The History ofSymmes’ Hole. 
The famous theory ofSymmes’ Hole, which 
excited so much curiosity and attention in its day. 
had its origin in a very singular and trivial cir¬ 
cumstance, which we believe has never been 
made known and is worthy of relation. 
Something more than a century ago a French 
consul at Cairo amused himself, during his leis¬ 
ure hours, in the composition of a quizzical, half 
philosophical, satire on scientific schemes, pub¬ 
lished, in 1720, under the title of Telliamed, 
which is formed by transposing the letters of the 
author’s name. This book purported to be the 
record of the conversations of an Indian philos¬ 
opher who discussed and propounded various the¬ 
ories of cosmogony, the character of mermaids, 
the marine origin of the human race, and among 
other things broached the celebrated theory that 
the earth was hollow, and that ships might sail 
into the cavity at the poles. Some thirty years 
ao-o Henry Meigs, Esq., obtained possession of a 
copy of this work, (the only one, it is believed, 
ever in this country,) and read it to his friend, 
the celebrated Dr. Mitchell, who being some 
time afterwards, about 1817, in Washington, re¬ 
lated, for the amusement of the company, the 
theory of De Maillei. In the company was a 
southern gentleman, of middle age and ardent 
temperament, who had been known to the world 
only as having been a captain in the army, raised 
bv John Adams in 1798 for the anticipated wat 
with France. This gentleman was John Cl eves 
Symmes. He took the joke in eat nest, believ^ 
the theory, advocated it with much ardor , and 
petitioned Congress for an appropriation to fit 
out an expedition to the North Pole, for the is^ 
covery of what was then termed ‘Symmes’ Hole. 
One of the most distinguished disciples, I> - 
Reynolds, afterwards the author of a book giv¬ 
ing an account of his voyage round the wot . 
gave lectures in various places in the Jjnion on 
the subject, and succeeded so far as to induce 
forty members of the Pennsylvania Legislature 
to vote for resolutions recommending Congress 
to make the asked for appropriation. The theo¬ 
ry had its day, and soon after Symmes expired 
also. 
