New Lands

by Charles Fort

  There is an interesting merging here of the findable and the unfindable. I suppose that no one will suppose that someone threw a bomb at these men. But enough substance was found to exclude the notion of “lightning from a clear sky.” Something of a meteoritic nature seems excluded.

  28

  Out from a round, red planet, a little white shaft—a fairy’s arrow shot into an apple. June 10, 1892—a light like a little searchlight, projecting from the limb of Mars. Upon July 11 and 13, it was seen again, by Campbell and Hussey (Nature, 50-500).

  Aug. 3, 1892—climacteric opposition of Mars.

  Upon Aug. 12, 1892, flashes were seen by many persons, in the sky of England. See Eng. Mec., vol. 56. At Manchester, so like signals were they, or so unlike anything commonly known as “auroral” were they, that Albert Buss mistook them for flashes from a lighthouse. They were seen at Dewsbury; described by a correspondent to the English Mechanic, who wrote: “I have never seen such an appearance of an aurora.” “Rapid flashes” reported from Loughborough.

  ###

  A shining triangle in a dark circle.

  In L’Astronomie, 1888-75, Dr. Kleem publishes an account of de Speissen’s observation of Nov. 23, 1887—a luminous triangle on the floor of Plato. Dr. Klein says it was an effect of sunlight.

  In this period, there were in cities of the United States, some of the most astonishing effects at night, in the history of this earth. If Rigel should run for the Presidency of Orion, and if the stars in the great nebula should start to march, there would be a spectacle like those that Grover Cleveland called forth in the United States, in this period.

  So then—at least conceivably—something similar upon the moon. Flakes of light moving toward Plato, this night of Nov. 23, 1887, from all the other craters of the moon; a blizzard of shining points gathering into light drifts in Plato; then the denizens of Aristarchus and of Kepler, and dwellers from the lunar Alps, each raising his torch, marching upon a triangular path, making the triangle shine in the dark—conceivably. Other formations have been seen in Plato, but, according to my records, this symbol that shone in the dark had never been seen before, arid has not been seen since.

  About two years later—a demonstration of a more exclusive kind—assemblage of all the undertakers of the moon. They stood in a circular formation, surrounded by virgins in their nightgowns—and in nightgowns as nightgowns should be. An appearance in Plinius, Sept. 13, 1889, was reported by Prof. Thury of Geneva—a black spot with an “intensely white” border.

  March 30, 1889—a black spot that was seen for the first time, by Gaudibert, near the center of Copernicus (L’Astro., 1890-235). May 11, 1889—an object as black as ink upon a rampart of Gassendi (L’Astro., 1889-275). It had never been reported before; at the time of the next lunation, it was not seen again. March 30, 1889—a new black spot in Plinius (L’Astro., 1890-187).

  The star-like light of Aristarchus—it is a long time since latest preceding appearance (May 7, 1867). Then it cannot be attributed to commonplace lunar circumstances. The light was seen Nov. 7, 1891, by M. d’Adjuda, of the Observatory of Lisbon—“a very distinct, luminous point” (L’Astro., 11-33).

  Upon April 1, 1893, a shaft of light was seen projecting from the moon, by M. de Morales, in the Azores. A similar appearance was seen, Sept. 25, 1893, at Paris, by M. Gaboreau (L’Astro., 13-34).

  ###

  Another association like that of 1884—in the English Mechanic, 55-310, a correspondent writes that, upon May 6, 1892, he saw a shining point (not polar) upon Venus. Upon the 13th of August, 1892, the same object—conceivably—was seen at a short distance from Venus—an unknown, luminous object, like a star of the seventh magnitude that was seen close to Venus, by Prof. Barnard (Ast. Nach., no. 4106).

