Sometime in the sixth decade of this century (19th) a very remarkable discovery was said to have been made by the celebrated astronomer, Prof. O. M. Mitchel, then of Cincinnati, and director of Dudley and Cincinnati Observatories. He discovered either a new metal or an amalgam, alloy or compound, which when formed into plates possessed the property of preventing the passage through it of the influence of gravitation. In short it effectually stopped the passage of the lines of force that constitute gravitation, so that if a cage or box were made of such material any solid body placed inside of it would lose its weight and not tend to fall. If a man were to get inside of such a box, he would find himself destitute of weight toward the ground. But if he should open the top of the box he would admit the influence of gravity from that direction, coming from the moon, planets or stars that might happen to be in that direction at the moment and it would at once commence to rise. Acting upon the obvious suggestions enforced by such experiments the Professor caused a cage to be built large enough to contain 4 or 5 persons, and in order to secure secrecy had it conveyed in pieces, together with all needed apparatus and stores, to a solitary and obscure circular hollow or depression in the valley of the Mississippi not far from Natchez, and called the Devil’s Punch-bowl. Here the cage was put together and the numerous openings in the plates on all sides covered by movable sliding lids of the same material, were carefully closed and secured, all the scientific apparatus, the provisions’ flasks of compressed air etc., were conveyed within, and lastly the voyagers themselves. By opening the ports in the direction of the moon they soon began to fall toward her. As they approached her, by a judicious manipulation of the sliding doors they were enabled to make a complete revolution around her. They did not land, reserving that adventure for another trip. On their return to earth they steadied themselves in a position some miles up, and allowed the earth to revolve under them until the Devils punch-bowl came directly beneath them, when they dropped into it. They dismantled and secreted their machine intending to return. Shortly after this the Civil war came on, during which Prof. Mitchel became a general in the service and died at Beaufort, South Carolina, October 30, 1862, and the secret of his discovery as I suppose died with him. P. S.:—Notice! If any of the companions of Professor Mitchell on the above trip to the moon are still living they would greatly oblige the author by sending him their address. Over Population. See page 155.