sketches new and old-第25节
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which drank it up； and now there is no more danger； we reserving but a
few drops for experiment and scrutiny； and to exhibit to the king and
subsequently preserve among the wonders of the museum。 What this liquid
is has been determined。 It is without question that fierce and most
destructive fluid called lightning。 It was wrested； in its container；
from its storehouse in the clouds； by the resistless might of the flying
planet； and hurled at our feet as she sped by。 An interesting discovery
here results。 Which is； that lightning； kept to itself； is quiescent； it
is the assaulting contact of the thunderbolt that releases it from
captivity； ignites its awful fires； and so produces an instantaneous
combustion and explosion which spread disaster and desolation far and
wide in the earth。〃
After another day devoted to rest and recovery； the expedition proceeded
upon its way。 Some days later it went into camp in a pleasant part of
the plain； and the savants sallied forth to see what they might find。
Their reward was at hand。 Professor Bull Frog discovered a strange tree；
and called his comrades。 They inspected it with profound interest。 It
was very tall and straight； and wholly devoid of bark； limbs； or foliage。
By triangulation Lord Longlegs determined its altitude； Herr Spider
measured its circumference at the base and computed the circumference at
its top by a mathematical demonstration based upon the warrant furnished
by the uniform degree of its taper upward。 It was considered a very
extraordinary find； and since it was a tree of a hitherto unknown
species； Professor Woodlouse gave it a name of a learned sound； being
none other than that of Professor Bull Frog translated into the ancient
Mastodon language； for it had always been the custom with discoverers to
perpetuate their names and honor themselves by this sort of connection
with their discoveries。
Now Professor Field…Mouse having placed his sensitive ear to the tree；
detected a rich； harmonious sound issuing from it。 This surprising thing
was tested and enjoyed by each scholar in turn； and great was the
gladness and astonishment of all。 Professor Woodlouse was requested to
add to and extend the tree's name so as to make it suggest the musical
quality it possessedwhich he did； furnishing the addition Anthem
Singer； done into the Mastodon tongue。
By this time Professor Snail was making some telescopic inspections。
He discovered a great number of these trees； extending in a single rank；
with wide intervals between； as far as his instrument would carry； both
southward and northward。 He also presently discovered that all these
trees were bound together； near their tops； by fourteen great ropes； one
above another； which ropes were continuous； from tree to tree； as far as
his vision could reach。 This was surprising。 Chief Engineer Spider ran
aloft and soon reported that these ropes were simply a web hung thereby
some colossal member of his own species； for he could see its prey
dangling here and there from the strands； in the shape of mighty shreds
and rags that had a woven look about their texture and were no doubt the
discarded skins of prodigious insects which had been caught and eaten。
And then he ran along one of the ropes to make a closer inspection； but
felt a smart sudden burn on the soles of his feet； accompanied by a
paralyzing shock； wherefore he let go and swung himself to the earth by a
thread of his own spinning； and advised all to hurry at once to camp；
lest the monster should appear and get as much interested in the savants
as they were in him and his works。 So they departed with speed； making
notes about the gigantic web as they went。 And that evening the
naturalist of the expedition built a beautiful model of the colossal
spider； having no need to see it in order to do this； because he had
picked up a fragment of its vertebra by the tree； and so knew exactly
what the creature looked like and what its habits and its preferences
were by this simple evidence alone。 He built it with a tail； teeth；
fourteen legs； and a snout； and said it ate grass； cattle； pebbles； and
dirt with equal enthusiasm。 This animal was regarded as a very precious
addition to science。 It was hoped a dead one might be found to stuff。
Professor Woodlouse thought that he and his brother scholars； by lying
hid and being quiet； might maybe catch a live one。 He was advised to try
it。 Which was all the attention that was paid to his suggestion。 The
conference ended with the naming the monster after the naturalist； since
he； after God； had created it。
〃And improved it； mayhap；〃 muttered the Tumble…Bug； who was intruding
again； according to his idle custom and his unappeasable curiosity。
END OF PART FIRST
SOME LEARNED FABLES FOR GOOD OLD BOYS AND GIRLS
PART SECOND
HOW THE ANIMALS OF THE WOOD COMPLETED THEIR SCIENTIFIC LABORS
A week later the expedition camped in the midst of a collection of
wonderful curiosities。 These were a sort of vast caverns of stone that
rose singly and in bunches out of the plain by the side of the river
which they had first seen when they emerged from the forest。 These
caverns stood in long； straight rows on opposite sides of broad aisles
that were bordered with single ranks of trees。 The summit of each cavern
sloped sharply both ways。 Several horizontal rows of great square holes；
obstructed by a thin； shiny； transparent substance； pierced the frontage
of each cavern。 Inside were caverns within caverns； and one might ascend
and visit these minor compartments by means of curious winding ways
consisting of continuous regular terraces raised one above another。
There were many huge； shapeless objects in each compartment which were
considered to have been living creatures at one time； though now the thin
brown skin was shrunken and loose； and rattled when disturbed。 Spiders
were here in great number； and their cobwebs； stretched in all directions
and wreathing the great skinny dead together； were a pleasant spectacle；
since they inspired with life and wholesome cheer a scene which would
otherwise have brought to the mind only a sense of forsakenness and
desolation。 Information was sought of these spiders； but in vain。 They
were of a different nationality from those with the expedition； and their
language seemed but a musical； meaningless jargon。 They were a timid；
gentle race； but ignorant； and heathenish worshipers of unknown gods。
The expedition detailed a great detachment of missionaries to teach them
the true religion； and in a week's time a precious work had been wrought
among those darkened creatures； not three families being by that time at
peace with each other or having a settled belief in any system of
religion whatever。 This encouraged the expedition to establish a colony
of missionaries there permanently； that the work of grace might go on。
But let us not outrun our narrative。 After close examination of the
fronts of the caverns； and much thinking and exchanging of theories； the
scientists determined the nature of these singular formations。 They said
that each belonged mainly to the Old Red Sandstone period； that the
cavern fronts rose in innumerable and wonderfully regular strata high in
the air； each stratum about five frog…spans thick； and that in the
present discovery lay an overpowering refutation of all received geology；
for between every two layers of Old Red Sandstone reposed a thin layer of
decomposed limestone； so instead of there having been but one Old Red
Sandstone period there had certainly been not less than a hundred and
seventy…five！ And by the same token it was plain that there had also
been a hundred and seventy…five floodings of the earth and depositings of
limestone strata！ The unavoidable deduction from which pair of facts was
the overwhelming truth that the world； instead of being only two hundred
thousand years old； was older by millions upon millions of years！ And
there was another curious thing： every stratum of Old Red Sandstone was
pierced and divided at mathematically regular intervals by vertical
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
b
