THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

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VOL. 10 NO.2 WHOLE NO. 38 SPRING 1977

SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

.

Columbia, New Jersey 07832

Telephone: Area Code 201 4964366

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED' "

PURSUIT.

VOL. 10, NO.2

SPRING, 1977
Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Editorin-chief
John A. Keel (on Sabbatical)
Executive Editor
R. Martin Wolf

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIElY

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

Consulting Editor
Sabina W. Sanderson

CONTENTS

Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan

Page

Little Green Men and the Law of Dynamical Similarity

"
by William H. Whamond ............................................... 34

Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger

A Few Small Steps on the Earth: A Tiny Leap for Mankind?

by Fred H. Bost ........................................... "........... 50
The Relativity Racket
,
by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni .............................................. 54

Production
Steven Mayne
Martin Wiegler

The Invisible Star

by Carlos Miguel Allende .............................................. 55

Coiler iUustration by B. Wilkie

Fluidice: Time as a Function of Prana

by E. MacerStory .................................................... 58
Extant Dinosaurs: A Distinct Possibility
by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni .............................................. 60
Dinosaur Graffiti - Hava Supai Style
by John Guerrasio .................................................... 62
Symposium: Comments and Opinions ......................................... 64
Book Review ............................................................... 64

:.

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained 1977

34

LITTLE GREEN MEN

and
. '-THE LAW OF DYNAMICAL SIMILARITY
I

- - - - - - - - - - - - . by Willi~m H. Whamond. - - - - - - - - - - , The historical development of the UFO saga affords as

good proof as any of the inescapable fact that logit is not
: an innate characteristic of the human race, Rather" logic
. is an acquired characteristic. It usually takes at.least a
'minimum of four years of slaving at an institute of higher
tech!1ical education to acquire even a modicum of it. We
are all aware of the facesaving bleat, "To err is human";
just an illogical coverup of the truth that logic is
'inhuman/unhuman, and humanity is irrationality.
The public has' been infeCted with the notion that
s~ience knows the answers. The impression has been put
about that some savant merely turns to Page 12,709 of
the Scientific Bible and quotes tbe appropriate fQrmula,
after whiCh the matter is closed.
Nothing could be further from the actual situation.
'As science is an activity conducted by humans it is
.. axiomatic that it resembles comic opera' just as much as
does law, politics, economics or any other type of institutionalized buffoonery' which characterizes .the human
race.
.
, For the benefit of the skeptical reader, perhaps we
should consider a few examples:,
.
1)' The scientific unit of power is called the Kilowatt,
. but (illogically) is only used for electrical equipment.
For instance, if you have a 30kw electric car and
.' d~cide to replace the motor with a gasoline motor of
the same power, then it's called a 40 H.P. car. Mech_.': anical engineers would never allow you to call it a "30
. kw car" (even though it is still one), because they feel
Jhis might imply.that mechanical engineering is merely
a branch of electrical engineering! All very "logical and
scientific," isn;t' it? Moreover, there'san English horse'power (76 Kg. Metre/sec.) and a French horsepower
j~5 Kg: Metre/sec.), called the "C.V." (which translates roughly as "horsesweat!"). Presumably French
horses are more amorous than English horses and
r pursuit of I'amour leaves 'em just that 10 watts less
energetic! So 1suppose science is logical, in a way ...
2) Most people are familiar with the electronic con,cept of "tuning," whereby a radio is "tuned" to the frequency of the broadcasting station which one desires
to receive. However, in electrical power engineering,
'. this identical concept is labeled by the quite fantastic
moniker of "power factor correction." It would never
do to have the public think that power engineering was
merely a branch of electronics. Dear me, no .. So
.,stringently is this entirely artificial technical double.-talk adhered to that.when the author asked a crackerjack power engineering lecturer, "Whenyou 'power
factor correct' a factory, are you not really just tuning
it to the 60 cy/sec of ,the power plant'?", said hotshot
.had to ponder long and deeply before replying, "Yes, I
suppose so"! All very scientific and logical, isn't it?
'PUHSUff Spring 1977

3) The factor 12t (Le., current, squared, multiplied by

time) is very basic to electrical engineering, since it devolves directly from Newton's Second Law of Motion .
However, no electrical engineering textbook will ever
tell you that, nor will any other kind of textbook. The
electrical shock or .impulse which will blow a fuse or
prove lethal to a person depends on 12t, but this is
never mentioned in any electrical engineering textbook. Presumably the "profs" don't want to simplify
things too much, in case they unemploy themselves?
All very scientific and logical (in a way), I suppose.
4) Science has propagandized even scientists to an
unthinking belief that gravity varies as the inverse
squar~ of distance. Actually that's true only in the case
of a sphere or point. For a cylinder (for instance),
gravity varies merely as the inverse (not squared) of
radial distance. One doesn't even have to prove it
either. One glance at Ampere's Law applied to an elec. iric wire (which is available in any -high school textbook) proves it for us. Yet 'pontifical science has
oafishly concealed from us this valuable insight on the
nature of gravitation. Just anothe!" example of the
logic of science, of course.
5) One could go on citjng similar e'xamples of the
logic of science practically indefinitely, but let's
. consider another aspect of it. One doesn't.have to'
look at the edifice 0"1 science very closely to. discover
that" it's full of holes. Far from consisting of "a formula
for everything, and everything in its' place," science
consist!:i of numerous meticulously formuJated
corners, interspersed with blanks which one could
drive a truck through; viz:
a. It is only during the three decades since WW II
that a large known blank was filled in the electromagnetic spectrum by radar.
b. Gravity, Time, and Death are three enormous
known blanks in the edifice of science, about whiCh
practically nothing is being done.
.
c. If you ask a man of science how to calculate the.
bend of a ray of light passing through a prism he will
say, "That's a formula called Snell's Law of Refraction." But if you ask him: "If light of a 'green' fre-'
quency passes into gas of a known density how
much will the light ray be bent?", he probably won't
know the formula, or even if there is one!
d. Similarly, if you ask a man of science how to
calculate the sound loss through a wall, he'll say
. "That's the Transmission Loss formula. Depends
on the. sound going in and the sound that comes
. out." But if you say "I'm not interested in what goes
in and what comes out. I want to know what
-happens inside the wall. How does the wall's thick. ness and density and elasticity ~nd area affect the

sound'?", then once again you'll probably find

yourself spending several days plowing through
textbooks, hoping to find some sort of formula.
e. If you present a man of science with a question
like, "The waves on the sea depend on gravity, do
they not - I mean, if the waves weren't made of
. water, and gravity wasn't the same as it is, how
would this affect the waves? Would they be shorter
and choppier or taller and less frequent, or what'r,
the savant would probably think of the Wave Equation formula and say he wasn't sure. If you insisted
you must know the correct answer because you
wanted to write a science fiction story about seamen on another planet, then your savant would
really have to reponder his Wave Equation to
decide whether it only applied to Earth conditions
or was universally applicable_
f. If the situation regarding "b" above is irrational,
the situation in respect of non-medical drugs is irrationality squared. Apparently it's moral to take a
- drug only when one is ilL Why not a drug to make
one live longer, be more intelligent, or have greater
aptitude lor mathematics? What's wrong with a
drug to increase one's mental concentration, or
sight and hearing? Why not a drug to make one
never need sleep, or be honest and truthfur~ An
entire field, at least as large as the existing medical
or chemical fields, is almost completely neglected
by so-called science_
Again, I stress that these are merely a very few
examples of the literally thousands of instances where
science draws a blank_ If you want the appropriate
fomula, you have to either build it yourself or find something similar and re-tailor it to your tastes/requirements_
Rather a far cry from the public's picture of Scientific
Authority, I would imagine_
The foregoing ramshackle edifice of science constitutes the bizarre background against which the historical development of the UFO saga actually occurred
and is still taking place_ Consequently it is hardly surprising that the initial reaction of so-called scientists was one
of total disbelief. "Why, we'll have to re-tailor all our formulae to suit a different viewpoint;'. (c., do, e., and l3J
above) was the underlying qualm. With the illogic which is
innately unseparable from the term "human," these same
scientists who were selling their government on the possibility of space flight were simultaneously telling those
same governments that space flight was impossible when
they saw UFOs doing it.
After a couple of decades of slandering reputable witnesses and generally discrediting themselves and
science, some of these so-called scientists actually
became sufficiently scientific to admit that UFOs were
possible - maybe. But, they cautioned that "any reports
of occupants inside these UFOs are too ridiculous to be
credible_"
In short, these so-called conservative scientists who'd
been steadfastly maintaining that UFOs were impossible
suddenly became out and out radicals declaring that not
only are UFOs possible (maybe), but they actually build
and fly themselues without the assistance of any occupants! One doesn't have to be chronically inconsistent to

be a government-approved scientist, but it sure helps.

I am not really concerned, however, with the mental
abberations of those whom the Establishment generally
tags as "good management material" except to point out
that they are drastically warped - mentaIiy,.spiritually,
and morally. I am more concerned with this concept of
occupants. Is it ridiculous or not? Obviously not: something builds UFOs. They do not build "themselves. 11ierefor it's not impossible that said "something" would also be
tempted to take a ride in them_
.
I am also aware of the fact that a lot of controversy over
UFO occupants stems from the fact that such occu,
pants are reputed to be of small stature ----: veritable minimen, in fact. One immediately thinks of Africa's pygmies;
also circus midgets_ It quickly become~ apparent that the
concept of mini-men is not ridiculous. But I guess even
scientists don't mind making themselves ridiculous if
their governments pay them enough to do so_
Nevertheless, your author senses that this "mini-men"
. concept is worthy of further investigation. For one thing,
such stories are out of character. So/cir out of character,
in fact, that one begins to s.uspect there may be truth to
them.
.
,
For instance: here we have this seemingly iiJiterate
plowboy who is visited by a super spaceship and out
steps this spaceman armed with a super ray gun. It
follows that this spaceman will also be a superman. (Like
something from Texas, say? Without the horns on
maybe, but 7 feet tall and weighing maybe 300 lbs.; that
slaps one on the back and offers one a swig of 5-star
homebrew. That kind '1f a super spaceman.) But no_ This
is a mini-man, all of 29" tall. And our plowboy didn't even
try to catch him and put him in a milk can. Quite
obviously this alleged "tall story" is way out of character,
no'~

Then there's the l)FO itself. That's way out of character too. If we search science fiction way back to the
Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers comic strips, we find
that spaceships may be shaped like balls, cylinders,
dumbbells, rockets, or arrowheads, and even cones or
pyramids, occasionally; but neuer discs~ There may have
been the (very) odd circular flying-wing shape, but so
seldom that one would have to be a science fiction superfan to know of it_ But the humped disc or "saucer" shape?
Neuer!
Space travel has traditionally been thought of as a
matter of rockets, and the humped disc or saucer shape
makes no sense unless one thinks of propulsion by a flat
(electro-magnetic) coiL Yet suddenly everyone is imagining saucer-shaped spaceships_ Obviously they didn't get
the notion from science fiction. Suddenly every "man on
the street" is imagining a single shape which a host of
science fiction writers couldn't manage to dream up
during the past half-century. Obviously, then, it's not
imagination. The saucers exist.
.
. So let us ponder this mini-men concept and see where
it leads us. When one thinks of a reduced-size man; one
realizes this is essentially a small scale man_ Here science
should be on well-trodden ground because the use of
scale models (of aircraft, dams, ships, riverbeds, etc.) is a
familiar scientific method of simulating (i.e. predicting)
the performance of the real thing. Moreover, most people
PURSUIT

Spring 1977

36
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Dyna. mical SirTrilar:ity'.'.'in action ':-".an example with which

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everyone is famUiardfYQu tell a photographer you want a
double-si~e ~.'hIQw"up'! 'of'y~ur pnoto, it will cost yOu 4
times as 'tiel:- .noi"ct'ou. ble '(See .lfig. 1). Thafs.h...-.ause
whe~ you.... ask....f.or-do~Sle size' '.lou are ...unoo..nrtlO...u.SJ. . y
thinkiilg..o{ the.'photo's.eiige-Ien~h, wheieasthephoiom'

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depends on length x.:itscHf, and in the above case 22 =.4

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because (as most people know) volume depends on

length cu~d;'ar'i'd 'So,for a halfsiz~d s@tuette, HlP = ~
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(fig. 2). NpiAl,,~!~hough'Tppst peopl~ have':no di~ul~in
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c t ~ -= . :.. .
understariding:; this in terms of a squ~re Or-ii ,cu~ .(in
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which alll~ngtljs are equ~l), how ma'ny peopie ri!alize that
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this is tru~ fori all other.; shapes al$o~ It is very:easy}o
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.:." ..:,pr~)Ve that "vo1.ume vari~ as length; cubed" for' any ~lid
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..:. '":-.-....,~.~.--'.... :: .. -' 'shape; say a bTick (fig. ~). A brick is ;:l good cho.ice be~ve heard of the flight sil:nula.tqrs u.~e9 to train airlir) .. , Cij!,lse any.irreguli~r shaPe (e.g., the hurilan'oody)1::arlbe
pilots o~ the. use ~f computer. simulation methods: to.;: .,thbught of, as d.ivided into millions of tiri~':,bric.~! ~~Iar
mod~1 (I.e., Simulate) the "flow" .of work and matenals .
approach ~can :'be used ;to prove that" "area' vanes as
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length, sq'ua,red" ey~n':!when such are~' .~)rr~l~r 'in
tfirough a factory, etc.
:.. The .scientific for:mula used to "scale up" (or "scale
shape. Incidentally, this allows a far simpler prooH>f
down;' i(desir:ed) .tr~m a !'l~~e~ ~~ t~e'/~~! !~ing is c~l~?
"Pythagoras's Th~orem" than 0':le ever. finds in.a .high
school textbook (fig. 4), once again shOWing the ments of
the ~.'La'.9f Oynam~cil SII'~ilanty~ or_ '.'Pnnclple of Smlilusingthe"LawofDynamicaISimiiarity"ratherthansome
tude'." Far from being abstruse, this is a very workaday
formula. For instance, w~n an electrician does short
other less basic approach. How mj:lny people realize that
tircuit ccl1culations he i~ Jeally just applying the:'Prin- . "Pythagoras~.is true forarJY ~\Iililar ARJ,::A.S.(e..g., circles)'
i:iple . of Siniilitude/Electr6dynamicar _:. Similarity" .to ..'_,-.:....::. not' just'''squares?'' . ".' . , " ...' . . ~ ...
.\iscale up" the current in ~ccordance with the "scaling
Now this fact that Area (fig. 1) and Volume (fig: 2) vary
P9wn" of impedance whicH occurs when parts of a circuit
respectively as the "square" arid "cube" of corre~pon~~
~av~ ,~coine ."by-~s~~.'I-(i . e:;. ~.horted qut!). , . .
i~gline~r. qime.ns}~n.s !S!1',~ just 9f aG.?demic concern ..lt's 'a:
t . SIITlIlarly, the hydrodynamic 1St knows the horsepower
v~tal' problem of scahng confronted by every deSigner;
bf, steamship varies as ti;l+ '7th pQwer".of the speed (V): .. :,. who tr'ies~ to build a bigger sta,tue,' buildil19, rocket, ~ir-!
;.rh~ .tells t~e steamship dfsigner tha! any fracti6n~1 (or
~raft, .etc. As evident fro,!, fig':;2, ~ "do\1ble:~~z~cf' build-:
.!:l,) 'change In horsepower 1j"ust be 7 times any fractional ';', Ing wdl a.ctually ~ve 8 (I.e., 2.3 ) times the volume. The.
;(~r' %) change in speed hf ~ants! In othe{~ords if he
-- pre~sur(wf "stress" on the bas~ will therefo~ebe 8/4 (i.e.,:
~ants a mere 10% "scale-up" In speed, he's going ~o n~ed .: ..~) hme~ .th~ fo~mer: '!~tue of. 1/1.
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:70%'more horsepower! It ip small wonder that\t!'ie speed '~'" This is known to architects and engii)~rs:as the
.~f merchant ships has stayed around 15 to 25 mph for the
Square/Cube Law, although that is a rathe'r unIQr.tunate:
Past century.
.,nam~ ':'~Qr it,: (Actually there are' many dif.fe'r~nt.
:: . It would be' hard to imagine more simple formulae than' -".... 'S~uare!cubelaws. The "Powei.formula" for an hydrflulic
~he sho{t circ~it.."tonJlula-dr th~ ~~a~.ship ~tf9~nc;~, "':'~..t~rbil1e i;}.od Kep~r'~.,"3rd Law'ofPlarietaryMotion:.'are
.~rm~, yet they provide try firm answers tov~ry basic .... just. anothertwo squa~e/cube laws, wh~dl ha~e ~othin~
questJQnsandshowthevalue,scope,andauthontyofthe
whatever to ~o With what architects 'call t#:lf!
~'Law'of Dynamical Simila~ity."
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"This so-calied Square/Cube' Law of archit~ctur~ (figs .

1 & 2), 'along with all the other typesof!sguare/cub.e
laWs(!), is really just another simple example of the "law
of Dynamical Similarity'; inaction. The "Law'of [)yriamical Similarity" does not alloW one. to build' Something
.which is simply "dol,lbled":in elJery respect: rite "law of
Dynan:tical Similarity" says that some of the proP.Qrtions
'can't merely be doubled: For instance, if you try.to ~uild a
double-sized statue of solid stone it will have 8 times the
weight but only 4 times the base cross-section:. You
would have to hollow out half the material from the statue
in order to achieve a weight of only ~ t~es ttje base crosSsection and'to have the base pressu"re stay.4/4(th~~me
ratio. as 'the half-sized original). Otherwise ~he 'ground
may nCit suppart"a doubled'sttess'of8/4 (i."e.,Z(l)andthe
statue would sink." Similarly, ene cannot just- ~rect ~
building in which everything is 'merely d04bled: 'On~
would end up With 8 times the weight resting' on only 4
times the b?lse area. The stress on the concrete supports
would be' 8/4 (2/1 in'comparlson with'your Qriginal halfsized building). Such supports would' be !s~re~d twic~
what was originalIY'considerd, safe and So'yoUi'~ouble
sized building would collapse~ To prevent such collapse,
. each side of your .doubled building's base would have to
be 2.8,28 (the square r90t of .8) times, the originai.rTteci'. 'surements (not merely doubl~d' as in. f1g. '1) .. You,"
concrete supports Would. also have to have 'their: cross.' sections increased by 2.828 times whatever- tliey were on

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38

the original half-sized building. Note how the "scale" is

being distorted by becoming 2.828 instead of 2 in some
places. Of course; one could cheat the "Law of Dynamical Similarity" by using stronger materials (ste~lpillars instead of concrete, for example). "You can't beat the
Square/Cu.be Law," sigh the architects, resignedly; "You
can only cheat it- occasionally;"
. ..
I have come to realize that this is just another fallacious platitude of Establishment Science, however. The
so-called Square/Cube Law could be beaten very simply
- if one had an anti-gravity generator. You would simply
install your anti-gravity generator in your doub1e-si~ed
building and set the gravity control to ~; your 8 times
weight would then be halved (to a value of only 4 times)
and would rest on a base area of 4 times (as aforementioned), so that the foundations would be stressed by (~x
8)/4 (i.e. 1/1), the same as your half-sized original build~
ing. Similarly, if you built a triple-sized building, you'd set
your gravity contiol device to 1/3, and your tripled building would be stressed to the same level as its one-thirdsized original. *
..
For instance, going to the moon isequivalenttoreducing our gravity by 1/6 (so we're told). Hence, we could
build a structure 6 tiines the height of the Empire State
Building on the moon. Holographically, (i.e. photographically in all 3 dimensions), it wol!ld be a replica of the present Empire State Building in that every linear dimension
(induding windows, wall thicknesses, etc.) would be enlarged 6 times; and the various materials would be unchanged in type. It would also be found to have exactly
the' same stress lelJel at its base and elsewhere as the present Empire State Building, which (as already proved)
won't collapse when;subjected to this level of stress.
Your author is not aware of anyone else having realized this. exact relationship between gravity and the so. called "Square/Cube Law". Certainly if some other
genius has realized it, he hasn't condescended to publish
the formula with the same enthusiasm. The famed
science fiction author Isaac Asimov, for example, in an
extensive discussion of the so-called Square/Cube Law!
fails to point out how the Square/Cube Law would be
affected by variable gravity .
.Similarly, the highly reputed sciencefiction author A.
C. Clarke, in. his masterly textbook2 on rockets and the
effct of gravity on their "velocity of escape," etc., doesn't
mention anything suggesting a relationship between
gravity variation and the Square/Cube Law. Earlier
.treatises dealing extensively with the" Law of Dynamical,
Similarity":! fail to discus!! gravity variations at all. .
The literature of science fiction does contain a groping
realization that gravity ~hould have some effect on struc:
tures, but the notions on the subject are so hazy that it is
difficult to separate science content from fiction.
One science fiction school takes the view that things
on low-gravjty planets will grow tall and stalky, because
"gravity is too weak to hold them down." Such stories:
usually have our spaceman .wandering under giant.
spindly mushrooms while being observed by giant grass-
hoppers anc:~, similar spindly insects. Another SF-school
An Establishment scientist wiD chortle, "But we don't have antigravity, you smy
fellow, n and smugly pal himself on the back. True! But what does that have to do
with the mathematical validity? A tootypical case of the fraudulent conversion of
. an iIIIue by &IIch ~managernental .. cacklers.

PUHSUff Spring 1977

seems to contradict this view. They feel that a small

planet (e.g. the Moon) has a small gravity and should
theref9re produce small inhabitants to match.
On the other hand, there seems to be a general consensus that inhabitants of high-gravity planets should. be
gorilla-muscled supermen quite capable of hauling their
carcass around in the colossal gravity of their home
planet (e.g. Jupiter). A minor variation on this theme has
high-gravity inhabitants described as low-slung and
lizard-like, dragged down onto all fours by their planet's
gravity, anq living in squat- massive structures built to
withstand gravity; If there are any other schools of
thought on the effects of gravity, they are so rare that certainly SF authors have not felt them convincing enough
to be worth adopting wholesale and habitually.
In short, the science fiction field.does.n't appear to have
developed any consistent opinion regarding the effects of
low-gravity and high-gravity environments. Wherever the
subject may be touched upon there is much evidence of
contradictory confusion. Outside the science fiction field,
of course, the subject is never even considered.
Thus, science fiction doesn't seem able to offer us any
clear leads on the subject; and we are therefore forced to
rely on our own investigative resources. We have already
discovered that as we build taller buildings, gravity must
be reduced in inverse proportion (by our hypothetical
device, which by lowering the gravity makes possible
taller- buildings). We can therefore suspect that it we
venture in the opposite direction (to only higher-gravity
planets), we will have to reduce the height of all struc-,
tures .proportionally to the increased gravity. Let us
check this supposition; but in this instance iet us study
how the increased gravity would affect a human rather
than a building. As we begin to suspect that iriqeased
gravity will, compel smaller buildings, we also begin to
realize we'll need to find smaller personnel to utilize such
mini-buildings.
:
"How would such mini-personnel be affected by
gravity which is greater than normal?" seems the key
question; so let's try to answer it - scientifically and
incontrovertibly.
'
Just as buildings consist of concret,e and steel, the
human body consists of flesh and bone. These are the
building materials of the human body, and we're stuck
with them. Just like concrete and steel, flesh and bone
will withstand only a certain degree or level of pressure or
stress, beyo.nd which they will crush, buckle, rupture or
collapse.* Doctors are continually cautioning us that
even a little bit of extra weight overstresses our system
and is liable to cause anything from varicose veins and
hemmorhoids to heart trouble, etc.
..
So .there's nothing special about the human body. It
doesn't have some sort of ."diplomatic immunity" to the
"Law of Dynamical Similarity;" neither does any other
animal's structure.4
.
. Nature has evolved the :normal Earth-human size and
shape to' be capable of supporting its own weight fairly
comfortably, while temporarily bearing an overstress of
maybe 100% (as when lifting or jumping): Beyond such
II you don't believe it, try liNing something equal to your own weight or greater.
Try carrying 300 Ibs, of lead shot quilted into your lacket all dal/!

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limits there's.not much leeway, and we ~~st resort to various crutches' such as "G-suits" arid' "accelerationcouches"_
. ' '.
.
. Let's start out, as does science fielion literature; by
s'upposing that a woman travels from earth (when~ G=l)
to' a planet :having twice the gravity (0=2), as in .tig_
0_ . On earth, her cros~-section~1 stress was '.'EarthWeight"/ Area, whereas on the 2G planet her cro~s-se~
tiona I stress becomes (2 x "Earth-Weight")/Ar:ea. In
short, her stress has doubled; and to restore it to the
former value which she found comfo'rtable on earth, she
would need to double. her cross-sectional area (of legs,
waist, etc_) .as well. (This seems to be wh~r~ sciEmc~
fiction gets its "gorilla-bulky Hi-G dWE!lIer" notions from_)
Science fiction seems to feel that such athiCkening of the
legs an!=! waist* would eventually occur if a person remained long enougtj on a 2G plal1et (or if .he.~as pO.I.'!1
there). Certainly it is notable'tha't girls operating elevators tend to develop thicker legs after a while, due to the
by41.4'.\', because 1.414

=\h: and\k squared would !live you doubled area.

. . ,,
"over-G" effect of ascending elevators,* All of which IS in
perfect accord with "The Law of Dynamical Similarity/,
insofar a~ it goes, However, science fiction (most lin-'
scientifically) overlooks the fact that, if leg and waiSt
cross-sections were doubled (in an attempt to' restore
stress to an "Earth-normal" value), this would also'double.
the volume and thus "up" the weight, and still'leave Us
with a doubled stress while on the 2G planet. Hence, :the
"heavy-duty cutie" in fig. 5 is strictly an '~Earth creature/"
and not especially adapted to 2G living cis sciel)ce fiction'
would have us believe: Similarly, the stalky figure in.fig::5.
is an Earth creature and not peculiar'ly adapted in Y2-G
living,. as shown by the fact that such slim figures are very'
reminiscent of certain AfriCan races (e.g, Watusi), 'An
alternative scieFlce fiction "Hi-G" theme is the squat and'
muscular figure shown at ~-normal heighfin fig, 5, having'
the same width as' an "Earth-normal" figure, (Note that
this could be regCirded as a normal-sized figure scaled to
Y2 size, then doubled in width), I suppose this coul~ ~ .
* Mosi girls don 'I stay on Ihe job very long in order to avoid becoming such a
"heavyduly culie."
jJUH~UJ J.' . Spring 19'1';:

....._......

~""I.".I """""""""~I"""""""""~."""""_J""w._
40

called the "droopy"version; because, although this figure

would have "same-weight" on "same-cross-section"
(under 2G) as a normal-sized figure on earth, a glance at
the tabulated data shows that no one would marry her for
her "Bending-Moment Withstand-Capability" under 2G!
Also, why this latent assumption that a person's height
will remain the same when he goes to another planet? Or
that if born on said other planet he would grow to the
same height as on earth? If science fiction feels a person
would develop thicker legs on a "Hi-G" planet, is it not at
least equally logical to assume his other dimensions (e.g.,
height) would somehow vary also? As previously mentioned, science fiction seems confused on these matters.
They started out (perfectly correctly) with a comparison
of 2 persons of equal height on different planets. Somehow they got stuck with that "equal height" concept and
never carried their deductions any further. The reason
appears to be anthropomorphic (i.e., unconscious prejudice in favor of human height and shape).*
Since science fiction hasn't been able to "make up its
mind" on gravity/human consequences, and there is no
other type of literature which deigns to even mention the
subject (apparently), we are left with no otheraltemative
than the "Law of Dynamical Similarity", which we know
to be reliable and always applicable.
Let's reconsider a person on Earth (where G = 1). As
previously mentioned, his "Cross-sectional" stress is
equal to weight/area (of cross-section). Just as with a
building, his weight depends on his volume (or height [h)
cubed). His cross-sectional area depends on his leg
radius (r) squared. Hence his stress (or weight/area ratio)
on earth depends on h3/r2 The so-called "Square/Cube"
law of architecture again!
Now let's see what happens when this person moves to
a planet where gravity is "G" times Earth's gravity. Let's
call the planet "Planet G," for convenience. Everything
remains the same except that his weight is now "G" times
its former (i.e., Earth) value.
His stress on Planet G thus depends on G(h3/r2). Now
it's been shown (fig. 3) that any given shape has its own
definitive "shape ratio" of dimensions (namely h:b:t), the
product of which constitutes its "shape factor."
In the case of the human form discussed above, such
"shape ratio" is h:r:r. In other words, as long as we're
stuck with the human form, we have a constant ratio of
h/r. So the stress formula for our man on Planet G can be
rewritten as Gh(h/r)2; where the ratio (h/r)2 is known to
be constant.
Our man on Planet G is really stressed dependent only
on Gxh!
Now this is exactly the same conclusion as we carne to
when discussing buildings. As the height "hn is increased, Gravity "G" must be decreased (somehow!) to
avoid exceeding the safe stress level. Moreover/'h" actually means any corresponding dimension (not only
height), since all dimensions pertaining to a particular
shape are interconnected by somesuch "shape ratio" as
h:r:r or h:b:t, above.
* Let's face up to the fact that people respect a taller man, but don't give a damn
about a smaller man. An American "prof" once collected statistics showing that
the salaries of company presidents who were 6'2: were consistently higher than
those for 6' presidents who, in tum, were paid more than 5'8" presidents. (That's
why they're called "management material" - they buy 'em by the yard!) Just
further proof that logic is alien to the human !aCl<.
PURSUIT Spring 1977

In fact, we can see (fig. 3) that what we've called Gxh

here is really G(hl) where I is theunit of length (e.g. feet,
meter, mile, etc.). Accordingly, what this constant stress
equation Gxl is basically telling us is that the unit of length
(I) must be made to shrink as G increases, and vice-versa.
In other words, the unit of length must be re-scaled, as
one might suspect from the fact that the "Law of Dynamical Similarity" deals with matters of scale. Hence a tape
measure for use on (say) Jupiter (where G=2.65) would
have each "Jupiter foot" marked off at 12/2.65 =4.54
earth inches long. Plans, etc., made on Earth wouldn't
need redesigning. Just read them as "Jupiter inches" instead of Earth inches. (Note that such lengths do not
have to be straight lines; e.g., for a 3G planet, a 39'" waist
must become a 13" waist, etc.)
In fact, if a mirror-surfaced UFO ever drops off a little
man all of 2.6 inches tall, you've got to realize that he's
probably quite a big man somewhere (e.g., 6 Solar feet
back on the Sun, where G=28, fot instance!).
Let's just re-check this extraordinary discovery/realization by use of our const'ant-stress formula G(h3/r2 ),
which applies to Planet G. We have reached the conclusion that a man transferred to Planet G must have all his
linear dimensions reduced to "VGth" of their normal (i.e.
Earth) values in order to feel at home (by becomingover-.
stressed) there. His height must thus become h/G and
his leg radius riG; and (according to our reasoning) he
then feels just as comfortable as he did back on earth.
Does he? Let's insert his new measurements into our
constant"stress formula and see:
Stress (on Planet G) = G(h/Gp/(r/G)2
Amazingly, all the "G's" cancel out and we're left with:.
Stress ~ h3/r 2 for our l/Gth-sized
"mini-man" on Planet G.
But this value h3/r2 is the stress level of a normal (i.e.,
Earthsized) man on Earth (as already mentioned). So
our l/G sized man will feel comfortable on Planet G. (Fig.
Sa tabulates the situation.)
Our conclusion is thus PROVED and INESCAPABLE: viz., "In order to bejunctionaIlY-lJiab/e, a man (or
any other structure) must become proportionally reduced in all 3 dimensions (i.e. "holographically") INVERSELY SOLELY as the G-value of the planet on
which he lands."* Let's call it:
"Whamond's INVERSE SOLELY Law of Gravitation"
(d. - "Newton's INVERSE SQUARE
Law of Gravitation!")
It is interesting to note that if we scale down the normal
human's 6' height by the G value of Jupiter, we get
72/2.65 or 27.2S". Now 27'" just happens (I) to be a frequently reported height of the mini-men who occupy
UFOs. Is this just more coincidence?
* So in future science TV epics: when Cap'n Quirk of the United States Starship
Private Enterprise steps into the matter transmitter to get himself "faxblipped"
over to Planet G for hologrammatic reconstitution thereon, he'li have to ensure
that his ship's matter transmitter incorporates a scaling circuit, whose control
knob would be reset (from I to 1/2.65, in the case of Jupiter) to "scale his blip" so .
he'd feel at home on arrival there. Of course his mini bulldozers, etc. have been
already built 1/2.65th the normal size and "faxbfipped" to him now without said
reset. Minidiriosaurs, mini blondes and other specimens could be similarly
brought aboard the ship in expanded condition, in order to best conserve weight
and space. In fact there's the intriguing possibility that you could size up your
souvenir miniblonde occasionally, (while still keeping her "cut down to size" most
of the time) to save even more in terms of rations and argument. (I'm certain
science fiction authors could make something of this,free inspiration!)

t...

41

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42;

" . In one ~uch case ~ear the Spani~h village of. VillareS de!
S~~ t~e UFO's mini-lT).en occupants were said. to.b~
aoo~t65 cm tall.Th~t's 2!;i.6" (intere~ting alsq because it'~
smaller thiin usual) .. This is compatible with a normal 61
'man::'sealed'to Someplac.e where G = 72/25.6 = ~.8;al;
though if we take our normal man's height at 5'8" (ini
stead of 6:), then.our 25.6" ~ini-man is compatib.le with
native' planet where G= 68/25.6=25.6" (the.sameasJupil
t.er!): We must also realize .that human' height .ranges
(from Py'giny' to' WatuSi). over' 100%. So. mini-men may
vary similarly. . '
. .
. 1
: More;over, we have already mentioned that a normal
m~n. can iift 'about his. own weight, thus .overstressing hiS:
fr"~me byabout 100%, t~mP9rarily. Similarly, a mini-mart
on.hls own Planet G could temporarily overstress. hi$
frame .100%; and that would be represented by his lifting
.welght.(a cqncrete block, say) h~ving.each of its linea~
dimensions' reduced to '''1/Gth'' of those 'c;>f comparably
~hapec;l concrete .blocks which our normal ~~ could jUSf
lift.:on. Earth.
;...
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....
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.. For instance, if a normal man couldj4Stlift a 12~ x 15" ~
2<r;concrete blo~k onEarth, then his 1/Gth-sizeq mini:coUnterpart (ori Jupit~r ,say, where G = ~..6) couldjust.lift
~ :.CQPcrete block measuring <;I.pproximately ~.6~ ..x 5.8" .~
7.7"- (i.e., 12/2.6 x 15/2.6 x 20/2.6). .
....
.' f
. SQ .it seem~ ,that a mini-miln (on Planet G) would live in
~ mini-city, use. inini-H)eams, mini-tools, and. mini-cui:
ina~y' uten~ils. He'd oper~te mini-bulldozers, inini-cran~
. a,ild,rriini-aircraft (sauce~s?) and h~nt th~ mini-dinosa~~!
(Provided G exceeded earth's value of G =,1, of course,)
'.; ,.quite a di~e:r:ent reality frOITl th~ reg.Lllar.diet of b.ulky;,
gorill~~muscled ~l,lperr1Jen which scieJ'lce (iction ~s ~~
~edjri.g. us on High-Gravity Planet~!* .... .' .',.'. I
,',
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f9regoing'i~ iJ:l.pe~ect ~c~6rd

the
Withf.
the "Lawof,DynainicaI.Similarity," it seems that people;.
ca.ri\really t~ke 'the id~a c:>f mini-men se~iqusly, '~h~therl' .
the;~ ar~ from ~F.Os. ~IsE;~h~r~. ,?ne en.c~unters s~te-I
me~t.$ ;hk~: "~-Sl~. ~~ s bram.1.S n~t big; e~ou~ tC?1
m.<;I.mtaln mtelhgen(:e .at hu1'M.~ leyel. '6. There S. .somel
thing wrong with such stat~nientS. What about pygmies,...
cj~c;~. mic;igets, c;hildren? Many Orien~ls are al~ost ~~
tne height of a 6 .person. The "Law of QynamlCal Sum;
~.r~~\'~ says. their !iea9 v~lur:nes ~o~'bral~ ~p~citie~?) .wm,
varY as the cubes of their respective heights. That s 3/4~
Or.27/64 ='0.422:: ...........-. ' ... '
. . ' I'
"So our'4'6'" Oriental'has only' 42.2% 'ofthe' "brairis" of a.
6-footer, apparently? This doesJ:l't seem to be any ha~il
to Orientals such 'as' those 'cu;rTEmtly des~ing
trari~istor' drcuitiy and pl,llling off shrewd business dea~
itlvplving 6-foQters. Moreover, can o~ ~lly belie~~ ~ '31
~;chiid hcis o~ly ~2.5%.. U.~.,.1/8) th~. ~ra,ir1s .0f..i~.'6j
par~nt~ (espeCially after havmg met some ,o~ tho~
parents!)?
.'
.
.'
.'

or

cap

..!

.' ~ ~ fi"nct

~t inc:i-edlble that oUf'miniinan (~JupitC!r) coilld not' lift ~

norinaI (i.e.,.Earth-siz"\ concrete block measumg ~"'x .15" x 20"? Well, ~

Would yOu likoo to t..yblbng i:I conc~te bkx:k ~uring27%" ,,3'4". x 4:5" Ii."., ~ f

as

2.6 tiInes the size noimai on vOiJr native planet), you' seem to expect them to be
able,ro "do? OTheY, PfObably wouldn't tri/lifting Something 18 times (i.e., G3)their

;::;::.:'-_,.

..

. Obviously then, in'such non-structur.al realms as.brainpower, nature has found some way to theat the "L.aw of
Dynamical Similarity." Despite the .fact that we' don't
know :how, the above-cited instances indicate ttiat
Nature is'. somehow' able to cheat the '.'Law of Dynamical
Similar:ity".in this' crucial matter of providing a too drastic
scaling of brainpower. . .
.
.
One obvious possibility is that Nature does not scale
f~ithfully. For .instance, a 1/2-sized man may perhaps
have a. '3/.4~sized head, along with a few. stronger neck
muscles to support it. (In' this connection it is notable that
some: UFO mini-crew' are reported to have heads "pro
pOrtionally larger". than their bodies).7 It would be
interesting to learn whether any anthropologist has
accumu~ted comparative data on the head sizes of both
small men. and large men in order to evaluate whether-the
head/body ratio. is. the same. Consider.able and significant variations .could easily pass unnoticed, however.
The cube root of 2 = 1.26, which is.about 5/4. A doublevolume head thus has linear dimensions pnly 26% greater
than the original. Regarded in reverse, a half-volume head
will have linear dimensions reduced from 1.26 (about 5/4)
to 1 (i.e., 4/4). This 1/5 redl,lction isn't very much (10%
from e~ch side of the face,.forinstance).It's.hardly noticeable uisually and the linear dimensions which the human
eye notice~ most often (as alr~ady mentioned in relation
to,the phq,tographic. blow-up; fig. 1). Such a 20% reduction would hardly attract much n9tice yet it-.is already
hiding.a halueq brain!*
. Another possibility. is the .clue always beirigbai1died
about 1;>y psychologists and si~ilar Establjshi'r,,:!~t. typ~s:
"We only use a small fraction of our brailist'they'say;'
(One can believe it, judging by the resultS!) Perhaps that's'
how.-Nature is cheating the "Law.of Dynamical SimI."
Iarity" 'as regarcls :brainpower? Maybe:' Nature (some~'
how) causes smaller Persons to !use their brains more
effectiy~ly/ efficiently? Maybe smailer persons don't need:
al!? much -brainpower for governing their movements and
qm thus. devote more brainpOwer 'to .matching 'Iq'rgi:i .
persons. in busines'deals, etc.?The missile industry is well
aware that 'more circuitry (not. less) can be pa~ked into
mini-space~ if stich cir.c;:uitrY were to be micro-min~ttirized, for iristance.**
' . . ..
.It would be most 'interesting to learn whether anyon~
haS ever don~ any actual research on these aspects.af
brail1Power.
.
:.
Insofar as'crewing a UFO is concerned: Just how much
brains does this require anyhow? Most of our own aviation is pushbutton. Even the test "equipmentisprogrammed to sequence tl)rough an enti're manual of tests.t A
UFO.crew c9uld,lshould be evenmore autornated~'
Experiments have even been -done to utilize a' cat's'
brain as the guidance system in a missile.t
* Ii yO~ doubt that the human eye judges by linear dimensions, tty tnc?Ving to a

neW home. You'l find the amount of "stuff' you ihought you had is just about
cubed!!! '. '. . ' .
.
** .Let's'try to phrase this iIIdefined concept of brain~r in a more thought JXO"
voking.way, viz.: "To what physic;:aI"height would a geniusl!ke Einstein or Sir I~
NewtOn'have to be reduced for his brain powerJcilPilC1ty, not volume) to de
crease until it was merely the same as the IIl!!nin-th~-st~t's mentl!.lleI:'el? Would
Sir Isaac find himself reduced to only the physical height ~ a 3transl5tor black
bOx perhaps?" Now there's a questil;m the "Square{Cube Law" con't" ~wer!
t About the only brainwork required 06 military personnel iIowadays is "If it
shOOt'~. 'Let's face it; such guys rate. maybe a "3 transistor black box!"
t About 'a "3transistor black box" requirement, as already surmised! .

moves;

43

Despite occasional miniaturization experiments such

as the animal brain guidance systems (Project Birdbrain?) aforementioned, the Military has traditionally
shown no interest in the potentialities of mini-men.
Another fact reinforcing my conviction that this direct
connection between gravity and 3-dimensional size has
not been fully explored, except in an occasional~ hazy,
obscure and non-fundamental manner.
During WW II, for instance, there was the occasional
deliberate attempt to select smaller pilots for certain aircraft (e.g., the Bell Airacobra). Such undersize pilots
were sought out because certain aircraft had cockpits
which were small and crowded; however," it had nothing
to do with respect for gravity. Intensive research was
done on G-suits for fighter pilots; but nothing whatsoever was done to outwit gravity by the alternative possibility of ._. using the smallest possible pilots! . .
Post -WWII witnessed a spate of interest in rockets and
space travel. Pioneering masterpieces8 were dug up and
dusted off; and much public discussion of escape velocity and mass ratios ensued, even in the newspapers. In
only one article was there the logical suggestion: "Why
not use small~r. rocket pilots? Say a 50 lb. man instead of
a 200 pounder?" Notice that suggestion was phrased in
terms of weight, not height. There was no evident realization of the innate relationship between gravity and
height that I am trying to suggest, merely a vague attempt
at weight-saving.
Of course this sensible "smaller astronaut" suggestion
was never adopted. Anthropomorphism again! lmagirie a
1V newscast: "Here comes our 3' -hero - America's firSt
man on Mars!" let's face it, a 3' hero is in the same category as a 3' company president or a "woman driver" somehow unconvincing in concept and just never going
to be taken seriously by the public, irrespedive of
achievements, statistics, or data.
Nevertheless, Whamond's Lciw unerringly pinpoints
the general and fundamental issue that gralJity and linear
dimensions have an innate and clear-cut inlJerse relationship solely to one another. (Not to be confused with
the Inverse square Gravitation law of my colleague,
Newton!) Throughout this article the author has not
bothered to make a careful distinction between gravity,
weight, and density. That's because there isn't any distinction. Particularly between gravity and weight. A half~
density material is the same as a full-density material in a
half-G field. .

THE BENDING MOMENT

Suppose we apply Whamond's Law in a few other instances in order to see if it is really as clear-cut and funda-.
mental as we believe it to be: One of the essential but
hidden ingredients of a society/civilization (along with
sanitation, transport, communications, etc.) is the
concept of bending moment. It is present in everything
from housing to bridges and shipping, though the public
.remains virtually unaware of its .existence and indisperisibility. When you see the cartoon of the farmer and his
sway-back cow, such animals are victims of excessive
"bending moment.''9
.
It seems wise therefore to investigate how a lJital
quality like bending moment would be influenced by the

scaling necessitated by arrival on Planet G. If you try to

bend a-beam, you're imposing a bending moment on it.
Usually, such bending moment is imposed by the beam's
own weight (or to be more accurate, by gravity). This
natural bending moment is resisted by the beam's crosssection, which elastically opposes such attempts to distort it by bending (fig; 6). If we take the simplest possibility (anything from a crane-boom or diving board to the
neck of a giraffe or dinosaur ,10 we have a cantilever, with
one end rigidly installed. The bending moment formula is
Mil = E/R, (with M representing the bending moment
being applied, R the radius of bend produced by M, E the
strength of the beam material, and I the rigidity of opposition to bending inherent in the beam's cross-sectional
shape).
. This bending moment formula can be simplified depending on the situation being analysed (in this case, a
cantilever)-, and when the "Law of Dynamical Similarity"
is used (fig. 6) to scale this bending moment situation to a
l/Gth size beam on Planet G, it is prolJed that a bending
.
radius of RIG will inevitably result.
In short, the bending moment formula has afforcted
independent proof that the forces within a l/Gth-scided
mirii-beam will interact such as to produce a l/Gth bend.
radius when on Planet G!
Such holographic type reduction in scale of the entire
beam (iilchiding holographic reduction of its bending
radius of curvature), . is exactly as predicted by
"Whamond's law." Without the c(lmplication of bending-momEmt formulas!
.
It's iristructive "to look at a few more work-a-day
formulas. For instance, a gun's ra.nge scales to l/Gth on
Planet G (fig. 6a). So does the "Angle-of-Bank" Triangle
(that's the diagram used to calculate the "tilt" of turns on
railways" roads, and auto racetracks) (fig. 6b). That's
because "Whamond's Law" says a mini-train on Planet G
must go around a mini-curve scaled to l/Gth the radius of
curvature normal on Earth for the same speed, IJ. This
means the centrifugal force is increased G times (to com-_
pensate for gra~ity being increased G times). Since the
horizontal (Le., centrifugal) force is thus increased G
times and so in the vertical (i.e., gravity) force, the entire
"Angle Qf Bank" Triangle-of~Forces merely becomes G
times the size of ~he normal (Le., Earth) Triangle. It thus

scales.

' . ....

'.

Now here we noted that the forces on Planet G are

amplified G times (not l/G). This is nof a.violation of
"Whamond's Law," since that only deals with linear
dimensions, not forces. The Barik-Triangle will still be
l/Gth of the normal (i,e., Earth) Triangle, as regards size
(fig.6b).
.
....
Another thing to note is that if we take a normal pendu~
lum (the
mail's watch) from Ear:th to Planet G, t~n
when we. shorten its length to l/Gth (to obey
"Whamond's Law") it will be~t in seconds which are only
l/Gth of Earth seconds. In. short, ft runs G ti!Tles as fast
(fig. 6c)."
.
..
.
.

poor

I have not as yet had an opportunity to consider the full

implication of this amplification of Forces and Timeby
the G factor. (Perhaps these are destined to become a
future article on "Whamond~s 2nd Law'.'?!) One could,
however, guess that the G-amplified forces are a direct
PURSUIT Spnng 1917

0,
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result of the shorter (i.e., l/Oth) seconds. What~er the

~e~ likely that; w~ starting up a.p~ce Qf ~~
bT~ implications may tum out to be, on~ suspects t""t . . ~ whet~r .spi~ing up .~ mini~~I,. or.~~g
t.~i~.~~:anc)t~er insta~ce (~~iS;l?ei!l9 ~pap.~ cjf ()!Jt-;: ~ini..t~nk .tu.rret" . theY,.; could qlways "~t= ~ ~ ~
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MORE NON-STRUCTURAL REALM

POSSIBILITIES
Although the "Law of Dynamical Similarity" and
"Whamond's Law" (which, like the Square/Cube Law, is
predictable from it) are undoubtedly correct, it is in the
non-structural region (such "medical aspects," for example) that there seems to be no information available at
all, concerning mini-men (i.e., those aforementioned
questions regarding brainpower vs. cranial capacity).
Then on the other hand, maybe a human wouldn't reduce
much at all under G. Maybe he'd just cheat the "Law of
Dynamical Similarity" by dying. Possibly something
entirely different happens, such as adoptirtg the habit of
lying around doing as little as possible so that G doesn't
get much chance to work on him. Until several generations 'have lived under Hi-G conditions, we probably
won't have much information on the subject. All NASA
experiments seem to be on the effects of Lo-G (i.e."
orbital). Hi-G experiments have been done in centrifuges, but mostly related to Gsuits, I understand. I have
heard it stated that "a centrifuge can never really eliminate the Earth-s gravity field enough to test Hi-G
properly:" This does not really ring true. The 5:12:13 trio
angle is Pythagorean (i.e., right-angled). (see fig. 7.) It we
scale it to 1/5th size, we get a 1:2.4:2.6 triangle. If we make
this the basis of a centrifuge, with the "I" vertical (to
represent Earth's gravity), and spin it up to 2.4G horizontally, then we've developed a resultant 2.60 field (on
the tilt, similar to fig. 6b). We would have a narrow conical track on which G=2.6, and there would be no interference from Earth's gravity. At Jupiter's G=2.6, we could
grow plants and raise chickens, etc., on said conical track
and get some idea of what they'd look like if native-born
on Jupiter.Although I would assume that someone has
had the inspiration to build a conical centrifuge, I doubt
they've tried raising mini-men on it. Or anything else. A
discarded orbiting rocket hull, spun up to 2.60, is a more
feasible centrifuge for Hi-G experiments. T oday's trend is
in the opposite direction, because everyone is entranced
with the thought of "freedom from gravity," whether by
space stations or some future anti-gravity device.

:(;" 'r

Although the innate and fundamental INVERSE relationship between LINEAR dimensions and gravity (i.e.,
"Whamond's Law") never seems to have been clearly tormulated (certainly not by science fiction writers,
anyhow), such is not the case with other aspects of miniaturization. For instance, it has long been realized that
the surface area of a body depends on its length squared
(same as for cross-sectional area). Thus a !4-sized body
has Y4 (i.e., !4 squared) the surface area, but only ~ (i.e., !4
cubed) the volume of the original full-size body.
Now a body's cooling rate capability = area;volume =
YJ~ = 2 (for a half-sized body). So a half-sized body will
lose (or gain) heat twice as fast as its full-sized
counterpart. The public is generally aware th~t babies, as
compared to adults, are more sensitive to' heat and cold,
develop fevers faster, etc. Just another example of the
"Law of Dynamical Similarity" in that babies are about
1/3 the length of an adult and so could be expected to
cool off 3 times as rapidly.
.
At the opposite end of the ~ale we read puzzling tales
(in any hunter's magaiine) about p~ople shooting elephants and by the time they return with some native
helpers 3 hours later, the carcass has become too decomposed to merit skinning (or whatever!). Something
rotting in only 3 hours is decidedly puzzling - until you
consider the "Law of Dynamical Similarity": i.e., it an,ele
phant (or other big game) is about 3 times the length of a
man, then it will cool only 1/3 as fast. In fact, in African
heat, it probably won't c,ool at all, merely "jiffy-cook" itself
once the body's circulation is stopped.
, ' An intermediate region between the relatively familiar
cooling rate law and the utterly unfamiliar gravity/length
law (i.e., "Whamond's Law") is the Aerodynamic
"Drag/FrontalArea Law." Newton investigated this
problem in regard to projectiles and found that the drag
on an area, facing into an airstream depends on area
times velocity squared (see fig. 8). It follows that it said
area is the frontal area of a falling body, then the drag
builds up until it eventually equals the body's weight. ,
There is then no net force left to keep accelerating the
'body, and so it reaches a steady speed called the'
"Terminal Velocity~' (Vt). For a human (with parachute
unopened) Vt is between 120 and 140 mph, depending

CENTR,,::qlGE.. :

.J

FIGURE'1
PURSUIT Spring

~977

47

~: ..

-T

on the size, weiglit, and type of clothing. Unfortunately,

such speeds are a bit too excessive to expect to survive
without a parachute. If the speed could be cut to half,
however, one could have some hope of an occasional survival.
.
After obserVing how the cooling rate law affects a minimati, it should occur to us to wonder how "Newton's
Drag Formula" would treat a ~-sized human.
Comparing Newton's formula for a ~-sized mini-man
and his normal-sized counterpart, the "Law of Dynamical Similarity" scales our mini-man's terminal velocity to
IV2 of normal (fig. 8). That's about 7fR, or 90 mph. The
result, abput a 3fR reduction in terminal velocity, isn't
quite enough .to facilitate survivaL
Nevertheless, I have always ~en fascinated by the fact
that the human terminal velocity is so close to survival
velocities. What if our ~-sized mini-man could somehow
double his effective frontal area (by the using of some sort
of "Batman's cape" device (strapped to wrists and
ankles) or similar "Rogollo-Wing" artifice)?

~,

The "Law of Dynamical Similarity" shows (fig. 8) thaf

this would cut OOr mini-man's velocity to maybe 65l1lph;
namely, a 50% reduction in terminal velocity compared.to
a normal (and unequipped) man. Such a "drag-doubling"
artifice would bring our mini-man to the brink. of survivability.
The formula for a fall (without air drag) is V2 =2gh.{fig.
8) and can be used in space or for short falls where the
speed isn't high enough to produce much air drag. Using
this fOrrrlula, we find that a 50% reduction in the. normal
terminal velocity (of about 130 mph) is the spee~ (i.e., 65
mph) .which would be attained by falling off a 140' cliff.
This is about the limit of what an expert diver pll.!nging
into water could expect to survive; and is about the terminal velocity of a ~-si?!ed man equipped with artificially
doubled frontal area.
One may ask "Why all this talk about artificially
dOllbJed frontal area, using capes and wings? Why not
just get doubled drag from a mini-parachute?" We realiz~, of course, that a mini-parachute would do the trick,
PURSUIT

Spring 1977

48
I.

but we were rather wondering whether our mini-man

couldn't somehow employ some simple steerable equipment which 'a normal man could not use. We've been
reading all these tales about mini-men stepping out of
UFOs and "floating" towards people. Of course, these
reports are not usually very scientific and thus it is seldom
made clear whether the UFO is sitting on the ground or
hovering. There's never any information on the exact
speed at which "floating" becomes "jumping", either; so
in the absence of a few such crucial bits of data about all
we can conclude. is that the mini-men could almost
survive a prolonged fall and definitely have it easier in all
respects compared to a falling normal man. (We could go
on to point out, as well, that their Yw'~ ratio means a
halved "presSure pulse" (and therefore shock) when they
do hit the ground.
Therefore, if mini-men do use some sort of anti-gravity
or electrostatic "hover" -device, it wouldn't have to be
very powerful to give considerable maneuverability.
Looked at from another viewpoint: a compact device,
even if not yet-perfected to any great efficiency, would still
give even half-sized mini-men considerable airborne
mobility. This may account for the alleged "floating", or a
partially sustained/controlled "jump".
An even simpler and more easily prouen explanation is
that if mini-men are Hi-G dwellers (as everything seems
to suggest), then they are merely over-muscled for Earth;
in fact, they would be In exactly the same sort of situation
as our astronauts on the Moon - overmuscled, and able
to take 10l1g floating leaps and jumps. So it would be best
not to try to wrestle a UFO mini-man into a milk can in
order to prove that he exists. His strength/weight ratio
may give you an unpleasant surprise (it could become
possible to find yourself woven into some kind of Mobuis
Band, for example). A South American claims he tried to
stab a UFO mini-man II, but found the mini-man "way too
strong" for him. .
Sqme skepticwill no doubt ask, "If all that's so, then
how come Pygmies don't do floating leaps like that?"
Well, presumably they're like astronauts who have
stayed on the moon too long. Their muscles atrophy to a
Moon-normal (i.e., G = l/G) state until"they can't take
floating leaps any more. (I say "presumably" because I
can't find any definite information, much as I'd like to. No
one seems to have done previous investigation into such
"medical" aspects.)
Another "medical" aspect treated by a complete
. dearth of information is the question: "Why do Orientals
tend to be so small?" Is it caused by heredity, or tropical
heat? Is it diet or just food scarcity? Extra sunlight, or the
angle at which earth's magnetic field intercepts them,
perhaps? Or could it be due to different gravity and air
pressure caused by a 13 mile (i.e., 21 Km) radial bulge
(compared to polar regions); or what?"
Any scientifically-minded person will conclude there's
some reason for such relative smallness. And if said
reason can-be discovered, then we have a way of making
mini-men. It could very well tum out that increased G in
itself will not produce mini-men. This would not invalidate "Whamond's Law" in the slightest, of course; it
would only stimulate a search for a means other than
gravity which would be capable of producing mini-men.
Suppose we discover that the smallness of Orientals is
PUHSUrr

Spring .~977

merely a question of diet. (In other words, a hidden drug).

Or that the smallness is due to heredity. (In other words,
merely a genetic engineering problem.) We are now in a
position to produce mini-men of any desired quantity, in
"Brave New World"12 fashion. A brilliant solution to the
overpopulation problem: 4 men in the space of 1.*
I think anyone can begin to see the merits of a mini-man
Society by now; because if you can grasp the picture now
anyone able to build a UFO probably got the rr.essage
long ago. And if lii-G didn't shrink them automatically,
they probably did the necessary research and found a
drug or forcefield that would. They probably shed their
primitive anthropomorphic impulses by realizing that if
eueryone was small, then nobody would look down on a
midget. How "possible" does all that sound?
After WWII some Swedish "J?rof" found he couldgrow
giant hares (i.e., jackrabbits) by feeding them a drug extracted from the common Lily-o/-the-Valley flower. He
said that if the drug were to be used on humans they
would grow about 9' tall (Texans, take note!). And something is making Orientals tend to grow short. Nutritional
research doesn't seem interested in exactly what makes
people grow tall or short. Once again, it's with the "medical" aspects that we draw a total blank in terms of information.
.
Anyone who has read Aldous Huxley's prophetic
masterpi~cel3 realizes a UFO just could be captained by
a normal-sized "E-3" (i.e., an "Epsilon-Triple-Minus") and
crewed by a bunch of mini-"G .I.'s" (i.e., "Gamma-Ones")
who came along to open the cans and do the "regulation" 10-million-mile "waxjab!" Certain UFO sighting
reports l4 tend to suggest such a Watusi-Pygmy setup. It's
remarkable how Huxley's 1932 prediction of a "Bokanov~
skifiCation-Process" has been even surpassed by
"Cloning" possibilities. Another point to realize is this:
even if you have the perfect "anti-gravity" power plant
such as the "Plantier Drive Unit'.' envisioned by Lt. Plan. tier ofthe French Air Force, 15 and therefore couldn't care
less about gravity and "Whamond's Law," etc., that does
not mean that miniaturization isn't still attractive. One.
can nevertheless still envy our l/2-sized mini-man who is
able to voyage 8 times further on the same tonnage of
rations. and yet still have the luxury of 4 times the "onboard" crew quarters, even il us heavies had the additional "Plantier-Drive Unit" too.
Moreover, such !L..G-sized mini-men could travel to the
nearest star in 1j\I'""Gth of the time it would take us, be
cause they could travel under "G" times the acceleration
which we could tolerate! (Provided they didn't en'
counter "Relativistic-Effects," of course.) Most SF stories
use "Cryogenic Suspended Animation" for such startrips - further proof that they aren't aware of the possibilities of "scaled miniaturization to combat gravitation."
Such space-saving attributes of miniaturization have
long been realized by the Military, even though the
gravity-outwitting features (i.e., "Whamond's Law") of
miniaturization have only been dimly/dumbly (?) groped
at to date.
* Developers would just drool over those l/4-sized "'ots". Mortgage brokers
would swoim at the chance to sell you a house (for the same $50,(00) containing
only 12.5% (i.e., 1/8) the materials (without violating Federal statutes, eithe.r)_
All that, and gravitational immunity too! No bar to using Hi-G planets as
colonies for your overpopulation. Any arguments and you could always
confidently outfly, out-fight, and generally out-G those Lo-G heavies (that's us)_

49
The author finds it rather puzzling that when he submitted his theme for an article on "Little Green Men and
the Law of Dynamical Similarity" to a trio of science
fiction authors/editors, he was told the idea was "old hat"
- and "not evidence" of UFOs. 1have, however, spent at
least the last 30 years reading all varieties of technicaVmathematicaVscience fiction articles, and have
found no evidence that the idea is either "old hat" or explicitly presented in any publication. I therefore hope that
this article has been rewritten and expanded sufficiently
that it won't be misunderstood as "old hat." 1 am, after
having spent 7 years' experience in the patents field, in a
position to assure readers that, in terms of scientific data,
nelJer was so L1TfLE known about so MUCH by so
MANY educated persons! .
Let's face it:
1) Science fiction doesn't say Jupiter has Lo-G because it knows the opposite is true. Similarly, science
fiction would populate Hi-G planets with little people
were there any generaVwidespread understanding
that this was the answer.
2) Texts discuss "old hat" ideas (like the
Square/Cube Law) to extremes but yet don't breathe
a word of suspicion that the "Law of Dynamical Similarity" would predict "holographic" (i.e., linear) scaling
of 3-dimensional objects that could outwit Planetary
G. As a matter of fact, it is tacitly assumed that G =1
throughout such texts.
3) If "Whamond's Law" is such "old hat," then what
about the past 20 years of UFO Mags? The greatest
degree of technical insight on the mini-man Cioncept is
(you've guessed it) "Ye Olde Square/Cube Law."
applied to cranial capacity.l"' This is about the sole
insight to date, too.
4) In all, during 2 decades of UFO Mags there have
been many technical discussions of UFOs (Lt.
Plantier's being about the best), but the number of
technical discussions on mini-UFOs has been zero;. they have either been taken for granted or laughed oft
But no MD (for example) has written an article show...!
ing that "their liver and kidneys would be too small for
their metabolic-rate (or somesuch - such as Asimov
mentions I!!). Those who don't think mini-UFOnauts
are ridiculous would surely have gone beyond "Ye
Olde Square/Cube Law" and pounced on
"Whamond's Law" as "an extraordinary confirmation that little UFOnauts are NOT ridiculous (if it was
all that obviously "old hat!")_
5) If you try to tell the workaday engineer that
"length and gravity should be in inverse proportion,"
he'll say something like: "Look,Bud! Weight is gravity.
Weight is volume. That's length, cubed. So gravity
varies as length cubed. Got it? Now beat it - 1 got
work to do." (Obviously, "Management materia!!") In
short, he hasn't listened and understood that stress is
the key, couldn't care less, and would rather keep
doing things the hard way because "Management"
understands that. The typical UFO derider. Am 1
really expected to believe that "Whamond's Law" is
"old hat" to such people?

CONCLUSIONS
It may be noticed that your author has avoided discussions of Lo-G situations. There are four reasons for this:
1) Most of it is readily inferable as the reverse ot the
"Hi-G situation.
2) No discernible advantages appear for larger humans (sorry, Texas!)
3) Most UFO sighting reports mention mini-men.
4) Normal:sized humans represent about the maximum size limit anyhow: as G becomes less than 1, the socalled "mean-free path" velocity of the oxygen molecule
soon. approaches the "velocity of escape" for a planet.
Thus any planet with G much below 1 would start losing
its atmosphere and soon end up like Mars or the Moon
(i.e., "uninhabitable"). A well-known fact.
... besides lesser accomplishments. For instance, our
galaxy is known to have a "poached-egg" shape. That
means more mass is concentrated centrally, which
science assumes means Hi-G. So our UFO-mini-men's
height could imply that they originate nearer the Galactic Center than we do.*
Throughout the text, your author has tried to make
lJery clear (in each instance) whether he is discussing:
a. Normal man on Earth
b. Normal man on Planet G
. c. Mini-man on Planet G
d. Mini-man on Earth
-b!cause he believes that failure to keep firmly in mind
just who is planet hopping to where is largely responsible for science fiction's failure to clarify these matters of
gravity as I have done. On the other hand, it may be felt
that I have occasionally been lax as to whether I was
speaking of UFO minimen, our own mini-men (pygmies,
midgets, etc.), or hypothetical minimen. That's because
there really isn't any diffe~ence: A mini-man is a mini-man,
irrespective of source or costume. The guy who said,
"You seen one Foreigner, you seen 'em all," said more
than he knew. (Dead Right! Seeing is believing.)
And every time you see a child, you're seeing a viable
and functional miniman. But you're not a scientist, so
you never realized that. The Establishment had you "conned," righf~ Happens to .the best of us.
Just a concluding word on Jupiter. Although its G
value has been used as an example, there is no intention
to imply that that's where UFOs originate. Author has as
yet no fixed opinion as to where they originate (although
they obviously are spaceships in that they appear to have
definite. spacefaring capabiljties).
Does this articleprolJe that UFOs exist'~ No; and it isn't
really trying to. The author is satisfied in his own mind
that UFOs do exist, however, and that Lt. Plantier
probably has the correct technical answer. That's
because Lt. Plan tier uses the same technique as I; he
takes the SCIENTIFIC/LOGICAL approach that, "Jf
such and such was sighted, what would be the
implications'!" He doesn't rush out and call the sighter a
liar or ridiculous nut. A person of Lt. PIantier's caliber just
Sort of like emISsaries from "Galactic Headquarters" to "Galactic Hind
quarters," we might surmise. I have often wondered whether Government's
famed "Project OZMA" (search for OUTAspace intelligence) wasn't really just a
"cover" for a supersecret scheme to "bug" the Little Green Men's communica
tions. CIA:codenamed "Project Greenbugger," maybe'!
PUH~urr

Spring 19'17

50

doesn't go "jackassing-around" like that. He has the

Finally, there is the' question'~f the term .. humano;d ....
correct attitude, and so naturally produces the correct
The author's understal?ping is that this' term :means.
conclusions.
"human-shaped." However', the term h3s so otten been
used to describe small human-shaped creatures that It
.' It is often said that "where there's a will, there's a way,"
but in the case of Nature it's more often "where there's a
probably now carries an implicit ciiminutive comi6tatiori,
way, there's a will (to utilize it). I have tried to prove that
which is an unfortunate ambiguity in respect of the dictionary meaning. To avoid confusion, tliereforE!,-l have
there is ~ ."way" (holographic 3-D miniaturization) for
Nature to outwit Hi-G; and a tried and true working
ignored the term "humanoid" and used instead the' term
mini-men to denote "small, human-shaped, beings." .
model (the human body) of this available to Nature. Why,
Those who have ordered a minute (jiffy) .steak;. and
therefore, should Nature bother to come up with some of :
who atter about an hour have been served a minu te (tiny)
the bizarre Hi-G creations suggested by science fiction
steak, may have some appreciation 'of my concern tor
instead'? Surely Nature has not abandoned "The Prinsemantics.
ciple of Least Action" without my being intormed ot if?
Though She can "spring" surprises. IY
REFERENCES
I Asimov, Isaac, The Solar System and Back (New York:
Avon Paperbacks), chaps. 9 & 10.
~ Clarke, Arthur c., Interplanetary Flight (London: Temple
Press Ltd.).
.:l Thompson, D.'Arey W., On Growth and Form (New York: .
Cambridge University Press), pp. 22-54. Mewman, James H.,
The World of Mathematics (New York: Simon and Schuster,
Inc.), pp. 952-956.
.4 Thompson, On Growth and Form, pp.2254. Asimov, lhe :
Solar System and Back, p. 137.
, Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids (London: Future Pubs.
Ltd.), p. '19.
b-Asimov, The Solar System and Back, p. 149.
./ Ibid., pp. 246-247, 252.
, :M Clarke, Interplanetary Flight.
~ Thompson, On Growth and Form, pp. 972-989, 1006.

Ibid., pp. 96'/.972.

Bowen, Th~ Humanoids, p. 93.
Il Huxley, Aldous, Brave New' World (Middlesex, England:
Penguin Books Ltd.). Fiction .
Jj Ibid., pp. 1~, 33, 14~.
14 Bowen, The Humanoids, pp. 19, 112, 119.
...:' .'.!
I~ Michel, Aime, The Truth About Flying Saucefs' (NeW:'Yotk:
Pyramid Pubs. Inc.), pp. 210-226.
. .
Ib Thompson, On Growth and Form; pp. 22-54 .. Newman,
The World oj Mathematics, pp. 952-956. 'Asimov, 7he Solar
System and Back, chaps. 9 & 10..:
II Bowen, The Humanoids, pp. 246-247, 252."
1M Asimov, The Solar System and Back, pp. 141-142 .
I" Asimov, Isaac, "Not Final"; First Contact, ed.'. Knight,
LJamon (New York: Pinnacle Books #PG62N),chap. 4, pp. 7'1.'11.
.
.
III

II

.(

"

1"

FURTHER REFERENCES .
Ye?c~, Henato,lmercept u.F.0. (New York: Zebra Pubs. Inc.).
Hooper, W. J., New Horizons in Electric, Magnetic and Gravi
" tational Field Theory (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Electrodynamic
.-.Gravity, Inc.).
;:'Herbert, Frank, Hellstrom's Hive (New York: Bantam Books
" 'Inc.). Fiction.
'
, Hooper, W. J., U.S. Patents Nos. 3,610,971; 3,656,013 (Wash"ington D.C.; U.S. Dept. 01 Commerce, Patent Otfice).*'

...

Brown, T. '1'., U.S.: Patents Nos. 3,022,430; 3,018,394;

2,'14'1,550; 3,1~7,206'-(Washington D:C.: U.S. Dept. ot Commerce, Patent Olfice).*- .
..
.'
Dudley, U.S. Patent No. 3,095,167 (Washington D:C., U~S. I
Dept. 01 Commerce, Patent Oflice).*
, ,.-

* U.S. Patents for: UFO, PowerplantFeasibility.

A fEW SMALL STEPS ON THE EAR1'H:

A TINY LEAP FOR MANKIN,D?,

'

-~---------- by Fred H. Bos,~ - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . ; , . - .

. '.

"!'"-"- .

. A little man,"not much bigger than a Coke bottle" was

. reportedly sighted on two ,occasions last October in the
,"~~tea' of Dunn, North Carolina, and doubters are hardpressed to explain away the footprints found at the scene
of the sightings.
As managing editor of The Daily Record in Dunn, I paid,
little attention to a tip that an 8-year-old boy had spotted a
little man in a cornfield; but two days later, after hearing
reports that footprints were drawing curious residents to
the scene, I decided to investigate.
PUI<SUlT

Spring 1977

At the cornfield I found a half dozen cur.ious persons

studying two sets of tracks, separated by about 150
yards. The first' set, 1was told, marked the spot where the
boy had seen the little man pn Tuesday, Oc~oper j2,
1976. The second set was found two days later' by' an,
adult who was helping ~he boy search for further'signs of
the little visitor.
"
'
The tracks wer~ definitely those of little 'boots; cleat
marks were easily discernible. I failed to count th~ number in the first ~et, but th~r.e were 14 in the second set,

51

which. was clearer than the first. Individual prints were

long and about 1 inch wide at the broadest
point. As I started photographing them, my mind automatically cataloged them as prints made by a doll's boots.
The boy who found the prints was named Tonnlie
Barefoot, a third grade student at the Mary Stewart Ele. mentary School. I phoned his mother, Mrs. Roland
Barefoot, who told me of T onnlie's encounter with the
little man.
It was her habit, she said, to pick T onnlie up from
school and to take him to the field near their home where
he would play among the dried cornstalks while she
picked peas from the family garden.
It was close to 5 p.m., she said, when he came running
up to her excitedly and begged her to "come look," that
he had just seen a little man "not much bigger than a
Coke bottle."
Mrs. Barefoot said she paid little attention to her son
and sent him back to play. Again he came back to her,
this time to tell her that he had found the little man's foot.prints.
When she still wouldn't pay attention to him, and when
the r.est of the family ridiculed him at home, he began crying. The next morning Mrs. Barefoot was forced to promise to look at the footprints in order to get Tonnlie to
stop crying. After school was out that Wednesday afternoon, she saw the footprints.
"I know my son Tonnlie. He's telling the truth," Mrs.
Barefoot said.
Her husband agreed, and told of plans to hunt for the
little man.
That afternoon, with the family's permission, I interviewed T onnlie at his school with the aid of the school
principal, Mrs. Jennie Brooks. The session could probably better be described as a "mild interrogation."
Tonnlie said he was playing with his toy shovel in the
dirt when he looked up and saw the little man watching
him with an open mouth. The little fellow wore black
boots, blue trousers and blue top made of "shiny stuff," a
black "German-type hat" with !K)mething that looked like
crossed rifles on it, and "the prettiest little white tie you
ever saw."
The boy said that the little man seemed to .have been
reaching for something in a back pocket, but instead
froze for a moment, then let out. a little squeal like a
mouse and ran- disappearing among the cornstalks.
"Was it fast?" I asked.
"Faster'n me," he replied.
From a picture T onnlie drew for me, we discovered
that the little man also had a mustache.
Principal Brooks helped me try to tactfully ftnd a hole in
Tonnlie's story, but the child came across as sincere and
honest about what he thinkshe saw.
The only doll that Tonnlie owned was a G.l. Joe doll,
which" has a foot too small to have made the prints in the
field.
I started checking toy stores for a doll that would fit the
pattern.
In the meantime, other media had picked up the story.
Most of the major newspapers in the area ran it. T onnlie
was interviewed by the news section of WRAL-TV in
Raleigh.
The city of Dunn only boas~s about 10,000 residents.
2~-inches

Tonnlie Barefoot, age 8, who claims to have seen a

little man "not much bigger than a Coke bottle."

It's a small place nestled in the northeast section of a iittle

. tobacco county called Harnett. Dunn sits astride Interstate-95, and the city's only apparent claim to fame is
being halfway between New York and the Florida
beaches that vacationing New Yorkers use the highway
to' reach.
But this story had the little city buzzing.
This was the climate in town when the second sighting
of a little man was made.
Our police monitor radio on Monday morning,
October 25, picked up a call from the dispatcher to a
patrolman to investigate a claim of a second sighting. I
was tied up on another matter and did not reach the address until after the patrolman had departed.
Shirley Ann McCrimmon, 20, of 809 East Harnett
Street told me her story at about 11:30 a.m. She said she
was coming home from an all-night party just before daybreak. She left her front door open to give her some light
until shecould find the switch inside. As she turned on
the light, she heard a noise outside-something like a
small animal moving around. When she looked out, a
small man was staring back at her.
She was frightened but also curious, so she watched
the little man for several minutes in the growing light.
When nothing happened, she grew bolder and moved. At
that, the little man shined a tiny, "very bright yellow light"
PURSUIT Spring

19~7

52
'across her eyes. She screamed, and
the little man zipped away, she said.
Miss McCrimmon said that as the
little creature disappeared around
,the west side of her house toward the
back, the dogs in the rear yard next
door started barking.
" Her immediate recollection of it,
, she 'said, was that the little man was
, Wearing some kind of thin garment.
, ~ After she thought about it, though,
she said he might have been naked. If
,~, his skin was light brown, she said.
" . Miss McCrimmon is herself, a
black woman.
: She insisted the little man wore no
'hat; but he did wear boots.
~""::"""
. 'He.' immediate reaction to the
,scare was to run in, the opposite
, direction of the little man, to her
mother's house next door. She woke
, i:ter mother, Mrs. Eula May McCrimmon, but her mother swore she must
be drunk.
,:' She then went to the house of Mrs. Corinne Smith
:' ,(~nother neighbor and the owner of the dogs which had
, barked). Here she was told that if she really did see some, ~hing to keep it quiet or the "police would throw her in the
looney bin."
:, She accepted that advice for as long as she could, she
, said, then she went to her aunt's house down the street
, and called the police.
" She pointed to an inverted plastic container which she
Said covered a footprint that she had just shown to the
investigating officer. Her baby son, trying to be helpful,
':, d~agged the container across the ground. Whatever print
, had been there was obliterated.
Sec;lrching on my own, however, I discovered a second
, p~int in the hard-packed dirt of the driveway. It was not as
distinct as those in the cornfield-no cleat marks could
: be distinguished-but it had the same dimensions.
, Later, Officer George Robinson indicated that the
, mark he had examined had definitely resembled a foot,
print.
" , "The strange part about the footprints were that they
, led nowhere in any of the locations where they were
'found. The ground was soft in both areas of the corn"field, yet in both cases the footprints ended abruptly.
',' ,The ground was hard where the footprints were found
at the McCrimmon home; yet around the back where the
, little man was said to have disappeared, there was a
garden area with soft earth-but here no footprints could
'be'found.
Since then, I have looked at dolls in stores whenever
'the',opportunity arose, trying to find a doll's boot that
wOuld fit the dimensions of the footprints. My search has
'been unsuccessful.
", 'Miss McCrimmon is distrustful of att~mpting hypnotic
, r~ression for "reliving" the experience, but ,sh~ is willing
," to" take a polygraph test. To date, this has not been
, arranged.
, , Roland Barefoot desires not to have his son undergo

Shirley McCrimmo..~
Below can b~ seen '
one of the dogs . ,
which purportedly':
barked at the '".
little man.

.",,:

f'"

":

.. ~

... :~~: ..

'PURsun

Spring 1977

either a polygraph test or hypnotic regression for fear the

experience might make the boy nervous.
,
So the mystery remains. Is it conceivable that- boy
who has barely reached the age of reason could have ~r7
petrated a colorful hoax -so colorful that it \.,Vas picked
up and repeated by a 20-year-old woman two week,S
later?
' " ,
If so, why didn't the woman use the same descripti9n of
the little mQ.n? Why didn't she put the footprints where
they could be more easily found?
If it is a hoax by a third party, the footprints can be
explained-but how can we explain the way that the two
witnesses "saw" the little man?
"
On the other hand, if it is not a hoax, why did the fpot:
prints just disappear? Why did they not continue? : ' ,
Could the appearance of the little man "not 'mticl1"
bigger than a Coke bottle" be linked somehow to' th~
"strange orange light which appeared in the sky" the
night before T onnlie Barefoot's sighting of the little man?
Miss Debbie Godwin of Dunn joked about "s~eing her
first UFO" that Tuesday morning. No one else, however;
reported seeing that strange light in the sky.
Or perhaps the appearance of the little man is somehow connected to an incident which reportedly occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, earlier last year.
After reading our stories on Dunn's little man, a
woman came into the office to purchase copies of each of
the respective issues to send to friends in Cleveland
because, she said, "our friends will enjoy reading about
it. "
It seems the last letter which the woman had received
from her Ohio friends contained an offhand remark
about a woman in the neighborhood who had suddenly
started talking strangely, insisting to everyone that she
had seen "a very small, very little man."
Is it possible it could have been a little man "not much
bigger than a Coke bottle?"

Above: footprint which tlk author examined at the home of Shirley McCrimmon.
Below: The original set of footprints found by Tonnlie Barefoot.

l'UU~UI/"

Spring 19.n

54

THE RELATIVITY RACKE1"

by Dr. Silvano Loreni'oni

It is striking how for over' half a century a theory of

dubious and shadowy 40nception which, if not obviously
wrong, is at least totally useless and unnecessary, has
~en accepted without the slightest critical sense. of
moral honesty as gosPel by' the majority of members of
the $C)-called "serious" scientifiC community. We mean.
the "Theory of Relativity,'" attributed to the late A.
~instein, which has become a veritable straightjacket" for
certain branches of scientific thought, especially those
involved with communications over astronomical distances.
.
. It has become comr:nonplace to hear of "Relativistic
Physics" in contexts where, from the point of view of both
scientific rigor and historical honesty, the discipline
should be spoken of as "lorentzian Physics" or, better
yet, "Physics of High Speeds." I shall attempt to explain
why.
.
At. non-specialist' level' the' 'abstruse nature of the
matter makes exposition difficult, especially if one tries to
combine simpli~ity of presentation with rigor. Very succinctly, h9~ver, the point can be made thus: the results
of.thenew classical Michelson-Morley experiment (1886)
could be mathematicized in terms of the "lorentz con',traction" (after the Dutch physicist Hendrik lorentz,
:who did the interpretative work), whereby an 'object
~mo"ing with speed u contracts in the direction of the"
movement by f~ctor d(,,/I-u2/c 2 , c being. the.speed of
light in uacuo; . This pheliol')1enon .acquiresimportance
only."at" y~ry .high speeds.....: thus. "Physics of High

a
a

"
S.............
~s.

",' ..

'.,

:Once this is clear, the next statement will be underst~d easily enough. Every time we are told that one or
more of the res!Jlts from expe.nmental Physics (high
energy or elementary. particle. Physics, cosmic rays,
Astrophysics.. ~etc.) is' a. furtl:tet corroboration of the
Theory of Relativity, we are told a plain lie. What all those
results corroborate is not Relativity, but Lorentz's contraction. Relativity - a theory systematized and publicized (but not originated) by Einstein in 1905 - is nothing
'more than one of many ways that 'can be' followed in'
:attempting to deduce lorentz's contraction from'
different (not necessarily simpler) postulates.
This last point may be worth expanding. One valid possibility could simply be that of accepting Loreritz's con:,traction as one' more natur~llaw in the ~me way as one
~ccepts gravitation, inertia, electromagnetic forces, or
.the.'1~ws of thermodynamics, disc~vered experim~ntl:'lly
"by Michelson and Morley and put into mathematical form
'by Lorentz. 'This would constitute the phenomenological.
,~pproach adopted originally by lorentz himself. On the
:other hand, standard and quite legitimate' scientific
practice would be to see if we can deduce a new physical
fact - in this case Lorentz's contraction - from other
~Iready known laws' or from merely simplifying postu
lates. The "simplifying poStuJates," however, should
:incleedbe.simplifying and; more imPortantly, should riot
produce "side effects" by implying phenomena and/or
'PUHsurr Spring 1977

consequences t\1at do 'not occur. and/or lead to con~radictions: .

. '
.
Two'early attempts in. this direction will be mentioned
briefly. here" for the sake ot" completeness. lorentz
himself originally attempted an explanation in terms of
the. elasticity of the electron, but later abandoned the
attempt - not because it wasformally incorrect, but be
cau!!e it rested on too many unverifiable assumptions
about the elastic parameters of the particle. It is interesting to note the fact that the famous "mass-energy relationship,'~ f; =mc 2 , (which, once the lorentz contraction
is :takel'1 as gi~en, becomes one of.its mqre important consequences) can be deduced in a totally independent ..
fashion by simply applying the laws of classical thermodynamics to electromagnetic propagation, as proven as
f~r back as 1890 by the' Viennese physidst HasenOhrl,
whose works are now practically forgotten. We cannot
draw the conclusion that all of the "Physics' of High
Speeds" are simply a chapter of classical thermodynamics, but to the best of my knowledge, this possibility is not
being investigated currently anywhere.
Instead, "Relativity",is in fashion - in spite of the fact
that an increasing number of top."notch scientists (among
them Palacios in Spain and Dingle in England) are declaring themselves against 'it; and I suspect that its "fashionability" does not obey strictly scientific r:easons. It is a
theory 'whiCh appeals to certain types' of mentality and to
certain tendencies, because. it introduGes, with its arbi
trary postulate 'of"the "equivalence of all inertial systems
in relative motion," the pathos of inevitable incertitude. It
does this ev~n in what ideally should be the stronghold of
clear-headed thought (exclusive of all pathos); i.e:~ posi~
tive science, and in partiCular, Physics. It then props tip
everything with the equally arbitrary postulate. of the
"invariance of the' velocity of ligh't in vacuum'" to reach,
through mathematical tricks, lorentz's contraction,
which was already known from the start and certainly
didn't need any "justification" - esper;:ially of the' above
pseudo-m~taphysical quality. It is by no means surprising 'that such a warped' construction should have produced the sort of "side effects" mentioned earlier, which
have been .exhaustively listed for example by Dr. G.
Burniston-Brown (see references).
'
It may be meritioned here that' Relativity implies that
the Maxwell-Lorentz's laws of electromagnetism remain
unchanged while' the mechanical 'equations of GalileoNewton need' readjustment. 'Around 1920 an almost
uriknown Swiss physicist named Ritz, starting from
postulates that a priori are just as valid or invalid as Einstein's,' proposed an alternative theory whereby mechanical laws. did not vary; the laws of electromagnetism
were' revised instead, "thus reaching again Lorentz's
contraction - the necessary goal of all theories ot
"Physics of High Speeds." Ritz's theory, however; was
never given .serious consideration .in any of the academic/sCientific circles. One 'might justifiably wonder
why.
.
In closing, a final historical note may be appropriate.
The Theory of Relativity - quite apart of whatever judg-

55
.: I.:

~ent may be passed upon it - IS riot ,a creation .0(A. '. : maintain .. how~ver, tnat'this is only partially true), then in
Einstein. It was suggested about '1899 by the French , . the case of Einstein,'th~ mar:t, ~na of Relativity, the work,
mathematician Henri Poincare, who' proposed it strictly . . we'are faced with acoitdboration of.thattruth tc)a'Hish
degree.
.'
.
as a hypothesis without entering into any'details; then
Max Planck toyed with it mathematically for a short time.
.....;..,: :' .. :~':."
.... ~" . ~
The Father of Modern Physics s(,on abandoned it, how
ever, to devote himself to the studies that led eventually
....
. - - . : .. . ; . . . ' , '
to his formulation of the Quantum Theory. What Eins.tein
'
..
".
.
.
REFERENCES
'.
did was to collect, systematize, and expand the already
.
.
:

. ' . . . . ' : ' .. 'r ,,',

.~.~. " . .
.,',' ", ~ : . , . . . : :
existing work and then to publicize 'if (withoilt quoting
1) A good prese)1tati9n..of:!~eliitivity:~l")d of Physics of 'High
. sources) under his own name, with unprecedented
Speeds jn general may.be founq in Herbert.Dingle's The SpeCial
success. (The reason for that success is a subj~d better
1-heoiy of Relativity (Methueri .. 1961), where Ritz;s work-is mennot approached here, although I am currently writing a
tioned. . . ....
:.......:. . ....... ,. . . . ~ :,. . '., ~
separate work on it.) It should be noted that the Nobel
2). Hase~Ohrl's original paper' is practically irripossible to find
Prize, in an attempt to maintain at least" a show of ser
now; '. his ~rgume~tC\tioris, ~o~ver, ..are reproduced .I~
iousness, was handed to Einstein no't for 'his relativistic
Max Borh'S Modern Physics (Blackie: 1962).
'.
kabbalas, but for his work of a very different kind done in
3) An excellent critica( study of R~lativity's '~side etfe~~"
the field of solutions and colloids. .
.
may be found in G. Burniston"Brown's pa~r, "What is Wrong
We may conclude that if there is truth to the statement
with Relativity?" published in' the Bulletin oj tlie/ristitute of
that a person's work reflects t~e kind of a man he is (I
Physics (London) of March, 1967;' p. 71.

.......

'

.:.'

I'.

~.

',

:.\:

..'"

THE

INVISIBLE
STAR
by Carlos Miguel Allende
>
.

"..I

Let' us plot the course.of scientific progr~ss fromthe

days when the ancient Sumerians landed in their 'spaceships from another star's planets and brought to this
earth the seeds' of our present-day civilizi;l.tion. Follow it
from that well known cradle of civilization, .the' TigriSEuphrates valley, through Ptolemaic times' in Egypt
(when the concept of Worlds were further advanced than
the Sumerians had given Lis to realize) onward,' to the
time of Euclid and Euclidian' geometry, to Galilean .times,
and on up through the ages and centuries to Copernicus
and isaac Newton, and that greatest giant of th~m all, the
inan who laid the foundations for Einsteinian progress,
Carl F. Gauss, who proved all of Euclid's premises and
propo!!itions; finally, after many centuries, scientific" progress enabled the' mathematics of algebra to become
more advanced (by Newton): calculus to be invented,
Einstein to have the mathematical tool by which he built
the relativity theory and even two (repeat two) unified
field theories. Science today stands on the shoulders of
these great men. Each time, we have advanced the concept of Worlds, we have broadened our worlds, and'oUr
appreciation of what is a world. We have gone from Ptolemaic times when the sun circled around the Eaith to
present times when we know now'thilt"the Earthcircles
around the sun in"a year's passing, to times when we have
landed upon the surface of Mars to see the face ofMars
and to dispel forever the fear of invasion' from the "little
green men and the monsters inhabiting "that barren Iifele~s planet which we feqred so terribly down through the

",

centuries ('Mars;.the god of war!'.' .we said). The' feat:".is

.gone gentlemen, and the time has come for us to advance
a concept of Worlds an~ Universe. It is a t.ime for greater
and larger .-. ever larger --, concepts of World, of Universe:'
.. ','
. Einst~in in his relati,.iity theory said that light was 'pf a
constant speed. It is:. and. yet-as, many things .d.own
through history are dnd. are' nC?t in Scien~e, light i!? ~th a
wave and a particle: The,world. is both. flat and round.
Obviously.. Many thin~,ate thjs'way in S~ience,but.ligl:lt
'is proven by Einstein's own ~xperiITi~nts with the sunaiid
!i star to be 'affected in its velocity ~the Very force-fields;
the magnetosphere,' surrol,m~ing.our. sun 'and all the
planets within -.the: sun's magnetosphen!... .... '. '. ; : .
.. Strong -words: "RidiculousIY"absurd," ancf."Prepo~
terous!" y<?u say. But let us take a different view .of .thi;l.t
experiment. Let us think ag~in from anoth~r viewpoint"7..the vieWpbiht of. a force-field physicist, .not:a man.who
dabbles iii phy~i~s enough to kn0wforce-fields as mer-ely
fURSUIT. Spring'1977
...... . .....

nothing, more than dynamics. Let us consider an actual

physics, a physics encompassing the microcosm and the
macrocosm and everything in between, as well as theory,
which is yet to be proven.
We are at a time today when not only are we speaking
and thinking and planning and hoping - hoping to go not
merely to the nearby planets in nearby outer space, but
to go into far deep space to other stars. We think in
terms, not of the speed of light but of goingfaster than the
speed ()f light. Classical physicists and academicians of
today will say this is an impossibility; yet we are confronted by the discovery of the Soyuz/Apollo mission of
1975 which found an invisible star radiating in the 390 angstrom region of the ultraviolet. This is impossible. Let us
face the simple fact: even though that star is in a sense "at
rest" within the galaxy (technically you might regard itas
being at rest for it is certainly in a fixed position), were
that star traveling at the speed of light or greater it would
of necessity have to pass through; a) its ownforce-/ield; it
would be forced back through its material matter, i"ts
mass; b) the galactic force-field would also be forced
back through its own mass; and c) the universal forcefield (and the universe has a force-field) would also be
forced back through its own mass. Were the star exPURSUIT Spring 1977

ceeding the speed of light, this would produce that socalled astrophysical limbo known as absolute camouflage. Simultaneously, were you to accompany that star
at a very near, or visible distance, you would discover
suddenly that it would become not visible, but invisible.
Why? Because also along with the three ~forementioned
force fields being forced through their own mass, there
would also be the universal blue light verging on the ultraviolet, which is a necessary adjunct to absolute camouflage, or invisibility as you commonly call it.
What am I trying to say? I am saying that this star is in a
fixed position and it is not traveling at the speed of light or
surpassing the speed of light, yet it is invisible. Were it to
pass the speed of light, the relativity theory says that it
must achieve infinite mass. Well, it has not done so. Being
that it has not achieved infinite mass and has become
invisible at such a velocity, will it nevertheless appear as
though it were traveling at the speed of light?"lt should in
its present state achieve infinite mass. If you know your
force field dynamics at the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels, simple logic will inform you of this. No, this
star has not achieved infinite mass, yet it should have
achieved infinite mass. Well, then obviously there is
something preventing the state of infinite mass from

occurring; obviously only a part of Einstein's relativity

theory is true.
Is this relativity theory, like many other theories,
related only to Earth and the Earth's things"? Is it good
only within a limited sphere of activity as Euclidian geometry was good only for the Mediterranean world, as the
Ptolemaic system was good only for the Egyptian world,
or as Copernican astronomy was good only for nearby
planets? This was all we knew of astronomy in those
days. Newtonian discoveries advanced the concept even
further than Copernicus had gone; Einsteinian theories
even further advanced our widening appreciations of the
concept of Worlds and of Universe. Still, all of these had
their limitations as well as their broadenings of our appreciations, 01 our expandings ot our understandings.
We come to the point now where we must say yes or
no about Einsteinian relativity theory, and we are lorced
by logic to conclude that, since a state of infinite mass has
not been achieved in this invisible star (when it really logically should according to Einsteinian theory), there must
be compensations preuenting this, compensations which
Einsteinian relativity theory does not indicate.
We are therefore forced to conclude that the relativity
theory is good within the magnetosphere of our solar
system, and it applies and it is true; and upon the shoulders of this giant we must step forward into another more
advanced (and characterized by a higher level of mathematics, physics, etc.) concept of Worlds and ot Universe.
What, then, is the next step? The next step is to step
outside of our own solar system's magnetosphere and to
ask ourselves, "What is the speed of light outside of this
magnetosphere? Why are there compensations in that
invisible star? What is it that these compensations do to
lighf?" These are the questions that must be answered.
What do those compensations do to affect the uelocity of light"! As we ask this question let us ramble through
the various phenomena that affect light. And the type of
phenomenon that I am discussing is force-field physics.
Let us begin, gentlemen.
- The pulsar, in astrophysics that phenomenon which
gives off brief flashes of intense light (and no light), showing the intense high velocity (and null, or no, uelocity), of
light.
- The black hole, that peculiar phenomenon in which
light speed has been reduced to no velocity (a null velocity); there is no speed to the light yet that light is inside
there, according to science.
-The quasar, a bright interstellar object that has
burst free of the force-field bonds that once chained light
inside of it so that it now shines brighter than ten million
suns, incredible as that may seem. This quasar, free at
last, gives forth more light than we can believe.
Is it asking too much to believe that we can go from no
uelocity in the black hole, to total uelocity in the quasar,
to the limited and modified uelocity of the solar and planetary magnetosphere (to say nothing of all the items pertaining to magnetic and gravitic attractions here on our
oUJn planet)"?
Force-field activity was indicated even in the testing
machinery used by Michelson and Morley (as well as by
others who later imitated that famous experiment). It
becomes obvious to any atomic or force-field physicist

that these material objects have indeed (litefally and

actually) their own force-field actiuities which intrinsically and inherently affect the speed of light. You be the
judge. Are we to ignore the north-to-south and the southto-north planetary flow of magnetism, our own planetary
gravity, our own planetary magnetosphere, and our own
solar magnetosphere? Are we to ignore these? Are we to
say they are of no account?
Surely we could not affect any particles of light: and
yet, gentlemen, we are faced with those particles; and
those particles, though larger (much larger) than the neutrino (the smallest of all particles) are particles and as
such they are affected by force-field activity. Just as the
neutrino itself is also, to however an infinitesimally small
degree, affected by force-field activity. You say this is impossible, that the neutrino is not affected by force-field
activity, but then sirs, are you a force-field physicist? If
not then how can you say what you do not know about,
and I do. Think a little more about the neutrino - from
whence it originates, and to where it goes. How does it
travel? Does it travel out trillions of miles and return, or
does it speed in one single direction only? Shall we
advance our concept of Worlds, of Universe, in the direction of a neutrino and its curvature of space (a slow, infinitesimally slow, almost unnoticeable motion)? Or shall we
insist adamantly, blindly, stubbornly, proudly, sure in our
knowledge: the neutrino goes in only one direction! Who
is to judge, when none of us - or certainly none of you -.:..
really know.
Gentlemen, I ask you to consider not only the null (or
no) velocity of light, but also the extraordinary volume of
light. Consider also the force-field emanations obviously
inherent in the MichelsonMorley experiment (obviously
inherent, too, in that pond of mercury that they used).
What conclusion can we draw other than these apparatus, these metals, these forces, these "things" do affect
the speed of light, as proven by the star and sun experiments when observed, as we are here attempting to do,
from a different perspective and for a different purpose.
Within our own solar system the speed of light is con
stant; outside of it it is variable. Considering the intense
pressure of light coming out from a quasar, I suggest that
you may even find that the speed of light may supercede
and exceed itself - perhaps even more than five times
the speed that we today, in our limited concept and
understanding of light velocity, can yet bring ourselves to
understand and appreciate. If this statement is too radical
for you, make the test over again. Make the test over
again that Einstein made with the star and the sun. Do
other tests. Remember, science has found a way to artificially remove, for experimental purposes, almost all of
gravity's effect; and now Bell Systems, I believe it is, has
even created a room in which there is no magnetic flow,
no force-field activity. Combine these two, and within
such a room make your Michelson-Morley experiments.
If there is an effect, then calculate the difference between
the speed of light there and that which exists outside such
a room. Under these scientifically controlled conditions I
am sure you will find the speed of light to be variable.

PUH~UlT

Spring 1977

'.
. .

SH

FLUIDICE: TIME AS A FUNCTION OF" PRANA

. " by Eo' Macer-Story
..

',

. CoPYriSht 1977 by E. Macer-Story

, ~ (all rights reserved)

In the following ~rticle I attempt to explain the nature of

pranic energy exchange, whiCh can be seen to operate by
time, where time is considered as a variable within the.
"
symbology of certain energy systems. ' ....
. Obviously, none oflhemodels availabl~'explains IT).y
concept of the time-depei:tq.en1. pranic energy: or this
conc~pt would ~lready be included within the systems.
Understand then th~t I am. attempting. to represen~
concepts which are not a~~i1a~I~ within the current ter"
minology.
.", '.
.:<:
...... .
. ..
. These same concepts 'are alSo riot readily available
within any mystical" or figurative system .in existence:,
.since in those descripti0rls ,within mystiCal systems) time
is treated as a niyst~ry t9 b'eexpetienced and not as an
ener-gy 'exchang~ 9rn~t~r.~I p~~perty of. ~rception. :
,:Actuaili,r, time seems to be ~ 16t like sound, perceptible
itl.,terms of the stnictures~ffeaed:' and seen as a dynamic
motion rather:than 'as a:'substancEdt is euident that there
no substance to time. There are basically two kinds of
ti~: :gravitational' or "iarg~' time," 'and . vibrational 'or
"small' tirrie ... Small time. can be counted by. measuring
rhyt!'tmic changes in. :th~ pulsing of a molec;:ule,. or by
observiJ:lg electromagnetic fr~ql,lency. Since the pulSing
of a molecule is a natll:ral st'~'ljctural alteration,.th~.is
much like planetary arid solar rotation and should be considered as a sort of small gravitational time, in that it
involves a natural, structural movement.
.
be-dealing ~!.th e!ectron:la~r:t~tic time only, as it is
in the area of electromagn~tic action that the pranic
transfer occurs: As far back mankind can remember,
:Psy.c.hic~.have assoCiated "elec~rical" and "force" teeling
with' the' state of mind we call meditation or trance. .
... Recent 'research on' the brain has shown that actually
there are different' electrical states of the brain and
nervous system. Thi~ "brain wave". idea is now popularly
accepted ar:td forms the basis many medical and mental-conditioning techniques now ~n use.
Common sense dictates thadn the case of thoughts or
dreams, which Occur to"people from beyond the realm of
the five senses (as documented by parapsychologists all
over the world), these thoughts'and dreams must'never-'
theless register within that same nervous system. as 'ordinary perceptiol1s, or els~ they could 110t be brought to
consciousness 'at all. Our 'vocabulary of expression is
coded within the nervous system, and so impressions
arriv.1ng from beyond -the' nervous 'syst~m must be trans-:
lated into the available vocabulary before they can.be ex-,
pressed..
.
.
. :Thi$ duality presents a prol;>lem.lf the esp information
does not enter' through the usual senses, from where
doesit come? How, if it is arriving independently of our
usual. time/space restrictions, does it manage to register
.
."within the, nervous .system at- all? : "

is

.( will

as

ot

'

PURSUIT Sp~ing 1977

..

Since esp i~formation quite evidently d~e's ,register

within. the nervous ~ystem, then th~re must be some
process of registry within .this 'electro-chemical system
:which involves the use of another s9rt of communication
~r:tergy, which is not subject to .the same. tin:te/space restrictions as within the electro-mag~etic spectrun:t ..
. Of particular' importance to the operation of this other
sort of energy, or pranic energy, ~ it will be called in this
article, is the acoustical nature of time. By "acoustical" I
mean tim.e as changing the structure of spacial relationships and cannot be perceived as being separate from the
'relationships which it affects.'
.'
. . ..
. Control, or und~rstanding, of time itself would then
involv.e control or understanding of some fundamental
.change in arrangement, ratherthan any understanding of
the flux of a force. analogous to the electrQ;magnetic
spectrum. This fund?lmental change in arrangement can,
however "be indicated i;\S it. occurs in an intersection with
the electromagnetic spectrum, since it actually does
.intersect with the electric ener9ies. Remember, as I.said
initially, that the diagrams.which I am presenting are not
literally representativ~ of-events within the electro-magnetIc area, as we have learned to discuss it practically,
within our:present culture.
, . Obviously, '1 have studied electrical terminology as
symbology, and also the geometry of molecular representations as symbology. In lising a combination of these
s-ymboiogies,.l am .attempting to present a reasonable.
model of a transaction.
There is no actual "membrane" or "box wall" between
f1uidice and the electromagnetic energies. Fluidie is the
structure'
of time's
'action, over .again~t the strubure
of
. '
I
the ele~tro-magnetic flux. These two structure~ do not
rriix 'or interact except bythe catalytic energy of prana,
which:is an:.unders4inding, comprehending both structullis.. Thi$ inter-dimensional energy - can ~lso be
envision~d as heat applied to f1uidice. As Ifluidice
contracts and expands, it changes the structure of the
ele~tromagnetic pulse, which can be seen in th~ following diagrams.: '.
.
'.
. Initially (fig; I), we will use the standard orthogonal
representation of the electromagnetic vectqrs. 1
'. At the instant the' E,lB vectors are' orthogonal, t~ere is a
shar.ed time "compartment." Both E and Bare fre quency dependent and must share time/space: If they.did
not share time at the instant of me~surement, th~y could
not.be functionally linked; and experiment has shpwn the
ele~tric apd. magne~ic fields to be functionally linked in a
way represented by orthogonal vectors.
I
We now have a shared time compartment (fig. 2) at the
intersection of the electric and magnetic field dir~ctions.
Please do not.confuse this time compartmentwith.apartide of any sort Which might be in an electronkgnetic
field.
I am.. using
the symbology differently, repr~senting
,

I
ali area of time/space by a square compartment F (for

I .

Fluidic~).:

This compartment has no actual solid existence, but

can be visualized as a point group lattice which is flexible
under stress, yet retains the common fiB boundary (fig ..,
3).
. .
.,.
Upon the occasion of pranic action (prana- now seen as .... .
analogous to heat) this f1uidice compartment can stretch
and bend, but it still retains the original approximate four
point identity (fig. 4). A flux in Fluidice changes field
orientation - warping, but not destroying, shared time.
Remember that this is a geometric representation of an
abstract concept. Like numbers, prana can also be
understood as a sort of organizational comprehension,
which in this case exists independently of the fluidice
compartment.
.
As this f1uidice compartment is altered, information
not available through action in the electromagnetic spec.
trum is registered electromagnetically in the nervous
system, or in other electro-magnetic phenomena exterior
to the nervous system, such as the behavior ot the sun, or
any anomalous ionic behavior:
.
. In these instances, prana is active only on tluidice and
not directly on the electromagnetic spectrum; It is as if
f1uidice were the liquid in but one compartment oftime's
ice cube machine, while other expansible units which are
extended into the electromagnetic spectrum remain
empty.
Thus, electromagnetic relatioriships ~re subject to
slight changes of shape under direct prana, although no
significant change of informational form or content is registered without fluidice. . .
Prana is an integrative energy which acts on tluidice as
a point group relationship, changing shared time. Death
of the body is the dis-integrationof the electro-magnetic.
organization by the withdrawal of the pranic operator
.from the shared time conjunction called f1uidice, which is
not the prana itself, but is affected in structure by prana.
What, then, is prana? Prana is an energy generated by .
living beings. Thought is time/space-independent due to
pranic action within the living, electrochemical mechanism of the body. Action of fluidic:e is also a reasonable
explanation tor the "explosive" behavior -of stars which
seem to be generating energy from "nowhere." Particle
transit-time anomalies in solar plasma might be
accounted for by an investigation into the f1uidice
concept.
It is an ancient occult teaching that the sun and other
stars are living beings. Is it possible that this is literally
true if we do regard the organizational activity of prana as
the energy of life? Then,. in the absence of. time-based
activity, the living electrical star. would disappear within
:the electro-magnetic spectrum, leaving only diS-integrativ~ pulsing (fig. 5).

.. E

flu.

~----------~~B

.FIU.2

F.

:.0

Hu.3

---~""'B
8
E

Hu.4

E
E

NOTE .
If you are unfamiliar with the knowledge and systems
upon which I have drawn in examining thistheo"ry concerning f1uidice, consult elementary paperbacks on
matrix theory, group theory (mathematical, not sociological), electrical field structure and solar plasma.

O~B
SHARED
TIME

NO
SHARED
TIME

HOLE, FROM WHICH

IS EMITTED PULSE
WITH NO COHERENT
FIELD STRUCTURE

flu. 5
PUH::iUlI

Spring 19T1

60

..'

I':

/'

., '
:;
;

~.

...

'

. t. !-.'

i : , ,.
,"

,.

"

>.

~ .'

,"

"

.1 .

- ': _ _ _ _.......,===............._ _ _ _ by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni - - - - - - - - - - - - "Monsterology" should be included among the top un'-orthodox scientific quests of Man, along with ufology, the
,search for the abominable snowman, etc. The Acad~mie
de France,.for example, has an official resident expert on
,Monstrosities. When "monsters" are mentioned, ther-e is
.. a tendency to think immediately of reptilian, amphibian,
or maybe fish-like beings with. a "dragon" aura about
~them; both the sea-serpent and the Loch Ness monster
,obviously fall into this category. In the Author's opinion,
:oot enough attention has been given of late to the possi .bility of the survival of actual dinosaurs: a group of
.species characterized by a vast variety of form and habi :tat whose latest known fossils date back to the end ofthe
:Cretaceous - 60 to 70 million years ago. Even Heuvel.mans (1955) dedicates little attention to them, preferring
,Iess well identifiable "water monsters."
.. . A serious examination of the "dinosaur survival prob
..Jem" appears therefore to have been forgotten - and for
no good reason. Confusion should not be tolerated; a
dinosaur is by no means a monstrosity - no more so
than the anaconda or coelacanth, and" wholly unlike a
. minotaur or a satyr.
.
.". Serious consideration of the problem of the possible
survival of dinosaurs is made all the more important by
the fact that, in spite of all efforts in that direction, no
-'good reason has been given for their sudden and world :.'wide disappearance at the ~nd of the Cretaceous (any
. standard textbook on the subject willmake this suffi..ciently clear; see references). Of the many reasons
adduced, none is satisfactory. We shall list and easily de, molish a few of the "explanations" that have been offered:
1) A series of cataclysms of seismic and/or uolcanic
type. There is no geological evidence for this at the end
.. of the Cretaceous, most certainly not on a worldwide
.: scale. In any case, it is diffic.ult to see how there could
. PURSUI1' Spring 1977

have been such a devastating effect on dinosaurs only.