  Upon Aug. 24, 1895, period of primary maximum brilliance of Venus, a luminous object, it is said, was seen in the sky, in daytime, by someone in Donegal, Ireland. Upon this day, according to the Scientific American, 73-374, a boy, Robert Alcorn, saw a large luminous object falling from the sky. It exploded near him. The boy’s experience was like Smith Morehouse’s. He put his hands over his face: there was a second explosion, shattering his fingers. According to Prof. George M. Minchin no substance of the object that had exploded could be found. Whether there be relation or not, something was seen in the sky of England a week later. In the London Times, Sept. 4, 1895, Dr. J.A.H. Murray writes that, at Oxford, a few minutes before 8 p.m., Aug. 31, 1895, he saw in the sky a luminous object, considerably larger than Venus at greater brilliance, emerge from behind tree tops, and sail slowly eastward. It moved as if driven in a strong wind, and disappeared behind other trees. “The fact that it so perceptibly grew fainter as it receded seems to imply that it was not at a great elevation, and so favors a terrestrial origin, though I am unable to conceive how anything artificial could have presented the same appearance.” In the Times, of the 6th, someone who had read Dr. Murray’s letter says that, about the same time, same evening, he, in London, had seen the same object moving eastward so slowly that he had thought it might be a fire balloon from a neighboring park. Another correspondent, who had not read Dr. Murray’s letter, his own dated September 3, writes from a place not stated that about 8:20 p.m., August 31, he had seen a star-like object, moving eastward, remaining in sight four or five minutes. Then someone who, about 8 p.m., same evening, while driving to the Scarborough station, had seen “a large shooting star,” astonishing him, because of its leisurely rate, so different from the velocity of the ordinary “shooting star.” There are two other accounts of objects that were seen in the sky, at Bath and at Ramsgate, but not about this time, and I have looked them up in local newspapers, finding that they were probably meteors.

  In the Oxford Times, September 7, Dr. Murray’s letter to the London Times is reprinted, with this comment—“We would suggest to the learned doctor that the supposed meteor was one of the fire balloons let off with the allotments show.”

  Let it be that when allotments are shown, balloons are always sent up, and that this Editor did not merely have a notion to this effect. Our data are concerned with an object that was seen, at about the same time, at Oxford, about fifty miles southeast of Oxford, and about 170 miles northeast of Oxford, with a fourth observation that we cannot place.

  And, in broader terms, our data are concerned with a general expression that objects like ships have been seen to sail close to this earth at times when the planet Venus is nearest this earth. Sept. 18, 1895—inferior conjunction of Venus.

  Still in the same period, there were, in London, two occurrences perhaps like that at Donegal. London Morning Post, Nov. 16, 1895—that, at noon, November 15, an “alarming explosion” occurred somewhere near Fenchurch Street, London. No damage was done; no trace could be found of anything that had exploded. An hour later, near the Mansion House, which is not far from Fenchurch Street, occurred a still more violent explosion. The streets filled with persons who had run from buildings, and there was investigation, but not a trace could be found of anything that had exploded. It is said that somebody saw “something falling.” However, the deadly explainers, usually astronomers, but this time policemen, haunt or arrest us. In the Daily News, though it is not said that a trace of anything that had exploded had been found, it is said that the explanation by the police was that somebody had mischievously placed in the streets fog signals, which had been exploded by passing vehicles.

  Observation by Müller, of Nymegen, Holland—an unknown luminous object that, about three weeks later, was seen near Venus (Monthly Notices, R.A.S., 52-276).

  Upon the 28th of April, 1897, Venus was in inferior conjunction. In Popular Astronomy, 5-55, it is said that many persons had written to the Editor, telling of “airships” that had been seen, about this time. The Editor writes that some of the observations were probably upon the planet Venus, but that others probably related to toy balloons, “which were provided with various colored lights.”

  The first group of our data, I take
from dispatches to the New York Sun, April 2, 11, 16, 18. First of April—“the mysterious light” in the sky of Kansas City—something like a powerful searchlight. “It was directed toward the earth, traveling east at a rate of sixty miles an hour.” About a week later, something was seen in Chicago. “Chicago’s alleged airship is believed to be a myth, in spite of the fact that a great many persons say that they have seen the mysterious night-wanderer. A crowd gazed at strange sights, from the top of a downtown skyscraper, and Evanston students declare they saw the “swaying red and green lights.” April 16—reported from Benton, Texas, but this time as a dark object that passed across the moon. Reports from other towns in Texas: Fort Worth, Dallas, Marshall, Ennis, and Beaumont—”It was shaped like a Mexican cigar, large in the middle, and small at both ends, with great wings, resembling those of an enormous butterfly. It was brilliantly illuminated by the rays of two great searchlights, and was sailing in a southeasterly direction, with the velocity of the wind, presenting a magnificent appearance.”

