CHAPTER II 



IN the autumn of 1883, and for years afterward, occurred bril- 

 liant-colored sunsets, such as had never been seen before, within 

 the memory of all observers. Also there were blue moons. 



I think that one is likely to smile incredulously at the notion of 

 blue moons. Nevertheless they were as common as were green suns 

 in 1883. 



Science had to account for these unconventionalities. Such pub- 

 lications as Nature and Knowledge were besieged with inquiries. 



I suppose, in Alaska and in the South Sea Islands, all the medi- 

 cine men were similarly upon trial. 



Something had to be thought of. 



Upon the 28th of August, 1883, the volcano of Krakatoa, of the 

 Straits of Sunda, had blown up. 



Terrific. 



We're told that the sound was heard 2,000 miles, and that 36,3^0 

 persons were killed. Seems just a little unscientific, or impositive, 

 to me: marvel to me we're not told 2,163 miles and 36,387 persons. 

 The volume of smoke that went up must have been visible to other 

 planets or, tormented with our crawlings and scurryings, the earth 

 complained to Mars; swore a vast black oath at us. 



In all text-books that mention this occurrence no exception so 

 far as I have read it is said that the extraordinary atmospheric 

 effects of 1883 were first noticed in the last of August or the first 

 of September. 



That makes a difficulty for us. 



It is said that these phenomena were caused by particles of vol- 

 canic dust that were cast high in the air by Krakatoa. 



This is the explanation that was agreed upon in 1883 



But for seven years the atmospheric phenomena continued 



Except that, in the seven, there was a lapse of several years 

 and where was the volcanic dust all that time? 



You'd think that such a question as that would make trouble? 



Then you haven't studied hypnosis. You have never tried to 

 demonstrate to a hypnotic that a table is not a hippopotamus. 



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