424 A Century of Science 



Half a century later the son published a pam- 

 phlet, 1 in which he gave a somewhat detailed 

 exposition of his father's notions. From this we 

 learn that the interior world is well lighted ; for 

 the sun's rays, passing through " the dense cold air 

 of the verges " (that is, the circular edge of the 

 big polar hole), are powerfully refracted, and after 

 getting inside they are forthwith reflected from one 

 concave surface to another, with the result that 

 the whole interior is illuminated with a light equal 

 to 3600 times that of the full moon. We learn, 

 too, that the famous Swedish geographer, Norpens- 

 jould (semper sic /), after passing the magnetic 

 pole, found a timbered country with large rivers 

 and abundant animal life. Afterward one Cap- 

 tain Wiggins visited this country, where he found 

 flax and wheat, highly magnetic iron ore, and rich 

 mines of copper and gold. The trees are as big 

 as any in California; hides, wool, tallow, ivory, 

 and furs abound. The inhabitants are very tall, 

 with Roman noses, and speak Hebrew. Yes, 

 echoes Captain Tuttle, an old whaler, who also has 

 visited this new country, they speak Hebrew, and 

 are a smart people. " Would it not be logical," 

 writes Americus. " to think that this was one of 



1 The Theory of Concentric Spheres, Louisville, 1878 ; second 

 edition, 1885. 



