The wonders of the world : $b a complete museum, descriptive and pictorial, of the wonderful phenomena and results of nature, science and artAbbott, John Loraine
Science
The wonders of the world : $b a complete museum, descriptive and pictorial, of the wonderful phenomena and results of nature, science and art
Abbott, John Loraine
Curiosities and wonders
Derbyshire is everywhere fruitful in natural curiosities, among the most
striking of which may be reckoned the moors of Hope parish, inasmuch as
they afford an extraordinary instance of the preservation of human
bodies interred in them. In the year 1674, a grazier and his female
servant, in crossing these moors on their way to Ireland, were lost in
the snow, with which they were covered from January to May, and being
then discovered, the bodies were so offensive that the coroner ordered
them to be buried on the spot. After a lapse of twenty-nine years, when
the ground was opened, they were in no way changed, the color of the
skin being fair and natural, and the flesh as soft as that of persons
newly dead. For twenty succeeding years they were occasionally exposed
as a spectacle, but carefully covered after being viewed. They lay at
the depth of about three feet, in a moist soil or moss. The minister of
Hope parish was present in 1716, forty-two years after the accident, at
a particular inspection of these bodies. On the stockings being drawn
off, the man’s legs, which had not been uncovered before, were quite
fair: the flesh, when pressed by the finger, pitted a little; and the
joints played freely, without the least stiffness. Such parts of the
clothing as the avidity of the country people, to possess so great a
curiosity, had spared, were firm and good; and a piece of new serge,
worn by the woman, did not appear to have undergone any sensible change.
OTHER ENGLISH CURIOSITIES.
Having thus brought to a conclusion our details relative to the wonders
of the peak, and the various and interesting natural curiosities there
to be found, we subjoin a brief notice of several others, which have, in
England, attracted the notice of travelers.
Among the extraordinary caverns to be found in the mountains of the
north of England, may be reckoned Yordas cave, in the vale of Kingsland,
in Yorkshire, which contains a subterraneous cascade. Whethercot cave,
not far from Ingleton, is divided by an arch of limestones, passing
under which is seen a large cascade falling from a hight of more than
sixty feet. The length of this cave is about one hundred and eighty
feet, and the breadth ninety.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account