| Show I 1 THE PETRIFIED CITY fables fable ot of to towns tons ns in which was turned tamed to stone 1 among cities of fable the petrified variety was interesting we live hire it in most parts of this world our prosale prosaic islands knew it but as a submarine curiosity in the days when london enjoyed the presence of an ambassador from tripoli that personage astonished tile the royal etoyal society once at least the famous traveler dr shaw had amen mea tinned d the story of a petrified iril village lage near cyrene scientific derided it scientific people upheld it ih short a discussion arose some members of the royal society recollecting that there were grave and aha lb stants of tripoli within reach tut tho the question on before the ambassador he explained with a vengeance on of his friends a person of ol course ehde honor could not be impugned imp signed was well acquainted quain ted with the spot shaw madea a great mistake in describing it a as s a village city was the proper word wora the walls an exact circle numerous streets crossed at right angles with shops and avenues of trees and a 9 nobl castle stood in the midst in the shop and streets were people variously employed the gentleman noticed in ess especial af pf a baker and his cu customers loaves air in hand a woman suckling her baby etc lie he entered the castle and found i a king or somebody of rank lyer lying on L ft a gorgeous bed with w ith guards about him animals abounded s such uc h as donley donkeys donl don keyl ey cam els oxen sheep birds but everything was stone of a peculiar bluish tint even the money lying on shop counters and in peoples hands witness brought a quantity away and the ambassador regretted that he could not find some pieces presented to at the moment A description was forthcoming however the coins were as larie large as english shillings with a horses head or on ono one side and writing in unknown characters on the other A happy chappy little touch represented that many of ures tres had lost head or limbs c eions will not endure forever of course the royal society expressed caira warm gratitude for this communication it is scarcely worth while to se see fethe the origin g in of a fable which is sufficient sufficiently li explained by the vagaries of imagination 1 i that it was localized at cyrene a among in 0 ng countless other spot may be dee de to the presence of a large ard and well pre served necropolis there with many statues erect in shaws time if not now he himself made a long and perilous journey to harnam in numidia Nu midia where I 1 as the arabs avouched avouch ed a Pled bedouin encampment camp ment was on view surrounded by oxen and sheep all turned to stone in this instance no shadow of foundation for the legend could be found but it was C so 0 widely diffused in those days that rumors of the marvel reached the court of prance and M U ie maire alaert Al e consul or at tripoli received instructions fa inquire he employed some ja janissaries nis who even undertook to briny bring away a petrified bedouin but they pointed out very reasonably that a full grown specimen would be too heavy the consul declared that a baby would satisfy him to begin with at any rate after many months during which his interest was kept up by frequent drafts for expenses the janissaries is returned and sure enough they had a stone baby a vry very pretty one too for it proved afterwards to ie be a little statue of cupid found among the ruins of leptis they hid had broken off the wings and quiver bruce also was wa tempted to visit this spot called sem and capt smyth of her maje ship adventure went in search of it but in another direction the sultan of told him a story much like the ambassadors and he traveled Q full of hope bope nine days through a desert mun country in this case however there were re really ally bu and bas of men a and 1 d animals it if not statues london landol |