The recent severe earthquake in the forest of Darien
(Colombia) had no effect whatsoever on the local
fauna. .
:'
2) A drought. While it is most unlikely that all parts of
the world may have experienced a drought siiTl,ultan"
. eously (how then do we account for the survival of.
freshwater fauna?), there is evidence in the Kalahari
(Southern Africa) and in the Gobi (Central Asia).
deserts that the dinosaurs had adapted to lifeunder
desert conditions.
:. .
3) A sudden decrease in the earth's temperature ..
This might at first appear to be a more weighty argu
ment, especially if (as someone has suggested) dino- .
saurs wer~ warm-blooded and not cold-blooded as arCi! .
modern n!!'ptiles; but it does not explain why dino~ .
saurs should have also disappeared in the tropics. . .
.. Finally, and in my opinion the ultimate objection to all
the above theories: How do we account for the simultaneous disappearance of marine dinosaurs? They were
shielded from extreme temperature variations as w~ll as
from earthquakes. And they most certainly did no.t suffCi!r
from any droughts.
We are faced, therefore, with the bare (if unaccountable) fact that dinosaurs did .indeed become extinct, at
least in the readily accessible and so far well-explored
areas of the earth; and they disappeared in a very sudden
and catastrophic fashion - for no known reason. It is this
last point that should make us wary of pronounCing fmal
word on the subject by denying the possibility of the dinosaur's possible survival in some out-of-the-way, secluded
spot. Especially when one remembers that dinosaurs
were indeed a very vast group including both herbivorous and insectivorous species, some not much larger
or more conspicuous than a modem lizard .. We must n9t

61

The Auyantepuy from the south. Notice the 600 m

vertical walls.

forget the significance of the coelacanth, a species that

"should not exist" but that does.
The above imply that it is indeed reasonable to explore
the possibility of searching out any Cretaceous survivors
that may exist. The next question is this: Where would
we look'~
. The answer lies in a well known ecological fact: all
archaic species, animal or vegetable, are at a distinct disadvantage in relation to recent, more dynamic species;
and when they come into contact, archaic species would
tend to be crowded out or exterminated. We must therefore restrict our search for them to environments that are
somehow sheltered, preferably by phYsical barriers. And
we must relegate to second place such environments as
deserts, ocean bottoms, caves, etc., which, being unattractive for "normal" species (including dinosaurs), are
more likely to attract hyperspecialized species.
Tnis immediately localizes the situation: there is no
more suitable place than the flat-topped, vertical-sided
mountains of the Guayana Massif of northern South
America (similar formations exist in South Africa, especially along the Drakensberg, but their small<size and extreme aridity make them unlikely regionaj prospects;
also, the area is fairly well known [having been visited repeatedly - I have been there many times myself] and can
be considered to be to a large extent "explored," unlike
the Guayana Massif). In fact, as a colleague of mine (a
globally known biologist recently retired from a university chair) has told me, if dinosaurs are not extinct, their
last representatives MUST be in the Guyanese
plateaux.
The plateaux are characterized by extreme isolation,
with surrounding vertical descents of as much as 100
metres, in some cases characterized by long, continuous'
cracks' that seriously impeded attempts at ascension.
Heavy annual precipitation produces a high vegetationaensity of plants that, while made up largely of specialized species, grow as tall as the rocky nature of ground
.~i11 permit, forming veritable galleries of forest along
riverbanks.
Many of the plateaux are extensive. The iargest is the
Auyantepuy (where Angel Falls, the world's highest

Landscape of the Auyantepuy looking south Iroma,

vantage point roughly at its middle. This is the area ..
where the three "plesiosaur-like things" have been. .
reported.

waterfall [1,000 metres] originates), which has 800 square

kilometres of upper surface and an average height 00 the
order of 2,000 metres above sea level. The Chimanta
(unexplored) and Horaima are not much smaller;. th~
highest (and most unexplored) of them, the Marahuaca,
while not very large in upper surface area, is over 3,000
metres in height. A good overall description of these
mountains is given by Mayr and Phelps (1971).
.
This relatively unexplored plateaux-area is fairly'fam;
iliar to me, as I ha\le led three expeditions to the Auyante-.
puy. During the last expedition we penetrated' un-.
trodden territory (a description of this expedition wiu
appear soon [see references]). From personal exp:~r;
ience (I am also an amateur entomologist, with .special
interest in odonata) I can affirm that, entomologically ~nd
biologically, the tepuyes (flat-topped mountains) do have
endemic archaic flora and fauna - an encouraging factor
in our search.
Moreover, there is one witness who asserts thathe has
seen three "plesiosaur-like things," about 50 em.' long
(with ~5 cm. necks) swimming in a river atop the Auyantepuy. While this witness can scarcely be called a scien:
tist (he is an adventurer that roams the area digging tor
diamonds) his statement remains to be one more fasc'in~
aling piece of information in a jigsaw puzzie that is already
taking on a recognizable shape.'

~.

REFERENCES
.:

..

".

1) Bernard Heuvelmans: "Sur la piste des betes ignor~.es'~:

(pIon, Paris, 1955).
2) On dinosaurs in general, the Author has consulted: Piere'
Leonardi, "L'evoluzione dei viventi," (Morcelliana, .Brescia;
1950). At non-specialist level an excellent book is P. Cox's:'~Gli'
anirnali preistorici," (Mondadori, Verona, 1970).
. .-.:. .'.~
3) E. Mayr and W. Phelps: "Origen de la avifauna de las alii:'
plimicies del sur de Venezuela," Boletin de la Sociedad Vene~:
zolana de Ciencias Naturales, Caracas, 1971.
".
i
4) The Author's expeditions to the Auyentepuy will be-:des,
cribed in: Enrique Lorenzoni & Silvana Lorenzoni, "ReiaCiion
de una expedicion al Auyantepuy," Natura (Apcirtado.8150:
Caracas 101, Venezuela), March 1977.
. .'
.
PUH~UIl

SpringYlTl;:

DINOSAUR GRAFFITI-HAVA SUP-AI SrVLE

by John Guerrasio
There has been an ongoing debate in these pages as to
whether or not the Doheny Expedition actually found
rock carvings of a dinosaur and other prehistoric animals
in 'the Hava Supai Canyon of Arizona. It has been suggested that the claims for this amazing find are the result
of imaginative revisionism of the kind found in such
works as Col. James Churchwards' The Lost Continent
of Mil_ Hopefully, the illustrations and verbiage presented here will confuse matters further.
ThE~ original report of the Doheny Expedition written
by Dr. Samuel Hubbard, the expedition leader, was
included in Strange Prehistoric Animals and Their
Stories by A. Hyatt Verrill. In the account of his find, Dr.
Hubbard says, "Cut into the solid stone in the gorge ot
the Hava Supai River in Arizona are carvings of dinosaur
(fig. 1) and imperial elephant (fig. 2). The expedition ot
which I was the head found, measured, photographed,
and made casts of these rock-intaglios. The carvings are
cut to depths of one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch in
the red sandstone walls ot Hava Supai Canyon, where
the river has cut its channel about twenty teet deeper
through its solid stone bed since the day some prehistoric carver did his work. The walls on which the
petroglyphs are cut and the place where the primitive
artist stood, are now inaccessible except with ladders or
ropes, and all are twenty feet or more above the bed ot
the stream.
"The locations of the carvings, which extend for some
_-miles along the gorge, are near the present Hava Supai
- Indian agency, but these Indians know nothing about,
and have no legends ot, these carvings or their makers.
"All the carvings are made in an interesting and pecul- - iar manner. In the sandstone of this region, there 1$ a
trace of iron_ Through the alchemy of the ages, gas has
- -seeped out and formed a thick black coating, hard as the
-rock itself, known as 'desert varnish.' The prehistoric
artist with his flint or obsidian chisel, cut through this
;varnish into the red stone, and then deep into the latter,
~so that the p2troglyphs are in clear, red outline against
:-the black background of iron oxide_ None of the carvings
:-are artificially colored. The artist (or artists) apparently
was content with the black and red carvings.
. "Measurements of the dinosaur carving are of interest
also. ,It is 11.2 inches in height; 7 inches in greatest width;
-the II~g is 3,8 inches long; the body is 3 inches wide; neck
-:to top of curve is 3.5 inches; tail 9.1 inches, and the neck
,total 5.1 inches. Taken all in all, the proportions are good.
_The huge reptile, which stood some fifteen feet high by
- seventy to eighty feet long,.is depictep in the attitude in
: which man would be most likely to see it - reared on its
. hind legs, balanced with the long tail, either feeding or in
fighting position, possibly defending itself against a party
of men.
_
"The carving of the imperial elephant evidently is
-intended to represent a 'female elephant, because it
shows no tusks. The man being attacked by the animal is
shown standing in a pool or river, the water being
I'UH~U/l"

-indicated by a wavy li~e carved across the bottom ot the

pictograph, striking the human figure a little below the
knees. The man .in tt\is primitive -~action picture' is un-I
arrt:\ed, but the arti~t had begun to _cut something,
possibly a spear, iri tre hand away from the elephant.
There is no means-ot,saying what he intended to carve,
nor will we ever krlO~ why he left his interesting masterpiece unfinished."
~
_
The Doheny Expe~ition also made some inte-resting
finds in Utah. "Onthe Colorado River, or one.of its tributaries, in Utah, has been found a clear and large carving of
a wooly rhinoceros (fig. 3), an animal which has been_
known for some year~, .but which never betore has been
-established as existing in the Americas. The Utah carving
proves not only that it did exist, but that man saw it. Quite
probably it was the most powerful-and most te,rribl~,ot ~II
the prehistoric monsters that ever roam~d this_globe:; and
that man was famili~r -with the wooly rhinoceros also
helps to shove back still further the date at which human
beings appeared her~."
:
..
_- _ One of our members, Bob Shatkin, has recently
informed us of a more recent reference to Verrill's
"wooly rhinoceros." In a book entitled Rock Art oj the
American India'; (Thos. Crowell, Apollo Editions, New
York, 1967), the author; Campbell Grant, writes of the
same carved "wooly rhinoceros" character, which he
says is locally known ~ a "mastadon." He writes: "In
southeastern Utah, there-are a vast number of pecked
designs; often a single rock surface will be covered with
motifs in a completely disorganized manner - mountain
sheep, animal tracks, curvilinear meanders, etc .... Near
Moab (Utah; H.S.) in association with mountain sheep,
there is a pecked reridering of what is locally known as
the 'mastodon' and Widely believed to be a life portrait ot
that extinct beast. It's a three-toed trunked animal but
the brightness ot the ,design and its -lack ot patina,
together with the fact that the adjoining mountain sheep
and accompanying initials have some patina and so are
older, brand it as a hoax. The last mastodons died out
about 6,000 years ago."
We have included (tig. 4) another example 01 a wooly
rhinoceros lor companson (drawn on the Side 01 a cave at
Fontde-uaume in the Uordogne), I-igure [) depicts the
type 01 wooly rhinoceros probably seen by pr~hlstoric
cave ilrtists.
.
As to the "chicken or egg" debate ot Hubbard or
Churchward first, it should be noted that the Doheny
Expedition took place in 1924 and in the 1926 edition ot
The Lost Continent: oj Mu Churchward gives picture
credit to Hubbard. (Note the lower left-hand corner ot
figure 6.) It is nonhe purpose of this article to resolve the
Hava Supai question]but rather to add more material to
the discussion. And, ot course, any turther inforrriation
will be gladly received and passed along. ~

Spring 19T1

..__...........r-""'''''''''''''''''''5 ............ ~....~_...._ .......~

~"".""'-"""

63

ILLUSTRATION CREDITS
Figures 1,2, and 3 are reprints from Strange Prehistoric Animals and
Their Stories by A. Hyatt Verrill with the permission of Farrar, Straus
and Giroux, Inc.
Figure 4 is reprinted from On the Track 0/ Unknown Animals by
Bernard Heuvelmans, translated by Richard Barnett, illustrated by
Monique Watteau (abridged edition: New York, 1965), with the per
mission of Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, Inc.
Figure 5 is reprinted from The Age 0/ Great Mammals by Daniel Cohen
with tl:le permission of Dodd, Mead and Company, publisher.
Figure 6 is reprinted from The Lost Continent 0/ Mu by Col. James
Churchward with the permission of David McKay Co. Inc., publisher.

FIG. 2.

FIG.3 .

FIG. 4

FIG. 6
PURSUIT Sprmg 1977

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions
A SOUTH AMERICAN
EXPLORERS CLUB
The South American Explorers Club brings together
researchers in the social and field sciences, travellers,
mountaineers, back-packers, environmentalists, wild-.
lifers from all over the world. Club lounge, reading room,
library, map-roqm and roof-top terrace and cafe. Open
year-round. Send for information on membership and
free copy of the club's 48-page monthly magazine, The
South American EXPLORER: read about balsa rafts, folk
medicine, oceanography, ethnology, archaeology, jungle
rivers, primitive arts, survival techniques, ornithology,
ancient weaving, island life, mountain ranges, travel information and the How, What and Where-to of South America. Write airmail to Donald Montague, Editor, Avenida
Portugal 146, Brena, ~asilla 3714, Lima 1, Peru.

***

SANDERSON'S BOOKS
We are pleased to announce that we have, over the
past few years, collected together a few extra copies of
some of Ivan T. Sanderson's books. These have been
donated by various members. As a non-profit organization we feel we should not sell these volumes. We can,
however, offer them to members who will contribute to
our fund-raising campaign. Contributions of fifty dollars
or more will receive a complimentary copy of one (their
choice) of Ivan's books, along with a receipt and a letter of
thanks from our president.
".". ".

Judie Wyler, one of our members from Connecticut,

would like to contact other members in her area. Interested members write: Judie Wyler, c/o SITU _Mail will
be forwarded.

***

We regret to inform our members that, due to a

mistake on the part of our printer, a number of issues of
the winter Pursuit (Vol. 10, No.1) were damaged in
printing. Some of these copies were inadvertently mailed
out. Members who received poor copies please send
them in to us and we will replace them.

***
Charles Berlitz has informed SITU that he is available
for lectures. Please contact our headquarters for more
details.
.

***
SITl,J member David Mace tells us that he will be in the
Loch Ness area for the first two weeks in July. While
there, he would be pleased to meet with and assist any
members who are currently conducting research or
investigations there, or who may be planning to be there
during his visit.lntere~ted members may write directly to:
David Mace, 13 Peverels Way,Weedon Road, Northampton, England. And speaking of water "monsters,"
the Bierman-Zarzynski. Expedition has produced a
preliminary report of their findings concerning the Lake
Champlain Sea Serpent. The report, which should be
available shortly, will be made available for the cost of
handling and postage only. Interested members write
SITU for more information.
".". ".

We would like to correct a "typo" which appeared in

the last issue of Pursuit (Vol. 10, No.1). On page 24, we
stated that a 300 mile radius is well within logistical feasi
bility for the range of a Huey helicopter. Or for a "jolly
green giant," as they were called in Viet Nam. We did not
mean to imply that these helicopters are one and the
same. The jolly green giant helicopter is not a Huey,
although both helicopters are capable of carrying goodsize loads (dead cows, for example). The jolly green giant,
a much larger craft with two main rotors, is used to transport very large loads. Our thanks to Bob Durant for
pointing out the error.
l

RENEWALS

BOOK REVIEW

SITU is steadily expanding. Since almost all of our

funding comes from membership support, it is important
that \!,Ie continue to ask our members to renew. If you
should happen to get a renewal notice in the mail after
you have sent in your renewal, please do not bother to
notify us. If you should continue to get renewal notices,
however, please do let us know and we will attend to the
matter.

The Doomed Unsinkable Ship edited by William

H. Tantum IV, 7 C's Press, Inc., publishers, P.O.
Hox 57, Riverside, CT 06878. 152 pages, $8.
William H. Tantum IV, Vice President of the
Titanic Historical Society, Inc., in the forward ot
The Doomed Unsinkable Ship askswas the sink
ing of the Titanic foretold?" Morgan Robertson's
1898 novel, -rhe Wreck of the Titan, is presented in
its entirety. Remarkable similarities are discussed
between events in Robertson's story about the fico
titious 1itan and the sinking of the real R.M.S.
Titanic in 1914. Of particular interest are nineteen
paranormal experiences reviewed a~d analyzed by
Dr. Ian Stevenson.
-Bob Warth

***
SITU member Patrick Macey tells us that researchers
can contact him (7401 Mason Avenue, Canoga Park, CA
91306) concerning Bigfoot and related phenomena. SITU
members in the Los Angeles and southern California
area are invited to stop by and visit, discuss research, and
become better acquainted with his facilities ..
PUHSUJT Spring 191"7

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
President (and Trustee)
Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee

Robnrt C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Adolph L. Heuer, Jr.
Susan Malone
Sabina W. Sanderson
DEPARTMENTS

PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH

FUND RAISING

Editor-in-Chief (on Sabbatical) - John A. Keel

Executive Editor - R. Martin Wolf
Robert C. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven Mayne
R. Martin Wolf - Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth - Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography
Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian Institute, Eastern New Mexico
University. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato - Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured, Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Dr. J. ADen Hynek - Director, Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center, Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy - Professor of Geology, Institute of Geophysics, U.CLA. (Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal - Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University. (Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell- Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J. (General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology
and Ethnology)
Dr. Kirtley F. Mather - Professor of Geology, Emeritus, Harvard University. (Geology)
Dr. John R. Napier - Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London_ (Physical Anthropology)
Dr. W. Ted Roth - Assistant Director, Baltimore Zoo, Baltimore, Maryland. (Ecologist & Zoogeographer)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury - Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture, Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Dr_ Berthold Eric Schwarz - Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
(Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott - Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Cultural
Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr_ A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey_ (Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Botany)

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THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

.,

"

J)tatb
&
1Eranliftguration

.,
VOL. 10 NO.3 WHOLE NO. 39 SUMMER 1977

SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Columbia, New Jersey 07832
Telephone: Area Code 201 496-4366

MEMBERSHIP
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Society publications for that year.
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The legal and financial affairs of the Society are managed by a Board of Trustees in accordance with the laws of the State of New
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IMPORTANT NOTICES
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expressed or statements made by any members by word of mouth or in print may be construed as those of the Society.

PUBUCATIONS
Our publishing schedule is four quarterly issues of PURSUIT, dated Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, and numbered as annual
volumes - Vol. 1 being 1968 and before; Vol. 2, 1969, and so on. These are mailed at the end of the month. (Membership and our
quarterly journal PURSUIT is $10 per year. Subscription to PURSUIT, without membership benefits, for libraries only, is $8 for 4
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PURSUIT is listed in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory anp in the Standard Guide to Periodicals; and is abstracted in
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$4.10 per reel. An annual index appears in the October issue.

'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 10, NO.3.

SUMMER, .1977

PURSUIT.

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Editor-in-chief
John A. Keel (on Sabbatical)
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIElY

FOR-THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON
Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

Consulting Editor
Sabina W. Sanderson
Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guenasio
ZiaulHasan
Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Production
Steven Mayne
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

CONTENTS
Page
The Incorruptibility of Saints - A/ter Death .
by Larry E. Arnold ...................................................... 66
Navy to Investigate Sunken Aircraft
byX ......................... , ................................ 70

The Pyramids are an Ancient Space Communications Network

by T. B. Pawlicki ...................... ; ............................... 72
"Zounds, Holmes! It's a Case of the Combustible Corpse!"
by Larry E. Arnold .................... ; .... '.' '........... '.' ............. 75
Semen & the Demon: Sinistrari's Concept of Demoniality .
by George M. Eberhart ..... ',' ....................................... " . 82

Cover design by R. M. Wolf

"Faust" and the Student

by Kamil Pecher ...................................................... 84
Reflections of Chinese Form in Mexican and No'rse Ornament
by B. Wilkie .... : ................. ~ .................................... 86
SITUA TIONS ............. '.... , .......................................... 92
What About Reality?
by Curt Sutherly ...................................................... 93
Harmonics Diagram
by William Whamond .................................................. 94
Investigations: More on. Mutilations'............. , .............................. 95
Symposium ................................................................. 96
Book Review ................ '........................................ .- ...... 96

o Society for the Investigatien of the Unexplained 1977

66

THE INCORRUPTIBILITY OF
SAINTS - AFTER DEATH
by Larry E. Arnold

(Copyright 1977)

" ... the strange and exceptional is of absorbing interest, and it is often through the extraordinary that
the philosopher gets the most searching glimpses
into the heart of the mystery of the ordinary."
-Drs. Gould and Pyle [1,1]
Readers of PURSUIT and other periodicals devoted to
the paranormal are quite aware that the human body is a
plethora of strange events. We recently discussed in this
journal (Fall 1976) one example of an.enigma that affliCts
the living; spontaneous human combustion. What may
. be less well known is that physiolqgical anomalies continue to persist (and haunt Scie~ce) O/ter the body has
become "dead and buried."
Medical literature is replete with cases of cadaveric
perspiration; postmortem ~nitaf erection after a hanging; the growth of nails (sometimes up to several inches)
and hair (to the extent that after four
a girl's hair
protruded through her coffin's joints) chronologically
and physically long after interment; and movements in
the tomb after burial. However, the most mysterious
curiosity - because it affects not a portion but all the
body - is the incorruptibi/ity.ol the "human corpse itself.
This category of postmortem phenomena often happens amid the most perplexing .circumstances, and
(should) produce the most disturbing affronts to medical
theories and the alleged finality of death.
The enigma deserves - and could easily fill- a large
volume; however, we shall limit our cursory attention in
this article to those events inVolving saintly persons.

years

.. SOME POSTMORTEM PARADOXES

. Circa 68 A.D. St. Nazarius was buried after losing his
head (physically, that is). In the l'Jlid-4th Century, St.
Ambrose disinterred the corpse only to find it"so perfect
and free from corruption with all its hair and the beard,
that it looked .. , as if it had been washed and laid out for
inspection there in the tomb." Accompanying this remarkable find was a fragrance that "surpassed all perfumes in sweetness." Nor did the amazed St. Ambrose
end the discoveries of his 300-year pred.ecessor with just
a sweet scent of remembrance, for a "vial of the saint's
blood was foultd as fresh and red as if it"had been spilt that
day ... [Cf..2, XIV, 38; 3, III, 99]
.
St. Cuthbert. the Bishop of Umdisfame, was laid to rest
20 March 687 A.D. to becomethe prQVerbial ashes-toashes and dust-to-dust - .or so it was thought. In 698,
monks found the corpse to be unputrlfied, with its joints
flexible and clothing fresh. Time, the catalyst of decay,
proceeded another 414 years (to 1102 A.D.), when again
the Bishop's body was found Incorrupt. In the process of

being moved it emitted. a sweet fragrance "such as gives

the appearance of one living in the flesh, rather than dead
in the body." [3, I, 357] The relocation didn't disturb this
saint's immunity to natural processes either, for the body
was found intact during the reign of King Henry VlU over 800 years later!
.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sf. Edmund, was discovered "free from corruption," a condition described by
Alban Butler as "evidently miraculous, and cannot be.
ascribed to any embalming "uring about five hundred
years, without any change in the colour." [3, IV, 218]
In May of 1381 Emperor Wenceslas ordered"St. John
Nepomucen drowne" for his .unwmi.ngness. to disclose
the confidence of EmpreSs Jane .. Almost immediately
strange phenomena began. "The martyr was no sooner
stifled in the waters, but a heavenly light appeared over
his body, floating on the river and drew many to the
banks." We suspect WencesJas began having grave
doubts (forgive the. pun) about a decree which extinguished the life of this saint but couldn't quench the light
of Nepomucen's soul. Nevertheless, as a result of this
execution the Emperor outlived the saint in the flesh, but
Wenceslas' body never matched the survival of his
victim's. On 14 April 1719 - 336 years after the fateful
drowning - the saint's tomb was opened. Among the
customary and expected ashes was found an incredible
tongue "retaining the normal shape, size and colour of
the tongue of a Jiving man, and ... still both soft and flexible." [3, II, 165]
Other conditions like incorrupt hearts, blood flowing
after years of interment, and exudings of oil from the
bodies of those long-deceased, led many physicians
quietly to exclaim their wonder. As was said of Mary
Xaveria of the Angels, for example, "it must ~ supernatural." [4, 272-5]
(For further examples, see the abbreviated listing in
.
Table l.) .
"Petrification or mummification of the body are quite
well known," aSserted Dr. Gould and Pyle.in 1896 [1,
523]. In contrast to ~everal of the cases in Table I, a tomb
at Canterbury Cath~dral was opened toward the end of
the 19th Century to discover which Archbishop was
interred there (see Lancet, 1890,I,lIOS). The corpse was
identifiable as that of Hubert Walter, who had physically
transitioned in 1204 AD. Although decomposition had
been retarded (and indeed was still progressing), the
corpse had an extremely offensive and siCkening odo",
"unmistakably that of putrefaction."
Therefore the astonishment of physicians to not only
entire but lifelike corpSes after hundreds of years (in
some cases), cannot be attributed to.a retardation of
putrefaction.
.

PURSUIT Summer 1977

~-------.----.- .....

67
..

You look at an indiuidual whom: thee all. term

saintly'. Why are they called.saints? Because they:.don't see the world as you see the world and they
can do things that you can't do. Why can they do
things that you 'can't' do? Because they .. _are seeing the Creator and the Maintainer in every thingand they're working with it! ... Everything is possible!

As with so much of Forteana, if the above set of anomalous postmortem phenomena is to be explained then
n~w frontiers must obviously be forge~-

A PSYCHIC PERCEPTION
One could proceed to challenge Science with additional cases like that above, but it's necessary that Forteans (or some other like-minded individuals) search for
the principles that lie behind the unorthodox - so that
the extraordinary of today will be understood in terms of
tomorrow's ordinary. Let us continue then by attempting to understa.nd how the phenomena discussed above
occurs, and why_
Maintaining our focus on saints and persons of saintly
demeanor for this moment, we surmise that those so
designated would have been truly evolved soul-entities
expressing t.hrough physical vehicles (their corporeal
bodies). Being at harmony with the world around them,
they would also have that balance within themselves.
After the physical body is vacate9 and the anim~ting
force perhaps had left (for there are episodes of movement in tombs, as well), the vital and healthy cellular
structure of the anatomy would remain impervious to
those destructive forces which normally affect the diseased bodies of imbalanced individuals.
Essentially the phenomenon of incorruption could.be
seen as the result of cooperation between the two
aspects of creation, what occultists term the F~ther and
Mother principles. T.he Father principle is "the creative
ability within" [5, 5] while the latter "maintains the
rhythm, the balance and the motion of that which has
been created." [5, 1]
Once established, this relationship would be a natural
process concurrent with and continuing after an entity's
incarnation within that body had ceased. As with St.
Cuthbert, for example, the body would remain (and even
smell) as incorrupt in death as it had in life. The longevity
of incorruptibility would depend on the extent to which
the body had been perfected and purified while animated.
But is this rather simple explanation the only one Forteans need to consider? We believe not.
The lives of saints are said to be models for emulation
by the rest of mankind. Having come to know the possibilities of. Man incarnate, some saints may wish to demonstrate - in addition to their deeds while living - the inherent potential of the spirit functioning in balance within
a physical form. One way to generate such awareness
would be to create an astounding situation, something
'impossible' and hence dramatic ..
The programming of incorruptibility or other phenomena into the physical body through mind working not.
over but with matter, would (or should) achieve such an
aim and purpose: to present living men with an enigma
which (hopefully) would stimulate and stir a search
towards realization of inate and greater human capabilities.
Through an altered state of consciousness which has
consistently demonstrated its reliability to the author,
the different realities of saints and 'lesser' men were compared (from the latter's perspect~ve).

So what does Man say? "We know that's impossible! So long as it's impossible I don't have to pursue it. Only a saint can have miracles; only a saint
can say 'You're healed'; only a saint. can do things!
That's their law - my law's differ~nt!" [6, 11]
Was 5t. John Nepomucen demonstrating to future
generations a law about the power of truth and faithfulness when, having been martyred for refusing to break
verbally the confidence entrusted to him by Empress
Jane, his tongue was found !'entire" and "soft and flexible" after 3-1/~ centuries?
.
Confronted with sucn a Possibility, how would most
men react? Wouldn't they choose to relegate such faith-.
fulness to a few special indiViduals like saints, rather than
develop such a quality in themselves? "See," stated the
voice, "then it gives you a good excuse to never even try!
And if you do try and you don't succeed, that's because
(you know) 'God made them better than He made me.
God made them better, made them Q holy person!'" [6-,
12]

This rationale that "god" indiscriminately apportions

talents and success confli<;:ts with the philosophy of the
author that the only discrimination among men isoftheir
own making, and not at the whim of some Infinite power;
that each human is giveri the gift of life, to do with as fancy
and fate dictate.
.
But what is fate except the encountering of forces elected by a soul-entity for experience and experimentation?
Therefore the power that separates the miraculous from
the mundane within any individual is of one's own choosing. The voice of altered consCiousness made this cogent
observation about human behavior:

St. Cuthbert's tomb, Durham Cathedral

(C> 1977 L. E. Arnold)

PURSUIT Summer 1977

68

Remember the martyrdom: it's easier to be a

martyr than a saint. Because if you'J'e a saint,
you're expected to liue up to being a saint.l/you're
a martyr, you're -dead' before you start. [6, 12]
Thus if confronted with the quandary of POStmortem
phenomena in the corpses of saints, perhaps the maior
ity of mankind would begin to reject the limitations of
martyrdom and instead achieve. the expended. aware
ness that results from seeking "insight to the aims tKI
purposes" of creation. (6, 12J
.
The discussion of saints led to another concept so intrisuing (to the author, at least) and at least indirectlyevidential to the continuance of a soul's existence after
physical death, that we would like to' share it here.'
. The fol~ng is excerpted from material delivered on
"the law of the great Teachers" - wh.ich applies to
.
humans in this manner: '. ..

The manifestation oj the corn!Cious being ofagreat

Teocher: thee could draw on that essence at any
moment. Thee could call on the essence of the consciousness oJ your brother Buddha; you could call
on lhe essence of the consciousness of the man
Jesus the Nazarene. You could call Lq)On any great
piesenter who is manifesting as close as possible
unto the Father and Mother (principle). (6, 11]
What does this concept of an active inte{Change between the physically living and the phYsically transitioned (the so-called living and dead) have to do with incqrruptibility? There' is at least a two-fold purpose:

It is primarily to show yoU thQt you can work with

the Father-Mother principle - you know, the
Creator and the Maintainer.

And if il can be crecited and maintained, it can be

actiuated at any 'moment! And they [sain.ts) can
maintain it [the incorrupted'corpseJ!or that length
oj lime (0$ thee say it), they can also dissolue it and
make il materialize elsewhere al any momenl- if
they have arepJica of the original. So they can mart;Jest anywhere on your Earth-plane at any moment
in.a physical Jorrn because they haue a physical reference point - a body. [6, 18)
Thus if .an individual of religious persuasion was pra~

ins to a saint for aid and comfort, and that"~int had main-

~ a physical point of reference such as an incorrupted portion of his former body somewhere upon this
planet. then that object would provije the focalization
point necessary so "t#1q1 saint could materialize andgiue
... and uisil in." [6, 18) The existence of a tangible and
pure medium - thJ corpse or a portion of it - serves as
point or link between two different realities
a
Cthat of ~ petson praying, anc:l of the saint's spirit) and
facilitates and enhances the interaction.
One is reminded of Chades Fort's belief in Super-Geography, where~ different realms c:o-exist and occasion - bv accide.nt or plan - merge with one another.

common

Summer ]977

Such a concept is'an affront to orthodox: Science - but.

. just like postmortem phenomena, cannot at this moment
be discounted ~ the open-minded.
'.
The maintaining of this focaIizing-deYice-in~the-tomb ..
does not limit the .form of !'Mnifestation which could subsequently oc~ur, however. A saul-entity who departed an
adult male's body co~d re-manifest as a child or a
woman, for exampJe, to one in need:

This person says they're lonely, lonely, lonely_ And

says, "So-and-so, help me from this

lone1iness!~

And ~ere comes this litlle child laughjns and skipping along, ane( smiles and ~es their dav. Ok?
And they never find out who that little child is. They .
neuer Jind out who. slopped to aSsist them. when
they haue afla.t tire.'. They neuer find out who. who.

who. It's one of thOse who has a reference point .

somewhere on' your 'Eartl:l wOrld. And they can .
manifest anywhere _.. (6, '18]

Again, Charles 'Fort collected cases of une~ted

appearances of. pepple with unusual abilities. 1'h8y
seemed to come from nowhere. only to qisappear soon
afterward. Their arrival and departure was as much an
enigma as their presence. ParapsychoJogis~ today
ponder the phenomena of synchronicity - When needs
and desires are suddenly met by a '!Qrtuitous' series of
unexpected
events or encounters with 'just-the-right-per
,.
son.
The above concept gives an ans~r to both mysteries:
the intact energy pattern of a saint's body continues to
serve a vallJable purpose, even after 'death,' to its fonner
tenant who desires to assist t!1ose currently expressing in
physicality.
, It is said of these former tenants and their preserwd
bodies:

They need these emanations from the form - in

t/:le sense as a male and a female need the sperm

together to produce a child, do they not? So the

energy emanatingfrom theform of this saint meets
with the energy emanating from an individuill who
is praying. And the two logether produCe what-.
euer aim and purpose is needed to, how you say.
Qssist .. (6, 18).

The process thus begins on the nonphysicall~I:.a transference of thought between two levels of the multidimensional Super-Geog~aphy. "Mating with energy rather
tht;ln with physicality, " is onE! way to phrase the process.
Then this combination of energies is aple
.

to produce matter. Yoti see, matter and energv Qre

interchangable. And if these hauea reference pOint
0/ matter, thee can excnange with other enen.Jies
to produce matter. [6, 18J
Matter and energy' as interchangable: it's a principle
physicists are just beginning to recognize, as the boun-'
daries once thought to separate these t~ states are bec()ming ever more difficult to define and locate.
It seems saints had discovered and have beenapplving
the principle for millenia!

.:
"
:
:
~

.
:

...
TABl~

1: Well documented Postmorte~ Physical Phenomena

.'

Name
S. w.,burga

: S. Walbu,,-

interment

e~humation

213/669

875

findings

206 years

body "'found entire"

over 1000 years

719

S. Ant~ony of Padua

6/13/1231

S. Bridget of SwedeI'!

7/23{-1371

9/1-111373

1456

1765

. S. JOhn of Capistran

..

interim

400yeaf$
56 days
309 vears

an oily fluid trickled from her bones

throughout this in~erim
,
tongue "found red, soft and entire"
while rest of body was ashes
body a clean skeleton, white dust
and an incorrupt htart
readily identifiable from still
in~orru,ption

s~

Francis Xavier

'552.

2/1553

1 year

body found quite fresh, even though

lime was heaped on corpse

. S. Charlts Borromeo

1111556

4 years:

medically attested not embalmed;

yet body was supple and naturafly
hued

1606

22 years

l880

296 yeaTS

though embalmed, body largety

intact despite damp soil; "super
natural presemtion"
same condition as above

1584

Maria Anna (ladr~nit of Jesus

1624

1731

107 years

priests and surgeons found

"interior organs, the viscera and
the fleshy tissues were all of them
entire, sound, moist and resilient
... supernatural perfume"

S. Andrew Babola

1657

1730

73 years

marty~ and bur.ied with others;

all segments of body found
intact and flexible; omen in

common ",VI had decompOllld

S. TIfIII

1582

1588

6 yean

"marvelous fragrance"

,.

'POSTMORTEM' POSTSCRIPT
At the restingplace of Father Cherbal, in the mountaintop convent of Annaya north of Beirut, 30-year-old
Jeanette Howard was cured of paralysis. L Orient,
quoted in the Express & Star (19 May. 1967), says she was
,praying before the holy man's tomb when "a thin trickle
Of blood appeared" from its &ide. Suddenly the paralysis
left her body, and she left the shrine a healed woman.
HaUucination, or postmortem phenomenon? The cure
Wal reaL

23 June 1915: the tomb of St. Gabriel, ,near FJonmce, .

Italy. ~spjte the affront to Science and the warning of
the Director of the neurc;>1ogy department of Ancona Civil .
Jiospital, a miracle is about to occur. LorelJa Colangelo,
suffering brain-dflmaging leukoencephalitis and paral
ysis in her eleventh year, is languishing in the hospital.
For the past seven nights she had spoken of a dream in
which St. Gabriel urged her to come to his sanctuary and
be healed, according to Reueille (21 November 1975).
The doctors scoffed. and watched helples& their
patient neared death.
PURsurr

Su~

1977 .

70

In despair, and "convinced" by Lorella's recurrent

dream, her mother and father removed their daughter
from the physicians' care - under strenuous objections,
of course. Medicine, incapable of healing with its own sor- .
cery, condemns the magic of other meansSenor Colangelo described the result of his 'ominous'
decision: "I carried her inside the sanctuary and laid her
on the tomb of St. Gabriel. Almost at once Lorella fell into
a deep sleep. We prayed on our knees, watching her. Fifteen minutes went by like an eternity. Then, suddenly, I
saw [her] get up on her 'feet, climb over the three-foot railing surrounding the tomb, and r~n toward us .... It's a
miracle!"
Lorella detailed her own private experience this way: "I
fell asleep on the tomb and St. Gabriel appeared in a
dream, and told me 'Get up and walk.' And when J woke, I
did."
Lo! The men of Science at Ancona Hospital agree: the
witchcraft of brain wave scanners confirm the leukoencephalitis has vanished, and their eyes see that the girl
walks. The astonished Dr. Primo Angeleri - we wonder
what Fortean lexicon links Ange/eri with Colangelo admits, or the National Enquirer (11 November 1975) has
him admitting: "Medical science did not heal her; some
thing else did."
Something elseWhen the unexpected results, it is given a label and
then forgotten. How many files are there, filled with

labeled folders that hold no contents? When a samaritan

appears amid distress, does one pause to reflect on the
fortuitous 'coincidence'? Or is the appearance shrugged
off along with so many other 'insigniflcances'? More
hollow labels and empty foldersWe have proposed a !"J1odel that belies the happenstance, that explains the causative factors of a baffling
enigma, and integrates philosophically (and physically)
two levels of existence.
If once accepts this hypothesis, then the blessings of a
saint don't end with his (or her) physical transition - for
the body may not be abandpned for a long time.
Does Man really understand 'the workings of the workl
in which he resides, with which he shares? At this
moment the answer must be "NO." As the physicians
said of St. Gerard Majella, the degree ot his body's preservation after 100 years is "beyond the laws of nature"
- but only as those laws are defined by physicians and
men, not as theYfunction in the realm of Creation.
There are other reasons for the incorruption of the
human body after death, but these exceed the scope of
this paper. Perhaps in another article-

.~

..

lBased on the Appendices of the author's forthcoming book,ABLAZE! The C-

for, and Cases 0/, Spontaneous Human Combustions.]

REFERENCES
[IJ Gould, "'George M., and Walter L. Pyle, Anomalies and
Curiosities of Medicine, W. B. Saunders, 1896.
[2J Migne, Jacque Paul, ed., Petrus Lombardi Sententiarum
libri quatuor, Paris.
[3 J Butler, Alban, The Liues of the Fathers, Martyrs and other
principai Saints, Virtue and Co., Ltd., London, 1926?, 4 vols.

[4J Hunter, Thomas, An English Carmelite: The Life of Catherine Burton, Burns and Oates, London.
15J Joachim, "The Third Commandment: Honor thy Father
and thy Mother,': See of Tranquility, P.O. Box 1003, Allentown, Pa., 18105, vol. XXXIX, Feb. 28, 1975.
.
[6] Joachim, "Universal Law," ibid., vol. LUI, Oct. 10, 1975.

NAVY TO INVESTIGATE SUNKEN AIRCRAFT

byX
It had appeared all that there was left to do upon the
completion of my article on "Flight 19," (INFO Journal,
February, 1974), was to hope that the facts of the case
would become known and the fraudulent authors of
"Lost Patrol" stories exposed along with their fabricated
radio conversations .
. Prompted by Ivan T. Sanderson's interest~the case
and with some assistance from Robert J. Durant, I was
able to locate the Board of Inquiry report and obtain a
copy for my own reference. What was not told in the
INFO article was reviewed briefly in "The Avenger Flight,
and Others," (Pursuit, October, 1973, p. 79); though J
would point out the declassification and. microfilming of
the report was due more to the Navy's trouble in xerox. ing my copy than in my argument for a full disclosure of
. PURSUIT Summer 1977

the report. What more was there to be done now that the
documents were available to all and an honest review of
the incident published?
It was in reading Weekend Magazine, (October 26,
1974), that I was startled to tum one page and read the
heading: "One diver discovered the grisly form of a
Second World War aircraft." The article was about Treasure Salvors Inc. of Key West and their adventures seeking old wrecks and sunken treasure. Once, when their
magnetometer indicated something metallic below (the .
article says), the diver found an Avenger lying on a shelf in
twenty-five feet of water, intact and with the cockpit still
sealed shut, with serial numbers and Navy markings still
visible. They claimed to have contacted some officials
who later denied having lost such an aircraft.

71

During the next week, Treasure Salvors was telephoned and confirmed that they had once come across
an Avenger as had been reviewed in the article; they did
not, however, have a record of the aircraft's serial
numbers or markings readily available, and despite
further written and cabled inquiries to them asking for the
identity markings of the sunken aircraft, I failed to elicit
any response. After a few months had passed, I cabled
the Navy and informed them as to the possible identity of
the aircraft which Treasure Salvors had found. The Navy
responded by informing me where to look for ~rial markings and said that "it is quite possible" that it was one of
the missing Avengers.
.It was not until November of 1975 when visiting Washington on business that I again contacted the Navy in the
hope that I could locate the proper office that dealt with
such matters. After being referred from one section to
another, I finally was put in c;:ontact with Capt. W. F. Sallada of the Naval Air Systems C~m!1land, who took note
of the information and promised to check into the matter.
Later, a fairly comprehensive fil~ of material was passed
on to Capt. Sallada, but it appeared that what could be
handled with a few well-placed telephone calls would
actually necessit~te a more lengthy procedure.
A few more months passed before another series of
telephone calls were made, this time with some positive
results. Treasure Salvors expressed their regret at not
having responded to my inquiries, but promised that they
would be participating with officials from the Navy who
had contacted them regarding their find. Although they
stated that the aircraffthey had found was within twenty
miles of Key West, they hesitated to state that it was an
Avenger or that they had a record of the aircraft's identification markings. They had been provided with a list of
. the serial markirigs that would identify anyone of the lost
Avengers, but rio guarantee was forthcoming that they
could confirm the identity of the sunken aircraft.
I also learned that an investigation had been started by
the Aircraft Accident Investigation Division of the Naval
Safety Center in Norfolk under the direction of Cmdr. H.
D. Daily. According to Comdr. Daily, his investigation
was initiated by the material previously forwarded to
Capt. Sallada. There was considerable interest in the
possibility that the sunken aircraft could be one of the
missing Avengers. If sufficient information can be
obtained concerning the type of aircraft, its identity
markings, and its location, there will probably be an
attempt to salvage the aircraft and examine it for clues as
to its loss.
Now that an active investigation-is under way, little can
be done other than to await the results; and yet 'there
arise several speculative questions that complicate the
incident even further than was suspected in my earlier
investigation into the fate of Flight 19.
If this is one of the missing Avengers, its location off the
Keys would contradict the general belief that the Flight
strayed out over the Atlantic and never even came close
to the Keys. Lt. Charles Taylor, flight leader and instructor of Flight 19, was not familiar with Navigation Problem
Number One but he was familiar with the Keys. Not only
had he been a flight instructor at Miami Naval Air Station,
but he also had served as a scout pilot while based at Key

West Naval Air Station for a full year. What is so hard for
Navy officials and pilots to believe is why Lt. Taylor was
so insistent that they were lost over the Keys even though
the student pilots were heard declaring their belief they
were still over the Atlantic. Originally, the Naval Board of
Inquiry blamed Lt. Taylor for the loss of the Flight owing
to his confusion as to their position; however, the decision was later changed by the Naval Board of Corrections, who placed the blame of the loss on reasons and
causes unknown. Should this be one of the missing Avengers, Lt. Taylor's estimate of their position will be vindicated, although it apparently contradicts all the facts concerning their location as brought up by the Board of Inquiry.
When Lt. Robert Cox first heard Lt. Taylor stating that
their flight must be lost, he was flying on FT-74near the
Fort Lauderdale Naval Air Station, where he too served
as a flight instructor. In an effort to direct the lost Flight
back to the Fort Lauderdale NAS, he gave them directions on how to reach the base by flying up the Keys to
Miami and also stated that he was flying down the Keys to
me~t them. Shortly thereafter his radio blew out on the
4805 kilocycle frequency - the same one on which all of
Flight 19's transmissions were fading out before his radio
blew out; thus he suspected that he was flying further
awayfrom Lt. Taylor and that he was probably not over
the Keys, but still over the Bahamas. Yet it must be remembered that his radio rievertheless failed only
moments later on that same frequency. Then, with seven
HF/DF Radio Stations taking bearings, only an estimated (within a one hundred mile radius) position at 29"
15' North and 79 West could be given for an averaged
time. The bearings, when mapped, hardly intersect at the
estimated position, and those bearings taken by three
HF/DF stations could not justify even an approximate
position up to 1712 hours even though twenty-five
minutes were taken in obtaining bearings.
According to Lt. JG. E. M. Sorenson, who was on duty
at the Evaluation Center and who plotted these bearings:
"The bearings thatwere transmitted from 2210Z to 2305Z
(1710 to 1805 hours) confirmed one another suffiCiently
to warrant an approximate fix. We received several confirming bearings from Cape May and Houma. Then we
also received a number of bearings from Green Cove,
Georgia, which showed a variation of 17 degrees but
were constant in their variation. At approximately 2250Z
or a few minutes before, we received quite a number of
confirmed bearings from Houston, one from Poyner's
Hill and one bearing from Brigantine, New Jersey. Pensacola transmitted bearings ~he entire time,but they varied
from 034 degrees to 216 degrees so could not be used
with any degree of certainty. However, I used two bearings from Pensacola that were specified as being taken on
Flight FT -28. Since a number of confirming bearings had
been received by 2300Z, we felt that an approximate location could be given. The bearings were still not sharp
enough to warrant an exact fix without a large radius, but
it did give the general location in which to search."
When further questioned on the difficulties in obtaining these bearings, Lt. Sorenson replied: "This was a
poor time of the day to get high frequency direction finder
bearings due to atmospheric conditions. Too, there was
PURSUIT Summer 19n

72
heavy interference by Cuban broadcasting stations and
there was a steady carrier note on that particular frequency from 1600 to 2400Z (hours)."
Thus, if we are willing to believe them, the radio bearing would tend to indicate Flight 19 was over the Atlantic
flying in a northerly direction, even though this cannot be
confirmed by the radio bearings.
Again, the mosfbizarre mystery of Flight 19 is the
sighting of aircraft flying in formation, an observation that
cannot be explained except as the lost Avengers. Both
the ~.~. Delaware and U.S.S. Solomons (an aircraft
carrier equip~cl for Avenger landings) reported unidentified aircraft formations and gave their course,
altitude, and speed. Yet Miami Air Traffic Control had no

record of these aircraft other than the missing Avengers.

As one of the radio logs noted: "Have been getting these
reports from Jacksonville and Brunswick. They are
planes that Air Traffic Control has no record of, but it the
fuel supply was correct, how could the five missing planes
be them'?"
In addition to phantom aircraft formations observed
flying over the Atlantic, we now have, less than twenty
miles from Key West, evidence of a watery grave tor
some long forgotten and drowned crew. Let us hope that
the Navy will provide some answers as its investigation
into the matter continues. ~

THE PYRAM'JDS ARE AN ANCIENT

SPACE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
by T. B. Pawlicki
Last winter's Pursuit (Vol. 10, No.1) carried an article
by T. B. Pawlicki entitled "Prehistoric Megalithic En
gineering," in which the author presented one way in
which it could have been possible for prehistoric engineers to have constructed such magnificent monuments as the great pyramids. The following article repre
sents a continuation of the author's interest in the
pyramids. Since many of our members may have missed
the article when it appeared in the May 1977 issue of
Ancient Astronauts, we are reprinting it at this time.

* * *
According to a script made popular by Thor Hyer-.
dahl, an expedition of ancient Phoenicians financed by
the Queen of Sheba embarked from T yre on three papyrus rafts. After passing between the Pillars of Hercules
they continued across the Ocean of Atlas, hoping to discover America or a sea route to the Indies - whichever
came first. As soon as they made landfall in the Orinoco
country, they set out on a march through the jungles of
Amazonia until they reached the altiplanos of the Andes.
Upon reaching the high country, mission commander
viewed the Plains of Nazca with an inspired eye and
uttered the immortal words, "This is the place." Then he
directed half of his surviving crew to begin building great
pyramids like crazy. "Use local labor wherever possible
to stimulate the native economy, but layoff fraternizing.
with the squaws," he said. The remainder of his men were
put to work cutting the balsa logs they needed to reach
Easter Island. Their mission required the building of more
pyramids in the South Pacific, and penalty clauses would
come into effect if they did not keep moving.
After all the heroic labors Heyerdahl undertook to con
ceive of his theory and organize his daring expeditions, it
is a pity that he overlooked the interesting pattern of distribution taken by the prehistoric great pyramid civilizations.
PURSUIT Summer 1977

The main pyramid civilization grew up around the

Great Pyramid of Cheops, rising above the Delta on the
Giza Plateau, a few miles from ancient Memphis on the
Nile. As you can see for yourself by merely eyeballing a
global map, this isjust about the center of the world's land
masses. J should like to believe that Erich von Daniken
has his facts straight just this once, when he assures us
that this is the exact center of the earth's continental land
masses. This region has the most powerful electromagnetic effects known to occur naturally; perhaps this is
why the region has always been called "The Holy Land,"
long befo.re the Bible was written. Peter Tompkins says
the atmosphere in this land possesses a gradient of 500
volts to the metre. Also in his Secrets 0/ the Great Pyramid. Tompkins relates that when British inventor Sir W.
Siemens climbed to the summit of the Great Pyramid, he
found his body discharging sparks, as if he were standing
on a high voltage coil. This information, by itself, would
lead to some interesting speculation on the properties of
pyramid power, but the significance does not become
apparent until we look at the other great pyramidcivilizations.
.
The goal of Heyerdahl's first expedition was Easter
Island in the South Pacific. The island is also noted for
having very powerful natural electromagnetic field effects
on its soil. The island is the farthest out of a group of
islands which once was the home of another prehistoric
great pyramid civilization. These people called them
selves "Children of the Sun," as did the original pyramid
people in Egypt. This region is 180 degrees from the Nile
Delta - 180 degrees defining the second harmonic of the
planet Earth, considered as a vibrating sphere.
A third prehistoric great pyramid civilization grew up on
the west coast of the Americas, from the Great City of the
Sun at prehistoric Cuzco to the Great Pyramid of the Sun
at prehistoric T eotihuacan. This dispersion describes an
arc 120 degrees from the central Pyramid at Giza - 120

73

I
Map, drawn by the author, showing distribution of pyramids
throughout the world and their harmonic operating range.

degrees defining the third harmonic interval of the planet

Earth, considered as a vibrating sphere.
Ninety degrees in the other direction recent arche
ological digs have unearthed the greates~ pyramids yet
discovered, 1000 feet to the side, buried in the jungles of
southern China. They were thought to be natural mountains until the overgrown vegetation was cut away.
Ninety degrees is the fourth harmonic interval of the
Earth, and this region is the ancestral homeland of the
Japanese, who still call themselves "Children of The
Sun." .
The meaning of this far-ranging coincidence was discovered by accident in the early' days of the Second
World War. At that time radar spotters picked up echoes
from distant aircraft by listening in earphones instead of
watching "blips" on a f1uore!!icent screen. These crews reported with great frequency hearing whistles for w~ich no
one at the time could give any reason. Eventually, research published in Scientific American reported the discovery of an ionized layer in the upper atmosphere which
selectively filtered radio waves in the 7~ cycle per second
band and apparently reflected them back to the Earth,
bringing them to a focus at the antipodes. When lightning strikes, a broad band of radio waves is emitted to be
heard in unfiltered radio sets as static. Apparently, the 7~
Hz. band was filtered out from lightning striking at the

,,

other side of the world by the ionized Schumann Layer

and brought to a focus 180 degrees distant, where the
early radar spotters heard the static as whistles.
The 7Y:! Hz. frequency possesses two properties of
great interest to the military. The first is that it can travel.
all around the world .on the Schumann Layer without
losing signal strength; the other is that it penetrates
water. The United States Navy realized this was just what
was needed to keep in constant radio communication
with the nuclear submarine fleets ranging under the
world's oceans, so the Navy began a new world-wide military communications system broadcasting on the 7~ Hz.
frequency by stripping to bedrock 10,000 acres in Wisconsin to function as the antenna.
The striking property ofthe 7~ cycle per second radio
wave is that it is exactly 25,000 miles long. This means' a
radio wave eJTlitted at that frequency will expand in a
growing circle at the speed' of light until it encompasses a
whole hemisphere of the planetary globe, and then it will
con tract until it comes to a focus at the antipodes. At this
point it changes phase and expands again to return to
another focus precisely at its point of origin. It arrives at
the point of origin at precisely the instant to coincide with
its own following wave. This means there is only a single
wave existing at anyone time. The entire planet beats
electromagnetically at this frequency like a cosmic heart.
The Earth is resonating.
PURSUIT Swniner 197-7

74
Resonance means the Earth also will be producing
overtones of one-half the fundamental frequency, with a
strong point 180 degrees from the source of the original
signal, one-third the fundamental frequency, with a
strong line 120 degrees from the source of the original signal, one-quarter the fundamental frequency with a strong
line 90 degrees from the source of the original signal, and
so on in fractions of twos and threes.
The locations of the prehistoric great pyramid civilizations are in precisely the right regions to receive the
strongest signals from the electromagnetic resonance of
the planet Earth. The great pyramids of antiquity are a
virtual duplication of the modem military radio communications network, broadcasting on the 7~ Hz. band
from the main transmission tower on the Giza Plateau,
with studios and executive offices at beautiful downtown
Memphis.
The official scientific reports say that the ionized Schumann Layer responsible for this phenomenon is a radio
mirror that traps this frequency and holds the waves to
the surface of the Earth. Any high school student, however, knows that resonance does not work this way. The
Schumann Layer is actually a radio diaphragm big
enough to wrap around the entire world. Not only do we
receive the radio signals inside this diaphragm, but it
turns the entire planet into a radio broadcasting crystal
that sends messages into space powerfully enough to
.
reach the other planets.
Is there anyone else out there? As it happens, Scientific American has published clear photographs of a pyramid complex on the moon! Nothing is said about this in
the public ~ress; we are living through a real life scene
from 2001: A Space Odyssey; in which great secrecy surrounded the discovery of a polished black monolith in the
Crater Clavius.
Beyond the moon, Mariner 9 has sent back photographs of another great pyramid complex on Mars.
These pictures are not c1e.ar enough to be unambiguous,
but if later exploration proves them to represent what
they appear to be, then we shall know that we are in radio
communication with an interplanetary society that has
established a base on this Earth.
The great pyramids, therefore, may be part of an interplanetary radio communications system that uses the
electric power generated by the entire planet to broadcast its messages throughout the solar system. If there
are also pyramids on Jupiter, that planet would generate
enough electric power to relay radio messages to the
stars. The evidence suggests that we are part of an interplanetary civilization, if not a galactic community, the
likes of which we are incapable of comprehending.
The most dramatic proof that the great pyramids of the
world are solid-state electronic modules in a world-wide
power generating network was established bY. that superhuman genius, Nikola Tesla, nearly a hundre~rsago.
T esla knew that there was a powerful voltage gradient between the Earth apd the upper atmosphere. If an antenna
is raised, the voltage gradient climbs the length of the
conductor to become concentrated on the tip. If there is
any fluctuation in the natural voltage, a minute current of
electricity flows in the antenna to balance the potential.
This ishow a radio works.
PURSUIT Summer 1977

In the early days of radio, this current was fed into a

resonating circuit that would filter out the wavelength of
the broadcasting station to which it was tuned and
amplify it until. it had enough energy to actuate a set of
earphones. TheSe were the good old days of crYstal
radios. Tesla figured that Earth would filter out its reso.. nant frequency and function as a planetary capacitor in a
circuit as big as the whole world. What he did was to
pump anelectric current into the earth which was tuned
to a precise harmonic of the earth's resonant frequency.
As he expected, the electric wave traveled to the antipodes and came back in time to coincide with the outgoing waves. The returning current was amplified by
resonance until it burst out from the top of Tesla's
antenna to illuminate the countryside with the most brilliant artificial lightning storm ever seen by man - and
melted the electric wiring that generated power for the
entire county.
Undaunted by this superabundant success, Tesla continued his experiments to prove that when his antenna
was pumping electric waves into the earth, he could drive
a metal rod into the ground anywhere and draw electricity for lighting lamps and driving motors as long as his
tap was located at precise harmonic intervals from his
transmission station. Besides the obvious fact that the
great pyramid civilizations arose at precise intervals of
the resonance of the earth, Tompkins writes that within
the civilization of the Holy Land, every city was built up
around a central pyramid; and these pyramids were
always located at precise degree intervals from the Prime
Pyramid on the Delta. Tesla provided conclusive proof
that the great pyramids were substations of a worldwide
power generating and radio communications network.
Until the end of his life, Nikola Tesla dreamed of removing the unsightly high-tension electric power transmission towers that march over the landscape; recycling
all those miles of wires and tons of steel, aluminum and
copper, and replacing them by electrifying the entire
. planet with his revolutionary engineering of planetary
resonance. But if power were broadcast instead of piped,
how could Consolidated Edison -General Electric -Westinghouse get their money? If anyone could get energy
from the ground, how could Standard - Shell and the
OPEC Cartel create an energy shortage in order to drive
up prices? If we can all communicate on the natural radio,
where will Ma Bell and RCA get their cuts?
. As soon as powerful financial interests learned of
Tesla's discoveries, they made sure that he would never
be able to accumulate enough money to do anything that
would upset the military-industrial establishment.
Tesla's inventions were credited at a later date to other
scientists who could be counted on to keep the boat
steady, and his name was virtually. erased from publication. When he died in New York on a winter's night in
1943, he was alone in a hotel room - not much wealthier
than the day he arrived in the United States 50 years earlier with four cents in his pockets. The Secret Service of
the United States immediately sealed his room and whatever papers he had were transferred to government
vaults, where they remain to this day.
Tesla was the last of the big-time pyral't:lid architects.
. .. ~

75

"ZOUNDS, HOLMES! IT'S A CASE OF

THE COMBUSTIBLE CORPSE!"
by Larry E. Arnold

(Copyright 1977)

BETTY SATLOW: "GHOULISH FIRE

IN A CLOSED COFFIN"

called what should rank among the 10 most bizarre

events of 1973 - for it wasn't so much the interior of the
coffin that burned, as the corpse it contained!
Betty Satlow, 50, helped her husband Sam operate a
tavern in Hoquiam, Washington. * On Friday, 7 December 1973, Mr. Satlow walked into his garage and found his
wife dead on the seat of her car. Grays Harbor County
Coroner Harold Schmid said death was caused by CO
poisoning. Hoquiam Police Chief Richard Barnes could
find no evidence of foul play, only indication of intoxication. The coroner could attribute the cause of death to
neither accident, homicide or suicide; his report simply
listed the cause of death as "undetermined."
Her body was taken to Coleman Mortuary, prepared
for burial and given a rosary service on Sunday. But Mrs.
Satlow, now readied for her final resting, was not willing
to lie stillSmoke was reported issuing from the mortuary. Firemen soon discovered the blaze was inside the funeral
parlor ... inside the Satlow coffin .. , inside the late Mrs.
Satlow!
The lower portion of the casket was closed, but the lid
for the other half was open. In this exposed portion the
fire fighters found the lady's body "completely consumed to the hips," said Chief Barnes.
"Barnes said there is no evidence that would point to
arson," reported The Oregonian [5], "but investigators
can't determine the cause." The Police Chief was baffled,
so he "had the burned coffin sent to the Treasury Department's laboratories in Washington, D.C., and expects a report back in about 10 days."
Yet as in other cases of mysterious combustions, the
Federal agency refuses to divulge its findings (at least to
us). Chief Barnes, or his successor, has failed to reply to
our inquiries. Either the Treasury Department found an
explanation so simple that it should be obvious to everyone and doesn't warrant a reply, or the mystery was only
heightened by the Feds' perplexity and it became more
convenient to 'forget' the whole episode.
Other problems exist too [6], but we'll just recall here
the words of Chief Barnes in late December 1973: "We
really need a logical explanation to put an end to so many
wild, baseless rumors that are going around the community." [5]
He unfortunately doesn't elaborate on these wild speculations, even though he himself said of the cause of
Satlow's self-immolation: "It's all conjecture."
We wonder if spontaneous combustion by a corpse
was among those "baseless rumors"-

"It was like something out of nightmare theater: A fire

inside a casket bearing the body of a woman awaiting
burial." That's what the San Francisco Chronicle [4]

Michael Harrison's Fire From Heauen locates the town in Oregon. This is only
one of several confusing and contradictory (thus erroneous) statementa com
plicating this particular case.

"Yet, admitting that the phenomenon of preternatural inflammability is opposed to the laws of
combustion as far as we know, we should not
reject as unworthy of belief, the many curious
and authentic facts on record. They may be true,
.however incorrectly accounted for."
.
-Dr. W _H. Watkins, on
human combustibility_ [1,316]
As every Fortean knows, and as any competent researcher soon discovers, there are so many "curious and
authentic facts" to be found that one wonders how Fort's
Dogma (whether it be Science or Religion) managed to
survive unscathed and unaltered inside the Ivory Tower.
The Great Barrier around Science was recently transgressed when we wrote of the incredible self-combustion
of Dr. J_ Irving Bentley [2]. Now Orthodoxy, and perhaps
your own beliefs, shall be challenged even more as we
delve into another mystery involved with Spontaneous
Human Combustions.
Atheists, theologians and scientists have for centuries
debated between and amongst themselves this question:
What is the destiny of the animating life-force after its
escape from the body at death? Does it go to the grave
along with the corporeal form; does it reside for Eternity
in the "light of Heaven" or the "fires of Hell" as the result
of a one-time incarnation on Earth; or does a soul-entity
continue as a conscious being in another dimension with
the option of reincarnating into another physical form?
Regardless of the answer favored, there is one point on
which these divergent sects converge in agreement: after
death, bodily functions cease.
To some it may seem pointless to consume a paragraph to state such an obvious factMen of medicine also assert that once the body is dead
-that is, after whatever energy animating the physical
structure has departed - there are no more events
associated with that mass, save gradual decay to the proverbial "dust to dust and ashes to ashes." But we have
demonstrated elsewhere [3] the error of this assertion:
bodies, after burial, have repeatedly maintained high temperatures, blood flow and incorruptibility for varying
lengths of time.
.
Add to these mysteries yet one more: that a corpse can
seIJ-combust!
.

PURSUIT Summer 1977

76

BILLY PETERSON BAFFLES

THE PONTIAC POUCE
"Impossible!" screams the skeptic; corpses can't bum!
There must be another - conventional- explanation!"
Captain Barnes couldn't find one in Hoquiam, Wash'
ington. The experts in Pontiac, Michigan, couldn't either
when they confronted - well, here are the facts:
Billy Peterson was male.
He lived in Pontiac, Michigan.
He had been a welder for General Motors.
He was alive at 7 p.m. on Sunday, 13 December 1959.
He was burned - somehow.
All these facts are
., in the past tense, for by 8 p.m.
Billy Peterson was dead.
that Sunday
Pontiac General
patho1ogist Dr. Donald Mc
Candless said Peterson
of CO poisoning.
Deputy Coro~r Dr. John Marra decided Peterson
I

died accidentally.

wrote of this, case: "Whatever ~rned young BiD.

destroyed his skin and his flesh, but left his clothing and
his hair entirely intact." [8, 32; 10,62]
..
The police returned to their murder theory. aPoismie
Torture Killing" headlined The Detro;t Free Press on
Monday the 14th. The physicians promptly said the
victim couldn't have been undressed, burned and then
reclothed; besides, any ~emat fA wouk:l have burned
the hait off his chest instead of leaving it unharmed. No',
that theory would riot do.
Dr. Marra surmised that the exhaust pipe's heat
ignited the upholstery which caused 811y" blue jearlll to
"becQme so heated that superfICial burns of the skin re~
suited." SuperfICial burns would' ~ analogoUs to first~
degree burns; that is. red4enins of the skin. Yet his col
leagues spoke, of blistering and charring: Besides this
contradiction, how could hot blue jeans ~ ,&eVeN
burning on the wearer's .chest and. back? We have other
accounts of suicidebyCQ.poisoning. and yet noslrange
fires developed in the manner suggested here. Then too.
Fire Chief White.said the hot exhaust had caused ~t
$75 damage to the right front seat and that the blaze "had.
not touched ~terson.' [Italics added: 4. 100J No. this
rationale also fails to remove the perplexity surrounding
Peterson's fiery fate.
A query to Pontiac General Hospital for details gen"
erated a form letter requesting "an authorization signed
by the patient" before information could be released. Oh

Wachal fust suspected

Police Detective
murder. then .....~.........r1
opinion to "suicide.
concluded the dead man was
Fire Chief
by extreme heat.
cooked - after
the case by pronouncing
Pontiac offICials
"Death by Suicide."
. Oakland County PrO$eclutor George F. Taylor said,
however: "We haven't
the case yet." {8, 311
.' Why aU this
.
I among trained and competent .
well,
professionals over a few
To have empathy for the
We do have this quote from Dr. Tad LOnergan's letter
officials found themselves,
consternation in which
to True. detailing the reaction of the staff when Peter
return now to the
evening of 13 December
son's body was brought in. He tok:l of "inexplicable inter1959nal and external third degree burns" on the vic:tin and
. BiOy i:lropped off his mnl'hQr at 7 p.m. and drove the
noted "this case was different. Onecouldnotoccount/or
mile to his garage. He
been despondent over ill health
the burns on his skin when the clothes were not even
. and missed work but
to return to the factory in two
singed. Hence, a thorough in~tigation Was launched.
Billy was "as jolly as couk:l be"
days, and his family
No explanation was available then, and as far as I know~
this day.
none is now. I haven't seen a case like it since. and it isstill
Fortyfive minutes
the Pontiac Fire Department
ball/ins to me." LItalics added: 11. 4J
,.
was notified of a
in the Peterson garage, and
This is a propitious point at which to pause a
Fire Lieutenant
and crew arrived to find a
moment.
macabre scene. A
tube led from the shortened
.Foght noticed, even if the experts in Pontiac didn't'.
exhaust pipe into the I interior. On the driver's seat
that Peterson showed the symptoms of nuclear radiation
with a difference: his face and
sat Billy, dead. But
burns. "This fact, of course," he wrote in Fate (8. 33),
arms were livid with
yet, though portions of the
"brings us to an even greater mystery. Where was Billy
auto were smoldering,
was ablaze!
exposed to radiation?" Foght couldn't answer his ~
Billy was rushed to
General Hospital anyway,
question. though.
.
where Dr. McCandlesS
the blood's violent red q:,lor
Might Billy Peterson have been the victim of a belated
indicated CO poisoning. The .police, now alerted, sus
spontaneoUs human combustion?
.
pected foul play. But
missing tailpipe section and
As Billy subjected himself to CO gas. a proposal made
some extra flexible
found in the garage caused the
way back in the lSOOs by Dr. Adrian Hava is of interest:
police to alter their
I
to favor suicide.
"that the accumulation of cat-boni<: oxide gas (CO) was
Meanwhile back at
doctors were exclaim
the prime factor in spontaneous combustion." [12. 726)
ing "It's the strangest
ever seen!" (9] What
Spontaneous combustion of a human, did the doctor
mystified. these
was the
say?
.
:
nature and extent of
's burns: his chest. back
This physician performed experiments on anImalS
and legs were
second and third degree
(though not the human species) to see what effect this
bums; the 'left arm so
that the skin rolled off;
gas had on tissue inflammabiliiy. Rabbits and roosten
ears and nose were
yet his eyebrows and hair
had a propensity to ignite in bluish flame after prolonged
,were untouched. And.
clothing was undamaged , exposure, he found. (Our files 'on SHC contain hum-:
not even his underwear I singed! To quote Foght, who
erous associations with electricblue flames.) But it t~ .
169 days for the rabbits' haemoglobin to store enough gas.'
[8, 31). who says !he . . II rl.
for the tissue to ignite; 8 months were neces&ifty for the
s.. Ec:kert 17. lIMJ.. Compare
It

PURSUIT Summer 1977

77
"brat! Wrong frequency! WfJ've lost. another eXP.8riill-fated roosters (12, 726-7). Billy PetersOn wasex~d
ment, Zeti Reticuli," says a transmission from aboVe."'No
to his car's exhaust for probably no more than 30 mmconcern," comes the reply; "the Earthling was about to
utes!
.
.
vacate his body anyway. But to continue our investiga
Did his job as a welder ex~ him to a ~ng-tenn
tion we must now find another suitable subject..."
accumulation of CO in his bloodand muscle tISSue? Or
In outer space, the collection of data continues; on
did Peterson, With the dedication of Odysseus before .
Earth,
the data collects for cases of spontaneous c0mTroy spend the last 8 months of his life (or however long
bustion in humansit tak~s the human body to reach the critical point in CO
Whether any aspect of this proposal is correct, can't be
storage) in a carefully calculated and methodically
determined
from the data now available; but, unlike those
applied plan which culminated in his final fiery act of~
set
forth
by
Conventionalism, each is capable of explain
peration on the 13th of December? We find both POSSIing how the unemployed Michigari mi\Il cremated during
bilities less ~Iievable than the fac;:ts which baffled the
(or after) his suicide.
.
. authorities;
WhiCh brings us back to the theory of SHC. Fire Chief
"THE CASE OF. THE
White asked if Peterson might have succumbed to this
rare demise: "I wOuld not quarrel with the theory conONE-LEGGED vicrlM"
cerning. Spontaneous Human Combustion. .., I have
never had any knowledge of this, but certainly would not
More than two decades before Billy Peterson commit
care to say it was impossible." (7, 104) Excuse us while we
ted suicide only to internally combust, another case
marvel at. this momentous degree of cat:tdor*. occurred similarly in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Wilton Marion
Of course, naming SHC ~. mOre elucidating than
Krogman, ~ho. gained fame (and, depending on one's
simply calling Peterson's passing "accidental." It.also exview_ infamy) by reporting on the famous Mary Reeser
plains the episode more adequately than does "Death by
SHC case, told us about one of his more intriguing ex
Suicide." But it still doesn't resolve'"what initiated this
periences in forensic anthropology.
searing spontaneity, does it? .
To abbreviate, police found a man burned-to-dealh in
The editors of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organan old MOOeI T; one leg was completely missing, and 10
ization proposed the "strong suspicion that Billy Peteridentification was attempted from a list of amputees.
son may have been burned by an ultraSonic scanner
Krogman's expertise arrived at a different conclusion,
beamed at his car. ~t why? Therein lies the mystery."
however. ". found no evidence whatsoeuer in the right
11~~
, .
pelvis of this man that &;lid he had had an amputation.
linking alien life-forms and UFOs to SHC is not done.
And I concluded that it had been burned away!" (l4J
with disregard for the many cases in which contactees
We asked the doctor if he resolved how this man's leg
suffered varying degrees of burned flesh - but the docucould completely d~integrate.
mentation exceeds the scope of this article. Asserting
"Yes," Dr. Krogman responded, ~'because it was near
that extraterrestrial voyagers would (apparently) indisest the gas tank." Then, gesturingly dramatically. he
criminately assault another life form with their ''ultraadded that when this. "badly burned" corpse was ex
sonic scanner" may be an unjust accusation against these
amined carefully, "we found in his viscera (the belly waD
alien visitors. (This assumeS, of course, the aliens exhibit
had burned away), a gufi. And when we put the head toa higher degree of respect and rationality than many
gether, we found this - the gunshot wound. See? Soevihumans do.) But what if they did so with a purpose? 1bat
dently at the moment he fired a shot, he dropped a match
. would solve the mystery - if one could just think of a
in the gas tank. So that was the side that was completely
reason.
,
consumed."
'
The key might lie in the tangible evidence for the vic~
Suddenly this case took on a whole new significance.
tim's suicide. Intrigued that an entity would seek to de;Not only was ttte man badly burned and his leg totally reo
stroy himself, passing aliens delayed their travels long
duced to ashes, but now it seemed to be a case ofsuic:ide
enough to study this curious behavior of an Earthling.
as well. Our mind flashed thoughtsofBiIJy Peterson in ..
They projected a mind-probe at Peterson to learn the
car, of Mrs. Satlow in her coffin, of other persons who sui, thought pattern that led to this aberrant act. The ray was
cided only to bum later. We sought more information.
too powerful though, and this subject was consumed, like
but Dr. Krogman was reticent to discuss the incident
paper when the sun's rays are concentrated in one spot;
further-'
,
. or the frequency (microwave?) was incompatible with the
Let's hold our attention on this episode a bit longer,
s~cimen and he was literally c~ked from within. like a
Krogman's detective work was long fmished; ours was
California radar teChnician had been; or, less likely per
just beginning.
.haps, the probe ignited the collected CO inside the car
Since the head was utterly fragmented, we must a&k
and triggered the mysterious holocaust.
whether a handgun's blast so completely destroyed the
skull or if its disrupted state was (more) likely the result 01
Compare the vieW of Chief White with thai held ~ Dr. Lester AdllIIIon, then
the fire which "badly burned" the rest of the body.
chief deputy coroner for Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Hilletter iroIiicaIIy appeared In
lhe same issue of TI'UI! lIS did Dr, Lonerpn's:
And about that 'fire': If the car's occupant was about to
HI calegoricall!l deny theexi&lence of both SHC and PC ,.. 1cqncIuded dogmdfi.
blow his head apart with a pistol, why woUld he feel the
CGl6I that the concepts of ~ and PC were :'~wnen"t~ ~ ~when
need to engulf himself in a fiery blow-up as well? Was he
IIftIIoChainpecuialiDn lurmshed the_rio bumingquastiol'lS. ,.,Beliawma,
air, I do not ,., believe in this incendiary fairy taIiI." (11IIics added: 5, 4-5)
that uncertain of his aim that he decided on a contino
. We Ieaw ilto the reader 10 ponder, lIS didCharlesFort,lhedalvrisofbeingdosgency
route to suicide - by it blaze if not by the bullet?
matic...
PURSUIT" Summer 1977

78

There's another quandary with Dr. Krogman's reconstruction. An antique automobile dealer reassured our
belief that the gas tank in the Ford car mentioned was beneath the dashboard and that its filler tube wasn't below
the driver but on the hood in front of the windshield.
Now consider the amazing dexterity of this soon-tosuicide man. He must reach over or under the windshield's glass with a lighted match, making sure the match
is held far enough above the gasoline filler tube so that
fumes won't prematurely ignite before he fires his gun.
Then upon discharging the weapon, whose bullet would
nevertheless find its way into the fuel tank whereupon
flaming gasoline somehow leaks out - because there is
no mention of an explosion - below the dash and onto
the man's leg. See?
True, the auto was said to be blazing and very hot. But
as discovered with Billy Peterson ( and as noted in other
cremation-in-a-car cases), one can no longer assume this
means the vehicle is on fire. If the fuel didn't explode,
what then fed the ravaging flames if it wasn't the gentleman's own body? It sounds like a case of spontaneous
human combustion accompanying suicide of one's physical form-

SUICIDE AND INCINERATION:

ESCAPE OF THE LIFE-FORCE
The unidentified resident of Cleveland, perhaps
spurned in romance or dejected over an inability to recover from the Depression, may have ended his personal depre!!"sion with a bullet to the brain. Thereupon his
body immediately inflamed - hardly due to a 'lucky'
drop-of-the-match-in-the-gasoline, but because the physiology, shocked by this sudden trauma, responded byreleasing sudden 'fire' just as white corpuscles are released
when the body is invaded with germs.
That processes in a body after dying differ markedly
from the animated state means the moment of Iife-todeath is a catastrophic point in the human biology. What
happens to the animating' or life-force at this instant has
been the subject of debates by theologians, physicists
and mystics since communication began. What can
happen to the physical, however, is less open for debate
- for here the evidence is tangible to Man's five senses.
(But in what forensiC textbook have you read that corpses
can combust by themselves?)
Yet !iometimes the subjective and objective tend to intenningle. Duncan Mac Dougall" claimed in the Journal of
the American SOCiety for Psychical Research (May 1907)
that dying patients had given him sufficient time to
make careful measurements of weight loss - about 21
grams - at the moment of their demise. Was this quantitative evidence for the existence of a soul,"g!1ost, lifeforce, personality-entity, or whatever name one'Ghooses
to term the quality that distinguishes the 'living' from the
'dead? Today MacDougall's work lies as forgotten as the
bodies he observed.
As MacDougall found, in many cases the person about
to leave the physical body has long prepared for the
event. The separation is expected; orderly; eased. But
the conscious decision to destroy one's physical being
may be arrived at suddenly: the spontaneity of the event
PURSUIT Summer 1977

permits no time for the energy adjustments that normally precede death" to be made. Suddenly making the
body inhospitable requires the animating energy to leave
the form abruptly, perhaps resulting in another catastrophe within the corpse: the creation of a flame-like bioelectrical arc that rages throughout the form_ The withdrawal of the life-force, fully vitalized a moment before,
literally burns out the body internally.
"
The situation we perceive is analogous to two abutting
pieces of current-carrying wire, with one piece representing the human body and the other the soul-entity which
utilizes that body for expression. When the moment
approaches for separation of the soul from the body, the
current is gradually reduced so that when diserigagement (the death experience) occurs there is no current to
pass through the wires. If a decision to separate the wires
is made without prior decrease of the current, the abrupt
separation of the two. wires (the soul from the body)
creates a huge arc that.jumps across the gap. In other
words, in a suicide the bioplasmic life-energy 'sparks'
through the corpse as the soul-entity is rapidly ejected
from its physical confines.
" The abruptness of the decision to self-destruct would
seem to be a factor in whether the suicide blazes or exhibits a less dramatic departure. Billy Peterson was said
to be "jolly as could be" just before he made the alterations that changed his"vehicle from a car to a coffin. We
sense the Cleveland man acted suddenly too, though
there is no way to support this feeling with documentation. We suggest, therefore, that it is the brevity of a suicide's premeditation that fires up the body after the emotions sink to the darkness "of gloom.
Support for this contention is found in the case of an
18-year-old lad in Chenango County, New York, who inflicted a gunshot wound to his body "in the late 1800s. Dr.
George O. Williams found the corpse fearfully charred,
the flesh split asunder by the heat, the face "cooked"; yet
the planking on which the remains were found was only
"trivially damaged." Like the cases mentioned above, this
youth had burned after inflicting the wound upon himself
- or so the physician reports. No accelerant was found;
only four pounds of clothing, a gun and the corpse were
there.
Dr. Williams was frustrated; to him, the clothing was
the only source to sustain a fire_ Yet the limited amount of
combustibles plus the lack of neighboring destruction left
a mystery that remained, for him, unsolved. [15J
To resolve his quandary requires a concept alien to
19th Century Medicine - that the human organism consists of much more than tissue, bones and circulating
blood; that some unseen force inside the body can release a vengeful fury upon the body of one who attempts
to prematurely kill himself. Such a concept is still alien to
much of 20th Century medical knowledge, but ideas are
changing in Officialdom"

" "IN THE VALLEY OF THE

SHADOW OF DEATH" AND
BACK AGAIN-SOMETIMES
The extraterrestrial interver1tion theory, though suitable to combustions that coincide with the moment of

79

bodily death, is less applicable to a case like Mrs. Satlow

(whose body was inert for three days before some activity
ignited it). One would think the aliens would want a
fresher subject for their experiments - but it's presumptuous to impose our scientists' preferences on a really
foreign technology. Can Mrs. Satlow's postmortem experience, though, be explained in a less incredulous
manner?
Dr. W. H. Watkins' further statement on spontaneous
combustion and preternatural inflammability paves the
way for further inquiry:
Granting then, that such changes may take place in .
the human body, which permit it to be more easily
burned, the occurrance [sic] of the phenomen [sic]
must be entertained, although science cannot
account for the changes. [1,315]
Has science since 1870, when Watkins wrote his
article, progressed toward explaining these changes especially of corpses that self-combust?
Yes.
Because of the compilation of cases by a few dedicated researchers, science in the last decade has begun
to discover what occurs to the soul-entity that animates
the body after the physical portion has attained that mysterious moment termed death. Dr. Raymond A. Moody,
Jr., Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and others studying deathand-dying have learned that death is not the final, terminal experience but merely a passage into another
realm of existence. (Eastern philosophy, mystics and
psychics repeatedly professed this truth for aeons, but
Western Medicine only now finds credence in these ageless sciences.)
Kubler-Ross says she has "hundreds" of cases where
an individual was pronounced medically dead - yet the
body revived and the person was able to describe the
reality 'on the other side.' [16]
The postmortem phenomenon generally consists of
the individual hovering above his body and 'watching' the
resuscitat.ion attempts, then hearing someone pronounce him "Dead," followed by realization that he still
ppssesses a 'body' - though quite different from the
flesh-and-blood one just vacated. This ethereal body
travels through a new realm, sometimes alone, sometimes greeted by "the spirits or relatives and friends who
have already died"; occasionally a being of light appears
who asks that an evaluation of the Earth-based life be
given. A barrier is met that seems to represent the separation between earthly life and this 'next' life - but that
borderline is not yet to be crossed, and reuniting with the
corporeal body occurs. Medicine has a miracle; the oncedead person, now resurrected, has a revelation.
It is the similarity in these after-death life reports that
in~rigues and inspires researchers to. analyze quantitatively the prospects for continued existence, and what
can be expeCted in this other level of existence. Dr.
George Ritchie related to us his memorable experience
of 19-24 December .1943. His temporary sojourn into the
afterlife was marked with vivid recollections of the events
surrounding his body in the hoSpital, then of meeting a
"bJminous. being" who showed him euerything he had
done in his life; not one secret was withheld fl'9m Ritchie's

life. Though surprised by this separation from his physical body, Ritchie learned it was not to be permanent. He
was told, to his chagrin, that there was still work for him
to do on Earth and he must return. Thus,fourdClyS after
the doctors said "Dead!", Dr. Ritchie's body arose and
sat on the bed. The 'life-support' equipment was no
longer needed: Dr. Ritchie's soul had returned [17] Like Ritchie, cases amassed by Moody (18] and
Kubler-Ross [19] detail the reluctance to return to the
three-dimensional world by those who transcend the corporeal. Still, these researchers report that re-entry
occurs with no more than an emotional loss. But is this readjustment to physicality always so serene? Could there
be difficulties in certain circumstances? Does the suicidal act, for example, create an energy barrier which
prevents rehabitation of the corpse; or is the one who
takes his own life (away from the body) merely disinterested in returning?
Having no first-hand human accounts to relate, the
next-best approach is to repeat what entities who currently exist in this non-terrestrial realm say of a suicide's
experiences. (We recognize the 'hazards' of doing this,
especially since we open ourself wide to criticism by taking this route. But then, Purs!Jit is devoted "to the Investigation of 'Things' that are Customarily Discounted," so
we'll pursue in the spirit of this journal.)
The period following physical transition is detailed by
two beings named Seth [20, 150] and Joachim [21, 5-6];
among other things, it is decided whether and how the
suicide will return to another physical body. That return
to the physical usually is accomplished by the selection of
a fetal human body. (Cases of rehabilitation collected by
Moody and KUbler-Ross, and instances of possession,
are the atypical exceptions.) But in the trauma of a suicide now discarnate, confusion and fear can reign. As
Joachim says, "they are scared as hell 0/ meeting God!"
[21, 8] The normal course of events can get circumvented.
Dr. Moody collected a few reports of near-death phenomena associated with attempted suicide. One man, in
despair over his wife's death, shot himself 'dead' only to
return and describe the expereince when resurrected: "I
didn't 90 where [my wife] was. Iwentto an awful place ... ,
I immediately saw what a mistake I had done .... I thought,
'I wish I hadn't done it'." [19, 127]
Engrossed in despondency and repentance, the disembodied personality is likely to cling to the vacated
body, even attempting to reincarnate in the vehicle just
destroyed. Says Seth: "In such instances, often the per-
sonality will insist upon focusing his perceptive abilities
and energies toward physical existence. This is a psychic
refusal to accept the face of death." [20, 189]
That unwillingness to sever completely from the
earthly corpse creates an energy link between the soulentity and its former physical body. That body is now in
an excellent position to combust.
How? We see two ways.
The first probability results from the discarnate's
fervent desire to rejoin with the body it just exited. Confused and frightened by the void of darkness in which it
finds itself, the soul-entity flees to the only familiar thing
remembered: the vacated body. In the interim, however, .
PURSUIT S~mmer 1977

80

decay has begun to change the body's constitution. The

two once-merged energy patterns are no longer compatible. As the discarnate tries harder and more frantically to
force itself back into that devitalized body a point is
reached where, like a match drawn repeatedly.harder
over its striking surface, the created energy is actually
sufficient to kindle the corpse.
Was this the unseen power that combusted Mrs. Satlow's corpse three days after her earthly suicide? Or was
her motivation the realization that,like Dr. Ritchie was
told, her abilities were needed; that she was important to
those with whom she lived? Aware now of her mistake in
terminating her physical life, she tried desperately to reenter her "previous existence." But 72 hours had passe~
and her body was prepared for burial. Mrs. Satlow, however, no longer wanted to be dead; the corpse in the Coleman Mortuary was her ticket to life - she thought. Instead, an attempt at forced reincarnation produced a
flaming torch of mystery.
"We really need a logical explanation," said Police
Chief Barnes about the combusted corpse in Hoquiam,
"to put an end to so many wild, baseless rumors that are
goingaround the community." We wonder if our theory
is acceptable- .
The second probability depends on the emotions and
belief structure of the one now-physically transitioned.
Was the victim taught to expect harp music and tranquility in the afterlife, or the devil's fire? lfthe recognition
that his suicide was an 'evil' act, then as Seth said: "A
belief in hell fires can cause you to hallucinate Hades' conditions." (20, 141)
.
The entity, by his own creation, finds himself embroiled (and boiling) in the Devil's flaming ovens, with all
the fire and brimstone of Dante's Inferno to assure his
just punishment. This belief or thought-fonn, so vitalized
by the intense sense of repentance and justice due,
travels the energy link back to the corpse on Earth. The
discarded body, now useless, is swept up in the energy
field reality of its former occupant: it burns in a very real
fire, but with flames kindled from another dimension.
Is this how one can account for the strange scene in
Glenn Burk Denny's bedroom?-
.

GLENN DENNY'S
GHASTLY DEMISE
Across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, Mrs.
Stalios Cousins sat watching the rain through the window
of her Algiers, Louisiana, apartment. This Thursday, 18
September 1952, had so far been gloomy, depressing and
cheerless - one of those days when anything unpleasant would be expected. At one o'clock in the afternoon,
the expected happened.
"At first I smelled smoke and then I saw the smoke
coming from a window, so I called police," Mrs. Cousins
told The Times-Picayune. [22,1] Fourth District poiice
headquarters was just around the corner of her 216
Bermuda apartment; they notified the fire department,
and both agencies were on the scene in minutes.
The smoke came through the window directly above
Mrs. Cousins' room, in an apartment rented by Glenn
Denny. His door was broken down and firemen; rushing
PURSUIT Summer 1977

into smoke-filled rooms, stumbled over the body of a

man. Lieutenant Louis Wattigny, one of .the first
members of Algiers' Fire Engine Company 20 to enter the
bedroom, described his discovery to readers of the New
Orleans Item (September 18):
The man was lying on the floor behind the door
and he was a mass of flames. Not another blessed
thing in the room was burning. He was dead. I don't
know what caused the fire to burn so hot. He could
have been saturated with some oil. I did not smell
anything, however. In al/ my experience I neuer
saw anything to beat this. [Italics addedJ*
It wasn't to be the only strange event in this phenomenal
occurrence"Police and fire officials studied the possibility of foulplay in the death," stated The Times-Picayune account,
because there was no evidence to suggest cigarette
smoking started the fire. Bloodstains were found on the
kitchen and living room floors. But with testimony from
neighbors that the 46-year-old co-owner of a foundry in
Gretna was a quiet man who "never bothered anyone,"
this angle was soon exhausted by lack of motive and "no
evidence of a struggle." [22, 1]
There are several aspects to this case which lie beyond
the scope of this article, so we'll pass along to the Police
Report issl,led three days later that said Denny's death
was "due to burns," but also noted that several arteries
had been severed. One arm, both wrists and both ankles
had been slashed; carbon was found in his lungs, indicating he had been alive while ablaze. Otto Burma, an
investigator of Fortean events, asked the coroner what
caused the fire. The response given was "that Denny had,
after severing his arteries in five places, poured kerosene
all over himself and ignited it with a match." [23, 14J
HmmmThe firemen detected no fumes (not everi of burning
flesh!); the victim was losing 1 per cent of his blood every
second from each wrist artery alone (Burma calculates
that 30 percent of the suicide's blood would have been
lost by the time all lacerations were made), and death
could be expected in moments. Yet the victim is supposed to strike a match - with blood gushing over his
hands - and ignite his clothing just to make sure he dies?
"Strange things are afoot, my dear Watson," Sherlock
Holmes would say.
On top of the incredible is the fact that Denny was
intoxicated ~t the time, according to a friend who saw him
alive only a few hours earlier. (Alcohol is often found
associated with the victims of SHC, as many medieval
physicians claimed, only to be ignored by a new genera-
tion of doctors.) Now the coroner's offICe would expect
us to believe that Denny, last seen "shaking like a leaf"
and now los;ng 4 per cent 0/ his blood every second, managed to walk to another room, douse himself with an
accelerant, hide the container where police and firemen
would never find it, and finally strike a match to ignite his
.
body! "Egads! my dear Watson"Involved in this investigation were a police captain, two
homic~e detectives,. an assistant district attorney, two
Note the similarity 01 this statement with those made by the officials invoIIIed in
the fiery death of Dr. Bentley (2,75, n-8J.

81

deputy state ijre marshals, an assistant Orleans parish

coroner, and a Division director of the New Orleans Fire
Department. (All are named in The Times-Picayune
article previously cited.) The case of G. B. Denny, on
which they all worked for three weeks to prepare the official report, was, according to Burma, "declared suicide,
.
and closed." [23, 15]
Despite (or because of) all the problems created by the
Police Report, the source of fire and the unburned condition of the rest of the apartment remained disturbingly
unsolved.
Burma mentioned that he encountered a "reticent"
attitude among the officials when asked to divulge information about this case. Fourteen years later the response is one of ignoral, as every source contacted in
New Orleans remains silent to our letters. At least something about the Denny case is typicalBurma seems to have conducted a more rational investigation on his own than did the publicly paid agencies
in Louisiana, and we salute his effort by quoting his conclusion about Denny's demise as it was published in Fate: .
... his body caught fire due to some unknown
cause ...
What is the cause of these mysterious fires? In a
less "enlightened" age people believed in the spontaneous combustion of human bodies. But today no
"educated" person would believe such a phenomenon ever occurred. [23, 15]
At the risk of being labeled uneducated, we propose
that Denny did not soak himself in any odorless accelerant before striking a match; but rather than he died
from a self-induced spontaneous combustion created
when his mind (filled with thoughts of Hell's fire awaiting
anyone who killed oneself) and his noncorporeal self tried
to reunite with th~ blood-gushing body lying on the bedroom floor.
Does this explanation strain your credulity? For some
readers it surely will - but then we have not been discussing cases that follow the normal pattern for one's physical transition. As Seth has said of the human death-experience: "The mechanics of transition therefore are
highly variable, as t1w mechanics of physical life are highly
variable." [20, 189]
At least our premise doesn't raise the contradictory
and illogical reasoning one finds in the official reports.

A POSTMORTEM BIOLOGY?
This abbreviated examination of what happens to the
body at and after 'death' might encourage a new scientific discipline: postmortem biology. This new field of
study would exceed the limitations of forensic medicine,
which only examines (by comparative analysis) the conditions of the physical organs which contributed toward
the vacation of the life-force from the physical structure
it once regulated.
History amply shows that the body of the deceased is
not necessarily freed of the mystery which caused it to be
a functioning, animated mechanism. In some cases - we
have mentioned only a few of those concerned with pyrophenomena here - there is the unquestionable revela-

tion that there is life after death, at least fOI"; a c9rpse.

That coffined corpses combust; that suicides become
flaming torches for no apparent reason; that enigrMs'
from the dead haunt the IivingWhether or not we have sensed the correct (or oniy)
solutions to these eerie and enigmatic expirations, we
wish to leave you (and this article) with the closing
thought in Otto Burma's "Cremation in New Orleans":
It goes without saying, however, that "unbelievable" events occur as readily without our belief as
with it. [Italics added: 23, 15]
~
[Abridged from the author's forthcoming book, ABLAZE! The Case for, and
Cases oj, Spontaneous Human Combustions. I

REFERENCES
[1] Watkins, W.H., "Preternatural Inflammability of the
Human Body. With Illustrative Case," The New Orleans
JoumalojMedicine (5. M. Bemiss&W.S.Mitchell,eds.),New
Orleans, vol. XXIII, no. 1, January 1870, pp. 315-318.
[2] Arnold, Larry E., "The Flaming Fate of Dr. John Irving
Bentley," Pursuit, vol. 9, no. 4, F~II 1976, pp. 7582.
[3] Arnold, Larry E., "The Incorruptiblity of Saints-after
Death," Pursuit, vol. 10, no. 3, Summer 1977.
[4] '''Ghoulish Fire in a Closed Coffin," San Francisco Chronicle, 26 December 1973, p. 7.
[5] "Mortuary fire baffles police," The Oregonian, 2Q Decem
ber 1973.
[6] Harper, George W., Parapsychology Division, National
Institute of Creativity, Seattle, Washington, personal communication.
[7] Eckert, Allan W., "The Baffling Burning Death," True,
Fawcett Publications,lnc., New York, May 1964, pp. 32-33, 104107, 112.
[8] Foght, Paul, "Guilty: The Mystery Ray that Kills," Fate, vol.
14, no. 3, March 1961, pp. 3133.
I
[9] "Man's Burned Body in Car Mystifies Pontiac Police," The
Detroit Free Press (Metro Final Edition), 14 December 1959, p.
1.
[10] Foght, Paul, "Guilty: The Mystery Ray That Kills,"
Stranger Than Strange, The Editors of Fate Magazine, Paperback Library, New York, 1966, pp. 6264.
[11] "Letters Section - Burning Question," True, Fawcett
Publications, Inc., New York, August 1964, pp. 45.
[12] Hava, Dr. Adrian, "So-called 'Spontaneous Combustion,'
or Increased Incombustibility of the Human Body, with Experiments," New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal, L.
Graham & Sons, New York, vol. XXI (N.S.), no. 10, April 1894,
pp. 721731.
[13] "Boy Roasted In Mysterious Fire," The AP.R.O. Bulletin,
Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, Tuscon, Arizona,
March 1964, p. 5.
[14] Krogman, Dr. Wilton Marion, personal interchange; 17
September 1975.
[15) Stockwell, Dr. G. Archie, "Catacausis E~riosus (Spontaneous Combustion)," The Theropeutic Gazette (Horatio C.
Wood & Robert Meade Smith, eds.), George S. Davis, Detroit,
3rd S., vol. 5, 1889, pp. 168174.
[16] KUblerRoss, Dr. ~izabeth, "Death and Dying," Bill
Varney's Downstairs Studio, WITF-TV, Hershey, Penna., 21
July 1976.
[17] Ritchie, Dr. George, "Return from Tomorrow (life after
Death)," Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship lecture, personal interchange; 16 November 1974.
PURSUIT Summer 1977 .

82
[IS] Moody, Dr. Raymond A., Jr., Life AfterLife, Mockingbird
Books, Covington, Georgia, 1975.
[19] KublerRoss, Dr. Elizabeth, Questions on Death and
Dying, Macmillan, New York, 1974.
[20J Roberts, Jane, Seth Speaks, PrenticeHall, Inc., (Reward
Book ed.,), Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1972.

[21] Joachim, "Suicide," See of Tranquaity, Box 1003, ADentown, Penna. IS105, vol. XLII, 9 May 1975,23 pp_
[22] "Foul Play Signs in Death Probed," The Times-Picayune,
New Orleans, 116th year, no. 239,19 September 1952, p. 1.
[23] Burma, Otto, "Cremation in New Orleans;" Fate, vol. 6,
no. 5, May 1953, pp. 12-15.

emON
by George M. Eberhart
The famous treatise on incubi,DeDaemoniaiitate, 1 by
Father Ludovico Maria Sinistrari (1622-1701) represents
a maverick theory of demonic copulation which contrasted sharply with the traditional views expressed by
the fifteenth-century treatise on demons and witches, the
. Malleus Male/icarum. Sinistrari was a Franciscan friar
~ho" successively became professor ~f philosophy at
Pavia University, consultant to the Supreme Tribunal of
the Inquisition at Rome, Vicar-General to the Archbishop of Avignon, and theologian to the Archbishop of
Milan_ De Daemonialitate was an unpublished expansion of part of his De Delictis et po~nis,2 an ex1:t~~tive
listing of every imaginable crime and sin, along ~ft4.heir
matching punishments. It was his breakdown of the sIn of
demoniality (interco~rse with demons) into two differe"nt
crimes that set him apart from the mainstream of inquisitorial authors.
"
Sinistrari was concerried""bylhe fact that the stories he
had "heard of demons assaulting women against their will
seemed to disprove .the theory of an explicit pact with the
PURsurr Summer 1977

Devil, which was the essence of witchcraft. Nor could he

understand how the same demons might be driven away
by exorcism at .certain times and yet could completely
ignore the rite at other times. The Malleus noted this
problem but did not explore it in depth, simply mentioning that lustful incubi sometimes went on a rampage at
the request of local witches, and that if the last resort of "
excommunication did not drive the stubborn demons
away, then
... that affliction must be considered to be an expiatory punishment for sin, which should be borne
in all meekness_ ..3
Certain incubi, according to Sinistrari, "sometimes even
'" laugh at exorcisms, assault the Exorcists themselves,
and rend the sacred vestments." This indicated that they
could not be the true spiritual demons who were always
subdued by the name of Christ or presentation of a crucifix.4
"

83

Consequently Sinistrari conceived of two general

types of beings, intercourse with which must be termed
demoniality (to distinguish it from bestiality), although
the culpability varied from case to case. The first and
greater type of demon is the old Malleus-style Devil who
demanded worship from quite willing witches in return
for occult assistance and carnal satisfaction. This renunciation of holy religion is the "greatest of all sins which can
be committed by man," but in regard to the act of intercourse itself, Sinistrari considered it nothing more than
simple masturbation. After all, these devils are pure
spirits condemned eternally to hell, they aren't really
"alive" as we know the term, and the only bodies they
have are made of "inspissated air, partaking of some of
the properties of earth. "S He denies the traditional view
that demons use male sperm at the explicit request of the"
witch, who for some reason wants a demon-child,6 and he
scoffs at the opinions of Guazzo and the Malleus on how
the semen is obtained:
A Succubus [female] devil draws the semen from a
wicked man; and if he is that man's own particular
devil, and does not wish to make himself an Incubus
to a witch, he passes that semen on to the devil deputed to a woman or witch; and this last, under
some constellation that favours his purpose that
the man or woman so born should be strong in the
practice of witchcraft, becomes the Incubus to the
witch.7
Sinistrari thought that these demons were incapable of
preserving the fertility of human sperm long enough to
use it properly. The true sin of this type of relationship,
however, is the "hideous enormity against Religion which
is presupposed by coition with the Devil. ''8
The second type of demon is a strange mixture of
poltergeist, satyr, and fairy, which Sinistrari claims is the
more common form of incubus. These demons chase
after humans through pure lust rather than any desire to
corrupt or turn them away from God. This incubus is a
rational creature provided with sense and emotion,
placed on a level higher than man but lower than the
angels, and equally subject to salvation or damnation.
They are possessed of both body and soul, but their
bodies are more subtle and compressible; hence they can
pass through the "pores" of material objects (as cosmic
rays penetrate intermolecular space, perhaps).9
The most remarkable aspect of these incubi is that
they have their own sperm which can actually fertilize the
human ovum. They were the mysterious sons of God
who generated the race of giants from the daughters of
men in" the days of Genesis. 10 Sinistrari claimed that the
incubi who produced the giants were aerial demons, but
the incubi who lusted after contemporary women (and
men and" beasts as well) were aqueous and begat offspring of normal size. Quite often they did this in an invisible or semi-visible state, but
... when they want to be seen by their mistresses,
and to taste the full joys of human copulation, they
assume a visible disguise and a palpable body. By
what means this is effected, is their secret, which
our circumscribed Philosophy is unable to dis-

cover. The only thing we know is that such disguise

or body could not consist merely in concrete air,
since this must take place through condensation,
and therefore by the influence of cold; a body thus
formed would feel like ice, and in the venereal act
could afford women no pleasure, but would give
them pain; and it is the reverse that takes place. I I
Intercourse with the spiritual demons of the Malleus, on
the other hand, was usually said "to be painful, although
the incubi sacrilegiously made up for it on Church feast
days.
If a woman were to refuse an incubus's embrace, the
demon might resort to blows or ill treatment. When the
incubus lusted after horses, mares, or other animals, it
would hit and kick the beasts that rejected it, and sometimes infect them with diseases or even kill them. 12 This
aspect of physical abuse is reminiscent of modem poltergeist cases, and Sinistrari quotes one instance which he
personally investigated that probably was a poltergeist
outbreak,l3
Since these incubi had physical bodies, they could not
live in hell which was reserved for spiritual entities. Sin istrari believed (based partially on Guazzo) that they were
indigenous to the earth and that there were six races of
them: aqueous, igneous, aerial, phlegmatic, earthly, and
subterranean. Each race was more or less confined to its
habitat; igneous demons, for example, were never found
near marshes. These Aristotelian nature spirits were undoubtedly a synthesis of fairy folklore and the fauns,
satyrs, and" pans of Indo-European myth. Sinistrari
quotes from the life of St. Anthony in support of his
elementals, as well as Agricola, Thyraeus, and Molina. 14
The sin"of demoniality with these incubi is no greater
than that of bestiality since there is no rejection of God involved. However, if-a person believes that the incubus is
really a devil, then they "sin through intention, ex conscientia erronea, and their sin is in intention the same,
when having intercourse with Incubi, as if such intercourse took place with devils; wherefore the guilt oftheir
"
crime is exactly the same. "IS
De Daemoriialitate was never placed on the Index of
Prohibited Books like his earlier work, De Delictis et
poenis, because it remained unpublished until 1875. It
would probably have been condemned even though the
great days of demonology were almost over; old ideas die
hard, and any theory that even some demons were not
evil spirits incarnate would have made the entire Inquisition look silly. With twentieth-century hindsight, however, we can see that Sinistrari represented an important
transition between the theologians of the witch-craze and
the philosophers of the Enlightenment; and his dissertation, when stripped of its theology, comes rather close to
modern theories of the paraphysical realm. "~

"

FOOTNOTES

I Louis Marie Sinistrari d'Ameno, De la d~monialite etdes animaux incubes et succubes (Isidore Liseaul( ed. 1876). An English translation by Montague Summers, Demoniality, appeared
in 1927, and was reprinted in R.E.L. Masters,Eros and Euil: The
Sexual Psychopathology of Witchcraft 191-267 (1962)_ The

"translations used here are from the Summers edition, but the
PURSUIT Summer 1977

84
page n~mbers refer to the Liseaux edition (hereafter cited as
SinistrariJ.
.
.
J Ludovicus Maria Sinistrari, De Delictis et poenis trac:tatus

absolutissimus (1100).

Jacobus Sprenger & Henrich Kramer, Malleus MaleflCarum 110 (Montague Summers trans. 1968)lhereafter cited as
. Malleus].
~ Sinistrari 140.
;, Malleus 73.
b Sinistrari 1634, 23436.
;. Malleus 11; and Franc~scoMaria Guazzo, Compendium
J

male/icarum (1608).
6 Sinistrari 23436.
. ~ Sinistrari 72, 92126.
IU

Sinistrari 222-34.
34-36, 14648.
13 Sinistrari 38-54. For modern theories of poltergeist manifes
tations see, for example, Herbert Thurston, Ghosts and Poltergeists (1954); and D. Scott Roga, An Experience of Phon,
toms (19"14) .
14 St. Jerome, Vita Pauli, in J.P. Migne, Patrologia, \/OJ. 23, pp.
1128; George Agricola, De re metaUica (1546); Peter Thyraeus, De terrijicationibus noctumis (1604); and 4Bs de Molina,
II

12 ~inistrari

Commentaria in primam paTtern D. Thamae (1592). See Sinistrari 17690. Sinistrari's theory has recently been examined in
relation to the modern UFO phenomenon by Jacques Vallee,
Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to Flying Saucers 116-29
(1969).
IS Sinistrari 238.

Genesis 4:4.

"FAUST" AND THE STUDENT

t

by Kaniil Pecher
"Every procesS of nature, rightly understood, awakens in us a new organ of cognition."
.
-Goethe
While reading PURSUIT Fall 1916,1 was struck by the
similarity of these cases of spontaneous human combustion with an old Czech story which has been - at least
partially - researched. The story, which concerns
"Faust's House" in Prague, might fit with other historical
cases.
.
The story and house are known to nearly everybody
from the Czech countries, and probably to Gennans as
well. A folk story collector, Adolf Wenig, published one
version in his book Stare Pavest; Prazske (Hokr Publ.,
1937) and.in Stare Pavest; (Hokr Publ., 1932).
I will attempt a basic outline of the theme for thoSe
readers ~ho may find the story relevant to their own
interests and research into the SHC phenomenon.
In the exact southwest comer of Charles Square in the
district of Nove Mistro (New Town) in Prague, is a houSe
which for ages has been called "Faust's HoUse." The
house, like most houses in the area, was built during the
reign of the Roman Emperor, Charles IV, 134678..
Owned originally by Vaclav, the Prince of Opava, as his
Prague headquarters, the building was later sold to
. Prokop, the recorder of New Town, in 1434. The house
then changed owners several times until 1124, when it
was bought by the noble Mladota family of Solopisk. At
this time it was rebuilt in the baroque style. and it remains
so today.
One of the Mladota men was known to be interested in
alchemy. Perhaps this was the basis for the stories which
were later circulated concerning the house. Some stories
claim that the house had been used by alchemists from an ..
. even earlier (Prince Vaclav's) time. One of the alchemistscientists who occupied the house was Dr. Faust - probably better known from Goethe's version of the Faust
story.
PURSUIT Summer 1971

Faust (and his servant) ~ to work on the third Ooor,

grinding and mixing and melting and burnlng strange
things in his quest for a stone of wisdom. And; because he
had signed his soul to the devil, when his time carne due
the devil appeared to carry the fighting Faust away. As a
result. the house stayed deserted and neglected for many
years; people were convinced that it was cursed~ and
.
they feared devils and ghosts.
After some time .had passed, a student from the .
country came to study at the Prague University 01
Charles. Because he was an orphan and from a good
family, the student received permission from the town
.
council to live in the house of Faust.
He climbed the staircase to the second floor which had
a huge dining hall and a long marble fireplace still littered
with ashes. Behind the dining room was a study containing bookcases full of books, and a large table covered
with coils of papet. Dust lay on everything. Behind the
study there was a bedroom with a comfortable bed with
canopy. Being unafraid of anything, he used the bed and
slept well.
The next morning the student chanced upon a loose
plank in the floor, which turned out to t)e a lever for a
secret fight staircase that suddenly descended from the
wooden ceiling. Climbing to the third floor, he found a
large room equipped as a laboratory, complete with fireplace and many containers of wood. stone, glass, etc_
In the ceiling of the ~boratory was a blac.kened hole
which the student assumed was the place from which the
devil had car:ried away Dr. Faust.
.
The student began to explore the house_ He found
money and many strange things: a s~.atue of a drummer in
the corridor. which began to drum whenever: someone
would step on a certain cobblestone; a statue of the
Virgill which sprayed w~ter at visitol'$ (at the student's
secret manipulation); a door handle which- gave anyone
who touched it a charge of blue sparks; and many other
such tricks.
.

LJrawing by B. Wilkie
1

The student cleaned the house, covered the devil's

hole with cloth, and often had his student friends to visit.
After some time he started to read old books and scrolls,
and even began to exorcise spirits with a magic book on
the pulpit.
.
It was his custom to spend every evening in a tavern in
Dobytci Trh Square, drinking with his friends. One evening when he didn't come and because he had been acting
strange for some days, his friends decided to pay him a
~it. They knocked on the door, and when nobody
answered they climbed over the stone wall to get into the .
house. It was tidy inside, but no one was there. Upon
entering the laboratory, however, they found everything
strewn about, as if from a fight. The heavy pulpit and the
magic book were lying on the floor; beside them was a
candelabra with. partially. burned candles. A strange,
sulphurlike smell filled the room. And there was a large
blackened hole in the ceiling. The terrified students ran
away, positive that the devil had carried away their friend.
: The house once again remained abandoned for a IQng
tme. But human avarice is great, a,nd after ma~y years a
smar~ buyer bought cheap a house that nobody wanted.

This owner tore down the secret chambers, the stair

cases, and much of the int~rior; he destroyed the tricks
and magic books and odd things, completely rebuilt the.
interior, and began to live th~re.
From that time on nobody has had any problems in
Faust's house.

.EVALUATION
1) During the 15th and 16th centuries there was a wave
of doubts about religion in all Europe. At the same time
. the Czech countries were blossoming with science, culture and e<;onomy (for e.~ample, bookpr:inting ip the
Czech language .began in 1468, so~mer than bookprinting in English, French, orltalian). Also, the Roman Emperor, Rudolf II, the Habsburg, was collecting contemporary intellectuals, and Prague became a haven for
..
scientists and alchemists:
Theoretically, the Faust and student events could have
h9 Ppened in -a span ofabotlt fifty years, limited by 1434 to
1724. But from the stor.y. I am certain that the events
didn't hQPpen after 1620,for the Thirty-years War and
PURSUIT Summer 1977

86

the consequent political and religious environment

(Jesuits' persecution of any non-conforming action)
wouldn't allow it. Therefore the Mladota 'alchemist (after
1724) can be ruled out.
2) During the reign of Rudolf II (1576-1611) many alchemists concentrated in Prague. One of them, named
Kelly, is considered a prototype for all the consequent
stories about Dr. Faus't. That can place the student event
into the 16th or early 17th century. Of course, the alchemist in the story mayor may not actually be Dr. Faust
(or Kelly).
On the other hand, the student lifestyle reminds me of
the one we know from the more free 15th century
roaming. (Compare with life of poet Francis Villon.) This
could move Dr. Faust and student into the puzzling times
after 1434, when "the house changed owners several
times, .. " as Wenig found. (Puzzlin'g because the HUssite
Wars were over and there should be a record about the
owners.)
3) The first paragraph of the text is based on Wenig's historical research of the house. He also included the explanation that the story dates from the time ofMladota.lt
is very'possible that the house was used by a succession

of alchemists, and' that the description of tricks, etc.

could be from the different periods of the house's occu
pation. The practice of alchemy, however, was more pop.
ular in the fifteenth century than in the eighteenth.
4) From the description it seems to me that the death of
both the alchemist (Faust) and the student could be
accounted for as instances of Spontaneous Human Combustion. Evidently, there is some confusion on the part of
the storyteller (or recorder) as to the actual location of
the burned holes. Logically, if both men were cases of
SHe, the holes should have been burned into thejloor of
the laboratory and in the ceiling of the bedroom. If the
holes iNere in the ceiling of the lab, then perhaps they
would also be through the roof of the house. There may
be many recorded cases of people carried away by the
devil, complete with a description of a blackened hole
through which the devil carried away his victim....
5) Interesting, too, is the fact that it happened twice in
the same place. The explanations offered for the dlsap
pearance,s ranged from magic (exorcism), to (later) a
chemical produced by Faust. It may prove worthwhile to
measure the house for geomagnetic anomalies or oU.r
var~tiom~.

