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BOOK OF THE DAMNED
By Charles Fort
CHAPTER: 01,
02, 03,
04, 05,
06, 07,
08, 09,
10, 11,
12, 13,
14, 15, 16,
17, 18,
19, 20,
21,
22, 23,
24, 25,
26, 27,
28
Knowledge, Dec. 28, 1883:
"SEEING so many meteorological phenomena in your
excellent paper, Knowledge, I am tempted to ask for an explanation of
the following, which I saw when on board the British India Company's steamer Patna
while on a voyage up the Persian Gulf. In May, 1880, on a dark night, about
11:30 p. m., there suddenly appeared on each side of the ship an enormous
luminous wheel whirling round, the spokes of which seemed to brush the ship
along. The spokes would be 200 or 300 yards long, and resembled the birch rods
of the dames' schools. Each wheel contained about sixteen spokes and, although
the wheels must have been some 500 or 600 yards in diameter, the spokes could be
distinctly seen all the way round. The phosphorescent gleam seemed to glide
along flat on the surface of the sea, no light being visible in the air above
the water. The appearance of the spokes could be almost exactly represented by
standing in a boat and flashing a bull's-eye lantern horizontally along the
surface of the water, round and round. I may mention that the phenomenon was
also seen by Captain Avern, commander of the Patna, and Mr. Manning,
third officer.
"Lee Fore Brace.
"P.S. -- The wheels advanced along with the ship for
about twenty minutes. -- L. F. B."
Knowledge, Jan. 11, 1884:
Letter from "A. Mc. D.":
That "Lee Fore Brace," "who sees 'so many
meteorological phenomena in your excellent paper,' should have signed himself
'The Modern Ezekiel,' for his vision of wheels is quite as wonderful as the
prophet's." The writer then takes up the measurements that were given, and
calculates the velocity at the circumference of a wheel, of about 166 yards per
second, apparently considering that especially incredible. He then says:
"From the nom de plume he assumes, it might be inferred that your
correspondent is in the habit of 'sailing close to the wind.'" He asks
permission to suggest an explanation of his own. It is that before 11:30 p. m.
there had been numerous accidents to the "main brace," and that it had
required splicing so often that almost any ray of light would have taken on a
rotary motion.
In Knowledge, Jan. 25, 1884, Mr. "Brace"
answers and signs himself "J. W. Robertson":
"I don't suppose 'A. Mc. D.' means any harm, but I do
think it's rather unjust to say a man is drunk because he sees something out of
the common. If there's one thing I pride myself upon, it's being able to say
that never in my life have I indulged in anything stronger than water."
From this curiosity of pride, he goes on to say that he had not intended to be
exact, but to give his impressions of dimensions and velocity. He ends amiably:
"However, 'no offence taken, where I suppose none is meant.'"
To this letter Mr. Proctor adds a note, apologizing for the
publication of "A. Mc. D's." letter, which had come about by a
misunderstood instruction. Then Mr. Proctor wrote dis |
