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- Lucifer, vol. 3, no. 14, October 1888, pp. 168
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Title for references: Blake C.C. - The Barisal Guns
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168
The Barisâl Guns
Colonel Olcott’s paper on the above phenomenon is couched in such an exact spirit of enquiry, that as a scientific teacher, I must supplement it by my own observation of an analogous occurrence.
In May 1868, I was alone in a small boat in the San Juan river of Nicaragua, when I heard in the day time, the sun shining brightly, and the weather being that of the “dry season,” successive detonations which were prolonged at intervals, approximately of 40 seconds between each.
On the theory Nihil tam absurdé dicitur, quod non probat quidam philosophus, some theories may be proposed to account for these sounds.
A. They may be produced by musketry shots. – Answer. They occurred at a spot 30 miles from any other human being than myself, and 70 miles from any human being possessing a gun.
B. They were produced by the howler-monkey, or mono (Mycetes flavus). – Answer. I am well acquainted with the habits of the howler-monkey, who rises “oft in the stilly night” and sleeps all day. Like the nightingale in the song, he
“warbles by night, and not by day.” |
Besides, the note of the howler-monkey, appalling though it may be in the desert solitude, is a long sostenuto note, quite unlike the detonations heard by me.
I hope we shall have more cases of detonatory sounds, that may be referable to spirit-action.
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