REFLECTIONS OF CHINESE FORM 'IN MEXICAN

AND NORSE ORNAMENT
by B. Wilkie
All drawings by the author

PURSUrr Summer 1977

~,

87
Taken by travel to the Nepali city of Kathmandu, I paid
a visit to the National Museum, near the Gurka barracks
on the outskirts of town, where sculptured stones captured my attention through their ancient "curves_ While
my eyes renewed the form of a Hindu statue, a time suddenly dark and silent between my vision and the workman's hands, something in the ripe roundness and foliate
irony of the figures conjured for me the classical Mayan
spirits I had met with at Palenque, Chiapas, some years
before (Maya, feminine personification of illusion - she
plays freely with time and style)_ Here is an aesthetic
sphere best understood, not in terms of reciprocal influences, but in terms of a sort of magic - through which
cultures widely separated by space and time realize the
expression of similar motifs, recalling those "devil's balls"
of Chinese origin where many concentric globes appear
one within the other, each through holes much smaller in
circumference than the one within - the whole carved
impossibly from a single piece of ivory_
I remember as a child resident in Mexico, reading in the
lJIustrated London News of the discovery in the largest of
the temples at Palenque, of a rubble-filled stairway,
which, when cleared away, proved to be the entrance to a
chieftain's tomb - where he lay beneath a huge carved
slab wearing a mask of jade_ Visiting Palenque when"older
and bearded, finding a wonderful tropical garden of antiquity, I could not look upon the temples with their elaborate roof-combs without thinking of the bronzes of the
Shang and Chou dynasties_ Many rather tiny jade objects
had been found about the ruins - one a miniature of the
jade burial mask.
We can recall the Chinese practice of burying jade with
the deceased in the hope of preserving the body_ Recent
excavations in China have brought to light complete
funeral suits from the 2nd Century B.C. m;;tde up of many
small jade plates.

2
That we may better feel the rhyme of the styles,. depiCt
herewith (fig. 1) rectangular volutes with rou~d
corners from the Mayan temple at Hoch9~ alongside
comparable volutes from the Shang and Chou, older ~
perhaps two thousand years.
"
.
"
These volutes are as notes of common tone, combining in similar songs: the Song of the Dragon heard once
upon the plains of China, then again, with the twinkling of
an Aeon, within the jungles of Mexico; for both peoples"
do of stone serpents or dragons make, often seen as
heads in profile, joining left and right to sUSsest a single

PURSurr Summer 1m

88

4
entity. Before being borne aloft by this thought to follow
the dragon vortices to Central Asia, let us pause to recognize those who think they have seen, amongst the details
of the stellae at Copan, the images of elephants. They are
sure to find for us in the Gupta statuary of India (fig. 2)
outlines of a High Mayan character, demonstrating that
Maya is mistress of illusion indeed.
The genius of Chinese art, from earliest dynastic times, .
grins at us from the paintings, the sculpture, the vases,
from~ -masK halfhuman, half-reptilian, with finger-claws
grasping celestial pearls and a body of scaly coils. The
forces are invisible; immanent in nature, waves in water,
swirls in clouds, these scaly coils. The primal motions in
the cosmic void (as a space becomes a stone, and the
stone, a snake) find their mirrors among us through the
artist's mimicry. First, the lightning grin of the celestial
presence, then the thunder rolling through the clouds,
which sound becomes to our sight a fretwork of
swastikas, the garden-screen through which the dragonlords view the falling rain. (Fig. 3)

A stonn over Asia, whose westward moving clouds

mocK the westward expansion of the Han dynasty in the
firs!.. Christian centuries. From their inception," the Han.
expanded their domain deep into Central Asia. Around
the year A.D. 121 Chinese armies crossed the Great Wall
to conquer the steppeland of Mongolia ...
Our eyes learn the strange language more quickly than
our ears. Here (fig. 4) is a bronze plaque of the Han. Two
beasts are fighting: the larger has an upturned and curled
nose. To the right appears a Scythian plaque - two
beasts, one feline and the other fantastic, with not only
._,.......,... ,- 7:-:- ,-.--...,.,.,~ - ~~-.~c-~."""'-."::"''':.. :':':::'.--.::-_~.:~""i

.;
/'

.,.!
:1
'I

/'{

d
I.

'.

"/

)1

',I

.f(
"

./!/'

:1:

,"

.>~

..,
"

:j

:,
:1

.',.iI
:'

.,1

1~

6
... ..L.L=:..-_. _

PURSUIT Summer 1977

~":"""""':...:....-.

;-- _ -:.:: _ _ _

89

7
upturned and curled nose, but a tail and mane of bird's
heads. The Scythians, a vigorous nomadic people,
served not only to transmit Chinese influence westward,
but also to nurture Hellenic motifs in northern India, so
that among the early f10werings of Buddhist art, we find
work in a Grecian style.
The Norsemen, whose expeditions around the Ninth
Century brought them as far east as the Caspian sea, and
whose settlements in Russia must have had access to
Chinese goods, seem, to my eye, to have enjoyed a very
strong Chinese influence. The beast (fig. 5) with the upturned and curled nose, as often as not a dragon, flourished among the Norse - whose carvings and cravings
show terrific energy.
Examining a stone from Gotland (fig. 6), we are surprised by the Chinese appearance of the little animals
surrounding what may be a suggestion of the polar
vortex.
We compare (fig. 7) the decorative scrolls from the
. back of a bronze mirror of the Chou with, to the right, a
design from much later Norse metal work.

We may delight in finding spirals in the thighs of creatures (fig. 8) so different as, to the left, the Norse of
painted stone, conjuring with its primitive shape the cave
paintings of the remotest past, and, to the right, the
Chinese Gnffon of jade. There is a rather famous bronze
winged dragon of the Chou whose thighs .offer us the
spiral in a more energetic fashion. Being shy, he will not.
appear here, but kisses our eyes with further examples of
spiral thighs: From third century Loyang (fig. 9, top), a
design once worked in tile, and, to the right, a viking
image of the same theme, a Norse horse, of course ... _
Writing in The Book of Pottery and Porcelain, Warren
Cox mentions a type of small animal form (fig. 9, bottom)
which he describes as ..... reconstructions made by the
Chinese from dinosaur bones found along the caravan
routes of ~ongolia." With his huge Triceratops horns
and prominent vertebrae he yet has bull-like feet and the
characteristic spiral. What a strange beast!
We may be perturbed to the extent that symbols
emerge from decorative shape and move us intellectually or emotionally by a brass viking figurine (fig. 10, left)

PURSUIT Summer 1977

suggesting beth Buddhist and Christian sources of inspiration_ Here we risk an asterisk, whose spark radiates
line, the footprints"of the footnote,like dinosaur tracks, "
fossil impressions left in light whose reflecting symbolic
surfaces seem as sources, leading us to the "Asian practice" of depicting the Buddha with a swastika indicating
the region of the !'teart_ Among the artifacts recovered by
excavation from viking "ruins is an actual figure of the
~ha. Chinese or Tibetan, that found its way to the

10

Baltic shores_ The swastika is also commonly found on

bracteates, coin-like tokens (fig. 10, right) given by the
Norse upon festive occasions, where it is said to symbolize Thor, god of Thunder. In Japan, this device is
called "Manji", where, symbolizing the motionless or immovable aspect of the Buddha's compassion, FudoMyoo, it often appears in the negative - the spaces between the arms (fig. 11) having become thin lines, the
body of the figure an open space.

91

The Icelandic Volsunga Saga relates a curious legend:

One of the Aesir, Loki, divine trickster and mischief
maker, is travelling with several companions. Along their
way they kill an otter, taking his skin. Soon they come to a
house wherein an old man lives with his two sons. Being
received hospitably, they present the otter skin to their
host. He is outraged. It is the skin of his third son. He
holds Loki's companions hostage, demanding of him that
he fill the skin with gold.
Loki goes off and locates a dwarf who can make gold.
The dwarf tells him of his magic ring, with which he brings
the gold forth. Loki takes not only the dwarf's gold, but
his ring as well. The dwarf, angered,lays a curse on the
ring which will pass to all who possess it. Loki ransoms his
companions, leaving the treasure with his host.
At once, the man's sons, Regin and Fafnir, begin to
quarrel in their greed. Fafnir slays his father as he sleeps,
and makes off with his wealth. Time ~sses and the
knight Sigurd comes to Regin with word that his brother has- been transformed into a dragon. Together they pur
sue him.
When at length they come upon him, Sigurd beheads
him and kills Regin also. Finding.Fafnir's blood on his
fingers, Sigurd tastes it: the essences of dragon's blood
work a wonderful spell upon him - he understand~ at

-11
once the language of the birds, who sing to him of a love
to win in a distant land, so that a sweet music pours into
him through the darkness of his coming tragedy. This
symbolism, the mystery of transformation and the "lan
guage of the'birds" is also a part of the literature of al
cherny.
,
Glancing through a "Catalogue for the Exhibition of
Archaeological finds in the People's Republic of China" I
came upon the image of a vase of the Han dynasty, late
2nd Century B.C., upon which appears a band decorated
with small dragons and several fields of "The decorative
bird script," described by the catalog: ..... Inherited

12
PURSUIT Summer 1977

92

- from the art of the Period of Warring States which in this

- form survived into the Western Han. The artificial elaboration of the 'bird' characters (so-called from the earlier
form practiced in the Ch'u and Yueh in which more legible birds are incorporated) preserves only a slender connection with script shapes." I sketch here (fig. 12) a meet- .
ing of two dragons - a viking beast and his Chinese
cousin from the vase above elements of the "bird script."
We are pleased to picture the Icelandic bard contemplating the Chinese va~ ~nd concluding, we might
imagine, a viking dragon boat sailing westward - starguided - and thus close the ring we have begun in
Mexico.
-

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cox, Warren E. The Book of Pottery and Porcelain. New York:
Crown Publishers. 1944.
Fenollosa, Ernest F. Epochs of Chinese & Japanese Art.
London: William Heinemann, 1913_
Grimal, Pierre, ed. Larousse World Mythology. New York,
London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1965.
Grousset. Rene. The CilJi/ization of India. Tudor Publishing
Company. 1931.
The University Prints. Early Chinese Art. Series 0, Section II,
of black and white half-tone prints. Newton, ~&etts,
1938.

SITUATIONS -----------~........

",:;t,.. l

--.,-

This photograph was sent to us by one of our members

living in Alaska. We wonder, as does the member who
sent it in, if any other SITU mem~rs can offer an explanatic;>n. The photo (the original is in color) is bqe of a
series of pictures, each of which is clear except fOlo. the
time exposure effect that appe~rs to distort the candle
flames. Notice that nbne of the reflections from the silver
show the same "streaking" effect.
The camerCl!was a new Fujica 5T 90 1. The picture was
taken inside using a flash attachment. SB flashbulbs were
PURsurr Summer 1977

. . . . . ..
....................... :

used with a G.E. Honeywell reflector, anci there was

some overhead lighting as well. The aperture was set at
/11, and the photo was taken on Fuji film (100 ASA) at a
distance of 15 feet.
50 far, we ttave no explanation. AnI} feedback would
be most welcome. Comments should be addressed to
SITU and may be published. Please be sure to indicate
whether or not you want your name printed with ~r
comments.

93.

WHAT ABOUT REALITY?

by Curt Sutherly
for years Forteans have puzzled over the nature of
reality. What is it - really? Mass, energy, a combination
of the two, or something far more complex? Are there
perimeters of awareness of which we, as humans, are
simply unaware?
Of course, investigators of the paranormal have had no
corrier on such wanderings. Philosophers have likewise
sought answers for the basically unanswerable. And bioi
ogists - strangely enough - have al$o been so involved,
but from the direction of human or animal sensory inter
pretation of the universe/reality around us. For ex
ample, it's well known that certain animals per-ceive ~re
with their basic senses than do others; cats and dogs see
farther into the light spectrum .than do humans. It's
equally well known that the senses can be tricked into reo .
sponding to false stimuli - hence a false interpretation of
reality. (As an example within the example: let's assume
that a man is for several days repeatedlyhit in the eyE!S
with a bright light simultaneous with the ringing of an elec
tric bell at, say, 30 beats per second. After a time the light
flash is discontinued, but the subject's eye pupils con
tinue to contract each time the bell is sounded, .just as
they had when the light had been flashed into his eyes.
Next, the auditory nerve is tapped and connected to an
oscilloscope. Then the bell is rung - but at 20 beats per
second instead of 30: The subject, however, continues to
"hear" the 30-beat pattern as recorded on the oscilloscope. His brain is recording something fhat isn't really

happening!)
But for the average Fortean, things are a bit more complicated, if such is possible. ~outinely, he must contend
With an impossible reality: UFOs, bizarre creatures, mys terious sOunds-in-the-night where none should be, an
assortment Qf phantoms, nylon lines hanging from the
sky - ~t suspended, apparently, from nothing; there
are, of course, a host of other apparitions, mysteries, and
you-narnetts that most mainstream scientists have no
frame of:.reference for and therefore refuse to recognize,
except in sarcasm .
. Yeah, it's a tough nut to crack. Now, however, I'm
going to hand out Something else ...
. , Around the beginning of Oct. 76,l was sitting in a small
restaurant, drinking coffee and doodling on a paper
napkin. It was late, approaching 2 a.m., and a thunder-
storm was making funny sounds outside. While staring
out the window at my left, watching the rain and lightning, I began writing on the napkin with a somewhat
great~r Purpose than the doodling I'd been entertaining
earlier. It wasn't specifically conscious writing, but more
on the order of a subconscious reaction to many
thoughts then wandering the corridors of my sometimes .
empty head. (Later,1 even speculated ,that the thoughts
outlined or the napkin were not my own, but rather im
. planted by some external int~lIigence; such was my surprise at finding what I had "created" that night.) At any
rate. I subsequently ended lip stuffing the napkin into a
pocket. forgetting it for the time being.

On the following day, I re-discovered the napkin and

the notes scribbled thereon. After reading with some
seriousness the message of those notes,.1 was relatively
surprised to find that they made a strange kind of sense.
Going to the typewriter, I spent a pair of hours going over
the notes, polishing them, making them more clear where
necessary. When finished, I had three sets of interlocking ideas that lent themselves quite readily to the title,
lhe Three Laws of Reality. But rather than belabor the
point, they areoutlined,below.

The first law: Anything that is conceivable of

happening .within the existing universe, will ultimately happen - but within a limited framework of
perception and belief.
The second law: As a result of the process called
learning, the fr~mework of perception and belief
must expand within the consciousness of the mind,
thereby en~bling the physical concept of reality to
expand and change.
. 1-he third law: The expansion and alteration ot
the physical concept of reality can only lead to a still
greater sequence of occurrence within the existing
universe. This, in turn, must inevitably result in
further growth of the framework of-perception and
belief, thus reinforcing both the first and second
laws of reality and thereby maintaining the .cycle.
In this way, the universe is maintained.
I

Translated, the three laws represent a philosophical

look at the cosmos/reality as perceived by the mind, and
the interrelationship of the mind with that reality structure. Essentially, this is what they state (jn more basic
terms): 1) the mind takes in so much knowlecdge ot the
universe around it. 2) the mind then matures to the point
where it begins to interact" (in some unknown fashion)
with "physical reality," after which "new" events begin to
occur - events that the mind couldn't have understood
or handled previously without going insane. 3) these new
events raise a standard of what is poSsible of happening
within the physical universe. thereby setting-up the next
go-around which cotnpletes the cycle.
Furthermore, if one reads between the lines, one might
even discover that the three laws also poin~ to a new
wrinkle in the concept of uniVersal evolution; one which
says that. instead of evolution being the strictly biological
process it has long been believed to be, it is more rightly a
sequence keyed by mind and matter intelWQven. It may
be, in effect, P,artly physical and partly metaphysical,
moving in quantum spurts rather than in any ordered
progression .
After retyping the three laws,l sent out copies to a few
colleagues in the hope of sparking some sort of feedback. One answer came. from UFOlogist David Fideler,

PURsurr Summer 1977

94

of Lambertville, Michigan (who puhlishes a newsletter entitled the Anomaly Research Bulletin)_ Dave asked: "if
such a cycle does exist, how, and when, did it starf~"
Thinking about this, I realized that part ot Dave's
question was easily answered: the cycle prob~bly began
when the universe was born. But since we have no way ot
(really) knowing how that came about, we likewise
'cannotsayhowthethreelawscameintoeffect(andmind
you, I'm not saying these laws are definite or absolute).

Nevertheless, they do open up new areas ot thought,

and - providing they are valid - may explain why, in
recent years, our "reality" has suddenly taken a new turn,
what with the ever-increasing reports of UFOs (and'
. related aerial enigmas), paracreatures, and the like.
But being a journalist more than a philosopher ,I somehow feel I've overstepped certain boundaries in preparing this paper. Consequently, I'm open to any and all
questions - or for that matter, any answers.

~
After reading T. B. Pawlicki's article "The Pyramids Are an Ancient Space Communications Network," (this issue of Pursuit, p. 72)
Bill Whamond sent in the following diagram, which he feels supports his own research as well as that of others (Pawlicki, Sanderson,
Cathie, etc.). The diagram, which Mr. Whamond calls "China's Contribution to World Harmony," (since 40 is a 1/9th harmonic of
360) shows how nuclear tests at Lop Nor may influence earthquakes spaced at harmonic intervals across the Earth. Far from being
caused by "the will of Allah," Mr. Whamond speculates, these quakes are perhaps the result of "the hand of Mao.~'

HARMONICS
DIAGRAM

.EARTH'S

.....

."

"

- -

TURKEY
"QUAkE"

. / GLOBE .

\
\

'ilIJAkE"

/
I

PEBU

-TURKEY
"Only 4000 dead." Also 4 'x 40 from Murora, the French
nuclear test area (see Harmonics 33, p. 108); and thereby
caught in a crossfire between two nuclear testing areas..

PERU
60 from Murora; thus in the trough between 2 ripples, and
therefore a weakpoint. See Harmonics 33 (by B. L. Cathie);
midp. 191 and p. 84.

M/SCl:.LLANEOUS NOTES: The ripples are a standing waue pattern (i.e., a selfsustaining wave-system) '" the "quake" occurs at
weak-point on any ripple .. , if the sun is directly ouerhead, then it certainly weakens gravity there (presumably what Cathie's time-har
monic is all ao"out!) ... the East-Turkey/BAKU area is well-known as one of the thinnest points in the Earth's crust. Peru is wellknown
to be located in a Fault Zone (probably a part 'of the San Andreas Fault System, which extends South from San Francisco) ....
'pURSUIT Summer 1977

95

INVESTIGATIONS

The material shown above represents one of a very few

existing clues found in connection with a mutilation. This
material, which proves upon analysis to be shredded
aluminum, was discovered stuffed into the mouth of a
mutilated calf which was found lying in a field (in Colorado) in February of last year. During our investigations, we were given a sample (shown above) to have
analyzed.
Ed Sanders who, besides publishing a second article on
the mutilation phenomena in Oui [May, 1977, p. 78], is
now collaborating with Tom Adams in Texas to produce
a new publication dealing with specific mutilations and
the mutilation phenomena in general. Having seen the
first issue of what promises to be one of five, I can confidently recommend to members that this publication,
called The Cattle Report, promises to be well worth the
$6.00 subscription price; interested members can write:
The Cattle Report, Box 729, Woodstock, NY 1249.8 for
details.
.
Sanders (see his latest article in Oui), who also
acquired some of this substance, says:
An enquiry by law-enforcement officials to the Air
Force brought areply from a Major Keck in March
1976 that radar chaff of the type found in the
critter's mouth is used in training for the Strategic
Air Command, among other military agencies. __ .
... But there was a box found il) the field also_ The box
was lying near the calf and also near some other pieces of

MORE ON MUTILA!IONS . ~

more of the same shredded aluminum. The same Air

Force official added that the box, which bore a lettered
code reading: RR 112/AL, did not indicate a code used by
the Air Force.
Then what is the material? Our analysis has shown the
sample to be composed of evenly shredded high-quality
aluminum. The 3-5 mil aluminum strips appear to have
been shredded into tiny rectangular "fringes" from a
larger sheet of rolled aluminum. The aluminum is not one
of industrial quality, as it would be too pure t6 be priced
. within the range for industrial use. Itproves to contain
not only a very pure aluminum content, but other
interesting and thought-provoking characteristics as
well, one of which is the fact that there appears, from the
analysis, to be no trace elements evident in the sample_
This is unusual; normally in an analysis there should
appear trace elements, at least of the material utilized in
the manufacture of the rollers which were used originally
to roll out the foil from whi~h the pje~~s were cut. And yet
there were no traces (from steel, gallium, etc.) present.
This could, however, simply mean that the rollers used
were made of T etlon or some other substance which
would not leave trace evidence during the analysis. If so,
then we are left with a disturbing, open-ended question: If
the very fine aluminum is too high-grade for industry, and
the box indicating a code not used by the Air Force is in
fact not used by the military at all, then who would be
using such a material in conjunction with the mutilation of
a calf? And why . ... ?
":""'!'.n1.w,fs_n.m_ .
PURSUIT . Summer 1977 .

96

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions
Regarding the article "Prescriptions for the New Science," (Pursuit, Vol. 9, No_ 4) by Neil M. Lorber, I must
respond because I feel that the conclusions reached by the
author are not conclusive.
Man has long known the principle of gravity (i.e., that
water runs downhill, etc.) and yet when he began his
inquiry into the nature of gravity I doubt that he used a
precise set of scales with which to measure his "experiments_"
I believe there is enough evidence for the existence at a
new force, one which electronic equipment is incapable
of detecting and evaluating. The secret of using gravitational or electromagnetic force is not in the generation at
that force, but rather in the manipulation oj it. So.would it
be with the manipulation of any new force, and that manipulation will not correspond to the manipulation at other
forces. In the detection of gravity we balance one weight
against another. We would have had some grave difticul-'
ties without the simple "lodestone," which is comparatively rare; can it be that the "lodestone" for the newtorce
is even rarer"?
Consider this: The electromagnetic force has a host at
manifestations which casual consideration could hardly
relate. Consider also: We have evidence of many different manifestations of psychic phenomena, and also
evidence for some kind of a motivating energy for UFOs. :
The common thread here is that all of these energies
would seem to involve an almost instantaneous transmission_
is there a relationship of these energies to some
common force? I believe so. I also believe that the velocities of these energies would b~ to light what light is to
sound. This would fit much of the known evidence.
Also, since we are looking for a "lodestone," it might be
wise to gO-'back and re-evaluate some of the old folk
beliefs, much as medicine is now doing in its re-assessment of old folk remedies.
An amateur researcher could begin by asking himselt:
"Why is it, since antiquity, that Jade has always been considered goqci luck while Opal has been considered bad
luck'?" Could this opposition represent the polarity of an

energy? My own research indicates that it does, but I

really have not the time to follow up this line of reasoning.
If this energy does exist, however, I don't think any
present electronic device exists which can measure it;
and thus I feel it does remain in the hands of amateurs to
investigate things (even when this seems "wrong" to a
scientist). Because of this, I feel that any breakthrough
will more than likely come from an amateur - not out of
the research lab.
-Bruce Jordan

***

As a post-script to my article entitled "Prescriptions for

the New Science". (Pursuit, Fall 1976), I wish to point to
gravity, magnetism, lightning (and other forms of electricity - such as static electricity), as well as to light reflection (i.e., the mirror effect), as examples of phenomena that have always been very close to man in his
everyday life but which have not yet, or have only recently been, validly scientiJically explained. Human cognizance of the mysteries underlying these phenomena
have, in all cases, been long-preceded by their actual experience. Accordingly~ the full realm of our experience,
how~ver commonplace, should be very seriously pondered for its possible reflective significance (or relevance
otherwise) with respect t6 the challenging ontological
mysteries with which contemporary man struggles. Perhaps some day, for example, the very life-death sequence
which is so much the essence of our being will be looked
upon as having provided man, all throughout his history,
with the most obvious and.abundant phenomenological
"evidence" of a then-to-be-established multi-dimensionality to existence_ In short, we have to look more readily
and thoughtfully at what is staring us in the face.
.
-Neil Lorber

***
SITU Member #2519 (Bergen County, NJ) is interested in corresponding with other members in his area
(or state) on ~arious subjects: write #2519, c/o SITU.

***
Any members capable of and willing to translate a Russian article dealing with ancient maps please contact
headquarters.

. . . - - - - - - - - .BOOK REVIEW--------..
Without a Trace by Charles Berlitz; Doubleday &
Company,lnc., Garden City, New York,1977. 180
pages, $7.95
Meanwhile, in the Bermuda Triangle, master Fortean
Charles Berlitz has been meticulously pursuing new
leads, interviewing survivors of near disaste~d cataloging all the strange events that have taken place in that
peculiar patch of the Atlantic where space and time Seem
warped by another reality. He has produced a volume
that will rank .asa classic in Fortean literature. While
much of his first book on the subject, The Bermuda
Triangle, was a rehash of the research of Gaddis, Sander-
. son and others, Without a Tr:ace covers new ground (or
ocean). In addition to detailed descriptions of many new
PURSUIT Summer 1977

and interesting cases, it painstakingly examines all the

possible explanations ... and maybe a few impossible
ones. Here is strong evidence that eerie electromagnetic
forces are at work in the notorious Triangle, and that
many of the manifestatioI)s which have become
commonplace in UFO cases (e.g., mysterious luminous
clouds that transpOrt people and vehicles great distances
in incredibly short periOds of time) are also part and parcel
of the Triangle enigma" The professional anti-Triangle
critics should. have a difficult time finding flaws in his arguments, and Forteans everywhere will find the book fascinating and thought-provoking. You'd better read this
one because everyone will be talking about it.
...
-j.a.k

SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD

Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Adolph L. Heuer, Jr.
-Susan Malone
Sabina W. Sanderson

President (and Trustee)

Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
DEPARTMENTS

PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
FUND RAISING

.
.
Editor-in-Chief (on Sabbatical) - John A. Keel
Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf
RobertC. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven Mayne
R. Martin Wolf Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth- Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Arch~eology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
.
Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian Institute, Eastern New Mexico
University. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato - Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injurep, Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek - Director, Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center, Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy - Professor of Geology, Institute of Geophysics, U.C.l.A. (Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal - Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University. (Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell- Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J. (General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology
and Ethnology)
Dr. Kirtley F. Mather - Professor of Geology, Emeritus, Harvard University. (Geology)
Dr. John R. Napier - Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Dr. W. Ted Roth - Assistant Director, Baltimore Zoo, Baltimore, Maryland. (Ecologist & Zoogeographer)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury - Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture, Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz - Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical. Center, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
(Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott - Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Cultural
Anthropology and Linguistics)
.
Dr.

A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey. (Geography and Oceanography)

Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Botany)

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n 1I . .JUUI<NAL UI

lHe SUUHY 10f< TH!--. INVeSTIGAT!ON OF THE UNEXPLAINI::l>

'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

UFOS AND BIGFOOT

WHOLE No. 40

VOL 10, No.4

FALL 1977

SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Columbia, New Jersey 07832
Telephone: Area Code 201 4964366
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be arranged only by prior appointment, and at least a week in advance. Because of the demands on our limited volunteer staff and their
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ORGANIZATION
The legal and financial affairs of the Society are managed by a Board of Trustees in accordance with the laws of the State of New
Jersey. The Society is also counselled by a panel of prominent scientists, which is designated the Scientific Advisory Board. .

IMPORTANT NOTICES
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o It does not accept material on, or presume to comment upon any aspects of Human Medicine or Psychology; the Social Sciences
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PUBLICATIONS
Our publishing schedule is four (quarterly) issues of PURSUIT, dated Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, and numbered as annual
volumes - Vol. 1 being 1968 and before; Vol. 2, 1969, and so on. Membership and our quarterly journal PURSUIT is $10 per year.
Subscription to PURSUIT, without membership benefits, for libraries only, is $8 for 4 issues. Order forms for back issues will be
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$4.10 per reel. An annual index appears in the Fall issue.

'SCIENCE. IS THE PURSU1T OF THE UNEXPLAINED'.

VOL. 10, NO.4

FALL, '1977

PURSUIT.

Publisher
Robert C, War~h
Editorin-chief
A, Keel (on Sabbatical)

Joh~

'

..

, THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
,

Managing Editor
R, Martin Wolf
Consulting.Editor
Sabina W. Sanderson

Editor for the

United Kingdom
Robert J, M, Rickard'
Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius 'Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artist
Britton Wilkie
Production
Steven Mayne
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson
Cover de.,gn by k, M, Woll

FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the, Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan '

,,

CONTENTS
Page
Editorial
by R. M: Wolf ........
,

:~: .........

',' ...... '.. ; .. '...................... : .... 98

'

On Lqosening Up a Few Tied Ends

,
,
, by Robert Barrow .... " ............. ; ................................ ,.,. . .. 99
How to Fly a Saucer
.
by T.'B. Pawlicki. ...................................................... 102
Ufology: Thirty Years in Three Days,
, by Michael Hartnett ........... "",' .; ......... " ','" ................... 105
UFO Research: Problem or Predicament?
by R. Leo Sprinkle, Ph.D ................................................ 112
Can Science and Scientists Help?
by John A. Keel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 118
Bigfoot Sighting
,
by Milton LaSalle ...................................... " . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 120
The Wantage Event
by S. N. Mayne'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 124
The Mission s.c. Bigfoot Hoax
by Dennis Gates ...,: ..............-... ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127
The Astrebus: An InterGalactic Language' ' , .
by E. MacerStory ..................''.......... .- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 128
Random Notes: Situations and Developments .. ~ .............................. " 132
Symposium ............... ': :'.

:'~ ........... : .... , .... ~ ...... : ~ ................

133

Book Reviews ................. :..................... :'.............. ~ .......... 134

Photos ... ; ............................. '.. : :: ....... : ........................ " 136
Index: Volume 10 ........ ................... ~ .... : ........................ Back Cover
@

Society fpr,the Investigation of the Unexplained 1977

. EDITORIAL
This year has seen some major topics opened up for
enquiry. Dr. Lorenzoni's article, "Extant Dinosaurs: A
Distinct Possibility," has reopened the question as to
whether or not ancient, long "extinct" species could not
still be present somewhere on our planet. Not so different really from Ivan T. Sanderson's similar speculations in an article entitled "There Could be Dinosaurs"
which he published in The Saturday Euening Post in
1948. Since that time, however, scientists have discovered that the dinosaur, besides perhaps having been
warm-blooded, was much more far-ranging than previously thought, and may have represented more than
the simple prehistoric reptilian mentality that we have
always attributed to it. How many more years away lies
the discovery of an actual liuing dinosaur?
Larry Arnold has put forth once again the burning
scientific question of both living human bodies CU'ld
corpses which seemingly burst spontaneously into
flames, as well as saints who appear, through actual historical accounts of observation, to somehow deny or defeat the normal processes of death and decay in the
human body.
William Whamond has changed the face of the Earth
for us, in order that we can view it from another:perspective. And he has also shown how the law of dynamical
similarity can work between worlds. .
T. B. Pawlicki has re-examined the past for us. His two
articles concerning the pyramids have given more .credit
to the human potential involved than some authors who
suggest that the builders of the pyramids may have been
slave-instruments of some alien, other-worldly influence.
George Eberhart has demonstrated, in two separate
articles, how extensive research can fill in the Fortean
spaces of our past. "The Ohio Airship Story," developed
over a research period of several months, does indeed
indicate that the number of strange events which occurred there show Ohio to deserve a place of its own in the
annals of Fortean history.
E. Macer-Story has contributed an approach toward a
synthesis of fragmentary evidence derived from her
studies of matrix theory, mathematical group theory,
electrical field structure and solar plasma.
Investigations are continuing into the phenomena of
cattle mutilations, the mysterious appearances (and disappearances) of "Bigfoot" and other unknown and/or unavailable creatures and paracreatures, UFOs, ghostlights, poltergeists, etc. (the list could get very long .__ ).
We have continued to present points of view that
represent enquiries into that part of the spectrum that remains beyond man's limited comprehension of knowledge. Euerything was at one time cmknown, unexplained, mysterious; and we are presently nowhere near
the other end of the spectrum yet - despite what we may
be led to believe by some of the "exp~rts."
My own feelings are that a very general view of the political condition of the world today and the present state of
technological "civilization" will attest to our ignorance of
the planet's needs - at the expense of understanding (in
the true sense of the word).
An essay entitled "Science: No Longer a Sacred Cow,"
which appeared in Time (March 7, 1977) accurately expresses the changing status of science from its former

position of high esteem embodying all the necessary

respect due it as a source of power, influence and authority, to one of mistrust, fear (as evidenced by the threat
posed by nuclear research and recombinant DNA experimentation) and loss of respect. In short, society is
beginning to feel that science may ~ot be capable of all the
answers.
The essay concludes that Americans, though skeptical, will probably not do much about their feelings:
... Even the most skeptical of the skepti<;:s seem perfectly willing to let science go its way in the pursuit
of knowledge. Still, if there is no sign that Americans fear what scientists may discover, there is also
little expectation that any of their discoveries will
provide answers to the enduring human mysteries
that are impelling people these days on many a mystical and spiritual pilgrimage. All that the new spirit
of skepticism really asks is that science and society
together take thoughtful stock when there seems a
clear risk, as in the DNA experiments, that the pursuit of knowledge might damage, endanger or even
exterminate human life. That seems little enough to
ask.
Not quite.
We would ask a little more of science and the scientists who are beginning to experience from the public the
same attitude that much of the Fortean field has always
suffered at the hands of the majority of those same scientists. We would ask that the most skeptical of their
skeptics look to our pursuit (pun intended) of knowledge
as simply a complimentary extension of the spectrum
which includes their own special limited brand of "knowledge." After all, it may be that Fortean research can provide some alternative answers to the questions asked by
those 'mystical and spiritual pilgrims.'
What we attempt to do in the pages of Pursuit is to present ideas, thoughts, speculations, facts, and the results
of research - all of which make up the body of evidence
permeating the entire Fortean spectrum, which in turn
perhaps extends beyond man's present limited concept
of knowledge (or should I qualify that Forteanly and say
"knowledge as we know it?").
Many of the articles in Pursuit discuss those very
things that still mystify the Child in man and that can,
perhaps, make him understand (and I don't use the term
lightly) that he still has a long way to go before he can
apathetically fall back into his technologically civilized
coffin with the full assurance that science has provided
him with all the answers.
.
Our contention is that science has only an outside
grasp on the edges of reality - like a parenthesis around
(and within) an empty phrase. We realize, of course, that
we too are (ultimately) guilty of constructing parentheticals as well; but at least we admit that what we are dealing with are only fragments of multiple realities.
"And we could be wrong.
We cannot, however, claim to include everything
within our system as does science. They leave no room
for alternate visions, whereas we admit freely to being
nothing more than a collection of just such visions_ (It is

PURSUIT Fa1l1977

,._____ ____.,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .~ . . . . . " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fir . . . . . . . . . . . . ~. ._.I. . . . . .I . . . . . . . ..

99

perhaps those very visions 'that will contribute toward

man's continued growth.) And to those who would criticize by accusing us of contradiction, we would have to respond with the words expressed by Walt Whitman in
Leaues 0/ Grass;

Do I contradict myself?
Very well, then I contradict myself;
(I am large - I contain multitudes.)

It is through the continued support of .you, our

members, that we are able to provide Pursuit and thus
the space necessary to present many of those profound
questions raised by the authors of our articles.
As participants in this experience, you can continue to
support us. If you have something to say, write to us (you
may find yourself writing an article). Talk about us to
people around you with whom you can communicate.
Continue your membership (and give a gift subscription

to somebody who understands you). Send in clippingsespecially concerning events in your area; and ask us
about investigutions in your part of the world. Send a
donation if you can afford it; donations so far this year
have not augmented our budget enough to either ade
quately cover our rising costs or to sustain publication of
32page issues of Pursuit. * We cannot continue to pro
duce the quantity and quality that we have managed this
year without increasing our membership dues - unless
we receive donations from those members who can
afford it.
lt you don't renew your membership py December,
this will be your last issue of Pursuit, and the loss will be
one less voice of support for this planet's only society
(however small we may be globally) for the investigation
of the unexplained.
~
Forteans unite.
~
-R. Martin Wolf
* Please riote that this issue contains 40 pages.

ON LOOSENING UP A FEW TIED ENDS

by Robert Barrow
PART I
Is it, perhaps, favorably Fortean for a UFO researcher
to learn that the longer he purs~es various aspects of
Anomalydom, the less he understands about the sup
posedly conventional world around him?
Having been involved in all of this - whatever it is, this
UFO research - for 15 years, I frequently worry about
keeping a balance between the accepted and the unconventional in my mind. The difficulty in concerning oneself
with this task, of course, is that it cannot be done.
"Normal" often has no basis in normality (whatever that
is) at all - and thus begins the problem.
And then I attempt to sort out the rational from the ir
rational. A few years ago, I was stationed at a large reo
gional Air Force hospital in Texas, noted for a compre
hensive psychiatric care section. I encountered a number
of supposed schizophrenics who seemed far more
rational than certain members of the psychiatric staff . like the physician who calmly approached me on one
occasion, announced he wanted "to have a word" with
me, and then, in midsentence, turned around and left,
never to return for our talk.
Another time at said base, on a warm summer's day, a
sergeant in the public information office received a phone
call from a concerned police officer who represented the
local civilian community. The patrolman thought the
base would be interested to know about an apparently reo
liable UFO sighting of the previous evening (and Project
Blue Book was still in existence at this time, mind you).

However, rather than exhibiting curiosity, the ever so

conscientious desk NCO responded by telling the police
officer, "Your job is to chase burglars, not to watch the
skies - that's our job!" and hung up.
A revolting incident, yes, but who was rational and who
was irrational here? The Air Force sergeant apparently
thought he wasacting rationally by telling off the patrol
man, who was irrational in reporting something that
couldn't possibly exist (a UFO).
The police officer, on thfi! other hand, unquestionably
thought reporting the UFO to the USAF was the only
rational thing to do, in terms ,of national security. And, as
well, he probably thought the NCO was handling the
matter irrationally (and obnoxiously). Who is right and
who is wrong here?
I suspect that all UFO researchers, like their counter
parts in other Fortean endeavors,look back with puzzle
ment upon the events which seem to crop up secon
darily to their primary ufological pursuits. I do.
Not to beat upon my Air Force days, of course, but
there once arose an incident that left me in great dis
tress, and which still lurks delicately in my thoughts for
want of a solution. I had barely been in the AF six months
when I found it necessary to visit the assignments sec
tion at the base where I attended tech school. As soon as
the NCO at the section noticed my name, he unleashed a
seething torrent of words relative to there being a "Con
gressional" out on me. Sergeant M - whose name Ire
call to this day - accused me of having written my Con
gressman and making trouble for the Air Force, and sim
ilar rot. The end result, he alleged, was that I had asked
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

100 '

my Congressman to get me stationed in my home state.

Not only was this preposterous, but his bloody shouting
was torture for my ears!
Denying any knowledge of thi~, I offered to contact my
Congressman to clear this up. Somehow predictably, the
NCO instantly calmed down and said" "If you haven't
done anything, there's nothing for you to worry about."
He kept telling me this, over and over. Since my rank was
next to insignificant at the time, I decided not to en
courage [rouble by following up the situation. I realize
now that] should have started a lot of trouble.
I wondered then, and still do, whether the scene was
staged to scare me because I had been active in speaking
out against the AF UFO investigation prior to myenlist
ment. At about the same time, there were occasions
when my mail was opened before reaching me - ' and,
once, not just at the flap but, indeed, slit neatly down the
side, as if by a razor blade. I still have the envelope, some
where.
But all we can do is wonder about these incidents. It is
too easy, too convenient, to become paranoid and be
lieve terrible things. But we can be certain that, for UFO
researchers, there is usually more involved for us than
Just investigating sightings ... those damned "outside"
uccurrences just happen too often.
'
And why is it, in fact, that so many people engaged in
ufO studies feel "watched" or regarded in some manner
uy the same unknown forces that they regard? Nearly
lour years ago, I became acquainted with a young asso
ciate professor of communications (I'll call him Bill) at a
small junior college in the Northeastern U.S. The man's,
mind seemed exceptionally "together," and his wit and
advice served as a source of enrichment for his students
as well as his community. He also maintained an interest
in UFOs and researched the subject, albeit lightly.
However, there elapsed a few months when I had no
contact with Bill until, late one evening, he phoned. He
sounded frantic but rather elated, explaining that he just
had to see me as soon as possible.
I arranged an afternoon meeting for the next day, and
at 4:00 met with Bill for three hours. Mostly, we dis
cussed things which made little sense to me. Formerly
very articulate and literary, Bill was now reduced to a less
outspoken level. He believed that he was in contact with a
UFO intelligence ... that he had become a higher being
because of it, He felt firmly convinced that he knew, and
was a part of, the answer to the UFO mystery, and that
his role in life was to go out among the masses and can
tact other "special" people who are a part of "them."
Thinking back now, particularly on things Bill told me
about young people and the relation of many of them to
"them," I'm surprised at how much all of that resembled
the sort of thing Brad Steiger writes about in Gods 0/ '
Aquarius (a book about which I have no real opinion, by
the way) ... which hadn't been published when my dis
cussion with Bill was taking place.
Anyway, Bill lost me in the conversation - I simply
couldn't comprehend a good deal of his dialogue. The
meeting ended; he went his way and I mine. I was
astounded at the radical personality change he had
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

undergone, and I was especially shocked to learn he had

simply walked away from his teaching position (the col
lege later dismissed him quietly).
The weeks and months passed with no word from Bill.
Then, late one Saturday evening, as dreary and rainy as
anyone could imagine, he loaded a pistol in the quiet of his
lonely apartment, aimed it to his head, and pull~d the trig
, ger that would produce the inevitable release from all the
incredible thoughts and personal problems that
obviously overwhelmed him. The rest of us remain to
wonder why.
A few months ago, I was invited to discuss UFOs on a
phonein talk show. Naturally, the radio statiol1 didn't tell
me in advance that the program would be shared with a
skeptical astronomer.
We subsequently spent two hours taking phone calls
and discussing our respective areas of interest (at times,
it appeared we were doing two different programs). The
astronomer methodically outlined his reasons for not,
accepting the existence of UFOs while I spent my time
alluding to the possibility that perhaps astronomers don't
exist (after all, fair is fair). The show finished, and the two
of us parted und~r t~e same friendly terms through which
we hac;! met. But, I wonder - did the program accom"
plish anything, or are, the radio audiences looking upon
the constant barrage of reliable and usually notsore
liable UFO stuf~ as merely sophisticated Star Trek style
entertainment?
When I recently confronted a couple of program man
agers at local radio stations about carrying some UFO
programming, their respective responses were "That
\y.puld be a violation of our policies" and - to top every
tning, and in such good taste-"Who gives a s ... if some
farmer in Wisconsin sees a flying saucer?" Maybe UFOs
make gr~at fodder for talk shows, and that's fine. ", but I
hope the idiocy expressed by a few program directors
isn't itself phenomenon as widespread as UFOs, be
cause these are the people who are supposed to cater to
public broadcast desires (aside from making money for
their station,s, of course).
, Getting back to the aforementioned radio program ...
after the astronomer and I left the station, a voice pur
porting to be that of a former U.S. Navy frogman called
in, seeming very honest and forthright, and a little frigh
tened. He claimed he had been part of a Navy team which
recovered a portion Qf a UFO near Guantanamo a few
years ago, and that his superiors had warned the frog
men about ever discussing the incident in public.'
Certainly, the call could have been a prank, burl found
myself terribly impressed with ,the caller's sincerity. I
spoke with the program host the next morning. Himself a
journalist, as baffled about the call as I, he had attempted
to get further information from the caller but was ':lnsuc
cessful. Thus, another frustration for the files.
Which proved no less a disappointment than an ex
perience in 1975, when I was trying to write a 10 year up
, date pIece on the 1965 Northe~t power blackout for a
local newspaper (I had investigated the UFO aspect
somewhat for NICAP), an article which never saw paper.
During an attempt to learn more about the mystery (and

101
it still is), I located a high-ranking power official, who infonned me that he had a contact who might be able to
provide me with some unusual information about the
blackout However, it was understood that the source
mayor may not be willing to contact me.
Of course, the contact was never made. How many
other researchers among us have similar tales of mysteries perched upon mysteries?

PART II
. .But so much for one's personal experiences. Among all
the oddities, all the disappointments, the few achievements - out of all these comes a point of view which is
perhaps unique to Forteans_
And that is that we realized there were no experts long
before the rest who share in this great venture called
humanity did.
We need only look at the disenchantment and emotional upsets beleaguering so many of us today. Being
"civilized" human beings, we long ago started taking ourselves much too seriously, inventing outrageous positions of status, lifestyles and overpopulating in quantity.
Quite by mistake, we assumed the oh-so-conventionally
educated THISologists and THATologists would overcome every obstacle facing society - with no personal
sacrifice, of course.
Unfortunately, that ideal hasn't worked out, for, as
society now appears to be learning with all the speed of a
punch in the face, those things which we know little about
may be far more essential than any of the so-called discoveries to date.
Ivan T. Sanderson once made mention that nearly a
dozen physically visible sense organs are known to exist
on just one segment of a fly's antenna. Yet, we don't
know the purpose of any of them (Pursuit, January,
1970, p. 3). Somehow, that story holds an embarrassment for the structures of our know-all technical society.
Experts? The term implies that the holder of the title
would know everything about his field, yet no matter
what discipline one examines, there always exists a level
whereupon the expert's knowledge peaks. And heaven
help the UFO researchers who consciously delight in billing themselves as UFO experts. I have perpetually despised this term; an expert sharpshooter may hit his
target every time, but a UFO expert doesn't even know
what his target is made of!
As "normal" society continues on its course of mounting uncertainty, painfully finding its cherished truths
crumbling to dust, Forteans become all the more crucial
to their own endeavors, and even more important to an
insecure society because we serve as examples of
strength in the face of the unknown ... of not being afraid
of investigating the unexplained _.. of not respecting the
credentials of supposed experts for the sake of credentials alone.
That Forteans have been correct in doubting the norm
and questioning the conventional can easily be observed, and I refer the reader to a newspaper column of
last February I, written by nationally syndicated columnist Dr. Max Rafferty.

Rafferty - who, incidentally, has championed the

cause for a scientific UFO investigation in the past asks "When is a Paradox?" The columnist boldly
addresses the quality education had depleted to in this
country, preferring to call it miseducation. How, he ponders, can education be assumed effective when we have
an increasing number of technological blunders on our
hands?
For instance: There's the no-show of Comet
Kahoutek, the most spectacular sight (that wasn't) to
light up the sky in years; the infamous 27 minute loss of
TV sound during the first Carter-Ford debate; the crip. piing technological headaches endured by Amtrak, supposedly the train of the now-world; the "Invisible Swine
Flu Epidemic"; and the continuing furor over the "Legionnaire's Disease" encountered in Philadelphia, despite the
best efforts of space-age medicine to reach a final solution.
Dr. Rafferty, whom we suspect is more of a Fortean
than even he realizes, goes on to quote incompetent
workmanship in new cars and our escalating stupidity in
polluting the seas with mammoth oil spills.
"I could go on," he admits, and so he could, and so
could we, but the truth must be clear by now: The less the
chance that anybody knows what they're talking about,
the more the possibility that UFOs and all those other
anomalies exist - simply because if we can't harness,
control and improve upon those things we think we know
about, who are the skeptics to say the subject of the unknown is merely a barrel of rot?
A UPI report out of Cape Canaveral dated April 21,
1977 tells us "America's usually reliable Delta rocket misfired ... sending a satellite into the wrong orbit ... " And to
think that some UFO skeptics have the audacity to suggest that the highly maneuverable UFOs are something
of "ours"!
Then, lest we forget, there's that discovery of five rings
around Uranus, made early in 1977. The paradox here is
that all those scientists seem so thrilled about learning
something new from a planet which has been within their
view all this time .. _yet these same experts probably can't
spare even an iota of curiosity about the possibility that
UFOs (which aren't quite so available as Uranus) do
indeed exist Those science fellows never saw the rings of
Uranus before, and suddenly - zap! Can't they fathom,
then, that UFOs might become "visible" one day, too?'
A rather strange rumor began circulating after Uranus
burst into popularity. Somebody majoring in sick humor
(and that's what this was), perhaps in response to the
controversy over the banishment of saccharin to supposedly safer places, claimed that the rings of Uranus
have been determined to cause cancer in laboratory
mice.
The tragedy is that there are undoubtedly people in our
~onfused society who took the claim seriously, believing
It to be a genuinely legitimate pronouncement ... people
who, after hearing the claim, returned to their routine
activities without the blink of an eye.
Could we blame them?

PURSUIT Fa1l1977

102

HOW TO FLY
A SAUCER
by T. B. Pawlicki
In the autumn of 1974, Professor Eric Laithwaite, Head of the
Department of Electrical Engineering at the Royal College of
ScienCe and Technology in London, England, became a nine-day
wonder when he demonstrated his antigravity engine to a forum
of sc~ntists, engineers and reporters.
. Laltbwaite's design was not unique. At least a half dozen people
known to me have come up with similar engineering, including a
high-school dropout living across the street from me who built a .
working model. The problem of this design is that the precessional phase directed toward lift is followed in the next half-cycle
by the opposite phase of precession directed downward. Laithwaite's answer to this problem was to provide an annular raceway above the gyroscopes, against which the gyro cages would
bear while in the lift phase, thus transmitting lift directly to the
chassis. When the gyros swung into the depressive phase, they
dropped away from the raceway to swing freely. Unfortunately,
the Laithwaite engine did not produce a lift demonstrably exceeding its depression, and the Professor has suffered considerable
emb~rrassment in consequence. In the general disappointment,
no orie paid any attention to the fact that Laithwaite had proven a
loophole in Newton's Third Law of Motion as most people under stand it. The Laithwaite engine clearly generated a thrust in one
direction followed by a reactive thrust in the other direction, insteac;l of action simultaneous with reaction. If action can be separated by reaction by a little time gap, then further engineering will
surely expand that gap to a lot. Laithwaite's failure was successful
in establishing a. breakthrough for a practical antigravity engine.
While Professor Laithwaite was trying to make an antigravity
engine, Richard Foster, a chemical engineer retired in Baton
Rouge,. Louisiana, was building a revolutionary kind of locomotive driven not by the established principles of traction. and
.. reaction, but by gyroscopic inertia. Foster's engine differed from
Laithwaite's mainly in being designed to roll along the ground on
wheels instead of directed to flight, although Foster intends to
build a flying model once he is satisfied with the locomotive operation. Foster's solution for rectifying the precessional acceleration
of the gyroscopes is to introduce a slip-and-grab clutch between
the miro mounts and the revolving arms. When the gyros are precessing in the desired direction, the clutch grabs the gyro cage
.and transmits the precession to the chassis. When the preces sion reverses itself, the clutch releases, allowing the gyro cage to
assume any orientation without any resistance. Foster claims to
have attained a ground speed of four miles per hour, witnessed,
before his engine flew apart from centrifugal tension. I have examined Foster's patent disclosures, and I dare say his locomotive
, failed not from centrifugal tension, but from structural weakness
in the bearing mounts which were never built strong enough to
. contain the violent thrusts which his engine generated. More
work is required on this design, and more work is justified.
.When you study the illustration for a while, it will occur to you
that the two horizontal rods can be replaced by a flat disc, and a
number of gyroscopes can be mounted around the circumference. This is obviously a very prototype of a Flying Saucer.

When spinning'~opes are' made to r~lve

in a cirde at the ends of arms, as shown here, they
are forced .. to.~hange the direction of their.~in
twice for eVery .revolution. Their resistance to
.
changing direction js .. manifesfas a'Pr~ssional .
force. In this engineeJ:"ing design, the precessiOnal' . :
force is expressed as a risi.ng and Ii Ioweri!19 of the
swinging arms. .
. .
Profes.sor Eric Laithwaite's design caQed 'for a
cir~ular runway (shown in sections marked "A") '.
mounted' on.. the .chasSis . irr1mediateiy .above the .
pl.ane of gyroscopic revolution. When the. gyros
rise, they bear againstthe runway and transmit tift .
10 I'he entire contraption, lifting it t)y its .boOt- .
straps. 'as it were. When the gyros drop, they drop
freely,
.'
.
Richard Foster's de~ign 'introduced a s1jp-a!1dgrab clutch between the 'swinging arms a~ their
attachment to the. gyro cages at point "B." The
clutch holds the cage firmly during one half-cycle,.
and releases it to spin fr:eely in any orientationduring the other. half-cycle. '. ..' .
, '.
A third answer to the pro~lem 'of rectifYing. pre- .'."
cessional thrust is to' mount the entire systEml on .
yet another turning wheel so that. the thrust of the
precession is maintained in one direction while 'the'
rest of the engine revoives around the Point of
ma"imum precession. ~~use .. thiS design generates the. vectors of a vortex, with thrust gen..
erated thro~gh .the center:' thUi' .engme ~n be ....
properly cal.le~ 'a ~'vortex drive.. ~: .
.'

By reptaci~g the swinging ~~:with a &~. disc.

and mounting a' serie~ of gyroscopes .around the . . .
prototype' Flying Saucer 'begins to' take
rim,
shape.
.

A Model
Flying Saucer woulc:l ~. a ....
~pace in the 'center of the main rotor.disc to accommodc1te a flight deck abpve the engine room. The
gyroscopes Would be. replaced with doughnut- '.
shaped subatomic' particle acc~leral9rs called .
"betatrons," The betatrons would have to be'
mounted 'ir:t gimbal!5 geared to atti~ude cont~1s in' ..
order that flight could'be directed. The gimbals and
'attitude controls are omitted from this sketch for
clarity. In orderto generate a thrust through'~he :
center of the doughnut, the niagnets coritroUing
the electron racewClY must revolve. around the tube
of the torus so' that a proPer vOrtex is created in trui
fluid. The ma9l"!etic control is. also omitted' for
. clarity. ' .
.' . .. . .... :
........
.
. AlthouSh' some eye-wit~' report that ..~he
flight deck ot" a Flying Sauc~r is comfortablY sPa~
cious, there ~ no r~ason Jor .the 'cabin to be any
larger than an.Apollo capsule. Very likely most of
the room would be occupied with charti and navi- .'
gation facilities as the' most impOrtant problem in :..
UFO navigation would 'probably be knOWing the
precise loc!)tion. of the craft ...

lOr'

PURSUIT Fall 1977

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Even when an efficient precessional rectifier is successfully engineered, the problem of bl!i1ding a real Fly1119 Saucer propelled by this engine is, as both Laithwaite
and Foster have found already, that mechanical gyroscopes tend to explode from centrifugal tension at just
about the velocity'needed to lift a reasonable payload_ In
outer space, where gravitational hold is low, mechanical
gyroscopes could be used to generate a small but constant acceleration that would build up to practical interplanetary velocities over runs of several weeks, but using
d solid flywheel to lift a Saucer off the ground is about as
frustrating as trying to tack into a hurricane with a raft. A
practical antigravity engine requires a'f1uid flywheel contained in an annular raceway. The walls of the raceway,
because they are not turning, do not contribute to the
generation of the very same centrifugal tension which will
ultnnately destroy the engine.
As it happened, the very accelerator we need fOl: a Flying Saucer was developed by the University of California
during Hitler's War. Called a betatron, it is a magnetic
raceway about a foot in diameter in the shape of a doughnut that accelerates electrons to billions of electron volts.
Electrons are not only as fluid as supercooled helium, but
they also have no mass at rest, so they add nothing to the
dead weight of the antigravity engine which must be lifted
before the payload is added_ Furthermore, because the
strength of the raceway is determined by magnetic
energy instead of resistant material, the weight of the
containing walls need no longer be increased exponentially beyond the point of diminishing returns as fluid velocity is multiplied. But even though electrons possess
negligible weight at rest, they can generate almost unlimited precessional aC'celeration when driven to relativistic velocities. If a number of betatrons replaced the
mechanical gyroscopes around the rim of a revolving
disc, we should have a veritable Model"T" Flying Saucer_
The operating characteristics of the betatron is well
known to anyone who reads Scientific American. Because electrons are massless, they c.an be started and
stopped with the flick of a switch_ This would afford a FlyIng Saucer considerably more maneuverability than a
supertanker of comparable momentum. High velocity
electrons ionize the atmosphere_ This would short out all
unshielded electric wiring in the vicinity. The ionized air
'surrounding the betatron produces a neon-like glow_ The'
ring of betatrons around the rim, therefore, could be seen
through the cowling as a ring of lights which begin to revolve just before the Saucer lifts off. The electromagnetic field generated by high velocity electrons is the basis
of the popular UFO detectors_ In flight, the ionized air
surrounding a Saucer glows conspicuously at night_
t-: ranco-American' research, report~d in Science et
Avenir in 1972, directed ionized air over an airfoil at
supersonic speed without creating a sonic boom. Four
years later, a national tabloid published a photograph of a
model of the result of this engineering. Shaped more like
d curling stone than a saucer, the oblate spheroid was reportedly test-flown to Mach III with no sonic boom, glow. Illg just like a proper Saucer should. An engineering design that conforms so closely to all the eye-witness repurts of t-:iying Saucers cannor be far' wrong.
High velocity electrons emit synchrotron radiation. At
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

microwave frequencies, this radiation selectively heats

any material containing water. This would explain why
rocks containing water of crystallization are blasted at
UFO landing sites, and why vegetation is scorched with
no other sign of fire. Hapless animals nearby would. be
cooked from the inside out by this radiation. Every
housewife with a microwave oven understands this "mystery," even if the most learned scientists are completely
baffled. The crew of the Saucer would be cooked from
the inside out, too, if they were not sl:lielded from this
radiation. A well-published photograph of a.' UFOnaut,
taken by a sheriff on a county road at night, shows him (or
her or it) wearing a flight-suit of metalized plastic_
Polished metal is a perfect reflector of microwaves_ Because sealed flight-suits are uncomfortable, and because
the vortex drive is inefficient in a strong gravitational field,
we may suspect that many Saucers are small scouting
craft from a large mother ship moored in Earth orbit_ This
is in keeping with what many eye-witnesses report_
Considering the timing of the invention of the betatron, the physics involved, and the complete disappearance of all mention of the revolutionary betatron almost
immediately after its initial spectacular successes, we
may speculate that development of Flying Saucers is a
still-secret Wedgwood Project spun-off from the Manhattan Project. The real Space Program may have been
conducted in top secrecy since the end of the Second
World War while Cape Canaveral was staged as nothing
more than a super-colossal theatre immediately after the
launching of Sputnik to show the American taxpayer that
we are unbeatable. Of all military act.ivity, and the Space
Program is a military activity, only theatre is broadcast
live; all other research is conduc~ed in top secret, not only
to keep the enemy from finding out but also because no
one wants to broadcast their developmental failures to
the whole world. This is the way the Russians do it. So
how come the Americans broadcast each manned flight
as if it were as certain to keep on schedule as a pa!;!sage on
Pan-American Airlines? Such egregious self-confidence
suggests that there has been a lot of rehearsing before the
curtain went up. For ten years, Am.ericans have explored the most dangerous and unknown territory in existence, without losing a single astronaut; the Americans
get themselves killed only during ground training_ In contrast, the Ruskies are losing men in space like a safari
decimated on an uncharted trek through head-hunter
country. It makes you wonder ifthe Americans had a sagwagon up there to make sure Apollo 13 got back safely_
Until a Flying Saucer is actually dismantled in public
there IS no way we can be sure that this article describes
the way UFOs are really constructed; but the correspondence between the known engineering characteristics of
thiS design and the eye-witness reports is so close that
this article should suffice to prove that any authority who
proclaims there is no conceivable explanation for the Flying Saucers is an out-and-out liar. Not only are these principles known to every physics undergraduate, but the
parts to build a Flying Saucer have been available from
the Sears catalogue since the Second World War. The
F rancoAmerican ion-drive space craft is evidence that at
least two national governments are quilding UFOs right
(Continued on page 132)

3iifi?

UFOLOGY: THIRTY.YEARS
IN THREE DAYS
by Michael Hartnett
It was on June 24th, 1947 that Kenneth Arnold spotted
nine UFOs flying near Mount Rainier in Washington. This
event was to become the first UFO case to come to the
attention of the American public and the world. Now,
exactly thirty years later, Kenneth Arnold would once
again outline the details of his sighting, this time for a
gathering of professional researchers and others like
them who, drawn together by their. mutual interest in the
nature of unidentified flying objects, have created the
field of Ufology. In keeping with one of the effects alleg
edly encountered by UFO witnesses - that of time dis
tortion - the author of this article attempts, like the
Congress he attended, to condense the past 30 years of
Ufo logy into a 3day time span.

****

For three days (June 24-26) Chicago hosted the Inter

national UFO Congress, sponsored by Fate magazine, to
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of modern day Ufology.
The Congress was quite a success, giving to each on all
levels ..1t began Friday, June 24th, with a Press Conference at 11:00 a.m. Curtis Fuller, Kenneth Arnold, Jacques Vallee, Allen Hynek, Betty Hill and Leo Sprinkle
answered questions from the press.

. FRIDAY
"Future man, come here to look at us from another
star system," is how Betty Hill viewed the abductors who
took her and her husband aboard a UFO in the 60s. She

fielded some rather leading questions from the big TV

news media like an old pro, recounting the salient
features of her capture. Hynek remarked that the UFOs
frequently appear in highly localized, isolated and unpopulated areas. Arnold reviewed some of the distortions which the press had made of his encounter. Vallee
mentioned the seriousness with which Europeans take
the phenomenon, especially since the 1973 wave which
included the November 29 event in Torino, Italy which
outraged the Continent (eventually the French minister
of Defense spoke openly about UFOs, bringing to the
field a more widespread acceptance). Fuller outlined the
two basic approaches to UFOs: whether they are some
kind of mental phenomenon as opposed to a more
physical one. Sprinkle spoke on hypnotic regression: he
was called upon to confirm its validity as an investigative
tool. At one point "the guys from the control room" cornered Hynek and asked him directly: "Do you believe
Betty Hill's story?" Hynek's head went down, questioning what they meant by 'believe,' probably well aware of
the attempt to divide researchers by their differences
rather than to perceive that all these people had been exposed to something very convincing. Hynek responded:
"I don't doubt Betty's integrity and that she believes
something happened to her." Finally, there were questions about notifying the President, the government and
the United Nations of the proceedings of the UFO Congress: Fuller responded that the proceedings would be
made available and sent to them. .
PURSUIT Fa111977

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
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PURSUIT Fa1l1977

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106

That same afternoon the conferenc'e opened with

Curtis Fuller calling for a new and cooperative effort
among UFO researchers. Ihtroducing Coral' and Jim
Lorenzen, Mary Fuller recounteci her early experiences
with them. Jim Lorenzen reviewed some cases of physical evidence. He mentioned magnetic monitors '(UFO
detectors), angel hair and th!i! Brazilian magnesium fragment recovered after a UFO exploded over a lake. Coral
continued with the trace event of August 20, 1953 in West
Haven, Connecticut, during which people heard a blast.
Afterward, pitted holes were discovered" in a 'galvanized
steel sign. Fragments removed from the holes were foun~
by a Milwaukee lab to be made of copper.
Dr. James Harder opened; with a perspective on indivi
dual witness accounts juxtaposed to the. large bank Of
data. People tend to be more convinced by concrete
information of a local sort than by large, abstract definitions. A slide of the Brazili~n fragment revealed a pecLiliar combination of magnesiMm ana other elements not
man-made. An X-ray examination of the Betz sphere
(which fell from the sky over Florida") indiCates that the
center of the sphere may cQntain some atomic' or transneptunian elements. Then to Sweden: in 1956 a soldier
there encountered a UFO 15 meters across which, Upo,i1
departing, left a blue tungsten carbide and cobalt fragment. Then a New Mexico photo by a witness who
caught a UFO taking off. He had spotted what appeared
to be a butane tank sitting' near some rocks: when he
took a picture of it the thing' vanished. The photo shows
a shaft of light (or gas) ascending diagonally.in frontofthe
rock face. The estimated speed of the object was 200
miles per second. Earlier H~rder had spoken about witnesses and how the phenomenon seems to' choose
psychic types, as it is these people who consistently have
more exposure and contact;With the phenomenon; whatever motivates the UFOs ,appears to choose the believers over the scientists. 8arder closed with a slide of
Astronaut McDivitt's reco~ded UFO from Gemini IV
which clearly shows a disc-like object with a vapor trail.
Frank Salisbury continued the afternoon sessions by
reviewing some familiar ma.terial on how witnesses can
mistake natural objects for:UFOs. During his investigation of the Snowflake, Arizo~a case (November 1975), he
found that what at first appeared to be corroborating evidence proved, upon closer E;!xamination'of the testimony
of witnesses, to be nothing more than the planet Venus.
He recalled the famous Mantell sighting and some of the
purported answers that th~ object was a skyhook balloon. Explaining away UFOs as natural phenomena is a
trap. Salisbury revieweci the Klaus-Walton (debunker/witness) controversy. asserting that it cannot be
proved UFOs are not extraterrestrial machines. Proving
that UFOs exist is a legalistic'versus scientific matter:
science as we know it m~y be .powerless to provide
answers.
:
.
Dr. Berthold Schwarz gave a dazzling glimpse into the
paraphysical aspects of UFOs and related phenomena by
reviewing the inexplicable event surrounding the lives of
such well investigated people as Stella Lansing and her
recurring clockface patterns which appear on fiim (very
reminiscent of the psychic :photography of Ted Serios).
He mentioned also Joseph Dunninger, telepathist and

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magician; and he called for aclasedOok at the"c<msciQ'uS'

and unconscious resistance of people to' 'PSI>Schwarz
has had' first hand :'evid~nce of 'st~an~ eve~1s with' recording tape ,....- parimoi-rnal voices projeCted from
silence. AItc:>gether,.Dr. SchW~ri presented a.refreshing
and up to the minute review' which~should!.leacHola
~eeper interest ~s w~U a~'~'1 ,e.xPa~c;i~d:ba~~f uriC;ler:
standing.
, . . .. ' .
'. '." .: " ' ';_,' .,
David Jacobs detailed ~me facts concerning fringe interest in the UFO field,~xplaininghpWgr9upsoftenform
around the cult of the pE!"rsol1ality (as with Adamski and
other contactees). This writer defined fpr. Brad Steiger
how he saw the BpanaPeep,episOde,as a modernized
version of the Jesus:freak m9vement;.peopletendto become too fana.tical and att~ched to on~. idea, thus'creating a mass psy~hic projection which,iS'seemingIy;directed
by higher intelligences.' Steiger concurred. that more of
this kind of thing. is bo~.nd,to occur.' -" ... ~;~'. ..'
Ted Bloecher, whose;.specialty is humanoid. c~s,
gave. a well rounded revi~w..of. these for 1976.. Closeenco~ry~ers ar!i!. an l,mmi~tak?lb!~":part of the wh~le:p.hen
omenon,. and bein~ lesitimate, they. requir~ the::same
attention a~ <;>ther sigh"tings..They produce a.high potential data',yield, QY pr0V:iding more' infQrmation th~n.'the flybys becaul?e t~ey occur,.near .the 'participant, thus.reducing the chances for, miSidentificatiOn to a minimum. his
organization 'of .th~ .clata. 'aloecher ~reaks humanoid
cases into 7.typE;!s:: .. ,'. '. :. .....':,:
' . ..... ': ..
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A. Entity within o~ject ~(oc~up6iit)' '.

B. Entity ge~ting in~ pr"<mt of object,' .,
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(explicit ~sociation) "
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C. Entity in area'of object (imp'licit ass9ciation) .-~
D. Reports of UFps 'near' entity e~cpunter ' ..
(Bigfoot),
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E. No record of-UFO but entity is seen .
F. No entity but messages are .received
(voices, remote' objects)," \
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G. Onboar~ experiences (abductions)
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Altogether, Bloecher had'71:c~es'for 19.76.- the most

yet for a single year'. The peak months were January with
13 sightings and February with 11. Humanoid activity was
especially intense in the Northeast II')'februarY~ He estimates that one case\)ut of 'ten is reported:- '
'.'
Bloecher described various (and varied) hUlT).anoidS: a
smallish figure with huge head, greenish skin, large eyes
with.a round, spiraling'effect where the. pupIlS should. be;
another humanoid (seen' during:th!i! NJ wihter)",wearing
normal cold weather "clothing,':'waIking stIffly, picking
things off the ground; still a.r:tother:"~ a: silvery figure 4.feet
tall, small and delic~te.1ike ~ -12. y~~r. oid :ferilale,'~the'wi~~
ness to this one was, held.' as if.bY: some. for(;:e.uhtil the
humanoid walkedoff-inte. th~ \#OOds) ....... , ' '.y' '. ,
The data for 1976 co'rresponds to the.generaJ'trEmd of
peak activity between the'hours of-IO and.12 p.m., with a
secondary peak occurring ~tween'2 and ~~. a.m ..--: tb:us
the phenomenon. appears.. to 'be essentially .a noctl,lm.~
one. In most cases the. humanoid height~..were 5-6 f~t:
There were 19. type~G' cases, outn!Jrilbering ~ny. oth~j
type. One of the 19.c~s entailed merpor:y los~ .. w,i)i1!! ~ gf
the cases invol\,i~q, 10 year,old boys.,BIQ~c;he~l11~.n~ion~,d

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107

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the "bedroom imiaders'," beings. who appear to people at

night, as well asthe mass' displacement of automobiles,
I~vitation, whole vehicle abductions and time distortions
as in the recent (April 1977) 'case from Chile in which a
soldier 'experiencea a 5-day beard: growth within an
actual time span of'bnly 15 minutes. Bl6echer's dissertation was both well organized and thorough, thereby imparting a better understanding of his' research .
. . Friday evening brought Kenneth Arnold carefully retellirag' the story (th~t starte"d ~t all)' ot" the 9 crescentshaped objects flying in fot:niatiori 'near Mt. Rainier. He
notedthe subsequent reactions of his friends, the press
and the public. He became known 'as a personresponsive'to unexplained happenings.: Befor~ long all sorts of
people were reporting strange things to him: people disappearing in one place ~nd t:eappearing in anpther, 9-inch
tall hu~i:moids, flying' creatl,lres (on.e with wings that
didn't flap and which .hovered. above a schoolteacher and
40 children). In another' instance Arnold was. flying his
plane when he observe9 two UFOs. As they flew below
him, he could se~' pine trees through one of them. This
btought him around to the thought that UFOs are alive
~nd can cha~ge ~d~ntity.. .. . . . .
.

'SATURDAY
Saturd~y morning. founei the CongreSs listening to
David Jacobs outline the early 'government involvement
'wlth UFOs in the' 1950s, follqwed by~tari~on-Friedman's
-discu~s.loflof UFO pr:bpuls:io'n. Cbnsidering the vastness
,and a~~'df thei.iniv~rse, we should expect there to be
bther fecnn'916gies'more adv~nced than our own simply
becaulii:dhe!,J"have been'at it 19n~r than we have. Earth is
young compared to tlie surrounding universe. We can
easily imagine huge starships en1:itting their Earth-excursion scout. modules: Friedman justified the tremendous
speeds and amazing 90 turns of toe scouts by explaining
.that,' contrary to the notion that man cannot travel at high
-speeds,.Eixperlmentsha.ve been c0I1du'cted in which man
'hasendured\.ieloCitiesof 600'rriiles per secoiJd. He spoke
"of propulsion'systems that react with the surrounding en,vironment by citingilrl!eleCtromasnetically propelled subrna'rine (de(.ieI6pedinSanta Barbara) which reacted with
water and air, A magneto-aerodynamic system used in a
Japanese 'wing experiment changed the lift/drag ratio,
raising the magnetic shield to 4000 gauss. Lasers used to
fo<;us ionized air caused the'air to glow. Friedman said he
'believes Betty Hill's story (Hynek wouldn't go that far).
: He also discussed space warps as an explanation for why
-UFOs appear to vanish. '.
.
.
The Congress continued with a debate over the
humanoids. Curtis F ullel" remained skeptical of occupant sightings. He argued that these entities are not immu'ne to earthly. viruses. The E.L theory asks us to believe that within wnafwould amount to only a "fraction of
.cl second" of cosmic time, another race like our own has .
contacted us,. while for" hundt:eds of millions ~t. years our
.planet has existed with only simple life forms. ~elatively,
the presence of more complicated life .forms has been
very brjef, Considering the diff~rence between life forms
here (~ot to mention the'different star-element composition~ of other galaxies), it is highly unl!kel~ !iimilar human-

oids have developed elsewhere and traveled to Earth,

Fuller continued by delineating the human immunity systern, thereby playing down the idea that aliens could sur vive our microbes (unless they were bugeyed monsters
'.themselves!)'. DefiniI:1g the echelons of parasitical organ ization, Fuller quipped: "Big fleas have little fleas on their
back to bite 'em; little fleas have other fleas ad infinitum."
,. Frank Salisbury countered Fuller's address with some
.suggestions on survival and function. The general feature of the humanoid form may be a model developed
consiste'ntly throughout various parts of the universe.
According to a Neo-Darwinian theory, new features survive due to overpopulation. Variety and differentiation
come from genetic recombination and mutation. In
'recent years science has provided us with fantastic in'sights into ihe nature of life. Yet the.general public is not
willling to make the effort to understand. Presenting us
with a review of"possibilities, Salisbury outlined the molecular structure of enzymes. The chemistry of cells is regulated by enzymes. Protein molecules make up the en
zymes. Substrate molecules combines with enzymes like
. a lock and key system, fitting into each other. Within the
complexity of the enzyme, 23 chromosomes may contain thousands of genes. Salisbury suggested a careful
approach in considering just what nature can and cannot
do. He concluded that it is inconceivable from the view
point of Establishment Science that humanoids similar to
us exist (once again presenting the argument for sensible
thinking people who are less concerned about credentials and position and who are willing to develop the
objective research necessary for more breakthroughs).
T ed Bloech~r commented briefly upon the concept
that the humanoids may be an anthropomorphic representation of how we would like the entities to appear.
He questioned whether the phenomenon is stimulated by
externals or, internally, by the human consciousness.
Coral Lorenzen stated, from her long association in
the field, that "people are seeing them." Jim Lorenzen,
coyly introducing himself as "an obscure philosopher

.:;.,
"Jy.."r':
',.;1.,

,,',

..!"

PURSUIT Fall 1977

"""I""I""~"-

~"""""""".I"'I~""""
108,

known mainly for m"y obscurity," responded strongly by

commenting that "theorizing avoids, solution." He
brought up the hurrianoid description of t,he August, 1975
Sergeant Moody case - "occupants 100 pounds, under
5 feet tall, large domed head~, no hair, 5 fingers, no nails,
wearing overalls, slender, chest slight, mouths just a slit,
nose and ears small, eyes very large, interior of vehicle
dimly lit and very warm"; with such graphic descriptions
fitling the humanoids in case after unrelated case, perhaps we should take care to notice their microbes.
David Stupple reviewed the early contactees:
Adamski, tutored by a iooo year old Venusian who described the universe as being arranged into classrooms
like one big machine, Easily dated by this machinistic
approach, the phenomenon became more important for
the sociological impact and the effect that it had upon the
people who believed, thus isolating them against the
vicious and unhelping society of the fear-infested,Fifties.
Ted Bloecher, explaining the range of possibilities for
humanoid sources and perceptual-dimensional qualities,
made reference to the Pursuit ,,(Vol. , 10, No.2) article,
,"Little Green Men and the Law of Dynamical Similarity,"
by W, H. Whamond.
Saturday afternoon, Curt Fuller introduced Ray
Palmer as the foremost proponent for the earthly origin
of UFOs and supporter of the Hollow Earth theory.
Palmer commissioned the first writings of Kenneth
Arnold. After intriguingly calling Fuller "clever, devious
and sly," Palmer described how he wrote Science Fiction
in 1<)26 and was the editor of Amazing Stories. His first
psychic experience thrilled him, causing him. to write
Cowboy Sci-Ii. In 1943, Richard Shaver came to Palmer
with an ancient manuscript. Shaver, who said he'd been
in the cave for' 8 years, delineated the story of an advanced race living within the Earth, remnants of a supercivilization which left the Earth in the dim past. Along with
the manuscript was an alphabet which, when used as
directed, could translate a word from any other language
into English - whether or not ,the user knew the foreign
tongue, Supposedly English is a derivative of all languages, The Shaver alphabet was a common denominator. Palmer claims he tested this and had positive
proof of its validity. Shaver spoke also of the Deros and
Teros, [he two kinds of beings who live underneath the
surface of the ,Earth. "~ROS," Palmer said, "stands for
Hobot." Oeros stands for the destructive robot and
'J eros for the creative, helpful ones. They have the ability
to plant good and bad intentions in the minds of humans
and often do so, thus manipulating the human race in an
endless war, Palmer" while visiting with Shaver, saw him
111 a trance in, his bedroom and heard 5 distinctly different
voices speaking to Shaver, When Palmer queried his host
'about the voices, Shaver invited his guest to spend the
,nigt.t in the room, Palmer was once again confronted with
the voices, This incident support~d Palmer's feelings that
UfOs and related phenomena are generated from the
astral plane, and that Shaver's Hollow Earth was actually
within an alternate dimension.
Re,titling his talk "The Stymie Factor," Palmer shared
[he sense of frustration faced by serious researchers
when they seek hard evidence. He mentioned the Maury
Island, Tacoma Harbor crash of a UFO, from which fragPURSUIT Fall 1977

ments were sent to a Wisconsin lab. The 'lab report in'd,icated 'they were mostly slag, except for some -traces of
calcium. "Coincidentally," Palmer noted, "calciuJ:ri: is
used as insulation for atomic energy_" He remem~ered
the suggestion put forth that people who made contact
with UFOs were 'subconsciously rehashing Sci-fi. HIi!
wondered what kinds of intelligence could live dispersed
in the amorphous world of subatomic matter.,He meritioned the interest Winston Churchill had in UFOs, General MacArthur's warning, and Admiral Byrd's disc9very
of an entrance to Hollow Earth at the North Pole'. Palmer
called for an expansion and organization of the current
melding process between Ufology and par\\psychology.,
Presenting the UFO as a control phenorrienQn~
Jacques Vallee examined the evidence which indicates
that UFO waves are a worldwide phenomenon. Since
there are reports from everywhere, he wondered why
scientists aren't studying the phenomenon. He showed
an example of a skyhook balloon (blatantly not the objE:ct
described by Mantell and the other control ~ower witnesses), photos of UFOs taken by astronomers, computer technical analysis of UFO data, and experiments
made toward the development of nuclear/electromagnetic propulsion. He also discussed the November' 29,
1973 Torino, Italy multiple-witness event.
An unscheduled speaker, Ray Stanford, showed up to
elaborate on the latest instrumentation used by Project
Starlight International (P.S.I.). He announced the formation cif Operation Argus, a highly sophisticated computer-centered UFO tracking system. Using'radar'and
other tracking techniques, the Argus computer will calc
culate, display and remember all UFO tracking' angles,
distances (accurate to within a few yards), speeds and
radii of UFO visibility from the ground; then will display
the location of the UFO above the exact terrain or landscape (shown on eight-color TV) over which it is paSsing,
hovering or landing. The computer will also call up (on
several telephone lines) all volunteers within the radius 9f
visibility of the UFO, print out and display the names and
phone numbers of all potential witnesses it telephones
and do several,other important research tasks simultaneously. Much of the UFO monitoring and recording
equipment is portable so that it can be transported to
locations of reported concentrations of UFO sightings
(via the project's 4 wheel drive mobile laboratoiy, van)_
When other properly equipped labs for UFO research
are put into operation elsewhere in the world,'P.S.L
would be willing to UFO-event-share on a rec'ipr02al
basis, in real time via computer-opened telephone lines
(potentially even,to overseas locations) over which monitored UFO data could be transmitted by specialized
format. The staff of P.S.1. feels that such sharing' of UF.O
data with the friendly governments of countries Jik~
Mexico and those in South America, where UFO events
seem particularly numerous, could prove to be of almo~t
immediate value to all participating labs. Stanford,~tated
that Starlight has had 8 sightings, 5 of which are' photo
cases. Stanford himself has had 2 close sightings. (While
speaking with Stanford, this writer learned that'during a
visit to Starlight by UriGeller, Stanford and his wife were
teleported 37 miles in their car. His wife suffered some
weight loss, a common occurrence in such cases_ She

109

laughed, responding with: "And I still haven't gained it

back either!")
Saturday afternoon Jerome Clark gave us some data
on the MIB (Men in Black). A pilot, Carlos de la Santes,
flying over Mexico City on May 3, 1975 saw 3 gray objects
coming at him on a collision course, and diverted the
course of his plane in order to avoid a crash. Two weeks
later, while driving on a freeway, 2 cars (large black limo
sines) trapped him and forced him off the road. A large
man (gangster type) "with pale skin and an unrecogniz
able accent spoke in a monotone with him, intimidating
him about his sighting. A month later, and the day after
discussing the sighting with Dr. Allen Hynek, Santes had
another visit from the MIB - once again terrorizing him
about the event.
Clark mentioned a case from 1948 in which two men
found a fragment that fell from an elongated UFO. Subsequently, a man appeared (before any reportings of the
sighting) and bought the piece. During the 1909 British
UFO (airships) wave, "mysterious foreigners" appeared
throughout the countryside to threaten members of a
family who had picked up any evidence. March 30, 1905:
during a religious revival in Wales, more airborne objects
were seen, while the MIB paid nocturnal visits to various
bedrooms. Malcolm X recounts in his autobiography the
appearance of MIB while he was incarcerated. September 12, 1975; Rockford, Illinois: a person was abducted
aboard a UFO and communicated with a human-like
being. The witness acquired a srhall plastic-type device
from the craft. Shortly afterward a MIB appeared on t~
scene and took the device. Jerry Clark sought an ex-"
planation for the MIB by suggesting they are a part of the
phenomenon that regulates what we know about it. Man
is not ready to know the deepest secrets of the universe;
and when we go too far we encounter the MIB stealing
our clues and evidence. This correlates with the ancient
Buddhist indications for the Guardians of the Shadows
- beings who scare men away from Forbidden Knowledge. Completing his discussion of the MIB with reference to the paranormal, Clark stated that an archetype can, under certain circumstances, assume a
shadowy reality.
Between sessions, Arthur Gatti (editor of Cosmic
Frontiers) and this writer caught Ken Arnold showing
films of subsequent sightings he had while flying nearMt.
Rainier. Later Gatti expressed the difficulties confronting
artists attempting to visualize UFOs for the general public. He explained how everyone has their own ideal UFO
image, each of which is different. There is little consistency to what people imagine.
Saturday evening, the conference banquet found Dr.
Hynek reiterating his position that "the UFO phenomenon is the existence of UFO reports." The crux of
the problem is whether or not the events take place as the
witnesses say they do. He outlined the two cc:npeting
models developed by researchers: ETI (extraterrestrial
intelligence) and EDI (extradim(msional intelligence); or
in other words, the physical versus the psychic. There
appears to be significant data to support both. The ETI
hypothesis relies on photographs of daylight discs, physical trace cases, and radar tracking evidence. The EDI
theory includes reported materializations (and demater-

ializations), poltergeist phenomena, photos of "things"

not visually apparent (Stella Lansing, Ted Serios), UFO
shape alterations, precognition on the part of witnesses
(those who felt "compelled to go to the window" to see a
UFO), telepathic communications, levitation (a part of
Indian mystical tradition), instantaneous transference or
teleportation, and the development of PSI in witnesses
(and often a change for the better in their lifestyles). Also
supporting this hypothesis is the often reported Sensation that "everything became real still." Hynek commented that one of the strangest things about UFOs is
that they are isolated in time and space. He cautioned researchers to be prepared for the December release of a
Columbia E.M.1. presentation, CE-lII (Close Encounters
oj the Third Kind), which should bring an increase in
UrO reports. There can be a merging of the two models
into what he termed the "M and M" (mental and material) hypothesis. (With or without nuts, we wonder.)

SUNDAY
Sunday morning greeted us bright and early with a
slide presentation by Dennis Hauck. Reviewing ancient
astronaut evidence from around the world, he pointed to
the references in ancient manuscripts and the Bible concerning contact with higher intelligences, Martian (?)
gods depicted in cave drawings in the Sahara Desert,
mention in India"n literature of the "vehicles of the gods,"
the Nuremburg 1561 AD. print which clearly shows columns and spheres floating above the city, and another
from Switzerland from 1566 A.D. depicting 50-60 hovering spheroids. Hauck showed evidence from an area in
Japan where people still etch a large pattern in the sand,
perhaps a signal in remembrance of a long-ago contact?
F rom investigator Masaru Mori comes illustrations revealing an old Japanese sighting with details of the object
and reports of a woman dressed strangely carrying a box.
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

110

Hauck emphasized that if we are to seek further proof of

ancient astronauts we should continue our investigations into the Mayan civilization. He showed slides of a
Mayan bracelet-calculator, the statues of Tula, and the
tomb of the chieftain at Palenque. Among the discoveries were peculiarly shaped skulls. On one, the cranium
extended ten to fifteen inches above the head. Holes in
the skulls indicate br~in operations to relieve pressure
from tumors. Hauck commented that the Russians are
presently trying to crack the Mayan language, only onethird of which is decipherable. More slides were shown of
the Gate of the Sun and the Nazca lines; with no wheels
or roads, these ingenious people constructed immense
megalithic structures. Capable of an intricate knowledge
of mathematics, they were the first to,use zero, measuring time in lengths of 23 billion days, recording history
backwards four million years, noting the Ice Age apd
other catastrophic events.
Hauck discussed other enigmas: the mysterious tektite shower which reversed the earth's magnetic polarity;
the Piri Re'is map; and Machu Pichu.
Dr. Leo Sprinkle, in' referring to the psychological
aspeCts of UFOs, 'mentioned author Laurence Le
Shann's realization that the importance of a paranormal
event lies with the time, not the location; it is also easier to
know the meaning as opposed to the source of any communication received (as in the case of telepathic messages). Sprinkle also discussed the bedroom invaders,
emphasizing the relevance of the dream element-as in
the case of a woman who dreamed of having a baby without a father. Messages from Ashtar in the White Star
(May 11, 1977) state there are many space/time levels;
the mission of the ETI is to raise the intelligence of
,humanity, taking no action without divine authority. The
Bo and Peep incident further asserts that UFOs are a
reality. They constitute a renaissance for the planet.
There are predictions of UFOs landing in Oklahoma City
before December 1977, taking 70 people aboard, upsetting the whole planet. Sprinkle criticized the religious
fringe or cultist attitudes of some people, explaining that
these are not good for the planet. The meaning of the
messages has a distinct pattern. The ETI are here to instrucl mankind, to assist man into the New Age. The
aliens are benevolent space brothers, here to teach mankind and elevate us into the Intergalactic Confederation.
The timetable for landing is not based on time but instead on the advancement and readiness of man.'
Sprinkle pointed out how the techniques of expanded
awareness, developed through meditation, cause an increase in PSI ability, thus allowing us to create for ourselves a world of good and evil and to perform miracles.
The UFOs say it is time for man to be born, time to return to the source, time to raise our level of cosmic consciousness.
Furthermore, when a researcher follows a certain line
of research, e.g., MIB, ground traces, humanoids, etc.,
his efforts are invariably frustrated until he is forced back
into the mainstream, where new ideas must develop in
order [0 have a bearing on his work. Sprinkle used a
metaphor, saying it's like the difference between being
mean and cruel: someone who is mean will take an ant
and let it walk all the way across a table, then pick it up
PURSUIT Fall 1977

and put it back again. What Dr. Sprinkle is saying is that

the phenomenon allows us to only know so much; if we
try to go too far it will only frustrate our efforts. In conclusion: "Evidential proof is not obtainable but more and
more people are receiving messages."
.
Next, Brad Steiger gave a startling view of his concepts by what he termed a "subjective talk" on his different experiences. He asked if it is possible that intelligence is external to man and interreacting with us.
Favoring both the psychic'and the physical aspects, he
sees the UFO as participating in a symbiotic relationship
with man: they need us as much as we need them. Our
mutual purpose is to establish equilibrium with the other.
There are two basic forms of entity, 1) the "space
brother," with an ideal human form (blonde hair, blue
eyes, good build) concerned with man, and 2) a "Puck"like entity (bug-eyed monster) concerned mainly with the
planet. Steiger sees the UFO shape as containing a message: the round disclike object represents a mandala,
symbolic of wholeness and a return to oneness with the
universe. Some evidence shows UFOs to be forms of collected energy. They may be intelligent globules of energy
(previous mention has already been made to Stanton
Friedman's reference to laser-focused ionized air) which
form themselves into universal archetypes to become
vital, living mythological symbols capable of direct communicati9n with our subconsciousness by avoiding the
brain and consciousness.
Steiger recounted an event.from his boyood. His family
home was an L-shaped structure, one wing being used for
kitchen and living-space, the other for sleeping. Steiger,
who had difficulty getting to sleep when he was young,
often occupied his time by watching his parents in the kitchen. One night he noticed a figure walk up to the window and peer in at his parents. After a few moments the
creature (again the pucklike entity with large eyes and
domed head) turned toward Steiger with an expression
that seemed to say: "Now you've seen what only a few
have seen." Steiger passed out, and upon awakening
found that the alien had vanished. This incident, as well as
a later clinical death experience, convinced Steiger of life
after death.
Another suggestion offered by Steiger was that UFOs
may not be taking electricity when they hover near high
tension wires; rather, they may be made visible through a
window created by the aura around the wires. Steiger, an
initiated Iroquois medicine man having an interest in
Indian medicine, healing and herbal lore, sees the UFOs
as provoking man into higher mental and spiritual states
of awareness. They may serve as a mechanism pulling us
into the future. He 'recalled the various window areas,
such as the Bermuda Triangle and the worldwide network of "devil's seas," suggesting perhaps that the earth
is a giant crystal receiving set.
Steiger touched upon psychic photography, such as
the multidimensional being captured on film by a Methodist minister at Queen's College, Loridon;' he mentioned
also a photo by Stella Lansing of a man with a turban. In
another instance, a floating hand appeared on an unplugged TV screen and was recorded in a photo taken in
Minnesota. Steiger repeated that' MlBs are still making
their appearances, suggesting perhaps some form of the

III

. . trickster phenomenon related to the. Bro.thers of the Shadow. He then gave evidence
. for the' current creation of' a new race of
super-kids, a race possessing talents similar
to those of Uri Geller:. The events we are now
detectiJig constitute the prenatal care of
humans. who are 'Iinked with a super-being
'who is preparing us' for a birth; in this sense.
the UFO becomes ql,ir spiritual midwife:
Jim Lorenzen arid Betty Hill showed some
.. photos which have never been 'seen before,
Lorenzen's from an old case recently reported in Mexico in 1973, of an object with fins
or projections against ~ blue sky (witnesses
'watched it land, but became terrified and
fled), as well as a picture of'Neil Armstrong on
.the moon wit~ two disc-like. objects, which
Lorenzen conceded 'may have been caused
.'. by lens flare, hovering over the astronaut.
Betty Hill showed a series taken by a scientist
who accompanied her in November, 1976 to a
window area in New Hampshire where she
has been recording the rriovemEmt of noctur.' .. rial lights. as well as the departure and ~rrival
of' disc-shaped objects. She is preparing for
later release. a report on this phenomenon.

.
Z.

.....~--.:::;

CONCLUOING VIEWS
. The final sy~posium of 'the Congress brought a review
of the religious/spir,tual significance of UFOs. David
.. Stupple spoke of .the Space Brothers. He feels there is a
special message and a special power, with the contactees .being the link. The relationship is, however, an unstable one. He .commented that religious figures connected with tho.se in power' have' traditionally served to
mystify'power - 'as'in:the divine right of kings. Stupple
point~d out that in m~derri times, when religion no longer
holds sway, the contactee has an even greater potential
for power. (Editor.'s note: Until such time perhaps that he
confronts 'Religion's .successor, Science.) ,
.Dr. Berthold Schwarz offered'a quick review of contactees, mentioning: close encounters and synchronicity,
including alleged healings. and reports of curses. Some
contactees, he. said, 'undergo reincarnation experiences
'.' - they sometimes enter into a,trance and thus entertain
.' 'alternate 'states 'of consciousness. He 'suggested that a
. . goOd approaci:l to the phenomenon 'of contactees is to re'
. main. qU.iet ar:-d'learn. .
. J.' Gordon' Melton 'reviewed apparitions: the Rose
Quattrinivisions at San Oamiano, Italy; the visions of the
two French. children Melanie and Maximers; and the
appearan<;es (from.l968-1970) ofthe Blessed Virgin Mary
over a Cop'tic Church iii Zeitoun, Egypt.l:ie pointed also
to the relate~ phenomena.: poltergeists, levitations and
incidences of 'telepathy, and the. reports'. of a sense of
peace' and calm which often overcome's onlookers.
Melton attempted to shoW the similarities between UFOs
and apparitions: even tl:le messages are' sirrailar, l;>idding
.' man to change his ways and to divert from his present
course of self-destruction: These. reports prompted
Melton to note that the nece.ssity for studying the psychic

approach to UFOs can perhaps override the arguments'

for objective research.
Ted Bloecher responded with comments on researchers' reactions to the contactee stories from the Fifties. Investigators were then skeptical because of the
contactee's proclivity to take so readily to the lecture circuit, thereby reaping their fortunes from gullible believers. In the Sixties, however, a new phenomenon
arose. Contactees such as Gary Wilcox now sought
anonymity following the initial reports of their sighting.
Bloecher has currently suspended judgement. He con- .
c1uded by saying, "The 'anything goes' attitude seems to
be expanding."
. Closing the Congress, Dr. Allen Hynek defined
science as "organized and systematic curiosity." He cited
a poll taken of astronomers; 53% considered UFOs to
be worthy of further investigation. He suggested also that
the aim of researchers should be towards greater mutual
cooperation; finally, he emphasized once again the need
for researchers to prepare themselves for another flap
following the release of the film CE-III.
In closing, it should be mentioned that there was a general consensus among all speakers at the Congress that
the government is seriously investigating UFOs. The
Congress served to chart the past 30 years of explora
tion as well as to provide some possbile range lights for
future navigators.
A final word of warning, somehow speaking for the
Congress as a whole, comes through in a closing state
ment made by Dr. Hynek:
"Don't look to the past, there's no future in it."

PURSUIT Fa1l1977

112

UFO RESEARCH:
PROBLEM OR PREDICAMENT?
by R. leo Sprinkle, Ph.D.
(Although the author originally presented the following
article to the Midwest UFO Network Symposium [Des
Moines, Iowa] in July 1975, we are publishing it here for
the first time. In light of the increasing interest in UFOs
and related research, we feel Dr. Sprinkle's observations to be de.serving of a more widespread exposure.)

INTRODUCTION "
The controversy about reports of "unidentified flying
objects" (UFOs) continues. Not only are there disagreements about the meaning and significance of UFO reports; there are disagreements about the use of UFO
reports in order to obtain a resolution of the UFO
mystery. This paper represents an attempt to provide
another perspective, 'in hopes that the viewpoint may encourage a variety of approaches by interested UFO researchers. The ideas expressed in this paper have come
from various UFO investigations, as noted in the References.
The paper offers a glance at the present status of UFO
evidence, with emphasis upon the characteristics of UFO
observers or UFO percipients. Next, attention is turned
to the paradox of UFO investigation; then, suggestions
are offered for viewing UFO research as a "game" or as
"play"; and as a "problem" or as a "predicament."
The writer recognizes the possibility that some readers
may be puzzled or 'bothered by the notion that UFO
investigation may be characterized as a "game," or that
the attitudes of UFO researchers may be described as
those of "play." These descriptions are not meant to
imply that UFO investigators are engaged in unimportant activities or that they are lacking in sincerity. The
writer believes that the UFO puzzle is the most significant factor in the eventual solution of the problems of
contemporary mankind; physical, biological, psychosocial, and spiritual evolution.
Several questions, however, emerge: is there only one
approach to the UFO problem? Can the mystery be resolved only through the applications of the physical and
technical sciences? the biological and medical sciences?
the social and behavioral sciences? Indeed, some of the
most profound questions seem to focus on the combination of "science" and "religion." Should UFO resear
chers follow the traditional concepts and'methods of the
natural sciences, or are there other concepts and
;nethods which may be useful?

T"HE STATUS OF UFO EVIDENCE:

DELUSION OR DELUGE?
There are various statements which may be used to describe the UFO phenomenon; however, the serious student of the literature is well aware that there is a deluge of
evidence which supports the hypothesis that "flying
PURSUIT Fa1/1977

saucers" exist. The evidence comes from thousands and

thousands of reports; from peoples in various cultures
and nations of the earth; from individual persons in various occupations and stages of life who are engaged in a
variety of daily activities; the reports have been subjected to a variety of investigations by authorities and researchers with military, scientific, and technical backgrounds,
The interested reader is referred to these organizations for further information about USA investigations:
Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) (1)*,
Center for UFO Studies (9), Midwest UFO Network
(MUFON) (39), and National Investigations Committee
on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) (40). An excellent journal is the Flying Saucer Review (13), published in
London, England. Surveys of UFO literature have been
written by many authors, including Catoe,(8), Condon
and Gillmor (10), Hynek '(23), Jacobs (24), Keyhoe (28),
Lorenzen and Lorenzen (33), McCampbell (35),
Saunders and Harkins (47), and Vallee and Vallee (64).
Yet, there is something very bothersome to many
investigators about the weight of evidence for the existence of "flying saucers" or "unknown" unid~ntified flYing
objects. The evidence rests largely upon the testimony of
persons: the perception of UFO observers or UFO percipients.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF UFO

PERCIPIENTS: PUPPETS
OR PROPHETS?
Because of the unusual claims of UFO percipients, and
because of the announcements of public and/or military
officials, many persons have hypothesized that UFO reports are being generated by persons with psychopathological or sociopathological reactions, However, the
available evidence does not support the hypothesis that
"kooks and cultists" are the primary source of UFO
sightings; in fact, the available evidence" suggests that
UFO reports are submitted by persons who represent a
wide range of psychological and sociological characteristics. Also, there is evidence to suggest that parapsycho
logical as well as para physical phenomena are associated with UFO sightings.
"
However, the variety of methods, measures, and subjects in these studies raises questions about the reliability, as well as the validity, of the evidence. Also,
among members of the scientific community, there are
unresolved questions about the present state of the
social and behavioral sciences.
Thus, anyone who wishes to present tentative evidence about UFO percipients must be aware of the levels
of doubt about the evidence. Perhaps there isa Child-like
part in us which wishes to believe any UFO information,
as well as a Parent-like part in us which cautions against
Numbers in parentheses designate References at end of article. "

\
\

113

E. Case Studies
1. Psychiatric evaluation of individual cases indicates that most UFO percipients do not exhibit psychopathological reactions which would account for their
claims (49), (50), (51), (52).
2. The Condon Committee (University of Colorado
UAO Project) concluded that most UFO observers do
not exhibit psychopathological reactions (10).
3. The character, technical competence, and
number of witnesses in many UFO sightings are indicators of reliability of observation (21), (22).
Statements About UFO Percipients:
4. Of 1,200 reports of "close encounters" between
A. Opinion Polls
UFO percipients and UFOs, about half involve reported
1. Approximately 90 percent of all UFO sightings in
craft occupants (22).
the USA are not reported to public officials or military
5. From post World War II until the present, many
authorities (l6), (31), (44).
people in many countries have perceived and reported
2. Approximately 11 percent or an estimated 15 milUFO phenomena (4), (5), (33), (45).
lion adults in the USA Claim to have sighted a UFO (IS),
6. Much evidence for UFO observation comes from
(16), (31).
human observers; recognition methods, e.g., a chart of
3. A majority of leaders in 72 nations, and approxUFO photographs, may assist percipients to communiimately half of the USA population, believes that human
cate to UFO investigators more information about the
life exists on other planets (15), (17).
observed phenomena (53).
4. Age and education are related to opinions about
7. The hypothesis of hysterial contagion ("mass hysflying saucers; younger and better e~ucated persons are
teria") is highly improbable for the "hard core" UFO remore likely to say that flying saucers are "real" (15), (16).
ports (19).
5. Approximately 15 percent of well-educated metro'8. Hypnotic techniques may assist percipients to propolitan persons, of liberal political views, claim that they " vide more information about UFO sightings to investihave seen a "flying saucer" (25).
gators (14), (58), (60), (70).
9. Detailed case studies may provide more informaB. Survey Studies
tion
about the characteristics of UFO percipients, includ1. Persons who" express interest in UFO reports by
ing the possibility of mental communication with UFO
joining organizations exhibit characteristics of "normal"
occupants (3), (55), (56), (59), (67).
USA adults (57).
"
2. UFO percipients of flying saucer landings exhibit
Thus, a variety of empirical descriptions and/or hypo"normal" characteristics of age, sex, occupation, and
thesized statements about UFO percipients can be preactivity during their UFO sightings (22), (41), (61), (62).
sented, based upon information from opinion polls,
3. UFO percipients in the USA and France report a
survey studies, small group studies, scaling studies, and
higher proportion of UFO sightings from "rural" or lowcase studies. The kinds of information obtained from
population areas (62).
these sources are variable in the degree to which they
4. Astronomers and meteorologists perceive and reconform to accepted procedures for scientific investigaport UFO sightings (23), (32), (34).
tion. Despite the variability in levels of investigation, the
5. UFO sighters exhibit social characteristics of
present evidence suggests that most UFO percipients
persons who are "status inconsistent" (65).
are "normal" persons who perceive and report "abnormal" phenomena.
C. Small Group Studies
l. When prophecies of UFO events fail to occur, inOf course, there are at least two deceptive side issues:
terested "persons exhibit an increase in proselyting and
A. Are UFO investigators trustworthy? Klass (29) is
continue to hold their views about the prophecies (I2).
more impressi"ve than most detractors of UFO investi" 2. When USA adults perceive a realistic radio angators; he "explains" UFO reports by describing the
nouncement of interplanetary warfare, they exhibit a
circumstances which imply that UFO investigators are
variety of maladaptive and irrational reactions (6).
incompetent or are operating with questionable motives.
3. The Condon Report (University of Colorado UFO
(This approach may be seen as a more sophisticated
Project) went very well (10).
approach than that of ancient kings who, when receiving
4. The Condon Report (University of Colorado UFO
"bad news," would kill the messenger. Now, in modem
Project) went wrong (47).
times, we need not kill the person who reports a UFO
D. Scaling Studies
sighting; we can ridicule the messenger and/or we can
l. A factor analysis study of UFO related attitudes
doubt the interpreter of the message. With either
indicates that there are" nine factors of belief (46).
method, the message can be ignored.) In my experience,
2. A scaling study indicates that there are five stereothe personal and professional integrity of UFO investitypical points of view based on patterns of perceived simigators is high; if they were not men and women of intelarities within ~ sample of 14 UFO reports (47).
grity, UFO investigators probably would turn to other
fields of investigation where the social and professional
* These statements are adapted from a paper presented at a UFO Symrewards are higher and where "knowledge" is more cerposium, sponsored by APRO and the University of Arizona Chapter of
tain.
"
the AIM; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.; November 22-23,1971.

the acceptance of UFO information; hopefully, the Adultlike part in us can process the kinds of questions and
answers which may give rise to further exploration and
further evaluation.
One way to approach these levels of doubt is to present some statements which may be viewed as empirical
descriptions or may be viewed as possible hypotheses
about UFO percipients. The statementsarelooselycategorized on the basis of the type of study from which the
evidence and/or hypothesis was obtained~ *

PURSUIT Fall 1977

114

B. Are the UFO experiences "normal" delusions? If

UFO experiences are delusions - which are experienced by "normal" persons - then perhaps we can minimize the significance of the experiences; e.g., the "bad
dreams" of childhood and the "puppy love" of adolescence are seen by some adults as "normal" experiences
within the process of maturation. However, we can view
these childhood and adolescent experiences as "normal"
only if we can "look back" at them, from a higher stage of
development. If UFO experiences are "normal" experiences, what is the "higher" level of understanding?
If UFO percipients are "puppets," then they are being
manipulated by intelligent forces or beings which have
developed to a level which is'difficult, at present, for us"to
understand. On the other hand, if UFO percipients are
"prophets," dare we ignore their messages? UFO percipients may be neither puppets nor prophets; however,
the consequence of accepting their stories as "real" is a
revision of the contemporary view of "science" and "religion."
If we ask ourselves "What is the meaning of the UFO
phenomenon?" we obtain a bewildering array of answers;
however, if we ask ourselves "What is the meaning of this
specific UFO experience to this specific UFO percipient?" then we may be able to obtain a more specific
answer. For many years, Keel (26) has urged the UFO
investigator to find out what the UFO percipient "had for
breakfast," i.e., find out as much as possible about the
UFO percipient. Salisbury (45) points along the same
path with his provocative hypothesis: the UFO is a "display" to the UFO witness. The UFO percipient usually is
able to speak of his or her conviction that something unusual has transpired: a physician discovers that his war
wound has healed; a patrolman is unable to reach for his
gun; an elk hunter sees his bullet stop and fall to the
ground; a bi-racial couple recall the examination of their
bodies; an Episcopalian priest sees four men or beings on
top of a hovering craft; a medical researcher obtains evidence of UFO occupants which "disappears" before his
eyes; etc.
Michel (36) has described the dilem~a of UFO investigators in a recent Letter-to-the Editor of the Flying
Saucer RelJiew:
'
Dear Sir, - The present wave (flap) has now
lasted for a year. With a few chronological and geographical deviations it is occurring in the majority of
the countries of the world. However, in no case
have we been able to secure the absolute definitive
proof that will be capable of convincing everyone.
This is very instructive, regarding what one might
call the programming of the phenomenon. In effect:
1) All we know about the phenomenon shows
that if it "wished" to take place completely unperceived, it could;
2) if therefore it shows itself, this is because it is
programmed to be seen;
3) however, bearing in mind the large number of
cameras and apparatus of all kinds in the world, it is
incompatible with the laws of chance that no irrefutable evidence has ever been obtained. This invisibility simply has to be programmed.
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

I think therefore that from now on we can take as

certain and proven, a programmisation of the phen '
omenon of such a nature that it shall spread
and more as rumour, but that at the same time it'
shall elude the human methods of establiShing
proof, that is to say it eludes science. I think that we
can take it as proven that the phenomenon has its
own camouflage, of such a kind that it goes on ,increasing indefinitely without ever entering into the
field of perception of the dormant culture, in these
eyes of which it will continue nOt to exist. i:: ,Yours sincerely,
Aime Michel
Alpes de Haute Provence,
France

more ,

There is sufficient evidence to convince the UFO wit

ness that something unusual has' been perceived; however, there may be insufficient evidence in the view of the
skeptical person who has not perceived the UFO experience. For example, I am convinced that twice I have seen
a "flying saucer" over Boulder, Colorado, but I ,have no
evidence (except for the verbal statements of the other
witness) which could be used in an attempt to convince
someone else. Herb Schirmer (l0, pp. 389-391) was con
vinced that he experienced UFO sighting, but the Con
don Committee concluded that there was no "ph~ic:al
evidence" of his experience. Carl Higdon of Rawlins,
Wyoming, is convinced that he had a UFO experience,
but scoffers could dismiss his story aboutthe UFOoccu
pant, the smashed bl,lllet, and his statements during the
hypnotic interviews (60). Dr. "X" was convinced that his
old war wound (38) healed after a UFO experience; ~.
ever, scoffers can minimize the message because the
French physician did not attach his name to ,~he report.
Betty and Barney Hill (14) were convinced after the~
notic interviews with Dr. Benjamin Simon t~t UFO
occupants had taken ,them aboard a landed "flying
saucer," released them, and told them that-there wOuld
be no memory of the experience. No physical evidence
was orought back from the experience of the couple,and
their dog, although Betty drew a sketch of a "star map"
which she saw while she was inside the craft. later, Mar
jorie Fish analyzed star configurations and derived a
model which corresponds with the Betty Hill ,Map (66).
Rev. Gill (23), with 37 other witnesses, watched for three
and one-half hours while several UFOs hover:ecl.near
their New Guinea location; he reported that four men or
four beings were walking on top of one of the hovering
objects. Dr. Puharich (42) offers aj9urnal ofthe UFO ex
periences shared by him and Uri Geller- but the "evi
dence" disappears!