  New York Herald, April 11—that, at Chicago, night of April 9-10, “until two o’clock in the morning, thousands of amazed spectators declared that the lights seen in the northwest were those of an airship, or some floating object, miles above the earth . . . Some declare they saw two cigar-shaped objects and great wings.” It is said that a white light, a red light, and a green light had been seen.

  There does seem to be an association between this object and the planet Venus, which upon this night was less than three weeks from nearest approach to this earth. Nevertheless this object could not have been Venus, which had set hours earlier. Prof. Hough, of the Northwestern University, is quoted—that the people had mistaken the star Alpha Ononis for an airship. Prof. Hough explains that astronomeric effects may have given a changing red and green appearance to this star. Alpha Orionis as a northern star is some more astronomy by the astronomers who teach astronomy daytimes and then relax when night comes. That atmospheric conditions could pick out this one star and not affect other brilliant stars in Orion is more astronomy. At any rate the standardized explanation that the thing was Venus disappears.

  There were other explainers—someone who said that he knew of an airship (terrestrial one) that had sailed from San Francisco, and had reached Chicago.

  Herald, April 12—said that the object had been photographed in Chicago: “a cigar-shaped, silken bag,” with a framework—other explanations and identifications, not one of them applying to this object, if it be accepted that it was seen in places as far apart as Illinois and Texas. It is said that, upon March 29th, the thing had been seen in Omaha, as a bright light sailing to the northwest, and that, for a few moments, upon the following night, it had been seen in Denver. It is said that, upon the night of the 9th, despatches had bombarded the newspaper offices of Chicago, from many places in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

  “Prof. George Hough maintains that the object seen is Alpha Orionis”

  April 14—story, veritable observation, yarn, hoax—despatch from Carlensville, Ill.—that upon the afternoon of the 10th, the airship had alighted upon a farm, but had sailed away when approached—“cigar-shaped, with wings, and a canopy on top.”

  April 15—shower of telegrams—development of jokers and explainers—thing identified as an airship invented by someone in Dodge City, Kansas; identified as an airship invented by someone in Brule, Wisconsin—stories of letters found on farms, purporting to have been dropped by the unknown aëronauts (terrestrial ones)—jokers in various towns, sending up balloons with lights attached—one laborious joker who rigged up something that looked like an airship and put it in a vacant lot and told that it had fallen there—yarn or observation, upon a “queer-looking boat” that had been seen to rise from the water in Lake Erie—continued reports upon a moving object in the sky, and its red and green lights.

  Against such an alliance as this, between the jokers and the astronomers, I see small chance for our data. The chance is in the future. If, in April, 1897, extra-mundane voyagers did visit this earth, likely enough they will visit again, and then the alliance against the data may be guarded against.

  New York Herald, April 20—that, upon the 19th, about 9 p.m., at Sistersville, W.Va., a luminous object had approached the town from the northwest, flashing brilliant red, white, and green lights.

  “An examination with strong glasses left an impression of a huge cone-shaped arrangement 180 feet long, with large fins on either side.”

  My own general impression:

  Night of Oct. 12, 1492—if I have that right. Some night in October, 1492, and savages upon an island-beach are gazing out at lights that they had never seen before. The indications are that voyagers from some other world are nearby. But the wise men explain. One of the most nearly sure expressions in this book is upon how they explain. They explain in terms of the familiar. For instance, after all that is spiritual in a fish passes away, the rest of him begins to shine nights. So there are three big, old, dead things out in the water—

  29

  There have been published several observations upon a signal-like regularity of the Barisal Guns, which, because unaccompanied by phenomena that could be considered seismic, may have been detonations in the sky, and which, because, according to some hearers, they seemed to come from the sky, may have come from some region stationary in the local sky of Barisal. In Nature, 61-127, appears a report by Henry S. Schurr, who investigated the sounds in the years 1890-91:

