The story of the Sun, New York: 1833-1928 / by Frank M. O'Brien ; with an introduction by Edward Page Mitchell ...

50

THE STORY OF "THE SUN"

was satisfied at last. The astronomers, according to this
scholarly narrative, were looking upon cliffs and crags of
a new part of the moon:
But whilst gazing upon them in a perspective of
about half a mile we were thrilled with astonishment
to perceive four successive flocks of large winged(
creatures, wholly unlike any kind of birds, descend
with a slow, even motion from the cliffs on the western side and alight upon the plain. They were first
noticed by Dr. Herschel, who exclaimed:
"Now, gentlemen, my theories against your proofs,
which you have often found a pretty even bet, we
have here something worth looking at. I was conifident that if ever we found beings in human shape it
would be in this longitude, and that they would be
provided by their Creator with some extraordinary
powers of locomotion. First, exchange for my Number D."
This lens, being soon introduced, gave us a fine
half-mile distance; and we counted three parties of
these creatures, of twelve, nine, and fifteen in each,
walking erect toward a small wood near the base of
the eastern precipices. Certainly they were like
human beings, for their wings had now disappeared,
and their attitude in walking was both erect and
dignified.
Having observed them at this distance for some
minutes, we introduced lens H.z., which brought
them to the apparent proximity of eighty yards-the
highest clear magnitut(l we possessesse until the latter
end of March, when we effected anl iml)rovement in
the gas burners.
About half of the first party had passed beyond
our canvas; but of all the others we had a perfectly