UFO RESEARCH:
GAME OR PLAY?
For many years, UFO investigators have attem~ to
view UFO research as a game, i.e., the "~_nie""01
science. Using the appropriate methods of testing hYPotheses, through objective methods of observation and
analysis, UFO investigators assumed, that objective
knowledge about UFO phenomena would continue to
grow through higher and higher stages of reliabUity and

\.
validity. As 'in any other "game" (2), it was assumed that
further activities, following the rules of science, would
lead the investigators to the "payoff": scientific proof of
the existence of "flying saucers."
However, more and more UFO investigators are be
coming aware of the "name of the game" which Michel
(37, p. 68) offered: " ... in Ufology the rule is to think of
everything and. to believe nothing."
If there are few rules in UFO research, or if the rules
are not yet known to us, then we have at least two alter
natives: end our participation in the game of UFO reo
search, or to continue participation in UFO research in hopes that the rules can be discovered!
In my opinion, it would be unwise to choose the alter
native of ending the game; much evidence is available
that many strange events are occurring in the world
around us. On the other hand, total reliance upon traditional approaches of natural science may not be the only
path to follow for better answers to our questions. Per
haps we may be forced to "play" - instead of "work" at
UFO research. As Greenwald (18) points out in his
charming essay entitled "Play Therapy for Children Over
Twenty-One ":
Perhaps the most important distinction between
play and games is that a game is entered into for the
purpose of winning. Games are therefore by their
very essence competitive and aggressive.
Play on the other hand is by its very nature crea
tive. One of my teachers once defined art as "con
centrated play." ... As consultant to several industrial and commercial firms, I have noted that often
the executives who managed to maintain their
humor and to treat work like play were more productive, more creative, and generally more efficient
than the grim, serious, hard-driven and harddriving, ulcer-ridden types that one expects to be
efficient.
It is through play \hat animals and primitive
people train their you~ for the tasks of living. Play
is a way of being in the world, a way of coping with
the absurdities of the human condition.
I like Greenwald's term: "concentrated play."! am reminded of Don Juan (7), who views the life style of a man
of knowledge as "controlled folly" - acting as if his
choices and actions are significant, as if his folly in life is
under control; so when he fulfills his acts, he can retreat
in peace. Also, I am reminded of the term "responsible
play," described by Seth through the voice of "his"
medium (43, p. 36): "On the one hand you take life too
seriously, and on the other, you do not take playful exis
tence seriously enough."
I wish to take a moment. to dedicate these thoughts to
Ken Steinmetz, an amateur astronomer and, in my opinion, a professional UFO investigator. However, Ken
might have wished to be called an amateur UFO investigator: a louer of UFO research! Yes, he was! He willingly followed the rules of scientific observation, analysis, and sharing of results; however, he enjoyed life and
people and he took a playful attitude toward the UFO
phenomena. I believe that he was the person who coined
the term DML: Damn Meandering Lights!! His death
could not make me feel sorrow for him, because he had

115

dedicated his talents to the "game" and "play" of UFO reo

search and he had enjoyed his activities; I can only feel
sorry for the rest of us because we have lost his wit and
wisdom. Nevertheless, I believe that we can learn to be
"OK" (20) by following Ken's example of playfulness.
We can ask ourselves: If the "old" science is insufficient to prove the existence of "flying saucers," can we
develop a "new science (30) for UFO research? Perhaps
we are operating with constructs which are insufficient
for the phenomena being observed. Kelly (27) points out
that we operate within the natural sciences upon the con
struct or notion that the "object" will tell us what we wish
to know about its existence: the object's structure, density, color, hei'ght, width, depth, temperature, etc. However, in the social sciences, the viewpoint shifts from the
"object" to the "subject" for investigation: What if an
acquaintance says to me, "Leo, your left boot is schizophrenic." How do I investigate the matter to obtain more
information? If I look at my boot, I may not obtain much
information which can be used to test the hypothesis.
However, if I look toward my acquaintance, I can ask,
"What is it about you, my friend, which influences you to
tell me that my left boot is schizophrenic?" If my acquain
tance is willing to participate in the investigation, I now
have an opportunity to learn more about his or her "personal construct": "Leo's left boot is schizophrenic."
In a similar vein, our tentative conclusion, that present
UFO evidence. is insufficient for "proof" of the UFO
phenomenon, may lead us as serious UFO investigators
to renew our efforts: we must get that photograph, that
radar sighting, that landing site, that case of multiple wit
nesses, etc., that. one good UFO report which will prove
the existence of "flying saucers."
Or, as playful UFO investigators, we might ask our
selves, "What if we shall never obtain sufficient evidence
to prove the existence of "flying saucers"? If that were the
situation, are we faced with a problem or are we faced
with a predicament?

OUR PRESENT PREDICAMENT

AND OUR FUTURE PROBLEM
In the field o(psychotherapy, there is a notion which
goes like this: if a client for psychological counseling services is experiencing some conflict in his or her daily liv
ing, then he or 'she also may experience a similar diffi
culty in resolving that conflict. For example, an angry per
son may appr9.~ch the psychotherapeutic session in
anger: "Dammit! What good is it going to do if we just sit
around and talk?" Or the person with selfpity may
approach the counseling session in a hopeless manner: "I
don't suppose you can help me; what's the use in try
."
ing?"
However, with patience and skill, the psychotherapist
can assist the client to discover, within himself or herself,
the paradox of selfunderstanding: "Before I can change
to a future behavior pattern, I first must recognize my
present behavior pattern." For example, if I wish to
change to a more friendly and cooperative behavior pat
tern, I first must recognize my self-anger and hostility. If I
wish to change to a more courageous or assertive be
havior pattern, I first must recognize my present pattern
of self pity and hopelessness.
PURSUIT

Fa1l1977

, ._ _. .I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

~--~I~------------~----------~-.--~.-----~
116

Often, the recognition:'of a present pattern of behavior gradually learn to build our' own "flying saucers .... theri we
can be enhanced if the question is asked: "Is the situation
can 'come into con~act with UFO occupants -,Space
a problem or a predicament?" A problem can be reBrothers-as peers or, ~s. e,quals. ,Then, Earthlings 'can
solved; a predicament tth.ist be tolerated -.:... or enjoyed!
share knowledge with representatives of other civilizaBy recognizing the total situation as a predicament, an
tions, as they share th~ir knowledge with Earthlings. '
individual may be able to redefine an aspect of the situaThere is another ~peculation, of course: the possihility
tion as the problem. For t!xainple, a student-client may
that the Earth may be a puny pawn in a gigantic galactic
come to recognize that the relationsliip w'ith his perfecstruggle; however, if that be 'so, we shall have leSs to say
tionistic parents is a predicament; nof.aproblem. There about the destiny of the Earth than is presently possible.
may be nothing he can do to change ."their attitudes and
(Sory1et.imes the writer permits himself a daydream: What
values; there may be nothing he can do which will please if some governments of the Earth believe that UFO phenthem. In attempting to see his situation as a "problem," omena, are indications that the Earth is going 'to be '
he believes that he can find a solution 'or find 'a way to attacked by someial~n'space civilization; what if nations
please them;"if he fails, he may become arixious or frusof the Earth gradually are being ar!1led, 1;lnder the guise of
trated in his attempts. In extreme situations, he may be international rivalry, in order to prepare for the "invaso filled with self pity and self-anger that'he may seek ex- sion" from outer space?) ,
In a more optimistic speculation, one could argUe in the
treme solutions, such as the self-pity of alcoholism or the
self-anger of suicide. However, if he recognizes that the following manner: Perhaps the UFO representatives are
relationship with his parents is a predicament, then he here to help us learn more about ourselves and our relamay be able to redefine his problem: "OK, so my folks ex- tionship to the world around us.' Wilbur Smith (54, p. 7)
pect more of me than I can produce; they always have ex- claimed to have received data from beings who are more
pected too much. Let's face it! They always shall expect intelligent than humans; their definition of Science was
too much. So why 'fight it'? I'll never ,Qe able to please given as follows: "Science is the relationship of Beings to
them, no matter what I do. The main question is: what the Universe in which they exist." Is this statement a gen;
'payoff' do I get from my game ot.'See What You Made eral definition of "religion" as well as "science"?"
Me Do'? Why don't I 'accept my parents as they are and
I do not know how the problem - or answers - of
stop trying to teach them a lesson?" ' '
UFO research will be viewed during the next 30 years.
Now, the student can give 'himself "permission" to be- The present path, however, seems to be directed toward
come free from his obsession: his belief-that he must find an integration of physical "sciences" and "spiritual,
a "perfect" solution to his difficulty,of dealing with perfec sciences." Perhaps our next step - for a variety of
tionistic parents. The,acceptance of the predicament can reasons - is to learn "how to pray." Perhaps our meditalead to a more appropriate approach to, his "real prob- tions can assist us as UFO investigators to create better
lem": how to handle his own life in a.more rational and models of UFO propulsion and UF.O occupants, as well
more satisfying manner.
as better models of our relationship with the Universe in
In a similar vein, we can ask ourselves: "If UFO phen- which we live. Perhaps we can continue to be "serious" in
omena continue to be perceived by individuals, who are , our investigations and observations, but "playful" in our
unable to present proof of their experience, should we hunches and hypotheses. Perhaps our present predicaaccept our situation as a predicament? If so, then'loVe ment - insufficient evidence for proof of UFO phenmust learn to tolerate - and to enjoy? - our situation. omena - may help us to become more resPonsive to the
Now, let us reexamine the question: ~hat is the problem , 'future problem - sufficient belief in our capacity to grow
of UFO research?"
, ..
in our own self-understanding and to develop better relaAt this point, the reader may be saying to himself or tionships with all other levels of life. whether these levels
herself: "After all these words?!? Finally, the writer is be "physical," "biological," "psycho-social," or "spirigoing to tell us his view of the problem??" Alas, the writer tual" ,existence,
On that day when Earthlings discover the meaning of '
has nothing to offer except hunches' qr speculations!
Once again, the reader is asked to consider the prob UFO phenomena, I wonder what kind of day it will be:
lem of the client who seeks psychological counseling, or "Doomsday"? "Judgment Day"?' Or merely another
the patient who seeks psychiatric treatment: if the coun- "Working, Day" in 'the continuing creation of the Uniselee depends exclusively upon the counselor for direc- verse?
tion, he may become child like and d~pendent; if he deSUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
pends exclusively upon himself, he may continue to exThe status of UFO evidence is a deluge, not a deluhibit maladaptive and inefficient behavjor. Thus, he must
come to depend upon the relationship, the verbal and sion. The chara'cteristics of UFO percipients show a wide;
non-verbal communication and the interaction between range of age, education, occu~tion, and cultural backcounselor and client, which can lead the client to accept grqunds; however, the evidence does not support the
. the present predicament and to recognize the future hypothesis that UFO reports are submitted only by persons who are experiencing psychopathological ,reacproblem, so that change~ in behavior can be reinforced.
I speculate that the UFO problem is as simple - or as tions.'
The testimony of UFO witnesses indicates' that they
complex - as the problem of seeking "responsible independence" as Earthlings. If we learn, t,oo soon, of the pur- are convinced of the reality of their UFO experiences; ,
poses and powers of UFO occupants: we may react with however, "traditional" scientific methods do not provide
child-like fear of their purposes or child-like dependence ,evidence which is considered to be "proof" of the exisupon their powers. If, on the other hand, we Earthlings tence of UFO phenomena. Thus, we are faced ':'lith furI

PURSUIT Fall 1977

117

tiler questions: are UFO percipients "chosen" to witness

UFO .phenomena? Are they puppets? Are they
prophets?
.
The evidence is insufficient,'at"present, to determine if
UFO 'observers are puppets or prophets. However, the
paradox of UFO evidence suggests that UFO investiga
tors may continue to be frustrated in their attempts to
"prove" the existence of flying saucers. Instead of viewing UFO research only as a "game" (with rules and payoff), UFO investigators also are encouraged to consider

UFO research as "play" (creative hunches). With addi

tional hypotheses, we can consider the "predicament"
and the "problem" of UFO research: the present difficulty of obtaining proof of UFO events may help us to
focus on the future problem of integrating our knowledge at all levels of existence.
May the results of our efforts approximate the extent
of our challenge.
.

~--------------------------REFERENCES--------------------------~

(1) APRO Bulletin. Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, 3910 East Kleindale Road, Tucson, AZ 85712. (Co-founders:

Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Lorenzen.) (2) Berne, E. Games People Play. NY: Grove Press, 1964. (3) Bowen, C. "Strangers About
The House," Flying Saucer Review, 1968,14, No.5, 1012. (4) Bowen, C. (Ed.) "Beyond Condon ... North American Report
on Recent UFO Cases and Research." (Special Issue No. 2),FlyingSaucerReuiew, 1969,172. (a) (5) Bowen, C. (Ed.)"UFO
Percipients," (Special Edition No.3), Flying Saucer Review, 1969,144. (b) (6) Cantril, H. The Invasion/rom Mars: Princeton
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identijied Flying Objects. NY: Bantam Books (YZ4747), 1969. P. 4, and Pp. 389391.
(11) Edwards, P. M. H. "UFOs and ESP," Flying Saucer Review, 1970,16, No.6, 1820. (12) Festinger,L.,Riecken,H. W.,
and Schachter, S. When Prophecy Fails. NY: Harper Torchbook (TB 1132), 1956. (13) Flyi:-rp S":ucer Review. FSR Publica
tions, Ltd" P. O. Box 25, Baret, Herts, ENS 2NR, ENGLAND. (14) Fuller, J. Th~ int(!". '!;lted Journey. NY: Dial,
1966. (15) Gallup, G. "II Pct. of Americans Have Seen UFOs," Denver Post, Nov. ~::. : )7:~, p. :-'8. (16) Gallup, G. "More
Than 5 Million Americans Claim to Have Seen 'Flying Saucers. '" Gallup Poll, Princeton . ".~ .') :A::,. ..:. ;66. (17) Gallup, G. "Life
in Space, 53 Pct. Believe." American Institute of Public Opinion, 1971. (The Denuer 7 '';i. !:1.j,. -,: 1971, p.9). (18) Green
wald, H. "Play Therapy for Children Over Twentyone," Psychotherapy: Theory, Res: ',): ,.', ... ;:~ ;'ractice. Feb. 1967,4, No.1,
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Guide to Transactional Analysis. NY: Harper and Row, 1967.
(21) Hynek, J. A. Statement of Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Scientific Consultant to the Air Forc., \(, Unidentified Flying Objects: Heur
ing by Committee on Armed Services 0/ the House 0/ Representatives, Eightyninth Congr'ess, 2nd Session, AprilS, 1968. Pp.
60066008 .. (22) Hynek, J. A. 'Twentyone years of UFO reports," No.1, Flying Saucer Review, 1970,16,35, arid 1970,16,
No.2, 68, 22. (23) Hynek, J. A. The UFO Experience. Chicago: Henry Regnery Co., 1972. (24) Jacobs, M. The UFO
Controversy in America. Indiana University Press, 1974. (25) Keel, J. A. Ufological Poll- Preliminary Report #2. Personal
communication, March 6, 1969. (26) Keel, J. A. The Mothman Prophecies. NY: E. P. Dutton (Saturday Review Press),
1975. (27) Kelly, G. A. A Theory of Personality: The Psychology of Personal Constructs. NY: W. W. Norton,
1963. (28) Keyhoe, D. E. Aliens from Space: The Real Story of UFOs. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1973. (29) Klass, P. J.
UFOs Explained. NY: Random House, 1974. (30) Kuhn, T. S. The Structure 0/ Scientific Revolutions. University of Chicago
Press, 1962.
.
(31) Lee, Aldora. "Public Attitudes Toward UFO Phenomena" (Chapter 7), in Condon, E. U. and Gillmor, D. S. (Eds.) Scien
tific Study of Uniaentified Flying Objects. NY: Bantam Books (YZ4747), 1969. Pp. 209243. (32) Lore, G. I. R., Jr., and
Deneault, H. H., Fr. Mysteries of the Skies: UFOs in Perspective. Englewood Cliffs, NY: PrenticeHall, 1968, Chapter Four,
"Astronomers and UFOs." Pp. 4959. (33) Lorenzen, Coral and Jim. UFOs: The Whole Story. NY: Signet Book,
1969. (34) McDonald, J. W. Prepared statement on UFOs. In Roush, J. E. (Ed.) Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects:
Heorings beJore the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Astronautics, July 29, 1968. (No.7) Clearing
House for Federal Scientific and Technicallnformation, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22151 (PB 179541, $3.00). Pp. 18
SS. (35) McCampbell, J. M. Ufo/ogy: New Insights from Science and Common Sense. Jaymac Co. (12 Bryce Court, Bel
mont, CA 94002), 1973. (36) Michel, A. A letter regarding the programming of the UFO phenomenon. "Mail Bag," FIYlilg
Saucer Reuiew," 1974,20, No.3, P. 2M. (37) Michel, A. The problem of noncontact.ln Bowen, C. (Ed.) '"The Humanoids,"
Flying Saucer Review, Special Issue No.1, OctoberNovember 1966. Pp. 6770. (38) Michel, A. "The Strange Case of Dr.
."X "." Special Issue No.3, Flying Saucer Review, AugustSeptember 1969,310. (39) MUFON, Mutual UFO Network, /rIC.
40 Christopher Court, Quincy, IL 62301. (Director: Walter H. Andrus, Jr.) (40) NlCAP: The UFO Investigator. National
Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, Suite 23, 3535 University Blvd. West, Kensington, MD 20795. (Editor: Stuart
Nixon.)

0:

(41) Olmos, V. J. 8., and Vallee, J. "Type I Phenomena in Spain and Portugal: A study of 100 Iberic landings," in Clark, Jose
phine. DA 7A NET, 1971, V,S, 27 28. (42) Puharich, A. Uri: A Journal 0/ the Mystery of Uri Geller. Garden City, NY: Double
day and Co. (Anchor Pressf, 1974. (43) Roberts, Jane. Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity 0/ the Soul. NY: Bantam Book,
1974. (44) Ruppeit, E. J. The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Co., 1956. Pp. 209
225. (45) Salisbury,
F. B. The Utah UFO display. Old Greenwich, CN: DevinAdair Co., 1974. (46)
. . .
. Saunders, D. R. Fac
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

118
....!

,,

tor Analysis of UFOrelated attitudes. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1968,27, 12071208. (47) Saunders, DR, and Harkins':
R. R UFOs! Yes! Where the Condon Committee Went Wrong. NY: Signet Books (Q3754), 1968. (48) Saund.ers, D. R., and .
Van Arsdale, P. Points of view. about UFOs: a multidimensional scaling study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1968,27, '12'19 .
1238. (49) Schwarz, B. E. "UFOs: Delusion or Dilemma?" Medical Times, October 1968, 96, No. 10. Pp. 967
981. (50) Schwarz, B. E. "UFO Occupants: Fact or Fantasy?" Flying Saucer Review, 1969, 15, No.5, Pp.:"1418.
(51) Schwarz, B. E. "Possible UFOlnduced Temporary Paralysis," Flying Saucer Review, 1971. 17, No.2, Pp. 49.
(a) (52) Schwarz, B. E. "The Fort Monmouth Landing." Flying Saucer Review, 1971,17, No.3, 2127. (b) (53) Shepard, R.
N. Some psychologically oriented techniques for the scientific investigation of unidentified aerial phenomena. In Roush, J. E.
(Ed.) .symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects. Hearings before the House (No.7) Clearing House for Federal Scientific and
Technical Information, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22151 (PB 179541, $3.00). Pp. 223235. (54) $mith, W. B. The
New.science. Canada: FennGraphic Publishing Co., 1964. P. 7. (55) Sprinkle, R. L. Psychological implications in the inves
tigation ul UfO reports. In Lorenzen, L. J. and Coral E. Flying Saucer Occupants. NY: A Signet Book, 1967. Pp. 160
186. (56) Sprinkle, R. L. Symposium qn Unidentified Flying Objects. Hearings before the U.S. House of Representatives
Commillee on Science and Astronautics, July 29,1968. (No.7) ClearingHouse for Federal Scientific and Technicallnforma
tion, 52HS Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22151. (PB 179541, $3.00). (57) Sprinkle, R. L. Personal and scientific attitudes: a
study of persons interested in UFO reports. In Bowen, C. '.:Beyond Condon," Flying Saucer Review, Special Issue No.2, June
1969. Pp. 610. (a) (58) Sprinkle, R. L. Some uses of hypnosis in UFO research. "UFO Percipients," Special Issue No.3, Fly
ing ,saucer Review, September 1969. Pp .. 1719. (b) (59) Sprinkle, R. L. "Hypnotic and Psychic Implications in the Investiga .
tion of UfO Reports." Unpublished manuscript, 1970. (60) Sprinkle, R. L. "Investigation of the UFO Experience of Carl Hig
don." To be summarized in the APRO Bulletin, 1975. (61) Vallee, J. The pattern behind the UFO landings. The Humanoids,
(Special Issue No.1) Flying Saucer Revie.w, 1966,827. (62) Vallee, J. "Analysis of 8,260 UFO Sightings." Flying Saucer Re
view, 1%8,14, No.3, 911. (63) Vallee..J. "UFO Activity in Relation to NightOfTheWeek."Flying SaucerReview, 1971,17.
Nq. 3, 810. (64) Vallee, J., and Vallee;~anine. Challenge to Science: the UFO Enigma. NY: Ace Book, 1966. (65) Warren,
D. I. "Status Inconsistency Theory and Flying Saucer Sightings." Science, 6 November 1970,599603 .. (66) Webb, W. N. An
AnalYSIS of the Fish Model. APRO Bulletin. SeptemberOctober 1974,23, No.2, 89; NovemberDecember 1974,23. No.3, 3
7. (67) Yuung, R F. A summary of the ALEXCO report. Personal communication, November 11, 1971.

CAN SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS HELP?

by John A. Keel'
When Sir Martin Ryle. and his team of radioastron
omers first detected radio signals from pulsars in 1967
they held an excited debate among.themselves. Initially
they speculated they had intercepted <la. navigational bea
con, fashioned by an extraterrestrial race" and they wor
ried about what"course to take. Should they tell the press
or the government ("No, the news might seep out and
create a public panic of a Warofthe-Worlds type," Professor Hewish later said), or send a note to Nature? Fortunately, they decided to keep their discovery a secret
and soon found that the signals were natural in origin
rather than technological.
But the lesson from this episode is clear. If any scientist anywhere should ever actually stumble upon genuine
evidence of an extraterrestrial civilization he would, in all
likelihood, keep his finding a secret. Ufologists would be
among the last to know. the scientist would check and
recheck his discovery, perhaps for years, and eventually
enlist the aid of a few trusted colleagues. In time he might
publish an obscure 'and obtuse paper reducing -the event
to a few mathematical formulae. Then he would become
the center of a controversy, even risking whatever reputation he might have. For science is dominated byegotistica'l administrators, and, alas, outright crackpots.
Science is more an application of the known than a pursuit of the unknown. Charles Fort's barbed criticisms of
the scientific establishment of his day still hold true. So
true we can seriously question the usefulness of scientists in a study of the UFO phenomenon. Chances are if a
large number of established scientists became embroiled
PURSUIT Fall1977

in UFO research they would generate more controversy

and personality conflicts than any of our hardcore ama~
teur UFO groups. We already have some outstanding examples.
.
The scientists and scholars organized by Colorado
University into the Condon Committee very quickly
polarized into two conflicting groups. Within a year they
had lost sight of their contracted,for goal and were. engaged in hopeless in-fighting which ultimately destroyed
. the whole purpose and worth of the Colorado UFO project. Two outside scientists, the late Dr. James McDonald and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, later devoted incredible
effort to discredit the Condon project. Others, notably
Philip Klass, an aerospace writer, labored unduly to
attack and discredit McDonald and HynE;!k. Dr. Me-, .
Donald spent his last days painstakingly re-investigating
cases listed in the Condon Report while Dr . Hynek-used a
large part of his long-awaited book to rehash the whole
Colorado mess. Dr. Condon, whose scientific reputation far outweighed that of Hynek and McDonald combined, got in a few licks of his own in his speeches and.
public statements. The whole affair developed into a
bitter and largely pointless conflict comparable to Major
Keyhoe's campaign against George Adamski in the
1950s.
Similar discord had occurred in the U.S. Air Force in
the 1947-55 period, just as the various amateur. UF'O
organizations and publications 'splintered into dozens of
factions, all antagonistic to one another. These battles
have kept UFO research in the U.S. in a state of Paralysis.
My first encounter with the scientific community came

119

in t,he mid-l95Os when archaeology was one of my chief

interests. I met, interviewed and befriended a number of
prominent archaeologists and Egyptologists, and was
soon concerned over their conflicting interpretations of
basic facts and the rather silly feuds and controversies in
which they were entangled. later, I discovered these
same problems permeated every scientific discipline.
As a science editor for Funk & Wagnalls, a large publisher of encyclopedias, one of my tasks was to edit the
contributions of scientists. The company called upon
leaders in every field to contribute to their books. Only
top-ranking physicists, chemists, astronomers, etc. were
asked ..to submit articles. I was frequently appalled and
frustrated by the overall quality of the papers submitted
by these distinguished savants. Many bordered on illiteracy. When I tried to find a genuine expert on meteors I
found that astronomers were just as weird, confused and
egocentric as archaeologists. After a :go-round with
nuclear physicists from the Atomic Energy Commission I
began to question their maturity, too. (Indeed, the history
of the development of the 'atomic bomb graphically iUustrates the naivete and philosophical confusion of the men
who engineered that feat.)
,
More recently, I spent a year in Washington, D.C. as a
special consultant, to a large government agency primarily concerned with medical and psychological problems. There I had daily encounters with all kinds of
doctors, 'psychiatrists, radiologists and other assorted
scientists. So my personal experiences with science and
scientists are both broad and detailed.
Early in my UFO research I openly questioned the government's practice of calling upon astronomers such as
Dr. Carl Sagan for, UFO consultations when the problem
seemed to be largely a military and legal one, rather than
an astronomical one. If the UFOs were, in fact, manufactured vehicles, they were openly violating our air space (a
military problem), landing illegally in farm fields (a problem for the Federal Aeronautic Administration), and
openly harassing citizens by pursuing automobiles, etc.
(a problem of law violation ... the province of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation). Obviously, none of these
agencies were really concerned with the subject and the
Air Force effort was largely a public relations ploy.
Apparently the government decided in the early 19505
not to take UFOs seriously on a public level. Instead of
building' a small 'task force of qualified investigators intelligence personnel,' psychologists and scientists
trained to interview people in depth - the government
established Ad Hoc committees of astonomers and interested laymen; an approach that could only lead to negative results. Even then, no UFO event was investigated
as thoroughly and as systematically as a routine meteor
shower or the discovery of a bit of bone in an old tar pit.
, Dr. Hynek was clearly aware of this and frequently
stated in interviews that UFO events should be given the
"FBI treatment." The FBI was, in fact, peripherally involved in a few UFO investigations but when I asked to
review the FBI's UFO files in 1967 I was told no such files
existed.
Of course, the UFO buffs had specuJcited for years that
the gO\;ernment was hiding some "truth" from the public,
assuming that if any real proof was ever found the Air

Force would keep it as secret as Sir Martin's pulsar

signals. Yet, knowing how the government operates and
being on intimate terms with many top officials, I found it
puzzling that there wasn't even any real rumor of such a
discovery (outside the wild ramblings of the' ufological
press).
The big question is: if we enlist the aid of modern
science in UFO research what kind of scientists do we
approach? Dr. Hynek has been talking about his "Invisible College" of scientists for many years now. Very few
members of this body have surfaced. We have had more
than our share of astronomers and exo-biologists pontificating on the probabilities of life existing elsewhere in the
universe. But that has little, if anything, to do with the real
UFO problem. The real problem, as Dr. Hynek himself
keeps stating, is to study the people who have these experiences. That is the logical first step' to a real UFO
investigation. Once.we have established that our major
UFO events are aaused by an outside stimulus we can
proceed to the second step ... the study and interpretation of that stimulus.
The problem thus becomes identical to the problem
faced by parapsychologists and psychic investigators.
Ufology becomes a'~havioral study. When I first pointed
this out in FSR IlA!as subjected to the animosity of many
UFO groups because it was a radical departure from the
unproven and unproveable, but always popular, extra
terrestrial hypothesis.
If Ufology succeeds in attracting larger numbers of
scientists to the fold what can we really expect?
First of all, the subject offers no profit, not even an
opportunity to win a large government grant, so few, if
any, major scientists will be interested. More than any
other group, scientists are very concerned with publicity. The right kind of publicity can lead to fame, fortune
and the Nobel Prize. But being associated with any fringe
subject can be very detrimental to a scientific career.
(Even my own career as a professional writer has suffered greatly because of my connection with UFOs.)
Ironically, Dr. Condon was the most prominent scientist to enter the UFO fray in these 25 years. But he was an
exception in many ways, since he had also lent his name
to many unpopular causes. He became the subject of so
much abuse and ridicule that he was forced to become
very negative and defensive soon after the Condon Com
mittee got underway. Other leading scientists will see him
as an example and will avoid the subject, not wishing to
repeat his experience.
This will leave Ufology with a cadre of scientific secondstringers for some time to come. Some of them will see
Ufology as a means for gaining publicity and promoting a
flagging career (although such publicity will have an
opposite effect ... as they will soon discover). Others,
those with the fewest qualifications for dealing with the
many hidden problems in UFO events, will blunder into
the field and serve only to add to the confusion and
controversy. The petty arguments of the UFO journals
are already spreading to some of the scientific journals,
Phil Klass denounced the Socorro, N.M. landing as a
stunt to promote tourism. Dr. Hynek found Socorro so
baffling (after 17 years as a UFO consultant!) he asked
the Air Force if the object wasn't really a secret test vePURSUIT Fall 1977
'~

120

hicle. New scientists lured into Ufology will have to start

from scratch since even at this late date very little scientific data has been published on the subject. They will
have to go through all the bewilderment and theorizing of
the newcomers to the amateur scene. They will have to
learn to separate obvious psychic phenomena from possible UFO phenomena, and often the line is so fine it is
almost indiscernible.
" Every scientist who dares to enter the UFO field will
have enemies who will delightedly attack him and his new

interest at every opportunity. If he does come up with

some important new piece of evidence, he may sit on it
for years - or forever.
"
The pitfalls far outweigh the slender advantages in becoming a scientific ufologist. And the scientific community is capable of generating more controversy, nonsense and vituperation than the UFO organizations ever
dreamed of.

BIGFOOT SIGHTING
by Milton LaSalle
On August 10, 1976, Dennis S~i't"h and Jimmy Slate
spent the night at the home of their friend, Kevin Best,
whose house is located on Overlook Drive just outside
Watertown, New York. Dennis and Jimmy decided they
would try to stay up all night, but their friend Kevin, who
didn't like the idea too well, went to bed along with the
rest of his family.
Between 5:00 and 5:15 a.m. the following morning,
Dennis and Jimmy decided to walk "down the road. The
sun was just coming up and there was plenty of light available to see what was going on. They walked down the
road talking, then paused to observe the morning. As
they did so, they became aware of strange noises coming
from a Hbushy section" down behind the neighbor's
house. The "bushy section" extended back for about two
miles along Rf 12. At this point, they couldn't decide
whether or not to walk back along the road to see if they
could discover anything. They were "sort of frightened"
by the sounds they were now hearing, which seemed to
be made by someone or something pounding loudly on a
log or tree of some sort; they also could hear "shrieking
screams" from the same area. The"two boys remained
where they were for about 15 to 20 minutes listening curiously; they were not curious enough, however, to continue on in order to see what was making the sounds.
Returning instead to Kevin's house the way they had
come, they could still hear the noise; so they sat on the
well by the back door of the house,liStening carefully, trying to determine the source. Dennis, hearing the mercury vapor light click off, looked at his watch to see that it
was now 5:45 a.m. They decided to"walk back out to the
road to watch the sun rising over the upper State Street
Hill. As they stood watching Dennis happened to glance
down the road, where he saw, approximately 2 city
blocks away, a huge black er~ct object. Dennis hollered
'Look at that!" to Jimmy. As he did so the "thing," whatever it was, turned around in a complete circle, looked at
them, and began running at high speed (on its hind legs
only) in the opposite direction from where Dennis and
Jimmy stood watching. (As it turned to run, the boys
could see that the animal was apparently entirely covered
with hair - even the face.) Dennis and Jimmy, scared,
didn't know what to think. Their first reaction was to
head back to Kevin's house, but they decided to walk up
the road a little way instead.
PURSUIT Fa1l1977

Being curious and scared, they had not yet discussed

between them what they had seen. As their fright wore
off, they decided to tell "Kevin about it, and headed back in
the direction of the house, finally discussing their exper.
ience on the way:
Kevin, awakened from his sleep by the story, thought
they had had a nightmare, but as his sleep wore off he
could see that they were both still a little scared. All three
of the boys went into the kitchen to discuss the incident.
As they talked, Dennis and Jim felt Kevin should awaken
his father so that they could tell him about it. While Kevin
went to wake his father, Dennis and Jim stood talking by
the back door. As they did so they were surprised to see a
black, heavily-built, hairy creature, about 8' high with
very wide shoulders walking rapidly through the open
field near where they had first heard the noises. Although it was only in sight for a.few seconds, they had the
presence of mind this time to yell for Kevin and his father;
but by the time they joined them the creature was out of
sight. They described everything to Mr. Best, who knew
they weren't making it up because of the fright showing in
their faces, and was convinced. Taking his rifle, he
walked up the road with the boys to where they had first
seen the cr~ature. They could see where something"large
had trampled the grass as the creature came out of an
open field and continued up to the road, where it had
crossed a ditch. There were two. separate tracks, apparH
ently humanoid, but very faint. The tracks were about 15
long, 7" wide, and almost 6' apart between strides.
Dennis and Jim, who knew what they saw, weren't
about to follow the trail. Despite his rifle, Mr. Best hesitated to-follow the trail alone, so they stayed close to the
road. They found some long hairs on a fence running
along the brushline, and these they brought back to the
house for examination.
Upon returning to the house, Jim called his parents
and told them about the morning's excitement. They
were skeptical at the time and continue to be so.
Dennis didn't do much better with his parents, who are
nevertheless convinced that he saw something, as a result of witnessing his obvious' fear and excitement.
Apparently, they are not thoroughly convinced by the details of his experience.
The boys have told few people about the incident.
Some have believed it. In their own minds, however, both
boys know that they saw something out of the ordinary,
and they feel that what they saw could possibly be a Bigfoot.
"

,""" ..\.

121

"

~ ;~~:~;.:..

....,-

PERSONAL INVESTIGATION
I learned of the event described about a week after it
occurred. Dennis' father is a friend of mine, and knowing
that I had an interest in odd things, approached me in
church that Sunday, mentioning that Dennis had seen
something "rather unusual." Iasked him to have Dennis
contact me.
Dennis called on Wednesday evening. I listened to his
description of the incident and the animal he saw, and I
knew it was worth investigating. Within the hour, accompanied by my wife Jeannie and our friend Brad Smith, I
was at Kevin Best's home on Overlook Drive, where we
met with Dennis, Kevin, and Jim. They showed us where
they had heard the noises and where they had been
standing when they observed the animal.
We went up to the spot where it had emerged onto the
road. There was a quite obvious trail through the brush
and grass, through which a large animal had apparently
passed. No tracks were visible on the shoulder of the
road or in the ditchline, but this didn't surprise me. We
had experienced three days of heavy rain since the sighting, so any tracks in the dirt would certainly have been
obliterated.
As we started to follow the trail back through the
brush, I could see the boys were reluctant to follow; their
nervousness was very apparent, and after accompanying us for about thirty feet they refused to 90 farther.
Brad, Jeannie, and I continued for another hundred feet
or so before turning back: I realized that it was more important to record the boys' account of the experience
than to follow a week old trail.
We qUf,.;tioned them for quite a while that night, even
cross-examining them together and separately to better
ascertain the details of their experience. We found no
contradictions or irregularities in their stories that night
or at any time since. During our talks with the boys, Brad,
. Jeannie and I were all impressed with their apparent sincerity and the still-lingering signs of a fear of whatever it is
they saw.
A few days later Dennis, Jim and Kevin came to my
house to continue our discussion of their experience. I
had noticed, ever since the first time we had talked, a
hesitancy on their part to mention anything about their
account that sounded strange. But now, after they saw I
wasn't going to laugh at them or call them crazy, that
hesitancy disappeared. I have an hour long tape of our
discussions, on which the boys filled in a lot of the gaps
that I had previously felt. As they were leaving, I asked
Dennis to put on paper his version of what had happened. The result was the preceding part of this report.
During the next few weeks, I made several field trips
into the area looking for clear evidence of the existence of
a large animal. On two of these trips I was accompanied
by Brad Smith; once my wife went along. Several times I
went alone. The only physical evidence I could discover
was a number of trails such as would be made by a large
animal in its travels through, the bush. They were too
large to have been made by animals normally found in the
area. They could have been made by a bear, however,
and these have been seen a few times in the area during
previous years.

".:,~,.-:

If Dennis' and Jim's statements are reliable, a bear is

completely ruled out. They described Whit. they saw as
being eight feet tall, brOad~.l?houldez:.ed,witi1i:tapering at
the waist. They also saw a creature running very fast in an
upright position. The description they gave could not depict a bear; and this, of course, also rules out every other
animal known to the area. We'll talk about this more a
little later.
.~ .
I spoke to many of the neighbors; iicalie of them had
seen unusual animals or tracks. But so~of them mentioned hearing strange sounds on few' nIghts, and one
family remembered their dogs acting oddly one night.

It has now been several months' smce the original

sighting, and no more reports have come in. Apparently
whatever Dennis and Jim saw either left the area orjs
keeping well out of sight.

THE LOCATION

,
-;,'"

(ADIRDNDACK
\ MOUNTA INS
7U&HILL
PLATEAU.

". ';OJ: "1

There is an abundance here of rabBits, squirrels, and

other small animals. I have also observed several varieties of berries, as well as considerable other vegetable .
matter, all suitable as a food supply for an omniverous
animal. Enough certainly to
.
animal as
large as a bear or Bigfoot . qUllt~;2Uj~
be a problem for an animal
then we don't know much about what a""I;"f.~~~
the winter. '"
I don't really believe, however, that a'ijigfoot is resident in the woods alongO",erlook : . . ~"Edil<ely, it .
was just passing through.
.' ~~'.:'f..: ..';;;" ....
Let's look at the surrounding regi6ri:
take out a
map of New York State, you'll find Watertown near the

lr9t>u

.Ff.l!;,~.~7~.~::,
",:i;;.:.:::i -- I.'

,-

122 .
eastern tip of Lake Ontario. As you look to the south, you
will find an area that is blank, empty of roads or ~ns.
This is the Tug Hill Plateau, consisting of approximately
eight hundred square miles of forest, and it is less than
twelve miles from Watertown.
Turning your attention eastward of Watertown, yOu'l.
find a vast section which is also empty (or nearly so) of
man's handiwork. The Adirondack Mountains take up
more than nine thousanq square miles of forest, punc
tuated by very beautiful mountain lakes. Th~re are three
roads running east/west through the area; and one that
goes north/south. These present no barrier to wiJdJife,
however, since the forests reach down to the road's edge
on both sides. A twenty-five or thirty foot stretch of black
top is no problem for an animal (as long as .110 cars ~re
passing) wanting to cross. And the tOwns in this area are
small and very far apart.
.
Some people might -thi~k that these places canoet
really be wilderness or "unknown" areas. They must be
filled with hunters every fall? ~utstop to t~in~J~r..a
minute. Ask any hunterwhat distance from the-road he
will frequent while hunting. Very few venture more than
five miles from the nearest road. There is avery gOOd reason for this. An animal killed five miles from a road presents a formidable task - carrying it out to your car or
truck. Even a small deer becomes quite a burden after a
couple of miles. A bear is even worse .. As a rule, then, only
the very outskirts of these areas are hunted.
So it is quite possible tl)at a .Bigfoot could liVe, per-:
,manently, in either theAdirondacks or the Tug Hill section. If he were to follow the Black River out of the
tains toward Watertown, he Would ~ within a mile of
the Overlook Drive area. If he tUrnE!~ away from the river
(when he got near the dam and the city water plant) he
would then pass right through the section where Dennis
and Jim claimed to haue seen one.~froin there he could
either go southeast twenty:five miles to the Adirondacks, or south twelve miles to Tug Hill: In either case he
would not have to leave cover (excep~ to cross roads),
and the roads here are not extensively trave.1ed ~t night.
Under cover of darkness an animal could travel this route
with very little chance of being seEin:
I do firmly believe that if what Jim and Dennis saw .
really was a Bigfoot, it muSt have been traveling a route
similar to the one just described. :
.

rrioun-

THE EVIDENCE
Now that we have the possibility that there tookplace a
genuine sighting of an unknown animal in the area, let's
look at the euidence concerning this particular event. Of
course, the best evidence would be., the body ofa Bigfoot,
dead or alive. We don't have that, ~nfortunately. So let's
see what we do have.
,
,...
.
First we'll look at the sounds'"themSelves. Dennis describes them as "shrieking Screams.... wh~ ..other neighbors spoke of "yells" and "screecJ1es." Similar so~i1ds
have been described the same w~y in B!gfoot rePorts
from all over the country. There' . could, hO\NeVer~ be
another explanation for these sounds. Both bobCats and
lynx have been known to make strange noises at-times.
"

PURSUIT Fa1l1977

'".

And, althQ",gh the conservation department staunchly insists that there are more cougar in the area, there sure
are a lot of people here who will a,rgue (uphill and down)
that they've seen one or more of them. Cougars can
. sCream upa storm when they get going.
. That wasn't the only noise reported, though. Dennis
and Jim heard "someone or something poundir. !o..tdly
on a log or tree of some Sort." Now no amount of imagination could attribute this sound to a bobcat, Iynx,or ..
cougar. No native animal could logically be expected to .
make a noise like this.
: Is there, then, any animal that regularly does make
such a noise? The answer is yes; gorillas often pound
their great fists on a tree trunk or stump, thus producirig a loud drumming sound. This drumming has been ~e
corded in the wild and in captivity. I have seen reports of a
Yeti performing similar actions. There seems to be .no
logical reason why an oversize upright primate shouldn't
have some of the same habits as its smaller cousins; in
fact, it would be surprising if it didn't.
Next, let's c6i1sider .'the trails discernible in the grass
and brush; The fact that the grass was crushed down in a
path up to thirty inches wide speaks of a very large
animal. This grass was as much as three feet tall in.places.
A small animal would have gone through the grass, not
over it. Even a .large dog would have left a smaller trail :
than this one. The area is not conducive to cattle or horse
traffic, .~ we must admit the possibility of a large wild
. animal, having made the trail. If this was the only evidence, we could be led to assume a bear was once again
.. "
traveling through the area.
.
Sut this isn't the only evidence we have. We have
~Ir'eady mention~ the noises that were heard. The only
evidence left to consider now is the statements made by . .
Dennis and Jim themselves. This task.is much harder
than working With physical evidence that can be .
analyzed, weighed, and measured. Since our results here
cannot be pro~n, they will remain as opinions only.
Looking over the accountof the event, I could think of .
only three possibilities: 1) a hoax, 2) a mistake, or 3) the
plain truth. . ,. .
..
I began by assuming that it must be a hoax. I could not
imagine a Bigfoot sighting that close to Watertown. I have .
already explained why I changed my mind about this
impossibility. But that didn't prove it wasn't still a hoax, .
so I questioned the bOys quefully again. As I revieWed
our discussions and their written account of the night's
happenings, Hound myself abandoning the idea of denb- .
erate. fabrication. Their story consistently hung together .
wen, was quite detailed, and seemed not a bit out of place. '.
When showing u.s. the scene of the encounter. they were .. . .
still frightened and uneasy . They are not imaginative
people, and they are not the tyPe to think up and stick to
!iO elaborate a st9ry.
One other thing in~!lenced my decision, and that was
.the fact that the witnesses had not sought publicity. If
they had wanted attention, all they would have needed to
. do would be to telephone the newspaper or the local
radio station. It is certain that if they had done so the area
would have been instantly flooded with "Bigfoot hunters"
ar:td curiosity seel<ers .. What. about the idea of a mistake,
then; could they have seen some large animal, perha~ a

no

123

bear, and let their imaginations run wildly enough to produce a "Bigfoqt" experience? This would explain a lot of
things - even the trails in the grass, but it has some drawbacks. First of all, this was not a quick look at something
in the dark; the sun was coming up and there was plenty
of light to get a very detailed look at the creature.
Secondly, these are not youngsters with overiilctive imaginations. Both witnesses are quite down-to-earth young
men in their late teens. I cannot picture them in their own
minds confusing a bear running across the road with a
giant, upright, hairy ape like being. Nor can I imagine
them both experiencing the same hallucination simultaneously.
But, I was asked, could drugs or alcohol produce such
a vision? I don't see much likelihood of this either, but in
order to be completely fair, I asked the boys about it.
They assured me that there were no drugs or alcohol involved. and that they were absolutely sure that what they
saw was real. By every logical process of which I can conceive, I have to agree.

CONCLUSION
Talking with Dennis and Jim, I have been continually
impressed by their sincerity. I believe they have told me
the truth as they understand it. And I find no logical reason to say that their story is untrue.
If we accept their word, what can we conclude? The
animal they describe is no! officially recognized by
science today. It would be an erect primate, about eight
feet tall, very broad-shouldered, with a tapering at the
waist, and would appear to be covered with short dark
brown or black fur (even on the face); it remains upright,
even when running very quickly. Also, it turned its whole
body, rather than just its head, when it looked around. It
left tracks that were definitely humanoid, though huge.
All these descriptive elements tally with the description of
the animal we call a Bigfoot or Sasquatch.
Surprisingly enough, there have been Bigfoot reports
from Northern New York before. I have discovered at
least three previous incidents. A little public inquiry will
undoubtedly uncover more. Anyone knowing of Bigfoot
stories from New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania,
please feel free to contact me at 571 Jefferson Street,
Watertown, NY 13601. I would also be happy to receive
any hair samples from mammals as per my request in
Pursuit, (Vol. 10, No.1, p. 18).

The above photogr~ph appeared in the April, 1976 issue of

News. Often mistaken for Bigfoot footprints, these are
the tracks or "pugmarks" (in sand) of Ursidae euarctos, the
common black bear. Note the clawmarks (which would be abo
sent in Bigfoot tracks), and the effect of a double imprint of the
forefoot. Among Qther factors which distinguish these tracks
from Bigfoot prin.t~, the prints are very close together - even
closer than the footprints of the booted human feet which
appear in the picture. [Bigfoot News is published monthly. A
year"s subscription may be ordered for $5.00 from Bigfoot
News. ~.U. Box 777, Hood River, Oregon 97031. -Editor.]

BigJoOI

PURSUIT Fall 1977

124

:THE WANTAGE EVENT

by S. N. Mayne
During the past year, alleged Bigfoot sightings in New
J.ersey have been increasing steadily:. Although we have
not had adequate time to fully .document many of the
sightings, more and more reports nevertheless keep
coming in. Because the following r~port has received
widespread publicity, a number of the statements made
concerning the events have been err.oneous ones. Since
SITU was directly involved in the inV4;!stigations; we hQpe
to be able to clarify what actually tqok place.

* *.

...

It all began on Thursday, May 12, 1977 according to the

family of eight living in one of the mqst-remote and rural
sections of Northern New Jersey. Mrs. Sites arose early
as usual, in order to prepare her six children for school. It
was jllst after 6:00 a.m. and she went about her daily
chores, which included putting her two cows out to pas.
ture; but for some reason this day they would not go. As
she attempted to literally push the cows through the gate,
she heard a noise from the swamp (b~hind the farm) that
sounded "like a woman screaming while she was being
killed."
:
Finally succeeding in forcing the cows into the field,
Mrs. Sites locked the gate behind th~m, then continued
on to the barn to care for the nine pet rabbits that were
kept there. As she walked toward the barn, she noticed
that the heavy wooden sliding door had been ripped away
from the frame to which it had bee~ nailed. Inside, she
found seven of the nine rabbits dead. They had been reo
moved from their cages, then deliberately placed on top.
Some of the cages had been unhooked, while others were
simply smashed in. In one of the cages which contained
some guinea pigs as well as rabbits, ~he rabbits were reo
moved but the guinea pigs rernainec;i untouched.
One of the rabbits had its head twi~tedoff, another one
its right hind leg (which was left dangling), and two rab
bits (both pregnant) were missing. ~'.There were hardly
any marks on the other five rabbits," Mr. Sites said.
"They just looked fike someone ~queezed them .to
death."
;
The family called the State Police. Upon their arrival
and subsequent investigation of the rabbits, they tl:ten
questioned Mr. Sites, at one point suggesting.that he him
self had killed the rabbits for publidty. Their only other
comment was that, if it wasn't Mr. Sites himself who killed
the rabbits, then it may have been a wild dog or bear. Dis
mayed by the reaction shown by the police, the family de
cided to carry out their own investigation. Mr. Sites dis
covered some broken boards in the outer wall of the
.barn, apparently where the creature had first tried to
claw its way in to get the rabbits. There were several deep
claw marks evident, and whole sections of the boards had
been ripped away.
That same night, at about.9:00 p.m., Mrs. Sites noticed
* Names puulI"heu uy permission 01 witnesses.

PURsurr

Fall19'n

that the baling twine used to close another door to the

barn had been removed (four knots in the twine had been
untied!). The board that had been propped against the
door was found lying on the ground. She informed her
husband that she felt "somebody was around;" where
upon he untied their seventy pound dog and, along with
the rest of the family, went inside the house to observe
the barn from a corner window. It was not long before
they witnessed a creature appear under the mercury
vapor lamp which lights up the "farm yard. The oldest
daughter, age ,sixteen, began screaming immediately.
The entire family observed the creature standing under
the bright light at the corner of a shed. (It was from see
ing thecreature in this position that Mr. Sites estimated
the height to be at least seven feet, the same as the eave
at the corner of the shed,)"
.
"It was big and hairy; it was brown; it looked like a
human with a beard .and mustache; it had no neck; it
looked like its head was just sitting on its shoulders; it had
big red glowing eyes." This is how Mrs. Sites later de
scribed her observations of the creature that night. The
dog went after it. The creature merely swung an arm, and
the dog flew about twenty feet through the air, landed,
rolled over, scrambled to his feet, and ran away (not to reo
turn until the following day). The creature, seemingly un
shaken, casually turned and walked away on its hind legs.
By now the family was extremely upset and nervous.
The next morning, May 13, Mrs. Sites took her six chil.
dren to her mother's house in a nearby town (where they
were to remain several days before returning). That same
night (Friday the 13th coincidentally) Mr. Sites, along
with ~s. Sites, her brother and a friend waited nero
vously for the creature's return. "This time we were
ready for it," Mr. Sites later related. By being 'ready for it'
he meant the four adults had positioned themselves with
guns (a .410 and .12 gauge shotgun and two .22calibre
rifles) at various points so as to surround the barn and
shed.
At about the same time (late dusk) as the previous
night, the creature silently appeared near the same spot
under the mercuryvapor lamp. "At first aliI saw were
these two red eyes staring at me from over there," Mr.
Sites said, pointing to the old shed. Then all four adults
"opened fire" on the creature, which fled into the shed,
with the four adults in pursuit, continuing their fire all the
while. The creature finally broke out through a window in
the shed and stood under a tree by the corner of the
structure with arms outstretched. Mr. Sites, closest to it,
said, '" shot at it three or four times with deer slugs in my
,410 gauge shotgun, and I know I hit it." In response, the
creature growled, Mr. Sites recalled. "I thought the thing
was coming at me." He then fled in the direction of the
house, where he joined the others who had retreated
there after running out of ammunition. The creature
meanwhile turned and ran up th~ hill in the tall grass at

125

the shoulder of the road, finally disappearing into a~

apple orchard. "My husband jumped into his pickup
truck and tried to chase it, but the thing ran into the fields
and disappeared," Mrs. Sites said. The next day, Satur
day, May 14, the family and friends searched the area, but
were unable to find any blood or other signs to indicate
the creature had been struck and wounded by gunfire.
(Editor's note: SITU does not advocate the shooting of a
Bigfoat/ Sasquatch creature. Mr. Sites, although he feels
his action of shooting at the animal was a natural one
under the circumstances, has not attempted to sh~ot the
creature since.)
The family originally was reluctant to talk about the
events, but a relative who was disgruntled over the official
reaction (or lack of reaction) to the whole episode de
cided to tell everything to a reporter, thus originating o~e
of the best multiplewitnessed "monster" tales to come
out of New Jersey in some time.

SITU INVESTIGATES
R. Martin Wolf and this writer (who comprised the pre
liminary investigative team) arrived early in the evening of
Tuesday, May 17 to interview Mrs. Sites and her family.
Upon questioning them, we were impressed with their
apparent sincerity. We could find no evidence, after a
thorough cross-examination, of obvious or intended deceit on their part. After discussing the detailed events; we
proceeded to search for any possible clues as to the pre
sence of the creature. We looked for footprints, but the
ground, too hard and well trampled by the farm animals,
failed to revealanything. Examining tbe barn and shed,
we observed the deep claw marks on the ~ide of the barn
where the creature had apparently first attempted entry.
Upon a closer examination of the shed .and surrounding
areas we found obvious evidence that bullets had
been fired at the shed and the nearby tree under which
the creature had allegedly.stood.
We proceeded to the area behind the house, approx.mately two hundred yards away, to examine the large
swamp, an area from which Mrs. Sites suspected the
creature had come. Because of the recent dry weather,
we were able to walk through the entire swamp, crisscrossing it again and again in the hopes of finding a possible footprint or other clue. We found nothing there. Returning from the swamp, we also examined the field
above the house. Here we discovered some interesting
areas wh~re th!Z high pasture grass had been flattened,
possibly by some large animal. Within the flattened area,
we found what appeared to be visceral organs of some
mammal. The organs were strung out, with several
clumps of hair scattered about the vicinity, and some
hairs were actually attached to what appeared to be intestines. We collected what we could of the hair - mostly
short, one to two inch 100;g, brown specimens (we returned the following day in order to obtain the organs
themselves).
Returning to the house, we were greeted by Mr. Sites,
who had just arrived home. Questioning him carefully
about the events of the past several days, we were impressed by his sincerity in relating details that corrobor-

ated what his wifeand children had told us earlier. "I'd

never have believed it e.xisted if I hadn't seen it with my
own two eyes," he said. After many lengthy discussions
with Mr. Sites, we: asked him what he thought he had
seen. "I don't know," he responded, "I want someone to
find out."
While we were interviewing the family that evening,
someone claiming to represent a newly organized investigative group called and asked if they could come over
that same evening to take the rabbits away for analysis.
While Mr. Sites had offered them to us, we declined the
offer in order to' make for more cooperation among
investigative groups. (Mr. Sites informed us that the interested party promised him a complete laboratory
analysis of the findings. As of this writing, however, some
three months later, the report has not been forthcoming.)
.
Instead, we examined the rabbits on location. Although very little exterior damage was evident (with the
exception of the one with its head missing and another
with a dangling leg), it was apparent that a large amount
of internal damage had taken place, as evidenced by the
many broken bones as well as the presence of blood in
the throats and mouths of the animals.*
After examining the rabiits, we departed for the evening. As the creature had not returned for four days (since
the time they had shot at it) we wondered if further incidents would be forthcoming. Upon returning the next
morning [0 collect the specimens from the field, we were
* A local New Jersey IJaper did receive from the group a report on the
rabblls. Lwid rLl11 eXlenslve coverage of the findings. (This seems to indicate an llltere:.1 (in the part of the group more in seeking publicity than
. in reiaYlng llltormatiull 10 the owners of the rabbits.) According to the
newspaper. Ihe !hree smaller rabbits had most of their ribs fractured,
their spinal and pelvic frames had been either dislocated or broken, and
in addition, their stomachs,lungs and hearts had burst. The four larger
rabbits had massive fracture of bones in the head/neck and hind leg
areas. One 01 the lour, the one with its head removed, was also missing
liS S(Omdl h. esuphagus and lungs. "which were apparently pulled out of
the boay III the dct ut yanking off the head," the leader of the group
stated. An()lh~r newspaper later quoted this same person as saying: "I
saw the (dead} IdbbllS. One had its head twisted off; tlrat is a characterISIIC oj BI9Iool. .. (EmphasIs ours. Please note: we have no information of
this alleged hallli ul teanng olf rabbit heads as being characteristic of
Bigfools behavlordl.pattern.)
PURSUIT Fall 1977

..... s

126
. ',:'

consistently stated they never once 'saw the' creature

drop onto all four feet; this only further tends to rule out a
.. ,.'
bear.}

PREMONITIONS, NIG'HTMARES' :" .>.

AND FURTHER INCIDENCES': ....:.:.

no~~ity" h~d :p~b

The outer wall of the barn, (not~ where boards

were removed) in which,the rabbits were kept.

abruptly informed by Mrs. Sites that shortly after our de

parture the night before, and at about the same time that
it had appeared on previous oc~asion$, the creature once
again appeared under the mercuryv~por light. This time
Mr, Sites jumped into his pickup truck and chased it as it
ran through the same field in which lay the specimens.
The creature, after nearly being run, over by Mr. Sites,
apparently escaped into the woods behind the house. We
l1utic~d the fresh markings when{ti"}e truck's tires had
crushed paths 'through the grass, but fc;>rtunately he had
not driven over the specimens. After'collecting the specimens* and inspecting the area thoroughly (finding no
new eVidence), we left, but returned later that same even
ing with movie cameras, just" in case~ We installed our vehicle under a tree, which partially concealed it, and sat
across the street from (and facing) the mercury-vapor
I.ight, waiting. After all, we rationalized, is c'reature tliat
will return after being fired upon thirty or inore times,
attackl?d by a dog, chased .by a pickup truck and nearly
run over might return for the benefit of-' harmless
cameras; but this was not to be the case:
During the next month we return'ed to the area fre
quently, By this time, and for several ~eeks following, interested people from all over the country had called or
arrived; dozens of cars and pickups, loaded with local
curiosity-seeking and shotgunqearing hop~fuls frequented the farm as well. The famjly became so perplexed by the ensuing harrassment 'and ridICule which
e~en included threatening phone call~ that they began to
wish they had never mentioned the incident. "In fact,"
Mr. Sites said, "one group started tellIng me'- not even
asking me! - what they were planning to do, so I threw
them oul and told them never to come back."
A cilstrid wildlife manager 'who vil?ited the farm can
cluded, according to a newspaper; that if was probably
nul a marauding bear, He didn't want to commit himself
it appears, to ruling out a bear, but said it would. never:
i i1ele~s "seem unusual" for a he~r' to claw its way into a
building to kill rabbits "this time of year.".(AIl witnesses
* These have been subsequentiy delivered til a member of SITU's
having been sent to
Scientific Advisory Board (with hair samples
other scientists) for further investigation. Significant results will be reo
ported at a later date.
'

also

Only after several weeks, when the

licly worn off, were we able to pursue our investigations
without constant interruptions.' One night,' after ,darkness had fallen, Mrs. Sites told us she had a "feeling" that
the creature was around. Although the last time she had
said that to us the creature allegedly;appeared' ten miilutes after we left, nothing out of the ordinary occurred
during the rest of the night.'
' . " "" ....
The "premonition" factor is interesting however. The
members of the household appear extremely frightened'
and hypersensitive. The entire family has experienced
Bigfoot-related nightmares, according to Mrs'. Sites.
Could it be that the (::motional experi~nce origirially,involved with seeing the creature has triggered within these
individuals such a fear response that henceforth they
begin to anticipate the creature's presence where there
is, in fact, nothing? Does it mean they are sO'prone':by
now to seeing the creature that any excuse, however
flimsy, suffices to activate the fear-induced mechansim?
Or is it, perhaps, what an old fr;iend of M~. Sit~s (who
also saw the creature) implied: "it's, uncanny,' supernatural; it moves with unbelievable speed. Maybe it's,not
'real' in our time and space." One thing seems certain': it
was 'real' enough to physically mutilate seven rabbits"
We asked Mr. Sites, during one of our innumerable
conversations, if anything else strang(;! had hapPEin~d r~~
cently in the area, either before or after the events.ofMay
12th. He told us of an incidentwhichoccurredayear~ar,
lier, one which he had shrugged off with disbelief at the
time. One night a friend of hi,s (along with ~i,s family)" w~
sleeping in a camper parked near the" side of the barn 'on
the Sites' property. The next :morning the friend informed Mr. Sites that during the night "something"had
picked up the trailer and bounced it up and down.Mi".
Sites said he laughed it off at. the lime, but his friend; who
didn't laugh it off, left shortly thereafter (as soon as there
was daylight) and did not return. Mr. Sites also mentioned
that within a few days of his (irst sighting, a farmer four
miles down the road had found' fifty chickens decapitated. (We were unable to as~ertain the validity ofthis
account due to our unsuccessful repeated attempts t6
contact the family involved.)
'
..
Various members of the Sites family continue to see
the creature from time to tirrie .. One evening, Mrs ..Sites
recalled, her children were out picking berries, half way
between the house and the swamp, when they saw.the
creature crawling in the grass; it appeared to he extending its hand, as if it were injured and'''pleading for' help:;'
The kids ran into the house screaming. Mrs. Sites sa.id
anorher evening she thought she saw the creature Iying'in
the field next to a cow.
'. " . " . ",
An interesting occurrence took place in the presence
1
of jive SITU investigators, who jus !- happened to he-viSiting the farm when the following event occurred. Mr. and
Mrs, Sites, two of their friends, and the five SrrUiJivestiL

PURSUIT Fa1l1977

'

: ,,'!

...

:.

"

1 ,:"
j ! { : I,:

~."

127

gato'~s were standing outside the house discussing the

various events which had occurred throughout the previous two months, when we suddenly heard a strange
"scream" coming from some distant area behind the
house_ "That's ii!" Mrs. Sites cried. We all ran through
the:'(jelds to the edge of the woods as the sound confinued, now rapidly retreating into the swamp_ At the suggestion of Mr.Sites' friend, we jumped into his pickup
truck and attempted to drive closer to the sound, although this was a feat not easily accomplished due to the
extremely limited road access to the area. We did manage, however, to circle the area (via dirt roads) .and to
park several miles north of the farm, thus nearer "to the
area toward which the sound seemed to move_ The six of
us-spread out and began exploring the area. The screaming 'was still audible, but gradually diminished as whatever made the sound moved swiftly away. A thorough
check of the area failed to turn up any clues whatsoever,
out it soon became apparent to us that the lay of the land
uffered an opporiunity for a creature to walk (or run) for
miles. anq miles through the. surrounding woods and
swamps without ever needing to pass close to a house_
-We returned to the farm, where we discussed the
sounds' we had all heard. It is difficult to accurately
describe the audia! sensation experienced_ To Mrs_ Sites
arid her 'fnend, "it c::ounds like some woman being murd~fea back there." Tothis writer, it seemed more like a
Very 'loud scre~ching bellow, unlike any natural animal
sbund_ Another SITU investigator present feels the
possibility cannot be ruled out that the cry was that of a
luon, although at lEi!ast two of the other investigators preserit are familiar with the tryof a loon, and find the suggestion untenable_
Will! Iitt!e supporting concrete evidence (footprints,
etc,) to support" the family's claims, this incident served to
add an:intriguing bit of "tangible" evidence to the Wantage event.

CONCLUSION
"Do you really believe that story?" everyone asks us.
Perhaps the words of Mrs. Sites sum it up best. "I don't

Some of the rabbit pens, Note that window

behind pen i!! same as one shown on opposite
page. Opening torn in wall corresponds to area
behind rabbit cages_

care what anybody says, we saw what we saw and the

only way anybody is going to beli~ve us is to see if themselves:' She is probably right. But believing it or not beIieving it, we maintain, does not necessarily make the incident a,ny more ot less reaL
If it is a hoax, iris a classic one in itself, being one ofthe
more clever, bizarre and complicated ones to be perpetrated in recent years. What does the Sites family stand
tu gain,?.plainly, they are disturbed by these events. They
keep their windows, as well as their doors, closed and
locked at night. They are sick and tired of the intruders
dncl the" pr~n~sters, ti)ose. who would harrass and ridicule. But all this is only secondary to the very real and
constant. fear that an unknown creature ma~' return.
We asked Mr. Sites what he plans to do about it.
Well, he replied, "either capture it, somehow make it
leave, ur else w~'re moving'" And there is no doubt that
he means every word of it. .
II nothing else, this case may go down in the Bigfoot
annals as one of the more intriguing ones on record. It is
also likely we haven't heard the last of it. ~

THE MISSHON, B.C. BIGFOOT HOAX

by Dennis Gates

",

':.
"

'.. On May 15 near Mission, British Columbia, passengers on a bus were surprised to see a large hairy creature- run across the road in front of them_ Newspapers
acrOss the country ran the story, and we received a
number of requests for further information. Dennis
Gates, who ooLi;' provides the Bigfoot/Sasquatch C/ipptng Reproduction Service, Inc" and who, along with
John .Green and Rene Dahinden, investigated the original incident, has sent us his report, from which the following is ex(:erpted_
Because a radio station had ~eported the sighting, over
~huridred people were at the scene by the time I arrived,
.

-I

... '

','

, \ , '

Although. most :ot" tKe footprints were therefore obliterated, John:G feen iiYnd I were nevertheless able to cast
:
'
a right and a Ielt foot.
. The foiiowing day I again spoke with John, who revealed to m~thaLhe really didn't J.ike the look of his cast
.- the toes were -too. even, foo'straight. Also, on a list
which the ~.C,M,P: had circulated among the passengers for the names and addr~sses of witnesses, one passenger had started to write his name and then crossed it
out.
.
Four men were involved in the hoax, Over the next few
da!.'s the following story emerged: one man wore a gorilla.
PURsurr Fall 1977

. '='

,- ...:.

128

"

SUit, another assisted by slgna!ling him when to run . bus, claims that after he stopped the bushe ran 400 yards
across the road, a third man up tne road signalled (via into the brush aft~r the creature, eventually confronting it
walkie-talkie) when the bus was approaching. The fourth lace-to-fac~. He was able to elaborately detail body and
man (the one who crossed his nallle off the list) rode on facial (eatures, and'contiriues to stick to his story, even
[he bus in order to call attention to the "creature" should though the c1ea~in9 where this allegedly hap~ned was
the other passengers miss it.
only about 60 yards off the road and, as it turns out, the
The hoax, which included the pr;ior imprinting of pre- man who wore the gorilla suit had removed the bulky
molded footprints "running" through the sand of the head portion immediately after leaving the road in. order
creek bed, was a success. Why did they do it? Because, to be able to see where he was going. And, he claims,
they told us, S.c. was due for another Sasquatch sight- Lindquist never caught up to him at all .. : .
Ing.
(John Green's full report of the Mission B. C. incident is
John Green points out an interesting and still unex- 011 Ji/~ at SITU.)
~
plained part of the story: Pat Lindqoist, the driver of the

!t).

AN INTER-GALACTIC LANGUAGE
.by E. Macer-Stpry
(copyright 1976 e. macer-trtory)

Right now I am trying to write a novel onUFOcontact

with the working title of Dangerous Pride. I have been
able, wllh various mishaps, to proceed about two-thirds
of the way mto this narration withoult going mad from the
regular transdimensional interference, but lately it has
been uphill all the way, though the words of the plot by
now seem to be falling rather neatly into place.
I am now writing a monologue by a deceased gambler
who remembers his previous incarnation .as a more
highly-developed thought form from a plane intersecting
with what we here on Earth understand to be the Horselwad Nebula in the constellation Orion. .
.
So, removed as this situation is from most possible coIIlcidences. I am taking time out to jot down a-few notes
jJUH::,LiIl

f-ull 1977

on thought transference and UFO contact, as these are

really occurring:
..
I knock on'wood that a star-spangled hobby horse. is
not going to come hurtling in through my window.
The most important aspect of these UFO communica,
lions the use of. a rebus language which, with a ~owto
modern psychology, might be termed "planned syhchro
nicity," bu~ in the old days was quite commonly knoWn to
..
be the use of signs and portents.
.
An astrebus (from astral: psychic plus rebus: puzzle)
like a spread of Tarot cards on a rainy Thursday,isacollection of objects, events, realizations and symb"ois
which, when taken together, means .something wholly
other than the list of components. In other words, this
astrebus is not subject to logical processing on the analogue or digital computer. Why would anyone want to do
this'? It is not a question of desire.
It is at this time habitual for the' literate hurnan to think

'S

129
in analogical terms. For each event and symbol it seems
that there must be at least one fixed meaningorexplanation_ The astrebus has no fixed meaning. The purPose of
participation in astrebetic contact is active and practical.
Beyond this, it has no meaning at all and, as regards the
next instant, may cease to exist or even cease to be remembered as existing.
Now, please follow these instructions:
Take an ordinary sheet of typewriter paper_Draw a
five-pointed star on the surface of this paper _Then, below
the symbol print the word: star_ Find a flat stick or piece
of plywood.
Now take an ordinary small birthday candle or wax
tapl:!r, light it, and place a daub of hot wax at the center of
the star. Embed the end of the candle in the daub of hot
wax, so that it stands upright. Watch the flame at the top
ufthis candle, particularly the center of the flame where it
meets the wick.
In full cognizance of the meaning of the words that you
drl:! saying, enunciate the sentence: "A star is made of
lire ...
Hlow out the candle and, as you do so, say: "A fire
which cannot be extinguished by' the use of the human
breath.-
Oetach the candle from the sheet of paper. Fold the
length of the typewriter paper into a narrow, pleated
strip. Now form the three-dimensional figure of a star by
folding the strip into a five-pointed openwork lattice and
taping or stapling the ends of ~he strip together at the
lower right hand point. Find an apple.
Place the five-pointed three-dimensional star at the
other side of the room, sit down beside the apple and the
board and look at this thing you have made from a distance. Then move to the left of the apple, pick up the
piece oi wood, and turn to your right, saying "starbuard."
Immediately upon turning right, pick up the first piece
ul fruit that you see. Does this apple have any significance for you'? Of course ir does. You put it there_ But
suppose that you were hungry, looked up, say a star and
lound an apple.
This active, four dimensional (your participation
through time is included) activity can be seen as a way of
understanding the language of dreams, astral or psychic
communication and certain UFO sightings_
for quite a while (see any issue of U/o/ogy or the Fly/fig Saucer Reuiew) it has been generally known and
accepted among the myriad of UFO investigators that
both states of altered consciousness and strange synchronistic and psychokinetic events do accompany the
sightings of what are now commonly accepted as being
unusual, powerful and puzzling vehicles or creatures.
It has been postulated by a number of independent
Investigators that some UFO sightings (of dilating lights,
flat lines turning sideways to become saucers and shapes
which shut off the engines of cars) are actually some form
uf sl:!ntient electrical plasma, but if they are, then I feel
that Ihe seeming sentience of this plasma must certainly
bl:! d Side ellect of astral contact or part of an atrebus engll1l:!ered to ehcit some very specific responses on the
.
pdrt of the contactee.
In this type of communication, it is not spe~ifically the

. action or symbols supplied which are of primary importance, but the resultant realization in the mind of the recipIent. In this way, true astral communication can be
likened to a charade in which part of the final understanding is communicated actively, sometimes by grotesque means.

OCCULT TRADITION
Astrebetic communication is no news to occultists,
though the ceremony I have given is absolutely of this
moment. Most traditional forms of divination and carreading, combinations of numbers through the use of
dice or the fall of certain sticks, and the reading of omens
In smoke or fire are concerned with this concept of the
mundane configuration somehow signaling (in concert
with memory and mental content) a meaning which is
completely other to the composite of particulars involved. This meaning is dependent on a leap, not of faith,
but of intuition. Sometimes the astrebus can be almost
mathematical in nature, giving a sort of functional formula or carefully engineered program of behavior leading to a specific kind of result which is achieved by the
process of mutation known in contemporary slang as
"going through changes."
One of the ways in which a corpus of knowledge was
retained before the. advent of mass-produced works of
reference was by the use of associative memory. It was
common, for example, to walk through the rooms of a
school or monastery, mentally associating certain chemical elements and properties with specific familiar locations, so that as the tour was recalled the knowledge
would also be available. The usefulness of the simple
astrebus is in coding information mentally by the use of
this sort of four-dimensional tour_
Pavlov called this use of the artificially-conditioned reflex the "slgnals of signals" to distinguish behavior resultant from words or learned concepts from behavior
which occurs as a conditioned response to exterior
stimuli. The similarity to the Pavlovian constructs is not
of any particular significance to the immedia~e consideration of UFO activity. Such technical comparisons are
of obviol!s interest to the contemplative person, but not
uf much help in coping with any puzzling instance of UFO
contact.
Astrebetic contact is actual manipulative contact and
does not use any consistent symbolic conditioning except as use of certain already learned symbols is part of
the process to be accomplished_ I am now going to be
arbitrary and make a number of assertions which I have
no hope of proving by conventional reasoning. I base
these assertions on my own personal contact with UFO
and psychic phenomena, and on my contact with other
human beings who have also experienced UFO and psychic phenomena.
I hope that the scientifically-oriented person will under- stand my inability to fully analyse these experiences_
There is absolutely no analogy for the astrebus within the
conventional technical vocabulary which is now used to
describe events within the electromagryetic spectrum.
This is because the astral or "psychic" energies are exPURSUff FaU 1977

..............................................
:

130

Can you imagine the reverse?

A strong use of the astral energies has as its effect the
mechanical distortion of a four-dimensional complex.
Control of the astral "flow" would then enable the operator to generate "psychokinetic" phenomena at will.
Quite a. few philosophers have toyed with this iqea.
Bishop Berkeley and Pirandello, to mention but two, both
postulated that individual perception is dominant, and
that the phenomenal world has no existence except as it
is perceived, This does lead to argument, as individual
mindsets collide without hope of reconciliation.
. I make a. very fundamental difference with such
thinkers, and this is based on my experience with astral
cugmtion, the spontaneous transfer of idea content from
mind to mind, psychokinesis and the occurrence of synchronous" events somehow engineered by the interdetion of the individual astral energies with other material structures which are also astrally keyed.
'Thoughts are things," as your spiritualist auntie is
wont to declare, and UFOs generally speak by moving
things around in the near vicinity of the contactee. Some
times these rearrangements do involve the actual change
uf a physical situation, and sometimes ideas are
implanted astrally so as to seem part of a real memory.
This is advanced hypnotic technique. The ability to
IIlduce these mental changes in the environment has
been a part of Sufu and Buddhist folklore for centuries,
dlld is mentioned by H. p, Blavatsky in her book Isis
Unuei/ed. She records several of her experiences with
this mind bending technique, which was used openly in
broad daylight.
Did Blavatsky really go to Tibet? We can never know
fur sure. However, she must have had some sort of significant experience with the use of mental persuasion, or
her books would not now be in print.
At the time that she was writing these books, Blav
c.ltsky claimed to have been assisted by powerful entities
Cd lied "Masters," who could make things appear and dis
dPpear at will. Not coincidentally, I have recently talked
with about thirteen or fourteen people (one at a time and
frum very different backgrounds) whQ have been less
dsslsted than disturbed by phenomena such as the stop
p~ge of clocks and car engines, temporary clairvoyance
(md the occurrence of amazingly odd and humorous incidents in relation to their sighting at a UFO light or ship in
the sky. I did not really want to get so deeply involved in
thiS aspect of paranormal phenomena, though I have
been doing psychic readings and actively collecting data
un the uccult for about five or six years. I do not claim that
homble and awe-inspiring things came to me in the early
Iluurs of the morning and lisped Qut the secrets of the
cusmos, nor do I remember being aboard a space vehicle
from dnuther galaxy.
However, strange humming vibrations have troubled
my sIe~p, and I have awakened in the early hours of the
murning to find a most peculiar light out over the center
ot a lake In Vermont where I was vacationing. Later, I
ledrned that on the same night UFOs had been spot'ted in
New Hampshire. Also, I have had strange, informative
dreams relative to this sighting and others which I have
experienced. Invariably, these dreams "come true" in
sume respect.

cluded from the models used to describe electro<hemical and magnetic phenomena.
So what are these astral energies? Evidently they do
intersect with the electromagnetic spectrl,lm somehow,
or we would not be able to experience them. Our electrochemically keyed nervous system could not convey to us
impulses of inspiration and memory'received from the
astral area were there no intersection between these
mental dimensions and the receptor 'part of our consciousness which is able to be analysed physically.
There are quite a few ga~ in the pre~ent knowledge of
neural mechanics, and some of these most probably have
to do with the registry of this astral information, and with
.the operation of memory. A deliberate operation of the
astral energies can be noticed by a change in the ordinary fourdjmensional configuratioll. This is accomplished by a process of transduction, and so there are no
"astral energies" available to the would-be collector.
Rearrangements within this spectrum might include
instantaneous change of location of objects in a room or
the suspension 01 ordinary gravity/timwweight as manifested by the stoppage of clocks or sorite marked change
In normal bodily or machine-dependent function.
Since my first UFO contact at the age of thirteen I have
experienced several such spontaneous alterations of my
environment and physicaVmental being. Several of these
were traumatic, as the unusual events took me completely by surprise, and did invqlve instantaneous
change. Two of these contacts were signalled by "seeing
a light." Others were a matter of experiencing an intense
"humming" sound (audible to otners, by the way)
coupled with the sense of "taking all, energy bath," the
quite tactile feeling of being in the presence of powerful
furces which were interpenetrating th~ ordinary physical
..
plane.

TECHNICAL VS. PSYCHOLOGICAL

ASPECTS
I

.~.

It is interesting in this light that it has been shown byexperiment (publications of the American Society 0/ Dow!Sers, Danville, Vermont) that the psychic faculty can be
markedly influenced by the presence of a strong mag, '
netic field.
Since the psychic faculty operates through astral
transduction, it is easy to see how an induced magnetic
imbalance could cause a temporary malfunction of this
trdnsduction process.
What is the purpose of this article?
I suppose It IS partially to express my irritation at these
past sudden and surprising interruptions into the course
01 my usual life. and partially to alert others who might
have had simildr experiences that such things do happen.
I am less concerned with the technological approach
than with the psychological aspect, as I do not feel that
the operation of these dimensions can be embraced within our current technological vocabulary. Ti')e closest that
we do come is the concept of transduction by which (on
this electro magnetic plane, for example) a piezo-electric
crystal converts the mechanical stress of compression
into an electrical current flow.
PURSUII

Fall 1977
.':

':,'

131

UFO ENCOUNTERS

clocks in connectio:1 with both psychic reading and UFO

investigation; a humming' "generator" sound which was
also audible to others in the vicinity, and telepathic and
astrebal contact of a.startling and quite solid kind. One of
the contactees to whom I have spoken reports. greater
psychic receptivity plus a better musical ear and increased ability to play the organ. Contact seems to be
.quite unique'and educational for the relaxed and openminded person_ .. :
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned the possibility of a star-spangled horse flying' in the window. In my
present ~tate of mind, I would probably just pick it up and
include this occurrence in my writing right here as a sort
of ~hil1)sical example. x"'" _

Recently, I gave a poetry reading in which I stressed

that some of the perceptions described come to me clairvoyantly_ During intermission, a young man of 'about
twenty came up and told me of a UFO ~ighting which his
family had experienced in North Carolina_ I have no
reason to doubt the authenticity of this experience_
The family in question wakened in the early hours of
. t he morning, feeling spontaneously that something.peculiar was going on outside. Nothing was heard or seen
inside the house, so this seems to have been a psychic
intuition.
The boy telling the story was the last to run outside,
and so did not see the light which tnec)tne'rs saw in a field
." .'.... ":
. '~fi'
near the house, but observed the next morning a burned
~
circle where something hot had eveidently been present
0. ~
the night before.
.
In the light of my convictions about mental manipula..'
tion, I hesitate to !iay "landed."
Subsequent to this experience, everyone'i~ this North
Instead, I am goi'ng to tell you about another interestCarolina family experienced unusual dreams and heighing co-incidence ~hich occurred to me yesterday. I
ten'ed psychic receptivity. Evidently it. was a real and
belong to a Book Club. Now, this ~eems mild. The reason
bizarre experience of some sort, or it would not have
for belonging to this book club is to get hardback vol.' been described to me in such detail six or seven years
umes of literature at cut-rate prices. I had been expectlater_ '
ing to receive Dante's In/erno. Instead, I got a book by
Usually, the encounter with a UFO will come as'a su'rJohn Wain ,entitled Johnsonon Johnson. Upon opening
prise. Sometimes this surprise is humorous, but at other
the wrapper, I spontaneously turned to a page in this
times it can involved property damage, amnesia .and
book. which describes one of Johnson's characters in
symptoms of shock. .
. ,
.
Rosse/as, an ~'astronorrier" who has become convinced
It is not necessary to see a UFO visually, though this
that he holds the key t9. all, ,cosmic operations. This
sort of objective corroboration is usually quite reassurastronomer feels that these revelations have been visited
ing for the contactee. UFOs can be heard (usually a humupon him against his will, and Wain here asserts that it is
ming sound like an electrical generator or large home recommon among people who have delusions to feel a
frigerator changing cycles), felt (dizziness,light-headedsense of force and compulsion. Immediately, I began to
ness and nausea or a sense 'of vertigo as if the energies of
doubt whether anyone would believe the assertions I
the body were coming out through the head or solar
have made in this article. It certainly covers a great deal of
ground.
plexus) and sensed psychically in the same way that the
average person "knows" when he i~ being stared at or . George Washington Carver has been reputed as praylistened to by someone he cannot see_
ing: "Lord, if I can't know everything, at least reveal to me
Generally, there is also some emotional content to
the secret of the.peanut," and so now I suppose I have got
to get down to cases.
.
these experiences. UFOs seem to find 'for their contactees those who are naturally 'psychic or have been
Simply, I assert that the'astral energies do exist, that
thinking about paranormal or UFO phenomena. In other
they are utilized in "extrasensory" perception and
words, they are attracted to individ~1s whohave the. psychokinesis and that' UFOs (whatever their actual
mental vocabulary to absorb and record their ex~r
composition) are using the astral approach in contacting
iences. I am sure there must be many UFO experiel1ces
Earth since (being more evolved and technically adwhich go unrecorded due to the inability of the contactee' vanced than we are) they have recognized the need for a
to actually remember an erycounter strange beyond the
gravity-independent mOde of. interstellar travel, and a
vocabularly available_ Even a person with extensive ex- .gravity-independent mode is (of course) also indepen
perience in the paranormal 'might enjoy one of these
.
dent of conventional:4D time..
blankouts.
Step One in dealing wi~h the UFOs as a regular phenUFOs can be distinguished fro'm delusions and halluomenon is the recognition that they communicate using
cinations of UFOs in that the experience itself is limited in
this time-independent 'astral approach. It is helpful to
lour-dimensional time much as a traffic accident or a
learn the basics of divination and. astral cognition in order
family Christmas celebration may be said to'be an event . to appreciate the UFO astrebus, if you happen to be
limited in time, but with continuing effects. Mistakes have come entangled in one of these activities.
been made in the past in evaluating these phenomena
This is not, however, the 'key which unlocks the cos
and separating them from hallucinations 'and delusions
mos_ It-is simply a helpful mental hint which may keep you
.due to ignorance of the actual physical effects which are
trom going mad on the day when your body starts vibratl:'xperienced.
.
ing ~i.t~ unfamiliar 'energies' and the engine of your car
I. have myself personally experienced the stoppage of tails. . . '
,,,,~

PURsun
. !

Fa111977

132
'~

..

t~t-

-:.~{~

RANDOM NOTES:
.~~ri:~SITUATIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS
.....c:... ~.~,r

This ye~r b~:broughtus news of phantom (wild)

cats in O~ wild (house) cats terrorizing a town in
New Jersey, giant skunks discovered in Java, miniature kan~os in Australia, and attacks of killer bees
in South ~~ica.
As For~, we must realize that the continual evidence of .t~'kinds of. phenomena on a world-wide
scale indicate chier larger overall patterns which may
eventually enable us to abstract a greater understanding (by means of a more holistic interdisciplinary
approach) pf.the nature of For~ean phenomena.
As of this issue, Robert J. M. Rickard will be joining
us as our.l;:l~d Kingdom editor,Watch for more Fortean phenomena from the Briti!?h Isles. (Members interested ina more in-depth coverage of Fortean
events in Engl~nd are encourag~d to subscribe to Forlean Times.) By increasing our understanding of
events to include another English-speaking country,
we are expanding, f9r the benefit of all our members,
in a truly international way. Join us for 1978.
. We wOl')der what the weather will be like next year:
this year"andJast have brought strange weather patterns, inciu.c;lmg drought and flood conditions to many
parts of the country. Two Pacific hurricanes, one this
year and one last year, have hit the southwestern part
of the U.S. (the norm is supposed to be about one
every hUl)dred years); and prevailing upper air winds
dipped futther south in winter (there was snow in
Miami)' cii)l:l.:,ifurther north in summer (in July of this
year prolonged record highs were sustained hundreds of mil~s further north than usual).
There ar.~ ~hose who would suggest that weather
modification is possible on a planetary scale. During
this past winter there were even accusations and speculation that the Russians were tampering with the
world's weather patterns by utilizing cerlain energies
explored in the past by such researchers as Nicola
Tesla and Wilhelm Reich.
Next yea.r,,fUrsuit will explore a historical perspective of weather modification and the resulting attitudes developed toward those who have attempted it.
George M. Eberhart, in an article entitled "Witchcraft
dnd Weather Modification," will take u~ from classical
dntiquity to modern times, from superstition in the
Middle A~s .to the scientific witchcraft of today. Join
us In 1978:
.
We feel the necessity, now. that another year is

drawing to a close, to issue a couple of awards. The belated Quote-of-the-Year Award (for 1976) goes out to
a Salt Lake City, Utah weather forecaster who stated,
during the televised evening news, that an earthquake
which occurred that day in Price, Utah, had no
connection whatsoever with a prediction that an
earthquake would occur in the are~ on the same date.
And the Situation-of-the-Year Award for 1977 involves a UFO hoax. In answer to the query put forth
by a number of innocents in the past when confronted
with the question of belief concerning UFO occupants - "Why wouldn't they just land and communi:
cate their presence if they exist?" - we are not proud
to present the following situation which took place
somewhere in New York (city) this past summer.
One early morning, some of those who had left their
apartments preparing to go to work were surprised to
discover a strange sight awaiting them on the sidewalk. A small, cone-shaped metallic object emitted
beeping sounds, while nearby lay a little inert humanoid. What originally was planned as a hoax may instead serve as a lesson to us. Films made of the event
were shown on the evening news. Innocent bystanders who happened by stopped to stare, mute and
perplexed. By the time a small crowd had gathered to
observe, the spectator attitude had changed to one of
puzzled frustration, giving rise to brief exchanges of
uncomfort~ble joking and muttering, while at the periphery of the crowd an occasional figure would dart
sporadically forward in the dawn light to poke tentatively at the small humanoid, which subsequently
turned out to be a G.I. Joe doll covered with modelling clay. The cone-shaped object, when eventually
knocked aside, revealed only a few spare tape recorder components. A desperate gesture of hostility
finally dispelled one man's fear of the unexplained; he
viciously kicked the doll out into the street where it
was crushed under the wheels of a large truck in particular and the ensuing traffic in general.
In Volume 10, Number 3 we published a photo
under the heading SITUA TIONS and asked for feedback frorri our m~mbership. The forthcoming com- .
ments have been so numerous and varied that we will
wait until all responses are in before we publish any of
the comments, which range from the easy and simple
to deep speculation stemming from original presentation of unified field th~ory.

Fl YING A SAUCER (Continued from Page 104)

now and, as ir happens, a local scientist living in the outskirts of this.J;:jty is currently in the process of building an
lundrive Saucer in his backyard as I write this article.
There are JIJ.~t three engineering problems in the
vortex drive pra.",~nting you from starting in to loft plans
and be the first oii your block With a real Flying Saucer.
PUH:;UlI

"ul/.1977

. ...
~

The first problem is the lack 0/ a prouen efficient rectifier

oj preces.~ional thrust. Foster's invention gives reason to
suppose that a commutation device is merely a matter of
time. The second problem is/uel consumption; a nest of
betatrons can be kept fed only by hydrogen fusion.
fusion technology is only a matter of urgency; we are not

133
likely to see it publicized before oil becomes s~iIl more expenSive. The third problem is that electrons accelerated
sufficiently to drive a Flying Saucer at high velocity
through a powerful gravitational field are likely to emit
radiation shorter than microwaves; a Flying Saucer using
betatrons may be a veritable Flying Neutron Bomb.
I am sorry I am not a mathematical physicist; I cannot
make calculations. I do not know exactly what the wavelength of synchrotron radiation would be from a real Fly
ing Saucer. Alii can do is point out the obvious and the
selfevident to anyone who read his textbooks in high
school. Synchrotron radiation could be the fatal flaw in
this otherwise practicable engineering for Flying Saucers.
But always remember and bear in mind that aeroengineering was no more than a likely conception from the
time of Leonardo to the Wright Brothers; and the conceptioll was essentially correct even though it killed pioneers off one by one until a hundred years of determined

\Th~

engineering worked out the bugs, one by one.

Before the vortex drive is shot down by gamma rays,
there are other operating characteristics of this engineering which promise to solve the one fatal problem
before we even get to it. You see, up to now we have been
thinking about generating antigravity as a means of propulsion. This kind of thinking is as anachronistic as providing an airline with flatEarth maps. The Flying Saucer
is not propelled.
Einstein proved velocity to be a function of the pha~ of
the energy comprising a moving structure. By engineer
ing phase angle directly, the inertia of a space craft is elimmated entirely, and it acquires a velocity directed by
phase tuning. Phase rotation proceeds at sheer velocity,
making faster than light transport possible. The soph
isticated Flying Saucer,. as distinct from the tin lizzies
described in this article, is a true Stars hip capable of
implementing intergalactic commerce.
~

dUlhUl has Informed SITU that he is currently working on a sequel to this article.)

SYMPOSIUM
Com~ents and Opinions

LETTERS
INCORRUPTIBILITY OF SAINTS (Vol. 10, No.3)
Although I am not an authority on the matters at issue,
I wish to offer some explanative reactions to the phenomena cited in the opening section (2nd paragraph) of
Larry E. Arnold's article, "The Incorruptibility of Saints
- AJter Death" (Pursuit, Summer, 1977).
Genital erection is, surprisingly, stimulated not by the
sympathetic nervous system but by the parasympathetic nervous system, which usually has the role of
settling and quieting down physiological processes. The
sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is the
emergency activating system of the body - exciting and
readying the body (e.g., in the face ofthreat or danger, as
at one's hanging).
It is known to biologists that when the impact of the extreme activation of the sympathetic system ultimately
lapses, the parasympathetic (counter) system is, in "compensatory," reactive fashion, induced to immediately exert itself (the biochemical"pressure" which suppressed it
bemg quite suddenly "released"). For these very reasons
signs of liquid and solid bodily eliminations often result
from the trauma of executions (and are observable in the
poor victims) inasmuch as the elimination functions, too,
are controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system;
more than simple muscular relaxation is involved. Such
physiological events have been recognized by and incor
porated into the colloquialisms of language, and many an
exsoldier with combat service under fire knows too well
that he himself has personally done so in his own pants.
As to tomb movements, muscular contractions and
spasms can account for many or most of such observations. For example, it is known that the setting in of rigor
mortis .(the stiffening of muscles after death) can, poten

tially, result in a supine corpse apparently moving or raising a limb, or even sitting up.
Lastly, I should like to question the logic of certain
statements that were made on pages 78 ff. If suicide is an
abrupt event, then more sa homicide - yet no corpse
mcineration has been associated with the latter. Certainly, the spirit of ~ homicide victim can be expected to
struggle more desperately to return to his corporeal residence than that of a suicide who, if only momentarily, vol
ullidrily chose to leave it. Thus, evidence of preternatural human combustion should be more c;losely cor
related with homicide than with suicide, at least for Mr.
Arnold's theory to be at all upheld.
Neil Lorber

WHAT ABOUT REALITY? (Vol. 10, No.3)

Curt Sutherly's ideas about reality seem supported by
the cunous evolution of UFO types (from balloons and .
dlrships to saucers), but it seems to me that if he were
nght we would be living in a world of little people, unicorns, and banshees - ideas of people of the past. May
be there is a balancing force, a contrary effect, to the tendency to multiply realities by our notions. When scientiSts tried to find the philosopher's stone, the goblins, or
the giants, why didn't they find them? Why did it turn out
that humidity and wind have more to do with the weather
than Thor or the Rain God'?
I still hope we don't have to give up on reality that our
beliefs cannot affect except through our physical manipulations.
.
.
-Harry Mongold

* * *
UFOs
Robert Barrow, P.O. Box 14, Syracuse, NY 13215, is
compiling a detailed research file on the 1956 United
Artists motion picture, u.F.o., and would be happy to
hear from anyone who wishes to contribute or sell at
moderate cost material relating to the movie. Please
query and describe first.
PUH~UII

l-"a1l1977

134

ERRATA

BIGFOOT/SASQUATCH"

In Vol. 10, No. 3,.whole No. 39, Su'mmer 1977. page 88,
..... let us pause to recognize those who think they have
seen, amongst the details of. the stellae at Copan. the
images of elephants. They are sure' ,to find for us in the
'Gupta statuary of India (fig. 2) outlines of a High Mayan
character ...... should read ..... let us pause to recognize
those who think they have seen, amongst the details of
the stellae at Copan, the images of elephants (fig. 2). They
are sure to find for us in the Gupta statuary of India out'
lines of a High Mayan character ... ~.
In Vol. 10, No.2. whole No. 38; Spring 1977. page 61,
..... The plateaux are characterized by extreme isolation,
with surrounding vertical descents of as much as 100
metres, in some cases characterized by long. continuous
cracks that seriously impeded.attempts at ascension ......
should read" ... The plateaux are characterized by extreme isolation. with surrounding veJ:..t.ical descents of as
much as 1000 metres. in some case~ characterized by
long, continuous cracks that permj~::ascension .....

Dennis Gates is now providing a 10ngoverdue'publiQtion which is now available for those who are interested in
keeping up to date with all the latest Bigfoot information
from around the country. The ~igfOot/Sasquatch Clipping Reproductions Service,lnc. can be ordered at a gen'eral subscription price of $5.00 for a year (12 issues)"or
researchers can subscribe for $7.50. Dennis will answer
all research mail. Write: B/S. C. R. S.,Inc., P.O. Box 442,
Sedro-Wooley, WA 98284.
,

BOOK REVIEWS

quate maps and drawings of the forces involved~'Good

bibliography and references.
-M. Wiegler

The Fire Came By, by JQbn Baxter and Thomas

Atkins; Doubleday & CompanY,"'lnc., New York,
1977. 180 pages, $7.95. Introduction by Isaac
Asimov. Rece~t1y released in paperback, Warner
Book, $1.95, 143 pages.
'

Ether-Technology: A Fresh Approach to Gravity

Control (Booklet #1) by Rho Sigma: CSA Preu,
lakemont, Georgia 30552, $5.75

"

Having previously heard one of the authors discuss

this definitive and factual account of.the 1908 Tunguska
"meteorite," I waited impatiently fot months for the vol
ume to be acquired by my local library. Though it had
been some 40 years since my last youthful indulgence in
science fiction (via the pulp magazines of the '30s), at last
I could read for myself this fascinating though perhaps
imaginative narrative, and thus the premise which the
author had hinted at on the air. I:
Sadly, I found the part I most w~nted to see was reduced to but a few paragraphs toward the end of the
book -- though admittedly it seemed to me the best
account so far concerning this famous and controversial
catastrophe. In reading my way to the end, I was amazed
by the wealth of detail as well as the considerable amount
, of research that had to be done in order to "prove" that
the explosion was in fact that of a very powerful nuclear
device or extraterrestrial spaceship which, arriving here
and experiencing difficulties, delib~rately chose one of
the few sufficiently remote spots on ,earth which was adequately isolated in order to avoid causing significant
damage and/or loss of human life.:
Members of SITU will recognize that much of the data,
'charts and maps seem similar to those which appeared in
a Pursuit article (Vol. 7, No.3) by X, entitled: AGDY? A
couple 0/ Theories on the Tunguska Euent Get Blasted.
In addition, and of much value in such a discussion as
this, the authors present chapters covering and describing the various notable and destructive,f.orcesandoccurrences that have affected the earth and its inhabitants
over the past centuries. The material is well documented
and has excellent photos of the region as well as ade
PURSUJ/

FallllJ77

CHANGE OF'ADDRESS

Peter Byrne has informed us that the Bigf~t Informa~on Center and Exhibition has moved from t~ Dalles to
a new location in Oregon. The new headquarters with a
city office and a new exhibit, can be reached by wr'iting to
the center. P.O. Box 777. Hood River, Oregon 9730l.
Their publication, Bigfoot News. continues and is available, to all who want to subscribe. Write the center 'for
details.

BOOK PREVIEW

Five years ago a book was published in Germany entitled Forschung in Fesse/en ... , the full title, translated to
be Research in Shackles. Electro-Grauitational UFO

Phenomena: The Riddle 0/ Electro-Grauitation.

The

author, identifying himself only as "Rho Sigma," has over,

thirty years of international experience in aviation and
space research engineering. In: a review of the book,
which appeared in the May-June 1973 issue of the highly
respected journal Flying Saucer Reuiew, Gordon
Creighton states: "if what the writer says is true, (the
book) is a very, very important work indeed."
An updated and expanded English language edition of
this work is now in preparation as a series of five or six
booklets. Booklet#l,entitiedEther-Technology:AFresh
Approach To Grauity-Control, is expected to be avail
able by the time you read this notice.
"aho Sigma" was kind enough to allow me to preview
this first booklet, and while a full review of it will appear in
another issue of Pursuit, it should be noted here that the
author's discussion of such technical subjects as UFO
propulsion systems, new energies and gravitationaltechnologies is lucid and unencumbered by advanced mathematics' equations. The author also mentions Atlantis.
ESP and the Cayce readings in his discussions of that
energy which has been referred to as "the ether." This
energy has also been described over the centuries by
other terms: ectoplasm, Orgone, animal magnetism, Xforce, Eloptic energy and even ~'t~ fifth force" (a term
used by our own Ivan T. Sanderson).
1 am anxious to read the book, which includes illustra
tions and diagrams, in its entirety. You may disagree with
what is said - no doubt some will- but read it. for this
discussion of the subject is lang overdue . .:......8oo Warth

135

1) Temple, "Robert K. G., The Sirius Mystery, St.

NY, 1976, 290pp., $10.95.

Martin's.~ress,

2) Constable, Trevor James, The Cosmic Pulse 0/

Life - The Revolutionary Biological Power Behind
UFOs, Merlin Press, Box 12159, Santa Ana, Calif.,
92712, 1976, 410pp., $5.95.
.

In w~~'iern Africa reside the Dogon - a tribe, by all

Western standards, deemed primitive. But one soon
wonders which society has been culturally deprivedThere is a glow abOut this book: it isa work filled with,
"The Dogon consider that the most important star in
and of, Life. To say more may do an injustice, but let us
the sky is Sirius B," writes Temple, "which cannot be
risk the effort.
seen. They admit that it is invisible. How, then, do they
The book is about UFOs - but not with any approach .
know it exists?" That question began the author's eightthe reader is likely to have encountered before; it'docuyear search for an answer.
ments (historically and photographically) creatures
Along the way, Temple discovered that the Dogon,
unlike any the reader has probably seen before - invisalong with three other unrelated tribes, knew about elipible amoeba-like "critters" that inhabit the Earth's atmostical celestial orbits - ' a concept first proposed to
phere, that grow to 1/2 mile long and locomote at 1,000
'modern' civilization by Johann Kepler in the 17th
mph; it deals with Officialdom - but not the kind Wash- .
Century. The Dogon knew the Earth rotated, which in
ington will tell one about the deCision-making process
turn caused the apparent turning of the starry vault (although they showtheir bias and irrationality in nearly
this, while European astronomers struggled with the
every action taken). The Cosmic Pulse 0/ Life discusses
increasing complexities and problems of a geocenenergies - but not the kind (like coal and oil) that are
limited, polluting, and used as economic weapons; it extric/stationary view_ The Dogon also believed that Sirius
plores physics - but not the type taught by Newton and
B rotated, and.they knew "the actual orbital period of this
invisible star ," Temple found. All told, the Dogon present
Einstein; it tells of pioneers - not ocean navigators and
"a theory of Sirius B which fits all known scientific facts,
land-bound rovers, but explorers of the New Age realand even some which are not known as well."
ities; and it deals wit~. Tomorrow - what can be but what
How could this be, when Sirius B defied all technology
may not be, due to ~ psychic interdimensional war with
even to photograph it until 1970!
mankind part of the battleground.
The Dogon attributed their knowledge of Sirius B,
Three titans of the 20th Century - Rudolf Steiner,
among other things such as the circulation of blood (not
Ruth Drown, and Wilhelm Reich - reveal themselves
'discovered' until the 17th Century by William Harvey),
and their work within the Cosmic Play viewed by Conto ancient visitors called the Nommo who, they say, "will
stable. Their contributions, ignored and persecuted (to
come again."
the point of the Federally authorized burnings of Reich's
publications) by Officialdom, dealt with Life -' the pulse
Temple describes the journey to ascertain the origin of
that permeates all, but which can be enhanced or dimthe mysterious Nommo as a "thrill." It is that and more inished by the acts of the soul.
a tempestuous and 'exhilarating plunge that will leave the
reader refreshed for the rest of his life.
This is not a volume for the light-minded, nor the curThe voyage takes us to the glories of ancient Egypt,
sory intellect. It is an effort that may require' a large
into Uranology (the projection of the heavens onto the
degree of tolerance at first - as orthodox realities are
Earth), and beyond. Having shed the constricting interconstantly assailed, then destroyed. But from the ruin of
pretations oJ orthodoxy along the way , Temple conthe Phoenix arose revelations, new awareness, rebirth
and new Iifecludes that "primitive Stone Age men were handed civilization on a platter by visiting extraterrestrial beings, who
No one who expects to be alive tomorrow should fail to
obtain this book today. At less than 1~ per page, it might
left traces behind them for us to decipher."
be the investment opportunity of the decade.
For those who cringe at the purveyors of pulp pushing
extraterrestrial contact - like Erich von Daniken There is a curious synchronicity about these two indethere is reason to rejoice about Temple: where one
pendently researched books authored thousands of
exceeds reasonable speculation, the other excels in
miles apart. There is a thread - indeed, a rope -; of truth
scholarship. The Sirius Mystery is a work of inspired
and integration that runs through their pages. Where the
insight complemented with the diligence and accuracy of
authors go with UFOs could never have been envisioned
the impeccable scholar and ideal scientist. Temple is
by The Condon Report* , for it takes bold men of vision to
candid with the reader, careful with the facts, cautious
find new facts. The inter-related significance and mean
about his suggestions, yet devastating to the present
ing 01 these two volumes will best be ascertained only by
myopic construction of history as linear evolution.
reading them for yourself.
It is difficult to refute rationally Temple's major co!')It is doubtful either book will make a "respectable"
tent ions (within the temporal framework to which his
bestsellers list, though we would hope otherwise. But to
research is limited).
read Temple and Constable. is, to paraphrase a reviewer
There' are other mysteries along the way, but a re01 Or. Immanuel Velikovsky (whose iconoclastic thesis
viewer would do them injustice to mention them here. . Worlds In Collision did make the best-sellers), "to ride a
They will be fully appreciated only by reading The Sirius
comet!"
-Larry Arnold
Mystery - in which an autho,r finally begins to do honor
I'he two works reviewed here are recommended as
to the evidence for intelligent extraterrestrial visitation to
worthy 01 inclusion.on any list of The Ten Most SignifiEarth ..
cant Books of 1976.'
The Sirius Mystery is a work obviously of perspiration.
* Publish~d 111 1%9 under the title Scientific Study 0/ Unidentified FlyIt is also the product of inspiration. It is a cosmic journey.
ing Objects. 1:. P. LJutton & Co., NY, 967 pp.
PUN:>UJI

Full 1977

.'

136

The previously unpubli,shed photo ot an alleged UFO (right) and an enlargement of same are shown above.
,The photograph depicts ~n object seen (over water) ott the coast of southern California in September, 1975.

The two photographs shown below were donated to SITU by Christopher Newport, 'who writes:
"I would like to donate the enclosed photos to SITU. They depict the Wudewasa that Mr. Sanderson
discussed in his book Things, and are part of a 16th century Spanish facade that I found attached to a modern '
building at Hearst Castle here in California. As Sanderson mentioned in his book, the later the portrayal" the less'
accurate it is. The Neanderthaloid Wud~wc1sc1 depicted here are shown as physiologically 'tnormal" in appear"
ance and proportion. Al~hough they have body hair, their hands and teet are naked and humanoid. Their
weapons are also modern with the'exception of the club in the left hand of the one shown her~. Keep tip the good
work."

PUH~UJ I

Fall 1':J77

SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Adolph L. Heuer, Jr.
Susan Malone
Sabina W. Sanderson

President (and Trustee)

Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Truslee

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGA TIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
FUND RAISING

Editorin-Chief (on Sabbatical) - John A. Keel

Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf
Robert C. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven Mayne
.
R. Martin Wolf Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend - St~ven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian Institute, Eastern New Mexico
University. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato - Director, The Institutefor the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured. Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek - Director. Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center. Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy - Professor of Geology, Institute oi Geophysics, U.C.L.A. (Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal - Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University. (Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell - Professo; of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J. (General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology
and Ethnology)
Dr. Kirtley F.'Mather - Professor of Geology, Emeritus, Harvard University. (Geology)
Dr. John R. Napier - Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Dr. W. Ted Roth - Assistant Director, Baltimore Zoo, Baltimore, Maryland. (Ecologist & Zoogeographer)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury - Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture, Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz - Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center, Cedar Grove. New Jersey.
(Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott - Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew U~iversity, Madison, New Jersey. (Cultural
Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey. (Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Botany)

x
UJ
o

Z
I

Allendl'. Cdrlos Miguel. 55

Arnold. Larry 1:::.. 66. 75
A!ootrehus: An Inlergalaclic Language. The, 128
Bdrrow. Roberl. 99
Higloo. Sighling. 120
HOOK REVIEWS
Tht> Doomed Unsinkable Ship, William H. Tantum IV, 64
Without a Trace. Charles Berlilz, 96
rhl' Sirius Mystery, Robert K. G. Temple, 135
The Cosmic Pulse of Life-The Revolutionary Biological Power
Behind UFOs, Trevor James Constable, 135
Tht> Fire Came By, Thomas Atkins and John Baxter, 134
Bost. hed H.. 50
Can Sdence and Scientists Help?, 118
Chaos in Quiesence, 19
Clark. Jerome. 17
Dinosaur Gralfiti-Hava Supai Style. 62
Eberhart. George M.. 2, 82
Editorial. 98
E"'tanl Dinosaurs: A Distinct Possibility, 60
"I-'aust" and the Student, 84
l-'ew Small Steps on the Earth: A Tiny Leap for Mankind?, A, 50
I-'Iuidice: Time as a Function of Prana, 58
Gates. Dennis, 127
Guerrasio. John, 62
Harmonics Diagram. 94
Hdrtnett. Michael. 105
How to Fly a Saucer, 102
Incorruplibility 01 Saints-After Death, The, 66
Investigations: More on Mutilations, 95
Invisible Star. The. 55
Keel. John A.. 118
LaSalle. Milton, 120
Macer-Story. E., 58, 128
Mayne, S. N.. 124
Mission B.C.; Bigfoot Hoax, 127
Mutilations: Who-or What-Really is Killing the Cattle? (Part 11), 15
Mutilations: Chaos in Quiesence, 19
Navy to Investigate Sunken Aircrah, 70
Ohio Airship Story, The, 2
On Loosening Up a Few Tied Ends, 99
Pawlicki, T. B., 9. 72, 102
Pecher, Kamil, 84
Photos (Wudewasa and alleged UFO), 136
Prehistoric Megalithic Engineering, 9
Pyramids are an Ancient Space Communications Network, The, 72
Random Notes: Situations and Developments, 132
Reflections 01 Chinese Form in Mexican and Norse Ornament, 86
Relativity Racket, The, 54
Semen and the Demon: Sinistrari's Concept of Demoniality, 82
Sequel to Foul-Foci Grids, or The Dodecated Globe Again, 28
Situations, 92
Some Clarilicalions on the Leroy, Kansas Calfnapping Hoax, 17
Sprinkle. H. Leo, Ph.D., 112
SUlherly. Curl, 15,93
S~'mposiums.
18, 64, 96, 133
Ulology: Thirly Years in Three Days, 105
UI-'O Research: Problem or Predicament?, 112
Wanlage I:.venl, The, 124
Whamond, William H., 28, 34, 94
What About RealilY?, 93
Wilkie. B.. 86
Wolf. H. Marlin, 19,98
X. 70
"Zounds. Holmes! II's a Case of the Combustible Corpse!", 75

VANGUARD OFFSET PHINTLH!-..INC

HII.I.SIDI.. NI:W .II.HSI Y

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

o
L

o
G
R

M
S
WHOLE No. 41

VOL. II, No. 1 WINTER 1978

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Research (members only)
and legal address
SITU
P.O. Box 265
little Silver, N.J. 07739
Telephone (201) 842-5229

Membership/Subscription information
SITU
Membership Services
R.F.D.5
Gales Ferry, CT. 06335

Editorial Office
SITU/PURSUIT
2008 Spencer Rd.
Newfield, N.Y. 14867

MEMBERSHIP
Membership is $10 a year (members outside the U.S. add $2.50 for regular postage or $5 for air mail) and runs from the
1st of January to the 31st of December. Members receive our quarterly journal PURSUIT, an Annual Report (upon
request), and all special SOCiety publications for that year .
. Please note (above) SITU has three addresses.
All matters pertaining to membership, change of address, library orders, postal errors. back issues, renewals, gift memberships and donations should be addressed to our membership/subscription address.
We welcome membership participation. Please send manuscripts for consideration for our journal PURSUIT. criticism
(positive or negative), suggestions. interesting clippings from ANY (especially your local) newspapers and/or periodicals to
our editorial office.
Media, publicity and investigation inquiries may be addressed to the editorial office. or by telephone to our legal address
(important inquiries or emergencies will be answered by telephone).
The staff will answer reasonable research requests by mail, but because of the steadily increasing demand for this service a research fee will be charged. Members reque!\ting information should enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope
with their inquiry so that they can be advised of the charge in advance.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL OR EVEN AN AMATEUR SCIENTIST TO JOIN US.

