Mines

Selestor’s Men of Atlantis

Fairer far it was than mine * which shows its wastes of sand unsightly; blossoms on that isle were touched with rainbow tints as fair as those where ether makes the planes which ye call "Paradise."

And thus there resteth one within the breast where beat the heart attuned to mine in other age!

Yea, O Mine Own, the early races of old Yucatan—"Mayans" ye call—had there dwelt long ere peopled was Atlantis, and from the "Orient" came they—subtle souls who knew of "Ur" and "Babylon"—in later day and came unto the wilds of Yucatan through stress of famine not but stress of war.

Behold, O Soul of mine, I bring thee proof that Mayan industries throve through knowledge gleaned from other land in that dim past, for not upon the soil now clogged with rooted trees had they been born, but upon heights with snow besprinkled, or vast plains where they were once inhabitants, but fleeing from oppression set their feet—a generous band of "experts," on the soil of Yucatan.

Those ancient Mayans, O mine own, a people were who ravaged not as nations throve beside, but peaceful bode amidst their palaces, grew wise with age and sedulously they worshipped gods who throve on their credulity, for not the image only did they worship, but the living man who represented Deity, grew wise and bold as followers did endow with attributes of wisdom and of power that quelled the storms and caused the gentle rain to fall.

Nay, mine own, Atlantis was not peopled when the monuments to greatness first rose on soil of Yucatan, vast mansions first builded in the mind of them who years before had watched the growth of other palaces, and so designed to build still greater far those habitations and made a mock of greatness borne in minds long passed from bodies.

Plans were laid within the chambers of the "school of mines" to excavate from earth such riches as should make the world stare, dumb with astonishment.

Aye, jewels strung on golden cord they wore; great blazing stones which Africa's mines did give and emeralds green as leaf.

"And were he dead," Bolandos muttered, "she of right were mine, for he first looking on her tears of widowhood is called entitled to the one who weeps."

"All mine indeed," he muttered who had slain.

"Matter not her age when she is freed from that foul lord who brought to life the atom whence I sprang, I still shall love, and thus she shall be mine."

The copper mines which held the greatest worth lay on the western shore.

Mark ye also its trend in mass or mine.

Yea, the copper mines of "Spain" * Atlantis knew.

They went—a galley of strong men who learned to toil in mines and those, returning, brought the secret to Atlantis.

But later, all Atlantian was the blood infused by trader, toiler in the mines, and they who sought in commerce to maintain a rank above the "people."

And by those men who delved in mines in Spain, was brought the knowledge that Atlantis held great wealth in ores, and digging was begun.

Osiris, old and doting, sent his ships afar to bring to him a daughter of that land which since that day Assyria claimed; the race which first inhabited had passed ere I had seen the light—a fairer race than mine whose origin none knew—a subtle race who sold as slaves their kindred, drank of blood and tilled no soil.

The king but smiled: "In infancy," he spake, "I wed in thought, and by the law of Custom, the son of her—mine other—sister—half—and this strange god-sent creature born 'mid elements I ne’er beheld.

Ah, Philae, thou art but an island spot upon the sluggish or yet swifter stream, yet in the past, all dim to history lost, thou wast the birthplace of mine ancient sires, who sleep ’neath sand that drifts and drifts to tune of desert winds, and jackal's screams, and shadows chase across the spot where feet of emperors trod all stately!

My father thus did speak, my mother sweet, with eyes aslant and sparkling, sang fond lays in this, thy tongue which then was mine own tongue.

I watched them sail—those brothers who with me had wandered far—and then turned I and mine our faces to the eastern sun, intent on seeking burial place, for to this end doth man forever trend.

“I ne’er before have seen his fields of green, for higher hath he floated than mine eyes could reach with all the cunning of this instrument, made from a method learned at the cost of years of life—of study.

The dip of galley oars fill now mine ears.

"Age, too, sleeps, for so my gods do whisper in mine ear.

The pomp and state, with knowledge, too, were mine as thine and in them gloated I.

I bear in mind the day when first I peered with soul-eyes into the mysteries of that land from which came mine own fathers and their fathers for generations.

I first beheld the figure of a maiden clad in sacrificial robes kneeling at an altar, her face distorted by the death agony, the hands uplifted to the impotent god who scowled upon her body, reft of soul; and then mine eyes turned to the higher plane.

Heaps of well-riped grain, crushed pulse or lentils, other grains had they, but those I know not as they stand enstamped in this, thy tongue, which is not all, mine own.

"Now mine hour hath come, what matter how ye die!"