoke through ye same with a
sudden and most damnable bruit and noise that doth fright its prey to
death； and so seizeth it in its talons and walketh away to its habitat；
consumed with a most fierce and devilish joy。'
〃Now was the description set forth by our ancestors wonderfully indorsed
and confirmed by the fossils before us； as shall be seen。 The specimen
marked 'Captain Kidd' was examined in detail。 Upon its head and part of
its face was a sort of fur like that upon the tail of a horse。 With
great labor its loose skin was removed； whereupon its body was discovered
to be of a polished white texture； thoroughly petrified。 The straw it
had eaten； so many ages gone by； was still in its body； undigestedand
even in its legs。
〃Surrounding these fossils were objects that would mean nothing to the
ignorant； but to the eye of science they were a revelation。 They laid
bare the secrets of dead ages。 These musty Memorials told us when Man
lived； and what were his habits。 For here； side by side with Man； were
the evidences that he had lived in the earliest ages of creation； the
companion of the other low orders of life that belonge