ORGANIZATION
The legal and financial affairs of the Society are managed by a Board of Trustees in accordance with the laws of the
State.of New Jersey. The SOCiety is also counselled by a panel of prominent scientists. which is deSignated the Scientific
Advisory Board.

IMPORTANT NOTICES
The SOCiety does not hold any political or religious views.
The Society is unable to otter or render any services whatsoever to non-members.
The Society does not hold or express any corporate views, and opinions expressed in PURSUIT concerning any
aspects of Human Medicine or Psychology. the Social Sciences or Law, Religion or Ethics are those of the individual
member or author alone and not those of the Society. No opinions expressed or stateme'l1ts made by any members by
word of mouth or in print may be construed as those of the Society.
All contributions, but not membership dues. are tax deductible. pursuant to the United States Internal Revenue
Code.
All rights reserved. No part of this issue (or any other issue of PURSUIT) may be reproduced by an electronic.
mechanical, or photographic process. or in the form of a phonographic recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval
system, transmitted or otherwise copied for public or private use without written permission from the Society.

PUBLICATIONS
Our publishing schedule is four (quarterly) issues of PURSUIT, dated Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, and numbered
as annual volumes - Vol. 1 being 1968 and before; Vol. 2,1969, and so on. Membership and our quarterly journal PURSUIT is $10 per year. Subscription to PURSUIT. without membership benefits, for libraries only, is $8 for 4 issues. Order
forms for back issues will be supplied on request.
PURSUIT is listed in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory and in the Standard Guide to Periodicals; and is abstracted in Abstracts of Folklore Studies. It is also available from University Microfilms. 300 N. Zeeb Rd . Ann Arbor,
Michigan 48106. The price is $4.10 per reel. An annual index appears in the Fall and Winter issues.

'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 11, No.1'

WINTER, 1978
.

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf
.Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson

PURSUIT:
THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
. Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J. M. Rickard
Contributing Write~s
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artist
Britton Wilkie
Production
Steven Mayne
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

CONTENTS
Page
Loch Ness Update, 1977
by Joel A. Strasser ......................................................... 2
Nessie Sightlngs Endangered by Illegal Salmon Netting
by Joel A. Strasser ......................................................... 5
Those Palenque Remains
by Russ Reardon .................. ; ....................................... 7
Whamond's Law Repealed
by S. Marriott .......................... : .................................. 9
Paradoxical Orthodoxy in Cancer Research
by John Ott, Sc.D. (Hori.) ................................................. 13
Analogies of the Propagation Waves of the Great Fear in
France, 1789, and of the Airship Flap in Ohio, 1897
by Andrew E. Rothovius ................................................... 17
Mind Over Matter '
by T. B. Pawlicki .......................................................... 22
The Cosmic Hologram
by T. B. Pawlicki .......................................................... 23
Paranormal Phenomena: The First International Congress
by S. N. Mayne ........................................................... 25
Coherence in Chaos
by R. Martin Wolf. ........................................................ 28
Symposium .................................................................... 40
Book Review ................................................................... 40
Index: Volume 10 (1977) ............................... " ............... Back Cover

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained 1978

On the cover: Two photographs produced in the laboratories of Holografix, Inc., 7250 S.W. 126
Street, Miami, FL 33156. They were provided by holographer Mark Diamond.
The top photo shows (in actual size) interference patterns caused by the interfacing (at the plane
of film) of two light wavefronts, which allows the storage of information concerning the object being
recorded.
The lower photo shows the holographer's fingers, which appear to be holding a chess pawn. The
pawn is actually ,a threedimensional projected image, a hologram, which represents an image that
(unlike a photograph) is microscopically accurate.

LOCH NESS UPDATE, 1977

,,'

/,

By Joel A. Strasser

\:
I

",!.. ,,'

By year's end, 1977, the elusive Loch Ness animals had

been reported seen by no less than 20 people in nine sep-'
arate sightings from the banks of Scotland's famous Loch
Ness, according to Frank Searle, a seasoned Nessie
hunter who has spent the last eight years on the watch.
Searle, who took up residence on the banks of this
strikingly scenic Scottish lake back in 1969, has spent
thousands of hours out on the water in small boats, and
claims to have sighted Nessie 29 times and photographed the animals eight times. He also serves as a collector of reported sightings and tries to authenticate or
debunk sightings based on their individual merit and substantiation.
During a recent trip to Loch Ness, we set out to find - .
not Nessie, because she's so elusive - but some of the
Nessie hunters, to find out what they had seen during the
summer of '77. Although we missed some of the more
prominent names in the Nessie search - they had re~'
turned home for a brief respite before resuming their
search in the fall - we did manage to spend some time , .
with Searle who's made Loch Ness his home.
Of the nine reported sightings for the year, according
to Searle, the most recent occurred on September is '
when a frequent visitor to the loch from North Wales '.
sighted Nessie from a point near Fort Augustus, at about
3:25 p.m. (See map, compliments of Frank Searle.) The
observer watched with his 10XSO binoculars as a big back
broke the surface over toward the other bank. Then he
lowered his binoculars to get a better look with the naked
eye, but was apparently so surPrised by its appearance
that he didn't think to use the camera which lay near his
side, fitted with a 500-mm lens.
The week before, on the evening of September 8, a
family from Staffordshire was on the beach between
Invermoriston and the A1ltsaigh Hotel, when suddenly,
the lady of the family saw what seemed to be the back and.
neck of a Nessie break surface with a big water' distur-
bance. Because their camera was not conveniently ready ..
they failed to get pictures, but the family reported sighting the animal at 8: 10 p.m. for about ten seconds at a distance of about one half mile.
'
On August 8, Searle himself spotted Nessie opposite
Boleskine at about 5:40 in the afternoon.
On June 21, Searle reports, three other people saw
Nessie at 4:25 in the afternoon opposite the village of
Abriachan on the loch.
Earlier in the year, a couple from Southampton, Eng.'
land were outside their vacation cottage near Fort
Augustus at 8:50 p.m. on April 30 when suddenly they.
sighted a large gray lump, about ten feet long and three
feet above the surfac~, making obvious ripples on the
water's surface. The sighting lasted for 8 to 10 seconds.
Just three days before, an American from Del Rey,
California saw Nessie at 2:05 in the afternoon about a
mile from Fort Augustus, on April 27. This observer reported seeing something which he took to be the head
and neck of a Nessie protruding some four feet from the
water, which was dark gray in color and visible for about
PURSUIT Winter 1978

10 seconds. The mart tried to take a picture of the animal,

but,the 50-mm lens on his camera was no match for the
ISO-yard distance which separated him from what he
observed.
"
Earlier, on March 24, Nessie was seen by two witnesses near Invermorist9rl at 4:25 p.m. In January, Nessie was seen, on two 'separate-occasions by two different
groups of three people each; once on January 22 at Fort
Augustus at 2:20 p.m., and once on January 4, opposite
the Clansman Hotel near the northern end of the loch at
11:45 a.m.
, '
Nessie is, very' much in evidence, says Searle, who
notes that there were 13' sightings of the animal on Loch
Ness in 1976.
,Searle specializes in sur:face photography as the best
way to get good pictures and clear evidence of the
animals. He usually sPends his daylight hours out on an
18-foot cabin cruiser, frequently with his assistant who
'
also serves as a wit~ess.
Searle uses many cameras, but his main piece of equipment is a 16-mm Canon Scopic automatic movie camera
fitted with an 8X zoom lens. He also carries three 35-mm
single reflex still cameras, equipped, respectively, with
1,OOO-mm, 450-mm and 135-mm telephoto lenses. All four
cameras are loaded with high-speed color film.
Searle says that aside from catching one of the animals, which have been protected by local law since 1934,
he is convinced that the best foolproof evidence will come
from surface photography. His goal is a piece of color
motion picture footage from close range and with good
background and something else in the pictures to determine the size of the object, backed up by simultaneously
exposed still photograp'hy, ably handled by his assistant,' .Lieve Peten, a Flemish girl from Belgium.
Within a few feet of the water's edge, Frank Searle has
set up his Loch Ness Information Centre, a combination
showroom and living quarters, The centre, which is open
to the public, carries numero_Us newspaper clippings, a
complete log of all sightings for the year to date, and numerous other pieces of information of interest to followers
of the investigation. Here can also be seen a large assortment of enlarged photos taken within the past few years
-photos we had not seen published elsewhere before.
(Searle told us that he had just started a newsletter to
keep his followers up to date :on his activities, and now
has abOut 100 subscribers. The newsletter is available for
$5 ~r year U.S. [please don't send stamps, which cannot be used in Scotland] directiy from Frank Searle, Loch
Ness Investigation, Lower Foyers,Inverness-shire, Scotland.)
In our quest for other Nessie hunters, we talked with
Ronald ijremner, oW!1er of the Drumnadrochit Hotel,
abOut 15 miles south of Inverness on the western side of
the loch, and he advised that several of the other Nessie
observers had departed early in August but were expected to return in September. He indicated that he was
not aware of any major sightings by the other groups who
used his hotel as a base or message center.

LOCHEND

II
ael

a ALDOURIE
CASTLE

a.

IIOG

DORES

a.-.

DRUMNADROCHIT

WHITEFIELD
FARM

..

INVERFARIGAIG

Photo taken by
F rank Searle
in July, 1974.
II

Frank Searle

MARCH2A

INVERMORISTON

a.

BOLESKINE
HOUSE
FOYERS
HOTEL

.., FOYERS

' \ DO

FRANK SEARLE
LOCH NESS INVESTIGATlOti

KNOCKIE LODGE

LOCH NESS 1977

(Map courtesy of
Frank Searle)

PURSUIT Winter 1978 .

Two photos taken by Frank Searle. Below: taken Oct. 3, 1972. Above: no date given .
. :.; ...:

....

~.-

............... ..
~

',

.'.,,,'

",

CI

Frank Searle

: -:; :',

:'

..

co Frank Searle

PURSUIT Winter 1978

5
We chose to spend our nights in inexpensive accommodations, such as guest houses and bed and breakfast
establishments, partly because we could talk less formally with typical Inverness citizens. It was interesting to
note that when they realized we were Americans, they
appeared to share the expected reticence about Nessie
one would expect in the U.S. But, when they became
aware that we were American journalists who had b~en
following the news from Loch Ness and were treating the
subject in a serious vein, their reticence disappeared as
they began to recount how they themselves had either
seen Nessie at one tim~ or another, or certainly their'
friends and relatives had over the years. To these people'
it was no mystery, Nessie is a fact of life.
One of the unpublicized surprises of our journey to
Loch Ness is the fact that the highlands area around the
loch abounds in strikingly beautiful scenery, and is perhap~ the primary or secondary reason that Inverness and.
Fort Augustus are becoming strong attractions for
tourists. As one drives around the lake in its entirety, particularly along the single-track roads on the southern
length of the loch, the casual visitor is struck by the
beauty of th~ surrounding mountain ranges, smaller
lochs, picturesque plains and other scenic features.
Getting to Inverness, for the time being, is another
story, however. The road. to Inverness is. generally a
lengthy 100-mile-plus ride through the mountains up a
single lane road from the city of Perth which, during our
trip, was frequently interrupted by construction. One
can't help but be struck by the fact, however, that slowly
but surely a major motorway is being put together that
will eventually speed visitors to Inverness on modern
high-speed roadway - perhaps in time to visit Nessie
when and if she becomes a willing and regular attraction.
The Scottish road builders seem to be putting their
money on "when!' rather than "if."

PUBLICATIONS
The city of Inverness and its many little stores and souvenir shops turns out to be an excellent source of reading materials about the Loch Ness mystery. We decided
to 'purchase every book we saw, since they did not seem
to be available in the United States, and some contained
excellent photographs not generally found in references
available in the United States.
The following is a sampling of publications we
acquired:
1) Around Loch Ness, A Handbook for Nessie Hunters, by Frank Searle. This 32-page book, copyright 1977
by Searle, is available at local sales outlets, and from
Searle directly at his information centre. It contains numerous tips for making photographic observations of
Nessie and includes several surface photographs. of
Nessie made between 1972 and 1974. Price is 35p.
2) Loch Ness Revealing its Monsters, by William
Owen, is a 36-page booklet which tells the story of Loch
Ness and gives some general information about the
search for the Loch Ness animals. Printed almost entirely in color, this publication includes numerous photographs in color and black and white of the animals, the
local scenery and scenes of Loch Ness investigators at
work. Published by Jarrold Colour Publications, Norwich; price 4Op.

3) Loch Ness and the Monster, by Nicholas Witchell,

published by J. Arthur Dixon limited, Newport, Isle of
Wight, and Inverness, Scotland, copyright 1975. This 32page booklet tells the story of the search for the Loch
Ness animals and includes numerous color photographs
of the animals as well as local scenery in the Loch Ness
area. Price, 39p.
4) Loch Ness Monster, by Tim Dinsdale, published by
Routledge & Kegan Paul (London) is a more extensive
publication (161 pages) revised in 1976 from its original
1961 edition; price 2.25. This volume gives Tim Dinsdale's personal impressions and analyses, and has' num.erous photographs and explanatory diagrams.
.
5) Loch Ness Country by Car, published by Jarr61d
an~ Sons, Ltd. ;Norwich, as part of its White Horse series
of guide books, is a useful map and guide for exploring the
total surrounding area around LocJ:t Ness. The 32-page
booklet c::ontains numerous strip maps of the automobile
roads which circle the loch, and provides detailed descriptive information with some photographs to help a
first-time visitor find his way around the loch and see all
the points of interest in the immediate vicinity of the area.
Price,45p.

NESSIE SIGHTINGS
ENDANGERED BY
ILLEGAL
SALMON NETTING
By Joel A. Strasser
Illegal netting of salmon from Scottish waters now
poses a major threat to future sightings of the elusive
animals that inhabit Loch Ness, according to new reports
from Frank Searle.
Searle is disturbed by news of the dwindling fish population, which brings the elusive animals to the surface.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

Last year, Searle says, "some half-a-million salmon were

With a huge population of brown trout and eels, there
could well be enough food in the Loch to. maintain the
taken illegally from Scottish waters. Herring drifters, depopul~tion of Nessies, Searle says, but their feeding
prived of their normal fishing by the EEC ban on herring
habits would have to change drastically. "But, take away
catches in the North Sea, had been netting salmon in
large numbe,rs before they were able to enter the rivers
these shallow running fish and we find that the bulk of the
food supply would be dowrt at much greater depths,"
and the lochs for spawning.
.
"Certainly, the fishing season on Loch Ness was a dis- -Searle says.
aster for most of the local fishermen," Searle says. "Even : "Given that situation," Searle warns, "and it could well
the very best of them took only about one-third of their
come about within the next few years, there would be no
normal quota."
'apparent reason for a NesSie to ever come close enough
But, Seai-le warns, "at present, it seems that no ser- "to the surface to show itself.
"With the lack of visibility in this pea"ty water making
ious stfi!ps are being taken to stop this indiscriminate n.etting. If it continues for the next three ye~rs," he predicts,
underwater research" virtually impossible, "I just don't "very few salmon and seatrout will remain to run up arw .know where we'd go from there. The main hope," Searie
.Scottish river. And if this sorry state of affairs does de- ,says, "is .that I, o'r some other real Loch Ness enthusiast
velop, it could well affect th~ sightings of our Loch Ness 'will come up with some very conclusive evidence in the
animals."
near future."
According to Searle, "at present, something like 75,000
'Another solution would be if the weight of public opinsalmon and twice that number of se~-trout run through' , ,ion and sentiment could be l:;lrought to bear against the
British and other governments to enforce salmon-fish-the loch each year, and these fish, up ~o 40 pounQs in
weight, are all within six or seven feet of the surface. This ., ing regulations in and around the North Sea.
.
~~
, brings the Nessies up 'so close to the surface that o b - : '
viously they must show themselves occasionally."
~

By, Russ R~ardon

.- What" really needs to be said and done about that skelExactly as the sarc;:ophagus lid bearing the likeness (in.
eton at Palenque: turn over his tissue and bone samples
solid gold) of King Tut identified-the deceased beneath,
to 'a, team of Pathologists then publish their findings.
.invariably the exhumed remains of any grave will be those
These remains could be those of a True Man. Author .. , of the 'person'-named (or pictured) on the tombstone.
Brinsley LePoer Trench and Theosophist Madame Bla. According to some esoteric beliefs, the Elohim created
vatsky speculated that (Halach Uinic) True Man, does . True Man in another part of the Universe. Those creations came' to earth, inter-bred with earth-animal man
not have an earth-animal body. His is a different chemical structure and function. Created elsewhere in the Un i- ,(created by the Jehovah), and hence created the integrated species Cross Man. Again, such beliefs could be
verse (The Sky People, B. L. Trench, Award Books).
Such speculation can be brought down to earth
brought to task under tRNA analysis, roentgenology,
through Medical analysis.
electrophoresis, other molecullar-cellular microbiology
Why Palenque? There are heady clues proposed by
and photoluminescence dating. Such tests however,
other authors - "The figure on the Palenque slab may be
could support classical archaeologists who state that it's
Lord Shield Pacal (circa 600 AD) buried there. I hesitate
a portrait of the dead man buried in the pyramid" (Robert
to dwell on the ramifications of finding it's a body of'difCharroux, Masters ,0/ the World, Berkley Medallion
ferent chemical composition' than ours. Also the tests
Books); "The feeling that it is a space traveler haunts
would involve no financial outlay: all doctors and a numyou" (Eric von Daniken, In Search 0/ Ancient Gods,
Putnam); Kukulkan, "one of the 'sons of the Elohim'who
ber of both state-run and private laboratories are donathad remained behind in planetary systems already visited
ing their time and effort freely (Manchester Guardian
Dec. 12, 1976) examining the remains of Rameses II.
and civilized" (Jean Sendy, The Coming 0/ the Gods,
Berkley Medallion Books); "Inside the pyramid supportOther genetic methods of paleostudy may also be worth
ing the Temple Of The Inscriptions, was found the retrying.
Biologists at Oklahoma University were astonished to
mains of a tall man" (Bradley Smith, Mexico: A History in
Art, Doubleday Windfall). -The term "tall" is rather sig- . find that the epithelial cells of a 322 BC mummy were still
nificant since there is absolutely no record either picintact. The combined fields of cytology and genetics says
tured or in a readable Maya glyph of a tall Maya.
this has led to the theory that cells are neither living,or
The Maya of Central America relate of how a bearded : dead - only intact or not intact. This means the tRNA
white God, Kukulk~n, came doWn from the sky in an age molecule with its genetic blueprint for a complete organlong past. The sarcophagus lid pictures an astronaut at .ism is also intact. It lacks only the materials needed to
the controls of a space ship. His name, too, is on it prob- organize the structure and the enzymes necessary to
ably, but we cannot decipher it since in' Maya hiero- continue life. Most scientists, however, say it is still techg1yphics only the characters employed in the calendar are :nologically impossible to provide the necessary materials; but when these are available, the genetic blueprint
known for certain (fig. 1).
PURSUIT Winter 1978

Having seen the shapes on the Palenque tomb slab

through the sounds surrounding it in the disciplines 0/
Archaeology and Art History, we could hardly publish
Mr. Reardon's interesting !Jrticle without a brief explication of the motifs as they appear. None of these motifs
are unique - all appear elsewhere in Mayan art.
The border of glyphs separated by double bands may
have astronomical significance - as the signs for Venus
and the moon appear among them. The central flQUre,
carved in very low relief, displays conventional bracelets, anklets, and head-dress (such as one can see pictured in the Dresden. Codex), and is seated on a grotesque mask beneath which a row of teeth emerge from
a very abstract dragon mask (the extreme abstraction of
Maya serpents and dragons is dealt with in Spinden's
Ancient Civilizations of Mexico, (American Museum of
Natural History, New York, 1928) whose jaws enclose
. both mask andfigure. A "foliate cross, .. surmounted by a
plumed tropical bird, forms a backgroundfor this half-reclining figure. The cross bears a serpent with a head at
either end arched about it, forming the foliations, which
are dragon masks from the mouths of which sprout forth
smaller masks of the Chacs (long-nosed rain gods).
Small glyphs, perhaps of the day sign Ahau, /loat in the
framed space along with unassociated numbers.
That this image should bring to us an astronaut at the
controls of a space-shIp might suggest that all tombs can
cast upon us the spell of space travel, bringing to mind
through the thought of an Egyptian funeral boat or
Viking chief's ship burial, the human hope of a larger voyage beyond our earthly journeys.
B.W.

could be followed and a living, breathing Galactic

Kukulkan would arise from his own tissue I
Dr. J. Allen Hynek says, "essentially we don't know
any more about UFOs today than we did in 1947 when
Kenneth Arnold saw them over the Cascade Mountains.
Even after thirty years more of photos, imprints, contactee stories; even backing up through an avalanche of
extraterrestrial reports and theories in hundreds of
books over thousands of years, we face the unknown."
Should that skeleton be who the clues say it is then we're
in for one really out-of-this-world medical story, among
other spin-offs.
Looking closer at figure I, we see also the'keyoflife'in
bas relief which is remarkably similar to the schematic
pattern of tRNA (fig. 2, from Genetic Code, W. Gajewski, Problem #7, 1975). Nobel prize winners Orgel and
Crick call this design a clover leaf of transcriptional
rybonucleicacid which guides all protein synthesis in all
living beings. (See also other Palenque bas-relief depictions of the 'key of life' motif.) Who gave that stone mason
the symbol for our genetic code? Perhaps it was he who is
buried there ... ?
.

Figure 2 Drawing originally published in Ancient

Skies, Vol.3, No.4 and reproduced here with permis

sion. Ancient Skies is the official logbook of the
Ancient Astronaut Society, 600 Talcott Rd., Park
Ridge, IL 60068, USA.
.

Finally, even Mexican officials are sympathetic to esoteric investigators. When von Daniken visited Palenque
the following people were open-minded to his non-clasPURSUIT Winter 1978

sical research: Sr. Mario Leon Tovilla, Chief Archaeological Zone; Sr. Celedonio Mercado, guide and photographic assistant; Sra. Victoria Echeverria, apartments
and arrangements. Their past cooperation has demonstrated that they would probably only cooperate further
with any attempt to deliver bone and tissue samples to
Pathologists.

Finally, nothing at our disposal today can be cited conclusively to testify to an extraterrestrial visitation. In my
view, .the very integrity of the authors and researchers
quoted above must be acknowledged by a careful study
of those remains at Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico.

.~

WHAMOND'S LAW REPEALED

By S. Marriott

I. INTRODUCTION
In its spring edition, Pursuit (Vol. 10, No.2) published
an article by Mr. William H. Whamond entitled "Little
Green Men and the Law of Dynamical Similarity." Having
read his article with great diligence, I find there are a
number of problems he must surmount before his claims
that his conclusions are "proved and inescapable" can be
accepted.

II. THE ABRIDGED WHAMOND

For the benefit of those readers who do not recall the
article, Mr. Whamond's arguments went roughly as follows:
.
1) Considering the large proportion of UFO occupants reported to be both humanoid and of small stature, it seems likely to Mr. Whamond that there must be
some particular reason for their small size relative to the
average human.
2) The combination of small size and humanoid features reminds him of a scaled down human, which he
dubs a "mini-man."
3) Digressing for a time to explain modeling (scaling)
techniques, he discusses two points he feels are of particular importance, these being the "Law of Dynamical
Similarity," and the "Square Cube Law of Architecture."
He does not state either of these laws in full; but judging
from the context of his article, the Law of Dynamical
Similarity states: "Not all characteristics of a model vary
in direct proportion to scale." As a prime example of this
law, he points to the Square Cube Law of Architecture,
which states that the compressive stress on the foundation of a building varies as the height of th~ building,
cubed, divided by the area of the base (or words to that
effect).
Mr. Whamond points out that an architect wishing to
reproduce a building on a scale of two-to-one would have
problems if he simply doubled all dimensions, because
the volume (and therefore the weight) of the building
would increase by a factor of eight while the base area of
the building would increase by a factor of only four; e"ffectively doubling the compressive stress on the foundation, walls, and other supports. Using standard engineering practice, this problem can be alleviated by dimensioning the foundation and other supports of the building
on a scale of 2.828 (the square root of eight) rather than
two.
4) With an eye toward off-world applications, Mr.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

Whamond points out that the problem can be splved with

equal effectiveness by reducing the force of gravity, and
thereby the weight of the building, to half its normal terrestrial value.
Expanding on this notion and its converse, he concludes that buildings will be larger on low gravity planets,
and smaller on high gravity planets, than they are on
Earth. He further concludes that the inhabitants of such
planets are likely to follow suit.
5) Returning to the main topic, he then evaluates several models for high-gravity humanoids (which he labels
the "mini-man," the "droopy," and the "heavy-duty
cutie") in light of the ~ngineering discipline of Statics. On
the basis of this evaluation, he rejects all models but the
mini-man. His primary concerns are t~e level of compressive stress on the legs and waist, and the shear stress
and bending moment exerted on the arm.
6) Extrapolating from this evidence, he postulates
"Whamond's Inversely-Solely Law of Gravitation," which
states that, "In order to be functionally viable, a man (or
any other structure) must become proportionally reduced in all three dimensions (i.e. "holographically") inversely solely as the G-value of the planet on which he
lands."
7) He then demonstrates various applications of his
law, promotes the advantages of being small, and
digresses into a number of related and unrelated topics.
My summary is, naturally, considerably shorter than
thE;! sixteen pages Mr _Whamond originally required; but I
am confident it captures the essence of his arguments.
Before continuing, I must point out for the sake of clarity
that he refers to the mini-men's high-gravity planet as
"Planet G," the "G" representing a multiple of Earth's
gravity, "g." For the purpose of simplifying calculations, I
will arbitrarily set G equal to two, although it could equal
number. Also, it is important to note that he conthe "average human" to be perfectly adapted to
environment, and that he considers his mini-men
f1esh-and-blood duplicates of human beings,
on a smaller scale.

III. PROBLEM ONE:

THE ANALOGY
first objection to Mr. Whamond's theory is that it is
on a faulty analogy. His theory applies very nicely
As far as I have been able to determine, all
are correct in that respect. For some reason,
nOIWI2I"l2r, he analyzes the stresses on the human body as
it too were a building, which it is not.

For instance, when analyzing the "heavy-duty cutie,"

he speaks in terms of increasing the cross-sectional area
of her legs and waist, compared to that of an Earthling, to
compensate for the higher compressive stress due to the
gravity of her home planet. This approach implies that
she is constructed like a solid block (i.e. a brick, [see 1;
36, 39]). Actually, the only weight-bearing structural
members in those parts of the body are the bones of the
spine and legs. Increasing the cross-sectional area of
those bones will help to reduce the level of compressive
stress they undergo, but increasing the cross-sectional
area of the other organs in those places win not. Speaking strictly in terms of the criteria Mr. Whamond uses in
his evaluation, it makes no sense to maintain that the
cross-section of the entire body must be increased when
increasing the cross-section of the bones alone will suffice to reduce the extra stress.
Of course, a humanoid with thick bones would not be
the "gorilla-muscled superman" creature Mr. Whamond
had in mind (1; 38). A humanoid adapted to high gravity
would indeed require greater bulk than the average
Earthman, although not to reduce compressive stress.
What is involved is a question of strength.

IV. PROBLEM TWO:

MUSCLES
In his analysis of the various models for high gravity
humanoids, Mr. Whamond presumes that the capabilities of the human body are at an optimum, and that

humanoids on other planets must be as capable of withstanding the same stresses, proportional to their size, as
humans on Earth_ He claims, for instance, that, given a
concrete block representing the limit of human lifting
capability, a mini-man on Planet G could just lift a similar
block having each of its dimensions reduced to I/Gth
those of the human limit (1; 42).In other words, assuming
that G=2g, a mini-man on his home planet should be able
to lift a concrete block one-eighth (i.e. [1/2)3) the size of
those a human could lift on Earth. Unfortunately for his
theory, such is not the case.
. To illustrate this point, let us examine some of the
workings of the human arm. The radius and the ulna
(bones of the lower arm) form a lever with the fulcrum at
the elbow (see Figure 1). The biceps, the muscle which
lifts the arm when it contracts, is attached to the radius
about one quarter of the way from the elbow to the palm,
so that the force to lift the arm is being applied perhaps
three inches from the elbow. The weight that must be
lifted, however, is in the palm, about twelve inches from
the elbow. Therefore, for every pound placed in the palm
which must be lifted, the biceps must exert a force of four
pounds (2; 113, 114)_
If the human arm is scaled to half size for the mini-man,
the mechanical advantage of 1:4 will remain unchanged,
meaning that his biceps must still exert four pounds of
force for every pound to be lifted. The mini-man's biceps,
however, will have only one-eighth the volume of an
Earthman's, and will therefore be capable of exerting onl~'
one-eighth the force. The problem is that the block will
weigh twice as much on Planet G as it will on Earth; meaning that Mr. Whamond is asking his mini-man to display

To lift a weight placed in the palm, Fy must equal or exceed

;/x.

If m is the greatest mass a human can lift on earth:

FOR HUl:AKS ON EARTH

= mgx
y

Figure 1
PURSUIT Winter 1978

10

stress formula: s = He

s =
c =
I =
M=

~__________________

~~ere

stress
radius of bend
inherent strength of shape
bending moment

r 1 = the cross-sectional radius of the bone

r 2 = the cross-sectional radius of the arm with flesh
m = the mass density of flesh and bone

FOR HUNAXS Oil EARTE

Mh

= ('II:r~x) (mg)x

FOR 1":INI-r":EN 01\" PLANET G

"

approximatillg" t :,e bone as a solid beam of circular cross-section

Figure 2

one quarter (i.e. 2xl/8) the strength of a human while

having only one-eighth the muscle - "a neat trick if it can
be done.
To cite an exa~ple more directly in line with Mr.
Whamond's arguments, let us re-examine the forces exerted on an outstretched arm (see Figure 2). As can be
seen from the iIIustratio"n, treating the arm as a cantilever
beam will produce figures showing that the stresses exerted on the bones of both human and mini-man by the
weight of their arms are identical, just as Mr, Whamond
predicts. Please note ho~ver, that a cantilever beam is,
by definition, a beam which is rigidly supported on one
end only by frar:ning into a solid wall or pier (3; 146). The
fact that the arm can be raised violates this definition another faulty analogy. Actually, the raised arm is supported by the shoulder socket and the deltoid muscle.
Simple mathematics again reveals that the mini-man,
having only one-eighth the muscle of a human, must
exert one quarter the force required of a human simply to
lift his arm (See Figure 3).
PURSUIT Winter 1978

Thus, the problem encompasses more than the miniman's ability to lift a concrete block. How is the mini-man
to lift himself? By Mr. Whamond's definition, mini-men
will overstress their muscles 100% by simply standing up,
with or without the concrete block. Mr. Whamond will no
doubt answer that mini-men can compensate for the
extra weight with better muscle tone. However, speaking in terms of the limits of human strength presupposes
maximum muscle development, so the mini-men still
come out short. Further, calling to mind the famous
Charles Atlas advertisement, what is the difference between the 90 pound weakling and the 180 pound muscleman he becomes? The argument is self-defeating. If Mr.
Whamond's postulate of the need for equal stress is correct, his mini-men will need more muscle"and thicker
bones.
Having more muscle and bone implies a need for larger
respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems to keep
pace (2; 103); but even without extra muscle and bone,
their circulatory systems will need extra strength.

11

deltoid

For the deltoid muscle to lift the arm, F,y must equal M.

FOR :IUHAI;S 011 EARTH

FOR NINI-l-1EN OX PLANET G

Fh = Hh

Fm =

= 1tr~x2mg

2y

Mu.

t!Yt)
= 1tr~X~g
2.yG

Fh

Figure 3

V. PROBLEM THREE:
THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
In his article, Mr. Whamond makes the error of stating
that there is no distinction between gravity, weight, and
density; stating as justification that, "A half density material is the same as a full density material in a half g field (1'
43)." His mathematics are correct, but he has the rela:
tionship reversed. Increasing gravity will make compressible materials more dense, not less. Besides, unless he
is speaking of very high gravity or pressure, most solids
and liquids can be considered to be virtually incompressible. Their mass density will remain unchanged, but their
weight density will vary in direct proportion to gravity.
This misconception was partly the source of his error in
predicting the strength of a mini-man, and it causes his
theory other problems as well.
In the human circulatory system, the heart uses muscular contractions to pump blood throughout the body.
The heart is assisted in this action by the arteries, which
also contract to move the blood along. The blood returns to the heart through the veins, which contribute no
pumping action, and are basically simple tubes.
The heart and. arteries must provide enough blood
pressure not only to overcome the drag and turbulence
inherent in the system, but also to overcome the force of
gravity in supplying blood to the brain.
The pressure exerted by a standing liquid on the walls
of a container is determined by multiplying the weight
density of the liquid by the height of the liquid above the
point in question. For example, if a liquid with a weight
density of one ounce per cubic inch is poured into a container to a depth of thirty-two inches, the pressure the
liquid exerts at the bottom of the container will be two

Q2
pounds (i.e., 32 ounces) per square inch, and the pressure exerted sixteen inches from the bottom will be one
pound per square inch, regardless of the size or shape of
the container.
'
.
Therefore, the he~rt rj'lust generate a blood pressure
greater than the weight density of blood multiplied by the
vertical distance between the heart and the brain.
When speakingof high-g forces, this capability cannot
be taken lightly. A man aeprived of sufficient blood flow
to the brain will quickly lapse into unconsciousness. It is
in this respect that hu~ns are most vulnerable in high-g
situations. The "Q-5uits" and "acceleration couches" Mr.
Whamond speaks of U; 39) are primarily designed to
overcome this problern; the acceleration couches by
lowering the vertic~1 d!stance between the heart and the
~rain, and the O-s4its by squeezing the arms and legs to
Increase blood pressure. These methods have their limits
howe~er, beca~ th~ pi~ssure the circulatory system
can Withstand Without rupturing is .not very high:
The problems this poses for Mr. Whamond's mini-men
are considerable. Sinc~ the weight density of blood will be
doubled on Planet G, t!'t~rnini-men will have to generate
blood pressure equal ,p a human's (i.e. 2xl/2) with a
heart containing only' ~)rle-eighth the muscle tissue of a
human heart. In addition, this pressure must be contained by veins and arteries having only one half the wall
thickness of human V~!I1S and arteries (See Figure 4).
.'1,'

VI. CQ,NCLUSION .
What then, do" the f~mi!going objections demonstrate?
Simply this: Mr. Whamond's mini-men, as he describes
them~ are not likely to-exist. Granted,.their .bQn.es may be
ca~ble of ~thstan~ng.~he stresses of high gravity, but
their soft tISSues Will not. Since many humans already
PURSUIT Winter 1978

12

\
\

\,
Cross-section of a vein

Where: b = the mass density of blood

. t = the thickness of a vein's wall
P = the blood pressure needed to pump blood from
the heart to the top of the head
FOR HUMANS ON EARTH

Ph

= bgx

th = r 2-r1

FOR .n;I-MEr~ ON PLAHE.T-G

Pm

bGg

= Ph

Figure 4

suffer from bad backs, varicose veins, heart trouble, and

the like, such problems would be eVen more widespread
among the inhabitants of Planet G.
It seems more likely that, assuming the inhabitants of a
highgravity planet are humanoid and constructed of the
.same tissue as Earthmen, such creatures would be endowed with both more muscle in proportion to height and
thicker bones in proportion to mass than the average
human. In other words, they would resemble the "gorillamusded superman" stereotype that Mr. Whamond so
speedily rejected.
As to their average height, who can say? We share this
planet with Pygmies and Watusis, yet all races of man
have presumably evolved to adapt to Earth's environment. Inhabitants of high-gravity planets could. be expected to evolve and adapt to their own environments as
well. They could conceivably be the size of elephants if
their environment so demands.
As to the existence of small, humanoid UFO occupants; whether such a concept is ridiculous or not depends on your personal faith in the evidence. I happen to

believe they are possible, although I must admit that

irrefutable proof of their existence has yet to be shown.
Does this mean that Whamond's high-gravity minimen. can't exist? Not at all! They either exist or they don't,
and no amount of logic, argument, or rationalization can
add or detract one iota of existence. They are, however,
less likely to exist than Mr. Whamond believes; and,. if
they do exist, it is for reasons other than those MI:'.
Whamond has given.

REFERENCES
(1) Whamond, William H.; Little'Green Men and the uiw of
Dynamical Similarity, Pursuit, Vol. 10, No.2, p. 34, Spring,
1977.
(2) Asimov ,Isaac; The Human Body,/tsStructureand Operation; Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1963.
(3) Jensen, Alfred; Elementary Statics and Strength 0/ Materials; University Bookstore, Seattle, 1943.

.,

TED ROTH: November 25,1920 - December 15,1977

SITU mourns the passing of Dr. Ted Roth, Assistant Director of the
Baltimore Zoo and a member of SITU's Scientific Advisory Board. !

PURSUIT Winter 1978

13

PARADOXICAL ORTHODOXY
IN CANCER RESEARCH
By John Ott, Sc.D. (Han.)
B-1 bombers? No! Airplanes are out of date. No longer
orthodox. Cruise missiles now.
What would Billy Mitchell have thought about that
after all the trouble he had in trying to convince the Army
to try using airplanes to drop bombs on the enemy?
Streetcars? When I started working as a security analyst in the trust department of a large Chicago bank,
streetcar bonds were on the approved list of securities
suitable for the investment of widows' and orphans' trust
funds. They were sound securities with a good outlook
for future earnings. Recommended highly by our Senior
Trust Investment Committee.
What do you imagine would have been their response if
I had submitted a report criticizing the future outlook of
the Chicago Streetcar System and talked about men
going to the moon in a rocket, and back to earth again,
landing a couple of robot laboratories on Mars to study
soil samples for signs of life, and sending back color pictures and detailed information and talking with the men
on the moon and-Enough! Get rid of that lunatic, fire
him at once. He should be locked up for good! At that
time the expression "crazy as talking about man ever
going to the moon" was used to convey the ultimate of
the utterly ridiculous and the impossible.
Then what about suggesting that wearing tinted contact lenses mught cause cancer? Well, that might need a
little explaining too. On the face of it, it seems almost too
ridiculous to waste the time, money and effort to bother
with when there are so many other important and more
orthodox areas of cancer research to be investigated.
Our Senior Trust Investment Committee was comprised of experts, men who had spent years studying the
problems associated with investing money. They were
experienced in all kinds of investment securities. They
had followed the development and progress of the Chicago Streetcar System since its inception and were thoroughly familiar with both its management and operation.
They had all graduated from college with top honors and
degrees. Certainly it would not be prudent to ask a streetcar motorman or mechanic anything about running the
company.
There have been stories about the office boy becoming president, but these are exceptions to the general rule
and office boys certainly should not be depended upon
for making management decisions until they do become
president. This is just the way things are, or the way the
ball rolls. This is the orthodox way to run a bank or a
streetcar system or anything else - "including cancer research.
Like our Senior Trust Investment Committee, it is
quite logical that doctors with the highest honors and degrees should be on the Medical Review Committees.
They know the medical literature on cancer backwards
and forwards. They have virtually memorized it; and

nothing about tinted lenses, sun glasses, or artificial light

was ever mentioned in medical school. Very little was
ever mentioned about nutrition, either. So why get excited about tinted lenses and light when there are so
many other possible causes of cancer constantly being
reported by orthodox researchers in the press all the
time? So many things we eat, breathe, or otherwise come
into daily contact with are now hazardous to our health. It
has almost reached the point where the normal life process is hazardous because ultimately you are going to die.
Of course the real question is when - at what age: ten,
sixty-five, or one hundred and ten?
But why should there always be such antagonism and
opposition against any and all new ideas unless they can
be supported by the literature? It seems to me that one
serious fallacy in our present approach to orthodox cancer research lies in the fact that the answer may not be in
the literature. We may have to look elsewhere for it. If it
were already there, then some of our most scholarly stu
dents would surely have found it by now.
Memory and the photographic type of mind are unquestionably important qualities; the person with the
best memory, who may come with all the right answers in
the final college exams may, however, lack the aggressiveness necessary for a new approach to do things differently. Maybe the answer, when eventually found,
won't be exactly orthodox within present day thinking.
Think of the humiliation and disgrace under present
day standards if an educated expert did try something
new and different and was wrong, and lost his job as a result of making such a mistake. Just like the security analyst, the researcher's job is much more secure by being
conservative and doing nothing that might rock the boat.
"Serendipity" ~nd "empirical" are words that should be
taken more seriously and not just shrugged off as a joke.
Webster's dictionary defines "serendipity" as "the finding of things not sought for" and "empirical" as "relying
on experience or observations alone without proper regard for considerations of systems, science and theory."
Too many scholars with an excellent memory and
photographic type of mind lack the initiative or ability to
fully apply their knowledge or are afraid to speak their
minds for fear of criticisms and being ostracized by their
colleagues.
When NASA started the space program none of the
transportation experts on our trust investment committee were asked to help design the rockets. What do you
think a symphony orchestra composed of all the top
music critics would sound like? Yet that is just the kind of
music we are getting from the peers on the cancer review
committee. You will seldom find a historian making history.
.
Until the answer to cancer is found, how can anyone be
certain that tinted lenses or any other hypothesis is
PURSUIT Winter 1978 "

14

wrong? Too many scientists are ultraconservative in

their own views as to what may cause cancer, yet speak
out unequivocally and confidently in stating what could
not possibly be a contributing factor. What is des
perately needed is better communications and more
open discussions on the subject, while bearing in mind
Webster's definition of "research" - "a critical and ex
haustive examination having for its aim the discovery of
new facts and their correct interpretation, the revision of
accepted conclusions, theories or laws in the light of
newly discovered facts, or the practical application of
such new or revised conclusions, theories or laws."
Many of the great discoveries of the past have come
about accidentally; but whether accidental or the result
of long studious hours of work, the results always seem to
meet resistance by those reluctant to give up the old
ideas for new. There is still a society for preservation of
the belief that the world is flat.

TINTED LENSES AND

CANCER: EMPIRICAL
SERENDIPITY
Fifty years ago, when Charles A. lindbergh made his
solo flight in a single engine airplane across the Atlantic to
Paris, ) made my first time lapse pictures of an African
violet and apple blossom. ) borrowed the works from the
kitchen clock in order to make an automatic timer and
began taking single frames on a moving picture film at
regular intervals. The effect was a flower bursting into
bloom on the screen in a matter of only a few seconds.
Later, ) expanded my operation to include photograph
ing many different flowering plants - whatever hap
pened to be coming into bloom at the time. Some did
bloom quite normally and) accumulated a sequence of
time lapse pictures of flowers which I showed to our local
garden club and other similar organizations.
However, some plants didn't cooperate and refused to
bloom; these I would just discard before trying some
thing else. This I did until my hobby grew to the point
where) was asked to make many, if not most, of the time
lapse pictures for Walt Disney's nature films, including
Nature's Half Acre and Secrets 0/ Life. Then when a
flower refused to bloom) had to try to figure out why in
order to follow the script.
The first problem with any possible scientific signifi
cance came in trying to photograph the growth of a
pumpkin from the emergence of the first shoot to the
maturity of a pumpkin for the film Secrets 0/ Life.
I didn't get any pumpkins, but learned that a pumpkin
is a monoecious type of plant. That is, it produces both
staminate and pistillate blossoms on the same vine. I
found that all the staminate blossoms developed to large
healthy specimens, but all the pistillate blossoms with the
little embryo of the pumpkin right under the blossom
would dry up, turn black, and drop off the vine.
I had a good picture of a tomato turning a bright red
color, but since this particular sequence had to tie into
.the story of Cinderella's Chariot, a tomato simply would
not do.
.
I consulted a number of horticulturists, botanists, and
just plain farmers who grew pumpkins, but no one had
ever experienced this kind of situation before and there
PURSUIT Winter 1978

fore had no real suggestions as to what might be wrong.

The soil tested out O.K. and the plants looked perfectly
healthy; but all the pistillate blossoms would start to grow
and then, at an early stage, would all dry up, turn black
.and drop off the vine.
The situation was getting desperate. Walt Disney
needed this sequence badly, so I agreed to try it again the
next year. I was doing the project under a skylight in my
ivory cellar (basement studio) and supplementing the reo
stricted daylight with two large fluorescent fixtures. The
lights were old and beginning to flicker so I bought some
new tubes and started over again. To my amazement,
this time all the pistillate buds developed fully and the
staminate buds all dropped off - just the opposite from
the previous year. In checking everything) could think of,
I found that the first year ) had happened to use cool
white fluorescent tubes, which are strong in the yellow .
orange part of the spectrum. The second year, without
asking for any particular kind of tube, ) had just hap
pened to get daylight white, which has more blue in it.
After completing the pictures for Disney,) continued to
experiment with the different fluorescent tubes and
found) could obtain 100% staminate or pistillate bios
. soms on a pumpkin vine by simply supplementing the
somewhat restricted daylight with either coolwhite or
daylight white f1uorescent.l
Soon thereafter I was asked to ~sist in taking time
lapse pictures of the development of fish embryos in the
Department of Biology at Loyola University in Chicago.
. After the project was well underway I suggested placing
some of the guppies, which bear live young, under cool
white and some of the others under daylightwhite fluor
escent. (The sex of the guppies can readily be de
termined by the development of certain coloration in the
.
males as the fish mature.)
The results of this experiment were quite significant.
The professor in charge advised that this time all the gup
pies under coolwhite appeared to be females consider
ably past the time when any male coloring should have
normally appeared. However, at a still later date he
advised me that approximately 20% of the guppies
showed faint male coloring that never did fully develop.2 It
was not feasible to do any autopsies at the time to see
what this mixed up sex situation really was.
A story about the effect of light on the sex of the pump
kin blossoms and guppies appeared in the press and Ire
ceived a letter from a chinchilla breeder advising that this
growing industry was encountering a major problem in
obtaining enough female chinchillas for breeding pur
poses. Chinchillas kept outdoors produced approx
imately 5050 males and females.
Generally speaking, the cninchilla breeders were using
the same established procedures for breeding mink,
which as cold weather animals can tolerate extreme cold
winter temperatures. It was also thought that the cold
temperature would produce better pelts earlier in the
season than in the case of animals kept indoors.
Experience soon indicated that the temperature did
not control the development of heavier winter fur and
that the chinchillas, being native to a more temperate clio
mate, could not stand the extreme cold. (It is now known
that the seasonal changes in the length of daylight and
darkness triggers the onset of the heavy winter fur as it
also times the migration of birds, the hibernation of bears,

15

and the mating season of just about all animals except

primates. The poultry industry routinely uses artificial
light to lengthen the daylight periods, especially in the
winter time, to increase egg production.3 )
The chinchilla breeder advised that when the chin
chillas were, of necessity, moved indoors the sex ratio in
the litters changed to about 95% or more males and it
therefore became impossible to maintain the necessary
number of females for breeding purposes. The cost of
changing the incandescent fixtures to fluorescent (as I
had done with both the pumpkins and guppies) was more
than the chinchilla breeder wanted to incur, so I sug
gested trying daylight incandescent bulbs in the breeding
rooms in place of the regular incandescent ones. Daylight incandescent bulbs use a blue glass to cut down on
the high ratio of red and infrared in the regular incandescent ones. The lights were not installed until ten days
after mating had occurred and the same parent animals
that had been consistently producing approximately 95%
males in the litters under the regular incandescent bulbs
now produced 95% females, which is contrary to the longestablished X-V chromosome theory.4 Daylight incandescent bulbs are now in world-wide commercial use by
chinchilla breeders to increase the number of females in
the litters.
After making these observations, I decided to build a
small animal laboratory out in the back yard and experiment in keeping various laboratory animals under different colors or wavelengths of light on a more controlled basis. This was an entirely new experience for me;
but through several doctor friends I was able to get some
qualified laboratory animal technicians to help set up the
necessary scientific controls and generally supervise the
experiments.
In our studies, the most significant abnormal conditions were found in laboratory animals under pink fluorescent,S 6 which represents a concentration of the wavelength energy in a narrow part of the spectrum towards
the red end of the visible spectrum. The animals used in
this particular experiment were mice and rats, which are
nocturnal in nature and do not see into the far red end of
the spectrum. (The reason red lights are used in the socalled "night rooms" of many zoos is so that the nocturnal animals are more active and will therefore not
sleep in a corner of their cage while the zoo is open to the
public during the daytime.)
The abnormal responses in the animals under the pink
fluorescent consisted of excessive calcium deposits in
the heart tissue, a smaller number and lower survival rate
of young in the litters, and a significantly greater tumor
development or cancer, which has now been confirmed
by six major medical centers,7 plus a strong tendency
toward irritable, aggressive (constant fighting with one
another), and cannibalistic behavioral patterns.
It is difficult to reconcile with the general concepts of
cancer research the fact that the findings reported by six
major medical centers - that light influences the rate,
size and number of tumors in laboratory animals - is
being completely ignored by both the National Cancer
Institute and the American Cancer Society.
In a recent interview by Joel Greenburg, science writer
for the Miami Herald, Dr. Bayard Morrison, Assistant
Director of the National Cancer Institute, said "No one

here is involved in that kind of research. There is no builtin bias against Dr. Ott or anyone else; it's just that his proposals have not been relevant to on-going work."
The American Cancer Soc~ety had previously replied
that" ... while there is every likelihood that exposure to
different kinds of light will affect certain physiological response in the animals, they will only confuse the issue."
To me the major inconsistency in present day cancer
research is that in spite of all the "breakthroughs" and
claims. for improved methods of both detection and treatment, and the billions of dollars spent, the cancer death
rate is continuing to rise at an alarming rate; it reached, in
fact, an all-time record high last year. This alone indicates to me a need for a careful review of our present
approach to the problem.
On first thought, it might be concluded that the particular wavelengths which we se~ as pink might be responsible for the abnormal results obtained above. However,
these wavelengths are a part of the total spectrum and
are present in natural outdoor daylight. Instead, it should
therefore be suggested that the abnormal responses reo
suit from the wavelengths that are missing in the pink
fluorescent light; so that certain endocrine responses are
failing to function, thus causing the conditiqn of malillumination.
Modern civilization has brought about ever more rapid
changes in one of man's most important environments
-light. The effects of s~nlight, both beneficial and harmful, on the human skin have long been recognized. More
recently, however, neurochemical channels leading from
the retina to the pituitary and pineal glands have been reported.s 9 These master glands control the endocrine
system which produces and releases the hormones that
control body chemistry. Thus, the basic principles of
photosynthesis in plants, sometimes referred to as the
conversion of light energy into chemical energy, appear
to carryover into animal life in a way which has heretofore gone unrecognized.
Life on this earth, since the beginning, has evolved
under the full spectrum'of natural sunlight. Recent studies have indica.h~d specific endocrine processes (involv
ing sensitive photoreceptor mechanisms in both the skin
and the retina) are responsive to narrow bands of wave
lengths within the entire electromagnetic spectrum and
not just to the difference between light and dark. lO Some
of these wavelengths of general background radiation will
penetrate ordinary:building material as readily as visible
light perietrates window glass.
If the specific-wavelengths to which a photoreceptor
mechanism responds are missing in an artificial light
. source, then this would be the equivalent of darkness to
. the- photoreceptor mechanism; in this case there would
be no response even though there are other wavelengths
of light present. .. .
Various skin and suntan lotions block certain light rays
from penetrating th~ skin. Ordinary glass in windows,
windshields, arid eyeglasses filters most of the ultraviolet
entering the eyes. Tinted contact lenses, deeper colored
sunglasses, and differ.ent artificial light sources, in addition to industrial smog, also grossly distort the natural
spectrum of light to which people are normally subject.
Much has been written on the importance of diet, exerciSe, fresh air, sleep, pure water, not smoking, etc. - but
still our national health continues to decline. Something is
PURSUIT

Winter 1978

16

still missing and there is good evidence that the missing

link is light.
Let's compare the metabolic life process of the human
body with your automobile engine. Both need fuel and
the quality of the fuel is important. Both need air, but your
auto engine won't run on these two ingredients alone; neither will the life metabolic process. The need for an ignition system is taken for granted in your car engine. When
the engine stalls because of dirty spark plugs, we recognize the need for cleaning them or for fixing whatever else
may have gone wrong with the ignition system. Adjusting
the carburetor or fussing with the fuel pump would be
pretty much a waste of time. Yet when it comes to the
metabolic life process of the human body that is about all
we do. We are totally ignoring the ignition system -light.
A number of widely used drugs and medicines, including some vitamins (riooflavin) and certain constituents of
foods, are known to make people sensitive to light. If the
specific wavelengths to which a certain vitamin reacts are
of very low energy or totally lacking in an artificial light
source, then a megadose would be required to bring
about a normal reaction. One major problem with conventional artificial light sources is that certain areas of the
spectrum are very weak or even totally lacking while
other areas of the spectrum may contain very strong
peaks of energy.
If the wavelength absorption characteristics of a food
or drug happen to coincide with a peak of energy in an
artificial light source, then the result could be an overreaction or an allergic type response.
The food that people eat need not necessarily contain
any nutritional value. Artificial flavorings and especially
coloring materials,11 because of their greater absorptive
and reflective characteristics, would cause a similar abnormal reaction to excessive peaks of light energy.
The normal dose rate of just about every drug has been
established for people living mostly under different artificiallights that are lacking in certain wavelengths. When
these people take any of these drugs known to be photosensitizers and go out into the sunlight, it is the ultraviolet wavelengths which are uSually blamed for any abnormal side effects that may occur. Obviously, the drug
must be interacting with these specific wavelengths.
The customary solution to this problem is to recommend staying out of the sunlight. However, some doctors
in Florida and other sunny areas are now cutting down
the medication dose instead,' then letting their patients go
out into the sunlight for reasonable periods of time, of
course taking care not to get. sunburned. From all reports I have heard, these' people are responding exceedingly well. This seems to be particularly true with
people who work in offices under fluorescent light in the
north and spend several weeks vacation in a sunny
climate trying to make up for their lack of sunlight.
Needless to say, this not only emphasizes the importance of having laboratory.. Iighting conditions under
scientific control (and not jusHrusting them to building
. maintenance), but also poin~ to the possible invalidation
of all past, present, and future an,imal (including human)
research that does not consider the intensity and wavelength distribution, as well the periodicity, of light as an
important variable. As more and more knowledge is
gained regarding the importance of nutrition in relation to

as

PURSUIT Winter 1978

human health and behavior, it becomes apparent that

nutrition and light must be considered of equal interacting importance.
. One of the more interesting developments in medicine
during the past few years has been the introduction of
light therapy in place. of a complete blood transfer for the
treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, orjaundice, in
premature babies. The use of light for the treatment of
jaundice may have been practiced originally in India by
mid-wives who placed unclothed jaundiced infants in the
sunlight to cure them. The use of artificial light to treat
jaundice can be traced back to the work done in 1958 by
Dr. Richard J. Cremer of Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, England. Dr. Cremer showed that the serum bilirubin levels that cause jaundice could be lowered in infants by exposing them either to sunlight or to,artificial
blue light. The accepted alternative treatment for severe
cases is to perform a complete blood transfusion, which
in itself carries considerable risk.
In this country, Dr. Jerold F. Lucey, Professor ofPediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and a past president of the American Academy of
Pediatrics, has carried on extensive work in further
studying light therapy for the treatment of jaundice in premature babies. 12 Premature babies who are to be exposed to the light treatment first have their eyes covered
with a blindfold as a precautionary measure. The treatment is usually for eight hours a day for five or six days.
The conqition, bilirubin, results from high concentrations of a toxic waste in the blood, which the infant is unable to dispose of through its liver and kidneys. The blue
light (shorter visible wavelengths) passing through the tissues converts the bilirubin serum into a non-toxic substance that can be easily excreted. In a somewhat sirr. i!ar
reaction, it has long been recognized that the ultraviolet
rays in sunlight synthesize natural vitamin D.
Dr. Lucey, along with his co-workers, has experimented with different types of fluorescent lights; he has
recently reported that he is now using full-spectrum fluorescent tubes with added ultraviolet to duplicate the spectrum of natural sunlight more closely.
It seems to me that while the use of a strong blue light
might hasten the breakdown of the bilirubin serum, that
the absence of all the other wavelengths of the total spectrum might create other deficiences or side effects, especially in new born infants receiving their first direct exposure to the light environment.
The New England Journal of Medicine l3 mentions a
new improved form of treatment for psoriasis - photochemotherapy. Both Professor Thomas Fitzpatrick, at
the MasSachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and Professor Klaus Wolff, at the University Dermatology Clinic
in Vienna, have pioneered in orally giving their patients a
drug (methoxsalen) that is specifically activated by long
wavelength ultraviolet or black light. The afflicted areas
are then exposed to the black light ultraviolet. wavelengths in what looks something like a telephone booth .
Dr. Troy D. Feller, of Baylor College of Medicine, reported to the 120th annual meeting of the American
Medical Association on a new light therapy for treating
herpes virus. A certain dye that absorbs light is applied to
the skin lesion which is then. exposed to daylight-type

17

fluorescent light. This process is referred to as photodynamic inactivation_

If a particular ailment can be treated with certain wavelengths of light, then living under an artificial light source
lacking these wavelengths might logically contribute to
causing the ailment in the first place.
It is noteworthy that all the acceptable applications of
phototherapy so far use blue or ultraviolet wavelengths
that are so grossly missing in our artificial light sources
under which modern civilization currently exists. Pink
tinted lenses especially stop these beneficial wavelengths from entering the eyes, thus causing an endocrine deficiency_ The recent rapid swing toward the new, .
more efficient, but at the same time grossly distorted pink
and orange spectrum range of the new type sodium
vapor lighting only raises further very serious problems
concerning its effect on human health and behavior.

REFERENCES
1 Ott, J.N_, "Effects of Wavelengths of Light on Physiological
Functions of Plants and Animals." Illuminating Eng, LX, 254261 (1965).
2 Ott, J. N., My /uory Cellar, Devin-Adair Publishing Co.,
1958.

Biellier, H. V_ and Ostmann, O. W., "Effect of Varying DayLength on Time of Oviposition in Domestic Fowl." Research
Bulletin 747, University of Missouri, College of Agriculture,
Sept. 1960.
4 Ott, J. N., "Light and Animal Breeding," National Chinchilla
Breeder, Vol. 20, No.6, June 1964, pgs. 17-18.
5 Ott, J. N., "Some Responses of Plants and Animals to Variations in Wavelengths of Light Energy," Annals NY Acad. o/Sci
117, 1964, pgs. 624-635.
6 Ott, J. N., Health & Light; The Devin-Adair Company, Old
Greenwich, CT 06870.
70U, J. N., "The Eyes' Dual Function - Part III," EENT
Monthly, Vol 53, Nov. 1974, pgs. 465-469.
8 Krieg, Wendell J. S., "The Hypothalamus of the Albino Rat,"
Journal 0/ Comparatiue Neurology, Vol 55, No. I, May 1932.
9 Wurtman, Richard J. Axelrod, Julius and Fischer, Josef E.,
"Melatonin Synthesis in the Pineal Gland: Effect of Light Mediated by the Sympathetic Nervous System," Science, Vol. 143,
March 20, 1964, pgs. 1328-1329.
10 Ott, J. N., "Some Observations on the Effect of Light on the
Pigment Epithelial Cells of the Retina of a Rabbit's Eye," Recent
Progress in Photobiology, E. J. Bowen (ed), Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1964.
II Feingold, B. F., "Behavioral Disturbances, Learning Disabilities, and Food Additions," Chern. Tech, 1975,5,264.
12 Lucey, J. F., "Nursery Illumination as a Factor in Neonatal
Hyperbilirubinemia," Pediatrics, Vol. 4, No.2, August 1969.
13 The New England Journal o/Medicine, Vol. 291, p. 1207.
3

ANALOGIES OF THE PROPAGATION WAVES

OF lHE GREAT FEAR IN FRANCE, 1789,
AND OF THE AIRSHIP FLAP IN OHIO, 1897
By Andrew E. Rothovius
Unsuspected relationships between apparently un~
connected phenomena comprise a prime matter of concern and interest to Forteans and Jungians alike, and
can sometimes be of a surprisingly significant nature; the
one forming the subject of this discussion is an outstanding case in point_
In reading "The Ohio Airship Story" in Pursuit (VoL 10,
No.1, pp. 2-8), the thought struck me that it might be interesting to take the map accompanying the article and
link the towns and dates of the observations of the alleged .
airships which appeared over Ohio during the year of
1897. The result was fascinating (see the map as reproduced here, with my notations).
The sightings did not occur at random across the state,
in either space or time, but in a rhythmic progression
from west to east. The first date, April 14, finds the first
three sightings, when plotted on the map, forming a convex arc across the west central part of Ohio. During the
next two days, April 15 and 16, the sightings move eastward into the center of the state along virtually straight
but v~ry slightly curved lines; on the 17th the sighting
lines form a deep salient into the eastern third of Ohio_
Then for one day, the 18th, there is a lull in the sightings,
with only one in the extreme southeast corner near the

West Virginia border; on the 19th, the sightings begin to

retrace their path, but for the next two days there is a lack
of a distinct pattern which is resumed, however, on the
22nd as a gentle curve across the north central half of the
state.
The 23rd finds a retrogression to the southeast, with a
line spanning almost the entire distance between the
Ohio' River and Lake Erie_ After that, the sightings become more sparSe 'and diffuse; no pattern can be traced,
and in.a few days they die out altogether. (It should be remarked that" during the first four days, April 14 through
17, there was a localized. area of sightings at Akron, in
northeastern Ohio, which appeared to be independent of
the west-to-east, the east-to-west pulsation' that characterized the rest of the flap). .
My first .reaction to the overall pattern that thus
emerged on the map of Ohio was that it militated strongly
against there being any objective reality (in the sense of
nuts-and-bolts hardware) to the airships. Even primitive
airships, the only ones conceivably in existence in 1897,
would cruise much more rapidly than the leisurely speed
at which the sighting lines moved across the state - none
of them exceeding ISO miles a day (and that only in the
case of the eastward salient on the 17th), and most
PURSUIT Winter 1978

18

averaging much less than that, or around 40 miles a day.

(The movement of the lines is reminiscent of ripples
across a body of water, suggesting that the initial impulse
lay weIl to the west of Ohio.) These speeds are, however,
consistent with the word-of-mouth spread of airship reports, each one giving rise to the next, as affected by the
network of daily rural trains which then connected virtually every community of any size - and many of no size
- in the Buckeye State.
'I have not attempted to plot the sighting lines on a railroad map of Ohio of that period, but they would probably coincide substantially. This in itself might not be too
significant, since the rail network was so dense that many
of the lines would coincide by chance. However, the point
is that the sightings did not cross the Pennsylvania state
line to the east. Instead, they retrogressed westward for a
few days before ceasing; this suggests that the Ohio
farmers who did business by rail, traveling between their
various markets and farms, did so principally within the
state. When the ripple caused by the word-of-mouth distribution of airship reports had reached the eastern third
of the state it did not go on into Pennsylvania because its
carriers themselves did not go into that state.
The sighting ripple therefore rebounded as from a pool
wall, flowing back westward, but it had too little impetus
left to cross the whole of Ohio a second time. It therefore
died halfway through its journey; there was simply not
enough substance behind the sightings to sustain continued reports, even though the initial excitement had
been sufficient to carry the ripple across the state once.
It might be argued that there were a large number of
daily and weekly newspapers published in Ohio at that
time, and that it was the reports of the airship sighting in
them rather than word-of-mouth which provided the
main carrier vehicle. Doubtless these reports did spread
through the press, but it is difficult to relate the extensive
list of items mentioned in Mr. Eberhart's article to the
sighting pattern, both spatially and temporally, as it
appears on the map. I feel that newspaper reports played
only a secondary role and that wordof-mouth (although
not necessarily, and in fact probably rarely, by the actual
witnesses themselves - instead by people who had
heard the accounts second or third hand) was the principal mover, as it has been throughout human history.
Having got this far with my plotting of the sighting pattern, and meditating on whether the phenomenon involved was 1) people thinking they saw what the exciting
reports were conditioning them mentally to see, 2) people
seeing what some intelligence outside of them wanted
them to see, or 3) people seeing what was there but which
could be seen only under similar special conditions of
mental stimulation, I suddenly recalled that there had
been another very notable instance of extremely convin
cing hallucination which moved in pulsating waves across
a substantial extent of territory (even larger than Ohio)
and vanished as abruptly as it had begun.

THE GREAT FEAR

That other event was the Great Fear which swept over
most of France between July 20 and August 6,1789108 years before the Ohio flap. (Note that its duration
agrees roughly with that of the Ohio experience, the limitPURSUIT Winter 1978

ing dates of which were April 14 and May 11, although

most of the sightings in Ohio ceased at the end of April.
This suggests that mental phenomena of this type cannot, as a rule, be sustained in the general population for
more than about three weeks before exhausting the original generating energy.) The Great Fear occurred immediately after the outbreak of the French Revolution on
July 14 (the taking of the Bastille). Although we can be
certain that the mental currents set in motion by the great
social upheaval contriiJuted to the inception and spread
of the Fear, we cannot account for the Fear solely on the
basis of the Revolution.
Whereas the residents of tranquil Ohio, on the eve of
the advent of the automobile and the airplane, saw puzzling but not hostile airships in their peaceful skies, the
French rural populace in 1789 saw, within their uneducated frame of reference, something far more threatening and imminently dangerous. From one village and
town to another the rumor would spread (later on we
shaIl consider some of the means as weIl as the pattern of
the propagation) that a vast army of brigands was marching across the countryside, burning, looting and massacring. Often the report was vouched for by trembling
refugees who had made their escape barely in time; they
would describe the sacking and burning of the homes as
weIl as the slaughter of friends and relations who had
been cut down by the brigands.
And more than once great clouds of smoke rising on
the horizon or a red glare at night would add support to
these stories. One man said he had escaped from brigands who had dragged him into the woods where he was
their forced guest at a meal which the robbers prepared
over a huge bonfire; two sides of bacon filched in their
sacking of the village was the main course. They also
killed the local gamekeeper in front of this witness who,
being perfectly familiar with the woods in which all this
took 'place, later led a party of hastily raised militia to the
spot. No sign of any bonfire or brigand feast was found,
and the gamekeeper turned up alive and protesting that
he had never seen any robbers.
It was the same with the clouds of smoke and the glare
of fires at night: upon diligent search, no trace of these
conflagrations could be found, and when those who had
fled were persuaded to return home they found everything intact and the supposedly slaughtered victims alive
and well.
The panic would last typicaIly from 12 to 36 hours in
any given locality; then it would disappear as everyone
shamefacedly realized there was no enemy around. The
Great Fear made a tremendous impression on French
historians and scholars and is widely discussed in a large
number of 19th Century works, all of which wrongfully
convey the impression that the Fear either arose spontaneously, virtually everywhere in France at the same
time, or that it spread outward in all directions from Paris
as a result of the fighting at the Bastille and the attending
disorders.
It is true that the mysterious brigands were usually
linked by the Fear to the Paris events of the 14th - in
most cases they were represented as foreign mercen:
aries (variously German, Austrian, Piedmontese, Spanish, Croat and others) hired by the enraged nobles to ravage and destroy the French peasantry before it could
follow the revolutionary example of the Paris urban prole-

19

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Map showing sequential nature of daybyday reports of "airship" sightings in Ohio.

Added to the sketchmap illustrating "The Ohio Airship Story" (Pursuit, Vol. 10, No. I,
p. 3) are author Rothovius' notations to support his contention that the reports spread
across the state at railroad speed during April and May, 1897.

tariat. How it would have been possible, in those times

before the existence of any form of rapid mass transpor
tation, for the nobles to recruit and march such a force
into France in a matter of a week or so after the Bastille
fell, was a question that occurred to no one to ask.
Nevertheless, when the first scientific 20th Century
analysis of the Great Fear was made in 1932 by the noted
historian Georges Lefebvre, it was readily demonstrated
that the Fear did not spread out from Paris, nor did it
arise everywhere at once. On the contrary, there were
six distinct waves of the Fear, each traceable to a single
locality and single precipitating incident and each moving across the map of France in a steadily pulsating
rhythm which averaged 4 km (about 2~ miles) an hour.
This leisurely speed of progression, similar to but even

slower than that in Ohio, corresponds to the word-ofmouth transmission by people on foot; the key word here
is "average" - frequently, urgent messengers running or
on horseback would spread the Fear at a considerably
faster rate, but this would be offset by halts of up to a day
in many localities before being carried to the next community. The 4 km per hour average thus indicates what is
confirmed from many contemporary accounts - that
the principal mode of transmission was by peasants walking from one village to another, seized by the Fear and the
need to communicate it.
This last point is important: in a large number of cases
it would seem that the transmitters of the Fear began
their walking journey, to the weekly market or wherever
it was they were going, with no apprehension in mind.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

20

Somewhere, perhaps only a mile or two along the way,

something triggered the Fear in them - possibly a puff of
smoke from a rubbish fire, the rustle of animals in the
roadside brush, or the offhand remark of some encountered traveler. Instantly, as it were, they saw the countryside ravaged by bands of thousands of merciless
brigands, and in fully convinced alarm they would convey the dread tidings to the next village or town.
The Fear, then, was an implanted reaction; either its
basic pattern was programmed into the minds of its carriers, awaiting only some triggering mechanism, as suggested above, or it was implanted directly, with an instantaneous effect, by a mode or means we are as yet unable to determine with exactness.
Not all persons were susceptible; it is recorded that in
some villages, the local parson or seigneur (or whoever
else was looked up to) only laughed at the tales of devastation and refused to sound an alarm or summon the
militia. In such cases the Fear would by-pass the locality,
re-surfacing a few miles further on. It rarely deviated
more than a short distance to either side of the track it
was following, and would always return to it after any
temporary diversion. Sometime it branched, each
branch moving out independently..
The intensity of each of the six currents of the Fear varied, which is why each differed in its duration and the
amount of territory covered. Toward the end of its
course, each current would start to weaken. The size of
the rumored brigand armies lessened, the details of the
ravages were toned down, and the reaction to the alarms
became increasingly skeptical, until at some point their
transmission ceased.
The reader's attention is invited to the accompanying
map reproduced from Georges Lefebvre's book. A few
moments of close study will help disentangle the maze of
arrow-tipped lines. To help with this disentanglement, I
have added numbers (1 to 6) to designate the starting
points (already marked with open circles on the original
map) of each of the six waves of the Fear_ (It should be
noted that the areas left white on the map indicate those
parts of France where the Fear was experienced; but it
should also be understood that between the arrow-lines
there were strips of countryside that remained unaffected as well. To have further cross-hatched these narrow strips in the same manner as the large areas of
France where the Fear did not appear would have made
the map impossibly complicated. Also, the four pockets
of darkly cross-hatched areas indicate where peasant revolts, against the nobles and landowners, had broken out
be/ore the Fear. Lefebvre wished to show that, contrary
to some historians, the Fear did not originate in these revolt areas or even on their borders; in fact, it did not pene. trate a single one of them.
The first wave of the Fear started at Nantes on the
lower Loire (Area 1 on the map, a little more than halfway up the left border) about midday on July 20, and was
initiated by the rumored approach of a body of government troops coming to restore order in the town (there
had been disturbances there following the news of the
Bastille). The wave moved southeastward, rather more
slowly than the average knv'h, across the bocage
(hedge and pasture) country of Poitou. At Cholet it
branched into two tracks, parallel to each other, and then
dissipated on the afternoon of the 23rd. It was at its peak
PURSUIT Winter 1978

on the 22nd, at La Chataignerie, where it disrupted the

rural church feast of the Madeleine. This wave's distinguishing feature was the rapid transformation, in the
minds of the transmitters, from government trooPs
(actually there were none even of these) into ferocious
foreign brigands.
The second wave originated on the following morning
(the 21st) near La Ferte in the province of Maine (marked
2 on the map), more than 200 km from Nantes, and totally
uninfluenced by the first wave~ It spread, in the form of a
pinwheel, to the south, west and north (see arrows on
map), the strongest current being the northward, which
on the 23rd produced eyewitness accounts of the towns
of Dreux and Verneuil having been burned, sacked
and looted, though not before ,the local militias had killed
4000 of the brigands. (The towns were, of course, found
to be quiet and unharmed when the refugees returned a
day later.)
The northern and western currents of this second
wave dissipated late on the 24th; the southern current,
moving through Tours and Blois in two parallel streams,
did not exhaust itself until the 27th, thus giving it a six-day
life. Lefebvre was unable to discover the initiating incident for the second wave.
The third wave of the Fear originated in the early morning of the 23rd, west of Lons in eastern France near the
Swiss border (marked 3 on the map), and it was initiated
by a party of militia returning home at night from having
investigated a reported disturbance at a chateau near
Louhans (see map); they decided to fire off the ammunition in their muskets rather than go through the bother of
unloading them. This was done on a deserted country
road, but the noise of the shots aroused the attention of
several peasants and within moments they were spreading the Fear across the countryside. (There is no evidence that any word of the first two outbreaks, less than
72 hours earlier, had yet reached eastern France.)
This third wave traveled only a short distance to the
north, then recoiled from the Saon.e and the Voges
massif; but to the south it went all the way to the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps before finally dissipating on
August 4, after a life of 12 days, at Salerne in southeast
Province, not far from the Piedmontese frontier. It was
only in this wave that the Fear was transformed into revo
luti(;>nary action: in some parts of the so.utheast, the
chateaus of the nobles were attacked and burned in retaliation for their allegedly having instigated and leVied
the incursion of the brigands, who here were principally
"seen" as Piedmontese (Italians) from across the Alps.
The fourth wave of the Fear erupted at Estrees, north
of Paris (spot marked 4 on the map), on the evening of the .
26th; it was initiated by a violent altercation between
some poachers and the gamekeepers of the local seigneur. Although it penetrated the northern outskirts of
Paris, its main thrust was northward in the direction of
the Straits of Dover. This short wave had a life span of
only three days, being almost. spent when it arrived in
Boulogne late on the 29th. Curiously, it did not penetrate
the area immediately adjacent to the Flanders frontier,
whera a peasant uprising was already in progresS and
emigre nobles were known to be recruiting and massing
forces on the Flanders side for an attempt to regain
power in France.
.. .
Lefebvre's fifth wave of the Fear (I have used his num-

21

Map showing movement of currents of the

Great Fear, from The
Great Fear of 1789, by
George Lefebvre,
translated by Joan
White, @ 1973 by Pantheon Books, a division of Random
House, Inc., NY.

bering throughout) broke out west of Troyes (number 5

on the map) in Champagne on July 24, actually 2 days
earlier than the fourth wave. It started from a herd of run- .
away cattle whose rustling sounds inside a patch of
brushwood were taken to be a band of brigands hiding
under cover of the leaves, and very quickly the Fear was
spreading, full-blown, in several currents that moved generally southward but diverged to the east and west on
either side (one of which was moving northwest when it
entered the southern outskirts of Paris). The general lifespan was six days, although that of some of the currents
was somewhat less; the southernmost one merged, on
July 30 near Bourbon, with the great sixth wave in the
southwest of France.
This fifth wave produced one of the most circumstantial and detailed eyewitness stories of the brigands at
work; refugees from Longjumeau, a town southeast of
Paris (not shown on the map, but near Fontainebleau)
told of entry by armed cavalry wearing the uniforms of
Austrian hussars who proceeded to sack and burn the
principal buildings. Needless to say, when militia sent to
the rescue arrived they found the town quiet and undisturbed.
. The sixth and last wave was the greatest; starting at a
spot (marked 6 on the map) near Ruffec in west-central

France, on July 28, it fanned out in pinwheel fashion (but

more strongly to the southeast) to cover all the southwest anH south-central provinces, reaching the Pyrenees
frontier with Spain on the 6th of August, as it was fading
out. Its duration was thus nine days, during which it
moved at a somewhat greater speed than the average 4
km per hour. The initiating incident was the appearance
of four or five "Brothers of Mercy," as they were called licensed beggars and solicitors who were collecting alms
for the benefit of French captives of the Barbary pirates.
When these were seen to disappear into a patch of woods
instead of continuing along the highway, the conclusion
was jumped to that they were spies of the brigands in disguise. That was all that was needed to touch off the Fear's
widest rampage of all.

SIMILARITIES
Comparing now the map of France in 1789 to the one
of Ohio in 1897.. we see that the Fear's initial wave - as in
Ohio - entered from the west; the succeeding second
and third ones were progressively further to the east
(almost to the eastern limits of France); then the three following ones retrograded westward, almost back to the
PURSUIT Winter 1978

22
point of origin. This follows a similar pattern as in Ohio,
and indicates very strongly that some related phenomenon is involved behind surface events.
It was suggested earlier in this presentation that the
Ohio airship flap was propagated largely by word-ofmouth along the dense rural railroad network of the
1890s. We have seen how the French Great Fear was
also spread by word-of-mouth, although the six initial
sources appear to have begun independently of each
other; certainly this is true for the first three, and may
apply in all six cases (it is only marginally possible that reports of the first three waves set off the final three). In
other words, the impulse for each wave was implanted
into the minds of the persons involved from outside; it
may be that, if we had a more thorough knowledge of the
spread of the Ohio flap we would find that the first sighting in each case was an implanted one. Or it may have
been the other way around: word-of-mouth reports could
have suggested the first sighting, then implantation would
carry it along the lines of propagation which appear on
the Ohio map.
'
Many other points of similarity between the 1789 and
1897 occurrences are evident. The manifestations - airships in one case; brigands in the other - were' actually
seen by persons of normally credible character and
sound minds, and were consistent (though admittedly at
an extreme limit) with what their respective frames of reference would admit as being physically possible. Physical
effects and traces, though apparently witnessed at the
moment, could not be found. Natural or accidental phenomena were known triggers for the French events, and
quite possibly figured in at least some of the Ohio events

(the four or five "Brothers of Mercy" who touched off the

sixth French wave may not have been real persons, but
rather mental constructs like the "Men in Black" so familiar to present-day UFO and Fortean investigators).
What the purpose of the manifestations was must remain conjectural. Though the mode of the Phenomena
appears to have been the same (or at the least very similar) we cannot assume that the same cause was responsible in both cases. Ohio can be interpreted as the mass
precognitive hallucination of an invention then very near
actual realization; the French Fear is less convincingly
interpretable as a similar precognition, on a mass scale, of
the Reign of Terror into which the Revolution would degenerate within a few years. The Napoleonic Wars that
grew out of the Revolution would end in 1814 with an invasion of France by Russian, Austrian and Prussian
armies which were to commit actual ravages, fulfilling in
part at least the insubstantial horrors of the Great Fear.
Yet this was to be limited to northern France and would
not affect more than about 15% of the total area which experienced the Fear.
We might perhaps see in the Great Fear an expression
of the realization the part of the Jungian "group soul" or
collective European (and especially West European) unconscious, that the era of limited warfare fought by small
professional armies, which characterized the 18th Century, was ending; and the age of total wars, involving entire national populations, was about to begin. In any
event, the Great Fear stands as one of the most extraordinary mental phenomena ever recorded.

MIND OVER MATTER

By T. 8. Pawlicki
KVOS-TV, Channel 12, Bellingham, Washington,
broadcasts a children's educational series under the title,
More. Around June, 1977, the subject of the lesson was
the Plate Flutter experiment. A powder is sprinkled on a
vibrant surface and exposed to more or less tuned sound.
The sonic wavelengths which coincide fundamentally
and/ or harmonically with the dimensions of the particles
of the powder cause the particles to vibrate sympathetically. These vibrations carry the powder with them, making the structure of the sound energy visible. The Plate
Flutter experiment, a child's toy, is a scale model iIIustra
ting the way the entire universe works.
Untuned, unfocused sound can be regarded as a perfectly random flux of vibrations from all directions.
Where vibrations traveling in opposite directions meet
with a coincidence of frequency and phase, a standing
wave is formed. The nodes of these standing waves occur
where the powder accumulates during the Plate Flutter
experiment. In order to make a standing wave on a plane
surface, frequency and phase coincidence must be perfectly opposed on one and/or two axes of the resonant
waves. As we know, sound waves are three dimensional,
and three-dimensional standing waves are created when
frequency and phase coincidence are perfectly opposed
PURSUIT Winter 1978

on the three axes of wave rotation. But the Plate Flutter

experiment is always performed oq a plane surface, so we
must remember to see the vibrating plane as a two-dimensional cross-section of an invisible, vibrating volume.
Whenever this experiment is performed, the demonstrator always de~eives the observers by directing atten
tion to the standing waves. The importance of this ex
periment is not in the standing waves, which are geometrically beautiful, but in the invisible radiant waves.
Standing waves, formed by axially opposed vibrations
which are not perfectly phasecoinddent,move. On each
cycle of vibration, the movement is equal to the phase displacement of the specific wavelength. The net velocity is
equal to the proportion of radiant velocity divided by
phase displacement. The limiting velocity is radiant velocity, at which point all phase coincidence is eliminated,
and the standing wave disappears entirely.
As phase coincidence is conver'ted to velocity, the observer will see the extension of the standing wave, now a
moving standing wave, contract along the axis of travel.
This is the Fitzgerald Contraction of Einstein's Theory of
Relativity demonstrated right before the eyes! When
phase coincidence is eliminated along one axis of opposition, the standing wave contracts to nothing on that axis

23

and disappears at radiant velocity. This illustrates how

matter is converted to energy at the speed of light.
The standing wave structures which are visible are
created by the radiant-wave structures which are invisible. The motion of the standing waves is determined by
""the dynamic structure of the radiant waves. We can see
the radiant energy moving the standing waves in the
same way that force fields accelerate material bodies in
space. We can infer from this model that field vectors are
created by radiant energy, field energy is a function of
wavelength, and field acceleration is a function of phase
incidence. We can also see that no space can be detected except as the field it contains. Therefore'/ield is identical to space. It is clear, too, that material objects are an
integral part of the field.
As we observe the pattern of the powder form and dissolve while the harmonics of the sound progresses
through its "rounds," we can see how radiant energy is
transformed into material and material is transformed
into energy in a continuous cycle. This is the Yin and the
Yang of it.
If the field is properly tuned, the standing-wave pattern
can be made to assume the form of a living creature. People who have studied the Plate Flutter model have actually duplicated the cross-sections of simple life forms. The
pattern can be made to move in response to its field like
an animal moves in response to signals of its environment. Now, movement is identical to behavior. Intelligence can be determined objectively only as behavior.
Therefore, behavior is identical to intelligence. Intelligent behavior is identical to consciousness. Consciousness is identical to mind. Therefore, consciousness is
identical to space. Space is defined by frequency.
Material is created OF space. Therefore, material is the
standing-wave phase of mind. Because each of these
terms is equivalent to any of the others, you can make the
most amazing discoveries by continuing this permutation of definitions.
As the standing-wave structure acquires velocity, the
phases of its constituent vibrations rotate out of synch in
direct ratio to acceleration. This shows that as a material object acquires ve','r""" . it is converted into a mental object.
You may wonder what thIS had to do with Flying Saucers. Well, if you refer to my first article on the engineering of antigravity ("How To Fly A Saucer," Pursuit, Vol.
10, No.4), you will recognize the Vortex Drive as a model

of a three-dimensional standing-wave generating a field of

its own which encloses the entire craft. A practicable
commutator to rectify the precessional acceleration will
have the effect of compressing the extension of the stand
ing-wave structure along the axis of travel by pushing
opposing phases out of synch. The compression is in
direct ratio to craft velocity. By engineering field vectors
in this way, the Flying Saucer becomes a model of an electron propelled by the ambient field. Because it receives its
energy for propulsion from the universal gravitational
field, its energy is infinite and so is its potential velocity.
The only fuel required is the amount necessary to maintain the Vortex Drive in tune.
As the Saucer's velocity increases, its mass decrea
ses, so the faster it goes, the faster it accelerates; a Saucer could accelerate to the speed of light almost instantly. We can observe the analogue in the Plate Flutter
model as standing-waves accelerate to radiant velocity
within a blink of the eye. At the speed of light, the compression of the Saucer along the axis of travel is total; it is
converted from a three-dimensional matter wave into a
two-dimension, massless photonic structure. It has
changed from a material object into a mental object. Brad
Steiger ... Curt Sutherly ... "are you there?
How is it that Einstein missed this? All of Einstein's
equations are true when energy from one field is applied
to a material structure of another field in order to generate an acceleration of material. What Einstein failed to
perceive is that each field in the universe is a separate frequency-defined space. If the field of the material structure is engineered directly, the signs of the operations are
reversed and the effects are opposite to the ones calculated in Relativity.
I am not enough of a mathematician to prove or disprove the equations of Relativity. But I am enough of an
observer to recognize that the Plate Flutter experiment is
a mechanical model of all the operations described by
Relativity. I have never seen a Flying Saucer in real space,
and I never expect to see one. But I can observe how the
standing-waves in the Plate Flutter model duplicate the
operations of Flying Saucers.
Future researchers and observers must decidewhether the scientific authorities are correct when they prove
that UFOs cannot possibly exist, or whether what I offer
may be a reasonable explanation as to how UFOs can
exist.

THE COSMIC HOLOGRAM

By T. B. Pawlicki
Take a converging lens, the lens off your camera or a
simple reading glass. Hold it so that it casts an image on a
suitable two-dimensional surface (such as a piece of white
paper).
We are in the habit of thinking that the image cast by a
lens is two-dimensional because we always use a two-dimensional surface to make it visible, but the image cast
by a lens is really three-dimensional. (Actually, it is four
and five-dimensional, but that is another story.) You can

prove that the cast image is three-dimensional by moving

the card along the axis of projection to bring the third-dimension into visibility, plane by successive plane. This
simple and self-evident demonstration proves that within
the focal cone of a lens, there exists a three-dimensional
image of half the visible universe, from here to infinity. insofar as the constituent radiation can be transmitted and
focused by the glass. That is an awful lot of information in
a handful of space.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

24
But radiation goes through a lens both ways. On the
other side of the lens, there is a three-dimensional image
of the other half of the universe.
You may object, of course, arguing that the angle of
view of the lens is considerably less than 180", but this
demonstration is adequate to prove the principle: there
are lenses that cover a field of 180.
Now, move your lens about. You will find no matter
where you hold a lens, it will always cast an image of the
entire visible universe, plus some of the invisible universe. The only difference produced by changing the position of the lens is to change the angle of aspect of the
image. You know all about this already; so what else is
new?
Well, the radiation being brought to a focus by the lens
exists at the lens, regardless of the origin of the radiation.
This means that every millilitre of space contains all the
information needed to recreate an image of the entire universe. When Blake wrote of finding a universe in a grain of
sand, he was telling it just like it is when you view the universe in the image cast by a microscopic sphere of silica,
or a dewdrop. A structure that contains its entirety in its
every part is a hc,>logram. This simple experiment, self-evident to a child, proves that the physical universe is a hologram of cosmic proportions.
If every part of the universe contains information of the
entire universe, then, for example, all knowledge is already contained within our brains. It is necessary only to
bring the proper vibrations to a proper focus in order to
retrieve any information we want.
Radiation filling all of space contains the information
necessary to construct everything in the universe. What
the lens does is to rot~te the angle of radiation within a
limited space. There are, of course, some critical differences between the image cast by a lens and a holograph.
To begin with, the universe is constructed of vibrations at
all frequencies. The lens transmits little more than the'
visible radiation. The universe is composed of vibrations
coming to foci at very specific points. The lens does not
bring all wavelengths to a common focus, so the critical
focal relationships are lost. Finally, the universe is
composed of vibrations from all directions. The lens
accepts radiation from a limited angle only. In order for a
lens to create a proper holographic duplicate of the universe it would have to bring all wavelengths from all
directions to a common focal point. If this operation is
performed, you will remember from the Plate Flutter
experiment that a three-dimensional standing wave will
be formed in space. A three-dimensional standing wave is
a material atom. This is why A = mc 2
h
We have here proof that anything in the universe can
be brought into existence at a specific time and place by
rotating the constituent frequencies until they come to a
focus from all directions. This may be how Jesus and
Elijah created the loaves and fishes to feed the multitudes. If you refer again to the Plate Flutter experiment,
you will understand that the rotation of radiant field vibrations until they come into focus as material standing
waves is actually the creation of matter out of mind. Now,
if one chose to call the universal intelligence behind the
universal field "God," then we can see one explanation as
to how God created Heaven and Earth, man and woman, and little green apples in the summertime. The obPURSUIT Winter 1978

servable fact that the human brain is capable of intentional interference with the natural course of phase rotation of field energy to create entirely new chemicals may
represent evidence for man's potential divinity_
In recent years, I have been told, Europe has marketed a toy that transmits electronically generated vibrations through a pool of water. Where the vibrations come
to a focus, phase-opposed on one or two axes, a standing wave is formed; and it rises above the surface of the
water like an atom projects from the field of space. When
the phase angles of the constituent vibrations are
changed, the standing wave moves. The standing wave
can be made to move at any velocity up to the resonant
velocity of water. You will recognize the mechanics involved is identical to the Plate Flutter experiment. If the
waves are so tuned, the standing wave can be made to
disappear at one location and to reappear instantly at
another without traversing the intervening distance the velocity of this exchange being the speed of light. If
the radiant waves of the energy field are properly tuned,
the standing wave can be made to assume any structural
configuration.
Given proper tuning, the standing wave created by the
universal field may also assume the structure of a Flying
Saucer and its crew. The radiation generated bytheVortex Drive will function as a field lens that rotates the
phase of universal radiation and causes the Saucer to dematerialize here and rematerialize somewhere else. If you
refer to the Vortex Drive of my article, "How To Fly A
Saucer," (Pursuit, Vol. 10, No.4) you will see that the
commutator of the precessional accelerator actually
functions as a rotator of phase, albeit a rather primitive
one. A more sophisticated Mark IV Flying Saucer would
generate a field capable of bringing every molecule of the
ship and its contents into coherent resonance so that all
atomic particles will rotate through phase in unison. Any
departure from absolute coherence will cause the Saucer to explode like a nuclear bomb_
The analogy drawn earlier between a Flying Saucer
and an electron also serves to prove that rotation of
phase in this manner is possible. When an electron jumps
from one atomic orbit to another, it is not seen to traverse
the interorbital distance in a measureable passage of
time. The electron simply disappears instantly in one
orbit and reappears instantly in the other. Accepted physical equations deny the possibility of a Flying Saucer.
You see, for an electron to jump from one orbit to another in no time at all, its velocity must be infinite_ If its
velocity is infinite, then its mass must also be infinite_If its
mass is infinite, the electron cannot be accelerated. So
the Quantum jump, the basis of modern physics, is impossible. Obviously, there must be some wooly thinking
at the highest level of physics, and the authorities are
doing the best they can to hide the contradictions. What
really happens is that a change in energy level causes the
electron to change frequency_ The change of frequency
demands different dimensions of the standing wave orbit.
The transformation is accomplished through a rotation of
phase. While the phase rotation is taking place, the electron hoecomes a massless, two dimensional and undetectable structure moving at the speed of light from one or. bit to the other. Time stops for the electron in rotation,
and the interval of passage is too brief to be detected by
any instrument; thus the electron is measured as disap-

25

pearing in one orbit and reappearing instantly at the

other. The Flying Saucer may represent an electron en
gineered on a scale large enough to carry a payload.
The demonstration with the lens shows us that a Fly
ing Saucer can be rotated through phase into agreement
with the light of a star as it is received here and now. In
this manner the Saucer disappears to the here and now,
as a material structure.
To the Saucer, it is Earthport which disappears, and
the star which materializes instantly. The speed of the
transport is the velocity of phase rotation, and this is
measured as an angular distance around the circumference of the Vortex Drive Field; and this angular .
velocity is the speed of light around the field perimeter. If
the stellar destination happens to be Sirius, for example,
the Saucer materializes near Sirius as the star existed 7~
years ago. A Mark V Flying Saucer, therefore, is a time
transport. The fact that the UFOnauts arrive at Sirius 7~
years before they left Earthport is of no more consequence than a passenger on the Concorde arriving in
New York before he leaves Paris. The return trip brings
the Saucer back to Earth after a time interval equal to the
time spent at Sirius.

If the Saucer wants to reach Sirius now, it must go to

where Sirius is now, which is not where we see it now.
The phase coordinates programmed into the Vortex
Drive navigational computer must be plotted for the location of Sirius now. In order to reach Sirius now, the
Saucer must traverse the intervening distance. So what
happens is that the Saucer phases out of existence at
Spaceport Earth and becomes transformed into pure
radiant energy as part of the universal cosmic hologram.
When the radiatio!) rotates naturally through the phase
angles between here and Sirius, the Saucer rematerializes. To the ship and its crew, no time at all has passed; on
Earth, however, 7~ years have elapsed. To the Sirians,
this makes no more difference than the time Columbus
spent on the Atlantic made to the Indians.
As we proceed with the engineering of the Vortex
Drive,we see that the Saucer is something more than the
only way to fly through interplanetary space. The Mark V
Flying Saucer is a true Star Ship possessing time transit
capacity, bringing intergalactic commerce within the
range of possibility.

PARANORMAL PHENOMENA:
THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
By S. N. Mayne
While Bob Warth, president of SITU, was attending (by
invitation) a closed session of the United Nations (in
which the Ambassador of Grenada read a statement
from his Prime Minister, Sir Eric Gairy, requesting that
the United Nations initiate a comprehensive study of the
UFO phenomenon), two other SITU representatives
were attending the First International Congress of Paranormal Phenomena, held in Mexico. R. Martin Wolf was
invited to present his paper (see "Coherence in Chaos,"
the lead article in this issue). S. N. Mayne was there to
cover the proceedings. Here is his report.

"The importance of this Congress," Freixedo emphasized at the outset, "is not only that it defies science
as we know it, but that authentic scientists themselves
will, for the first time, be presenting phenomena which
have never officially been presented before the public."
Freixedo explained that today's society is faced with
the dilemma of transcendentalism or intratranscendentalism: Does all paranormal phenomena emanate from
physical energies as yet unknown to man and/or from
human psychism, or do they possibly come from other
intelligences, not necessarily human? Such diversity
exists among those studying paranormal phenomena.
The researchers who pursue the scientific viewpoint
INTRODUCTION
refuse to admit to anything that does not emanate from
On Sunday, November 20, 1977, The New York Times
man or from unknown physical energies. The researchprinted an article pooh-poohing paranormal phenomena
ers who do not pursue the scientific viewpoint are more
as useless nonsense. The timing of the article may have
willing to admit there are other entities which interfere
been more than coincidental; on that same date, at the
with man's life in many ways, depending upon the state of
Maria Isabel Sheraton 'Hotel in Mexico City, fift~en hunevolution of these entities. Those who would defend the
dred people were listening to the opening speech of the
non-scientific theory, Freixedo continues, invoke an
First International Congress of Paranormal Phenomena.
infinity of facts from all eras of the history of humanity
Dr. Salvador Freixedo, president of the Mexican
that cannot be explained by science. If they are right, men
Institute for Paranormal Studies, opened the Congress . . suddenly become pawns on a gaint chessboard where
by stressing the three fundamental goals of the Congress:
before they were the kings. Once proven, the transcen"1) to officially admit the existence of .paranormal . dental theory will have served its mission - "to awaken;"
. phenomena; 2) to study and divulge the advancements
and will yield to the religious dimension. "Men would
carried out in its investigation, and 3) to use in our daily
once more have to sound out the desires of these semilives all the. practical results of these investigations,
gods that quietly interfere with their lives via paranormal
carried out in many cases by isolated persons without the
phenomena."
capacity to put their discoveries within the reach of all."
Freixedo called for an intermediary theory to harPURSUIT Winter 1978

26

change it, thereby determining his own future.

The most startling statement made by Puharich was
that we have evidence (although he failed to say what evidence, however) that Russian researchers have developed a method whereby people can be unconsciously
hypnotized against their will fr9m over one thousand
miles away. Controlled thought may no longer belong in
the realm of science fiction_
On Tuesday, November 22, Marjorie de la Warr, codirector of the la Warr Radionics Laboratories in Oxford,
England, demonstrated radionic equipment (which
includes diagnostic and curative machines). The
principle that any human cell carries the same energy
fields as its host indicates that a blood 'spot can be subjected to treatment by the machines while the host organism is elsewhere carrying on daily activities.
On Wednesday, November 23, the French psychic
and metal bender, Pierre Girard, took an hour to cause
movement among six objects (glasses and aluminum
tubes) that had been placed on a tray in front of him.
Without touching them, he caused one glass to suddenly
jump two inches, then a tube slide across the tray into
Girald's lap. At this point Girald collapsed, apparently
from exertion. Dr. Puharich, who came quickly to his aid
and revivea him, indicated' thai coUapse' is a' comiTioh
occurrence (even for Uri Geller): the mental effort
necessary for the bending and moving of objects can
bring on a crisis pressure which endangers the heart.
In the evening' John Cutten, longtime honorary
secretary and treasurer of the London Society for Psy'chical Research, gave an excellent discourse on mindbrain relationships. He presented the Congress with different views on how the brain functions, then outlined
recent experiments showing Jhat stimulation of certain
areas of the brain produce recollecti(;m of past events in
great detail. He mentioned that Russian cybernetic research shows that the human nervous system cannot differentiate between an actual'experience and one that is
vividly imagined. (Although we will not pursue the point
here, this brings to mind the whole question of reality
itself. Eastern teachers have been telling us all along that
life as we perceive it is an illusion. If the mind cannot
differentiate between actuality and imagination, then
SOME MENTIONABLE HIGHLIGHTS
perhaps we will never know the reality behind paranormal phenomena.)
On Monday, November 21, a panel of medical docCutten does not support either law: that the brain and
tors, psychologists and scientists discussed the medical
importance of paranormal phenomena. During the mind are separate or that they are one. He feels the brain
course of a two hour session, the group described case should be regarded as an organ of the mind, not the mind
after case of unexplained healing. Dr. Andrija Puharich itself. Memory regression under hypnosis, which is someaddressed the Congress on a variety of topics. He cited, times claimed to include past lives, is not necessarily
for example, the well-known case of the Brazilian prGof of reincarnation, according to Cutten. Such memcurandero/healer Arigo (now decesased), who took only ories, he suggests, could come from a pool of common
one minute to complete a correct diagnosis of a patient's memory instead.
Cutten's research seems:to be corroborated by other
condition. It took ten medical doctors five hours to
confirm the same diagnosis. Where it has been possible researchers, such as Dr. Emilio Haddad of Cairo Unito check properly, Puharich continued, modern versity, Egypt, who discussed experiments regressing
medicine has proved diagnosis by curimderos close to people to former lives by hypnosis. Here, too, evidence
from such sessions points to a common pool of memory,
one hundred per cent correct.
After discussing Uri Geller, ,metal bending, and the rather than reincarnation.
If these two researchers are on the right track, then the
latest secret meeting in Iceland (where over ten thousand carefully controlled experiments proved conclu- implications may demand a total re-assessment of the,
sively that metal-bending was a genuine phenomena), nature of reality. It should be poir:Jted out, however, that
Puharich noted that man, for the first time in recorded the experience of reincarnation and the ability to draw
history, is able to get into his own genetic structure and from a common pool of memory are not necessarily

monize both positions. "We receive very high frequency

waves 'from the highest of the electro-magnetic spectrum, that appear to be purely physical, from unknown
dimensions of the universe." The human brain, Freixedo
suggests, converts these energies into "images," something like what happens on the movie screen - the luminical and sound impulses emanating from the projector
are converted into living things by our mind. In this case,
however, we know how the mechanics ,work, so we are
not deceived. Yet something similar may be happening
with the vibrations emitted from other paraphysical
dimensions - "our minds are affected in a manner indistinguishable from the waY'it sees people and things in a
real, physical sense, and that is why it is deceived in some
way."
,
F reixedo emphasized that the Congress is not siding
with either the transcendentalistic or intratranscendentalistic viewpoint, but that it recognizes that paranormal
phenomena exists despite those who (like the writer of
The New York Times article previously mentioned) feel
we are losing time and wasting money by exploring the
"non-existent."
'
For the next seven days, various scientists, doctors,
individuals and groups (,totalling 77 speakers from 17
. countries) 'spent their time demonstrating, showing films
and slides, theorizing, arguing, agreeing, or telepathically communicating. Subject matter included: astrology,
precognition, telepathy, astral projection,levitation, telekinesis, psychophotography, biorhythms, electronic
medicine, kirlian photography, psychomedicine, paranormal cures, teletreatments, cosmic medicine, fakirism,
religious and magic rites, psychography, magic, sorcery,
demonology, visions, apparitions, poltergeists, ghosts,
haunted houses, spontaneous human combustion, cattle
mutilations, holography, UFOs, pyramidology, metal
bending, etc., ad infinitum. In fact the only thing not
covered was the psychic influence of the proverbial
kitchen sink.
The feeling that one was left with at the end of the Congress (as I have attempted to convey in the paragraph
above) was one of confusion produced by an overwhelming input of information and research.

-,'hS'.:ri Winter 1978

27

mutually exclusive. If each individual consciousness has a

potential to draw from the whole, it would continue to
have this potential in any of its incarnations. likewise,
within the individual incarnation, the ability to draw from
a common memory pool would be limited (and probably
inhibited) by the circumstances and perception experienced during that lifetime. In other words, the two
systems - reincarnation and the availability of a
common memory pool - could co-exist, as well as
interact on various levels.
The Congress did have negative manifestations as
well, and these served to produce second thoughts for
those who would promote as genuine all apparent "paranormal" self-acclaimed abilities.
Jorge Marti, a charlatan whose n~me I mention only to
warn Forteans unforturiate enough to encounter him,
gave various so-called" "demonstrations" on telepathy,
metal bending, manipulation of the hands of a watch, etc.
He also claimed that he could make a chicken egg expand by using his psychic abilities. After dropping a "control egg" into a glass of water, he put another egg into a
second glass, also supposedly containing water. When
Marti displayed the second egg and said it had swollen
due to his psychic power, Pierre Girard challenged him,
saying that what had really happened appeared to be another kind of expertise, i.e., fraud. Vinegar is known to
cause an egg submerged in it to expand. Marti assured
the audience his ability was genuine, and that the substance in the second glass was water. At this point in the
debate one of the officials of the Congress who was present stuck a forefinger .into the glass in question. Then,
after smelling his finger, he looked up and said simply: "It
smells like vinegar to me." This caused Marti to furiously
depart the podium.
Two days later, seemingly from nowhere, Marti
stormed t' e "!.llatform, grabbing for the microphone from
Dr. Corte~, the dinictor ofthe committee, who was in the
process of reading the committee's findings concerning
Marti's "psychic powers." During the scuffle, people
called for security guards. to remove Marti, but none responded. Marti insisted the phenomenon he had produced was genuine. As Marti once again stormed out of
the auditorium, Cortes continued reading the committee's report and findings regarding the incident in question. Proper tests had been made which showed the
presence of acid in the water contained in the second
glass. Indeed, a ten-year old child with a magic kit would
have been more convincing.
More convincing research, often accompanied by
slides and demonstrations, was presented by such participants as Sybil Leek, Pat Flannagan, James H. Hurtak,
Dr. Hans Naegeli, Dr. William RolI,Dr. Lee Sannella, and
others.
As the Congress wore on during the week, more and
more people, exhausted by the pace, complained about a
variety of circumstances: translators were inefficient;
most of the speakers were Latin Americans; more importantly, there was a conspicuous absence of any brujos
or Indian curanderos. The press, which seemed pro-Congress at the inauguration, gradually became more and
more anti-Congress. Too many false promises, outright
charlatanism, chaos, lack of properly controlled experi-

ments., and negative vibes turned the press coverage

from pro to con.
In the midst of all the negative media coverage, it was
reassuring to find Alan Newman diligently recording on
film some of the more interesting backstage demonstrations of the psychic and healing abilities of many of the
participants at the Congress. Newman, attempting to
cover and film paranormal phenomena all over the world,
utilizes a serious, intelligent and scientific approach.
Recently, however, he has come under the attack of the
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of
the Paranormal.
The committee, which has filed a complaint with the
FCC against Newman's NBC presentation on October
30, 1977 entitled "Exploring the Unknown," feels that
NBC and the producers of its programs "are knowingly
presenting questionable material of a highly controversial nature, do not make provision for the critical scientific viewpoint, which maintains that most of the content
of these programs has not been properly verified, has in
numerous incidents already been disproved, and may result in harm to the public." What do they expect from unexplained phenomena, which by its very nature is in. herently controversial? It seems to me that ~he real harm
may come from the repeated attempts to repress these
matters of "highly controversial matter."
One of the problems consistently plaguing such a congress as this one is that too many individuals, involved in
their own particular field of research, exclude everything
else. In other words, they feel they have the answers
within their field, and thus they continue to indulge in a
self-enclosing totality.
On the other hand, a positive development was that a
great deal of South and Central American research,
much of it otherwise unknown to those north of the Mexi
can border, was presented. The enthusiasm and persist
ence of this research is encouraging.
Of course the most interesting and productive aspects
of the Congress represented an indirect offshoot from
the official proceedings. In hotel rooms, bars, restaurants, and parties, where people came together for real,
uninhibited, pertinent discussions, many conversations
took place in the small quiet hours of the morning. The
valuable exchanges of insight and research, so lacking in
the conference room, took on a new potential during
these moments. (Jerry Clark treated a number of us to an
unscheduled elucidation of the history of mutilations, for
example.) Old friendships were renewed, and new ones
evolved, while concepts flowed freely; and the good feel
ings denied by the press and the events of the Congress
found their way into reality after all. For this reason alone
the Congress was a success.
It is now history. The First International Congress of
Paranormal Phenomena took place in the smog-infested
environs of Mexico City. Although it is all over, it has also
just begun. There will be more congresses, elsewhere. In
the words of the late Dr. Wernher von Braun, "The paranormal can be put aside only by sophisticated fools
and/or ignoramuses. Twentieth century mankind is
beset with seemingly insurmountable problems - many
of which may stem from paranormal, still unidentified factors. Noetic (parapsychological) sciences may hold the
only hope for the salvation of civilization." ~
PURSUIT

Winter 1978

28

COHERENCE IN CHAOS

By R. Martin Wolf
The following is excerpted from a paper read at the
First International Congress of Paranormal Phenomena, held in Mexico City, November 19-27,1977.

INTRODUCTION
.The United States uses more energy than any other
'country in the world. It was there that many of the most
recent technological advances (radio, television, nuclear
energy installations, radar, space communications, etc.)
were' developed and are at this moment fully operative.
Much more of the land and air space is already destined
to be filled with more microwave towers, high tension
lines, superhighways, and the more invisible waves
broadcast to the mariy televisions and Citizen"bahd' a'nd
other radios in that country_ These will be superimposed
on the pre-existing grid systems of railroads, highways
and power lines. 765,000 volt power lines are increasingly encroaching on our countryside, built to carry the
power from giant coal-burning generators like the one at
Black 'Mesa, at the four corners where Utah, Colorado,
Arizona and New Mexico meet (and where six of these
giant coal-burning plants are located), or from any of the
65 nuclear power plants currently operating in the U.S.
As a leader in the exploitation of energy, the United
States greatly affects the rest of the world. Astronauts
who returned to Earth claimed the pollution from Black
Mesa was the only man-made creation visible from space.
. This, the First International Congress of Paranormal
Phenomena, comes at a timely moment in the history of
man. As a species, we now face a moment of crisis. As
creatures having the potential to destroy not only other
creatures, not only other cultures, not even other continents and planets - we can, as a species, destroy ourselves; with this realization we enter a technologicaVmental crisis greater even than the very serious one
we faced as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
At this crucial moment of cultural schizophrenia, we
must choose to grow, to come to terms with self-realization; in order to understand, even though our gain from
that understanding may be nothing more than simply
whatever knowledge a species needs for survival. Intuitive insight and scientific proofs now come together with
increasing rapidity, in many instances at speeds seemingly approaching the speed of light. New discoveries are
made daily, sometimes hourly. Current technology
allows us to almost instantaneously "materialize"
concepts that not long ago would have been described by
such terms as "outlandish." "Other-worldly," or "extraterrestrial" are more modern terms for the same expression. And yet, as evidenced by our Mars probes, we cannot even tell whether or not our most advanced instruments are doing what they were designed to do - i.e., detec't life. Are we simply experiencing the precognitive insights of an endangered species?
PURSUIT Winter 1978

1977 R. Martin Wolf

The "Man and Mind" theme of this congress is essential to the theory I propose as a way of answering a good
many of the questions previously posed by researchers of
unexplained or paranormal phenomena. Forteans, ufologists, parapsychologists, and in general all those members of a greater whole who seek to explain the unexplained have, I feel, all been looking at different facets of
the same ultimate phenomenon. If it cannot be explained, perhaps it can be understood.
The Man and Mind theme calls to our attention an aweinspiring potential: by using our brain to totally understand our place in the universe we can actively participate in a profound holistic experience. If, as our mystics
would have us believe, everything is an illusion of the
mind and all past and future knowledge is universally present, then we may be better able t9 comprehend the cuihiral schizGphrenia'threatening us. If-tke observed "is'"to
become one with the observer, if understanding is to be
perceived by that which contains it, by the mind itself,
then in order to encompass and participate in true understanding man and his mind must become, and act, as one.