  “These Guns are always heard in triplets, i.e., three guns are always heard, one after the other, at regular intervals, and, though several guns may be heard, the number is always three or a multiple of three. Then the interval between the three is always constant, i.e., the interval between the first and the second is the same as the interval between the second and the third, and this interval is usually three seconds, though I have heard it up to ten seconds. The interval, however, between the triplets varies, and varies largely, from a few seconds up to hours and days. Sometimes only one series of triplets is heard in a day; at others the triplets follow with great regularity, and I have counted as many as forty-five of them, one after the other, without pause.”

  In vols. 16 and 17, Ciel et Terre, M. Van den Broeck published a series of papers upon the mysterious sounds that had been heard in Belgium.

  July, 1892—heard near Brée, by Dr. Raemaekers, of Antwerp—detonations at regular intervals of about twelve seconds, repeated about twenty times.

  Aug. 5, 1892—near Dunkirk, by Prof. Gérard, of Brussels—four reports like sounds of cannons.

  Aug. 17, 1893—between Ostend and Ramsgate, by Prof. Gérard—a series of distinct explosions—state of the sky giving no reason to think that they were meteorological manifestations.

  Sept. 5, 1893—at Middelkirke—loud sounds of remarkable intensity.

  Sept. 8, 1893—English Channel near Dover—by Prof. Gérard—an explosive sound.

  In Ciel et Terre, 16-485, M. Van den Broeck records an experience of his own. Upon June 25, 1894, at Louvain, he had heard detonations like discharges of artillery: he tabulates the intervals in a series of sounds. If there were signaling from some unknown region over Belgium, and not far from the surface of this earth, or from extra-mundane vessels, and if there were something of the code-like, resembling the Morse alphabet, perhaps, in this series of sounds, there can be small hope of interpreting such limited material, but there may be suggestion to someone to record all sounds and their intervals and modulations, if, with greater duration, such phenomena should ever occur again. The intervals were four minutes and twenty-three minutes; then three minutes, four, three quarters, three and three quarters, three quarters.

  Sept. 16, 1895—a triplet of detonations, heard by M. de Schryvere, of Brussels.

  There were attempts to explain. Some of M. Van den Broeck’s correspondents thought that there had been firing from forts on the coast of England, and somebody thought that the phenomena should be attributed t
o gravitational effects of the moon. Upon Sept. 13, 1895, four shocks were felt and sounds heard at Southampton: a series of three and then another (Nature, 52-552); but I have no other notes upon sounds that were heard in England at this time, except the two explosions that were explained by the police of London. However, M. Van den Broeck says that Mr. Harmer, of Aldeburgh, Suffolk, had, about the first of November, heard booming sounds that had been attributed to cannonading at Harwich. Mr. Harmer had heard other sounds that had been attributed to cannonading somewhere else. He could not offer a definite opinion upon the first sounds, but had investigated the others, learning that the attribution was a mistake.

  It was M. de Schryvere’s opinion that the triplet of detonations that he had heard was from vessels in the North Sea. But now, according to developments, the sounds of Belgium cannot very well be attributed to terrestrial cannonading in or near Belgium: in Ciel et Terre, 16-614, are quoted two artillery officers who had heard the sounds, but could not so trace them: one of these officers had heard a series of detonations with intervals of about two minutes. A variety of explanations was attempted, but in conventional terms, and if these localized, repeating sounds did come from the sky, there’s nothing to it but a new variety of attempted explanations, and in most unconventional terms. There are recorded definite impressions that the sounds were in the sky: Prof. Peleseneer’s positivement aérien. In Ciel et Terre, 17-14, M. Van den Broeck announced that General Hennequin, of Brussels, had cooperated with him, and had sent enquiries to army officers and other persons, receiving thirty replies. Some of these correspondents had heard detonations at regular intervals. It is said that the sounds were like cannonading, but not in one instance were the sounds traced to terrestrial gunfire.