MUTILATIONS: CHAOS
IN QUIESCENCE'
During a three month period in 1976 Steve Mayne (a
fellow board member and trustee for the Society for the
Investigation of the Unexplained) and I traveled through
the Rocky Mountain area into the states of Montana,
Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. Working with various sheriffs' departments within these states, we investigated the phenomenon of cattle mutilation. It was while
conducting our investigation into the unexplained events
surrounding many of the mutilations that we realized
many significant coincident similarities to other "paranormal" phenomena occurring in other areas of the
United States and the world.
Because it has received a "low-profile" media coverage, and because the phenomenon has only recently
received any attention at all, most of the information and
statistics regarding animal mutilations are not readily
available to researchers; it was for this reason that we
deemed it necessary to investigate first-hand. It was
hoped that by speaking and working directly with the
farmers, ranchers and sheriffs, by examining the animals
ourselves, we would have a better understanding of the
situation as a whole.
What we discovered was a very real phenomenon, and
more. The Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained utilizes diverse interests and disciplines in order
to investigate the unexplained. Ours is not a single focus.
We do not champion the existence of UFOs, we do not
prQmote psychic healing, we do not endorse dowsing.
Since we are not out to proselytize, ours may be viewed
as a more interdisciplinary approach which deals with a
variety of unexplained phenomena.

29
In a very real sense, belief and disbelief are irrelevant.
William Blake, a sort of scientific mystic of his age (he was
the reverse-astronomer who discovered a universe in a
grain of sand, for example), observed that "anything capable of being believed is an image of truth." Ivan T. Sanderson, the founder of the Society for the Investigation of
the Unexplained, once offered a complementary axiom
when he observed: "As a result of all .. , rules, beliefs, and
regulations that have been set up by Man ... about 99.99
recurring percent of existence goes unnoticed." Since we
take into account all fields of unexplained phenomena,
we are in the distinctly advantageous position of being
able to monitor whatever threads of pattern, paradox,
coincidence or similarity that may run through the tapestry of the unexplained. Cattle and other animal mutilations, shrouded as they are within a matrix shared by a
multitude of other paranormal or Fortean phenomena,
when coupled with insights into the interplay between
certain "natural" and "artificial" energies, may bring to
light not only any correlations that may exist; they may
bring to us also an understanding of something of the
nature of pll previously unexplained phenomena.
Although the results of our investigations are covered
in much greater detail in the Winter 1977 issue ef Pursuit,'
(1) the quarterly journal of the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained, I will nevertheless attempt here a
brief outline of our findings in order to establish a more
comprehensive matrix for the theory which I am about to
propose.
Animal mutilations, although there are widely scattered historical references to phenomena of a similar
nature, first aroused public interest when the body of a
horse named Snippy was found, mutilated, on a ranch in
Colorado in 1967. During the same period, mutilations
were being reported in a number of mid-western states.
Many of these reports did not, however, enjoy the wide
media coverage received by Snippy, and most of those
which did were labeled as cases of mass hysteria. John
Keel, a longtime researcher of the unexplained, was
investigating numerous manifestations of the paranormal occurring during this same general period near a
town named Point Pleasant, on the Ohio River. He
writes:
In March 1967, a truly astonishing UFO "attack"
took place in West Virginia, apparently supporting
the vampire theories I was entertaining at the time.
While other UFO investigators had been collecting
endless descriptions of things seen in the sky, I was
out examining dead animals in remote fields, pondering the real meaning behind the bloodless carcasses. (2).
Although it is generally agreed that the phenomenon
started around the turn of the century, the most recent
"wave" (since Snippy) has seen more than twenty states
affected. In some of these states (such as California, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, Ohio,
West Virginia and North Carolina) the phenomenon has
erupted briefly, only to subside or desist after a short period; in other states (Montana and Colorado, for example), the phenomenon continues.

Although cattle represent the animals most often

found mutilated, they are not the only animals. Mutilated
chickens, pigs, sheep, horses (and ponies), dogs, goats,
deer, bison (buffalo) and even a llama have also been discovered.
(The diversity of the locations where the mutilated
animals are found, along with other consistencies and inconsistencies, were also discussed, but since most of this
was covered in my article in Pursuit ["Chaos in Quiescence," Vol. 10, No.1], I will mention here only pertinent
excerpts. The fact that many of the mutilations occur
near water was' brought out, as was the fact that many of
them also occur near military installations [missile silos in
particularJ. The unexplained loss of considerable quantities of the animals' blood, along with evidence of "surgical" or serrated, often circular cuts, would tend to rule
out the predator-theory; other theories have evolved.)
In the article I wrote for Pursuit I attempted to explain,
in a logical way, how the various theories have evolved
naturally from the consciousness of those concerned
with the reality of the phenomenon. This conscious
attempt to explain is the result of the mind's need for an
"answer" in order to rationalize what cannot be understood. The resulti~g theo;y can, in turn, structure the
future reality of the experience. The interesting part is
that none of the theories proferred so far work.
The mutilations, both very real and at the same time
very "unnatural" or "paranormal," continue to occur.
The evidence for some involvement beyond "predators"
(unless you expand your parameters of the definition to
include Man and a number of other possibilities as well) is
overwhelming. The fact that the evidence is consistently
ignored is' almost frightening.
(I also discussed some of the more bizarre and unusual phenomena accompanying the mutilations: the
many UFO reports, the "hairy creatures," the circles
which often appear to be burned or pressed into the
ground, the strange "unmarked" helicopters, and the
white-robed and/or black-robed figures which mysteriously appear and disappear. I pointed out that one town
in Ohio which has experienced mutilations and rumors of
robed figures also experienced [in one week] a 400-500
percent increase in the sale of guns.)
Bizarre coincidences, unusual circumstances, and
paranormal events which seem to defy easy explanation
accompany the mutilations in whichever state or county
they may occur. All efforts by the authorities to "explain
away" the phenomenon have failed. Many of the sheriffs'
departments, overwhelmed by the results or, equally, by
the lack of results, have simply halted any further investigation. The mutilations continue.
If, as I feel may be the case, this phenomenon simply
represents another recent fragment of the whole spectrum of unexplained energies and manifestations, then
that fragment, that portion, may contain and reflect
something of that Whole. Perhaps the animals which
have been mutilated, those lifeless and unfeeling creatures which have had their reproductive organs or their
eyes, ears, tongues or noses so surgically removed or
altered, can somehow nevertheless serve to convey a
message that may in one way or another register on our
sensibilities, as well as our consciousness, as understanding.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

30

HOLOGRAMS:
COHERENCE IN CHAOS
O\7er the years, serious investigators of unexplained
phenomena (and by this I mean ufologists, parapsychologists, and all the other labels given to those who would
investigate the unknown energies and manifestations
around us) have been plagued by running up against what
I call the media-image_ Ghosts, UFOs, "spooklights," Bigfoot, mutilations, and many other anomalistic events all
exhibit certain bizarre parallels, paradoxes, and coincidental similarities. "Witnesses" may often puzzle researchers by relating obscure events or details that, even
had they done considerable reading of popular periodicals, they should not know about. Although this paradox has puzzled researchers for years, there is a model, I
believe, which can explain it.
Man, throughout his brief history, has sought many
models by which to explain the universe. Philosophers
and scientists have looked within, toward the microcosm; Blake saw a universe in a grain of sand. Others, like
Copernicus, have looked macrocosmically outward, to
the stars. Entire cultures have sought answers as well.
Within those cultures ritual and dogma, as has been evidenced in the fields of both religion and science, serve to
artificially structure or model our sense of reality for us.
The most revolutionary model in our history may have
finally been recognized officially. Although for as long as
Man can remember, the shaman, the mystic, the "occult"
or "spiritual" side of him has told him things that his skeptical eyes and incredulous ears will not let him see, hear,
or understand. Until the mind can structure a reality, it
does not exist; it is said that when Magellan's ships landed
in Tierra del Fuego, the natives could not see the ships in
the harbor until their shamans informed them the ships
could be seen if the natives looked very carefully .... (3).
A recent special issue of the Brain/Mind Bulletin (4)
discusses the independently developed holographic
models of the universe arrived at by David Bohm, a physicist at the University of London, and Karl Pribram, a
neuroscientist at Stanford:
Pribram's theory has gained increasing support and
has not been seriously challenged. An impressive
body of research in many laboratories has demonstrated that the brain structures see, hear, taste,
smell and touch by sophisticated mathematical
analysis of temporal and/or spatial frequencies. An
eerie property of both hologram and brain is the distribution of information throughout the system,
REFERENCE

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PURSUIT

Winter 1978

mI
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each fragment encoded to produce the information of the whole .... There are intriguing implications in a paradigm that says the brain employs a
holographic process to abstract from a holographic domain. Parapsychologists have searched
in vain for the energy that might transmit telepathy,
psychokinesis, healing, etc. If these events emerge
from frequencies transcending time and space,
they don't have to be transmitted. They are potentially simultaneous everywhere.
Changes in magnetic, electromagnetic or gravitational fields and changes in the brain's electrical
patterns would only be surface manifestations of
seemingly unmeasurable underlying factors.
Briefly, a hologram represents an image captured by
recording the interference patterns created when a co
herent beam of light is separated, scattered by the object
being recorded, then reunited. The .process, although it
differs from that involved in photography, nevertheless
resembles a kind of lensless photography. As such, holography may be nature's way of storing information.
I will attempt here to diagram the basic "record" and
"playback" modes utilized by those currently experimenting in holography. (See figu:re 1.)
The only difference between the "record" and the
"playback" modes is that in the playback mode, the
object is absent. As long as the angle and the distance of
the reference beam remains the same, however, the
three-dimensional image of the object remains.
Please bear in mind that we are not discussing a photograph. Holograms are produced without a lens, without
having to focus, and in three dimensions. What would be
compared to a "negative" is the holographic plate itself.
Information stored upon it appears to be nothing more
than a series of grainy concentric circles - and yet all the
information concerning the resulting image is stored
therein. An analogy would be to drop some pebbles into
water, then to photograph, and thereby freeze the resulting interference patterns. (See figure 2.) By once
again shining a coherent beam of light through or upon
the plate, the image becomes more real than many hallucinations. Given a little time to catch up, technological
advances may soon provide additional auditory, tactile or
olfactory reinforcement to the visual, 3-D reality.
Some of those who consider the hologram as a model
of the universe have suggested that our daily experience
is made up of the interaction of different psyches, which
form interference patterns with other psyches of other
forms of consciousness in the universe. Although there is
MIRROR

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31

symmetries? Consciousness research already has

tied activity in the brain's limbic system to such experiences. The term "transcendence" may prove a
literal description - some sort of phase relationship between two brain processes usually considered mutually exclusive: the analytical and the
holistic (like particles and waves), the intellectual
and the intuitive. (5)

Figure 2

no absolute reference consistency, all frequencies produced at each level of consciousness go to make up an
Absolute "Universal Mind" Hologram. In other words, all
information is available at all times at any point in the uni:
verse.
I would suggest that if we wish to follow the image a
little more closely, a number of analogies become
apparent. If we treat "reality" (and we must not attempt
to define this word) as a hologram, then whatever we as
individuals may understand concerning that reality represents simply one perspective of the event or object in
question.
This can be iUustrated more easily in diagrammatic
form (figure 3).
Each fragment of the holographic plate contains the
entire image. If a piece of the hologram is taken away
from the whole, the image remains. In figure 3 I attempt to
indicate how, although the perspective may change, all
the pertinent information is still present, even though the
beam passes through two very different (and relatively
small) areas of the plate. (Also please note that the light
which passes through the plate does not pass through a
lens.) Unlike a photograph, a two-dimensional image
which, when cut in half, would leave only half the image
remaining, when we break the holographic plate into
pieces, each portion contains the image - even though
the perspective may vary. Rather than the flat "picture"
effect that photography provides, the hologram offers us
a "window," through which to view reality.
Already our analogies have drawn us back to those
strange mystical concepts that have plagued us as a
species since we learned to communicate. In terms of the
personal transformation of the individual we can now see,
perhaps, how mysticism and science can converge in the
profound sense of harmony that man has always considered as spiritual potential.
Are profound, transforming personal experiences
coincident with attunement to underlying universal

And by applying the same model to philosophy and

evolution, we realize also:
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's idea of a noospherean invisible planetary web of consciousness - is
interesting in light of the new theory. So is the ageold esoteric notion that other dimensions of reality
exist at frequencies normally not perceptible to us.
And consider the alchemists, who believed that
they could transmute earth's elements if they could
reach a point of utmost harmony in the universe. (6)
Ultimately we have a reality which is irrelevant to time
and space. There would seem to be no logical argument
against the model available, thus the option to deny the
model may be non-existent; we can only act as quickly as
possible to expand our parameters of awareness to include the concept. By so doing, the resulting understanding may serve to illuminate many former shadows
cast by our pre-structured belief systems.
If we as individuals consider ourselves capable of
sharing in the light of understanding, we must examine
more closely the concept presented by a universal reference system. Although we may each be capable of
understanding a certain spectrum of the Absolute Hologram, our minds nevertheless remain structured by
everything we have ever learned. Each discipline, each
specialized view of the universe, is a restricting factor to
our theoretically unlimited perception potential. Rather
than to examine all those detailed aspects of what we
think we know, let us instead observe the unexplained.
Perhaps in this way, unfettered by prejudice engendered
by prerequisite reality constructs, we can better grasp
the knowledge lying within.
Seeking additional interdisciplinary answers to ultradisciplinary phenomena, we must also examine the interference patterns produced by the different energies on
our own planet. As human organisms, we are subject to
varying psychological and emotional mental interpretations. Thought, comparison and emotion all serve to

PROJECTED

.........,..::::=-.. IMAGE

Figure 3
PURSUIT Winter 1978

32
define our sense of reality. The mind itself functions by
means of certain delicate electrical interactions; this is a
: characteristic shared by all organisms within our en
vironment. Although within the individual organism, this
energy may be measured only in microvolts, what is pro
duced by us as a species may, when viewed holistically,
represent an important integral aspect of, for example,
the earth's entire magnetosphere. Let us observe some
of the natural and artificial energies present, both cur
rently and historically, on Earth.

ARTIFICIAL ENERGY:
CHAOTIC INCOHERENCE
In the 1890s, the United States was undergoing a vital
change. That extreme condition of mass cultural schizo
phrenia of which I spoke earlier was upon us. Our techno
logical advances had overwhelmed our ability to struc
ture our reality.
The brief period between 1804, when Captain William
Clark and Merriweather Lewis, while far up the Missouri
River, observed "immense herds of buffaloe, deer, elk
and antelope," and 1900 saw a phenomenal alteration in
energypatterns.
Although it merits few pages in the history books, it
was during this period that representatives of the more
"civilized culture" that was to come almost succeeded in
completely destroying an entire species of animal. That
may not sound like much today, when we as a species in
our own right have the capability to destroy seueral spe
cies at a time - through as violent an act as war or
through as passive an act as constructing a peacetime
pipeline. Along with the destruction of the buffalo came
the virtual cultural genocide of the Native American
populations which had actually settled the country long
before those who replaced them even had a history to put
into books.
During that same period (between 1804 and 1900) not
only had an entire species of animal, several tribal cui
tures and the majority of the Native American popula
tion been destroyed, but violent demographical changes
were affecting the eastern states as settlement patterns
moving westward drained many areas of their former
populations.
And although mountains of buffalo bones were still
being shipped east in the 1800s, the arrival of the railroad
had finished off those few remaining animals that had
somehow managed to survive.
More roads, railroads and electric power lines fol
lowed in the wake of the buffalo's death. In the years be
tween 1866 and 1883, over 4~ million head of cattle were
driven from Texas to the railroads in Kansas. The buffalo
had been replaced. More roads, more fences, more
harnessing of power ensued to structure the diminishing
wilderness. This artificial restructuring of the land and its
energies echoed the mental interference patterns result
ing from the restructuring occurring in the human psyche
during the same period.
If there existed a cultural crisis in the west where settle
ments were growing and expanding, imagine how much
more schizophrenic the atmosphere in the midwestern
and eastern states, where populations had diminished
and the effect of the technological quantum jump brought
about by the Industrial Revolution served to only further
eclipse consciousness and understanding.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

It was around this same time that people in several

areas of the United States were experiencing para
normal manifestations (UFOs, wildmen, phantom cats,
etc.) on a fairly regular basis. Waves of hysteria, myster
ious fires, epidemics, religious suicides, ghosts and other
unexplained phenomena occurre'd. in states like Wiscon
sin. In 1897 in Ohio, "airships" were seen throughout the
state (7). Almpst simultaneously came reports of wild
men, phantom cats and other enigmas, many of which
probably went unreported because they were thought to
represent states of hysteria everi then.
Explaining the "paraphysical" events as precognitive
insights into the coming age of air travel may be accep
table, but it does not quite adequately explain ""hat was
truly occurring within the mass psyche. Many of the same
areas in Ohio which reported phantom airships and phan
tom cats in 1897 were the same as those which reported
mutilations and UFOs in 1967.
Imagine for a moment, if you will, the technological ad
vances which have been implemented in the intervening
years between 1900 and midcentury. During this period,
there was a tremendous increase in the number of power
lines, railroads and interstate highways racing across the
country, filling in all the spaces, cutting their unnatural
corridors across the landscape and the country.
Since the 1950s, many more powerful energies have
been released. The same communicationsadvances
enabling us to talk to astronauts on the moon or our
fellow motorist down the highway have unleashed
immeasurable amounts of microwaves and other ener
gies. Our defense systems have added more microwaves
to our environment. One of these defense systems util
izes the same frequency as that which the human mind
utilizes while in a state of relaxed meditation. Nuclear
powersfations, radio telescopes, hydroelectric dams,
and radar bases occupy much of the space in the country
that is not already subject to mammoth stripmining
operations on the land, giant oil spills across the surface
of the oceans and cancer.producing chemicals which fill
the air.
It is not possible to show you many instances of these
on a map. Roads and highways and sometimes railroads
can be seen on a road atlas; the rest can only be ascer
tained perhaps through intuitive insight, a process in the
human brain which up until now has been explained only
in terms of an electrical interaction.
We can, however, examine some of the effects produced by these manmade energies.
In the U.S. one of the older (as it now appears in the
light cast by our recent discussions of the holographic
process) advances in communications technology reo
suited in the widespread use of television.
Television: a few years ago it was given the dubious
honor of ranking second to the greatest technological
invention the world has ever known - the machine gun.
In the preceding philosophical analysis of the holo
gram as a model for reality, I mentioned that others have
suggested there may exist no "absolute reference" for
human consciousness to utilize in attempting to mutually
asc~rtain the nature of reality. Although ultimately it may
be all frequencies which make up the Universal Holo
gram, I nevertheless feel that many of the manifestations
of paranormal phenomena, many of the hallucinations,
much of the hysteria experienced in various locations of

33

the country may be due, in part, to very real media-structured culturally determined hologram-like interference
patterns which become registered upon the individual or
upon the mass psyche by means of some electrical process (not unlike the process of hallucination, perhaps)
within the brain_ Although we will deal with this concept
in greater depth shortly, I would suggest that this explanation may be misleading_ While I seem to be implying
here that much of the paranormal phenomena we experience is of an unreal, hallucinatory nature, I hope to be
able to further qualify this impression by showing that
what we are discussing is actually the end result of a very
.....
diffet:ent pro~ess_
In seeking a coh~rent reference we cannot do better
than observe the mass media treatment of certain
images, and among all mass media developed" so far it is
television which offers the best model for reality-structuring. Television can shape the mental constructs of an
entire population, often simultaneously.
Teleevision. The very word exudes a mystical connotation.
There is no doubt that television shapes reality.
A fifteen-year-old boy recently brought to trial for murdering his 82-year-old neighbor was "intoxicated on television," according to his lawyer. Paradoxically, the proceedings of the trial itself were televised for the first time
in the history of the county where the trial took place.
Although the boy's attorney cited an estimated 2,300
studies linking televised violence to aggression, the
defense lost (8). Even though there was evidence that the
average youngster, by the time he reaches the age of 18,
has watched 18,000 TV murders, the judge felt there
were no studies linking "specific" TV shows to "specific"
acts of violence.
Shortly after the airing on television of a dramatization
of the Manson Family slayings, I was personally told of an
incident which took place not far from where I lived. An
acquaintance told me how he and his wife were sitting on
their porch watching the movie on television, when they
heard a violent knocking at the window. They both ran to
the door, to discover a woman screaming hysterically
and incoherently. Thinking perhaps she had been involved in an automobile accident or worse, they calmed
her enough to ascertain the real reason for her hysteria:
she too had been watching the television, and had somehow absorbed that sense of reality so strongly that she
now felt Manson was 'out to kill her.'
It has also been noted in surveys conducted among
doctors that many physicians feel TV violence contributes to behavioral or medical problems. Symptoms,
especially in children, may include heightened aggression, epileptic seizures and nightmares.
Aside from the physiological and psychological reality
structuring toward which television undoubtedly contributes (if it did not do so there would be no sponsors willing to spend thol,lSands of dollars a minute advertising,
nor would one fictional medical show have received over
250,000 requests for medical advice), there are physical
effects as well. Microwaves, used for the transmission of
television programs, can, whether in cooking ranges or
coming from microwave towers, boil the blood of living or
dead organisms and short-circuit the electrical system
within a pacemaker.

All known mental processes are also electrical ones. If

UFOs and other paranormal manifestations are able to
affect TV and other electrical systems (as is often reported), then those systems and manifestations may be
vitally linked to each other as well as to man and his mind.
In other words television, which produces psychological
and physical effects, may also be capable of parapsychological and paraphysical structurings as well.
John Ott, who has received many citations and awards
from scientific and medical societies for his research concerning the effects of natural and artificial light on living
organisms, has examined some of the harmful effects
prQduc~d by television. [Editor's note: Members .are invited to read John Ott's excellent study of artifici~1 lighting and its possible connection with cancer in "Paradoxical Orthodoxy in Cancer Research," elsewhere .in this
issue.]
X-ray radiation is constantly emitted from a TV set.
After discussing how the U.S. Public Health Service,
while measuring various models of TV sets from a
number of manufacturers, had found the highest level
measured in any particular tube to be "1.6 million times
the acceptable safety level ... established by the National
Committee on Radiation Protection," Ott comments:
The X -ray radiation from a TV tube is contained in a
very narrow spike within the range of less than one
angstrom unit. Therefore, the intensity of the radiation in this narrow band of X-ray would have to be
extremely high in order to equal the total energy of
the broad, even distribution of total background
radiation. Biological systems sensitive to this narrow spike of X-ray radiation from the TV tube
would therefore be greatly over-stimulated. (9)
Our observations must depart from television in order
to include a more macrocosmic concept of electromagnetic radiation in general. During this transition it would
behoove us to relate our finding to many of the reported
sensations and occurrences often associated with manifestations of the paranormal.
.
If we have followed the psychological implications of
the media-image so far, we may have solved a problem
which has puzzled the researchers of paranormal phenomena for some time, and of which I spoke earlier. How,
many of us have wondered, can witnesses, apparently
innocent of certain common intricacies and consistencies, nevertheless report details which they could not
have known were common to other reports coming from
around the country? This would seem to transcend hysteria and to denote instead some common hologram-like
information coding and exchange. The hologram would
serve to explain not only the "unreal" nature of the manifestation; it also would allow for an exchange of information. The total coding of the information potentially available to the witness would also be subject to the reinforcing structure provided by the media influenced belief-system of the witness. {Many of the claims put forth by witnesses stem from the fact that most representatives of
our species, when faced with a phenomenon that :canhot
be scientifically, analytically or logically explained, will revert to the deeper fringe explanations offered by religion
or pseudo-science. These explanations, even though reliPURSUIT Winter 1978

34
gious or occult in nature, are nevertheless culturally determined and as such readily fit the "media" analogy I suggest.)
We must also keep in mind the high correlation of UFO
appearances, cattle mutilations, Bigfoot accounts,
"spooklights" and other paranormal phenomena occurring in the immediate vicinity of: microwave towers, hightension power lines, nuclear power installations, hydroelectric dams, bodies of water, missile silos, railroad
tracks and even mobile homes. All of these,l would point
out, in one way or another are affected by the transmission of electromagnetic energy. Whether in the form of
low voltages, or chopped into hundreds of short bursts a
second, many of the frequencies emitted can affect biological organisms in the immediate and the not-so-immediate vicinities of the above-mentioned objects - all of
which either emit, or act as conductors of, electromagnetic radiation. The human mind, even in the process of
providing subjective interpretations, also responds to the
electrical impulses and potentials involved.
Curt Sutherly, a fellow member of The Society for the
Investigation of the Unexplained, and I have often mused
over the unusually high number of Bigfoot and UFO-related phenomena witnessed near, or from within, mobile
homes, especially those with air conditioning units. It has
been theorized that the "entities" in question are
attracted to these homes. Other conclusions may now be
possible when we consider that man~ air conditioners
currently in use in the United States can create frequencies which may affect the mental processes. The 6O-cycle
per second frequency of alternating current in electrical
outlets in the U.S. can, when utilized by fluorescent lighting for example, produce headache, fatigue, and epileptic seizures in living organisms which may be subject to
them.
Combine the frequencies produced by ~n air conditioning unit with those from a television set. Add fluorescent lighting. Although we cannot visually observe the
resulting electrical interference patterns~ we can consider the fact that patterns produced by microwaves
would undoubtedly behave very differently inside an
aluminum structure (such as a mobile home, for ex~mple) than they would in the open air. If we had the capability to measure and record our results, and if we could
find a mind suitable to receive, register and transmit the
resulting energy interference pattern, then we may very
well have the formula necessary to create monsters.
What are some of the other measurable effects of EM
radiation upon biological organisms? As we continue, it is
very important to keep in mind the similarities to alleged
paranormal manifestations. Some undeniable parallels
exist.
John Ott, continuing his discussion of the harmful
'effects of radiation in general, Writes:

... It has been general practice to consider only evidence of visbile injury or damage to cell tissue in
studying the harmful effects of radiation. However,
our studies have shown that the pigment granules
of the epithelial cells of the retina, which are recognized as having no visibUity function, are highly
stimulated when placed near a 1V tube which has
been covered with heavy black photographic paper
so that no visible light reaches the cells. .
PURSUIT Winter 1978

If this layer of cells in the retina which have no visibility function is, in fact; the photoreceptor mechanism that stimulates the pineal, pituitary and other
areas of the mid-brain region by means of neurochemical channels, then levels of radiation well below those necessary to produce detectable physical injury to cell tissue could reasonably be expected to influence the endocrine system and produce both abnormal physical and mental responses over an extended .period of tim~. Radiation stress must be considered as a possible variable or contributing factor. Just how the mech. anism works that causes certain pigments of some
plants, animals and people to react to specific wavelengths within the total eleCtromagnetic spectrum is
a challenge to future research. (10)
Later, Ott discusses again the problem of radiation
produced by fluorescent lighting. He found that
A combination aluminum'''egg crate" and wire grid
screen, in addition to allolAiing the full-spectrum
light to pass through unfiltered, grounded the radiofrequency energy given off by all fluorescent tubes.
This radio-frequency energy is known to cause
inaccurate readings from the very sensitive equipment used in the scanning rooms 'of hospitals and
also from some" computers. A Russian paper reports that the radio-frequency energy from fluorescent tubes was recorded' in Er;G readings of
human brain waves. (11)"
At another point, Ott discusses the findings of other researchers.
.
Dr. Susan Korbel, ~t the University of Arkansas,
has reported laboratory rats "dancing around" and
acting "as though they had been given a type of
nerve gas used in World War I" when they were
subjected to low levels. of microwaves. There have
also been reports from Manitoba, Canada, of dairy
herds, located within two miles of telephone microwave relay towers, giving considerably less milk,
poultry producing only a fraction.of.their !Jsual egg
quota and flocks of chickens going into sl.\dden, un~xplained hysterical stampedes. (12)
Ott also refers to the findings of Lewis W. Mayron,
Ph.D., of the Nuclear Medicine Besearc;h Laboratory of
Veterans AdmInistration Hospital,'Hines, Illinois.
He points up an impressive list of rerences concerning the effects of electromagnetic radiation on
animals and humans. Some of these effects include
changes in electroencephalograrri (EEG) frequency and amplitude in rabbits; subnormal EEG
activity in a' group of one hundred tWenty people
who had been exposed for :more than one year to
electromagnetic energy in" the centiryleter wavelengths; nervous exnaustio~ with irritability and, in
some instances, abnormal slowness of the heartbeat; and increased incidence of reports of headache at the end of the workday"as well as sleep disturbance and' memonl"change:(13). .

35

In the U.S., as I mentioned earlier, there also exists a

An electroencephalograph, which detects brain
great network of power lines. These frequently carry
waves, records quite distinct patterns of electrical
500,000 volts (or 500 kilovolts) across the country. In reactivity in the brain during these three states. Brain
cent years, increasing opposition has developed toward
waves represent very small currents and voltages
the use of even more powerful lines currently being built
produced by the electrical circuitry of the brain.
in order' to carry energy from giant coal-fired generators
.Typical strengths of such brain-wave signals are
or nuclear pOwer plants to major cities. By 1974 seven
measured in microvolts. Typical frequencies are bestates had 765-kv lines. Over 2500 circuit miles of these
tween 1 and about 20 Hertz (or cycles per seconds)
increased voltage lines are planned for completion by
- less than the familiar 60 cycles per second fre1980. (Conservative estimates project the construction
quency of alternating currents in electrical outlets
of 300,000 miles of new transmission lines in general in the
in North America. (15)
U.S. by the end of the century.)
The .interesting fact here is that much electromag- .. '. Turning our attention for a-moment to' hallucination,
netic radiation is lost into the atmosphere normally,
that possible fourth state of mind which also by its very
. through a phenomenon known as "corona discharge,"
nature represents a close analogy to a hologram, has rewhich occurs as a result of rainy or humid conditions
cently been shown to have its roots in excitations of the
causing the high-energy electrons to leave the surface of
central nervous system (16).
the conductor, in this case the power line, and strike and
If indeed SOO-kv lines in Russia and elsewhere do
fragment the molecules in the air. (The wires themindeed produce such effects as a 'shattering of the dynselves, although they may carry 765,000 volts, and in the
amic state of the central nervous system,' then we can
case of parallel lines double this capacity, are not insuperhaps better understand how the energy involved in
lated. The power companies seem to feel that air is the
the production of electrical interference patterns coming
best insulator.... ) .
from such sources as a 765-kv power line could have the
When these lines and the energies released into the air
immediate or"long-term accumulative effect of creating a
by them pass near some conductive material such as the
change in the normal electrically-charged river, roadway
metal rails of a railway line, wire fences, aluminum barn
or ley line of the central nervous system of an organism
roofs, or the water of a river perhaps, innumerable chan(or, holistically speaking, a planet). In this way, hallucinanels may be opened for widespread distribution of the
tion or some other form of holographic reality could beenergies in question.
come a very "natural," and certainly very real, possiFurther impressive evidence for the harmful results of
bility.
electromagnetic radiation emanating from high-tension
NATURAL ENERGY
lines comes from Russia. (The Russians, it is interesting
Explanatiens for the inexplicable have been offered
to note in this context, are also doing much more resince
man's brain began to function. Without the cluttersearch into the nature of paranormal energies than pering produced by present-day civilization, reality may have
haps any other country of the world.)
been more readily apparent. Perhaps we should have
In 1962, after the first Russian 500-kv lines had been
listened to some of those cultures we were so busy deoperating for several months, men working at the
stroying.
substations began to complain of headaches and a
The many stone circles, standing stones, sacred
general feeling of malaise. They associated these
springs and wells around the world testify to ancient
symptoms with exposure to the electric fields. The
man's concern with the earth, water and sky, and their
Russians made a long-term study of these effects
relation to the cosmos. Nature revealed herself to these
with systematic medical examination of men workpeoples as sacred harmony. Everything organic or inoring at 'Iower-voltage substations. These studies
ganic was a part of everything else. The deepest threads
showed that long-time work at SOO-kv substations
of mysticism weave all future and past events into the
without protective measures resulted in "shatterfabric of the present. In a world replete with natural enering the dynamic state of the central nervous sysgies, one man's action can affect the universe.
tem, heart and blood-vessel system, and in changAlong with this holistic understanding came the more
ing blood structure. Young men complained of reintimate insights into the natural flow of energy on this
duced sexual poten(cy)." The severityof these
planet. Today, many of those natural areas are noneffects appeared to depend on the length of stay in
existent. During the past eighty years or so a permanent
the field. (14)
.
energy redistribution has been effected by man's artificial manipulation of energies.
If a strong electrical field of, say, 6,000 volts per meter
Historically, man has almost always associated paracan be measured by its ability to illuminate a hand-held
normal events with disasters, such as floods, earth(and unplugged, of course) 40 watt fluorescent bulb over
quakes, etc. This natural concept works in complete haran area over four hundred feet wide directly under 765-kv
mony with a holistic world-view. What scientists of today
power lines, then in what other quantities and forms can
view as disjointed coincidence may in fact constitute
electromagnetic radiation extend to areas where it candeep relevance and profound significance for future
not at present be measured?
ulJde.rstandir:lg.
. . .
."
. In his study of the evolution of human intelligence, a
Dr. MiChael Persinger, of the Environmental Psychowork entitled The Dragons 0/ Eden, Carl Sagan notes:
physiology Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury,
Canada, is also a member of the scientific advisory board
There are, it seems, three principal states of mind
of The Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained.
in human beings: waking, sleeping and dreaming.
PURSUIT Winter 1978

36

He recently fed 2,000 Fortean events into a computer in

order to see what one of man's more advanced technological entities could tell us about some long-standing unexplained phenomena. Results indicate a striking correlation between minor and major earthquake activity and
unusual events (17).
Strong electromagnetic fields are produced as a result
of changes in tectonic stress preceding seismic activity.
As we have already observed, dynamic changes in electrical fields could also be reflected in the geography of the
huamn brain as well. These energies could be transported, by means of conductivity, along railroad lines (for
example), or transferred, in the form of media-encoded
hologram images as electrical impulses of "thought," perhaps from one human mind to another. Hysteria may
simply represent mental conductivity, a contagious
transfer of such electrical impulses as memory and perception.
.
In light of this, 1 would recommend that those interested in the phenomenon of cattle mutilation read an
article by James R. Stewart entitled, "Cattle Mutilations:
An Episode of Collective Delusion," in The Zetetic, the
journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation
of Claims of the Paranormal. The author claims all "mutilations" are the result of small predator action which,
when combined with "mild mass hysteria," leads to collective delusion. Although I basically disagree with him on
a number of issues, he nevertheless touches on some
pertinent aspects of media-determined realities as we
have discussed them here. He notes, in conclusion:
Given the pre-existence of certain conducive and
straining features in the local area, the episode developed in the aforementioned fashion. However,
the evidence presented by various authorities leads
one to conclude that the episode was in fact the result of collective delusion. The most convincing explanation of the episode is as follows: For reasons
associated with strain and anxiety people started to
interpret an everyday occurrence (the deaths of
cattle) in a new, bizarre manner. (18)
He "debunks" all mutilations by attributing them to a
misunderstanding of natural events by people who exhibit "lower levels of education" as well as a "lower socioeconomic class status."
Instead, I would suggest that the ranchers, living as
they are in a closer direct relationship with the land (and
certainly more aware of what small predators can do than
a sociologist who spends most of his time in academic environs), may be more perceptive than they have been
given credit for in the article.
During our investigations, Steve Mayne and I had a
woman "witness" to a "paranormal" event ask us hesitantly, quietly, when we were alone: "Do you think these
things could be manifestations of evil...?"
Ancient traditions (as well as more recent folklore of
many countries) often traced "Iey lines" ("geodetic force
lines" would perhaps represent a more scientific term for
these existing channels of energy) across the countryside. It is believed that many ancient sacred sites were
constructed on these natural centers. It is common
knowledge to many of the peoples previously considered "primitive" that wild animals favor these lines of
PURSUIT Winter 1978

energy as places to give birth. These areas are also

favored by such insects as gnats and bees, which will frequently be found hovering over, or even constructing
their homes within, these ancient sites.
..
Could it be that man's preoccupation with altering the
natural forces of the Earth has redirected or destroyed
the potential for a more holistic symbiotic relationship
with that planet? A parasite can, through the destruction
of the host, lose his dwelling-place. Is it possible, at this
juncture in our space-time continuum, to learn? Can our
eyes and ears still observe and listen?
We have seen how man fenced and divided and altered
the natural space and energy of the west in a very few .
years .. As in most other areas of the U.S., man has
chopped nature into fragmen"ts that suited his own personal exploitation of power. We are aware of the ways.in
which he has introduced artificial energy into his, environment. In the western and plains states of North
America, the native bison has been replaced by domestic cattle. The buffalo, a hardier range animal, waS resistant to almost all diseases that afflict domestic breeds
of cattle. .
Research begun by the National Buffalo Association has shown that all buffalo have one blood type..
Domestic cattle, however, have more than fifty different blood types. Some researchers have put
forth the theory that buffalo, high in gamma globulin, might some day be used in humans whe.n a
single large transfusion is required as in the case of
heart surgery or a serious accident. (19)
After destroying the reproductive potential (~nd thereby virtually all future progeny) of an entire spedes, by
terminating so abruptly the harmonious man/animal relationship that existed in nature, and by substituting "artificial" energies and strip-mining for natural pre-existing
energies .and conditions, have we somehow inadvertently and unconsciously evolved to the present potential of being able to perhaps understand something of the
silent message being offered by those enigmatic mutilated carcasses? Staring with blind hindsight silently and
obliquely into space, drained of their life force, abandoned in death by parent or offspring, they cannot see.
They have, as a living biological organism, been forced
out of existence.
Returning to the possibility that paranormal events
may signify or symbolize disastrous events that are to
come and that the natural cycle of reproduction and fertility may be vitally linked to the temporal understanding of that event, we can examine two rathe~ striking and
revealing incidents in the history of mutilations.
I have already read to you a statement by John Keel
which indicates how in March, 1967, during a "truly
astonishing" attack of UFOs near Point Pleasant on the
Ohio River (and please note the connection with wat~: :..
many of the accounts at the time described .uFOs ~s,.
diving into, or coming out of, the waters ofthe Ohie:! ':
River), he was "out examining dead anlmaIs remote
fi~lds, pondering the real meaning behind the bloodless
carcasses." (It was on March 5, in the same vicinity, that a
bloodmobile full of fresh blopd, IoYhile traveling parallel ~~
the Ohio River, was allegedly "attacked" by a UFO [20].)

In

37
On December IS, 1967, the seven hundred foot Silver
Bridge spanning the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, West
Virginia, suddenly collapsed. Forty-six persons were
killed.
During our cattle mutilation investigations carried out
in Idaho, we learned that Fremont County had experienced 22 mutilations (including the draining of blood
from many of the carcasses), all of which took place in a
one month period, from the middle of September to midOctober, 1975. The entire area which had experienced
the mutilations was devastated by a flood, the result of
the unexplained bursting of the Teton Dam on June 5,
1976. Although only nine people died in the sudden flooding which ensued, several thousand head of cattle, the
majority of the population of the area, were killed. Helicopters were used to transport surviving cattle to drier
locations ....
Man-made dams and metal bridges collapsing. The
events foreshadowed by animal mutilations and paranormal events.
The point worth considering here is that "mutilations"
occurred almost nine months prior to both events. Nine
months happens to be just about the gestation period for
both bovine and human organisms. Can those of us
claiming to have open minds afford to overlook this unusual coincidence? Or does it instead make us want to
look deeper into the possibility that ancient inherent
energies may somehow interact with the more powerful
recent "artificial" energies perpetuated across the planet
by man to inadvertently provide ever increasing evidence of paranormal behavior? We are experiencing
more and more reports of UFOs and other paranormal
phenomena on our planet. Are these interference patterns caused by the interaction of "natural" and "artificial" energies, thus producing hologram-like manifestations? If the physiological effects resulting from emissions of high-tension lines, television and other artificial
energies include hyperactivity, hallucination, decreased
or altered reproductive abilities and emotional stateS
characterized by high tension (note the significance of
the term "high-tension" as we apply it here to emotional
states), then we can better understand, perhaps, how our
electromagnetically defined sense of reality can be so
readily altered by experiences involving alternate, often .
unnatural interference patterns.

NATURAL POWER LINES

If we examine the Point Pleasant area a little more
closely, I think we may find some strong reinforcing evidence to support my hypothesis.
Approximately 10 miles from Pt. Pleasant is a town in
Ohio narned Cheshire. In 1969, the Ohio Power Company announced plans to construct a 765 kv power line
from Cheshire straight to Columbus and beyond, to a
substation in the town of Maryville. From here it would
continue on to contribute to the electrical needs of
Detroit and Chicago. There have been reports from
farming areas through which the line passes that cattle
will not walk under the lines. Some farmers report cows
calving at only about 10 percent their average yield.
There are reports of cows losing their teeth prematurely.
One researcher, who as a child lived in the area in question, notes, upon her return to the area:

There were numerous reports of biological damage

to people, animals, and vegetation under the line. A
small grove of white pine trees showed poor growth
and yellow needles. House plants and pear trees
were reported to be dying. According to one landowner, horses running in his field under the line had
all the hair and whiskers burned off their noses and
several men working under the line had hair burned
off their arms .... It may perhaps be coincidental that
one of the eighteen families contacted in this survey had a child dying of leukemia. The disease was
discovered after the child had been living for a year
and a half under the high-voltage line.... All the
reports of biological damage are brushed off [by the
Ohio Power Company] as being mere figments of
the imagination. (21)
A coincidental example of another 'figment of the imagination' is that logan, Ohio lies about midway along this
artificially created ley line which stretches from Cheshire
to Columbus, and beyond....
Those who remember my reference to a town in Ohio
which experienced a number of bizarre example of mutilations as well as other related paranormal phenomena
will not be surprised to learn of that town's identity or
location. According to newspaper reports, logan experienced ten mutilations (five in the town and five in the
county) between May 27 and June 11, 1976. Further
documentation only serves to reinforce the multi-level
paranormal manifestations associated with the phenomenon.
An eleventh mutilation was reported when a horse died
(July 19-20) from a deep puncture wound in the side. A
store owner interviewed in the area indicated a 400-500
percent increase in gun sales during a one-week period.
Groups of local men, organized into armed vigilante
groups, roamed the countryside, thoughts of bizarre religious cults flowing, like an electric current, through their
imaginations. CB radios crackled with the news. A religious camp was terrorized by concerned citizens who
discovered that what they had thought to be a burning
cross was only the campers' version of an olympic torch.
One man, his name mentioned in connection with the
mutilations, was fired upon as he drove down a road.
Rumors of figures in black robes or white robes circulated freely. Police received reports of the mutilations: a
pregnant llama, two horses, a dog, chickens, a cow, a
steer and four rabbits. A rumor that a buffalo had been
mutilated was dispelled. logan police, Hocking County
Sheriff's Department personnel, and the prosecuting
attorney's office issued a statement intended to address
the county's 20,000 residents. Concerning itself with
rumors of cult activity, it read in part:
It appears that the circulation of rumors concerning this alleged group has created a dangerous
situation. Within the last few days, residents of the
county have been carrying firearms and other
weapons in their cars supposedly for protection.
Others have actually been taking vigilante type
action .... This activity has reached the point where
it is endangering the lives and property of innocent
persons. (22)
PURSUIT Winter 1978

38

Is it possible that the straight line between Cheshire

through Columbus represents a natural ley line which
has been seriously affected by man's artificial exploitation of energy? Because the area may reflect structural
weaknesses along the stress axis of an area in which tectonic stress is accumulating (a part of the New Madrid
fracture zone which extends from Michigan through
Ohio and on down through Indiana and l1linois), it may
serve as a natural area for the occurrence of unexplained
phenomena. The man-made energy alteration may provide more frequent opportunities for increasing manifestations.
Historical.incidents reinforce this hypothesis. Extending our straightedge-perfect line from Cheshire, past
Columbus, to Bluffton, Ohio, we discover some very
interesting parallels. Remembering the Ohio "airship"
flap of 1897 and the associated simultaneous appearance
of phantom cats and other paraphysical phenomena, we
discover that several additional towns which exper
ienced unusual phenomena at the same time also lie
along this same line; within about 20 miles on either side
of our hypothetical line (part of which the Ohio Power
Company has preempted) lie the phantom-airship-prone
towns of Coolville, Chillicothe, Logan, Lancaster, Baltimore, Columbus, Westerville, Sunbury, Bellefontaine,
Kenton, Marion, Upper Sandusky, Dunkirk, Bluffton and
Finlay.
As if we have not already saturated our minds with
parallels, let me add one more very interesting observation to what we have seen so far. Dr_ Persinger's computer findings also indicated a high correlation between peculiar archaeological centers and unusual
animal reports. Kenton, Logan and Chillicothe all experienced phantom panther reports during the 1897 flap.
More recently (March-May, 1977) the Bluffton area has
re-experienced phantom panthers (23). Because Ohio is
well-known for its unusual burial mounds and other
archaeological structures, it would seem that we have
another natural correlation.
One researcher of the paranormal has recently written
a two-part article which speculates that holograms may
well be inherent in the crystal structure of some rocks;
and thus he suggests that the basis for visual manifestations occurring at ancient sites could represent the prior
encoding of the images in stone. He includes an impressive visual comparison between the interference patterns of a hologram-producing "negative" and curious
markings termed "cup and ringS marks on a stone at
Torbhlaron, Argyll, in the Brit:sh Isles (24)."
These same concentric rings resemble the ripples sent
out by an object falling into water. They also resemble the
more recent photographs of underwater configurations
at the bottom of Loch Ness. Analogies could be made to
stone circles in general, as well as the ring marks found
near alleged UFO landings or accompanying mutilations. Could it be that natural seismic activity, especially
in conjunction with the continuous release of powerful
"artificial" energies in the vicinity, somehow activate
those interference patterns suggested throughout this
paper?
Could it be that the natural electromagnetic state
which constitutes that area's normal electric field is
somehow altered? Research into spontaneous human
P!JRSUIT Winter 19,8

combustion, yet another paranormal phenomenon

which becomes manifest when people inexplicably burst
into flames, has shown correlations with the Earth's geomagnetic fluctuation. One researcher studying the phenomenon finds that such paranormal phenomena often
occur near peaks of geomagnetic variation (25). Another
researcher is already attempting to correlate instances of
spontaneous human combustion in England with ley line
alignments already plotted in that country (26). Experiments conducted in Japan as well as the U.S. further
verify the fact that certain paranormal phenomena,
although elusive, can be measured. Preliminary hardware results .indicate there are measurable electromagnetic effects involved with unexplained events. (It should
be noted here that "spooklights," if my theory is correct,
along with other paranormal events would naturally
appear in close proximity to railroad tracks and other
conductive materials. This appears, in fact, to be the case
in many areas of the United States exhibiting these curiosities.)
What has energy developments during the past 80
years or so got to do with the present? What does the
death of the buffalo and the subsequent exploitation of
the earth's resources have to do with seismically active
geomagnetic fault zones like the Rockies or high-tension,
tectonically and emotionally stressful areas under Ohio
power lines?
Although to some my thesis may seem highly speculative, I would submit if we allow ourselves the time and
space in which to merge our technological capabilities
with our ability to comprehend, we may yet discover
hardware verification of what we have always intuitively
feared. Perhaps the most persuasive scientific proof I can
offer at this time has been recently voiced in an article in

Science News.
There is preliminary evidence that man's terrestrial
activities may be affecting a region of space thousands of miles away. Several independent experiments by Stanford engineers have measured slight
changes in the earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere that occur only during weekends. The ionosphere is the electrically charged layer of the upper
atmosphere, off which radio signals bounce in longdistance communications and beyond which is the
magnetosphere, an extensive region of space that
. envelops the earth and contains its magnetic field.
Interpreting the results, Chun Gun Park expresses
the experimenters' consensus conclusion that
"there is no known weekly cycle in nature. It has to
be a man-made effect."
Antony C. Fraser-Smith, who conducted the first
such Stanford experiment, has detected a slight
overall weekend increase of the earth's magnetic
field. Some of his data are derived from records that
go back over a century, and he finds the effect persisting from the present until about 80 years ago. Although each of the other two experiments has detected disturbances in other aspects of the spatial.
regiQns, each of them corroborate the weekend be- ,
havior.
The engineers involved suggest that the weekend effect is caused in part by the complex of power

39

lines that crisscross the United States. They base

the hypothesis on some theoretical work done 20
years ago by Stanford professor Robert A. Helli
well. According to it, a small amount of radiation
that leaks from the earth's surface into space can
there provoke a disturbance about one million
times greater than itself. This enormous amplifica
tion factor makes plausible the idea that man's pid
dling on earth could precipitate an effect thou
sands of miles removed in space. Furthermore,
Fraser-Smith speculates, the appearance of the
weekend effect seems to roughly coincide with the
emergence of power lines in the United States,
about 80 years ago. (27)

CONCLUSION
Many forms of artificially channeled and amplified
energy currently permeate our environment. Manifesta
tions of what have been previously referred to as para
normal, psychic or otherwise inexplicable phenomena
may be instead seen as interference patterns resulting
from man's perverse exploitation of indigenous energy
flows inherent to nature. The fact that many of these
manifestations occur consistently near microwave
towers, high-tension lines, tectonic stress zones, railroads and other conductors or transmitters of electromagnetic radiation would tend to bear out this hypothesis. The interference patterns could, through a combination of seismic and emotional triggering, register (as
it probably has throughout history) as an electromagnetic imprint capable of short or long term duration
changes in the normal electrical field structure of the
brain.
My approach here has been a holistic one because we
may be dealing with holograms. We are certainly talking
about a holistic energy. I would ask today that we, the
influential representatives of many different disciplines,
join hands, efforts and insights in order to make for a
more holistically perfect organism consisting of the union
of Man and Mind. It is only through a converging of the
analytic and the intuitive that man and mind can act, and
observe, as one. Mysticism and science have a common
origin - an intuition; I suspect they also converge, in
understanding. As an image, the ultimate, self-contained
hologram of man and mind is unique and justly inspires a
profound sense of awe: the hologram contemplates its
self.
Those of us who investigate the Unexplained may,
paradoxically, also serve as guardians of knowledge. As
such we therefore face a tremendous challenge. The
more skeptical of our critics have questioned the emphasis we place on unexplained phenomena. They ask why
we dwell upon it when eventually it will all be explained or
debunked, believed or disbelieved, anyway. Our answer
must evolve from the very restrictions time and space impose upon our research.
It is vitally urgent, both Here and Now, to understand
our direction as a species. That is why I have come here
from my country to speak to you today. My countrY,like
yours, is the planet. The reason why we should dwell on
unexplained phenomena is so that we may de~elop a

more comprehensive understanding of all potential levels

of consciousness, and thus it affects our future relation
ship with the universe and all organisms within it. Buckminster Fuller has said that we presently have the capability of knowing the condition and whereabouts of every
head of cattle in the country at any given moment. Why
don~t we? The "future," as some of us may already suspect, may be more fluid than heretofore realized; it may,
in fact, have already flowed past us. We, as tourists, may
have long ago unwittingly sailed past the point of no return on our way into an evolutionary cul-desac.
If that is the case we can, in passing, only smile at the
prophetic words uttered by Thoreau, who may have
answered our critics far better than could we when he
made this observation regarding dwelling-places:
"Of what use is a house if you haven't
got a tolerable planet to put it on."
To this I would add only one more observation. A civilization, a culture, will be judged ultimately not only by
what it does, but also for what it said. Historically, per
haps I speak for many when I tell you that everything I am
saying has been said before. A lot of people, many civil
izations, some isolated individuals, and entire cultures,
have spent a long time getting us where we are. Let us not
end our evolution here.

~.

REFERENCES
(I) Wolf, R. Martin, "Chaos in Quiescence," Pursuit, Vol. 10,
Number I, 1977 (2) Keel, John A., The Mothman Prophecies
(New York: Saturday Review Press, 1975), p. 117 (3) Blair,
Lawrence, Rhythms of Vision (New York: Shocken Books,
1976), p. 23 (4) Brain/Mind Bulietin Special Issue: "A New
Perspective on Reality," Vol. 2, No. 10, July 4, 1977. Brain/Mind
Bulletin is a twicemonthly newsletter, $15 from Box 42211, Los
Angeles, CA 90042 (well worth the cost of a subscription). (5)
Ibid. (6) Ibid. (7) Eberhart, George, "The Ohio Airship
Story," Pursuit, Vol. 10, No. I, 1977 (8) "The Zamora Case:
TV Gets a Reprieve," Science News, Vol. 112, No. 16, Oct. IS,
1977, p. 247 (9) Ott, John, Health and Light (New York:
Pocket Books, 1976), p. 133 (10) Ibid., p. 134 (11) Ibid., p.
193 (12) Ibid., p. 129 (13) Ibid., p. 197 (14) Young, Louise
B., Power Over People (London, Oxford, New York: Oxford
University Press, 1973), p. 195 (IS) Sagan, Carl, Dragons of
Eden (New York: Random House, 1977), p. 128 (16) Siegel,
Ronald K., "Hallucinations," Scientific American, Vol. 237, No.
4, October, 1977 (17) Persinger, Michael A., and Lafreniere,
Gyslaine F., Space Time Transients and Unusual Events
(Chicago: NelsonHall, 1977), p. 216 (18) Stewart, James R.,
"Cattle Mutilations: An Episode of Collective Delusion," The
Zetetic, Vol. I, No.2, SpringiSummer,1977 (l9)Dary,David
A., The Buffalo Book (New York: Avon Books, 1974), p.
295 (20) Keel, op. cit., p. 117 (21) Young, op. cit., pp. 103
104 (22) Athens Messenger, Athens, Ohio, August 4,
1976 (23) Coleman, Loren, "Phantom Panther on the Prowl,"
Fate, Vol. 30, No. 11, November, 1977 (24) Robins Don
"Images in Stone," The Ley Hunter (P.O. Box 152, L~ndon:
NlO 1EP, England), Nos. 76 and 77 (25) Gearhart, Livingston,
"Geomagnetic Storms and Fortean Events," Pursuit, Vol. 8,
No.2, April, 1975 (26) Arnold, Larry E., "FireLeynes: A Con
nection Between SHC and Leys?" to be published as a 3part
article in Fortean Times, P.O. Box 152, London NIO IEP, England; see also Arnold, Larry E., "The Flaming Fate of Dr. John
Irving Bentley," Pursuit, Vol. 9, No.4, Fall, 1976 (27) "The
Weekend Goes Extraterrestrial," Science News, Vol. Ill, No.
24, June 11, 1977

. PURSUIT Winter 1978

40

IMPORTANT NOTICE

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Please note SITU's new addresses. We haue had to

moue from our Columbia, N.J. premises due to a legal
ruling concerning the status of our lease and the ownership of the luan T. Sanderson estate. The situation is a
complicated one, inuoluing legalities that pre-date luan's
death. Our new premises involue three different mailing
addresses; these are printed inside the front couer of this
issue. Please make a note of these changes and address
all correspondence accordingly.

In reply to Harry Mongold's comm~nt (see last issue's'

Symposium) to my article on "reality" ("What About
. Reality?" Vol. 10, No.3): perhaps the reason why science
has been unable to turn up any goblins, giants, or the

philosopher's stone is due to the same reason they can't

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
uncover a genuine extraterrestrial spacecraft and crew?
After years of wanting to permit members to comThese "quirks" in our reality are temporal and/or transmunicate
their common Fortean interests to one
itional -- here now, gone later. We may unconsciously
another,
we
thought we had the answer in the Membercause such manifestations to be a part of our reality core
ship Directory, which would provide the confidentiality
for a short duration. In some cases, however, the archeso desired by some of our members. Many of us contritypes become so "fixed" that they become permanently
buted time and effort generously to this project before it
attuned to our world.
was discovered that the member entrusted with the lists
If there is such a thing as alternative, diverging time
was in fact using them for unauthorized purposes.
lines, it may well be that giants, elves, goblins, Lord
Now we are about to try again. Hopefully, the new
knows who or what, may have (and may still) exist(ed) at
will eliminate such problems. Those interested in
method
some point in the past. The fact that the Iiuman mind is
participating in a new Membership Directory should
complex beyond anything conceivable may also lend supwrite SITU/Membership Directory, c/o Martin
port to a notion that reality itself is utterly, Md confus
Wiegler,
694 Stuyvesant Ave_. Irvington, NJ 07111
ingly, multifaceted.
.
giving
me
their membership number and area of interest
But despite these musings, I-like Harry:"-' tend to en(be
sure
to
include your return address). After July 1,
joy all the niceties of our physical world. Of ceurse, it may
when
all
the
listings are in, I will compile a chart showing
be that someday I'll sit back in some physical armchair
only
membership
number, state (or country) and zip
and chuckle with my peers at the ignorance displayed by
code, and area(s) of interest. This will be sent to all memthis remark.
bers who have asked to be included. Upon receipt of the
-Curt Sutherly
Directory, any member included in it may write any other
****
member by simply putting the number of the member
Errata: Vol. 10, No.2: In William Whamond's article,
whom they wish to contact on .the front of a small un"Little Green Men and the Law of Dynamical Similarity,"
sealed stamped envelope. EnclQsing any message they
p. 49, column I, paragraph marked "S)," line 7: " ... stress
may wish to convey, they then enclose the unsealed en-
is the key ... " should read instead" ... stress should be the
velope in a larger one addresse.d to me. I will complete the
key ... " Also, in Vol. 10, No.3: Mr. Whamond's "Harmember's address on the small envelope, seal it (after ilimonics Diagram," p. 94, which begins with the words, . serting a small statement to the effect that SITU is for"After reading ... " should have been written, "Before
warding on the letter as requested), and send it on. Folreading ... "
'.
lowing this initial procedure, the members are free to
-Martin Wiegler
write each other directly.
****

- - - . . . . . . . . . , - - - - - - - BOQK REVIEW - - - - - - - -........- American Indian Myths & Mysteries by Vincent H.

Gaddis, Chilton Book Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania, 1977.220 pages, $8.95.
Vincent Gaddis has done his usual thoroughly professional job and has produced still another book of interest
to Forteans, and on a rather neglected subject at that.
The book is divided into two parts. The first, under the
general heading "The Historical Mysteries," deals with
the origins of the Amerindians of both' North and South
America, cultural links with the Old World and the
Orient, and the racial mixing that occurred as a result of
visits and, in some cases, colonization by all sorts of
people who arrived long before Columbus. The author
draws on archaeological and anthropological evidence as
well as Amerindian traditions and legends, and puts forward some intriguing theories that will certainly annoy
the orthodox. I am dubious about his suggestion that
Man, as a species, may have originated in South America, in part because he makes such a splendid case for the
PURSUIT

Winter 1978

Amerinds having come from Atlantis. In fact, the material he presents on Amerindian cataclysm and flood
legends, including the Mayans' Chi/am Bolam, constitutes the most telling evidence that I know of for the existence of that continent.
Part two, "The Mystical Mysteries," treats of such
things as the mystery of the' shaking tent, fire dancing,
bulletproof Amerindian warriors, "magic," mental telepathy, some astonishing cases of precognition, and the
"Curse of Tippecanoe" which has so far done in seven
U.S. presidents. The last chapter, "The Great Purification," gave me the grues. It deals primarily with a Hopi
prophecy concerning something that sounds most uncomfortably like a nuclear holocaust. And, as Vincent
Gaddis says, "Judging by past performance, Hopi prophecies are not to be taken lightly."
Bibliographical references are keyed into the text and
.
there is an index.
S.W.S.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Susan Malone

President (and Trustee)

Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
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Publisher - Robert C. Warth

Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf
Robert C. Warth R. Martin Wolf Steven Mayne
R. Martin Wolf Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chairman, Department of Anthropology. and Director, Paleo Indian Institute, Eastern New
Mexico U!"iversity. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato - Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured, Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek...:..... Director, lindheimer Astronomical Research Center, Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy - Professor of Geology, Institute of Geophysics, U.CLA. (Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal- Program in Applied Mathematics. Princeton University. (Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell- Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J. (General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University of Alberta. Canada. (Ethno
SOCiology and Ethnology)
Dr. Kirtley F. Mather - Professor of Geology, Emeritus, Harvard University. (Geology)
Dr. John R. Napier - Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London. (Physical Anthropolc;>gy)
Dr. Michael A. Persinger - Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological Laboratory, Laurentian
University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada (Psychology)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury - Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture, Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz - Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center, Cedar Grove, New
Jersey. (Mental Sciences)
.
Dr. Roger. W. Wescott - Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.
(Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. (Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. (Botany)

><
UJ
o

z
I

Allende, Carlos Miguel, 55

Arnold, Larry E., 66, 75
Astrebus: An Intergalactic Language, The, 128
Barrow, Robert, 99
Bigfoot Sighting, 120
BOOK REVIEWS
The Doomed Unsinkable Ship, William H. Tantum IV, 64
Without a Trace, Charles Berlitz, 96
The Sirius Mystery, Robert K. G. Temple, 135
The Cosmic Pulse of Life-The Revolutionary Biological Power
Behind UFOs, Trevor James Constable, 135
The Fire Came By, Thomas Atkins and John Baxter, 134
Bost, Fred H., 50
Can Science and Scientists Help?, 118
Chaos in Quiescence, 19
Clark, Jerome, 17
Dinosaur Graffiti-Hava Supai Style, 62
Eberhart, George M., 2, 82
Editorial, 98
Extant Dinosaurs: A Distinct Possibility, 60
"Faust" and the Student, 84
Few Small Steps on the Earth: A Tiny Leap for Mankind?, A, 50
Fluidice: Time as a Function of Prana. 58
Gates, Dennis, 127
Guerrasio, John, 62
Harmonics Diagram, 94
Hartnett, Michael, 105
How to Fly a Saucer, 102
Incorruptibility of Saints-After Death, The, 66
Investigations: More on Mutilations, 95
Invisible Star, The, 55
Keel, John A., 118
LaSalle, Milton, 120
Little Green Men and the Law of Dynamical Similarity, 34
Macer-Story, E., 58, 128
Mayne, S. N., 124
Mission, B.C. Bigfoot Hoax, The, 127
Mutilations: Who-or What-Really is Killing the Cattle? (Part II). 15
Mutilations: Chaos in Quiescence, 19
Navy to Investigate Sunken Aircraft, 70
Ohio Airship Story, The, 2
On Loosening Up a Few Tied Ends, 99
Pawlicki, T. B., 9, 72, 102
Pecher, Kamil, 84
Photos (Wudewasa and alleged UFO), 136
Prehistoric Megalithic Engineering, 9
Pyramids are an Ancient Space Communications Network. The, 72
Random Notes: Situations and Developments, 132
Renections of Chinese Form in Mexican and Norse Ornament, 86
Relativity Racket, The, 54
Semen and the Demon: Sinistrari's Concept of Demoniality, 82
Sequel to Foul-Foci Grids, or The Dodecated Globe Again, 28
Situations, 92
Some Clarifications on the Leroy, Kansas Calfnapping Hoax, 17
Sprinkle, R. Leo, Ph.D., 112
Sutherly, Curt, 15, 93
Symposiums, 18, 64, 96, 133
Ufology: Thirty Years in Three Days, 105
UFO Research: Problem or Predicament? ] 12
Wantage Event, The, 124
Whamond, William H., 28,34,94
What About Reality?, 93
Wilkie. B., 86
Wolf, R. Martin, 19,98
X., 70
"Zounds, Holmes! It's a Case of the Combustible Corpse!", 75

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~'f n-;~A~~!1~1=Y FoR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

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THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Research (members only)
and legal address
SITU
P.O. Box 265
Little Silver, NJ 07739
Telephone (201) 842-5229

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 11, No.2"

SPRING, 1918

PURSUIT

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf
Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson

THE JOU~NAL OF THE SOCIETY

FOR THE INVESTIGAnON OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the Investigation of "Thing$" that are Customarily Discounted

Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J. M. Rickard
Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artist
Britton Wilkie
Production
Steven Mayne
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

On the cover:
Drawing by
R. M. Wolf,
lettering from
Exotic Alphabets
and Ornaments,
by William Rowe
(Dover Publications,lnc.,
New York).

CONTENTS
Page
l5: A Settlement in Space
by Curt Sutherly ........................................................... 42
Skyquakes-Things That Go Bump in the Night
by Jon Douglas Singer ...................................................... 45
Earthquake lights ............................................................... 48
"Skyquakes"-And Separate Realities
by Dr. David Rind .......... "............................................... 51
Witchcraft and, Weather Modification (Part I)
by George M. Eberhart ...................... : ............................. 55
The Concept of Simultaneity
by Harry E. Mongold ....................................................... 60
The Synchro Data
by "Barbara Jordison ........................................................ 66
Frozen Mammoths: Volcanoes, Comet-storms, or Permafrost?
I. The Berezovka Mammoth Mystery
"
by Leo '{runt .............................................................. 67
II. Mammoth Problem-Two Solutions
by Member #340 ....................................... _........... 68
Forteana Galactica
by Alan Gray ............... , .............................................. 69
The T ransformist Myth
"
by Dr. Silvano lorenzoni ................................................... 70
A little Riddle
by Jasper McKee ......................................................... 72
Mr. Berlitz-Again!
by Paul G. Be99 ...................... 73
An Observation on Critics Whose Appraisal of Phenomena
"
is Undisturbed by Personal Knowledge or Experience
by Charles Berlitz ......................................................... 75
SITUations .................... "................................................. 76
Symposium ...................................................................... 78
Book Review , ................................................................. 80

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained 1978

lL5: A SETTLEMENT IN SPACE

By Curt Sutherly
Eyes focussed upward, I suddenly sigh,
thinking of powerful wines
And of men reaching beyond the sky.
Preliminary note: while a report on the proposal for a
future settlement in space may seem, to many SITU
members, to be rather nonFortean in nature, one must
keep in mind that many of our unexplained events seem
to spring archetypically from man's yearning for the
heavens. The UFO phenomenon, or perhaps more cor
rectly - the spaceship-in-the-sky syndrome, is a sound
example of this. Even man's ancient gods were, for the
most part, an embodiment of an archetypal desire to fly
upward, on and on into the void.
On still another tack, consider the words of many UFO
entities when speaking to (or through)'their contactees:
"You are endangering the balance of the universe," are
words made familiar to us by such writers as John Keel.
PURSUIT. Spring 1978

Whether one believes in the existence of the entities projecting that concept-or believes in them not at all, the
thought is sufficient to give pause. But how, you ask, does
this relate to the proposal of a settlement in space? Quite
simply: the settlement could well be a cure-all or an endall to many of man's present socia-environmental problems. So, with these thoughts in mind, read on ...

A few years ago, before the final lunar landings were

made by members of the Apollo exploration teams, the
notion of a huge, revolving establishment in spa<;e wOl,lld
have been considered mildly interesting to some, even
amusing to others. After .all, the. concept was dr:awn from
the early pages, of sci~nce fiction - an anachrqnistic
dream hardly worth mentioning in a day when the,moon
itself was being explored.
Around the same time, the so-called "energy crunch"
reared its head, and the scientific community was suddenly forced to look anew for a technological means with
which to escape that dreadnaught. Even the United

States, a nation among the bountiful, harbored many

people who went to bed cold at night after being forced to
turn the furnace down for lack offuel or the money to pay
for it. Ideas as seemingly out of place as the aforementioned space settlement resurfaced: solar energy, rekindled coal-burning techniques, even wind power, to
name a few, became major issues of importance. But
again there were the scoffers. Coal was a thing of the
past, they said, at least in the wealthy countries. Wind
power was only good for sail boats, and as for solar power
- anyone with any sense knew solar power was barely
adequate for running small electric cars.
Sut in any age there are always those who refuse to die
laughing.
,
Two such persons are Princeton University's physicist Gerard K. O'Neill, and former astronaut-scientist,
Dr. Brian O'Leary. When O'Neill first presented his
notion of a space colony locked in orbit midway between
the Earth and the moon, the skeptics were legion, frequently jumping up and down, rattling their teeth and,
screaming that such an idea was preposterous - and furthermore, financially unsound. For once the scoffers
weren't laughing, exactly; they were complaining. Later,
however, members of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) came to the
rescue, reasoning that, should the colony concept be
handled as O'Neill envisioned, it could be a potential
mode of escape from the omnipresent threat of insuffi
cient energy reserves. Furthermore, such a program
could perhaps boost the space administration's dwindling budget - a relentless problem since John Kennedy's assasination in 1963. Finally, after a good deal of
crosstalk, it appeared the first step toward realization of
O'Neill's interplanetary settlement had been taken ...

Midway between Earth and the mooh is a point referred to as F5, a pivotal area of space influenced by the
gravity wells of the Earth, moon, sun, and to some degree
the outer planets of the solar system. The position l5
honors the noted French mathematician Legrange, who
calculated that anything locked in orbit at this spacial
position would remain so fixed unless deliberately reo
moved. It is at point l5 that O'Neill and O'Leary see the
first of perhaps many space settlements taking shape.
Anyone who has ever viewed the American television
series, The Six Million Dollar Man, which depicts the
adventures of a man refitted with biochemical (bionic)
artificial limbs, is familiar with the program's opening
words: "We have the technology ..... So it is with the
space settlement. The technology to go ahead and build a
vast orbital platform is available. All that is lacking is to
convince national and international governments that the
project is not a waste of money and effort. This is the task
which Dr. O'Neill has set for himself, knowing quite well
the job of convincing hard-headed politicians will be anything but easy.
,
.
, In order to complete toe first orbital platform, a'iunar
mining base will first have to be established. From this
station on the moon, ore 'and minerai elements .vital to
construction of the l5 platform will be mined. O'Neill has
diagrammed a unique and rather non-complex method
for getting this ore into orbit: the mineral will be hurled
from the moon by means of a mass accelerator which will

provide sufficient thrust to'obtafn escape velocity for the

particles being laUilched. The techniQ.ue, by all outward
appearances, will provide no real engineering problem,
owing to the moon's slight gravity field.
Once fired from the moon's surface, the needed ele
ments will be guided along (possibly by smaller particle
accelerators) and finally nudged into place at point L5.
, With the ore in final orbit, crews working from descendants of today's now-complete (but as yet untested)
space shuttle will begin work on the space platform.
According to O'Neill and O'leary, the first orbital settle
ment could be ready for inhabitation within 25 years of
the project's initiation, providing all problems are dealt
with satisfactorily.
Which leads us to the settlement interior: will it be a
drab, sterile environment in which humanity will even
tually feel too confined for proper existence? Definitely
not, say all associated with the program.
According to Dr. O'Leary: "Science fiction has taught
'us that living in space necessitates a sterile cabin en
vironment. The spaceships and space stations of the
twenty-first century and beyond are envisioned as ... anti
septic, quasimilitary, white-walled, slidingdoor, control
panel, televisionscreen closed spaces." This, says
O'Leary, is entirely the, opposite of the current colony
vision.
"Aesthetically pleasing" is the term being applied to the
l5 project, which itself will be - tentatively - of a com
bined cylinder/spherical design. Earlier engineering proposals had described the settlement as a huge wheel inspace much like those frequently seen in artist renderings. However, the latter abode would be too difficult to
develop in space,' experts now believe, and the alternate
design has been proposed.
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

44

Dr. O'leary estimates the space platfonn will be

approximately 500 meters in diameter, which he says is
equal to a walk along the circumference of roughly one
mile. The station would revolve at a speed of about two
complete spins per minute, thus giving inhabitants the
near equivalent of one Earth gravity of weight. The
number of actual settlement residents Would be about
10,000 total, many of whom would be occupied with jobs
necessary to maintaining the station's assorted life support systems.
' .
Settlement life, however, would not be confined to the
human variety. Animals of various species, including
poultry, livestock, and family pets would be a part of the
spacial scenario. NASA engineers are even seriously
considering a man made "river" for both aesthetic and
practical value, and which might (in fact, probably would)
be stocked with assorted fish and water-born plant life.
. Spacial sporting events would take the place of Ea~th
side athletics and include such events as hang-gliding and
human "free-fall" flight at the hub or central axis of the
settlement where little or no gravity would be in effect.
Shrubs, trees, and plants of endless varieties would
facilitate both the beauty of the settlement and help
supplement the mechanized air recycling system sure to
be in operation. life within the L5 platform could, in
short, be both interesting and exciting.
Over and beyond its purpose as a home in space, the
L5 settlement would have other, vastly more important
uses. The greatest of these is the likelihood of collecting
solar energy from the sun, storing it, and transmitting it to
receiving/distributing stations on Earth's surface.
According to Dr. O'leary, the entire electrical needs of
the mainland United States could be provided via spaceborn solar power transceivers within 20 years of the initiation of such an operation. Furthermore, he also points
out that with continued expansion of solar ,power stations, the needs 0/ the entire planet could be supplied
soon thereafter.
In a nutshell, the solar power scheme reads like this:
once finnly established, the space settlement residents
would begin construction of giant solar power collectors.
Using the space shuttle, these collectors would actually
be manufactured in orbit, since the cost of building and
launching 'them from Earth would be too immense.
Ener~ stored within the collectors would then be foc~sPURSUIT, Spring 1978

sed into a low-density microwave beam, and in this way

be transmitted through the Earth's atmosphere to be
picked up and redistributed by receiving stations on the
planet's surface as electrical energy. Present conventional power conversion systems would be adequate to
handle the necessary electrical generation.
Considered in this light, the entire scenario seems
quite feasible. Perhaps too feasible, many lobbyists will
no doubt declare, thus raising the ultimate issue of
money.
However, Dr. O'Leary has pointed out that the entire
project "would be just a fraction of the hundreds of billions of dollars earmarked for Project Independence (the
American scheme to become 'energy independent'
within the next 20 years)." Surely the colony concept is a
viable alternative to such energy harnessing techniques
as nuclear power (which actually increases the cost of
electricity), or the millions of dollars being used to deplete the world's oil fields. Coal mining also has its drawbacks inasmuch as it causes extensive environmental
damage through strip-mining - damage which years are
needed to correct. And like oil, the planet's coal resources will be largely depleted before another century is
finished should the population continue at its present rate
of expansion (about two percent per year).
This leaves us with nuclear and solar power for the
long-range future, and real efforts to advance the technology of the former have so far been largely without
success.
All of which brings us back to the concept of the space
settlement and its potential as a center for solar power
collection and dissemination. If O'Neill, O'leary, and the
many scientists and engineers now championing this project are greeted with success, an entire new energy-sufficient world may awaken before and around us. Should
this happen, humanity can then look with renewed
interest at space and its distant points of light, and perhaps see the day when m~n will arise on ~pectacular new
engines -:- on ~heir ~ay. to .th~ist~rs. , ,~.; : ~ , .' ~
I

r,
.

I,~.d.
L'

Additional infonnation on O'Neill's space settlement

may be obtained by writing: Dr. Brian O'leary, Dept. of
Physics, P.O. Box 708, Princeton University, Princeton,
NJ 08540.
i. :

4S

SKYQUAKES-THINGS THAT
GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
EDITOR'S NOTE.
Although we realize the military released a statement in early March of this year admitting that
some of the unexplained sky blasts occurring along
the East Coast were caused by experimental flights,
we feel the explanation offered does not fully explain the recent phenomenon (let alone the historical cases), nor such related events as the light
flashes which sometimes accompanied the blasts.

By Jon Douglas Singer

"The sky is failing! The sky is jailing!" -Chicken Little
"Good Lord, preserue us jrom ghoulies and ghosties and
things that go 'bump'in the night."
- Traditional Scottish prayer
On December 2, 1977, the peaceful skies of the northeast were shattered by a series of tremendous blasts. The
New York Times reported that the blasts occurred on 7
occasions up to December 15. 1
The blasts were highly unusual in nature. When they
were recorded by instruments at Columbia University's
Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory at Palisades,
New York, it was found they gave off a force equalling 100
tons of dynamite. Specifically, two of the uncanny blasts
occurred on December 2 and five more were reported on
December 15. One of the observatory scientists, Dr. William Donn, found that the blasts were so powerful that
they had been reported from Connecticut to South Carolina. Indeed, the Times noted, the blasts were so strong
that employees at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant
in southern New Jersey had been evacuated for fear of a
possible earthquake. Dr. Donn noted that while no
anomalous wave patterns had been reported on the East
Coast, the blasts were nevertheless more powerful than
sonic booms. The Federal Aviation Agency, however,
had ruled out the possibility that the booms had been
caused by supersonic aircraft.
Another New York Times article reported that the
blasts had not only occurred high in the atmosphere and
many dozens of miles off shore.2 The article added that
the Federal Aviation Authority not only denied that sonic
booms were the cause of the blasts but also stated that
the explosions were not nuclear in origin. In fact, their
assertion had been supported by microbarograph readings which showed definite indications that the blasts
were not caused by aircraft passing the sound barrier.
If the blasts were neither supersonic nor nuclear in
nature, what Ylere they? The Times reported that the
same scientist, Dr. William Donn, an expert in acoustical
science, had put forward a hypothesis which suggested
the blasts were caused by bubbles of methane gas which
escaped from cracks in the continental shelf. The gas
bubbles would rise into the atmosphere where they

would then be ignited by static electricity. This explanation seems unconvincing when one considers the fact
that so many uncanny explosions occurred at so many
different places. Are we to accept the notion that a giant
crack or series of cracks suddenly opened all along the
East Coast?
Nevertheless, a similar theory was reported by the
Denver Post. 3 The Post cited an anonymous AP dispatch which mentioned the theory of Dr. Stanley Klemetson, an environmental engineering scientist. and also an
associate professor of civil engineering at Colorado State
University. Dr. Klemetson also suggested that methane
or hydrogen gases had caused the explosio~s. Klemetson's theory differed from Donn's in that the former suggested that the gases originated in submerged deposits of
sludge such as garbage and treated waste deposits. The
gases accumulated, rose to the surface, and then into the
air. The gas, if warmer than the surface air, would then
rise high into the sky, where natural static electricity
would ignite it. Klemetson supported !"tis hypothesis by
noting that the blasts occurred near major coastal cities
such as New York, where garbage is dumped offshore.
An alternate theory was posed by Dr. Donn. According to the San Antonio Express, 4 Donn suggested the
enigmatic explosions were the resu!t of secret military
tests. Donn added that the causes ef the blasts were
probably so secret that various branches of the government didn't know that other government departments
were working on new equipment, such as weaponry,
which would initiate the blasts. However, the Express
was told by the Pentagon that the defense agency had no
knowledge of the skyquakes and that it knew of no military tests which were responsible for them.
Another theory cOJ:)cerning the blasts' origin was suggested to me by Mr. Bob Warth, president of SITu. s He
speculated that some of the blasts may have been caused
by preliminary soundings prior to planned offshore drilling. TJ'tese tests would have been conducted in areas
where oil had recently been discovered (as off the New
Jersey coast), and where oil drilling leases had been
sought by the major companies from the states concerned as well as the federal government.
That hypothesis was dismissed by Dr. Donn, who said
in an article in the San Antonio Express that the blasts
were too powerful to have been caused by offshore
drilling tests. 6
Mr. Warth himself didn't fully accept the idea of the
blasts as the direct result of tests, but added that perhaps the tests might account for gas leaks into the atmosphere from below the ocean floor. He noted that light
flashes in the sky. had been reportedly seen to accompany the blasts on several occasions, and these flashes
did not correspond in time with any recorded seismic
activity in that area according to conversations Mr.
Warth had with Dr. Donn. The flashes of light have given
rise to a number of intriguing theories, some of which will
be discussed below.
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

46

For example, the New York Times reported that light

flashes were seen in the sky above the East Coast on
December 21, one day after blasts had shaken central
New Jersey. When the light flashes occurred on the21 of
December, windows in New Jersey were rattled. Two
blasts had occurred there on the twentieth of December.
Five blasts were heard in Charleston, South Carolina, on
December 15. Two other airquakes occurred there on
December 20.
In January, 1978, the blasts persisted and the New
York Times again mentioned the methane gas theory.6
The Times brought up the theory of Dr. Thomas Gold, of
Cornell University, who stated that methane gas could
easily account for the explosions. Gold thought that
methane gas could easily escape not only from volcano~s, as had been previously thought, but also from fissures in the earth. The rising gas would then be ignited by
static electricity in the air.
The January 19, 1978 New York Times article added
that the skyquakes continued in late December and into
January. Blasts were heard in New Jersey on December
30 and in Charleston, South Carolina, on January 5 while
yet another airquake occurred in the latter city on January 12.
Earlier, another New York Times article by Walter Sullivan reported on blasts heard in the Charleston, South
Carolina, area. 9 The weird blasts in the Charleston region
were so powerful that not only did windows fall out, but
entire buildings shook as if an earthquake had struck.
The idea of an east coast earthquake is not as absurd as it
may at first sound; similar mystery sounds had been
heard before. This southern city was startled by strange
noises in the air just prior to the earthquake of 1887.
Sounds in the air had also been heard in southwestern
West Virginia on May 3i, 1897, in Giles County, just before an earthquake struck that area. Indeed, two very
slight quakes were recorded when air shocks hit Charleston in 1977 on December 15, between 8:37 and 10:24 a.m.
At that time (December 15) the federal government
began an investigation of the uncanny phenomena. First,
the White House Office of Science and Technology
Policy asked the Defense Department to investigate the
skyquakes. Then, after failing to solve the mystery surrounding the sounds, the investigation was handed over
to the Naval Research Laboratory, headed by Rear
Admiral Robert K. Geiger, Chief of Naval Research.
Geiger's investigators launched a research program
which lasted 60 days. Another governmental study carried out by the Congressional Research Service of the
Library of Congress also failed to come up with an explanation for the sounds. They did, however, note that
while wave activity was normal at Charleston during the
time of the explosions, wave activity at Bethany Beach in
Delaware was rather erratic.
Incidentally, the January 24,1978 issue ofthe National
Enquirer (page 37) reported that the following agencies of
the federal government had investigated, and had failed
to furnish an explanation for, the phenomenal explosions: the Defense Department, the Coast Guard, the Interior Department, the Geological Survey, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NASA.
As the theories about exploding methane gas failed to
gain support in light of the evidence, a new and even more
bizarre explanation was promulgated by Bob Pratt, a rePURSUIT, Spring 1978

porter on the staff of the National Enquirer. 1o Pratt's

article suggested UFOs were the cause of the skyquake
phenomena, a theory probably inspired by reports of
eerie light flashes that occurred along the East Coast,
especially in New Jersey, prior to or during the enigmatic
blasts. Pratt's article did not include pertinent data such
as the flash seen in New Canaan, Connecticut. According to an article in" the Dallas Times Herald, the New
Canaan explosions, three in number, occurred at 11:43
p.m. on Tuesday, December 20. New Canaan residents
reportedly saw a ball of fire in the night sky at the same
time as the explosions. 11 Pratt's story does, however,
note that a mysterious bang rocked the skies of Plymouth
in northwestern New York. At the same time, on November 23,1977, residents were startled by the sightings
of several UFOs which streaked overhead and then came
close to ground level. "
The first Plymouth sighting was reported by farmer
Tom Colledge, rudely awakened bya great roar at 12:45
a.m. Rushing to the window, he was amazed by the sight
of a huge UFO, which reportedly made a crackling noise.
Described as being about 75 feet in diameter and 75-80
feet long, the UFO appeared to be about 150 feet above
the barn. Blinking lights could be clearly distinguished;
Colledge and his wife observed four to six red lights and
several bright white lights. The roaring apparition was
shaped like an "arrowhead" and had four rockets in the
back. The farm family watched the fascinating spectacle
until the unearthly craft moved away across a valley 200
yards from the house, then vanished behind a hill.
A second sighting was made by Bob Travers and his
family, who live 3 miles from Colledge. Travers, his wife,
and their 16year-old son Tom saw another arrow-shaped
object at about 1:00 a".m. It too had announced its presence with a loud roaring. Travers and his family, also
awakened from sleep, were amazed by the sight of an
arrowhead-shaped object; this UFO, however, reportedly had two or three rows of square windows in the front
and red and green lights as well as white ones.
Pratt added that a spokesman for Hancock Air Force
Base, 50 miles northwest of Plymouth, had stated that
neither military nor commercial aircraft had been in the
area at the time of the UFO sightings.
Pratt cites other cases of UFO sightings which
allegedly accompanied the great bangs. For example, on
December 2, 1977, when the great blasts were heard
fT(~m New Jersey to Charleston, South Carolina, a resident of the latter locality named William James Herrmann was awakened by a catastrophic roar at 9:30 a.m.
Herrmann, a 25year-old mechanic, saw a large silvery
object hovering over an electric power tower about 500
feet away. Herrmann claimed the 9bject was shimmering
as it hovered directly over the tower.
On the same day, 9 hours later, according to Pratt,
another UFO appeared in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Mrs.
Phyllis Crowl and her daughter were driving in their car
when they were startled by the appearance of a UFO with
white lights in front and blue lights behind. The object,
200 feet from their car, astounded them by abruptly splitting in half! The separate halves then blithely zoomed off
in different directions.
Two days later, UFOs buzzed along in the night skies
over the farm of George Richard. Pratt writes that on December 4,1977, the 59-year-old farmer and his wife were

47

awakened at 5:30 a.m. by a bright object which consisted of three windows in a cabin. Each window was
square and each was atop the other, as in the Travers'
object. The Richards observed two red lights in front, one
atop the other. The UFO hovered for a while before rushing off beyond a hill.
Later in December. on the 13th, two teenagers repprted a UFO to the police of Long Beach, New Jersey.
The nighttime sighting was also witnessed by the two
policemen, Patrolman Scott and Sgt. Robert Snyder,
who answered the call.
Snyder and Scott allegedly saw peculiar yellowish
lights that flew around in the night sky. Interestingly
enough', these lights had the habit of suddenly vanishing; .
then, just as abruptly, they would reappear. Scott was a
pilot as well as a policeman, so he was familiar with
nocturnal airplane lights. He insisted that these lights
were not from known aircraft. Another odd aspect of this
particular case is that both Scott and Snyder reported a
lot of shooting stars that behaved in an unusual manner.
Pratt did not give any more details about the shooting
stars but did note that the shooting star sightings lasted
about 4 or 5 seconds.
Lastly, a link between UFOs, and the eerie airquakes
was reported to Pratt by William Hayes, Civil Defense coordinator for Ocean County, New Jersey. He said that
between December 2 and December 21 nine blasts were
recorded along the New Jersey coast, and at that time
many reports of UFOs were made by citizens to the Civil
Defense. The UFO reports coincided with the blasts, but
Pratt gave no details concerning the Ocean County
sightings.
UFOs may not be the only explanation for the eerie
lights in the sky during the occurrence ofthe blasts, however. According to the Paris News (of Paris, Texas),
lights in the sky such as luminous glows had accompanied many of the blasts heard along the East Coast. 12
The light flashes may be similar to what is known as
pre-earthquake phenomena, when uncanny glows are
seen prior to powerful earthquakes. For example, Geotimes reports that the Idu Peninsula earthquake in Japan
on November 26, 1930, at 4:30 a.m., was accompanied by
reports of luminous glows in the air.13 Similarly, the series
of earthquakes at Matsushiro, Japan, in 1965-7 was also
accompanied by reports of light f1ahes - some of which
were photographed (see accompanying photos). Also in
the Orient, white and red lights were seen during the
T'angshan earthquake at T'angshan, in mainland China,
on July 28, 1976.
Reports of earthquake light flashes also have come
from the United States. In Japuary, 1922, for example, a
northern California quake was accompanied by light.
flashes over the Pacific. The glows were so bright that observers thought a ship had caught fire. Another California quake rocked Monterey in October, 1926. At that
time a flash of brilliant light was also reportedly seen at
sea; more recently, Californians at Santa Rosa were
startled not only by the October I, 1969 earthquake, but
also by a bewildering variety of luminescent phenomena
which accompanied it: lightning, electric sparks, St.
Elmo's fire, fireballs, meteors, and sounds like explosions (italics mine-Author).
Geotimes reported that several scientific studies of
earthquake lights had been made by both Japanese and

American researchers. In the 19305 Japanese seismologists T orohiko Terada and Inkkiti Musya gathered not
less than 1,500 reports of odd lights from the Idu area.
Sheet lightning was reported as well as flashes, aurorallike streamers, beams and columns, or red glows, all of
which occurred in areas 80 and 112 kilometers from the
epicenter.
Another report on earthquakes and lights was made by
Yutaka Yasui, who found that the phenomena of the
Matsushiro quake could not be explained by meteors,
twilight, zodiacal light, arcing power lines, or lightning.
Thus, 18 of the 35 cases he had studied could not be explained.

" ... reports of eerie skyquakes

have been recorded aII over the
world for hundreds of years."
One American scientist, Dr. J. E. McDonald ofthe Uni
versity of Tucson, Arizona, had reported that light
flashes accompanying the Hegben Lake, Montana, earthquake of 1956 may have been caused by electrical imbalances resulting from the aerodynamic drag of a landslide. The imbalance would be highly charged, with luminosity the result. McDonald admitted that the phenomena could not be explained in ca~es which had taken
place in areas where landslides had not occurred.
An alternate theory for the glows was posed by David
Finkelstein of Yeshiva University and J. R. Powell of
Brookhaven National Laboratory. They suggested that
piezoelectric effects in quartz-bearing rocks resulted
from stress changes. A charge built up over the years
would be relieved during an earthquake. The stress may
be triggered off just prior to an earthquake as well, resulting in discharges that might be seen as much as several
days prior to the quake.
Thus, Pratt's UFO explanation may not fully account
for the lights seen at the time of the blasts. He lists, in his
article, a number of scientists and researchers who support his contention: Prof. Robert Creegan, professor of
philosophy at the State University of New York at
Albany, Dr. James Harder, professor of engineering at
the University of California at Berkeley, and Dr. George
Agogino, chairman of the department of anthropology at
Eastern New Mexico University (and member of SITU's
Scientific Advisory Board).
I myself am somewhat skeptical of the UFO theory, as
reports of eerie skyquakes have been recorded all over
the world for hundreds of years. Phenomenologists such
as Charles Fort and William Corliss have reported several areas where the noises have recurred quite frequently, such as at Moodus, Connecticut, where the
Moodus Noises were scientifically studied as recently as
1975. 14 There, Prof. Edward Chiburis of the University of
Connecticut was employed by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission to study the possibility that the Moodus
Noises had been caused by an earthquake fault that
might damage a nuclear power plant near Moodus and
East Haddam. Chiburis found that the noises were inexplicable and were not caused by an earthquake fault.
(Continued on page 50)
PURSUIT, Spring, 1978

48
[The following article is reprinted in its entirety, by permission, from Geotimes, Vol. 22, No. 12, December,
1977.]

Earthquake lights - luminous phenomena observed

during some earthquakes - are worth more investigation, according to John S. Derr of the U.S. Geological
Survey's Denver field center. Derr said that few scientists have worked on the question because most reports
of these lights come from untrained observers. 'Nevertheless, observations have been made for years,' he
added, 'and the existence of earthquake lights is well
established.'
.
Derr noted that the first known investigations of earthquake lights were carried out in the early 1930s by 2
Japanese seismologists, Torahiko Terada and Inkkiti
Musya. Musya collected some 1,500 reports of lights
from the Idu Peninsula quake, which occurred at 4:30
a.m. Nov. 26,1930. Most accounts describe the sky lit up
as if by sheet lightning, with most of the observers agreeing that the duration of a single flash was much longer
than a lightning flash. Others described the lights as resembling auroral streamers, beams and columns, or as a
ruddy glow in the sky. The lights were estimated to beBO
km east of the quake's epicenter, nearly 112 km northeast, and more than 64 km to the west. They were seen
both before and for some time after the quake, but were
most conspicuous during the middle of the shock.
There have been a few reports of earthquake lights at
sea. In January 1922, when an earthquake occurred off
the coast of northern California, an observer noted a
glow at sea that was first thought to be a ship on fire. In
October 1926, a flash of light at sea, described as like a
tra!'lsformer exploding, was observed at the time of an
earthquake centered in Monterey Bay.
More recently, Yutaka Yasui, a physics professor at
Dokkyo Medical College, Japan, collected photos of
lights seen during the Matsushiro earthquake swarm in
Japan from 1965 to 1967. At least 18 of the 35 sightings
are not explained by meteors, twilight, zodiacal light,
arcing power lines, or distant lightning_
During the Santa Rosa (Calif.) earthquake of Oct. 1,
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

EARTHQUAK

1%9, there were extensive sightings of lights in the area,

which were described in terms of lightning, electric
sparks, St. Elmo's Fire, fireballs, or meteors. Some
people heard sounds like explosions.
The most spectacular sightings on record qccurred in
China during the disastrous T'angshan earthquake of
July 28, 1976. Observers reported seeing the sky lit up
like daylight in the epicentral area. Lights were also seen
as far as 325 km away from the epicenter. They were
mainly white and red, and bright e!'lough to wake people,
who thought that their room lights had been turned pn.
One theory that might explain the lights involves violent low-level air oscillation. In the case of the Hebgen
Lake earthquake in 1956 in Montana, J. E. McDonald of
the University of Arizona, Tucson, considered the possibility that space charge might be transported through a
vertical distance of 300 m by aerodynamic drag from a
landslide triggered by the quake. This could set up temporary electrical imbalances that would lead to luminosity. However, McDonald said, this mechanism would
not explain most of the sightings that do not include landslides.
'Another theory is linked to the piezoelectric effect in
quartz-bearing rock (the setting up of an electrical potential in certain rocks - particularly quartz - as. the result
of stress changes). David Finkelstein of Yeshiva University and J. R. Powell of Brookhaven National Laboratory
reported that some evidence exists that the stress
accumulated in rocks over a period of years may begin to
be released very slowly several days before a large earthquake. This straining could 'Iead to generation of a high
seismoelectric potential, generated by stress on piezoelectric quartz in the rocks, and the resultant discharges
might be seen several hours before the actual fault break
of a major earthquake. If this theory is correct, it m~y be
possible to develop el~ctrical monitoring methods for
earthquake prediction.

49

GHTS

Earthquake lights photographed during the

Matsushiro earthquake swarm (1965-1967) by
T. Kuribayashi, Matsushiro, Japan.

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

50

BUMPS IN THE NIGHT

(Continued from page 47)

Indeed, reports of the Moodus Noises go back 200

years, as do reports of similar noises at Barisal, India, and
at the Seneca Indian Reservation in New York State,
where such noises are called "the Guns of the Senecas."
At another time, I hope to deal with the historical cases,
but it appears from a brief survey of the evidence at hand
that there is no simple explanation for their cause. The
idea that UFOs are to blame may be too simplistic; perhaps the UFOs themselves are studying the weird skyquakes!

****
It might be only coincidence, but just prior to the series of uncanny airquakes a series of odd electromagnetic
phenomena was reported. On November 21, 1977,
CBS's "Evening News" (on Channel 2 in the New York
metropolitan area) reported at 7: 15 p.m. that mysterious
radio signals picked up by a computer on board a European weather satellite-bearing rocket, which was about
to be launched by NASA, interfered with the launching to
such an extent that the craft could not take off and the
mission was temporarily aborted. The origin of the
signals was not discovered. Would it be only a coincidence that on November 23 there occurred the first flashand-blast case described above?
Another possible coincidence involves a very weird
case that was reported in the New York Times. ls In
Southampton, England, the Southern Television channel was blocked out by odd bleeps which were replaced
by a man's voice. The man claimed to be Asteron, a representative of the intergalactic mission. He read a message for earth, urging the peoples of earth to learn peace.
Weapons must be destroyed because humanity is entering the Age of Aquarius. Failure to do so would result in
Earth's being banished from the Galaxy. Officials of the
Southern Television company were unable to explain the
event and noted that the equipment necessary for such a
hoax would have to be extraordinarily sophisticated and
expensive. Thus, it seems unlikely that a hoax would be
the cause of such a weird interruption of normal programming, although the name "Asteron" seems phonyAster is Greek for star and the Age of Aquarius is derived from astrology and from the musical Hair. The
whole incident sounds like a bad 1950s sci-fi movie but
people such as college students who might perpetrate
such a hoax would have to be extremely well funded.
Nevertheless, this case reminds SITU members of
another, similar case in which English television transmission was interrupted by -uncanny broadcasts. I'm of

-course referring to the famousKLEE-lV case of several

years ago when the call letters of a then-out-of-business
lVstationinTexasblottedoutashowonBritishlVfora
few seconds. Thousands reported that they had seen the phenomenon, which some dismissed as a hoax while
other experts felt it would take very expensive equipment to produce such an effect. Indeed, such a secretive
broadcaster would have to be a billionaire like Howard
Hughes in order to avoid detection and prosecution; and
so far as I know, nobody has yet been caught and prosecuted for sending the weird message.

****
As this article goes to print news reports such as an
article by correspondent John Noble Wilford on p. A9 of
the Friday, March 3, 1978 edition of the New York Times
told of findings of the United States Naval Research
Laboratory concerning the nature of the mysterious skyquakes. Wilford reports that two scientists attached to
the Langley Research Center of NASA in Hampton, Virginia, concluded that military aircraft engaged in combat
maneuvers were responsible for the blasts.
The scientists said that the booms occurred when
supersonic blasts bounced off warmer high altitude air
which deflected the sound to areas 100-200 miles away.
Usually, such sonic booms occur only within a path 15-30
miles wide. The unusual magnification of the sounds was
caused by a combination of the extremely cold weather
conditions with the warmer air at the 20-30,000 foot level,
where supersonic jets fly. The researchers noted that the
blasts did indeed occur at times when jets were conducting practice runs.
The military had at first denied the possibility that
supersonic blasts from jet aircraft were to blame because they had failed to take the freak weather patterns
and air currents into consideration. In other years, the
weather at the time of year during which the blasts had
occurred (December-January) had not been as inclement as it was this year.
While it seems that the current series of skyquakes
may have been explained, at least to the satisfaction of
the press, the government, and the scientific community
as a whole, I'd like to point out that no supersonic aircraft
were in the skies over East Haddam, Connecticut, in
December of 1813, when similar blasts were reported.
That is, in so far as we know....
The End (?)

REFERENCES
1

New York Times, Tuesday, December 20,1977, p. 31.

New York Times, Sunday, December 25, 1977, Section 4, p.

5.

Denver Post, Saturday, December 24, 1977, "Mystery Booms

in Atlantic Bring Spate of Speculation." .
4 San Antonio Express, Tuesday, December 20,1977, "Mys
tery blasts secret U.S. test."
S Personal communication.
6 San Antonio Express, op. cit.
_
7 New York TImes, Thursday, January 19, 197a, p. 17 sec. A.
8 Ibid.

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

New York Times, January 13th or 14th.,

National Enquirer, January24,1978,p.37, "UFOs Linked to
Blasts That Rocked East Coast," by Bob Pratt.
II Dallas Times Herald, Saturday, December 24,1977, "Mysterious booms reported in Indian mythology."
12 Paris News, Friday, December 23, 1977, "Scientist Says
Garbage Gas Causing Booms."
13 Geotimes, December, 1977, p. 31, "Earthquake Lights."
14 New York Times, August 9, 1975.
IS New York Times, November 28,1977, p. 2.

10

51

"SKYQUAKES"-AND
SEPARATE REALITIES
By Dr. David Rind
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory)

Beginning December 2, 1977, residents on the east

coast of the United States have been sporadically shaken
by unexplained shock waves. We have recorded some of
these waves with a network of microphones adjusted to
monitor in the irifrasound range, from 0.1 to 10 Hz (audible sound begins at 20 Hz). Our network is located near
Palisades, N_ Y., to the north of the area of maximum
effect; nevertheless, the amplitude of the pressure wave
recorded was 40 microbars peak-to-peak, equivalent to
about lOS decibels, or about the noise level of the Concorde supersonic plane flying over the airport monitors at
Kennedy airport. This was not the effect of the Concorde, however, which flew at different hours and which
we have also recorded - it presents a completely different pattern. The signal recorded by the microphones
is traced out on visible charts, and a picture of the shock
wave passage is presented in Fig. 1. The following points
can be made about the phenomena:
1) It has been felt as the shaking of houses, rattling of
windows, etc., in South Carolina as well as along the New
Jersey-New York coastline as far north as Connecticut.
2) It has not been reported from any area in between
South Carolina and New Jersey, nor has it been reported more than about 50 miles inland.
3) It has occurred at all hours of the day and night,
although it is felt especially during daylight hours_
4) The occurrences on December 2, both in the morning (between 9:30-10:00 a.m_) and in the afternoon (between 3:30-4:00 p.m.) were practically simultaneous in
South Carolina and New Jersey; in general, though, the
effects have been felt in one area for a series of days, then
in the other area during another series of days.
5) In addition, dome-like bursts of light have been seen
in the areas off the East Coast, sometimes coinciding with
this phenomenon, sometimes independently. This has
been verified by both ground-based and pilot observers.
6) Our records indicate the signal is coming from offshore to our south, apparently near the coast and in an
area in plain view of many observers, yet nothing has
been seen which would indicate a probably source_
7) While these pressure waves have been recorded on
seismographs capable of responding to atmospheric fluctuations, they have not produced any effect on the more
insulated systems, indicating that they are not associated with earth tremors.
These occurrences have received wide-spread publicity; my colleague William Donn was on all the news programs reporting our observations and, essentially, expressing his mystification. The White House ordered the
Department of Defense to investigate, and they in turn
contacted us looking for an explanation. I would first like
to deal with the most obvious possible causes, then
investigate the nature of the questioning process.

One hypothesis is that these "airquakes" result from

supersonic planes flying over the specific areas. The originators of these flights may be either our own military or
an enemy_ While we do have military aircraft of the supersonic variety at bases in position to fly such flights, it is
hard to believe that these aircraft are responsible. No one
saw such flights, and the areas in question are not remote
from habitation. Once public interest was aroused, it is
logical to assume that any agency the least bit sensitive to
public scrutiny would stop - at least until the previous
incidents had been forgotten; yet the events have continued. The military denies any participation, which might
be e~pected, but the phone calls from upper-echelon military men asking for information, as well as the seeming
willingness of the military to allocate funds to investigate,
tend to make them appear less culpable. Some people, I
. suppose, will never believe it is not the military, but their
gratuitous phone calls to us were not truly necessary.
Maybe an enemy is causing these shocks. Again, no
planes have been reported; and our armed forces are on
continual radar guard for just such an event. Why no
shockwaves between South Carolina and New Jersey?
What about the bursts of light?
Another hypothr.~!s is that the sounds resulted from
explosions which were either man-madl:! or naturally conceived. The objections to our military involvement are
the same as for supersonic planes_ If the sounds represent natural phenomena, why do they occur only at two
places off the coast? And why did they occur practically
simultaneously not once but twice on December 2 at the
two locations? To produce a shockwave that rattles
houses from the southern tip of New Jersey to the Connecticut coastline requires a source with significant.
energy, so it is not small-scale aberrations that are concerning us.
As of this moment, no explanation that has been
offered can stand even the most minimal scrutiny or satisfy points 1-7_ Thus the phenomenon fits into the same
category as most other Forteana, the most outstanding
characteristic being that the unexplained event never
does get explained. In a previous article in Pursuit (Vol. 7,
No.4, Oct. 1974), I argued that such occurrences might
never fit into our view of reality which is, after all, only a
description of the world which we have formulated in a
cumulative manner for the past several thousand years.
As noted in that article, other realities apparently
abound, intermingled with our own, in which apparently
impossible events are accepted and "understood" in the
same manner that we "understand" what happens in the
everyday world. Perhaps these mysterious "skyquakes"
are a common feature of the reality which Carlos Castaneda has described in his five books. If so, it is then the
height of irrationality to try to rope into our preconceived view of the world something which will not fit; it becomes as ridiculous as it would be for savages to attempt
to explain electric lights, or even for psychologists to
attempt to explain abstract geometric patterns. This is
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

52

Figure 1

not a position one would take a priori, but when events such as
the ones described here occur it is cowardly not. to accept the
possibility that things may not fit into our world view. The business of SITU in this regard then becomes one of circulating
these alien perceptions so as to familiarize us with other reality
characteristics.

ADDENDUM
In this addition to my article, I would like to respond to the explanations for the "booms" suggested by (1), the Naval Research Lab,
which indicated that the booms were caused by military planes flying
offshore, and (2), the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), which
felt the sounds heard resulted from the flights of the Concorde SST.
Before investigating these theories, a short discussion of sound pro
pagation in the atmosphere would seem appropriate. Due to the
curvature of the earth, sound will propagate only as far as the lineof
sight by direct travel - a very short distance for a source near, say
about ~ mile above the surface. With a source at a greater altitude, say
one at 8~ miles (the height at which the Concorde travels), the
distance lengthens, and will approximate 30 miles. The applicable
formula may be written:

distance x

= 2(T

o";.,)"

where To is the surface temperature in OK, h is the elevation of the

source, and'Y the vertical temperature gradient. Beyond this distance
sound will not be heard (or felt) unless it has been reflected from some
level in the upper atmosphere.
Reflection of sound (really refraction) occurs when sound rays are
bent back to the ground due to an increase in sound velocity with
height. Sound waves follow Snell's Law of Refraction which can be
written:
v" V, Vn constant

= = =

Sin i" Sin i, Sin in

(see Fig. 2), where V is the sound velocity at each level and i is the
angle of incidence. As the sound velocity in the atmosphere increases,
the angle with the vertical decreases, and the ray bends. To get the ray

Figure 2

.." ..,."" V"

-----.:I~

-1545.5 EST
DECEMBER 2, 1977
.1
to bend back to the surface, the sound velocity at the reflection level
must be at least as great as that at the surface. (This can be seen by:
constructing a profile in which it is not as great, pit:king a ray, and
constructing its path - you will see it bends back up before it can get
down to the ground.)
For long-distance sound propagation a suitable reflection level is a
necessity, so one must find a level in the upper atmosphere in which
the sound velocity is equal to or greater than the ground level sound
velocity. The sound velocity, in rrVs, is:
.
V = ../'Y RT + ;Cow
where R is the universal gas constant, 'Y the ratio of specific heats
(CpCv), T the temperature in OK, It a vector in the direction of wave
propagation and it the wind vector. If the wind is in the direction of
wave propagation it adds to the ambient sound velocity; if it is in the
opposite direction it subtracts from it. For signal propagating from
east to west, an east wind aloft will increase the sound velocity and
thus make reflection back to the ground more likely (depending on the
temperature and thus the total sound velocity). A west wind will lower
the sound velocity aloft and make reflection of signal from the east
more difficult.
Fig. 3 shows the variation with height of sound velocity from the east
in the atmosphere as a function of temperature alone, and also
temperature-plus-wind for mean summer and winter conditions. The
winter conditions are properly representative of this past winter.
Remember that for sound to be reflected back to the ground the
sound velocity at the reflection lelJel must at least equal that at the
ground. For signal from the east in winter this is not possible until

Trace Velocity:

V=Vo/Sin io
=V1/Sin 11
=V 2 /Sin
=Vn/Sin

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

53
approximately 110 km. Any sound that is thought to have propagated . heat-conductivity effects in the atmosphere (as well as for other
from a long distance offshore in an east-to-west direction wilt thus reasons), which in turn vary as a function of sound frequency squared.
have to have been reflected from this height or higher.
Due to dissipation alone, in the lower atmosphere this means that
Now, sound amplitude decreases with distance from the source for propagation of audible sound is limited to about 50 miles for 1000 Hz
several reasons. As the energy,spreads out cylindrically from a plane, frequency (near the peak range of human audibility), increasing to
the amplitude will vary as v'distance due to this geometric spreading 100,000 miles at 20 Hz (the lowest audible frequency). The dissipation
alone. Furthermore, sound dissipates due to viscosity and grows in the upper atmosphere, however. inversely proportional to

120~------------------------------------~-----------------,~~

____,

....... .. ..... -.
/10

,,
,
,,

.. .

100

....

'

..'
o

o
o

90
'

.....

.....

",
,, ,

.......-..
\

"

.......

"",
,

z
o
I-

<%

SU.A....
,rT.A.....

:.r;~R

...... .
-.. ..........

"

.......

"
"

ONLY

"

...J
~

"

,,

,,

"

,,'

....

,I

::

..-

.. -

...

50

40

"

TEMPERATURE

>

-..
"

60

30

....

.'

....
.
......

.'

.-

.~.

.'

.,;

.'

1 ..-......
.'

..-

, ..-

\.:

10

:.".~,
Figure 3

...

c.,.~

.., ...' ....."-......... .

0'-----~----~----,-----~----~----~~~~~--~----~39~0~--~400
200

220

240

260

280

300

320

340

360

SOliND VELOCITY FROM EAST MPS

PURSUIT. Spring 1978

54
the density (which decreases exponentially with increasing height). reasonable temperature increase, even if it were to have been present,
For reflection at SO km, the 20 Hz signal will have only a small would have allowed sound from the east to have been reflected.
percentage of its energy left; by 110km, the 20 Hz signal would be Without low level reflection, the sound would have to travel into.the
totally dissipated in about 3 feet, while infrasound, too Iowa frequency. upper atmosphere, come back from l00+km - with the result, as we
to be heard (but not to be/elt), of .2 Hz would be able to be reflected have seen, of no boom.
with almost ~ its amplitude intact. One must then calculate the energy
Both seismic and acoustic arrays indicated that the sound traveled
lost due to the geometric spreading. As the amplitude A is from due south, not from the east offshore. In this case the planes
proportional toVdiSi'ciTi"C"e, if near the plane (say 1 km away) the would have had to be right near the coast - if they were further south,
pressure amplitude is 1 millibar (mb), at 100 km away it will be. 1 mb or say south of Florida, the signal would once again have to go to l00+km
100 microbars (~b).
before the majority of its energy was reflected - and, again, no boom
After sound has propagated up to 110 km, come back down, and would be possible. But the Navy, the FAA and everybody else deny
traveled about 250 km in all directions horizontally, one can see that that there were planes flying supersonically right along the coast. For
only small amplitudes would remain. The sonic boom generated by this to have occurred so frequently over a three month period does
the Concorde, which follows this path, comes down in our vicinity seem unlikely. Furthermore, the areas in question are well traveled,
with a few p.b pressure, having been reduced by both geometric and no one saw such planes. The only hope remaining for military
spreading and dissipation. Furthermore, the sound wave stretches as planes was the longdistance propagation theory from offshore, and,
it propagates to these high levels, and thus the frequency drops as we have seen, this was not. possible under the prevailing conditions.
As noted by Jeremy Stone, the head of FAS, although the armed
sound which initially started out at 3 Hz near the plane returns with a
frequency near .1 Hz. This fact alone prevents audible sound from forces have had planes capable of flying supersonically in these same
returning to the ground after such a trip; of course, the dissipation training areas for the past 15 years, it is only suddenly - for the past
factors mentioned above indicate it is- quite impossible anyway. In few months, that they created booms. Dismissing this as implausible,
order to shake windows in a house a pressure perturbation of a few he instead suggested that the Concorde SST, which began flying into
millibars would be necessary .- an impossibility for signal reflecting New York at the end of November, was causing the booms. But the
from 100+ km unless the source was WOO times more powerful than Concorde flies supersonically from England to New York east and
the Concorde sonic boom.
north of the areas affected. To get the sonic boom to propagate from
offshore it would once again have to reflect from the 100+km
EVALUATiON
atmospheric levels, and it would therefore return with an amplitude
much too small to produce a boom. The distances of propagation
With this discussion in mind, we can evaluate the proposed
Stone imagines are 400 km for the New Jersey booms and 1000 km for
explanations. The Naval Research Lab concluded that the booms
the Charleston booms, so it is not as if the Concorde were flying
were caused by their planes, with the potential to fly supersonically,
nearby at the time it supposedly produced the booms. Furthermore,
flying 100-200 miles offshore, combined with anomolous sound
the sound appeared to come from the south, not from the Concorde's
propagation conditions. There was, they explained, a level of warm air direction.
above the cold surface air, which allowed the sound to propagate.
Neither explanation fits even the facts it attempts to explain, let
further than it ordinarily would have. This condition apparently lasted alone the ones it has ignored (the flashes, which were observed, the
for several months, which on the surface appears to be an ionization counters which activated, etc.). Uttered with the air of
improbability. But let us look more closely.
officialdom by those who are in a position to know, either can pass as
December was a relatively warm month along the East Coast, the scientific explanation for the general public. But an inspection of
with temperatures in South Carolina in the mid-60's. While January the details of those arguments indicate they are mostly conclusions
and February both were colder, there were no unusual inversions with very little science, probably because conclusions were what was
(layers of warm air aloft), as was evidenced by the major snowstorms being demanded. Yet it is this type of attitude (not an uncommon one),
throughout the period (with warm air aloft it would have rained). More which maintains the illusion that everything we see is scientifically ex .
importantly, the winds at the supposed reflection levels (20,000 feet)
plainable, an illusion which prohibits us from opening up to other
were very strong from the west -southwest, on the order of SO rn/ s (100
aspects of reality.
knots). Inspection of the sound velocity formula indicates this would
reduce the sound velocity from the east sufficiently so that no

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55

WITCHCRAFT AND
WEATHER MODIFICATION
PART I

Medieval witches raising a hailstorm. Ulrich Molitor, De laniis (1489)

By George M. Eberhart
When you can use the lightning, it is better than cannon. -Napoleon
Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything ~bout it. -Mark Twain
Mark Twain would be surprised to learn that weather
modification is a big business in America today. Ever
since 1946 when General Electric Research Labor
atories discovered that silver iodide and dry ice particles

will encourage rainfall in certain types of cloud, meteorologists and farmers have used the services of professional "cloud-seeding" companies to dampen droughtstricken areas. Other seeding methods aimed at hail
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

56

suppression, hurricane diversion, and lightning suppresrain. Two especially gifted wizards drew blood from their
sion have also been moderately successful. Recent Conforearms, and this blood was sprinkled on the assembled
gressional legislation establishing a national program to " tribesmen while the wizards threw handfuls of down in
develop new weather modification techniques will hopethe air to symbolize clouds. Then everyone knocked
fully find a way to minimize the effect of bad weather on
dOlAm the hut where the ceremony took place by butting
the American economy without disrupting our ecology.l
their heads against it: "the piercing of the hut with their
But weather changers in the past have not always ~n
heads symbolises the piercing of the clouds; the fall of the
countered the same level of popular acceptance. Magical
hut, the fall of the rain."4
attempts to control the weather, while deeply rooted in
In China the gods were formerly blamed" for bad
the folklore of many agricultural societies, began to be reweather, but sometimes they could be supplicated suc-"
garded as pure superstition in classical antiquity and by
cessfully. If a rain god did not r~pond promptly, howthe Middle Ages were seen exclusively as the work of
ever, his images" were desecrated. In April, 1888, when
magicians and witches. Even in modern times such rainthe god Lung-wong failed to stop a downpour, his statue
makers as Charles Hatfii:!ld and Wilhelm Reich (see
was locked up and ignored for five days; this measure
below) were treated as quacks and con-men.
soon brought "clear skies. The next year there was a
Silver iodide seeding is not the ultimate in weather
drought throughout China and when the inhabitants
modification - there is still controversy about its capprayed for rain they were" answered by a flood which
abilities and side-effects. With this in mind it might be
killed sixteen in Hongkong and destroyed a large sector
helpful to review the prehistory of ~ather control as a
of Canton. s
legal, sociological, parapsychological and, of course,
Prayer is a common rain-compelling ceremony in India
meteorological exercise. For if one man can cause a
and "Nepal, and a variety of other rituals designed to
storm by dancing, praying, psi-ing, or pointing metal
control the weather are still in use there today. Specialist
tubes at the sky - why use ~hemicals?
raindoctors (basitondo) of the "Bai"otse in Zambia can
ward off undesired storms and direct either lightning or
rain to a particular place. They use special incantations
FOLKLORE
and wave around f1ysticks or horns to flick "away the
Non-western agricultural societies often used various . stOrJ"(l. The basitondo possess powers for both good and
evil and can also treat bums or wounds caused by light,
forms of imitative magic to control the weather. Usually
ning. As a contrast, the Kgatla tribe in Botswana betribal shamans ("medicine ~n") took on this responsibility. When the cornfields of the Omaha Indians were
lieved that their chief had sole rainmaking powers - any
withering from drought, members of the sacred Buffalo
enterprising shamans who tried to conjure up a storm
Society would fill a pot with water and dance around it
were banished as traitors. 6
four times. One of the men then drank some of the water
The weather modification lore of European countries
and spat it into the air to imitate the desired rainfall. After" was directly ancestral to many of the practices attributed
this the pot was overturned and the dancers drank the
to witches in the Middle Ages and after. Demonic powers
water off the ground, squirting it into the air again.
were frequently blamed for storms, and the inherent
The Zuni Indians of New Mexico still perform a rain
power of objects and places to ~hange the weather was
stressed more than in non-western cultures.
dance every summer solstice. The dancers paint themIn Pomerania, for example, contrary winds could be reo" "
selves with yellow mud from a sacred lake and dress up in
spruce twigs, eagle feathers, and live tortoises. They"
versed by throwing an old broom without a handle in th~
direction from which a wind was desired. But this pracdance four times in the morning and four times in the
tice was said to cause unmanageable tempests because
afternoon at a different place each time. Every summer
the strength of the wind could never be predicted.
the Tesuque Indians at Santa Clara Pueblo hold a similar
rainbow dance which is expected to produce rain.
Mariners of Normandy believed that favorable winds
could be produced by reciting an irreverent prayer and
Certain Sioux shamans had a natural talent for weather
modification: around 1900 there was a duel between two
immersing a statue of St. Anthony in the sea. The inhabof them, Bull Shield and He Crow, to test each other's
itants of Grenoble believed they could stop storms by
meteorological magic. Bull Shield's ability to disperse
pouring a flask of oil into a stream that ran into the sea.
clouds allegedly triumphed over He Crow's power to proMany sacred springs throughout France had a reputaduce them. 2
tion for influencing rain and stQrms, and in times of
drought the peasants would make pilgrimages to them.
Greenland Eskimo women were said to have the
This originally pagan practice was later incorporated by
power to turn back storms, but only when they were in
Christianity which hastened to "rename the springs after
labor or shortly after childbirth. The woman would go
outdoors, fill her mouth with air, an9 blow it out again
.
appropriate saints. 7
after coming back inside.3
Sacred wells in Scotland and Wales were also credited
Most other peoples of the world have developed
with the ability to attract or allay storms. A lake called
methods for producing or subduing winds and rain. Some
Dulyn on Snowdon in North Wales could be relied "on to
rituals imitated the desired conditions, while others were
produce rain if som~one threw water on the furthest stepdesigned to appease whatever god was in charge of the
ping-stone that extended into it. On the isle of Inishmuratmosphere. The Wotjobaluk Aborigines" of Victoria,
ray off County Sligo, Ireland, there was a well called
Australia, wetted bunches of hair and" twirled them
Tobernacoragh that could calm a tempest if its waters
around, making a rain-like spray. In Central Australia the
"
"
were drained into the sea. 8
Dieri staged a blood ceremony to appease their ancesMagic stones also had weather-wOrking powers. A
tral spirits (Mura-muras) who had the power to cause
rock known as the Kempock Stane on the Firth of Clyde
PURSUIT. Spring 1978

was the haunt of a certain saint who sold favorable winds

Seneca wrote that at Cleonae (near modern Kond6stavto faithful sailors, but .unfavorable winds to those who
los) "hail guards" were appointed by the state to watch
doubted his powers. 9
for approaching hailstorms:
In the 19th century Swiss peasants would try to quell
... when they had given the signal that the hail was
storms by placing a scythe on the ground, cutting-edge
up, to wound whatever witch was causing the tempest.
close at hand, what do you think? that people ran
Romanians stuck a knife into a loaf of bread while a storm
off to get their overcoats or cloaks? Nay, they each
'offered sacrifice as fast as they could, one a lamb,
was raging and spun it around on the floor of the loft of
another a chicken: Forthwith, these clouds after
their house to protect themselves from lightning. The
gipsies of Transylvania believed there was a devil school,
getting a little taste of bloOd drew off in another
called the Scho/omance, deep in the Carpathians where
direction.
.
"the secrets of nature, the language of animals, and all
The hail could also be avoided merely by pricking one's
finger with a "well-sharpened style. "14
magic spells are taught by the devil in person." Graduates of the Scholomance were able to prepare thunderPliny, somewhat rriore skeptical than usual, recorded
several meteorological rumors: that burning the head
bolts and generate st~rms and tempests with the devil's
and throat of a chameleon will cause thunderstorms; 2}
help. 10
During Transylvanian droughts young girls would strip
that lightning bolts can be attracted by prayer and ritual;
3} that hailstorms and whirlwinds can be driven away if
naked, steal a farmer's harrow, and set it afloat in a
brook. Then, following the directions of an old woman,
menstrual blood is exposed to the lightning flashes; and
they would sit on the harrow and keep a small flame
4} that burying a toad in a jar in the middle of a cornfield
will avert storms.
burning on each corner of it for an hour_ Presumably rain
The emperor Augustus used to carry a sealskin around
would follow automatically. Romanian rainmakers were
called Paparuda, very scantily clad gipsy girls who went
with him as a protecti.on against thunder and lightning.
from door to door singing for rain.TJ:te inhabitants then ... Moreover, Pausanias related that at Methana the south:. doused t~rn ~th.puck~tsofWat~(~ericourage~dowrt- '.'.~iwest. wind could be quelled'by ha~ng two men chop a
... pour. In Macedonia an orPhan ooy would parade the
rooster in half, run around a vineyard in opposite directions, and then bl:lry the pieces at their starting place. IS
streets dressed in ferns and flowers, and the townsfolk
would shower him with water and money to encourage
Not until the codification of law known as the Theodocloud formation.1l
sian Code was there any injunction against storm-raisThe great majority of weather lore deals wit~ white
ing, and here a distinction was made between superstimagic. Agricultural and seafaring communities detions like those Pliny referred to and the maleficia (injury
pended on favorable weather for their livelihood, and
to person or property) of sorcerers. Since no one was
consequently weather-modifying ceremonies usually
injured by the simple practices "innocently employed in
were performed to regulate the amount of rainfall and the
rural districts in order that rains may not be feared for the
direction and intensity of the wind. Most of the cereripe grape harvests," no crime was thus committed. On
monies involved imitative magic, supplication to benefithe other hand:
cent or neutral gods, or other "natural" processes that
would automatically lead to the intended effect. 12 The
Magicians [malefici]. enchanters [incantatores] .
idea of witch-produced weatl)er for harmful purposes
conjurers [immissores] of storms, or those persons
lurked ominously in the background, especially in Europe
. who through invocation of demons throw into conand Africa, but it never really surfaced to any extent until
fusion the minds of men shall be punished with
every kind of penalty.16
the introduction of Christianity. Prior to this it was
usually assumed that if anybody caused bad weather at
all it was whimsical gods or spirits rather than sorcerers,
This law had been on the books since 321 AD., only a few
whether acting alone or in league with some sinister
years after Constantine became the first Christian
power.
Roman emperor. It was apparently enforced. because a
man named Sopater w~s put to death at Constantinople
for "binding the wind" by magical means; Egyptian and
Syrian ships carrying corn had been delayed by contrary
CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY
winds. and the populace felt that he was responsible. 17
Many Greek and Roman authors commented on contemporary folk beliefs regarding weather magic. Homer
THE MIDDLE AGES TO 1435
made the first literary allusion to wind knots in the Odyssey. wherein Aeolus. god of the winds, gives Odysseus a
Laws against storm raisers soon multiplie& The Arian
bag containing all the winds (except the west wind) tied
Visigoths punished malefici who conjured up hailstorms
up with a silver cord. The scheme was to use the west
or demons by shaving their heads and publicly giving
wind to get back to Ithaca. but it was foiled when the crew
them 200 lashes. A Bavarian synod of 799 recommended
opened the bag to look for treasure; the contrary. winds
to Charlemagne that anyone found raising tempests or'
escaped and blew the ship to Circe's island. 13
committing other malefici~ "should not be killed, but
Diodorus Siculus mentioned the T elchines of Rhodes,
rather imprisoned so that they may be inspired by God to
who were said to be magicians capable of shapeshifting
atone for their sins." French bishops presented a similar
and cloud, rain, and snow production. The Geoponica
plan to King Louis the Pious in August, 829, dealing with
provided a list of various
methods
for warding off hail, and . male and female sQrcerers who disturbed the air,
.
.
PURSUIT, Spring, 1978

58

provoked hailstorms, predicted the future, and insti

gated other confusion, all presumably with the help of the
devil. 18
Agobard, Archbishop of Lyons (d. 840), wrote an
epistle, now famous among ufologists, which criticized
the credulity of people who believed in tempestarii,
Mafiastyle wizards who charged the peasants a fee for
keeping storms away:
We have, however, seen and heard many men
plunged in such great stupidity, sunk in such depths
of folly, as to believe that there is a certain region,
which they call Magonia,whence ships sail in the
clouds, in order to carry back to that region those
fruits of the earth which are destroyed by hail and
tempests; the sailors paying rewards to the tem
pestarii and themselves receiving corn and other
produce. 19
As early as the 7th century, ecclesiastical law specified
five years of penance, "one of which he shall fast on bread
and water," for anyone aonfessing to storm production.
Other penitential books set periods of repentance at 17
years, both in England and on the Continent. 20 By 1025
the penalty for merely believing that witches could raise
storms with demonic help was a year's penance. Pre
sumably such beliefs perpetuated pagan superstitions
which the Church was trying to eradicate or amalga
mate. 21
The extent of the problem is reflected in a letter of April
19, 1080, from Pope Gregory VII to King Harald of Den
mark. The Pope was upset because storms and plagues
were being blamed on priests and women who were sub
sequently executed, and he urged the Danes not to
blame hard times on innocent people. 22 Elsewhere famine
and flood were attributed to demons themselves: St.
Godric claimed to have seen a spiritus terribi/is who
belched smoky storm clouds and caused rain and disas
trous floods. A similar magical smoke aided the Mongol
invasion of Poland in 1241 at the battle of Liegnitz: the
image of a black Mongol had vomited a dense, fetid gas
which overcame the Poles and prefigured the battle of
Ypres by some 670 years.23
Pliny and paganism lingered on in certain works
attributed to Albertus Magnus which claimed, among
other things, that coralstone could pacify tempests, and
that the sage plant when "purified" under a dungheap for
several days "bringeth forth a certaine worme or bird"
which should be burned to produce a rainbow and hor
rible thunder. 24
One of the earliest known trials for weather magic took
place in 1326 at Agen in southern France. Pope John
XXII appointed a cardinal to judge the case of a canon
and two accomplices who were accused of invoking evil
spirits to produce hail, thunderstorms, and mayhem.
When arrested the accomplices were in the process of
stealing corpses from the town gallows, and the canon
was later found to have owned books of ritual magic. 25
Another trial involving a tempestarius was held at ~I
tigen, Switzerland, about 75 years later. A man named
Stedelen confessed under torture to several different
types of maleficia, including hailstorm production and
lightning control. The presiding judge, Peter of Gru~res,
managed to extract from him the method by which
PURSUIT. Spring 1978

storms were raised: a group of sorcerers would meet in a

field and beg the prince of devils to send them a certain
minor demon apparently in charge of thunder and light
ning. Then they would sacrifice a black cock at a cross
roads and throw its flesh high in the air where the demon
could catch it and proceed to make hail and lightning;
although not always in the places requested. 26
As Cohn has pointed out, these two trials indicate that
books of ritual magic were frequently used to work maleficia - even though the classic form of witchcraft had not
yet appeared. 27 These books were usually attributed to
King Solomon and contained various spells and rites of
demonic conjuration. The idea of commanding the
demon to do one's bidding was always emphasized, and
there was no hint of anything ominous the sorcerer must
do to reciprocate, other than sacrificing a black cock perhaps. But even this was a holdover from the "natural pro
cess" superstitions of antiquity. The new concept of ritual
magic introduced in the ~iddle Ages implied that a sorcerer had no direct control over the elements - he only
had power to compel demons to change the weather.
The grimoire called the Key of Solomon gave instructions for the preparation of a Saturnian talisman that
would cause earthquakes "through the force of the
angels which it commands." The Lemegeton, or Lesser
Key of Solomon, enumerated a hierarchy of demonic
spirits and indicated their magical specialties. Agares was
invoked when an earthquake was needed, Furfur caused
thunder and lightning, Procel could give the impression
that a tempest was raging, and Vepar was in charge of
storms at sea. The much earlier Testament 0/ Solomon
presented a similar catalogue of demons, mentioning
Tephros, who appeared as a violent wind that fired fields,
and Kunospaston, who destroyed ships at sea. 28
By 1402 the Prince of Wales Owen Glendower was
called "that great magician, damn'd Glendower," and he
was accused of sending hailstorms against the army of
King Henry IV. Whatever the cause they certainly had
bad weather, and John Hardyng in 1436 blamed it on
witches rather than the Prince's ritual magic:
The king had neuer, but tempest foule & raine
As longe as he was ay in Wales grounde
Rockes & mystes, windes & stormes euer certaine
All men trowed, yt witches it made that stounde.29
The Dominican Prior of Basel, Johannes Nider, represented a transition from the ritual magic theory of the
Middle Ages to the witch-craze of the 15th century. In his
Formicarius (ca. 1435) he hinted that an organized sect of
witches or sorcerers actually existed and that stormraising with the aid of demons was only one of a whole bag
of tricks which could be had by renouncing Christianity
and consorting with the devil. 30

THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY

Pope Eugene IV issued a reminder to all European
inquisitors in 1437 that they should keep an eye out for
sects of heretics (probably Cathars or Waldensians) who
worshiped demons and compelled them to generate unseasonable weather. Monter mentions a trial for stormraising in Lausanne as early as 1438, and the same year
there was a trial at la Tour du Pin in the Dauphine. There

59

Scandinavian witches causing a storm at sea. Olaus Magnus, Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus (1555).

Pierre Vallin confessed to the Franciscan inquisitors that

he had given himself to Belzebet sixty-three years earlier
in return for maleficia-by-request, including tempest production (ea causante perverse tempestates exierunt et
processerunt). He was condemned to death for heresy
and witchcraft. 31
Witchcraft soon became a widespread paranoia.
People forgot the old churchlaws forbidding them to believe in such things as witch-originated weather. When
Henry VI passed through London on his way to Kensington in 1441 he was beset by a violent hailstorm:
... And so it was spoken erJ!onges the peple, that
ther were som wikked fendes and spirites arered
out of helle by coniuracion, forto noy the peple in
the Reame, and to put theym to trouble, discencion and vnrest. 32
One of the charges against Else von Meersburg in a
Lucern trial around 1450 was that she had caused a hailstorm with the devil's help seven years earlier. In 1452 a
woman accused of being a "Vauldois" or heretic was
arraigned in Provins for plotting with demons to blast the
surrounding country with lightning. And at Metz in 1456
several men and women were burned for destroying the
local grape crop with an unseasonably cold drizzle. 33
A number of early writers on witchcraft encouraged

belief in occult weather modification. The author of the

Errores Gazariorum, an inquisitor in Savoy, was afraid
that the seasonal breakup of Alpine glaciers was wrought
by witches who were taken to the mountains by the devil
in stormy weather. Johann Hartlieb included a chapter
on hailmaking in his book written around 1456 and mentioned cases in Heidelberg and Munchen. The inquisitor
at Lyons, following Agobard's lead, also complained
about hail and lightning caused by witches. Weather
modification was generally a lesser problem in sunny
Italy, but the strigae there could conjure up gales. 34
Matters came to a head in 1484 when Pope Innocent
VIII issued a bull which was later used as a preface to the
infamous demonological treatise, the Malleus Male/icarum. The Pope hereby gave the Inquisition an official
mandate to ferret out witches, including those who destroyed crops (presumably by tempest control).35
The inquisitorial authors of the Malleus, Sprenger and
Kramer, borrowed freely from Nider's Formicarius to
show that witches were quite capable of obtaining
demonic assistance for storm-raising, and they added
another case which they had investigated near Regensburg. They also quoted Aquinas' Commentary on Job to
justify their view that God permitted demons to stir up
bad weather as a punishment for man's sin. This attitude
became official Church dogma for the next 200 years.36
Many other demonologists, including Ulrich Molitor
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

60

(1489), Geiler von Kaysersberg (1517), the Abbot Trithemius (1508?), and Paulus Grillandus (1525), also condemned demonic weather modification. 37
Trials and burnings for storm-raising continued
throughout the 15th century. A number of female hail and
storm-makers were burned in Metz in the summer of
1488. Elena Dalok, a skandi/izatrix and incantatrix, was
REFERENCES

arraigned before the London Commissary in 1493, and

she boasted of her rainmaking prowess. The first witch
ever to be burned in Zurich (1493) claimed to be able to
cause hail and hoarfrost with the devil's aid. And witches
in Cavalese, Italy, were burned in 1501-1505 for instigating tempests, freezing weather, drought, and f100ds. 38

1 James E. Jiusto, "Weather Modification Outlook - 19&5

Prediction," J. Weather Modi/ication 6 (1974):1; A. Gregory
McKenzie, "Weather ModifICation: A Review of the Science
and the Law," EnlJironmental Law 6 (1976):387-430; and Nat'l
Weather Modification Policy Act, 15 U.S.CA 330 (1976).
2 J. Owen Dorsey, "Omaha Sociology," Ann. Rep. Am. Bur.
Ethn. 3 (1881):211, 347; Erna Fergusson, Dancing Gods: Indian Ceremonials of New Mexico and Arizona (1931), pp. 6061,86-89; and Frederick J. Goshe, "Could the Sioux Control
Weather?", Fate, April 1957, pp. 57-63.
3 Hans Egede, A Description of Greenland (1818 ed_), p_
196n.
.
4 A. W. Howitt, "On Australian Medicine Men," J. Anthro_
Inst. 16 (1886):23-25; and A. W. Howitt, "The Dieri and Other
Kindred Tribes of Central Australia," J. Anthro. Inst. 20
(1890):30,91-93.
.
... :. E_ R. Hue, L'empire chinois (1862), 1:241; E. Z. Simmons,
"Idols and Spirits," Chinese Recorder & Missionary J. 19
(1888):502; and Hongkong Homeward Mail, June 4, 1889.
. b Sankar Sen Gupta, Rain in Indian Life and Lore (1963);
Barrie Reynolds, Magic, DilJination and Witchcraft among the
Barotse (1963), pp. 128-32; and I. Schapera,Rainmaking Rites
of Tswana Tribes (1971), pp_ 17-24.
i "Les vents et les tempetes en mer," Melusine 2 (1884-

END PART I (PART II IN NEXT ISSUE)

&5):184-86; and Jean-Philippe Chassany, Dictionnaire de

metooro/ogie populaire (1970), pp. 291-99, 376.
8 James Mackinlay, Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs
(1893), pp. 213-29; and George Laurence Gomme,Ethnology in
Folklore (1892), pp. 94-95.
9 Ibid., p. 49.
10 Alois Lutolf, Sagen, Brauche, Legenden aus den funf
Orten (1862), p. 220; and Charles Godfrey Leland, Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune-Telling (1891), pp. 128-29.
11 Wilhelm Mannhardt, Der Baumkultus der Germanen und
ihrer Nachbarstamme (1875), p. 553; Emil Fischer, "Paparuda
und Scaloian," Globus 93 (1908):14-15; and G. F. Abbott,
Macedonian Folklore (1903), p. 118.
12 See James George Frazer, The Golden Bough: A Study in
Magic and Religion (1935>', 1:244-331, for further examples.
13 Odyssey, bk. 10.
.
14 Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library 5.55; Eugen Fehrle,
"Antiker Hagelzauber," Alemannia 40 (1912):13; and Seneca,
Quaestiones naturales 4. 6-7 (John Clarke ed. 1910) .
15 Pliny, Historia naturalis 2. 54; 18. 70; 28. 23; 28_ 29 (Loeb
ed. 1958-62); Suetonius, "Augustus," in Lives of the Caesars,
cap. 90 (Loeb ed. 1924); and Pausanias, Descriptions of Greece
2_ 34. 3 (Loeb ed. 1918).
(References continued on page 80)

THE CONCEPT OF SIMULTANEITY

It has been generally accepted among physicists of this
century that simultaneity is relative to the observer, only.
There are two concepts used of the word, however, both
used in explication of the special theory of relativity and
both stemming from versions of operationalism. * In this
paper I should like to examine them and demonstrate
that neither is [enable in a strict sense.

. PART I
TWO OPERA TIONALIST CONCEPTS
OF SIMULTANEITY
1. The Significance Attached to Physical Obseruabies. Operationism deals with words or statements
about the physical world. A word or phrase (referring to
the external world) has meaning, according to this
school, only in physical operations symbolized by it.
It follows from this proposition that we should reject
concepts (of objective reference) of what may not be
observed by any known principles of science. However,
there are concepts of things found unobservable that we
may accept. Concepts of unobservables are conveniently described by Dingle as: practical, physical, and logical. 2
Until the flight of Lunik III a convenient example of the
-;-::-The profitableness of ... operational awareness was perhaps firstforcecl on the
attention of physicists by the special theory of relativity of Einstein and later hy
quantum mechanics.'"

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

By Harry E. Mongold

first type was the unseen side of the moon. Although it

was not practical until 1959 for us to arrange to see it, we
reasonably assumed that the moon has another side than
that turned toward Earth. Practical unobservables must
be accepted by science.
Operationalism rejects, however, conceived physical
situations that are among the "physical" unobservables.
In this class go certain aspects of the electron's nature,
for example. While the electron must be postulated, its
shape is not directly observable by any conceivable
method. Insistence on an operational description requires rejection of the notion that the electron has a definite shape, since there will apparently never be any
operation by which we may discover it, and since the
indirect evidences we have are contradictory. Likewise,
the position and velocity of an electron must be calculated at different times, leaving the assumption that it
has both at the same time unwarranted, in the eyes of the
operationists.
The third class of unobservable, the logical, is also rejected by operationalism. It appears to be in the realm of
mysticism.
Dingle summarizes: ~'The. practice of modern physics
is found on examination to imply that nothing must be included in our description of the universe that would not
be observable if we had full control of our known means
of observation."3

61

2. The Concept of Simultaneity Referring to Motions.

Although Einstein furnished an important impE!tus for
operationalism by seeking an operational definition of
"simultaneity," he never felt that this procedure should
be demanded in all cases of verbalization about the phy
sical world. He reserved a place for constructs that may
be described as invented because of their usefulness and
not empirically established. 4 Nevertheless he saw no
reason to consider absolute simultaneity an acceptable
construct. He assumed that a comparison of distances
from signal sources to an assumed "midpoint" is a phys
ical unobservable inthe case of moving sources.
When Einstein set forth his special theory of relativity
he concluded that simultaneity is not a phase of "time" in
the ordinary sense, but one of a myriad similar situations
in a particular location in spacetime, from which any ob".'~.!:-'1
server chooses one (if the purview extends far enough to ;;'-(3'reach any events, at least) as the "true" simultaneity, .:;.i,#'f 3. The Concept of Simultaneity Referring to Dis
labeling the other relationships sequences. Observers
lance. Concerned that, in a case of light reflection, one
cannot make sure that the light will travel away at the
who are stationary relative to each other and close to
same velocity it will travel back,* the operationist says it
gether will observe the same events as simultaneous;
those who are moving relative to each other but close tois not meaningful to refer to simultaneity in the usual
sense, over great distances. Referral of simultaneity
gether will disagree as to what are simultaneous. Notice
that this does not deny that the concept of simultaneity in
observation to a midpoint between moving astronomical
bodies or between instrument and moving subatomic
the sense of "at the same moment" has a referent. It is
based on a concept of a spacetime continuum, in which
particles is impractical. To avoid .what operationalists
time as we know it does not exist, but whose analogue isa
term a physical unobservable, "simultaneity" is defined
fourth dimension. The direction in which the "Ieng
strictly in terms of certainties.
Thus, a stream of events on one planet (for example) is
thened" body of the observer (lengthened in a time direction, so that youth and age are part of it) is turned at any
to be called simultaneous to a single event on another
point where signals reach it determines which direction of
planet if it is impossible for an observer to say (from direct
the continuum is regarded as time.
observation) that any of the series are before or after the
If a rolling stone strikes a tree at a certain moment in a
single event. Reichenbach expresses this more succinctly by referring to causal interaction. Since light is the
universe of absolute time, there is theoretically no question as to what events are absolutely simultaneous to this
fastest possible signal, the observation of a person deone. That is, such events may be meaningfully defined:
pending on light comes at least as soon as any other
cause-effect sequence involving the source of the signal.
they are those events which occur at the same moment,
there being no ambiguity possible about the word "momThe following quotation refers to the situation of flashing
ent" since the universe of three dimensions is changing as
a light to Mars at noon and seeing its reflection in twenty
a whole from one moment to the next.
minutes:
If a tree is struck by a rolling stone in a four-dimen
sional space-time, on the other hand, the event is a point
But as long as we select for the time of arrival at
in a sort of superspace, with no actual time involved.
Mars a figure of the interval from 12:00 to 12:20, the
Adjacent to this point are not only points ordinarily condefinition of time order remains satisfied. Any event
sidered by human observers to be spatial, as weeds, soil,
of this time interval, happening at our own location,
and air, in this case, qut also what they call the previous
is excluded from causal interaction with the event
and succeeding conditions of tree, stone, air, etc .In such
at Mars specified by the arrival of the light signal.
a space, objects exist with an extra dimension, making
Because simultaneity means the exclusion of pos
them long in the direction of their aging. A human ob
sible causal interaction, any event of this time interval at our place may be called simultaneous with the
server senses only a crosssection of an object's "world
arrival of the light signal at Mars. 5
band" (as the fourdimensional whole is called), and he
finds it to exist in a changing world. I.e., when I see an
If Earth's view of the described experiment gives a posautomobile I am seeing only a cross-section of the com
sible use of the word "simultaneity," what of the view of
plete object, most of which lies in the past and in the
Mars? For convenience let us consider a reversed exfuture .. Observers in different rates of motion, however,
periment, so that Earth receives the signal from Mars. In
see different cross-sections, according to the concepdoing this we are considering the situation as Russell did
tualization of the fourdimensional manifold.
in The ABC of Relativity.
The essential point to understand about this "crosssection" concept of simultaneity is that the word
Let someone on Mars shine a powerful light at us.
concerns a relationship between single events, as does
When we see the light - which may be called the event E
the pre-relativity concept. There is no reference to a
- we know that the sending of it was an-event definitely
sequence of events all considered simultaneous to a
before E. Suppose we are watching the people on Mars at
single event, which is the other concept of simultaneity,
* The accepted value of light's velocity is a mean fur each of the tripsmvolveci in a
reflection, by experiment.
one that the relativist also insists upon ..
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

62

.
"

A ~,-- -- -.- - -- -,.... ,B

...

...

, ' . -~
...

...

",

E' .... - - - - - - - -.:" F

Figure 1

this time. What we see them do after E cannot be definitely located in time by us, says Russell. because we
know only that some time has elapsed between their
events and our seeing of them. We cannot say that these
events actually took place before or after E.
Meanwhile we have allowed the special light signal to
reflect to Mars. This event is also E, since the reflection
from our instrument will be at the instant of reception.
We will be sure that events we see there are after E when
we know that they have seen the reflection. However, we
cannot know the latter has happened until we receive the
images from Mars that signal their reception of it. Here I
have added somewhat to Russell's description. for he
writes as though he considers some observer able to be in
both locations. He refers to Sirius and observers there
and here who can see each other:
Anything which he do~s, and which I see before the
event E occurs to me, is definitely before E; anything he does after he has seen the event E is definitely after E. But anything that he does before he
sees the event E, but so that I see it after the event E
has happened, is not definitely before or after E.
Since light takes many years to travel from Sirius to
the earth, this gives a period of twice as many years
in Sirius which may be called 'contemporary' with
E. since these years are not definitely before or after
E.b
The observer on Earth, we must decide, has no way of
knowing, according to the operationalist mode of interpretation, that the light reflection has been seen on Mars
(or Sirius) until after the return signal has arrived on
Earth. Thus events on Earth beginning with E and ending
with the arrival of the return signal are "contemporary"
with the period of events on Mars, according to the
second operationalist concept of simultaneity.
To visualize this (see figure 1) the reader may diagram
time as traveling from left to right and designate Earth
only by "E" and Mars by a dotted line pointed in the direction of time. The dotted line should be directly over or
under the point E. He will then have elements of a
triangle. The left end of the Mars line may be marked" A."
This represents the moment that a Martian first shines a
light at us. It should be connected by another dotted line
to E, to represent the travel of the photons and the sight
of A by an observer on Earth at a later moment, namely
the moment of E. A is the earliest distant event that can
be called simultaneous to E, and just after the latest that
an event on Mars could be considered before E. A third
dotted line now may close the triangle from the right end
(B) of the Mars line, to E. This represents the travel of
light from E to the planet. The moment the observer
there sees it is the last moment that a Martian can
consider simultaneous to E, but on Earth we must wait
longer. To show this, of course, another line must come
from B, parallel with the line that came from A to E. It
reaches F. An Earth travel-line EF completes a double triangle.
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

Reichenbach emphasizes that EF is simultaneous with

B; Russell emphasizes that AB is simultaneous with E. As
I have presented the whole picture - the story starting
on Mars - it seems that the operationist is saying that
AB is contemporary with EF.
This definition appears to regard simultaneity as a certain type of ignorance about timing. * Notice there is nothing in the phrase "exclusion of possible causal interaction" that refers to the motion of an observer, as does
the first concept I have described. Rather, the second
concept is concerned merely with distance and the limitations of using signals.

PART II
CRITICISM OF THE TWO
OPERATIONALIST DEFINITIONS
4. Assessment 0/ the Second Concept. The diagram
of light reflections between Earth and Mars indicates a
time lapse at each planet, if we follow Reichenbach's
story with Russell's. It is surely meaningful, i.e., useful, to
say that lapses are the same duration. ** The operationalist interpretation seems to lead to the concept that the
lapses we have labeled AB and EF are contemporary and
equal. It also follows that the beginnings of these lapses
are contemporary, and also the endings. But if any event
of either series is simultaneous to any event of the other,
the operationalist interpretation is very close to being a
naive refusal to admit that light takes time to travel, although this conclusion has been reached by circuitous
reasoning that does tqke into account travel time. The
offset in times shown by our diagram has no significance
according to the operationalist definition of "time of
occurrence," but is only part of the theoretical structure
by which we have argued ourselves out of the assumption of travel times. The observer on Earth experiences E
and is permitted to assume that A is simultaneous to it,
thus neglecting the light travel time. When experiencing
F he may consider B simultaneous to that.
Although it specifically denies it, the second operationalist concept of simultaneity subtly assumes the idea
of simultaneity between two single moments and
assumes it to be increasingly calculable with increasing
knowledge of the circumstances, except that the velocity of light gives the best possible knowledge and leaves
a physical limitation. (That is, if we had not already decided this, we would still be seeking faster signals, to get
closer to one to-one simultaneity.) As operationalists,
relativists assert that the physical limitation defines the
concept, that to speak of any simultaneity other than
what could be directly measured is meaningless. Yet,
their depiction (even in this second concept) must
employ the notion of a simultaneity between two single
moments, one moment in each location.
Let us run through the explanation of this concept
The theorist. as an operationalist. denies this, saying that where nothing exists
(because operations cannot be devised to locate it) there is no ignorance involved.
For example. Gr'unbaum says that "Einstein's denial of the existence of indef
initely rapid causal chains ... deprives the concept of absolute simultaneity of its
phySical meaning even within a single inertial system." The question here is, must
we assume that light may travel with a different velocity when going one direction, .
from what applies in the reverse direction'~"
Because it takes the same time for a flash to leave Earth and reflect back from
Mars as it does for one to leave Mars and reflect back from Earth. This despite any
arbitrary assumptions about the velocity of light in one direction as compared with
the velocity in the reverse direction.

63

again, more briefly. An astronomer on Earth sees a flare

go up from Mars and interprets it strictly as a signal that
left Mars at some moment definite only in Martian history
and has arrived on Earth at some moment in our history.
It is necessary to distinguish between Martian time and
our time because we cannot directly find a momentto
moment (our moment to their moment) correspon
dence. If the flare's ascent can be definitely timed only in
Mars history, how can we say that it came before our
seeing it? To preserve the concept of cause and effect,
the operationalist of course assumes that the seeing of
the flare can occur only after its ascent, but how are we to
interpret the word "after"? Does it mean "after" in Mars
history or in Earth history? If we say that the rise of the
flare on Mars caused the arrival of the photons which
signal the event to us on Earth, and insist that a cause
must come before its effect by our time system, do we not
thereby assume a simultaneity of single moments? How
can an event on Mars be "before" an event on Earth
unless the latter event has some corresponding moment
on Mars that is also after the cause?
Another objection concerns the allowed arbitrariness
of conceiving light velocity that cannot be directly mea
sured. Although the fact that light's time of travel in one
direction is defined as the same as the time of travel in the
opposite direction, instead of found by experiment to be
so, still one ordinarily does not change definitions to suit
himself. Therefore there is no point in seeking this operationalist definition of simultaneity.
I believe it is possible to reject this description of simultaneity also by the semantic approach. I am not aware
that anyone has disagreed with Einstein when he implied
that a single perception of more than one item is intimately related to the normal concept of simultaneity. He
took it for granted that one's meaning by the word "simultaneity" is either several sensations in a single experience or an assumed situation that would give one such a
patterned perception if he were in a standard position: "If
the observer perceives the two flashes of lightning at the
same time, then they are simultaneous," is a statement he
says pleases him. 9 Our concept of "space" has the same
basis (many sensations in one perception) and essentially the same referent (an objective situation that furnishes the sensations in one moment).
Can there be any basic di~tinction between "simultaneity" and "'space"? The concept of plurality of positions is essential to the concept of space, while an instant
of time is also essential. What one refers to by "space" is a
simultaneity of positions, and to reject a possible simultaneity of positions at great distance is to reject geometric space.
The first concept of simultaneity referred to in this
paper (the one Einstein himself emphasized) goes along
with this identification. "Simultaneity" is "space," and
there are a myriad of them in the continuum. However, to
say as Reichenbach and others do that simultaneity is the
relationship of an instant of time on one planet to a long
period at another place is to change its meaning fundamentally. Even if simultaneity of the common sense sort
should be classed a "physical unobservable" for distances, it must be assumed in order to complete our conceptualization of reality. This recalls the old issue between idealism and realism. Is one justified in assuming
what cannot be "proved''? Where necessity demands a

concept it is justified, which was Einstein's argument

against operationalism in general. lO
5. Assessment of the First Concept: The Space- Time
Continuum in the Conceptual Scheme. Instead of referring to the simple unobservable of simultaneous distant
measurements the first concept of simultaneity emphasizes a lack of preferred positions between movers. It
asks, why prefer this observer to that one, except
through prejudice? It claims that there is no need to
assume any special direction to time and consequently
that there is no established space of three dimensions,
time being describable as a dimension that is perpendicular or oblique to what is observed as three-dimensional space.
A philosopher cannot easily accept the attempt to consider all historical and future states as coexistent. On the
whole it would seem that the description of a manifold
with an extra dimension is convenient only for certain
mathematics. "Time" is only our abstraction on the
constant changing that characterizes our world. With
time concretized as a dimension there is no available ex
planation for the course of events. The relationship of
cause and effect would appear to be a coincidence. If the
future is already in existence, what is the significance of
the consistency we find in sequences of events? Why
could they not follow in haphazard arrangement instead
of such a strict order?
Another objection is based on the existence of our per
ception of change. One may seek a way out by such a
statement as: "A disembodied consciousness (I who
speak) is traveling through space-time and receiving im
pressions from :t, although the latter is material (follows
certain consistent principles of motion) and I am immaterial (not follQl.lIing the same principles)." However, this
assumes a time (capacity for change) superposed upon
the four dimensions, one of which is itself supposed to
represent time. Further, the dualistic metaphysics of
interactionism is needed to support such a CO!1cept.
I believe that one either accepts an external world in
which things move in a space (i.e., a dimensionality),
moving things thereby describing time, or he rejects
space and properly also time, by denying objectivity, i.e.,
by accepting solipsism. Time - or rather, the capacity
for true change - is thus as fundamental as space.
6. Assessment of the First Concept: How It Was Useful. The origin for Einstein's attack on the conventional
notion of simultaneity was the need for some theory to
explain how light can reach any observer by the same
velocity as it reaches any other, regardless of motion between the source of light and the observer. His reasoning
was that light cannot be. carried by an ether that moves
with a moving body, nor can ether be a great field that
Earth and its occupants move through. In the former
case an observer within one moving body would see the
light in another moving body as traveling with a different
velocity than the observer within that (second) body
would see. In the other case, similarly, an observer moving one way through the ether would see the velocity of a
light as different from what another would see if the other
traveled a different direction through the same ether.
Einstein says, "Now elementary intuitive considera
tions seem to show that the same light ray cannot move
with respect to all inertial systems with the same velocity
c ....
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

--------------------------------r---------------------,

!t.

( 4 )

Ig*

a,,*

( b)

GAil-

( C )

IA

Ic*

-I

'e

15*0

I-el

5*Q
----Ie .......--

Ic'lf

5'

64

gardless of the total distance between the sigrlal sources.

In other words, this illustration allows each of the observers to judge for himself whether the signals traveled equal
distances in equal times.
Let us review' Einstein's definition of simultaneity:
... two events taking place at the points A and 8 of
the system K are simultaneous if they appear at the
same instant when observed from the middle point,
M, of the interval AB.l3

If

(d)

aA*

IC*

'A 1 -

5l1iJ

'e

5'

An extension of this is made by Bergmann, in his discussion of events as seen by observers on the moving
train and on the ground:

"It turns out, 'however, that this contradiction is only an

apparent one which is based essentially on the prejudice
... it is sufficient that each observer be able to deabout the absolute character of time or rather of the
termine the point midway between two points besirnultaneity of distant events. "11
longing to his reference body - ground or train.14
I must 'Ieave the problem of why light's velocity is measured the same by all movers, if it 'is, to physicists. My
This extension serves to bring Einstein's general definiconcern is to say that although 'motion affects the timing
tion around to its use in the experiment. The result is a
of the receipt of signals, there is no reason to say that
definition that slips away from the point. To establish
simultaneity it is necessary to have signals that travel for
there is no absolute simultaneity because of this, or any
other, reason.
equal times over equal distances. When moving observ7. Assessment 0/ the First Cqncept: Reasoning l1)tro~ ":,""-.' ers .. both claim' tt) be at.;a midpdint between. two signal
duced to Support It. Einstein's train-and-Iightriiri.g .iIIus--" ... .sources; it is necessary be able to measure equal distration is often assumed to demonstrate th~ rela~lV1ty of _ tances for both, but they must be from the actual signal
sources. An event in this case, lightning striking, that
simultaneity. Actually it shows how conceptions differ behappens on a train has the motion of the train (regardless
tween observers having different motion, for it i~ rath~r
of what light itself may do - the theory claims that light
the assumption that all observers are co~rect In th.elr
choice of "midpoints" that supports the notion of relative
does not take on the motion of its source), and an event
simultaneity.
, .
..
that 'happens on the track will take on the motion of the
I will follow Bergmann s explanation. 12 The s~ory IS t~at
track. One event cannot haRpen both places, and it cannot be in two different motions.
lightning strikes at both ends of a long tra~n, leaVing
marks on the train and on the ground. (See figure 2.) A
Let us agree that the lightning strokes were to the
earth, that the train simply happened to be passing at the
ground observer stands at C, midway between the plac~s
where the lightning marks the ground (A and 8). A tram
time. Thenthesourcesofthelightsignalsin~uestionwere
observer stands at C*, midway between the places where
not in motion relative to the earth (horizontally). In this
lightning marks the train. The diagram (which I have here
situation should we not say that measurement to a midcopied from Bergmann) is made as the .ground observer
point of the track section is to be preferred to measurement of the train's midpoint? The latter has left the
would have it, and it shows why the tram observer has a
different impression of what happened. ~o ~void any
track's midpoint by the time the signals arrive. Of course
charge of making simultaneity mean a subjective experif we decide it is more likely that the lightning was
attracted by charged ends of the moving train, we must
ience only, each observer is considered to have a recording instrument which will react only if the light signals are
prefer the train observer's measurement. In that case the
received at the same instant.
signal sources were stationary relative to him, and he
In part (a) of the diagram the lightning strikes at A,A*,
knows the applicable midpoint. In that case we reject the
B, and B*. In part (b) the light from A* and A has reached'
diagram as given here and draw a new one for C*, showing that the lightning strokes were sequential rather than
where C* then is. In part (c) the instrument of the ground
simultaneous. In this diagram we make train and track
observer registers simultaneous receipt of signals. In (d)
different lengths, C's diagram being assumed incorrect.
the signal from B, B* has reached C*, which is by ~ow
If we have equal velocities and equal distances, the
nearing A. The instrument at C*, then, does not re91 ster
equal times will follow, and under like physical conditions
simultaneity at any time.
we may reasonably assume that two light signals have the
Despite the evidence that Einstein thought in terms of
same velocity. However, we do not have equal distances
a four-dimensional space-time, it must be admitted th~t
he first presented this thought-experiment as though It
for both observers. That is, the signals from the lightning
strokes - which I am assuming to be static relative to the
were .a common-sense view of what happens in our threeearth - had not covered equal distances at the moments
dimensional world. Since this is also what most explicaC* saw them, because what he thought was a valid midtions of the theory imply that it is, * I shall approach it first
in their manner.
point between the strokes had shifted. In such an experiThe only point at issue between the two observers is . ment the midpoint must be stationary relative to the
whether the two signals originated simultaneously, resignal sources, or otherwise keep a constant realtionship
to both in case of sources moving relative to each other.
* Thus Bergmann, Bolton 13 , G~rdnerl4, Grunbaum l., Russell 16 Ushenko is an
exception worth reading."
Granted that this is often .impractical, it is the philosophy

to

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

65

of operationism (or one of its interpretations) that denies

meaning where there is no direct way to measure.
A stationary midpoint is at worst impractical. Simultaneity does not class as a "physical unobservable." The
method of detection is known. The observer should be at
rest relative to the sources of the signals_ * Moving observers will be mistaken unless they should happen to
reach the midpoint between the sources at the "instant the
signals meet there, in the case of simultaneous events, in
which" case these moving observers will agree with the
stationary observer_
The point the relativist has in mind is that the lightning
strokes left marks on the train as well as on the track; he
asserts that one mover's view is as good as another's_ He
says that C* is just as right in saying that the lightning
struck on the train as we are in saying it struck regard" less of the train.
The train observer is expected to assume that the lightning was moving along with the train. However, perhaps
he will see that it cannot strike both in horizontal motion
with the train and at stasis with the track. The marking of
both train and track has no significance. Likewise, the
fact that all observers seem to measure the velocity of
light the same has no significance here. Of the three elements - time of travel, distance traveled, and velocitywe need two. Time of travel is not evident in this experiment. Velocity alone is not enough. We must know that
the signals traveled equal distances before registering on
the observers' instruments. These distances must be
measured from the signal sources to the midpoint in their
frame of reference.
It may be because of a vagueness about what is meant
by the word "event" that this point can be overlooked. Is
an event something with a definite position in space or
does it spread over a region? According to the relativist's
diagrams the lightning strokes had definite position in
space, but the two observers could not agree how they
moued.
No doubt a lightning stroke is a vast group of microevents. If any take place in the air of a moving train they
may reasonably be assumed to be (on the average) following the train, while those that take place outside the
train may not_ However, Einstein could have had no intention of saying that the train observer was right as far as
some of the molecular events were concerned and wrong
regarding the events that took place in the air surrounding the train. The design was to support the postulate that
light has the same velocity to all observers. If the molecular signal sources were split into two groups, the case
would become two unrelated situations, inapplicable to
the principle being defended.
If the thought-experiment had concerned the switching on of track lights, it would have been obvious long ago
that only the track observer could retain equal distances
from both signal sources.
Actually, the proper use of the train-and-lightning illustration is for the proponent of the four-dimensional continuum, who can use it as an example of how our perceptions in three dimensions are (he says) illusory. He can
draw a diagram for C*, showing his cross-section of the
supposed continuum, that looks as good as that for C. If
o lightning is replaced by standing lamps, the diagram looks

much less convincing, but theoretically the same distances would be covered from each signal source to the
moving observer. These distances are measured on
slanting lines that represent his calculation of what happens simultaneously. They are measured to lines drawn
so that they look just like the end of Einstein's train. However, as explained in Section 5, this brings up problems
that reduce the concept to absurdity.
8. Conclusion_ Operationism seeks to make our thinking more exact by reminding us of the operations that
underly the terms we use. If a limit is established this is a
very useful practice. The limit must be where we begin to
consider a human operation to be more real than space
and time themselves. The only logical result of crossing
this boundary is to reject the reality of even people; i.e.,
we then are solipsists.
We must, then, agree to accept a few physical unobservables. If absolute simultaneity were not observable in
principle it would nevertheless need to be assumed. It
happens, however, that absolute simultaneity is observable in principle. Where relativity mathematics seems to
help prediction it should be used, but its theory cannot be
true as presently stated.

~
REFERENCES

1 Bridgman, P. W., The Nature 0/ Some 0/ Our Physical Concepts, Philosophical Library, 1952. p. 8
2 Dingle, Herbert, The Scientific Adventure, Philosophical Library, 1953, pp. 220 ft.
3 Ibid, p. 235
4 Einstein, Albert, Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, ed. by
Paul A. Schilpp, Tudor. 1951, pp. 613 f.
S Reichenbach, Hans, The Rise 0/ Scientific Philosophy. U. of
California, 1953, pp. 153 f.
6 Russell, Bertrand, The ABC 0/ Relativity, Mentor, 1959. p. 44
(Harpers, 1925, p. 62)
7 Grunbaum, Adolf, art. "Logical and Philosophical Foundations of the Special Theory of Relativity," printed in "Philosophy 0/ Science," Meridian. 1960, p. 405.
8 Reichenbach, H., The Philosophy o/Spaceand Time, Dover,
1958, p. 126
9 Relativity, the Special and General Theory, Crown. 1961, p.
22
See Reference 4
Einstein, Out 0/ My Later Years. Philosophical Library,
1950, p. 43. Also Dover, 1916, same pagination.
12 Bergmann, Peter G., Introduction to the Theory 0/ Relativity, Prentice-Hall, 1942, pp. 30-32
13 Einstein, The Meaning 0/ Relativity, Princeton U. Press,
1945, p. 28
14 Op cit, p. 30

" 10

II

PLEASE NOTE
This space, like many others in this issue, could be filled
with advertising. Since we prefer to fill our journal with
articles instead, we must rely on additional support from
our members. Please send a donation when and if you
can. Remember, they are tax-deductible ....

In recognition of this principle. Einstein let each observer measure distances in

his own reference frame. where he was at rest.

PURSUIT. Spring 1978

66

THE SYNCHRO DATA

By Barbara Jordison
"What synchro data?" you may ask, recalling the gasping reports of persons triggered or tripping over "meaningful" coincidences, or synchronicities as they're caned.
The kind of hard data from which you can draw a statistical picture of the territory - that kind of synchro
data. It's unlike trying "to find a cobra in a dark room before it finds you. "1
It's more like catching laboratory mice. And you can't.
The problem with "meaningful" coincidences is the little
buggers won't breed under ordinary conditions, usually.
And if you can't produce synchro events at will, and you
can't catch them in their natural habitat (which is anywhere), how can you study the critters - I mean in a
scientific, statistical way?
Jung wrote a theory about the principle he thought was
hidden in "meaningful" coincidences - Synchronicity.
He thought there was an important acausallinking rule,
but he couldn't find a way to trap such events. "Inasmuch as situations are unique and cannot be repeated,"
Jung complained, "experimenting with synchronicity
seems to be impossible. under ordinary conditions.'':!
At that time, circa 1900, the conditions were similar to
having no lab mice because of no mouse traps, yet catch-

TABLE 1
Frequency Distribution for the Synchro Data
for 5Minute Intervals of the Hourly Period, based
on research conducted between 19721976
Minute Interua/s
00-04
05-09
10 - 14

15 - 19
20 - 24
25 - 29

Number 0/
Synchronous Euents
166
138

117
112
96

98

30 - 34
35 - 39
40-44
45 - 49

115
107

50 - 54

110

55 - 59

102
94

87
1342

This is the frequency distribution for 60 minutes for aU

synchronous data from approximately 1972 to 1976 (col. lected by the described 2-channel-input method) with the
results of a chi square test of significance of the goodness
of fit to a rectangular distribution.
The average number of synchronous data for each fiveminute period was 111.83. The chi square test of goodness
of fit yields a chi square value of 46.095 which is significant
at the .001 level. Thus one could conclude that synchro
word pair's occurrences varied significantly among the 5minute periods.
P!:JR5UIT, Spring 1978

ing glimpses of them around the office. And since Jung

was a practicing psychiatrist, his patients saw the elusive
wee beasties also, but Jung's professional colleagues did
not. They concluded that metaphysical mice belonged to
a metaphysician.
Things went steadily upward after Jung died in 1961.
Two Ph.D. holders continued this part of Jung's work. Ira
Progoff took it in a therapeutic direction,seeing it as a selfbalancing principle. Timothy Leary took on the CNSRNA-DNA circuit and helped slay a feW idiopathic
dragons on his way to lame-duck professional status,
convinced our planetary people are leaving adolescence
and about to tread the stairway to the stars.
I silently disagree. We are universal infants, Clark
reminds us. The case in point is 2001: A Space Odyssey.
What SF reader hasn't thought of renaming it before the
nth showing - 3002: And Still Counting. Better yet,loop
the film and run it backward.
I once wrote an outline for a science fiction novel (Who
hasn't, huh?). And the characters still hadn't made parley
with the visiting Ufonauts, who were stealing the planet's
resources, because (they finally figured out) they'd
launched a probe back in the 1970s with nudes etched on
it. And since sending porn to the universal culture file was
a no-no earthlings were therefore quarantined to the
planet. If someone's already written the story, sorry I'm
behind in reading and didn't want to write it anyway. I did
go for an interview, though.
I didn't want to build a better mousetrap for synchro
.data either, but I'd better tell you about it; otherwise Empiricism will have a long wait to get served.
Saying the same word at the same time with someone
else, unexpectedly, is the experimental situation. I remember when we were kids it was considered a very
peaky moment. And it met the criteria for "meaningful"
coincidences to us.
.
One interview was enough. "When you and a playmate say the same word at the same time together, do
you link fingers, chant "needles and pins" and make
wishes like we did?" I asked him.
He wilted me with disdain. "My sisters do."
Which was not a total loss. It probably explains why a
girl stumbled on the synchro data and the males at MIT
didn't. (They can run the 1500 data, for free, through their
computers any time. Or, borrow the data collecting idea,
also free.)
Of course I didn't follow kids around with a notebook,
waiting for them to say the same word at the same time.
And it would take a lifetime to collect a 100-word sample if
I waited for the times I said the same word with adult
friends.
A two-person conversational environment is reconstructed to monitor. And it works. One of the conversationalists is represented by listening to a broadcasted
television or radio talk show. Well, that's misleading. Just
so there's some talk, song lyrics will work but orchestral
music obviously will not. This is input channel #1 of English Text (E.T.).It's routed to the observer's auditory system.

67
The other conversationalist is represented by reading,
at the same time. This is input channel #2 of E. T., input to
the visual network.
It takes concentration to catch the synchronous word
pairs between the two input channels at first, so add the
necessary 10% persistence and keep practicing. After a
while, hopefully, you'll get your input channels in synch.
and will find that the signal increases. Once you've
entered the acausal dimension of human experience, I
cannot guarantee the results.
So keep a record notebook. The data to record are: (1)
the sources of E.T. you monitor, (2) the time of occurrence of a word in synch, (3) the word itself (with any prefix or suffix differences), and (4) the length of time it takes
your data to run.
Table 1 should give you some idea of the synchro
data's occurrence pattern hiou11 notice data lurk in advertisements and news updates) during a one-hour inter-

val. The synchro data's habitat seems to be condensed

verbal contexts, but not always - data occur anywhere
and at any time.
If you're staying home tonight, how about trying the experimental setup and begin a record notebook? The saga
of Synchronicity continues. If I told you exactly what to
look for, that might be all you'd look for and find. Do it.
Empiricism, y'know. ~

REFERENCES
1 Cosmic Trigger, by Robert Anton Wilson, And/Or Press,
Berkeley; introduction by T. Leary (copyright 1977 by Robert
Anton Wils~:m).
2 The I Ching or Book of Changes, trans. by Richard Wilheim,
rendered into English by Cary F. Baynes, Bollingen Series XIX
(copyrighted 1950 and 1967 by Princeton University Press).

FROZEN MAMMOTHS
I. THE BEREZOVKA
MAMMOTH MYSTERY

Volcanoes, comet-storms,
or permafrost?

By Leo Trunt
I have been thinking about Ivan T. Sanderson's mystery of the Berezovka Mammoth for several years now.
Although I like the theory offered by Sanderson, I think I
may have a more complete answer.
I kept wondering how a mammoth could get buried in
the muck which surely should be as.frozen as solid rock. I
will offer you my theory, which borrows heavily from Sanderson's; I hope SITU members will find it satisfactory.
In his book More Things, Sanderson stated that these
animals were located in "muck," but there was no explanation for this. Sanderson indicated that, through volcanic eruptions, the dust and gases emitted would have
cooled and come down in violent cold blobs which froze
anything in their path and offered destruction to anything in the vicinity of the falling blobs: very good, but I
have a very different approach.
What if the eruptions gave off a high concentration of
carbon dioxide and other similar gases? This would
create a greenhouse effect which could, in a very short
period of time, have heated the Northern Hemisphere
(and perhaps the entire earth) by an incredible amount.
Subsequent explosions and eruptions could then have
blown enormous quantities of dust and other gases into
the atmosphere, thus giving rise to the "cold" blobs that
Sanderson suggests.
The mammoths in Siberia could have been on a northerly migration, indeed. Suddenly, while walking in (quite
possibly) two or three feet of watery "slew" above the
frozen permafrost, the heat wave struck. This could have
occurred in a short period of time, anywhere from a few
hours to a few days, with the temperature probably
reaching around 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Then came
more eruptions.
In a very short period of time, the atmosphere would

become saturated with carbon dioxide and other gases,

causing the temperature to rise rapidly, reaching perhaps 100-150 degree:; Fdhrenheit (or more).
The mammoth, feeling this heat, would perhaps seek
deeper water or "slew" in order to cool off. A creature as
big as a mammoth, like an elephant, would probably be in
the habit of eating perpetually; so there is no reason to
suspect he stopped eating in order to await a slow (and
unexpected) death. As the heat rose, the permafrost
. probably melted rapidly. Soon the mammoth would have
found the going slow and sticky, and in a very short time
would find himself in virtual quicksand, in which he probably struggled until he was suffocated and eventually
buried..
.
The second wave of volcanic explosions (now in full
force) would send dust clouds into the atmosphere. As
the particles descended on our Berezovka mammoth,
they would act to freeze the creature in situ.
Now what of our Alaskan-Canadian mammoths? Perhaps some of these are preserved in a manner similar to
the Siberian ones. Others could have been on sand bars,
in (or near) lakes, on ridges, hills, mountains, etc. Per
haps when the violent winds caine they were carried
away to be smashed up in the characteristic mess
common to the state of preservation of mammoths from
this region; meanwhile the Siberian climate, as well as the
Alaska-Canadian one, would have eventually returned to
normal. The mammoths, however,. were by this time
sufficiently buried to prevent further decay.
Perhaps other members of SITU may discern some
weak point in my theory, but I can think of no other possible way for the events to have occurred; I should be
happy to hear from anyone regarding their feelings on
this subject. (Write: Box 8, Swan River, !'r1inn. 55784.)
PURSUIT, Spring, 1978

68

U. MAMMO,.... PROBLEMTWO SOLUTIONS

By Member #340

Solution one, an hypothesis:

Not far from the herd, the mammoth grazed on the
endless meadow that was the tundra in late July. The
great size of these beasts coupled with the defensive behavior of the herd had made them the masters of their
landscape, almost independent of predators. Even so,
that particular herd had only minutes to live.
The tundra is treeless so the sky is a bowl sealed to the
edges of the world, the horizon visible at every point; and
on that horizon something moved.
As yet there was no sound except the faint hum of mosquitoes and the soft hiss of the wind in the grass. The
mammoth saw it coming, but only because he was facing
that way. The object grew swiftly into an immense bluewhite cloud that covered half the sky. The sun went dim
then suddenly was gone as the cloud engulfed it. Day
light was being replaced by the flares and flickers of lightning. The mammoths bellowed but they didn't panic, they
began to move together into a defensive formation.
The darkness would have been complete but for the
lightning, almost continuous now. The mammoths were
in a rough circle. They could hear a distant sound that
swiftly grew into a roar. Suddenly a cold wind struck
them, like a wall of ice. The wind grew both stronger and
colder at the same time. The mammoths were adapted to
arctic storms - they turned their backs into the wind.
The wind blew harder every second.
With the wind blowing at one hundred and fifty miles
per hour, the great beasts were being pelted with flying
mud and freezing chunks of turf. When the wind speed
reached two hundred miles per hour the lords of the
tundra began losing their footing.
The temperature was eighty below. Darkness was
absolute, the wind carried enough dust, debris and mud
to cut off all light. A few seconds later the mammoths
were gone. They had been blown, rolling and sliding, into
a battered heap at the bottom of a gully a quarter mile
downwind. In a few more seconds the gully had been filled
in. The cometstorm had struck.
A comet, a loose collection of dust and frozen
methane, frozen ammonia, and even frozen water, had
hit the earthis atmosphere at a low angle. A dense, high
tensile strength meteor will bore its way through the air,
vaporizing as it goes, and some of the pieces of the comet
were just that. But the rest, the "ice" chunks, were
spread out so thinly and vaporized at so much lower a
temperature that the comet very rapidly gave up its m~s,
its temperature, and its speed to the atmosphere. A sudden, cold and violent wind was the result. It only affected
a small part of the Earth's surface because, astronomically speaking, the head of a comet is tiny.
Is this the answer or ....
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

Solution two, an alternative hypothesis:

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, ENTITLED "PERMAFROST," IS
FROM PETROLEUM TODAY, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3,1974.

The trappers had been gone from the cabin only a

short while - a two-day trip into the surrounding Siber.. ian forest to check their wolf traps.
They returned to find an appalling sight. The glass was
gone from the windows. In its place was a glistening cascade of ice, shimmering in the low autumn sunlight.
Frozen waterfalls hung pendulously from the windows,
from the cracks under the eaves, and even from the tops
of the chimney. The cabin was filled from floor to ceiling
with ice - a solid, cabin-shaped block of ice contained
within the log walls.
In Siberia, "icing" of cabins was a not-tao-rare happening. There, settlers built cabins directly on the ground the
way their fathers and grandfathers had built their homes
in the south. They knew nothing about the permafrost
beneath them or the problems it could create.
Permafrost, or perennially frozen ground, is a widespread phenomenon. About half of the Soviet Union,
most of Canada, and about 85 percent of Alaska is either
in the continuous or sporadic permafrost region. Altogether, one fifth of all the land area of the world is underlain by permafrost - anything from solid rock to muddy
ice that remains below freezing throughout the year.
In the coldest regions, permafrost comes close to the
surface and is covered by a relatively thin layer that
freezes and thaws with the seasons. Surface vegetation
insulates the freeze/thaw zone and keeps the permafrost
from thawing too deeply. In places the zone may be only a
foot and a half thick.
It is this seasonally thawed area that plays havoc with
cabins - or anything else - not designed for permafrost. While Alaskans have not had the dramatic experiences that the Soviets have, they still must be careful to
avoid disturbing the insulating vegetation. Once the vegetative mat is removed or broken, the permafrost below
melts, turning the unprotected ground into a series of
ponds. This happened in the past with everything from
. caribou trails to man-made tracks. The freezing and
thawing of this active layer can destroy poorly designed
structures. Railroads sink into the ground and have to be
abandoned. Old highways dip sinuously, and require constant maintenance. Houses can cant drunkenly and must
be shored.
Farming in permafrost is a challenge. Once the land is
cleared of its natural insulating cover, the permafrost
thaws. Over a two to three year period, large lakes may
develop in the midst of former cabbage fields.
Icing, one of the weirdest phenomena associated with
permafrost, usually occurs in mountainous areas, or in
areas with a steady flow of water beneath the surface. As
winter approaches, the thaw zone begins to freeze from
the surface down toward the permafrost below. As it
freezes, water in the thaw zone is Pl.lt under increasing
pressure. Above it an impermeable cap of ice descends
relentlessly; below it the solidly frozen permafrost blocks
any water flow. Tremendous hydrostatic pressures build
up in the trapped water - pressures as great as 30,000
pounds .per square inch.
If the water finds an escape valve, a weak spot where a
building (or even an overturned barrel) keeps the ground

69

from freezing, the water will suddenly burst through like a

broken main. When the water reaches the air, it freezes.
layers of ice build up quickly.
.
Everything built in the Arctic must be designed with
permafrost in mind - buildings, roads, bridges, runways, railroads, towers, drainage ditches, pipelines,
dams and reservoirs, sewage disposal facilities, telephone lines ..
In the early days of Arctic road construction, builders
didn't understand this.
During construction of a road along the Onon River in
Siberia many years ago, crews scraped off the insulating
layer of vegetation and excavated down to the permafrost along the road. When winter came, the denuded
surface froze, pinching the ground water between the
surface and the permafrost. Intense water pressure built
up.
"Six icing mounds formed along this part of the road,"
Siemon Muller wrote during the Second World War in
one of the first comprehensive engineering reports on
permafrost published in the United States. "The second
mound from the south after a preliminary cracking and
trembling, suddenly exploded with a loud sound resembling that of a cannon_" Large slabs of ice six feet

thick and up to 60 feet long were thrown out and were

carried down the valley across the road by a rushing torrent. "The waters which poured out of the exploded
mound spread down the valley for a distance of about five
kilometers (three miles). A small highway bridge in the
path of this torrent was shaved off to its foundations,
shrubs were flattened down to the ground, and the bark
on large trees was badly scarred by the moving pieces of
ice."

****

It should be pointed out that water under pressure can

remain liquid down to very low temperatures; if the pressure is released the water will freeze quickly. It could even
quick-freeze any animal unlucky enough to be caught by
the icing phenomenon.
Even if such an event is extremely rare, only a few
animals would have to be trapped by it each year over a
period of thousands of years, to build up the store of
frozen remains that are found today.
Of the two hypotheses, the second seems more reasonable. But in each case the animals would be quickly
frozen and just as quickly buried in congealing muck.

FORTEANA
GALACTICA
By Alan Gray
Even if the late, great Charles Fort is swimming in the
Super-Sargasso Sea, or chortling about some blithering
inconsistency in the great beyond, he has doubtless
taken time out from his mirthful romp to notice this one.
He would give it a prominent place in The Book of the
Damned.
The high priests of orthodox astronomy are trying to
bury a persistent preposterousness.
An article entitled "Reflecting On Superluminal Velocities" appears in the December 10, 1977, issue of
Science News, and contains an account of three quasars
that are behaving "improperly." TheY'are either going
faster than light, or behaving in such a way that they seem
to be going faster than light, and going faster than light for
any reason is taboo.
"The response of most astronomers is that it is just an
appearance and must somehow be explained away," reports Science News and goes on to say "The most popular explanations to date seem a bit contrived ... "
And a gentleman named Lynden-Bell has contrived
such an accounting for this anomalous phenomenon,
bringing a mirror of sorts into the fray.
He says that flashes emitted by these rogue quasars in
some way are admixed with infalling matter being drawn
into a black hole. In some manner a flash of light is produced by this cosmic confection, and that flash yields a

mirror image flash that generates along the axis of the

black hole vortex.
Mr. Lynden-Bell continues in earnest, explaining how
these black-hole-born flashes bounce off vast patches of
ionized gas and in some way the original flash and its mir
ror image appear to be traveling away from each other at
an apparent velocity of 2c - when in fact they are only
traveling at Ie.
He then points to a 1901 record which tells of a sun destroying itself in a spectacular fashion, something the
astronomical fraternity called the "Nova Persei." The
"light echo" from that Nova also gave an apparent velocity of 2c. A trick done with mirrors.
In spite of the fact it's been explained away, astronomers are re-calculating, making a slight correction of the
Hubble constant used in quasar watching.
"The apparent large values of c are gotten rid of by
changing the value of the Hubble constant from the commonly used 55 km,lsec per megaparsec to 110
km,lsec/megaparsec," says Science News. Off by 100%?
A minor correction. That should have laid the matter to
rest, but LO! "The faster tlian light phenomena include
apparent velocities up to & ..." concludes the Science
News article.
"All would be heauenlyIf the damned would only stay damned. "
-Charles Hoy Fort
The Book of the Damned

PURSUIT. Spring 1978

70

THE TRANSFORM1ST
MYTH
By Dr. Silva no Lorenzoni
One of the foremost myths of our time is "evolutionism" - or, more exactly, transformism - in its strictly
darwinian form. And when I use the word "myth" to indi~te transformism, I do so with full intent, because that
word can have two equally acceptable meanings that are
different but not necessarily exclusive: (a) a myth may be
simply something that is false; (b) a myth can be the
"force-idea" behind some action or ideology. And transformism/ darwinism is both a falsity and an important
force-idea at the base of the structure of modern times.
Let us start by setting a few "landmarks" that will be (a)
semantic, (because semantic confusions are and have
always been a battle-horse of decadentists), and (b) historical; we shall then continue with a direct criticism of
darwinism and transformism.
Terminology, therefore, should be our first concern.
Let us begin by examining the following terms:
(a) Euolution: Strictly speaking, the term "evolution"
refers to the simple acknowledgement of the fact that, at
least on the basis of a certain set of geological and
palaeontological data and observations, the living forms .
in the world have not always been the same as geological
ages gone by. The same observations would also seem to
indicate that the changes in question were in a direction
of lesser to greater organizational complexity, at least
from the viewpoint of anatomical and biochemical structure. To use the term "evolution," although standardized by usage, to indicate these changes is, in myopinion, inadequate because it carries implicitly a certain idea
of "betterment"; and this kind of judgment (ethical or
moral) should always remain outside the sphere of positive, empirical and natural sciences. For the moment,
however, I shall be content with having set down the
meaning of the term.
(b) Trans/ormism: It is that doctrine whereby the successive living forms that have appeared in the world had
their origin by trans/ormation of older or pre-existing
forms. Such transformations would have crossed boundaries not only between species, but also between gender, family, order and even type of phylum.
(c) Darwinism: It is that theory about the reasons 0/
trans/ormism postulates natural selection as the cause of
the transformations which are, in turn, postulated by that
doctrine. Its name comes from the fact that it was structured and generalized in its present form by an Englishman, a certain Charles Darwin, author of the now (unfortunately) famous two books, The Origin 0/ Species by
Natural Selection (1859), and The Descent 0/ Man
(1871), the latter of which contains his well-known suggestion that man is descended from the ape.
In formulating his "origin of the species," Darwin based
his theory fundamentally on (a) the work of a much less
fortunate predecessor of his, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck,
author of Philosophie zoo/ogique (1809) in which, even
though by somewhat different ways from Darwin's, he
arrived at a "natural selection"'not lOO unlike its darwinPURSUIT, Spring 1978

ian counterpart, and (b) his own observations, made

almost exclusively during his trip to the Galapagos Isles
(Ecuador) aboard the ship Beagle (1831-36).
It has been conclusively proven (from a strictly scientific standpoint) that Darwin was totally off the right track
when it came to interpreting the ecological, biogeographical, morphological, and genetic data which were
collected by himself and others at the time; his mistakes
became more and more obvious as a greater amount of
observational data accumulated. 2 But this still has not
removed the darwinian theory from the place of honour it
still enjoys in official biological circles, where "evolution"
implicitly means darwinian trans/ormism, thus constituting a great affront to semantics and, at least in certain
circles, indicates the intention to continually "brainwash" listeners.
Let us proceed to a critical analysis of darwinism from a
strictly logical and scientific standpoint.3
The darwinian idea of natural selection is based on the
concept that life has a strictly economic basis and that, as
a consequence, it limits itself to a brutal and desperate
struggle to satisfy exclusiuely the physiological necessities of existence - especially that of feeding. This struggle manifests itself at all levels: among living' beings of
different species as well as among individuals of the same
species. And a consequence of this merciless struggle,
according to Darwin, is that those individual organisms
which by sheer chance turn out to be more apt for the
struggle for survival in a given environment will end up by
exterminating (either directly or indirectly - byexcluding them from the food sources) the less apt; and in the
long run will replace them completely and will secure for
their descendants possession of' the specific environment in which the struggle took place.
If we further assume, as does Darwin, that those winm.!rs owe their superiority to some anatomical and/or
physiological characteristic making them substantially
different from the vanquished, then the process will have
originated a different quality of living being - perhaps a
new sub-species or species. And the continued repetition of the process will give rise to increasingly important differentiations which eventually will produce new
genera, families, phyla. As those characteristics which
imparted superiority to another, it follows (according to
the same theory) that, by repeating the process of natural selection in different places, a single species will pro-duce many more, giving rise to increasing evolutionary
branching.
Such is, in very brief but exact terms, Darwin's
doctrine. Darwin himself acknowledged that, in order to
minimally adhere to some kind of (however hypothetical) reality, the doctrine must pre-assume two things:
. mutations and the isolation of the mutants. Let us
examine these conjectures in detail.
(a) Mutations. In general, children are equal to their
parents except by small deviations which are totally
statistical in nature. In order for darwinism to function,
individuals must (at least sporadically) appear to differ
substantially from the average of their species; otherwise

71

it would be difficult to speak of such organisms as being

much more apt for the struggle for life. Such individuals
are conventionally called "mutants," their morphological
peculiarities, "mutations."
When The Origin of Species was published in 1859, the
existing knowledge of genetics was not sufficient to determine the truth or falsity to the axiom of the possibility
of mutations; Darwin could introduce an ad hoc hypothesis to support his construction. (It was only in 1865
that Mendel proved the invariability of inherited characteristics.Certain darwinians have had the gall to consider
it fortunate that Mendel's discoveries did not become
public before 1859; otherwise they could have provided
an important obstacle to the acceptance of the theory of
natural selection (sic)! And when, towards the end of the
last century, De Vries thought he had detected mutations in certain plants, there was universal applause - to
the point that even today, when it is well known that De .
Vries was wrong, he still is the "official discoverer" of mutations.)
According to modern molecular biology, hereditary
characteristics reside in certain components (the socalled "genes") of the cell which have proven to be exceptionally stable and much more resistant than the rest
of the cell to such modifying or destructive agents as
poisons, temperature shocks, ionizing radiation, etc.
They are not, however, stable in the absolute sense;
mutations, after all, are indeed possible. But (1) they are
extremely rare, and (2) within the limits of our present
knowledge they never produce anything but monstrosities, individuals which are totally maladapted to live in
the medium in which they have come to life and in which
normally they would be condemned to die in a short time.
Such monsters normally do not reproduce; when they do
(for example, under artificial laboratory conditions), they
produce a poorly adapted progeny which is destined to
quick extinction (as soon. as those artificial conditions
protecting them are eliminated).
(b) Isolation. The problem of fauorable mutations is
not the only one darwinism faces. Even assuming that
those mutations are or had been possible, the problem
remains as to how the mutants could produce progeny.
First, it is obvious that an isolated mutant or a few isolated mutants would either be condemned to die without
leaving descendants or would dilute their new characteristics to the point of unrecognizability - making them
therefore useless, depending on whether or not the new
individuals were genetically compatible with the older
population. Therefore the darwinists must assume (1)
that a reasonably high number of .mutants appear simultaneously, (2) that such mutants are genetically compatible among themselves; i.e., each of them must have
acquired the same new characteristic, which differentiates him from the older population, and (3) that the
mutants are genetically incompatible with the older population; i.e., the mutation has been of sufficient magnitude to isolate the mutants from the older population by
introducing some physiological or anatomical impediment which prevents mating.
An alternative to this last point could be that the
mutants appear all together in a location which immediately after their appearance becomes physically isolated; or, perhaps the mutation immediately affects the
majority of individuals and the older population, which

therefore remains a minority, is quickly eliminated. These

assumptions, however, may be even more far-fetched
than the original ones.
On the basis of what has been expounded above, especially when keeping in mind that all the mutations invoked by darwinism would have a strictly accidental and
statistical origin, it should become easy to judge the ob
jective probability that such a doctrine explains nothing
at all. Darwin himself was not entirely insensitive to the
difficulties listed above and therefore invoked the authority of a countryman of his, the lawyer-geologist Lyell,
whose Principles of Geology (1830) suggested that past
geological times had a duration that (to all intents and
purposes) was infinite. In fact, given an infinite period of
time, it is admissible that all imaginable possibilities, including the more absurd and grotesque, may have taken
place. But this is scarcely a scientific argument; and, in
any case, modern geology and astrophysics do not
appear to corroborate Lyell's statements.

****
I shall not consider here the problem of why darwinism has had the phenomenal success it enjoys - that I
have done elsewhere.4 Let it suffice to note here that darwinism has become to all intents and purposes a dogma,
acquiring therefore (as is its concomitant right) its own
priests who have dutifully constructed for it a whole
theology and, what is more, a theodicea5 - over and
above their normal preoccupation of hurling curses
against the "gentiles" who do not believe in the Word of
the new M::>~siah, Charles Darwin. As scientific facts
mount against darwinism, the ~rwinists - entrenched
in well-paid positions of power within official academic
and university circles - pile up additional hypotheses
and strange kabalas to mend it; and when they cannot

"Everything regarding Darwin

is wrapped in an atmosphere
that is factually mystical and
what is more, mythologicaL"
- Leon Croizat
invent anything to reply to critics, they resort to direct
insults. Croizat6 has recently remarked that " ... Darwin,
darwinism, etc., are by now not a matter of calm scientific debate, but rather matters of faith. Everything regarding Darwin is wrapped in an atmosphere that is factually mystical and, what is more, mythological."
In view of all the above it is not surprising that few professional biologists have cared to propose transformistic
schemes which differ from darwinism.
According to Croizat7, the key error of darwinians is
that of attributing mutations exclusively to factors external to the living being. On the contrary" ... evolution is
due basically to internal agents, in the individual and in
the group, and as such it is an essential part of molecular
biology" and" ... darwinism has been unable to understand that a mutation taking place in a mother-cell can
start off a whole chain of mutations - i.e., macromutations, that are precisely the instrument that evolution
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

72

uses to establish new types of organization ... along currents of oriented euolution." Similar conclusions had
been reached much earlier by a distinguished Italian
transformist, Piero Leonardi.8

posely ignore those subtler forces which, even though

normally undetected, nonetheless pervade the entire
Universe .

'Transformism is not
su pported by facts.'

REFERENCES

It is, however, my opinion that these efforts to break

with Darwin, while nevertheless deserving praise, try to
circumvent the problem rather than attacking it frontally. Transformism is not supported by facts. In particular, not one of those intermediate forms or "missing
links" (the expression is appropriate because few things
are more missing than those hypothetical "links") has
been found or identified. In view of the great variety of
living forms, those intermediate "links" should have been
very abundant and should therefore, if the transformists
were right, have left some trace.
Although such a claim was prompted by the discovery
of the Seymouris, a Permian animal that apparently cannot be classified with certainty either as a reptile or an amphibian, this creature had lived a few million years too late
to provide such a possible "link.''9
To wrap up the argument, it is highly unlikely that any
headway will be made towards unraveling the mystery of
evolution - one closely tied to the origin of Life itself as long as investigators continue to cling to the 19th
century mechanicistic models such as Darwin's and pur-

I Leon Croizat, Space, Time Form: A biological Synthesis,

Wheldon & Wesley, London, 1964.
2 Leon Croizat, "Darwin y su teoria," &Ietin de la Academia
deCiencias, Caracas, 1977. The following quotes are worthy of
note: "Darwin's work ... has been essentially damaging, because his contribution to the progress of biology's thought has
been negligibly small compared to the enormous confusion that
biology owes him"; and" ... biology will not be in a condition to
advance as long as it acquiesces to the bad habits acquired
under Darwin's whip."
3 There is no end to the number of books and papers written by
those who fawningly crawl at the feet of His Highness, Charles
Darwin. This essay will, in order not to be accused of partiality,
refer to only one of these laudatory works: Kai Petersen: Prehistoric Life on Earth, American translation, Methuen, London,
1963.
4 Silvano Lorenzoni, "EI mito transformists," to be published.
5 The "theodicea" is that branch of Theology which attempts to
reconcile factual reality with characteristics of Divinity, which,
in turn, are defined in an a priori manner.
6 Leon Croizat, "Darwin y su teoria." Op. cit.
7 Leon Croizat, "Darwin y su teoria." Op. cit.
8. Piero Leonardi, L'euoluzione dei uiuenti (Morcelliana,
Brescia, 1950).
9 Kai Petersen, Prehistoric life on Earth. Op. cit.

A UlTLE RIDDLE
By Jasper McKee
Question: What do all the following phenomena
have in common:
1) Spontaneous human combustion
2) Dowsing
3) Hauntings
,
4) Poltergeists (taking the word of some that these
are different from hauntings)
5) Inexplicable condensation of liquids in strange
places (e.g. mineral oil on ceilings, or steady falls of
rain on one particular tree for days on end)
6) Bizarre falls from the sky (e.g. frogs, ice, rocks,
periwinkles)
Answer: They frequently take place in the immediate vicinity of some specific wooden object, such as a
frame house, piece of furniture, particular living tree,
or even a forked stick.

***
The purpose here, rather than to declare any firm or
final conviction, is to enlist the thoughtful review of an
audience familiar with the literature of these occurrences. One problem is that many published descriptions tend to be rather subjective and haphazard, and
even the most scholarly reports do not concern them-

selves with a highly detailed account of the surroundings. To the student ofthese matters, however, some
patterns do emerge.
First, there is the matter of localization. This is easily
established with any phenomenon which repeats itself
over a period of time: either it happens all over, or it
only happens in a very few repeated places. In regard
to falls from the sky, Fort called attention several times
to the repetition of bizarre falls in the same localities.
Haunting phenomena are also frequently repetitive,
and clearly localized. Presented with the fact of localization, one must wonder whether the localization is
connected with some particular object.
Second, for all these phenomena, whether repetitive or one-shot, it seems clear that they do associate
themselves with houses, typically, or other wooden
objects. They seldom occur in busses, airplanes,
sports stadiums, open fields, or steel and concrete
high rises.
Probably I should stop here, but I yield to the temptation to mention one thing more. Perhaps the secret
of the pyramids may be buried within in the form of a
gigantic wooden infrastructure ... and that the whole
purpose was to erect and protect a large, precisely
configured' wooden frame. After all, the roofs of
houses frequently come to an apex, as do dowsing
rods.

73

MR. BERLITZ-AGAIN!
By Paul G. Begg
Two years ago Charles Berlitz's book The Bermuda
Triangle (1) was published. Although it was not the first
Triangle book it was undeniably the most popular, going
straight into the best seller lists and notching up five mil
lion sales worldwide. It created a popular legend, telling
the story of a roughly triangular patch of ocean in the
western Atlantic, where ships, aircraft and people have
disappeared in mysterious circumstances, leaving no
wreckage and no survivors, and where weird phenomena take place - wildly spinning compasses, fire
balls, inexplicable breakdown of electrical power, strange
objects seen in the sky and traced in the depths of the
ocean, and so much more. It is all very exciting and very
disturbing, particularly to those of us who take our cocoa
to bed every time there is a late night horror movie on tv.
Now Mr. Berlitz continues the story of the Bermuda
Triangle with a new book Without A Trace (2), reviewed
in Pursuit (Vol. 10 No.3 Summer 1977):" ... master Fortean Charles Berlitz has been meticulously pursuing new
leads ... Without A Trace covers new ground ... In addition to detailed descriptions of many new and interesting
cases, it painstakingly examines all the possible explanations ... The professional anti-Triangle critics will have
difficulty in finding flaws in his arguments .....
I am not antiTriangie. I am anti- those Forteans who
manufacture and/or perpetuate mysteries through care
less or nonexistent research. I want facts and if they can
be presented in an entertaining manner then so much the
better. However, as I have said in a previous article (3), it
seems that much of what is written about Fortean matters is far from factual, and this particularly applies to the
Bermuda Triangle.
Perhaps because of its enormous success The Bermuda Triangle gained the attention of Triangle investi
gators and critics and has borne the brunt of the criti
cism, though not without good cause. Lawrence David
Kusche (4) and others - most notably in Britain the
B.B.C. (5) - haveshown that few, if any, of the incidents
happened as Mr. Berlitz deScribed them. It" is therefore
surprising to find Without A Trace so briefly reviewed in
Pursuit, the reviewer ignoring Mr. Berlitz's track record
for accuracy (which is abysmal and doesn't inspire confidence) and without making any apparent attempt to
check even a few of the claims he makes. So, at risk of
being labeled anti-Triangle ... let's begin a~ the beginning.
On page five Berlitz tells of a Nat,onal Airlines 727 flying to Miami which was lost on radar for 10 minutes, duro
ing which time the pilot reported flying through a thick
fog. Upon landing it was found that all time-keeping
equipment on board, including the watches of the pas.
sengers and crew, were all 10 minutes behind real time.
No date, time, or flight number is given for this incident
and checks with FAA, Miami Airport, and Eastern Airlines have failed to produce any record of such an event.
An Eastern Airlines official told Graham Massey (6): "If
that had happened, we'd sure as hell know all about it."

On page six Berlitz says that in spite of its vociferous

detractors the Bermuda Triangle mystery has yet to be
explained. This is because there isn't a mystery to be explained. Of course Mr. Berlitz is likely to argue this point,
but as Kusche has shown, Berlitz's arguments are based
on incorrect information and use of sources which often
lack corroborative evidence. Berlitz (and I should say
that he is not alone in this; and I regret that he is alone in
the pillory receiving this modern equivalent of rotten vegetables hurled by angry villagers) also suggests that
something mysterious is going on by implication - he
gives reasonable explanations for strange phenomena
yet manages to suggest that such explanations are not
acceptable. As happens too often in Fortean literature,
and particularly in books, a writer needs only to hint that
something, no matter how absurd, has occurred and he
can rest in near certainty that it cannot be disproved. The
Bermuda Triangle mystery has been explained - there
isn't one - and if Mr. Berlitz wants us to believe other
wise he must show us the evidence (good evidence, that
is). The burden of proof should always be on those who
make such statements, not on those who dispute them.
On page 13 Berlitz opens his arguments with a bang.
Apparently a sophisticated weather satellite run by the
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administra
tion (NOAA) malfunctions only when passing over the
Triangle. Professor Wayne Meshejian, who has studied
this phenomenon is quoted as saying: " ... we are talking
about a force we know nothing about!" The solution to
this so-called mystery was given in Pursuit (7) (Berlitz is a
member of SITU isn't he?) In fact, what happens is this:
the satellite collects and transmits both visual and infrared information on cloud cover and in order to send the
information conveniently the visual signal is stored on a
loop of tape and transmitted after the infrared signal.
Over the Triangle, however, a blank occurs - the visual
signal is not transmitted. The reason is very simple. The
tape is full when the satellite passes over the Triangle and
the recorder has to rewind to the start. The recorder can
not transmit and rewind at the same time, so the blank
appears. Professor Meshejian is fully aware of what happens (as every reader of Pursuit who is interested in the
Bermuda Triangle should be) and is none too happy with
the way his name has been associated with the myth:
"Practically everything I've said on this has been distorted, twisted and taken out of my hands. Frankly I'm
sick of the whole affair. I've been misquoted and misinterpreted. "
On page 17 Berlitz talks about the Sea Venture, her
longboat, William Shakespeare's alleged reference to the
Bermuda Triangle in The Tempest, and the large number of vessels which vanished in the region during the
Elizabethan era. It would take far too long to analyze all of
this, but it should be pointed out that the Sea Venture,
carrying would-be colonists to the Jamestown settle-ment in Virginia, was caught in a violent storm and separated from the rest of the fleet. She was on the verge of
sinking when the haven of Bermuda was reached and the

74
Sea Venture's skipper managed to run his ship aground.
It was in a valiant attempt to reach the mainland that several men set out in the Sea Venture's longboat. They
were never seen again - which is hardly surprisingj it's a
long way to the mainland from Bermuda, and once there
they would have had to face Indians. There is nothing
mysterious about the wreck of the Sea Venture and as
for Shakespeare's involvernent, he was apparently inspired to write The Tempest by the wreck of the Sea Venture, but his'line 'the still-vexed Bermooths' more probably refers to the treacherous coral reefs which surround Bermuda (and which claimed many Spanish vessels), than a supernatural force.
On page 37 Berlitz tells the old story of the DC-3 airliner which vanished when approaching Miami after sending a radio message: "We are approaching the field ... We
can see the lights of Miami now. All's well. Will ~tand by

'if there is a mystery

in the BerrT!uda Triangle,
and that is a very big OF,
the evidence is sl ight.'
for landing instructions." This" incident happened in
December, 1948 and the cause of the tragedy is unknown. However, the pilot of the DC-3 did not say he
could see the lights of Miami. He said (in a message intercepted by the New Orleans Overseas Foreign Air Route
Traffic Control Center and not the Miami Tower as is
almost always stated) that he was 50 miles from Miami
(An approximate position report. He could easily havebeen 100 miles away). Nowhere, except in the Triangle
books, is there mention of the pilot saying that he could
see the lights of Miami. It appears that writers made that
assumption believing that he would have been able to see
the lights of Miami if he was 50 miles away. Well, maybe
he could, but he certainly never said so. Anybody wanting further info on this incident should read Kusche's
book (4).
Kusche's book will also explain - or remove any hint
of mystery from - other cases; the Rai/uku Maru and
the Witchcraft, both mentioned on page 39 of Without A
Trace.
On page 60 Berlitz discusses the Hollyhock, a Coast
Guard vessel which recorded a phantom land mass on"
radar. This story, one of several incidents suffered by the
Hollyhock, was first told by lieutenant Wisman to, I believe, Richard Winer, who certainly tells it in his book
Deuil's Triangle 2. But is the incident really mysterious?
lieutenant Wisman, an officer aboard the Hollyhock,
does not think so and says that such radar readings are
fairly common and due to natural causes. They do not
constitute evidence for strange supernatural forces.
On page 70 Berlitz talks about Flight 19 (ho, hum) and still presents us with those "panic messages from Lt.
Taylor, despite the fact that they do not appear in anyofficial documents; that Commander Wirshing, Berlitz's
source (Commander Wirshing was in the tower at Fort
lauderdale and made notes, from which Berlitz took his
information), has denied being in the tower when the
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

alleged messages took place and has denied keeping

notes; and that nobody in the tower at the time has any
recollection of those messages.
Berlitz also says that It. Taylor radioed to It. Cox, a
pilot circling Fort lauderdale, a message which ended
"Don't come after mel" Berlitz, quoting the wife of one of
the men who disappeared, adds ..... he (Taylor) did not
want lieutenant Cox to jeopardize his own life; (having
seen) something which, possibly for national security reasons, the Navy still does not want the public to know
about ... " Berlitz makes no comment, hinting at its accuracy by implication.
The official log does record Taylor saying "Don't come
after me," but it doesn't add the second part of the message (so often given): "They look like they're from outer
space." Berlitz fails to mention that the full message sent
by Taylor was: "I know where I am now. I'm at Angels 2.3.
(2,300 feet). Don't come after me." And that this message was sent to Cox who was about to search for him.
The 'mystery' of Flight 19 (ho, hum) and the alleged
official cover-up have been proved false time and again,
yet the old story keeps on being presented.
On page 73, when on the subject of debunkers, Berlitz
mentions lawrence David Kusche, a research librarian
who blew the whole Triangle mystery sky high when he
examined fifty of the so-called Triangle mysteries and
provided devastating proof that almost all of them were
based on misquotation, misinterpretation and false evidence. In Without A Trace Berlitz writes that Kusche
was 'not influenced by "any personal familiarity with the
area ... His research techniques are characterized by a
rather touching reliance on long-distance telephone calls
as a means of investigation. 'This, Berlitz's only answer to
Kusche's crushing analysis of the Bermuda Triangle
"mystery," is unfair to Kusche, who studied hundreds of
official papers and first-hand reports and whose investigation cannot be faulted {unlike Mr. Berlitz's ).It is also an
example of Berlitz logic (?). Messing about on a boat is
absolutely no help in trying to find out what happened to
Flight 19 (ho, hum) or ships which disappeared 20 or 30
years ago.
And so I could go on, citing error after error: Bruce
Gemon, a Palm Beach pilot who is reported as having
landed at Miami half an hour ahead of time and with half
an hour's worth of extra fuel in his tanks after flying into a
strange cloud" over the Bermuda Triangle, tells his exciting story on page 112 of Without A Trace, butthere is no
corroborative evidence, Gemon's flight plan seems to be
missing, and there is no independent proof of his story.
It's not that I don't believe it, but I would like some supporting evidence.
On page 119 Berlitz records a sighting of the spectral
ship Flying Dutchman by King George V when, as Prince,
he was serving aboard HMS Inconstant. An entry in the
Inconstant's log records the incident, says Berlitz, but in
fact the details he quotes are to be found in a book The
Cruise of Her Majesties Ship Bacchante (9)..
"
On pages 149-151 Berlitz relates the ~tory ofthedisappearance of a British Regiment, the First Fourth Norfolk,
said to have vanished after marching into a strange loafof-bread shaped cloud at Gallipoli in 1915. A long-distance telephone call or a considerably: chea~r letter
would have furnished Berlitz with the info that the First
Fourth Norfolk was a Battalion and not a Regiment and

75

that they did not vanish at Gallipoli in 1915 or at any time

or place thereafter.
If there is a mystery in the Bermuda Triangle, and that
is a very big IF, the evidence is slight. Unfortunately it is a
complaint which can be made right across the board con
cerning Fortean research. Criticizing the Bermuda Tri.angle leaves the way open to being accused of having a
closed mind, of being a blinkered sceptic, as one author
described critics in the introduction to her book. But, on
the contrary, it is the proponents of such theories who
have closed minds. They have closed their minds to criticism and insist that they are right and that their conclusions have been fully confirmed when they have not.
Many Fortean researchers - and many investigators
of the Bermuda Triangle - have complained bitterly
about the unwillingness of scientists to investigate claims
of new and extraordinary phenomena. But extraordinary phenomena demand extraordinary facts, not
grand genercilizations based on slender evidence, which

is the real basis of The Bermuda Triangle and Without A

Trace.
Forteans beg their readers to have open minds and to
question orthodox ideas, yet Berlitz does not have an
open mind. His mind is closed to the possibility that the
Bermuda Triangle is a myth and that he has been
suckered by writers before him. In the foreword to Without A Trace he
'the aim of this book is neither to
refute, inform, no{ educate critics of the reality of the
mystery.' Which is a pity. I would like to hear Mr. Berlitz
answer his critics rather than dismiss them and hope they
will go away.
False information misleads the public and does Forteans and Fortean research a disservice. I hope that
maybe we shall see an attempt to mix Fortean research
with accuracy in years to come.

wo;.es:

REFERENCES
(1) Berlitz, Charles, The Bermuda Triangle (New York:
Doubleday & Co., 1974, London: Souvenir Press,
1975) (2) Berlitz, Charles, Without A Trace (New York:
Doubleday & Co., 1977, London: Souvenir Press,
1977) (3) Begg, Paul G., "False Facts," Pursuit, Vol. 9, No. 2,
April, 1976. (4) Kusche, Lawrence David, The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solued (New York: Harper & Row, 1975, London: New English Library, 1975) (5) The Case 0/ the Ber
muda Triangle, BBC2lV Feb., 1976: A documentary written
and produced by Graham Massey and featuring Charles Berlitz, Richard Winer, and others associated in some way with the

alleged mystery. (6) Graham Massey, a producer onBBC-2's

Horizon documentary series. Wrote and produced The Case 0/
the Bermuda Triangle. (7) Meshejian, Wayne, "Erratic Satellites Over the Bermuda Triangle," Pursuit, Vol. 9, No. I, January, 1976, and also Dobbins, Ronald G., "Another Bermuda
Triangle Mystery Vanishes," Pursuit, Vol. 9, No. I, January,
1976. (8) Winer, Richard, The Devil's Triangle (New York:
Bantam Books, 1974) (9) The Cruises 0/ Her Majesties Ship
Bacchante is a book in two volumes compiled by Rev. John
Dalton, tutor to th.. Duke of Clarence and his brother, the
future King George V, from their papers: notes and letters.

AN OBSERVATION ON CRITICS WHOSE

APPRAISAL OF PHENOMENA IS UNDISTURBED
BY PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE
The preceding commentary concerning Charles Berlitz's latest book, Without a Trace, is in rather
sharp contrast to .the review of that book last Summer (Pursuit, Vol. 10, No.3), by John Keel, who
wrote: ".... The professional anti-Triangle critics should have a difficult time finding flaws in his
arguments, and Forteans everywhere will find the book fascinating and thought-provoking. You'd
better read this one because everyone will be talking about it."
Book reviews and editorial crticism have appeare9 in previous issues of Pursuit - not always to the
liking of Mr. Berlitz, who graciously offered the following response to Mr. Begg's article.

By Charles Berlitz
I am not aware that the Bermuda Triangle has been
"blown sky high" nor apparently is anyone else who has
had access to the newspapers during recent months especially January 1978.
As far: CiS so-called experts who have never visited the
Bermuda Triangle area, I have but little to add to what I
.
said in Without a Trace:
... mention should be made of a book written by a
librarian in Arizona named Lawrence Kusche (The
Bermuda Triangle Mystery - Solved), which
expressed the point of view that the mystery had

been solved because there was never any mystery

in the first place. It should nevertheless be noted
that the author's approach to the subject is not
influenced by any familiarity with the area of the
Bermuda Triangle, the AtlantiC Ocean, or any other
large body of water. His research techniques are
. characterized by a somewhat touching reliance on
long-distance telephone calls as a means of investigation, as mentioned by him on page xvofthe introduction to his book.
As quoted in The Riddle oj the Bermuda
Triangle, by.Martin Ebon, Kusche has observed:
"There was nothing to be gained by my going to the
area to do the research." - a refreshing comment
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

-------------------------------------------------,--76

on investigative techniques which would immeasurably simplify the work of detectives, police,
research investigators, and explorers throughout
the world_
Some of the ships mentioned in the above work as never
having existed could have been easily located if the
investigator had known where to look for their records,

'the Bermuda Triangle has

existed for at least half
a century and has been
the object of study by
reputable investigators'
another disadvantage of investigation by telephone, the
perusal of back issues of magazines and newspapers (ct_
The Bermuda Triangle Bibliography) and, above all, of
interviewing only the sources uniquely interested in
downgrading any elements they do not understand_ .
A good example of manipulative reporting was the
BBC program so confidentially cited by Mr_ Be99, Interviews with me and others on this program were doctored
so as to change the m~aning of what was said and the
same Mr_ Kusche brought such pressure on Lt. Com-

mander Roy Wirshing, USN-Ret., a witness of Flight 19,

to change his account that the former was halted in his
harassment only by a threat of legal action.
I once met the author of The Bermuda Triangle
Mystery - Solved on a lV program. He seemed to be a
pleasant young man although curiously uninformed
about his own specialty, library work, as I noted when he
asked me whether The New Yorker was a New York
newspaper.
No one "invented" the Bermuda Triangle. It has
existed for at least half a century and has been the object
of study by reputable investigators, including Ivan T.
Sanderson, the founder of SITU, Dr. J. Manson Valentine and his associates, and many others who have been
investigating the phenomenon of the Bermuda Triangle
and compiling reports of survivors since before 1945, not
by telephone, but personally in the area where the incidents happened and continue to happen.
A philosopher has left us a maxim applicable to the
study of the mysterious, the unusual, or the not yet explained_ It goes as follows:
"There is a disbelief born of ignorance and
a scepticism that is born of intelligence_"
I would personally hope that Messrs. Kusche and Begg
would strive to qualify for inclusion in the second rather
than the first category.

SITUATIONS

This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained
euents. Members are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports
they feel should be included here. Remember, local newspapers often offer the best
(or only) information concerning some events. Please be sure to include the source of
reference (name of newspaper, periodical, etc.), the date the article appeared and
your membership number (or name, if you prefer to be credited that way).

MYSTERIOUS, BIG BLACK CAT

IN PLAINFIELD, ILLINOIS

March 6, 1978: Around 5:15 p.m.

William Hughes spotted a coal-black cat,
which he described as about the size of a
police dog, near the warehouse of an
industrial corporation where his wife
works as an evening security guard.
While observing the animal (for some five
minutes) from a distance of 75 or 100
yards, Hughes noted that it seemed to be
"stalking something," and did not pay
him the slightest heed. "I couldn't believe
my eyes_ I've been hunting a lot and I've
Seen all kinds of cat but nothing like this
before. This was big, and pure black," he
said.

On Wednesday, March 8, Mrs.

Hughes saw the animal across the road
from where she was on guard duty. She
called the police and the Conservation
Department after she found footprints,
which she felt may have been made by
the cat, in the snow. Each print was larger
than a size-five woman's shoe.
Mrs. Hughes again found prints matchPURSUIT, Spring 1978

e:.:-..- ----0.

ing the same description after a big snow- . an alleged Bigfoot sighting in Sussex
storm in the third week of January. When County (northern New Jersey) last year,
she discovered similar prints under a heard shrieking sounds coming from a
broken window of a company trailer, she wooded area_ The sounds, lasting for at
guessed the animal may have tried to least half an hour, could be compared to
break into the trailer.
those of a woman in pain or distress. The
The Hughes couple concluded that the local people there with JlS, upon hearing
beast, about the size of a lynx but pure the sounds, told us these were similar to
black, and smaller than an ocelot, must the screams heard during the period in
be a medium-sized black panther. The which a number of members of the famquestion remains, however: why, in ily had encountered a large bipedal hairy
northern Illinois, should such a creature creature near their house. -Editor
appear in a location where it is not known
***
to habitate?
It might also be noted that Mrs.
BIGFOOT
Hughes attributes to the animal the
The Soviet News Agency Tass claims
"high, unsettling shrieks" and noises specialists at the Yakutia Institute of Lan"almost human and resembling the guage, Literature and History have been
screams of a desperate woman," which evaluating testimony of Siberians who
were heard on three different occasions a claim to have seen the so-called "Chufew years earlier. The Hughes were told chunaa," meaning "fugitive" or "outthat cats the size they claim to have seen cast." The man-like creature has been
are known to make shrieking sounds.
seen in the vast expanse of forest, mounCREDIT: Joliet Metro East HeraldNews, 10
tains and tundra in northeastern Siberia.
March, 1978. SOURCE: Member 11985.
The creature has been varioosly deIt is interesting to note here that seuscribed: about six and a half feet tall, with
eral of us from SITU, while investigating
long arms hanging below its knees, dark

17

.~

and shaggy haired - a wild man with a

shrill voice.
Some Siberian authorities had believed the last Chuchunaas might have
died out in the 19505, when what they felt
to be the last trustworthy sighting of the
creature was made on the Adychi River.
NOw, hOWeVer, it is. supposed that the
creature may have just retreated deeper
into the desolate Verhoyansk region of
Yakutia, about 400 miles north of the city
of Yakutsk.

SOURCE: AP, 4 February, 1978. CREDIT:

Member 11466.

ICE FALL IN NEW JERSEY
Although the following event took
place several years ago, we are including
it here because the photographic evi
dence of a faDen chunk of ice is very un
common.
It was a lNarm summer evening and a
thunderstorm was approaching from the
northwest. The sky was still clear over
head, however, and the witness, who had
just gone into his kitchen after tending
the outdoor grill, was startled by a very
loud noise in his backyard. He was quite
unnerved to find that a large chunk of ice.
had faUen almost exactly at the spot upon
which he had just been standing.
The police, who were called to the
scene at 8:05 p.m. August 5,1967, said
that the chunk of ice might have weighed
25 pounds before breaking up as it landed
at the residence on Waverly Place, Long
Branch, New Jersey.
Neighbors three houses away. it was
reported, came running frorri their
homes at the sound of the impact. The
chunk of ice made an 8-inch depression
in the ground near the griD, after passing
through (and damaging) a silver maple
tree. The icecontaminated grass died.
SOURCE: The Long Branch Daily Record, Long
Branc:h,NJ, 7 August,I967. CREDIT: Member 11432.

***

Whence came the ice that Jell in New Jersey?

scientists believe that the creature, what
ever it was, might have been worth con
siderably more than the catch of fish for
which it was sacrificed. Later, sea vessels
from several nations sought in vain for
the dumped remains c;>f the creature.
SOURCE: UPI, 25 July, 1977. CREDIT: Member
#2258.

SEA CREATURE A PLESIOSAUR?

***

A Japanese Professor, Tokio

Shikama, a scholar of ancient animals at
Yokohama National University, stated
that the 44footlong sea creature (the
original report estimated a length of 32
feet) dragged up off the coast of New Zea
land by a Japanese fisherman in April of
1917 is a plesiosaur - thought to have
been extinct for more than 100 million
years. After examining color pictures of it
. brought back to Japan by the fishermen,
Dr. Shikama said it could not be a fish or
mammal. He believes PleSiOsaurus must
still roari,!the'seas off New Zealand feed
ing on fish: ..
Earlier, it had been reported that the
captain of the fishing vessel, the Zuiyo
Maru, had ordered the carcass of the sea
creature dumped overboard for fear it
might pollute his catch; but in retrospect

Residents from the vicinity of Little

Eagle, in the Standing Rock Indian Res
ervation of South Dakota, have reported
Bigfoot sightings on numerous occa
sions in late summer and fall of 1977. Var
ious witnesses have reported, among
their observations, that the creature seen
walked slumped over like "an old man"
with long arms hanging almost to its
knees, and that it left footprints indicat
ing the presence of five long toes on each
foot. (More than one creature has been
.
reported as well.)
Several persons said ;they heard
screams, or howling, particularly when
the creature was subjected to the glare of
car lights at night. Howling sounds
coming from local wooded areas have
apparently caused dogs to bark and wail
after dark. Horses and cows have shown

fright as well. One witness claimed to

have seen one of the creatures walking
about 200 yards behind a herd of running
cattle. Another witness observed one of
the large hairy creatures flee from human
approach "as fast as an antelope" as it
scampered up and down a butte.
Attempts to lure or capture the crea
ture (by hanging "Sasquatch bait" sacks
in trees) proved futile. Two of them were
allegedly sighted, however, when they
were attracted by sounds produced from
a tape recording of "screams of Sas
quatch" (made in Oregon) which were
. played by a Bureau of Indian Affairs
policeman.
SOURCE: McLaughlin Messenger, Mclaughlin,
South Dakota.

TOOTH GROWING IN
BOY'S FOOT
A youth, 13yearold Doug Pritchard of
Lenoir, North Carolina, was taken to Dr.
Amor Bouraouie on January 20, 1978, to
have a foreign object removed from his
foot. The object, reported to have caused
the boy pain for several weeks, had been
wearing out shoes worn on that foot.
'The object removed by the doctor, ina
.

PURSUIT, Spring 1978

78
rare case of genetic misdirection, was a
tooth, fully grown and with roots. Dr.
Bouraouie, it is stated, kept the tooth as a
souvenir.
Although an opposite variation of the
effect is frequently employed, this is the
first account we have of someone putting
their mouth in their foot.
CREDIT: UP!, 22 January 1978.

***

SITU member #2843, a 25-year-old

forestry student at Clatsop Community
College, took the accompanying photograph of unusual footprints in the backlands of Clatsop County, Oregon, on
November 18, 1977.
By looking carefully in the center of the
large, four-toed print (lower portion of
the photo), what appears to be a cub's
footprint can be seen. A second small
print is placed just to the right of the large
(adult) print in the center of the picture.
Our member reported that the adult
print measured 7~ by 17 inches, whereas the smaller footprint was 2 by 4 inches.

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions
ANOTHER BIGFOOT HOAX
No doubt SITU members have heard about a new film
of an alleged Sasquatch taken in the Mt. Baker area of
Washington State toward the end of last year. John
Green, Rene Dahinden and I have viewed the footage
many times. It is an obvious fake.
Frank White, the man who eventually produced the
footage, originally came to Rene last April wanting to
know all about "Bigfoot," and asking to be introduced to
Ken Cooper at the Lumni Indian Reserve. He said he
would like to cruise the roads at night (as Rene and I had
done for six weeks the year before).
Rene took him there, introduced him, and even spent a
night or two with him to show him where most of the
sightings had occurred. White and his wife then spent
several nights cruising around the reservation on their
own.
A few weeks later, they decided to rent a movie camera
and take a run up by Mt. Baker, "to film the colors of
Fall." Apparently, they decided to stop along the highway
(one of the most traveled tourist highways in the state) to
have their lunch. As they walked about 600 feet into the
woods looking for a nice place to eat, guess what stepped
right in front of their rented camera!
According to them, they hurriedly left the area, but
stopped a short way down the road to talk it over, then
returned. But, try as they might, they were unable to find
the location again. Later, at their home, Frank White told
me he thought he could now re-Iocate the spot_ Would I
like to go with him to look the area over?
I told him I certainly would, and to bring along the film
because I had a stop-frame projector and we could
therefore all study the film, frame by frame, together. By
I}OW, I ,a~r~a.dy sl.!spected the film was faked; I therefore
PURSUiT, Spring'1978

Some of the'impressions, evidently made

in soft snow which later froze, were virtually unaffected by subsequent tire
marks of a car passing over them.
Also discovered on a "salmonberry"
bush nearby were two strands of black
and brown curly hair which have been
sent to a laboratory in Portland, Oregon,
for analysis. Tree branches, said to be
too high to be easily broken by one
person, were broken between 6 and 11
feet from the ground. Also significant,
perhaps, was that no smaller prints were
found in the heavy undergrowth, which
might indicate that the little creature was
carried over the more difficult terrain by
the adult.
Our member, who escorted about 15
persons to the site, has declined to publicly disclose the location, saying, "I
would never want the responsibility of
shooting one (of the creatures) or seeing
one captured."
SOURCE: The Daily Astorian, Astoria, Oregon,
16 December 1977. CREDIT: SITU member #2843.

told him we would have to take many measurements on

location, explaining just what that meant: I had to know
exactly where White had stood, the path taken by the
creature, the height of the tree-limb under which the
creature had passed, all distances from each object, etc.
On the day we were supposed to do all this, he called
me to cancel our appointment, claiming he had to await a
phone call from a film outfit in Los Angeles - and
besides, he didn't know if he could locate the area in
question after all. What he really wanted to know was
how much we thought the film would be worth.
White is retired and lives on a pension. Like Rene, I feel
they are a funny pair. All they talk about now is money.
Green, Dahinden and I are not even interested in the film
sight, so let's let that speak for itself. What lam interested
in is receiving legitimate Sasquatch reports.
- Dennis Gates
,
'Sedro Wooley, Washington
(Members wishing to contact Mr. Gates are invited to
write: Bigfoot/Sasquatch Information Service, P_O. Box
442, Sedro Wooley, WA 98284_)

****

Patrick J. Macey, 7401 Mason Ave_, Canoga Park,

California 9P06, has once again offered SITU members
an invitation to visit with him at his home. He has a large
living room in which he shows films, of his expeditions into
Bigfoot and UFO sighting areas in Oregon and
Washington. He also has a number of expeditions
planned for this year. Interested members are invited to
contact him.
****

RENEWALS
Many members have asked us why Pursuit was not
mailed out earlier last 'time. Besid~s the 'serious weather
problems, there was anc)ther very good reason for our
late mailing. Because we are non-profit, we must make
the best use of ,our bulk mailing permit. Tha~ means that
we have to wait for renewals to come in before mailing out
the copies of our journal. It would help us all if members
would send in. their renewals by die end of the year.
.
~.

79

AMERINDS, COLUMBUS AND

THE "TEN LOST mmES"
After reading your book review of American Indian
Myths and Mysteries, (Pursuit, Volume 11, Number 1), I
am very interested in reading the book, as it may have
something to do with Columbus's voyage that will
perhaps shake orthodox thinking.
That the Amerinds speak of cataclysm and flood, and
that they are prophetic and perhaps came from Atlantis
can possibly be tied together - they may be the ten lost
tribes of the Jews.
Columbus, I am convinced, did not come from Genoa.
The Columbus that the Italians claim was the great navigator, cartologist and seaman was a simple weaver at the
age of eighteen. When Columbus first showed up in
Portugal, where he was shipwrecked, he was an experienced sailor whose ship was destroyed fighting the
Genoese fleet off Portugal. He stated he had started his
career as a cabin boy at the age of fourteen. He spoke
fluent Castilian Spanish_
To go back a ways, the word Sephardam in Hebrew
means the westernmost part of the Mediterranean Sea.
This is also called "The Gates of Hercules," beyond
which lies (lay) Atlantis. The Sephardim are one of the
surviving tribes of Jews who made up perhaps twentyfive per cent of Spain's population after the expulsion of
the Moors.
Soon after the Inquisition, Jews, too, faced expulsion.
The day chosen by Ferdinand and Isabella was August 2,
1492. Columbus had his entire crew aboard three ships at
2300 on August 1, 1492. Of the one hundred and twenty
"catholic" seamen, there was no priest, yet there was a
professional Hebrew language interpreter brought in
from Alhambra. With whom did they expect to be
speaking?
The orthodox story is that Ferdinand and Isabella
financed the voyage from Spain's treasury. It was in fact
financed bY'one Luis de Sant Angel, a Sephardic Jew who
was one of the King's most trusted officials. The Sant
Angels were the Rothschilds of their time.
Sant Angel wanted desperately now to find a new
home for the Jews. Seamen consistently told of a land to
the West where the rulers were Jewish. 'Could these
people have been the survivors of Atlantis (who could
have been the ten lost tribes) who ended up as Amerinds?
This could explain the prophetic nature of the Amerind
as well as their knowledge of the flood, cataclysm,
holocaust, purification, etc.
- E. J. Toner, Jr.
Howell, New Jersey

****
'MIND OVER MATTER' AND
'THE COSMIC HOLOGRAM'
Mr. T. B. Pawlicki's articles in the Winter, 1978, Pursuit
(Vol. 11, No.1) have interesting id,eas, .but he gets so excited he forgets to thin~' cautiously. FQr 'ins~ance, we
need more evid~pce that "f~eld: is identical to spa~e."
Time of travel is a method of measuring space. Unless
some sort of field is necessary for every motion, a roct<.
hurled across a chasm would reach the other side as soon
if there were no fields in the space as with them.
He says movement is behavior, and behavior is intelligence, although only the movements of animal muscles

are related to intelligence, which is an ability to learn, and

it is only evidenced by behavior. Not all behavior is intelligent behavior, and not all movements are behavior. Also,
if his consciousness is space or movement of objects, it is
much different from mine.
It isn't clear what the standing waves he describes do
or what it is that contracts. Where is conservation of
energy if "standing" waves are moving ~o rapidly that
they disappear? If rarefactions and re-enforcements get
closer together, the many waves would presumably unite
into one great one, since the energy is conserved.
In "The Cosmic Hologram," the type of radiation whether electromagnetic, neutrino, or what - is not specified. There seem the problems of obstruction, absorption, and especially the distances between the "atoms"
(perhaps quarks would be closer) and bodies that are
said to be out-of-phase vibrations. One can change positions of objects, but the very consistency of these objects is said to be dependent on continuous radiations
from "infinity." How do these happen to coincide
wherever an object is placed?
Do sourceless vibrations stretch tiny distances only?
Then each subatomic particle could have its own nodes
and double-crests, spinning and revolving as necessary
to form atoms and molecules. What, however, is vibrating? It isn't space, because space is needed to separate
one wave packet from another .In fact, it is needed to give
leeway for the vibrating.
The disappearance of an electron from one orbit and
appearance in another is no surprise to those of us who
believe in discontinuous motion, although one wonders
how it is proved that electrons don't simply travel at great
velocity . .I certainly agree that the notion that great velocity increases mass is mistaken.
The speculations about waves are worthwhile, but I believe we must reason carefully.
-Harry E. Mongold

****
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
We are still processing names for the new Membership Directory. Since we will be attempting to have it
ready soon, all members who would like to be included
should contact Martin Wiegler, 694 Stuyvesant Ave.,
Irvington, NJ 07111 by July 1, if possible. Give him your
membership number and address (print clearly!) and
area(s) of interest, and he will do the rest. It is hoped that
the Directory will enable members to engage in a productive exchange of information and interest. .

BOOK REVIEWS
We would like to include more of these in the pages of
Pursuit, and all members are invited to contribute. Submissions of up to 500 words, or in some cases longer, will
be considered for publication; but we prefer shorter reviews wherever possible, as this will allow more coverage
of the many new books concerning unexplained phenomena coming into print. Include the author, title, publisher and price of the work; and please be sure to specify
with your review. whether you would like us to print your
name or simply your mernhership number.
PURSUIT, Spring, 1978

80

WITCHCRAFT AND WEATHER

BOOK

REVIEW
THE HAUNTED UNIVERSE by D. Scott Rogo,
New American Library (Signet Books), New York,
N. Y., 1971, 168 pages, $1.50 (paperback).
D. S~ott Raga has written eleven previous books and
numerous articles on virtually every aspect of parapsychology. He now turns his attention to UFO's, as well
as other types of unexplained phenomena. It is Rogo's
contention that UFO researchers are generally not wellread on parapsychological matters and may fail to notice
parallels between psychic manifestations and UFO
cases.
That there is a psychic element to UFO reports (or
some of them, at least) seems undeniable. However,
Raga has perhaps assumed and speculated too much in
his attempt to explain UFOs in paraphysical terms. His
basic knowledge of the UFO subject is, in many cases,
sadly and obviously lacking. For instance, Rogo
summarizes the case for UFOs as follows: "Unlike ESP
and psychokinesis, which can be studied in the laboratory, the evidence for the existence of UFOs, miracles,
weeping pictures, and teleportation still rests only on
disjointed observations." Aside from lumping UFOs in
with more esoteric phenomena, Rogo's statement is
certainly open to question.
But just exactly what does he think UFOs are? "I have
no doubt that such things as UFOs and 'monsters' are
physical realities ... realities totally apart from our minds.
But I believe that they are psychic realities as well. These
enigmatic creatures and vehicles are haunting our planet,
but through the power 01 our minds we are imitating
them and creating more and more of them. For every
UFO that flits through the sky, many more are created by
the psyche."
One would think that, somewhere in the book, Raga
would give his opinions as to what sort of "physical
realities" may be responsible for the "real" UFOs. He
does' not. He finds the theory. of physical space vehicles
inconsistent with the evidence because "no one has ever
downed one, shot off a part of one, or captured one on
the ground. "That assertion is highly debatable, to say the
least.
In discussing the Hickson/Parker UFO abduction
case, Raga says at one point that the two fishermen were
"completely oblivious" to the other UFO reports from
the Pascagoula, Mississippi area on the night of their
experience. Yet, a few pages later, he suggests that "the
UFO activity which was prevalent that night could have
served as the prototype suggestion from which Hickson
.
molded the terrifying drama."
The book contains several other factual errors and
generally reflects Raga's unfamiliarity with his subject. By
failing to thoroughly research the UFO literature, Rage
has hurt his case, while giving us a book which seems to
be just one more quickie "pot-boiler" paperback.
- Lucius Farish
PURSUIT, Spring 1978

(Continued from page 60)

16 Code Theod. 9. 16. 3 (Clyde Pharr ed. 1952).
17 Eunapius, Vitae sophistarum: aedesius, quoted by Frazer,
Golden Bough, 1:325.
18 Lex VisigOthorum 6. 2. 4, in MOnumenta Germania
Historica [hereafter cited as MGH] (Legum, Sectio.l, Legum
Nationum Germanicarum, 19(2), 1:259; Statuta Rhispacensia
Frisingensia Salisburgensia 15, in MGH (Legum, Sectio II,
Capitularia Regum Francorum, 1883), 1:228; and Additamenta
ad Hluclowici Pii Capitularia, no. 196, inMGH (Legum, Sectio II,
Capitularia Regum Francorum, 1897), 2:45.
i9 Agobard, "liber contra insulsam vulgi opinionem de grandine et tonitruis," in Patroiogiae Latinae (J. P. Migne ed. 1864),
104:107.
20 Theodore, Liber poenitentialis, quoted by C. L'Estrange
Ewen, Witch Hunting and Witch Trials (1929), p. 2; Summa de
judiciis omnium peccatorum 7. 4, 17, in Hermann Jos ..Schmitz,
Die Bussbucher und das Kanonische Bussuer/ahren (1958),
2:480,495-96; and Excerpsus Ecgberti 4. 14, in Schmitz, 2:664.
21 Burchard of Worms, Decretum lib. 9 (Corrector) 68, in
Joseph Hansen, Quellen und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte
des Hexenwahns und der Hexenuerjolgung im Mittelalter
(1901), pp. 39, 41 [hereafter cited as Quellen).
22 Monumenta Gregoriana, in Bib/iotheca Rerum Germanicarum (Philippus Jaff~ ed. 1865), 2:412.
23 Reginald, Libellus de uita et miraculis S. Godric{ 238
(Pub. Surtees SoC'y, vol. 20, 1893), p. 253; and Marcin Kromer,
De origine et rebus gestis Poionorum (1558), p. 143.
24 De secretis, quoted in Sayed Idries Shah, The Secret Lore
of Magic (1972), pp. 120, 135.
2S J. M. Vidal, Bunaire de I'inquisition francoise au XlVe
siecle, doc. 72 (1913), pp. 118-19.
26 Johanne Nider, Formicarius 5. 4, in Quellen, pp. 88, 94-97.
27 Norman Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons (1975), pp.166-73 ..
28 S. M. L. Mathers, The Key of Solomon the King (1889);
Add. MS 10,867 (lsau Abbraha trans.), quoted by Sh"h, Secret
Lore, p. 52; Sloane MSS 2731 (1676),3648, quoted by Shah,
Secret Lore, pp. 188-89, 206, 210; and C. C. McCown, The
Testament of Solomon (1922).
29 Thomas Walsingham, Historia Anglicana (H. T. Riley ed.
1862), 2:250-51; and The Chronicle ollohn Hardyng in Metre
(1543 ed.), ch. 202, quoted by George Lyman Kittredge, Witchcrajt in Old and New England (1929), p. 156.
30 Johannes Nider, supra note 26. The same text is also
found in Jacobus Sprenger & Heinrich Kramer, Malleus Ma/eficarum (Frankfurt ed. 1600), pp. 694, 726-27.
31 Quellen, p. 17; E. William Monter, Witchcraft in France
and Switzerland (1976), p. 151 [hereafter cited as Monter); and
Quellen, pp. 459-66.
32 The Brut, or The Chronicles oj England (Early Eng. Text
Soc'y, no. 136, Friedrich W. D. Brie ed. 19(8), pp. 477-78.
33 Quellen, pp. 553-55, 556-59, 565-67.
34 Errores Gazariorum, in Quellen, pp. 118, 120; Johann
Hartlieb, Buch aller uerbotenen Kunst, Unglaubens und der
Zauberei, in Quellen, pp. 130, 132-33; La VauderyedeLyonois,
in Quellen, pp. 188, 194: and Jordanes de Bergamo, Quaestio
de strigis, in Quellen, pp. 195, 199..
3S Innocent VIII, Summa desiderates affectibus, in Quellen.
p.25.
36 Heinrich Kramer & James Sprenger, The Malleus Male/icarum (MC?ntague Summers ed. 1948), pp. 147-49.
37 Ulrich Molitor, De laniis et phitonicis mulieribus, in
Quellen, pp. 243, 245; Geiler von Kaysersberg, Emeis, in
Quellen, pp. 284, 289; Trithernius, Antipalus malefrciorurrr. in
Quellen, p. 294; and Paulus de Grillandis Castilioneus, TractaIus de hereticis et sorti/egiis, in Quellen, pp. 337, 339.
38 Quellen, pp. 586-87; William Hale Hale, A Series 01 Precedents and Proceedings in Criminal Causes (1847), pp. 36-37; .
and Quellen, pp. 592, 597-98.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
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SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chairman. Department of Anthropology. and Director. Paleo Indian Institute. Eastern New
Mexico University. (Archaeology)
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Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology. University of Alberta. Canada. (Ethno
SOCiology and Ethnology)
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Jersey. (Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott - Professor and Chairman. Department of Anthropology. Drew University. Madison. New Jersey.
(Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer. U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. (Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chairman. Department of Botany. Drew University. Madison. New Jersey. (Botany)

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. II, No.3

SUMMER, 1978

PURSUIT

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf
Assistant Editor
Steven N. Mayne
Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson
. Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J.M. Rickard
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Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artists
Britton Wilkie
Michael Hartnett
R. M. Wolf
Production
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

On the cover:
The earth. displaying some
of its many organic
weather patterns. as seen
by satellite (a NOAA photo).
grounded in a matrix
entitled "9 Ripples."
drawn by Michael Hartnell.

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF"THE UNEXPLAINED
.

FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are C;:u~tomarily Discounted

CONTENTS
Page
The Randazza (Not a) Sea Serpent Sighting
by Gary S. Mangiacopra .................................................... 82
Beamed Power for Starships
.
by William B. Stoecker ...................................................... 83
Aerial Life?
.
by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni .................................................... 84
Mutilations: Up from Obscurity
. by Jacob A. Davidson ................................................ : ..... 85
A Rejoinder to Jacob Davidson
by Jerome Clark ........................................................... 88
Derinkuyu and Other Ancient" Underground Cities
. by Dr. Ronald P. Anjard ..................................................... 89
Ancient American Underground Cities?
.
.
by Dr. Ronald P. Anjard ....................................... : ............. 90
"I:he Physics of Physics
byT. B. Pawlicki ................... : ........................................ 91
The Nailed-Down Universe .
or
Plans for the Box Box Machine
by E. Macer-Story .............................. : ........................... 94
Fortean Fakes and Folklore
by Robert Schadewald ...................................................... 98
Witchcraft and Weather Modification (Part II)
by George M. Eberhart ................................................ : ..... 101
Weather Modification and Control?
by S. N. Mayne .......................................................... 108
"Ahoy. Mate! Which Flamin' Phantom Ship Sails Thar?"
.
by Larry E. Arnold ....................... '.' ............................... 109
That Wedding Photo ........ ." ................................................... 117
Animals: Wild in the Streets ..................................................... , . 119
SITUations .................................................................... 120
These Fortean Times
by Robert JM Rickard ...................................... " .............. 123
Symposium .................................................................... 125
Book Reviews ....... : ..................... : .................................... 127

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained 1978

82

THE RANDAZlA (NOT A) SEA SERPENT SIGHTING

By Gary s. Mangiacopra

both vessels viewed the object only through binoculars,

however, as the waters were too dangerous to take a boat
into.
John Testaverde, one of the crew-members aboard the
Debbie Rose both times that the marine creatures were
sighted, failed to see the object the second time (29 April),
as he was not on deck ~t the time of the sighting. His brother, Mr. Sal Testaverde, a 'former fisherman and now a
member of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission and Chief
Biologist at the New England Aquarium in Boston. and
who was quoted by a newspaper at that time, stated his
opinion that the "monster" Sighted a week earlier was
probably a whale. 23
These were the "facts" as printed by the' local newspapers of Gloucest.er.

A rlo'cIo'nt issue of Yankee magazine contained a brief

Ilwnlion of the noted New England monster (sea serpent
sightings have occurred near Cape Ann. Massachusetts.
owr the past 300 years). Included with these sightings of
"thlo' monster" was a 1975 incident. in which Captain
John Randazza and several members of the Fishing boat
Debbie Rose claimed to have seen the famed creature in the
Middle -Banks. 15 miles southeast of Gloucester. Massachusetts.
That's how the incident was reported at the time in the
local newspapers: and that's how it came to be accepted
as an actual sighting of a sea serpent. But was it really one?1
By chance. during May 1976. I came across a brochure
describing the historical background of Gloucester. MassaThis sea serpent sighting interested me greatly for sevchusetts. Among the facts presented was mention of the
infamous Gloucester sea serpents. reportedly seen since' eral reasons: 1) it was a very recent sighting, 2) there were
1639. One of the sentences related to those sea serpent multiple witnesses, 3) the witnesses were from the local
reports startled me somewhat. as I had not previously region (Gloucester)., and 4) there was a high probability
learned of it elsewhere. On April 29, 1975, the brochure that I could locate the witnesses and that I could get their
noted. Captain John Randazza (a commercial fisherman personal accounts of the sighting. This would be better
for 20 years) of the fishing boat Debbie Rose was the latest than relying upon the information published in the local
seafarer to see Gloucester's famous marine denizen.
newspapers.
The few facts mentioned in this single line served as a
Regretfully, when I attempted to contact Captain Ranbase for further research. When I inquired at the local Iib- dazza [ received a reply from his daughter, Ms. Ann-Marie
rary in Gloucester (in the event that the local newspaper Randazza. informing me that one of the newspaper articles
may have published accounts of the sightings) I received which had been published contained errors and misprints
. back two local newspaper accounts which gave me some (the article in question had listed Captain Randazza's
name incorrectly as "Favazza"). which had upset the
additional leads to check out.
A condensation of the sequence of reported events whole family, adding that her father was unwilling to discuss the subject. She' wrote: " ... my father doesn't like to
follows:
Wednesday. 11:00 a.m. April 29. 1975. fifteen miles be reminded of the humiliation he went through during
southeast of Gloucester on Middle Bank: weather condi- his sighting. He. as a matter of fact, wishes never to be retions: bright sun. calm waters. clear visibility: Captain John minded of it ever again.'"
Due to the ridicule that he had received. it would have
Randazza. of the fishing vessel Debbie Rose, looked out
of the pilot house and saw. a mile away. a large black been futile on my part to further impose upon Captain
Randazza. My investigative efforts would have ended
object that he and his crew thought to be a whale.
On closer inspection it wasn't, and the 66 foot dragger here had it not been for the time. consideration and inforDebbie Rose came to within eight feet of the animal on its mation supplied by his cousin. Mr. Sal T estaverde.
I contacted Mr. Testaverde through the New England.
starboard side before the marine creature saw them and
turned right around (heading southwest) and came directly Aquarium at Boston and [ discovered that he had done
towards them. The crew of the vessel reportedly retreated considerable research into the incident (several members
of the crew on the Debbie Rose were relatives). and was
to safety.
Captain Randazza described the sea monster as having very generous in supplying me information as to the cora black color. with three humps (on its back). smooth rather rect.facts (rather than the ones reported) concerning this
than scaly skin. large barnacles on its pointed head (which ."sea serpent" sighting.
Although the date and location of the sighting was corprotruded from the water, with a white line around the
mouth). and small discernible eyes. The animal. which rect as stated, many of the "facts" .reported by the newsswam sideways like a snake and sank down like a rock papers were not.
The report that the crew "retreated." for example. was
when it dove. appeared to have a length greater than that
of the Debbie Rose (66 feet). and a circumference of incorrect. The boat was "under tow" (the other fishing net
~bout 15 feet. Although whales were in evidence around was still overboard at the time). and it was unable, therefore. to turn around as qUickly as indicated.
the marine animal. they were not swimming with it.
Also. John Testaverde. who was reported below deck
A week prior to this sighting. a similar creature was
sighted on Stellwagen. some 18 miles southwest of Glou- and therefore did not observe the animal in question. did,
cester, by the Debbie Rose and another Gloucester vessel: in actuality, see the animal and later drew a picture of it.~
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

83
Sal Testaverde, in several responses to my letter, sent
me the results of his investigation [words in brackets are
my own. and are included for clarification - G.S.M.).
The unidentified animal that my cousin [John
Randazza) had reported was in fact a Black Right
whale. That same day another vessel also had seen
the same animal but instead (of observing from a
distance only! went over to investigate. Line drawings provided much information, as well as the existing blowholes.
My brother [John Testaverde), also on the vessel
that was "attacked" made me line drawings, and
when he was showed a picture (of a similar creature)
stated: "That was it'" Recently (during 1976), my
brother (while on our family's vessel) spotted another
whale and. (by using) a whale book (for identification purposes). positively identified it as a Black Right
whale and as the "sea monster" my cousin had
(earlier) reported ... b
He (Joh!1 Testaverde) made a line drawing of the
animal ... and I would say, based upon the general
characteristics drawn. [that] it was a whale. The other
line drawing. made by a captain (who is a very good
artist), was also (that of] a whale and was considered
to be the animal in question [seen] at 11:00 a.m.
(29 April 1975).
From all of the above drawings as well as speaking
with at least four of the Debbie Rose crew members.
(what was observed) was a whale. 5

Thus the Randazza sighting of the infamous Gloucester

sea monster has. upon careful investigation and examina
tion of the facts, been identified as a species of whale rather
than an unknown marine animal.
The researcher of marine cryptozoology must always
remember that. when dealing with recent accounts of sea
serpents or other unknown water monsters, he must try
to investigate the incidents thoroughly in order to acquire
all possible information to either sustain or discredit such
sightings!
In closing. I would like to acknowledge my thanks to
Mr. Sal Testaverde, Chief Biologist at the New England
Aquarium in Boston. who allowed me the privilege of
using his unpublished findings. and whose help and criticism contributed to the completion of this article. Thanks
is due also to Ms. Ann-Marie Randazza of Gloucester.
Massachusetts, for her contribution.
REFERENCES
1 "Another Noted New England Monster." Yankee. November
1977. Dublin. N.H. p. 212.
2 "70-00t Serpent Startles Crew." 30 April llJ75 Gloucester
Daily Times. Gloucester. Massachusetts.
3 "It Was Not a Whale! the Captain Said." :n May 1975 Glou
cester Daily Times (?) .
.
4 Ms. Ann-Marie Randazza. private communication. 2 Decem
ber 1976.
5 Mr. Sal Testaverde. private communication. June llJ77.
6 Ibid. 14 December 1976. ~

BEAMED POWER FOR STARSHIPS

By William B. 'Stoecker
It is now generally accepted that if civilization somehow
manages not to self destruct Man will reach the planets
within the next few decades. The technology of spaceflight
is progressing steadily. and space shuttles. scramjets.
laser powered "steamships." ion drive. plasma drive. and
photon sails can take us to Mars. Venus. and the outer
planets. But. confronted by the vast gulf of over four light
years to the "nearest" star. even many of the most optimistic scientists and engineers feel hopeless.
.
It is all very well for science fiction writers to speak of
antigravity. but no one has the slightest idea whether or
not antigravity is even possible. We can talk of space warps
or wormholes in space. but the existence of such phenomena has not yet been proven. We can consider putting
crew members in suspended animation for a journey centuries in length. but. again. the possibility of this has not
yet been proven.
The space ark is one proposal that is theoretically possible - a huge spaceship. spinning to create the effect of
gravity. with generations of crew members being born.
living. and dying on a voyage lasting hundreds of years.
But such a project would be enormously expensive and.
obviously. time consuming.

The only theoretically possible alternative to the ark is

the spacecraft traveling at near light speed. but this is easier
said than done. It takes ener!=!v to approach li!=!ht speedlots of energy. To accelerate a hundred ton ship to near
light speed. one hundred tons of mass would hdve to be
converted to energy and all that energy somehow used at
one hundred percent efficiency to propel the ship. But
the most efficient nuclear reaction we (almost) know how
to achieve. hydrogen fusion. only converts about one percent of the propellant mass to energy. And once that
energy is released. no known propulsion system can use
it with anything even remotely approaching one hundred
percent efficiency. And of course the fuel itself must be
carried on board. and part of the fuel must be "burned"
to accelerate the rest of the fuel. and so on. Nor is this the
worst of it. It is not enough merely to accelerate to near
light speed and go cruising away across the universe.
When the ship nears its destination it must decelerate.
using as much energy as it did to accelerate. And the
whole process must be repeated to return to Earth. Ob
viously. things are getting next to impossible.
Nor is solar energy the answer. At one gravity of accel
eration (anything more for a prolonged period is a bit unhealthy for the crew) it takes over a year to approach light
speed. and by then the ship would be one half light year
from the sun - if it could get enough energy to continue
accelerating. But of course it could not. Long. long before
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

84
the year was up. before the ship reached even a minute
fraction of light speed. it would be too far from the sun to
get enough energy to continue accelerating.
But there is an answer: beamed power. coupled with
ion drive. It cannot be done with present day technology.
but it is a theoretical possibility. and requires only what is
commonly called a "straightforward extension of presentday technology."
Present day lasers cannot beam power at interstellar
distances. but within a few decades it,should be possible
to build lasers capable of operating continuously for years
and sending powerful beams precise enough to maintain
their coherence at a distance of light years. The chief technical difficulty will be attaining the necessary precision.
One or more lasers. mounted on space stations orbiting
the sun. and powered by solar energy. could power the
starship.
Ion drive uses a stream of charged particles to achieve
thrust. Present day ion drive units have a low thrust. not
enough to accelerate a ship at one gravity. and the particles
move at a relatvely low speed. To accelerate the particles
to near light 'speed (this is necessary to avoid having to
use an inordinately large propellant mass) presently requires massive linear accelerators: but theoretically. within a few decades. it should be possible to build relatively
lightweight ion drive units capable of doing this. If the
charged particles are accelerated to a very high velOCity.
their mass increases a great deal. so a relatively small
amount of propellant could drive the ship to and from a
maximum speed approaching that of light.

Imagine. then. the scene early in the next century.

Orbiting the sun is the starship. containing a large tank of
propellant (perhaps cesium). driven by an ion thruster.
and equipped with an energy collector - a photoelectric
cell array. or a thermionic converter. The ship has crew
quarters and hydroponic gardens. Miles away is the laser.
mounted on a large space station equipped with a vast
power unit covering an area of many square miles. The
laser is turned on. its beam invisible and silent in the vacuum
of space. The ion drive sends Qut a barely visible .stream
of plasma. The stars hip moves out into the night.
The journey lasts for years. with the steady acceleration
and (later) deceleration producing the effect of one gravity.
The beam that carries power may also carry a signal.
communications from Earth. The stars hip sends back a
much weaker signal beam of its own. Years pass between
qu~stions and answers.
When the ship approaches the alien star it leaves the
laser beam and maneuvers in the system using solar energy from the star. Interesting planets are orbited. probes
are sent down. and perhaps a manned scout ship. When
the time comes to return to Earth the ship will rendezvous
with the laser beam and begin its homeward acceleration.
Of course. by the time anyone can build anything like
this we probably will have antigravity ships flying through
spacewarps. But the pOint is that the stars can be reached.
And if we can go there. they (I assume there is someone
out there somewhere) can come here. ~

AERIAL LIFE?

underlJJater support. others are free and carried about by

currents: all reproduce with spores. 4
An analogous "aerial sac" could feed on air-suspended
micro-organisms which it could scoop as the winds transport it ",round the upper atmosphere (autotrophy should
not be discarded either. especially in view of the very
limited energy requirements such an organism wou!d
have). while, again, its reproduction could be through
spores.
As for their means of suspension. very likely a balloontype mechanism should be envisaged. The sac could be
full of an air somewhat hotter than the external atmosphen~ as a consequence of heat generated by body metabolism. Or. those hypothetical beings could posseSs floating
cavities filled with, for example. hydrogen or helium, either
generated by appropriate organs (by electrolysis, maybe?)
or separated from the surrounding air through the agency
of semipermeable membranes.
The luminosity occasional.ly associated with them could
easily be a case of biological phosphorescence, not unlike
the capabilities of many commonplace species, from fireflies to deep sea fishes.
While admittedly all the above is pur~ speculation, it
has the advantage not to invoke in any way any "extraterrestrial" hypothesis while not rejecting outright the
"UFO phenomenon" as an illusion, as is often done. This
makes it a rather more workable theory than most. because the objective probability of the existence of "extraterrestrial life" (sentient or not. intelligent or not) is by all
standards exceedingly sl(m - at least in our immediate
cosmic neighborhood. The Viking's (1976) negative finds
on Mars would seem to confirm this.

By Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni

One of the least spoken-of speculations about UFOs is
that concerning the possibility that they are not artificial
flying ob.Jp.cts. but living things. Such an idea. proposed
originally (as far as the Author knows) by Trevor James in
19SH.' has been developed in some detail at a later date
by I. T. Sanderson: but that was (always as far as the
Author knows) the last time anything has been written
about it. Sanderson speculated that they might be living
beings having outer space as habitat, and that they occaSionally penetrated the Earth's atmosphere. 2 It is intended
here to carryon. in a brief fashion. a line of reasoning
analogous to Sanderson's.
The idea that in the same way as there are living things
on Earth adapted exclUSively to terrestrial or aquatic life.
there is no a priori impediment wherebv there should not
be any that lead an exclusively aerial life. (One such possibility was presented fictionally. but in considerable detail.
by Hal Clement in Close to Critical').
Here on Earth. a perfect model for such a type of hypotheticallife can be drawn from marine biology. Poriphera
and coelentherata are beings formed essentially by a
water-filled sac. with a forward and a rear opening and
that feed on whatever organisms chance to be carried by
the water close to their "mouths." Some are fixed to SOl)1e
PUHSUIT. Summer 197H

85
REFERENCES
1 Trevor James. They Live in the Sky (New Age. Los Angeles.
1958).
2 I. T. Sanderson. UFO: Visilatori dal Cosmo (Edizione
Mediterranee. Roma. 1974).

:i Hal Clement. Close 10 Critical (Ballantine. New York. 1(75).

4 On poriphera and coelentherata. see any standard treatise or
textbook on invertebrate or general zoology. The Author has
consulted: A. Camero & J. Rose: ZoologlO General (Fundaci6n
Eugenio Mendoza. Caracas. 19(1).

MUTILATIONS: UP FROM OBSCURITY

By Jacob A. Davidson
Perhaps one of the more' fascinating areas of inquiry
open to Forteans is the subject of cattle mutilations and
mysteriOUS animal killings in general. During the years
1973-1976. this rather rancid phenomenon had the
audaCity to impose itself with an openness and intensity
unparalleled in the history of Forteana. There has since
been a "calming" of this weirdness but it refuses to bid us
adieu. Cases of nocturnal depradations continue to creep
into the papers. eventually finding their way into the wet
and clammy hands of us dozen or so connoisseurs of
mysteriOUS mute lore.
Attention to this phenomenon has given rise to much
speculation as to its origins. The most not~le attempt.
based upon the testimony of prison inmates Albert Kenneth Bankston and Dan Duggin. resulted in the issuance
of the Flickinger Report l which placed the blame for the
"removal of cow vulvas and bull dongs" (our thanks to Ed
Sanders for this description) on some obscure occult
group hell-bent on malevolence. Needless to say. this report. along with some pretty spooky stories of occult-ritual
misbehavior. caused much paranoia throughout law
enforcement circles in the midwest.
The Flickinger Report appeared to placate many UFO
researchers who were unable (or unwilling) to handle the
intrusion of more "weirdness" into an already overtaxed
ufological arena: especially since there appeared to be a
growing sense of "legitimization" occurring in the public
mind concerning the UFO phenomena. possibly due to
that gr~nddaddy of UFO flaps in 1973. Even Dr. J. Allen
Hynek. who had some responsibility for the Flickinger inquiry. appeared to embrace the findings of the report
with open arms. Recently. though. perhaps due to mutecreature-ufo reports investigated by ex-CIA agent. Brad
Ayers. investigator for the Center for UFO Studies 2 and
undoubtedly the persistent reports of aerial anomalies in
the vicinity of mute occurrences. Dr. Hynek has tempered
his initial reluctance to engage the mute problem. While
visiting Seattle during February of this year (1978)
Robert Gribble. Director of Phenomena Research and I
had occasion to meet with Dr. Hynek at which time he
acknowledged an interest in the mutilation phenomenon.
"There certainly is no ordinary. common-sense. scientific
explanation for it. We've got to go afield. "3
Among the many others who accepted the occult angle
as presented in the Flickinger findings were such notables
as Jerome Clark and Loren Coleman. Both researchers
had had an excellent running knowledge of the cow-killer

phenomenon. a good historical perspective. weli aware

of the contemporary mute scene. a history of interaction
with informant Alber~ Kenneth Bankston' and a good
appreCiation for the psycho-social "peculiarities" that
appear to be inherent within a phenomenon such as this.
With all of this background. both Clark and Coleman
went ahead and accepted Flickinger's report as "the final
word." I have often puzzled over this "position" of theirs
and hope that sometime in the near future they' may be
able to shed some light on this matter.
Another suspect for surgery on the range is the Government. The major exponent of this theory is Ed Sanders.
recipient of (in his own words) "My Very Own lingue
Bovina Excisa" (ah. cut cow's tongue) sent via Sacramento. California. gratis. ~ Sanders feels that a "rogueelement" within the government is responsible for these
occurrences - meandering about the countryside in
large vans that serve to house those mysteriOUS denizens
of the sky. THE UNMARKED BU\CK HELICOPTER.
And yes. they do carry with them various strains of Clostridia virus for testing on our friends. the four-Ieggeds. I think
Sanders makes a pretty good case for this - but only up to
a point. He has been unable to explain the presence of "peripheral elements" such as non-reaction by animals near the
recipient of cow-cutting. predator avoidance of mutilated
carcasses. the presence of soundless unidentified helicopters
(as well as nocturnal lights). hairy creature activity near
some areas of mutilations. the overwhelming geographical
distribution of mutes. vs. the needed ground support. and
perhaps most staggering of all. the total lack of eye-witness
accounts of a mutilation in progress.
No harm is meant to those whom I have playfully criticized. They have all done great work in the field. but it
intrigues me to see Forteans strive for an imposed sense
of order in an arena full of Chaos.
The Mutilation Phenomenon appears to be multifaceted. It seems to contain within itself all potential explanations: the occult. the government. the predator. the"
UFO. the paranormal possibilities: they're all there. waiting
to reflect a particular perspective.
Still. it is always important to do research. to investigate. to theorize. With this in mind I would like to add to
the strain by engaging a little history.
I have often wondered how extensive are reports of
mysterious animal killings and mutilations in recent history.
It seems that if there is historical precedence to this anomaly at least one of the "suspects" - government involve-ment - could be given a lesser position in the hierarchy
of possible explanations. I was aware of Fort's attention
to this matter via his collected works. but wanted cases
PURS[}fT. Summer J978

86
from 'Other sources that have generally remained obscure.
Thanks to my friend Rod Dyke, I was able to obtain xeroxed
copies of Tiffany Thayer's magazine, Doubt, The Fortean
Society Magazine, a rather miserable publication which
made its first appearance in September of 1937 and ended
with issue number 61 (Spring 1959). Thayer's lack of
attention to detail and his tendency toward presumption
was painful to wade through but the issues of Doubt did
manage to yield some interesting animal mutilation and
bizarre animal killing reports that have not seen the light
of day for quite some time.
The following extracts are delivered in chronological
order ~ccording to their presentation in Doubt. They are
given here verbatim. I have not attempted to "pair" an
original report with a "follow-up" story that may have
appeared in successive issues of the magazine. The reader
can do this for him/herself.
1. "Something about the size of a Great Dane" killed
(1-29-37) eighteen sheep by breaking their necks. For
details write Clarence Noon, Philadelphia, New York. 6
2. "Animal" accused of killing poultry around Verona,
California, was shot (2-13-36). "Of a flame-red color,
5 feet long, shaped roughly like a pig, with forefeet like
a bear and hind feet like a duck. Its incisor teeth were
over two inches long." L. A. Herald-Examiner. 7
3. "Vigilantes" searched (11-1-37) around Morrison.
III .. for a "huge wild anima1" which eluded them but left
large tracks. 8
.
4. "Terror spread" in Mobile. Alabama, when "ordinarily reputable" negroes (the Alabama equivalent of
"usually well-informed sources") reported (1-29-38) that
a "thing" dubbed the "Frankenstein of Fisher's Alley"had been appearing and disappearing for 48 hours. No
description is given but it frightened' negro ladies leaving
church. It was said that "bullets bounced off the monster's
shell-like exterior."
The police "clung" to their original theory "that it might
be a swamp bear. a wild dog or wildcat. "9
5. In Columbus. Ohio. a "thing" gnawed (4-29-38)
a bone in a backyard. Described as: "the size of a dozen
cats, head and feet large, fur gray with yellow stripes." It
left footprints no one there could identify. It "ate" bark
from trees. '"
6. A "slasher" cut (or did not cut) 13 people in the
West Riding area the first week in December 1938. British
police put a stop to that nonsense by prosecuting the
people who reported being attacked! - Convicting them.
too. what's more. The papers finally decided there never
had been a ripper. and all the stories were false. Brit.
Corr."
7. . .. "For weeks" something had been "chewing up
hound dogs" and making frightful sounds at night in
woods near Glastonberry, Conn. A posse was formed
which ...:... with the help of the Freeprez - turned the
thing into a low comedy reminiscent of.a Shriner's convention. They were hunting a "Glowakus" - and had so
much fun doing it they kept it up nearly two weeks.
By that time the hi-jinks had calmed the countryside
and whatever had been making the trouble had f1edprobably repulsed by the spectacle of his hunters. '2
8. Dead sheep and lambs in such numbers as to raise
the wrath of farmers in "many parts" of England against
"killer dogs" were reported by Ton:t Elsonder. M.F.S ..
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

4-10-43, and an almost identical datum comes 10-17-43

from Curtis Cramer, M.F.S., in which the slaughter covers
Grand Island. in the Niagara River between Buffalo and
Niagara Falls. The American story describes the gUilty as
"one or two packs of wild dogs." Neither yarn is sufficiently
circumstantial-to reveal whether "dogs" are assumed from
the fact of dead farm animals being found. or if dogs were
actually seen.'J
9. Dr. M. Gann thinks there's a 12-foot ape in Brazil
although "zoologists ... deny the existence of any kind
of ape in South America." In the Goyas district. cattle are
"slain," "terrific roars" are heard. a native was torn to
pieces. and 21-inch ape-shaped footprints are found. 14
10. This time it's "Montie the Monster." In the Sheep's
Hill section of Pennsylvania. five miles north of Pottstown. something which "(a) screams like a panther, (b)
barks like a dog, (c) wails like a banshee and (d) laughs
like a hyena." had been - 11-14-45 - raiding hen houses
and "snarling at children coming home from school" for
the previous ten days.
The journalistic insistence upon taking it all lightly assumes this form in lieu of description: "Those who claimed
(sic) to have seen Montie (sic) described him in odd shapes,
various colors and a hodge-podge of features . . . It was
agreed, however. that he possesses a most magnificent
tail. "'~
11. An unidentified beast was roaming Wildcat Hollow. near Latrobe. Pa., 9-8-45. "About four feet tall.
weighing 100 pounds. it broke up a corn-roast by leaping
into the crowd" and "grabbing two ears of corn."'b
12. MFS Elsonder is chiefly exercised by what is called
a "stag". killing sheep near South Brent, Devon_ Called a
"rogue" and an "outlaw," "about the size of a Dartmoor
pony," identification was far from certain (3'-28-46). and
guns appear to have as little effect upon him as the hard
names. The Western Morning News states that "the presence of a stag in the district has not been heard of before
and it is a mystery where this animal could have come
from."'7
13. . .. ReynoldsNews. 4-28-46. (a full month after
Elsonder's notice): "The hunt goes on for the giant Alsatian dog - silver grey with a black streak on its backwhich is believed to be responsible for the deaths of over
60 sheep on the Yorkshire moors between Keighley and
Colne .....
14. About July 25. 1946. one J. L. Applegate of Flat
Rock was visiting Indianapolis. presumably at the home
of his brother-in-law. Willard Tollinger. and from Mr.
Applegate the papers learned that Ray Rush and George
Gearhart (perhaps seven persons in all) had seen - on
July 19 - a snake about 20 feet long "coiled up in shallow
water about a mile and a half from Swinging Bridge" (over
the Flat Rock River?). Gearhart had seen "tracks" (of a
jug perhaps) "a few weeks ago." in a corn field near Norristown. four miles from Flat Rock (both in Sherlby County).
Dale Pherigo. postmaster of Flat Rock. has heard the
tale before and never fully believed it. NotWithstanding.
pigs and other small animals were missing.
On August 4. from Petersburg (100 miles away) came
word that Glennie Craig's cat had disappeared - with
snake tracks! - two miles south of Otwell. and about six
miles north~ast of Cato (in the direction of Flat Rock) .
This was too much for the Indiana papers, so that when

87
an unidentified creature which "cried like a baby" - and
killed livestock - was reported near Lebanon (about 65
miles from Flat Rock - with Indianapolis between).
newsmen were sent to get a pronouncement fromguess who? The State Entomologist. Frank Wallace. no
kidding. And Wallace came up with the answer it wanted:
"No such animal." (August 13-14 papers).
August 25: The "terrorizing". of Lebanon vicinity had
continued two weeks. Mrs. Lulu Brownlee had heard the
"weird sound like a baby crying." and Harry McClain. a
hunter. age 64. had been engaged to kill or capture the
beast. called "feline." Twelve hens had disappeared.
Leonard Hawkins joined the hunt. 19
15. When something began "crying and screaming
like a baby" near Pottstown. Pa .. it was identified as "a panther. a puma. a wild Chow dog. a bear and a black fox."
Nov. 14. 1945. 20
16. February 14. 1946. INS reported from Coatesville.
Pa .. a "monster described as a cross between a giraffe.
a dog and a deer. that wails like a woman."21
17. July 31. 1946. the "ang~y peasants" of Valais. in
the Swiss Alps were chaSing one. variously described.
"possibly even a wild man." "which in the last few weeks
has slaughtered 70 sheep. goats. and cows": all at night.
in the Valley of Loesche. above the town of Sierre. The
throat of the victim is slashed but the corpse is never
eaten. 22
18. The "stag" which MFS Elsonder continues to stalk
by correspondence. simply ceased his depredationsl>and
went home. wherever that may be - perhaps to Sweden
by rocket. But another terror of the fold set out on a murderous career about May 31. in the Masham. Colsterdale.
Nidderdale. Coverdale. and Warfedale area. By June 10.
at least 60 sheep were killed. and hundreds of men were
hunting the guilty "dog" - called a "ghost" dog. Farmer
Russell. no relation. of Iiton. was first to see it. and he
said it was bigger than an Alsatian.
The slaughter increased (in the Daily Mail) to 120 sheep
and lambs by June 11. and 200 men were hunting. Bya
whimsy of coincidence. on June 12. a "Mr. Frank Buck.
of Harmby" joined the hunt.
By the llJ:th. 'the hunters were getting sore. but sticking
to their guns. The York Post modestly counted 82 dead
sheep in 14 days. June 15 - a dog was seen and shot atbut he got away. By the 17th. the army of hunters had
reached 1000 and the British Army was aiding with radio
equipment. principally to keep the Nimrods from killing
the Frank Bucks and vice versa. Two people claimed to
have hit the beast on the 17th. but he remained at large ...

The dead sheep count now at 110.

On June 18th. Police-Constable C. Jackson. of North
Riding. stationed at Askrigg. met a gigantic Alsatian on a
railroad track and shot it dead. It measured 5 feet 8 inches.
weighed 5 1/2 stone. and the photo published in exultation
shows a beast which must have bee'n formidable before it
was shot. The lost sheep now total 134.
June 19. headline in the Yorkshire Post: HUNT FOR
SECOND DOG ON MOORS ... "It was after the Alsatian
had been killed that this second animal was seen coming
off the moors . . . the Alsatian already dead had no
wounds."23
19. On 9- 24-46 at Momence. III.. clear across the
state from Oquawa. and much closer to Lebanon. Ind ..
some critter had appeared three times. clawing one dog
to death .... 24
20. Near Carthage. Tenn .. just before 11-12-46. "a
strange-looking animal with a roar like a lion" preying on
livestock. Farmers were content. according to the AP.
when they had killed "a big red dog."25
21. Near Wapello. Iowa. on Christmas day. last. a
"lion" thought to have been released by a carnival "tired
of footing big meat bills." attacked a dog and his farmer.
Also seen by the local Presbyterian pastor but it was a
'panther" if you'lI take his word for it. 2b
22. On January 3. the gunners of Columbus Junction.
Iowa. near Wapello. set out to follow "lion" tracks in the
snow. 27
23. About 11 o'clock Sunday night. 1-15-17 FS. at.
Eden. N. Y. near Buffalo. a "panther" screamed and left
tracks. The screams have been heard before but nobody
has seen the cat. 28
24. Thirty-five lambs on the golf course of Hawera.
New Zealand. were killed in one night "by the neat severance of the sinews at the back of the neck and a deep
incision in a spot just behind the shoulders." Little blood
in evidence. Buffalo Courier-Express. 3-13-47. 2q
25. Something called a "bear-man" wearing clothes
and carrying a knife. was cutting up farm animals near
Thessalon.Ont. July 12.30
26. Something hairy with a flesh-colored face was
frightening folks around Charlotte. Mich. July 14.31
27. Kelly Chamandy. "naturalist." offered a reward of
$100 for the capture of a giant bird. jet black. with yellow
eyes. "the size of silver dollars." huge talons and a hooked
beak "large enough to carry off a small cow." Kelly saw it.
he said. and farmers say it has been preying on live-stock.
Ramore. Onto April 17.:12

REFERENCES
1 Flickinger. Donald E.. "Intelligence
information re: occuli activities throughout the United States," -Submitted April
10. 1975 (12 pages)
2 Ayers. Bradley Earl. "The Thing That
Stalks The Game Preserve." Fate. December 1977. pp. 38-46.
3 Casey. Jim. "UFO Expert Ponders
Animal Mutilations." Everett. Wa. Herald.
March 3. 1978
4 Interaction in the form of correspon
dence

5 Sanders. Ed. "The Mutilation Mystery." Oui Magazine. Sept. 1976. p. 114
6 Doubt. No.3 (Jan. 1940) pg.13. col.1
7 ibid
8 ibid
Y ibid
10 ibid
11 ibid
12 ibid
13 Doubt. No.9, p. 4. col. 2

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Doubt. No. 12. p. 178m col. 1

Doubl. No . 14. p. 203. col. 3
ibid. p. 204. col. 1
Doubt. No. 15. p. 219. col. 3
ibid. p. 220. col. 1
Doubt. No. 16. p. 236. col. 2-3
ibid
ibid
ibid
ibid. p. 237. col. 1-2

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

88
24
25
26
27

Doubt. No. 17. p. 260. col. 3

Doubt. No. 18. p. 273. col. 3
ibid
ibid. p. 274. col. 1

28
29
30
31

ibid
ibid
Doubt. No. 30. p. 43. col. 2
ibid

32 Doubt. No. 34. p. 108". col. 2

A REJOINDER to Jacob' Davidson

that's a long story which I may tell in all its lurid .detail
some day.
Suffice it to say. when Don Flickinger. Brad Ayers and
When. he asks why I at one time took.Donald Rickinger's
I interviewed Bankston we all found him impressive. Later
report to be "the final word" on the cattle mutilations
on. we found out also. at least according to people who
mystery. Jacob Davidson (a researcher for whom. by the
had known him a long time. that the man is something of
way. I have the highest respect) may unwittingly have
a pathological liar. Yet enough of his story stood upanswered his own question. As he says. I "had had an
and was substantiated by other people I met later who
excellent running knowledge of the cow-killer phenomhad never heard of Bankston - to persuade me that
ena [sic). a good historical perspective. well aware of the
there is every reason to believe a murderous Satanist uncontemporary mute scene. a history of interaction with
derground exists in this c.ountry and that it occaSionally
informant Albert Kenneth "Bankston and a good appreengages in animal and human sacrifices. Bankston apciation for the psycho-social 'peculiarities' that appear to
parently based his story (freely embellishing it with his
be inherent within a phenomena [sic] such a.s this."
own fertile imaginings) on prison yard talk about such an
organization, many of whose members are hardened
THE PRECISION PROBLEM
criminal types.
It was precisely because of my "good historical perspecLate in December 1974 a certain individual from Mintive." e~. al.. that I recognized mutilations as a new and
neapolis brought UFOs into the mutilations pictureunprecedented phenomenon. I am surprised that Davidsomething I had tried to do some months earlier but withson has missed the obvious point that not a single one of
out success. He said specifically that a mutilation near
Kimball. Minnesota. was caused by extraterrestrial interthe reports he cites has any similarity - beyond. of cQurse.
the fact that both involve the killing of animals - to modem
lopers who'd nailed the animal with a laser-beam. It turned
out that the "investigator" had never bothered to talk with
mutilations. (The incidents are more properly tied to the
the farmer on whose land the incident had occurred. If he
depradations of mystery animals. for which there is ~
great deal of precedent.) Today's mutilations. by way of
had troubled to do so, he would have discovered that the .
contrast. appear to be precise operations, with parts of
allegedly mysterious ground markings on which he'd
based his theory had a very clear and thoroughly munbodies surgically removed, the blood drained neatly and
dane cause.
.
cleanly, and so on. So far as I know, nothing like this has
ever been reported in the Fortean literature before (with
Not long afterwards I found out that the individual in
the possible exception of some late-1960s West Virginia
question had distinguished himself earlier by claiming to
have discovered an ET laser device while hunting for
incidents cited by John Keel in The Mothman Prophecies).
That did not stop me, naturally. from immediately susBigfeet in the Pacific Northwest. He also claimed to be on
close personal terms with a number of Bellingham. Washpecting a Fortean cause when I first heard of mutilations
through an incident which occurred near my home town of
ington, Bigfeet. who had entertained him in their homes
while explaining their relationship to the lost people of
Canby, 'Minnesota, in November 1973. Reading the story in
Atlantis.
the town weekly, I thought that if I investigated it I would
But the Kimball yarn seemed to get everybody going
quickly find certain clues (mysterious lights. power outages
or whatever) that would link it with UFOs or other Fortean
and pretty soon the UFO pulps and tabloids were i(\aded
manifestations. Though my research took me through three
with speculation, based on the flimsiest conceivable "eviarea counties and I interviewed numerous people (finding
dence." that ufonauts were busily collecting cow vulvas
out along the way that other mutilations had taken place
and bull dongs. These theorists did not seem to feel they
several months earlier). I uncovered nothing of the sort.
had to establish any kind of one-on-one cause; it was sufThen I heard about the cattle-cuttings in Kansas a month
ficient for them that a UFO (or. at any rate, some sort of
aerial object) had appeared within 50 miles of the killing
or two later and spent some considerable time on the phone
anywhere from a week before to a week after the carcass
running down cops. farmers. politicians. veterinarians, and
others who were involved with the matter in one way or . had been found. I remember that several enthusiasts got
quite angry with me because I refused to accept any of
another. Again. no hints of paranormal forces at work.
this as proof --:- proof. at any rate. of anything beyond
though I did hear a few scattered reports of mystery helirampant wishful thinking and rank credulity.
copters which mayor may not be Fortean-related. There
But at last I had to agree that something awfully damned
were two or threecases. however. iri which human footpeculiar and seemingly paranormal was taking place. After
prints were discovered in the general vicinity of a slain
a certain point it was no longer reasonable to speculate
animal. And then. too. I first heard of the notorious Ken
Bankston from a Concordia. Kansas. state senator. Now about massive conspiracies to perpetuate such killings.

By Jerome Clark

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

89
There were just too many of them and no purely human
agency. even if it had the time afld the wherewithal.
could continue to commit such acts without ever being
detected. And I was not all taken with Ed Sanders' elaborate theories about covert government intelligence operations.
Since the early days when I was actively involved.
there have been new developments. Responsible researchers such as Wolverton. Wolf. Mayne and Davidson
.himself have documented cases of paranormal effects in
association with some mutilations. So I gladly accept their

evidence - evidence which I was unable to find in my

own investigations. despite my best efforts.
Of course one immediately begins to form certain paranoid ideas. most prominently these: Is the Phenomenon
reflective in nature and now producing the "evidence" we
were searching for all along? Were the original mutes
human-caused - but now a reflective Phenomenon is
creating paranormal pseudomutes? And so on' and on
. into never-neveiland ....

DERINKUYU AND OTHER

ANCIENT UNDERGROUND CITIES
Plan of the Underground City
at the Village of Derinkuyu

g~:..:

..-u"""".""

<I:

:.:
~

~~~5~~~__ ~

By Dr. Ronald P. Anjard

In the Cappadocian region of Turkey, there is an ancient complex of about thirty subterranean cities which
were discovered only recently. in 1963. These cities are
entirely underground and are interconnected by multiple
tunnels wide enough for four or five people. Few peopleeven historians and scientists - know much about them.
The major site investigated to date is Derinkuyu. where
only limited work has been performed. however. due to

limited time and limited funds. Progress at Derinkuyu is

down only to the eighth subterranean level. which has
been dated to at least 4000 years ago: no o.ne yet ~nows
how many lower levels exist at Derinkuyu or at any of the
other sites.
.
The Derinkuyu data will give some insight into this
ancient complex. A city. estimated to have 100.000
residents. was formed in the volcanic soil and lava of the
now e~tinct Erciyas Mountain. The first three levels of the
complex were linked closely to each other. The first two
underground le,vels contain kitchens. storage chambers.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

90

30

UNDERGROUND CITIES
AROUND DERINKUYU, TURKEY
bedrooms. dining halls, wine cellars. eVEm toilets. The
tunnels. mentioned earlier. have tall ventilation ducts and
huge stone doors. (One of these tunnels is connected
with another underground city at Kaymaki. 9 km away.)
The lower levels have walls. escape ducts. meeting
rooms. graves and ventilation ducts. Derinkuyu alone
. has 52 ventilation ducts about 8 meters in length. One of
the meeting rooms on the lowest level opened to date

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

(the 8th level) is 25 m iong. 3.5 m high and 10 m wide.

Part of the problem of recovery is due to collapsed roofs.
and rubble by residents and invaders. In the early Byzantine era. such as the VI Century. the area sustained three
different invasions ..
About 1 kilometer west of Derinkuyu is the community
of Avan. The subterranean city has hundreds of hidden
rooms. Its 'structural characteristics are typical of the others

91

in the area. Ayan. Derinkuyu and Kaymaki are the only

three underground cities open to tourists. Kaymaki. men
tioned earlier. is 9 kilometers north of Derinkuyu. Only
the first four levels here are open to visitors: and again.
the exact number of levels has not been determined.
The last city to be described is Dogala, 7 kilometers
west of Derinkuyu. All the entrances here are blocked except for one narrow air duct. Kaymaki also has tunnels
with stone doors. storage chambers, bedrooms. water
tanks and three halls. While the first two levels are accessible. the lower ones are flooded, and further study is
now impossible.
Artifacts found to date reveal that Derinkuyu was inhabited prior to the time of the ancient Hittites. when
Egypt was in its glory. Professor E. Akurgal stated that
the peaceful civilization was ruthlessly destroyed by an
invasion in 2000 BC. Later. in the 6th century AD, during
the Byzantif).e-Arab conflicts, Derinkuyu and the whole
region was heavily attacked three times. Aft~r these

attacks. the resident Byzantines realized the flltility of

living underground. Thus the underground city was de
serted and fell into disrepair. The air ducts .were blocked
by earth and rocks. Many roofs in the rooms and tunnels
collapsed. After the 7th century. the Christians were able
to practic,? their faith openly. Some carved hundreds of
churches into the rocks and "fairy chimneys." These became training centers. In the 14th century. with the emergence of Ottoman .power. this region lost its earlier importance.
No one knows who built these underground cities.
Further research should provide important insights. One
theory is that the early peoples had to survive a major
climatic situation on the surface. There are other reported
buried cities in Ecuador. France and even in the Americas.
Derinkuyu and the entire subterranean complex may
hold important understandings of mankind's early history.

THE PHYSICS OF PHYSICS

By T. B. Pawlicki
The popular publications of Joe Kamiya and Barbara
Brown. proving the relationship between brain waves
and states of consciousness. establish the physical basis
for a large number of psychic experiences. The 10 Hz.
brain wave characteristic of alpha consciousness happens
to be the fundamental frequency of the human body
resonating electronically as an extremely complex nerve
circuit; this was the calculated answer reached by a class
in advanced mathematics at the University of Victoria.
and the psychology class confirmed the figure by empiricaJ.tests with gelatin.
The 71/2 Hz. brain wave, characteristic of theta consciousness. is the resonant frequency of the ionosphere
surrounding the Earth; you can prove this for yourself by
applying the elementary frequency/velocity formula. The
short. irregular vibrations of beta consciousness is the pattern the brain produces at the perception of daylight:
thus, it is characteristic of normal. wakeful consciousness.
This minimum of data leads to a number of radical deductions. To begin with, no state of consciousness exists
without a characteristic brain wave pattern: therefore, the
frequency of consciousness can be studied as being identical
to the state of consciousness (i.e. consciousness per se cannot be studied with total objectivity, but vibrations can be).
Consciousness exists only as a perception of images in
the mind; if the mind is completely blank. a state of consciousness cannot be distinguished from a state of unconsciousness. Therefore, the mental illumination by which
images and perceptions are sensed by the inner eye must
be the same frequency of vibration that determines the
state of consciousness. In other words, in a state of alpha
consciousness, a person literally sees by the light of his
own body, his mind being illuminated by the 10 Hz. frequency of radiant energy. In theta consciousness. a person becomes virtually sensitive to the illumination of the

entire Earth. and everything begins to glow as if by its

own effulgence. even in the middle of the night. And beta
consciousness is not only a creation of sunlight: beta consciousness makes sunlight visible.
Most people who are never aware of any state of consciousness other than their normal beta ego will. of course.
dismiss these statements as the most absurd fantasy. But
anyone who has experimented with meditation or drugs
will probably understand what I am saying.
.
John J. O'Neill quotes Nikola Tesla: "Helmholtz (the
great physicist who made an intensive study of vision) has
shown that the fundi of the eye are themselves luminous.
and he was able to see in total darkness the movement of
his arm by the light of his own eyes. This is one of the
!)'lost remarkable experiments recorded in the history of
. sCience. and probably only a few men could satisfactorily
repeat it. for it is very likely that the luminosity of the eyes
is associated with uncommon activity of the brain and
great imaginative power. It is fluorescence of the brain
action. as it were." Today, we can recognize Tesla's testimony as the illumination of alpha consciousness.
In the final reel of Star Wars. Luke Skywalker aims his
missile into the Achilles Heel of the Death Star by relying
upon THE FORCE instead of his computer gUidance
system. Martial artists who have read the lore of the Zen
Masters will recognize this scene as a dramatization of the
chronicle of the German Professor Eugen Herrigel in the
classic Zen In The Art Of Archery (available in paperback
from McGraw-Hill). The aged Zen Master. displeased by
Herrigel's lapse of faith. decided to shake up the German
by shooting an arrow into the center of the target in total
darkness of night. To prove it was no accident. the Master then released a second arrow to split tYle shaft of the
first. Total darkness existed only for Herrigel: to the Master.
the target was fully illuminated in his theta consiousness.
The illumination of alternative states of consciousness
is the product of the brain and body of a person resonating at other than the normal frequency of vibration. The
alternative illumination of alternative consciousness is
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

92
what the mystics are talking about when they tell of the
Holy Light. "seeing the Light." and Enlightenment.
Anyone who cannot conceive of the Divine Light can
get some idea of what he is missing from the advertising
previews of Close Encounters 0/ the Third Kind. The
scene in which the white light swells into the indigo sky at
the end of the road duplicates the emergence of the Holy
Light into consciousness as the brain tunes out from its
'. normal static to a harmonious frequency. When the entire
body resonates in harmony with a fundamental undertone. the Light explodes to fill the body with a throb of
ecstasy. The sensation of Universal Light can only be
suggested by the scene in Hobert Altman's sleeper. Brewster McCloud, in which the Bird Girl walks away into the
blinding white light until she disappears. The throb is similar tothe 120 volt, 60 cycle wallop you can get by poking
your finger into a wall socket. but lower in force and frequenqi. The frequency is low enough for the vibrations
to be resolved individually and compared with the digital
cou~ter of an Olympic stop watch. When you have done
this. as I have. you are convinced the relationship between
the lignt of consciousness and brain waves is no fantasy:
you'can see it happening.
Most people who experience the Holy Light with any
significant intensity lose consciousness of the normal surroundings and begin to perceive phenomena (such as
UFOs) which are invisible to people in the normal state.
Naturally, these visions are disregarded as hallucinations.
If, however, consciousness of normal surroundings can
be maintained while the brain tunes into alternative frequency bands. everything will be seen to acquire a shadowless glow, in which all colours intensify. The world takes
on the illumination we saw in the scene of Death and
Transfiguration in 2001-A Space Odyssey.
Correlative to the electronic resonance of the human
. , .body. there is a molecular resonance experienced as
. -THE SOU~D OF OM. what else? You can get an idea of
what OM feels like by turning up the loudspeakers of your
stereo system to full volume with the sound track from
2001-A Space Odyssey. The opening notes of the organ
in the lowest register can be felt as a resonant throb pulsating right through you. If 2001 doesn't work. try other
sounds .... full volume. My first experience was with a
friend's tape of hard rock, about as musical as an orchestra made up of jack hammers. When you find the tuning
that unhinges your normal consciousness and sets your
body resonating. a distinct feeling of your head-flipping
occurs. perhaps with a rush of vertigo or ecstasy. The
effect of sound and rhythm is analogous to the effect of
strobe lights. so anyone who has any reason to believe he
may have difficulty finding his way back from this trip
should not attempt exploration of alternative spaces without a guide to allay the panic of feeling lost.
Whereas drugs may represent the mystic ticket for deadheads. art often represents mysticism for the squareheads.
Critics have long remarked that a master painting seems
to glow with an inner light of its own. What a master artist
does is to juxtapose pigments and shapes in the same
manner that a musician combines pure tones to produce
harmony. The mechanics of harmony amplify the energy
of the vibrations emitted from every particular area of the
surface by the, energy of the harmonic undertones. The
Painting, therefore. is perceived to emit more light than it
can possibly receive from the ambient illumination. This
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

harmonic amplification is the "inner glow" of the masterpiece, and this inner glow is the only sample of the illumination of theta consciousness most Western squareheads
ever experience.
The effects of harmony in music are even more evident
than in painting, but the SOUND OF OM cannot be detected because of the sound of music. MusiC. however, is
intrinsically harmonious. whereas graphic art must be
made to harmonize by deliberation at every point. To
begin with, music is a natural harmonic emission of the
instruments. Ideally, the concert hall will resonate sympathetically to the music. turning the entire auditorium' into
a gigantiC musical instrument large enough to contain the
audience and the orchestra. When the concert hall begins
to resonate. we realize a stunning coincidence. An oldfashioned opera house, constructed of stone arches and
vaults stressed to the engineering limits of the building
materials, must assume the form of superimposed parabolae to resist the acceler~tions of gravity and wind. The
gravitational parabolae must be deformed by the slightest
variation in the electric and gravitational fields of the Earth.
These deformations result in a tuning modulation of the
resonant frequency of the vaults, and these vibrations are
superimposed upon the music. like a polyphase-modulated
radio signal. Because the function of the orchestral instruments - not to mention the resonant frequencies of the
musicians and the audience - are also subjected to the
modulating effects of ambient field vibrations, the music
and the electro-gravitational vibrations tend to amplify
each other. Furthermore. stressed materials emit radio
VJ~V2S. and these radio waves are necessarily the harmonic
o\;.:'rrones of gravity. The gravitational field, being an
integral part of the electrical potential between the Earth's
surface and the ionosphere, must be harmonically related
to the 71/2 Hz. frequency of the ionosphere. Therefore,
when music is performed with perfect harmony, the audience is immersed in a veritable sea of theta consciousness.
In this state they experience the same ecstasy Haydn experienced when he saw the Divine Light which inspired
his compositions, (not to mention the Divine Light that
inspired Michaelangelo's graphic art). The relationship
between gravity. electronic vibrations and theta consciousness is what moved Bernstein to write "The hills are pure
Beethoven."
The experiments of Bill Condon at Boston University
Medical School in 1973 proved that interpersonal communication is achieved by each person mimicking the
other's micromovements during speech. The micromovements are actually harmonic overtones of the vibrations of speech: and in an ideally relaxed person, the
vibrations of speech are overtones of the vibrations of
gravity. This is how speech becomes music, and how
oratory becomes an ecstatic experience, and how sales
talks can change one's consciousness. Charisma is the
ability to induce theta consciousness, which is a state of
infinite suggestibility.
Although acoustic engineers have put a lot of design
into the harmonics of concert halls. sports arenas are usually
designed by dividing the risk capital by the building code
and multiplying the quotient by the percentage of tax deductions. integrated with the mortgage. But athletics is
literally "body music." The proficiency of an athlete is the
result of his ability to resonate in tune with gravity (all my
theory is ba~ed on this initial empirical discovery). If the

93
stadium is built with dimensions that harmonize spacially
with the temporal vibrations of the gravitational field.
then the action of the athletes will tend to harmonize like
a competitive ballet. Certain sports. certain circuits, by
happenstance. were designed with the critical global proportions. and it is in these places that athletics are raised
to the highest levels. The Velodrome at Milan is as famous
among competitor~ as the opera house in the same city.
The C.B.C. sportscaster present at the Montreal Olympics
remarked that the entire stadium was resonating with the
cheers of the granastand. so we may expect some outstanding performances at that location - like maybe riots.
Athletics is the mystic meditation of sweatheads.
Every state of consciousness is held together by a fundamental frequency. like every scale of music. Every id~a
in a given state of consciousness is defined by ov.ertones
like the notes. motifs and melodies created within a scale.
When two concepts come into harmony. they fuse into a
more comprehensive concept. in the same way that two
notes or melodies in counterpoint create a third musical
idea which mayor may not be in the' same key. When
two ideas harmonize within the same key. the dominant
frequency of the consciousness is amplified. When two
ideas unite to create atonal harmony. a stress is created
within the field of consciousness to change its dominant
key. The analogue of music shows us that when ideas are
combined within given states of consciousness, harmony
is experienced along with the solution to a problem. When
ideas combine to precipitate a change of the fundamental
frequency of the state of consciousness, the problem is
solved by a revolution of perspective. This may be the
essential difference between academic brilliance and
creative genius.
The fusion of ideas occurs by a transformation of frequency. In Quantum Mechanics. a transformation of
frequency is accompanied by emission or absorption of
radiant energy: The radiation emitted by a fusion of ideas
is experienced as a flash of light in the mind. This is the
source of such expressions as "bright ideas." "flashes of
insight." etc. Discordant ideas fuse to cancel harmonic
energies: this literally causes the mind to go dark or blank.
life, you see. is Quantum Mechanics magnified by the
mechanics of harmony to the normal scale of perception.
Once a person has some experience correlating specific
frequencies with states of consciousness and directions of
transformation. the age old mystery of mental states becomes self-evident. A person becomes consciou.s to the
extent that his body expands its regions of resonance.
The expansion of consciousness is experienced with a
magnification of personal energy. This is why alpha consciousness is experienced as hyper-alertness combined
with inner relaxation. The wavelength of consciousness
determines what experiences a person will perceive among
the environmental matrix. The energy difference between
one's personal field 'of consciousness and other fields in
the environment determine whether one will impose his
will on the other or vice versa; this is what THE FORCE is
all about. Whatever patterns appear in the field of consciousness is all that can be perceived and it is the total
reality: change of consciousness (wavelength) produces
a change of reality.
When the Vibrations of two people come into harmony,

phase coincidence between them accelerates with shear

velocity. This is experienced as the rush of anxious excitement immediately preceding orgasm as high frequency
waves are emitted on an ascending scale. At the instant
of fusion of two fields of consciousness. the consciousness of both undergoes a transformation to a single. encompassing frequency . Transformation to lower. frequency is an energy-emitting process. and this is experienced as the light of orgasm. Whereas the genital orgasm
is the product of the resonance of the erotic state in transformation. the Divine light is a transformation of the.
cerebral consciousness. and laughter can be understood
as an orgasm of the ordinary mind.
Because transformation is identical to the extinction of
one state of consciousness and the creation of another.
orgasm is experienced as death, transfiguration and rebirth. The pain of eliminating phase opposition immediately
prior to transformation can be so great for some. people
that they fear laughter. Enlightenment and orgasm as
death itself; this is the root of all repression. and life is
feared no less than death. The profound relaxati9n immediately following orgasm is what the total elimination of
phase opposition feels like in the vibrations of cOl)sciousness. Ecstasy is what the expansion of consciousness to a
more comprehensive spacial frequency feels like.
The "expansion of consciousness" is not a metaphor.
It is an accurate description of a real physical event. The
vibrations of the human body. including the field of consciousness. are electromagnetic. The coherence of these
vibrations form the field of life that holds every person
together. The electromagnetic field of life is shown. by
Kirlian photography. to be :as tangible as the electromagnetic field around motors. The transformation of frequency
and fusion of vital fields between lovers is demonstrated
by the "Lover's Bridge" photographed by the Kirlian
process. Phase opposition between discordant fields is
proved by the same Kirli;.m process. revealing lines of force
in collision betweeil people who do not agree with each
other. The vital electromagnetic field literally expands
with pleasure and fusion.
.
The overtones of a field of' consciousness rotate through
a cycle. as can be seen in the Plate Flutter experiment ..
These overtones determine temporary moods as they
modulate the dominant tone of the brainwaves. These
overtones can be seen by mystics as colors in the Kirlian
aura. This is why we may "see red (in anger." have "the
blues." or a "rosy outlook." or experience "yel/ow fear."
"black depression." "green envy." etc. The timing of the
cycles of two (or more) people determines how they will
get along together. This is IAIhy love burns brightly for a
while. then turns to boredom. This is why there are periods of productivity and depression. This is why there is
success and failure. This is why there is health and sickness. When the cycle of overtones ro.lls slowly through
life. without frequent transformations to other states of
consciousness. the people involved are regarded as stable
pillars of the community. proceeding through all the culturally defined stages of life without opposing the cultural
reality. When the cycle of overtones is rapid. the individuals are regarded as emotionally unstable. When frequency transformations of consciousness exceed the limit
of the culture. the individua;ls are regarded as insane.

.~
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

94

THE NAILED-DOWN UNIVERSE

or

Plans for the BOX * BOX Machine

.s! 1977 bye. macer story

8~ E. Macer-Story

Once upon a time (I remember it well) a fellow philosopher asserted (according. I suppose. to his sensory experiences) that. if left to myself along the ways that I was
heading. [ seemed likely to set the course of western philosophical thought back twenty thousand years ...
This sensory assertion was a comment written upon
the title page of my essay. "The Phenomenological Astronomers."t which I lost while moving from 103rd street to
96th street in the middle of the night. This is perhaps a blessing to those of us who do not speak Egyptian.
.
At any rate. I met this philosopher later on while standing in the express subway in transit between 72nd street
and wherever it was we were all going at that time. It was
quite a surprise.
Actually. he darted up to me from behind. and hissed:
"See here: where did you pick up those concepts?"
EVidently. he thought I might have located my simultaneous arithmetic somewhere in a secret Egyptian anthology of astronomical parodies:
"At the plexiglass outlet." I told him. and he left quietly
when the doors opened at 86th street.
Now this encounter existed. of course_ completely in
the past. and I would now like to get down to serious
cases.

TWO SERIOUS CASES

(a)
[ am watching myself from the back on a TV set which
is nailed to the wall so that it cannot be moved. (You see:
I have anticipated the argument that all [ would have to
do is walk over and move this TV set.)
The video camera (which is also nailed down) is filming the nailed-down room on the floor of which I am
standing. [smile broadly.
I would like to see this grin from the front. but if I turn
around to face the nailed-down camera. [ cannot see the
nailed-down TV set.

(b)
I sit down at a public table in a restaurant. Opposite me
is a man who is writing. I glance over to see what he is
writing. He is writing in Chinese. I look at his face. He is
caucasian. [ would like to ask this man why he is writing
in Chinese. Someone asks me a question about the ice
cubes. and I answer as best I can in English ..
Inexplicably. this man is offended. He puts on his coat
and leaves. [ do not know why he was offended. He does
not know why I sat down opposite him at this table. He
does not know why I was looking at his face and then at
t Phenomenology maintains that all thoughts are constructs drawn
fr~m el~entary

sense data. What judgemental astronomer manipulates

this radiO telescope of 5ense.perception~ By what IImt!r ratio is this so
called "phenomenological" data carpentered togt!ther into recognizable
ideas'~

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

his paper. pushing at the top of my glass with my finger

and laughing heartily at the person who spoke to me. and
who is now also laughing.
Clearly. neither of these cases is very serious. In the case
of the nailed-down TV set all that needs to be done is to
get a hammer and chisel. remove the nails. and place the
camera and the TV set side by side. so that I can both grin
and watch myself grinning by looking into one direction
.
at the same time.
The only problem is that I will not be grinning on TV at
exactly the same time as I am watching myself grin. A short
interval will have elapsed between the time the light bounces off my teeth and hits the camera. and the time the light
reflected from the TV image is absorbed by my eyeballs.
Therefore. I can never be watching myself grin at the
same time that I am grinning. though if I grin for a long
time and then stop. I can honestly say that I have been
wat~hing myself grin from beginning to end.
It is not possible materially to view the past and the future
at the same time. Usually. if the past and the future are
viewed at the same time it is by an act of memory or precognition. not literally by moving the past and the future
into the present and setting them conveniently side by side.
In the arbitrarily nailed-down universe. the active observer is allowed no organizational power or initiative. This is
not to mention a hammer and chisel.
.
Obviously. the problem in Serious Case (~) is one of
communication. It has to do with a misunderstanding
caused by an interplay of surfaces.
There are several possible explanations of Serious Case
(b). but the most logical interpretation (probably made by
whoever asked about the ice cubes) is that the man who
was writing Chinese did not speak English.
It is also possible that he understood me very well. but
had a previous engagement with someone else for drinks.
and suddenly remembered this as I was pointing to my
glass. If this were the case. the offense shown on his face
would not be offense at me. but instead worrY and annoyance. possible related to a recent argument with the
person he was going to meet.
.
In the nailed-down universe. it would be impossible for
me to know any of these motivations for sure. unless I
followed this man out of the restaurant and apprehended
him on the street. Even then_ if he really did speak only
Chinese. I would never be able to know exactly why he'
left.
.
It might be argued that we then ~o~ld communicate
with each other by the use of sign language. but I do not
know sign language.
I have a better idea! SuddenlYr I whip a deck of playing
cards out of my pocket. He smiles in delight. and we play
a round of gin rummy without speaking. During this game.
I realize clairvoyantly that he is Portuguese and highlysensitive due to the fact that he cannot write Chinese correctly.
In the nailed-down universe. it .is not possible to obtain

95
information on this man's dilemma without the use of a
language. This is because informational events are assumed
to proceed recursively.
Recursively?
This is a mathematical term which, translated. means
that nothing n~w can be expressed in any language except by combinations of terms which are already in the
language. Like recursive. If you are going to speak any
language at all. you are going to be spoken by that language. Grammatically. you are nailed-down. This is true
of mathematics. English. gin rummy and written Chinese.
Devising a language. then. is a means of controlling what
it is possible to express within that language. In this way.
it can be seen that over the course of centuries the Chinesespeaking nations. the players of gin rummy, the Englishspeaking nations. and mathematicians everywhere have
severely limited their future mental development by continuing to use only written and spoken language.
This is because it may be literally impossible to express
certain new con.cepts within any system of notation currently available.
. Kurt Godel. an expert on mathematical language. came
to this impossibility conclusion as a result of his work with
devising arbitrary mathematical languages. as has to be
done when constructing a computer. He advanced from
the dilemma of axiomatic limitations (all statements made
in a certain language must of necessity be based on previous statements) to the notion of "platonic realism." Godel's
ideas of platonic realism can in fact be attributed to his instinctive search for the fundamental axioms of choice and
assembly, which experientially must lie outside all language.
Phenomenology and existentialism. which have influenced much of the current popular and literary thought about
reality. assert basically that the language of thought is fundamentally derived from perception.
We can think of nothing. asserts the phenomenological
astronomer. except constructs of the data we have received
from our sense perceptions. or from statements made in
a language which has already been encoded from data
received via sense perception. This. by implication. limits
human beings to sense perception. and is fundamentally
a nailed-down viewpoint.
Platonic realism deals with the perceptions of the intellect
and asserts that these mental perceptions are real perceptions. as real as the taste of an orange or the feel of an
ice cube. The famous Greek philosopher Plato. four hundred years before Christ's version of the Essene mysticism.
maintained that ideas had an existence unto themselves.
and that these primary ideas governed and maintained
the ap~earance of the material approximations to which
they correspond in general.
Plato is a comparatively recent philosopher.
Pythagoras. a century earlier, maintained that ideas
had an existence unto themselves in the form of fundamental numerical ratios and relationships. The idea of
universal harmony through numbers was transmitted into
. Western tradition of thought via Pythagoras. who coupled
his teachings with rules for an ethical way of living and the
composition of poetry.
This combination of numerical philosophy with artistic
and ethical practice originates in the Eastern schools of
mysticism we call Sufi. Pythagoras or one of his teachers
must have studied at that time in Asia Minor. which is
very easy to do if you are already living in Greece.

At any rate. subsequent to his early study. Pythagoras

maintained that all material objects were derivative of corresponding mathematical objects (such as the triangle) via
formulae for construction such as: the square on the
hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is equal to the sum
of the squares on the opposite two sides. Literally.
If you make these squares out of linoleum. they can be
divided into real little units which can be reassembled to
show that this mathematical idea has genUinely real consequences.
Therefore. this abstract triangulation exists. It has to
. exist somehow. because it has a touchable correspondence.
Actually. you could make the pythagorean theorem
out of birthday cake and eat it. At that time. it could actually be said that you had been physically nourished by the
formula A 2 plus 8 2 equals C2. Where does this edible idea
exist? In the mental regions. How do we originally per. ceive it? Mentally. What do we perceive when we perceive
it? A dynamic idea.
.
This dynamic idea is in no way derived from sense perception. if sense perception is nailed down to time events
within the electromagnetic spectrum.
It might be argued that the length of the sides of a right
triangle can be materially determined by measuring the
length of the sides of a real right triangle made of sawn-off
sticks. but where did the idea to make this artificial object
originate? Certainly. right triangles do not grow on a right
triangle tree. Although crystalline structures can show
a ninety degree angle which has grown naturally within
some substances. the right triangle itself (though it is fundamental to geometry. and thus to all material construction)
remains fundamentally. a concept of ratio and harmonic
arrangement.
Pythagoras not o.nly taught the firm reality of geometric
number. he also taught disciplines of mysticism and celestial harmonics. according to which the abstractions of
number (by which he meant the numerical ratios objectified in geometry) govern all material manifestation.
Since scientists are now busily engaged in studying the
Vibratory characteristics of the energies binding the nucleus
of atoms. it can easily be seen that the carefully naileddown universe is baSically in flux according to certain fixed
numerical ratios. Within this language. "ratio" is assumed
to mean the fixed relationship of two adjacent quantities.
such as the linked sides of a triangle or the wave amplitude
and frequency of an electro-magnetic pulse. Or the pitch
and loudness of a musical note. The very idea of fixed
ratio implies that it is possible to hold do~n one quantity
for an instant. while another is placed up against it and
measured.
It is the measuring that is the problem. How do these
abstract measurements 'and judgemental criteria come
into existence?
Anciently. the Arabic and Hebrew mystics are supposed
to have learned the powers of esp. pk and communication
with numeric entities from the Egyptian mystery schools .
in which (symbolically) Moses' was clandestinely enrolled
before he performed various wonders to lead the Jews
out of bondage.
When the philosopher accosted me on the subway, he
was trying to signal to me that to maintain that effects can
occur independently of sense perception and recursive
reasoning was to return the art of philosophy to pre-Mosaic
Egypt. when it was supposed that the proper realization
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

96
of an idea can result in some material effect: such as the
drowning of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea (al! was supposed to have been accomplished by Moses) or the registry
on photographic film of images which are not in view of
the camera (see 100 Years of Spirit Photography, by Major
Tom Patterson) .
Th~ 'reason' why my philosophic friend rushed up from
behind to hiss out a qustion. and then left the subway
abruptly at 86th street, is because the very idea of an idea
which can photograph itself or transmit somehow the
knowledge of exactly when the Red Sea will roll back safely.
seems to shortcut the language entirely. thus by implication
threatening the very existence of written and spoken philosophy. This threat exists only if a person is phenomenally insecure. Language is just a gam'?
By correctly maintaining that tennis is a game. I do not
put tennis .instructors out' of business. In tennis. it is not
possible 'to' win a game by suspending your serve momentarily iii mid-air or hypnotizing your opponent during the
initial handshake which occurred two weeks previous to
the game.
'Of course, it is possible to win at tennis by doing these
things, but if you are caught 'suspending your serve in
mid-air. 'you will be disqualified, and tbe game is no longer
tennis.
Similarly. by asserting that language is a game. I do not
annihilate the significance of language. I simply put it into
the same category as tennis. chess or gin rummy.
However. in order to deal with basic realities. I must
extend the possibilities of expression out beyond verbal
language into the symbology of thought.
The word "algorithm" is an Arabic word. It is basic to
concepts of machine language (with which Godel was
dealing when he made his jump into platonic realism) and
it literally means "procedure with things."
Actually, it was originally the name of a Muslim mathematician, but it has come to mean "procedure with things."
The "things" in the case of a mathematical algorithm
are the originally postulated axioms, which are then manipulated to construct more complex procedures.
As artificially-created elements of the machine game.
these axioms (such as: no two numbers have the same
immediate successor) have no meaning beyond this game.
but are informational things, such as is the knight in a
chess game.
The knight in chess is the move: two squares forward,
one square to the side, within the four flat possible directions of the chessboard. It is not the physical knight (0, 'tis
pity, fair maidens!) that comes with any chess set whatsoever.
A b~ttlecap can be a knight. if the players have memorized the function of knight, and agree that the aspirin bottlecaps (for example) are knights. and the wine corks are
~ishops, with the queens being the key to the mailbox,
the kings the key to the outside cellar door. and the castles
(as has been agreed upon) will be represented by four
tablets of vitamin C. two colored green and two colored
orange.
But perhaps I have gotten carried away by the physical
specifics.
In the artificially-created game of arithmetic, the move:
no fWO numbers' 'have the same successor is known as
Peano's fourth axiom. This axiom does not refer to an
actual piano, but to the Italian mathematician Giuseppi
Peano. who axiomized the cardinal numbers in 1899.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

Peano wrote five aXioms. but it is the fourth axiom which

is of primary importance to simultaneous arithmetic.
It is by the use of simultaneous arithmetic that I propose
to un-nail the universe. The universe of any person is the
universe of rules by which he/she plays the game of organized perception. For a long time, it has been assumed that
time is a sort of variable subway. like a train in a tunnel run
by Giuseppi Peano. In fact. in his simplified explanation
of the theory of relativity, Albert Einstein actually uses the
analogy of a train.running by an embankment as the illustration of time as being different for individuals who occupy
different places of reference.
Fundamental to Einstein's analogy is the assumption
that the train itself (as it is traveling) cannot be in two
places of reference to the embankment at the same time.
or traveling over two or more areas of roadbed at the
same time.
Or (even more picturesquely) passing infinite areas of
scenery at the same measured instant that it is determined
that Peano time is relatively different for the traveler on
the train (who is in transit) and the pedestrian waiting on
the embankment and watching the train roll by from some
fixed vantage point.
Einstein's observer. whether on the embankment or
having lunch in the dining car; is fundamentally assumed
(by Peano's fourth axiom) to be viewing events sequentially. In other words. if there is a tree ahead beside the
track, followed by a house. the "Einstein" observer '(nailed
down to the rails) passes first the tree. in which a kid is sitting who sees this observer and throws an apple. As the
Einstein observer moves on down the nailed-down track.
another Einstein observer in the house just past the tree
notices the apple splattered against the side of the coach
and assumes that the kids are out playing in the apple
orchard again.
This is a logical deduction. based on the fundamental
assumption that every tie in the railroad track is followed
only by its Immediate succe'ssor and that the train has
actually gone down this same track and passes the apple
orchard which is previous to the house in which the Einstein observer is sitting.
Actually. time is not a train. Time is the ability/capacity/
property of separating one state of beillg from another so
that it can be said that changes'or differences have been
occurring, occur. or will be occurring.
I would like to get off the analogical train, and enter
a machine of mirrors.
These mirrors will (conveniently) be framed by the rails
and ties of the Einstein/Peano subway track, whic!l I have
levered up and put onto a tilting conveyor belt.
For each instant of clocked, sequential time there is
one square mirror. The plane face of this mirror is one
(outer) side of a hollow. box-like crystal, with plain sides
which are individually discrete, but form a continuous
series of interface meetings with the hollow cubic instants
afterward. and preceding. (If you are disturbed by this
analogy. please see my later discussion of simultaneous
dimensionality.) Meanwhile. this is proceeding as follows:
Although these cubic instants are free to tilt separately,
they do proceed side by side in convevor sequence. The
idea of such a conveyor sequence is embodied (but only
for the plane surfaces, minus the box) in the Turing Machine
. developed by Alan M. Turing. This is his real name. He
did not go touring in this machine, as it is baSically a recur-

97
sive idea and stays put on the page. In dealing with information theory, Turing postulated a mathematical machine
which would consist of a tape which was a sequence of
positions, the registry device ("R.D." in my diagram) which
can indicate information content at each position, and the
elementary possible bit of information: this square is empty
or not-empty (ovO).
REGISTRY DEVICE MOVES

Fundamental to this model is the notion of Peano time,

and actually the model itself is a two-dimensional representation of Peano's subway, though it does not deal specifically with time, except as the technology built on
notions such as the Turing machine (which is a rudimentary computer) has come to deal with regulation of time:
as in time clocks, reservations computers, and the regulation of artificial earth satellite behavior. as well as the
exact instant at which you bought your last 59-cent bottle
of chocolate milk.
In this way, it can be seen that the linear. two-dimensional binary-choice tape is a useful tool for astronauts
and grocers. However. it is nailed down flat to the paper.
and the options of such a sequential machine are dimenSionally bounded. Operation by this sort of a recursive
system has been governing thoughts about time and dimensionality.
Like the Portuguese who could not write Chinese correctly, mathematicians have been the prisoners of language.
In my current project entitled "un-nailing the universe."
I am going to postulate an entirely new algorithm ..
Remember that an algorithm is fundamentally a procedure with things. Therefore. as a means of clarifying my
ideas, I am going to give the instructions for building a time
machine. This is not a machine which can take you anywhere physically. However, as with the Turing machine.
internalization of the algorithmic language implicit in this
machine introduces a rudimentary vocabulary for dealing
with concepts of simultaneous time.
I have entitled my algorithmic thing the boxbox machine.
In nature. there is a three dimensional analog to the boxbox
machine in the molecular arrangement of cesium chloride.
In visualizing the boxbox machine, it might be helpful phenomenologically to study this crystalline structure.
CsCI is a cube-shaped molecular lattice of Cs and CI.
arranged so that (depending on your point of view) there
is a cesium atom in the center of each chloride box and/or
a chloride atom in the micldle of each cesium box.
.
Of course. the box box machine is not three dimensional. It is a multi-dimensional concept.
This conceptual machine has three basic components:
a) the hollow cubic instants of sequential (or vibratory)
time. b) the pseudo-cubic infrastructure of informational
(or pranic) time and .c) the mutually-reflective surface of
the simultaneous present.
Peano's sequential subway and/or the Turing diagram
can be understood as being essentially the front face of
the sequential time structure diagramed as a). This twodimensional face can be clear or opaque, exposing or
non-exposing the infrastructure diagramed as b) .

When the face of the cubic instants is opaque. perception of time (for the viewer sitting out in front of this twodimensional procession) progresses sequentially.
Of course. time remains structurally multidimensional.
but the perception of time views only the opaque face.
This opacity of time perception is analogous to the process of selective hearing by which people filter out extraneous sound or music when they are busy at a task.
Fundamental to the notion of a Turing machine is the
idea that information arrives at the opaque face of the instant only via the linear registry direction: go forward X
number of spaces. or go backward X number of spaces.
The only directions in the Turing machine are forward
and backward: analogously: the only directions on the
Einstein/Peano time subway are past and future.
No matter in what way you fool with the speed of light.
you are always going forward or backward along a fundamentally linear model of time.
In the box box machine. information from any other
instant can arrive at the pres~nt face of the instant via the
pseudo-cubic infrastructure.
This infrastructure is called "pseudo-cubic" due to the
fact that while all linked infra-cubes have a definite fivesided meshing with sequential time. they share one sixth
side. which is the mutually-reflective surface of the simultaneous present. This simultaneous dimensionality allows
one side of each cube to register all infra-cubes simultaneously. Also. it allows any or all of the sequential instants
(no matter how far along the line in either direction) to
affect the instant which is now present by introducing informational content into the hollow cube of the present in
a way which does not involve traveling "backward or forward" in time.
At this time, the perception of the observer is nonopaque. The eye of the attention is pressed against the
lens of the moment. receiving and selecting informational
content from the infrastructure.
Obviously, the idea that all pseudocubes of time's infrastructure share the same backside is a radical departure
from ordinary Euclidian geometry.
Please remember the boxbox machine, though diagramed on the page, is built mentally. Mentally, it is not
necessary to observe the rules of the Euclidian language.
No one is going to arrest you if your mental concepts
have a simultaneous backside. In fact. no one will be able
to know this for sure within whichever language you are
speaking.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

98
For years. philosophers and others have been complainModels of this box box machine may be constructed
ing that there are unusual time/informational events withfrom plastic cubes and mirrors available at your local department or hobby store.
.
in almost everyone's experience (precognitive dreams or
hunches. for example) and then trying to lay hold of these
Simply make the cubes of the sequential present and
effects by some analysis of "mind" or "consciousness."
Rather than being analytical as regards this dilemma, . the pseudo-cubes of the informational infrastructure out
of different colored materials, and set the open backside
I would like to offer a metaphysical construct:
In the hollow cubic instants of the component (a) are
of the infrastructure at a convenient distance from a large.
seen to be electro-magnetic in nature. and the pseudoslightly tilted mirror which reflects the entire structure.
'cubic infrastructure of the box' box machine is said to be
Inset sliding opaque panels into the plane front surface
pranict in nature. then since the infrastructure (being
of the sequential present. so that the perceiver may view
pranic) does not occupy electro-magnetic space or any
a series of linear panels, or press the eye against the clear
conventional space at all. it is not difficult to see how an
front side of these hollow cube instants to view all informational connectives of the infrastructure. as reflected
event in 1984 can have been registered as connected with
an event in 53 B.c. immediately. as both these events are
from the simultaneous present. However. remember that"
reflected Simultaneously from the shared sixth side of
the constructed boxbox machine is simply a three-dimeneach instant.
sional model. The actuality is multi-dimensional.
There are no gears or soldered 'connections in the box
box machine. It is a solid-state appliance.
t Energies independent of elm time: see "Fluidice: Time as a funcllon
ofPrana." PlIrSlIir. Vol. 10. No.~. Spnng 1977.

By Robert Schadewald
On Christmas Eve of 1890. there was as party at the
. Lerch residence near South Bend. Indiana. Twenty year
old Oliver Lerch was enjoying the festivities with his girlfriend and, about 10:00 PM. his mother asked him to go
to the well for water. Soon after the door closed behind
him. the merrymakers heard a terrifying scream. Every
one rushed outside.
Oliver Lerch had vanished. From high in the air. they
could hear his voice. calling for help but. in spite of the
full moon. nothing could be seen. The desperate cries
lasted nearly five minutes before they faded into silence.
Oliver's tracks in the snow ended half way to the well. I
But wait. Maybe it ~as Charles Ashmore and a spring.
About 9:00 on the evening of November 9. 1878. on a
farm near QUincy. Illinois. young Charles Ashmore went
to a nearby spring for water. When he didn't come back.
his family went looking for him. His tracks in the snow
ended halfway to the spring. Several times in the follOWing
months family members believed they heard Charles
Ashmore's voice. faint but distinct. coming from the spot
where his tracks had ended. l
Or was it Charlotte Ashton and a well? The night of
October 17. 1876, near London. sixteen year old Char
lotte Ashton left her home with a bucket. bound for the
well. When she didn't return. her father went to look for
her. You guessed it: her tracks ended halfway to the well.
And for several days afterward. near the fateful spot.
people heard Charlotte's voice. plaintively crying for help.l
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

Once more? There was James Settle, a coachman who

lived on the outskirts of New York City. One winter's night
he went out to the barn to feec\ the horses. There was a
scream, cries for help were heard from high in the air and,
of course, the tracks in the snow ended abruptly.4
An astute reader might detect certain similarities in the
preceding four stories. The last three are all ultimately
based on the first and all are fiction. although only two
were presented as such.
The Oliver Lerch story is an old newspaper hoax that
never died. Its inconsistencies have been exposed several
times - for instance, there was no snow in South Bend
the Christmas of 1890 - and there's no need to rehash
it here. Ambrose Bierce read and believed the Lerch story
and fictionalized it as "Charles Ashmore's Trail." He added
the business about Charles Ashmore's voice being heard
from the spot of the disappearance. a detail he may have
borrowed from the story of David Lang's disappearance
(see; Fate. December 1977). Someone then changed
Charles Ashmore to Charlotte Ashton. moved the story
to England, and cynically presented it as factual. Alfred
Henry Lewis read some version of it - probably the original
Lerch story - and based his short story "Tracks in the
Snow" on it.
It is an unfortunate fact that Fortean literature is rid
died with fictions like the Lerch story. Fortean fiction falls
roughly into three categories: folklore. journalistic hoaxes
and other hoaxes.
Fortean folklore has little to do with tribal traditions
collected among primitive people. Rather. it is off beat
fic'tion which successfully masquerades as fact because it
sounds so "right." Just as clever sayings are sometimes

99
falsely attributed to famous people, fictional details sometimes get attached to true stories. When a good story is
retold and embellished often enough. the true parts can
vanish completely. If a story sounds so good it has to be
true, it might be largely folklore.
Journalistic hoaxes. whether concocted by journalists or
not, are usually nothing but thin air. They're not based on
any genuine incident and they're not bolstered by any
cooked-up evidence. The hoaxer's primary motive is
usually not deception: it may be to point a moral. raise
circulation or simply to entertain.
Other hoaxes are other hoaxes.
Stories don't always fall neatly into a single classification.
The Lerch story began as a journalistic hoax but its appeal
was such that two well-known authors based short stories
on it. With so many versions now afloat. it qualifies as folklore. Likewise, the famous David Lang story began as a
newspaper hoax. then picked up folklore elements. and
years later was supported by cooked-up evidence. And
Arthur Conan Doyle took the story of the ship Mary
Celeste, found abandoned at sea. changed the name to
Marie Celeste. and wrote a short story about it which
"solved" the mystery.~ Many of the fictional details he
added have become folklore and now appear in Bermuda
Triangle books as fact.
Folklore elements added to a story can be extremely
difficult to identify as such. Just because a detail sounds
good, that doesn't mean it's false. But consider mystery
ships: if abandoned, they're usually linked by coffee. but
if the crew is dead. they're linked by mold.
Some of the more hokey accounts of the Mary Celeste
mystery state positively that the abandoned ship was found
with a pot of coffee boiling on the stove. a detail which
escaped the discoverers. In 1880. the crewless Seabird
ran aground in Rhode Island with coffee boiling on the
stove and breakfast on the table. b When the abandoned
Holchu was found in 1953 .. there was no hot coffee on
the stove; but-there was warm coffee in cups and food ready
to serve. 1 The J. C. Cousins ran aground in Oregon in
1883 with neither crew nor coffee. but the stove was
warm and had food on it. Remarkably. a smoking cigar
was still perched on a binnacle tray, although the ship
had run aground so hard that observers on shore saw her
masts lurch violently. H
The three-masted ship Marlborough sailed from Littleton, N. Z., in January 1890. bound for her home port of
Glasgow, Scotland. She never showed up. Twenty-three
years later. in November of 1913, the British ship Johnson
spotted the derelict Marlborough, still afloat. in a cove off
Tierra del Fuego. South America. Her mummified crew
were covered by a greenish mold. 9 In 1775, the whaler
Greenland (or Herald) spotted a derelict vessel in the
North Atlantic. The derelict was boarded and identified
as the Octauius. According to her log. she had been frozen
into the Arctic ice thirteen years previously. off Point Barrow. Alaska. Apparently the drifting ice had carried her
through the Northwest Passage and then releasee;! her in
the Atlantic. Her crew of twenty-eight. mummified by the
cold, were all covered by a greenish mold. 10 According to
Ripley's Belieue It or Not. the schooner Jenny was found
off Antarctica in 1860 with her frozen crew preserved for
thirty-seven years. No doubt someone's version of the
story has them covered by greenish mold. II

It's not much of an exaggeration to call the entire Bermuda Triangle "mystery" folklore. Just as folklore among
primitive people grows when each teller embellishes a story,
so the Bermuda Triangle mystery grew as writers embellished stories they borrowed from other writers. In the retelling, storms at sea sometimes 'vanished retroactively so
that ships and planes could disappear mysteriously. The
high (or low) folklore point was reached in stories about
the disappearance of Flight 19. a flight of five Grumman
Avenger torpedo bombers, which were lost on a training
mission off the coast of Florida in 1945. Important facts
were lost, details were garbled and a lot of highly imaginative dialogue appeared from thin air.
Another well-known example of Fortean folklore is the
famous spontaneous human combustion trilogy of April 7.
1938. This was first reported by Eric Frank Russell, an
English Fortean and sCience-fiction writer. As Russell told
it. a sailor at sea on the S. S. Ulrich. a truck driver at Uptonby-Chester. England. and a young man in Nijmegen,
Holland. all burst into flames and burned up at nearly the
same instant. It's a smashing good story, and has been
repeated many times, usually gaining details.
Philip Klass. who has suffered the slings and arrows of
outraged Forteans because of his anti-UFO activity, spiked
this one in his book UFOs-Explained. Upon investigation. he found that there was no such ship as the S. S.
Ulrich. there was nothing at all mysterious about the truck
driver's death and the Dutch police could find no record
of the alleged incident in Holland. The S. S. Ulrich story
has the sound of a newspaper hoax and the Nijmegen
story might be one alsQ, as Russell's main sources of information were newspapers. 12
Journalistic hoaxes are so numerous in Fortean literature
that they'll never be completely eliminated. Hoaxing was
a favorite sport of nineteenth century newspapermen,
and any offbeat newspaper story from that era is suspect
unless it can be verified from other sources.
Newspaper hoaxes were often designed to "self-destruct"
in the mind of an intelligent reader. Mark Twain's most
famous hoaxes. the "Dutch Nick Massacre" and the "Petrified Man." contained roaring absurdities which should
have told readers they were put-ons. For instance. anyone
who tried to visualize Twain's wordy and roundabout description of the petrified man would have noted that he
was winking and thumbing his nose! Few people did. and
many newspapers reprinted the story. leaving out critical
details of the positions of the hands and eyes.
The story of Captain Seabury's sea serpent. a well-known
hoax that originally appeared in the N. Y. Tribune in February. 1852. also contains the seeds of its own destruction.
The hoax purports to be a letter from Captain Seabury.
master of the whaling ship Monongahela. The good captain
tells a rousing story about how he spotted the giant serpent
in the South Pacific and personally led the attack on the
beast. sinking the first harpoon himself. There followed an
epic sixteen hour battle during which the monster absorbed
numerous harpoons. overturned boats. etc. before succumbing. The creature proved to be a giant snake 103 feet
7 inches long and 49 feet 4 inches around the largest part of
the body. It had a four inch layer of blubber under the skin
and its oil burned almost as fast as turpentine. The Monongahela was not expected to make port soon, so Captain
Seabury sent his letter ahead with another ship. 13
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

100
The story has many obvious holes in it. For one thing; which is worded slightly different than the stone. but writ.
whaling captains usually didn't double as harpooners. Also. ten in equally good runes!lq
a "Marquesan islander" has a totally un-Polynesian name.
There are other well-known hoaxes that some still take
The numerous precise measurements of the monster would seriously. In the nineteenth century. John C. Scribner.
be impossible to make from a ship. And the Monongahela Wells Fargo agent. druggist and store keeper. planted an
sailed from the South PacifiC to the vicinity of Puerto Rico in old human skull in Marson's Mine. Calaveras County.
record time. averaging at least 17 knots! In spite of these tip- California. It was then "found" and alleged to prove that
offs. the story was widely accepted as fact. and it was even- man' had been in the Americas in very ancient times. In .
tually reprinted in staid journals like the Zoologist and the the same year. John Keely conceived a swindle involving
London Times. I.
a motor using water with enormous amounts of energy
Sea serpents were great favorites with nineteenth century drawn out of it by mumbo-jumbo. The hidden power
newspapers. Another story which made the Zoologist orig- sources that actually ran his apparatus were discovered
after his death. but some still think he was on to someinated in a Dutch newspaper. the Amsterdamsch Courant.
in 1859. During a nine day period. this persistent sea serpent thing. 20 And UFO literature is riddled with hoaxes.
Exposing Fortean phoneys is a lot of work. and no
followed the bark Hendrick Ido Ambacht from latitude
2727' north. longitude 1451' east to latitude 3755' matter how thoroughly exposed, some of them refuse to
south. longitude 429' east. Ship and sea serpent thus die. The Oliver Lerch story is still going strong. It may
averaged at least 19 knots. remarkable speed conSidering prove as durable as H. L. Mencken's non-Fortean baththat the adventure began in the middle of the Sahara desert tub hoax. which annually reincarnates on Millard Filland proceeded southeast across most of the continent of more's ~irthday. The trouble is. some of the stories are
damned good. And there are enough people who prefer
Africa. "
In Lo!. Charles Fort mentioned a New York Sun story a good story to the truth to keep Fortean fakes and folk.
about a sea serpent in Sandy Lake. Minnesota. 16 There are lore flourishing.
nineteen Sandy Lakes,in Minnesota, but the most logical
one is near Aitken. I tried to verify this story in the old
REFERENCES
Minneapolis Evening Journal. Somehow. the Evening
1 Edwards .. Ronald. "People Who Vanish: Where Do They
Journal missed it. but within a three week period it carried
a story about a sea serpent in a swamp near Fargo. North Go?" Beyond Reality. Marcl}1\prilI977. p. 14. and many others.
2 Bierce. Ambrose. Can Such Things Be? (1893). p. 421.
Dakota. another in a well near Aberdeen. South Dakota
and yet another seen at sea off Portland. Oregon.
.3 Weir. W. Wilson. "Strange Disappearances Into the 4th
The "Modern Jonah" st9ry is another sea story most Di~.'msion." Occult, v. 1. #2 (1970).
everyone has heard. It tells how James Bartley. a British
:~ Lewis. Alfred Henry. "Tracks in the Snow." Reprinted in
World's Greatest Detective Stories (NY: 1928).
seaman of the ship Star of the East. was swallowed by a
5 Doyle, Arthur Conan. "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement."
whale. A day (or 'days) later, his shipmates killed a large
whale. As they cut it up. they noticed something moving Cornhill Magazine. January 1884. p. 1.
6 Hyams. Barnet. "The Ghost Ship 'Seabird'" Fate. April 1953.
inside it. It was Bartley. still alive and only slightly the
worse for wear.17 The story is supposedly supported by Also in Stranger than Science by Frank Edwards and Strangely
.
affidavits from witnesses and by "records of the Admiralty." Enough by C. B. Colby and many others.
7
Fate.
June
1953.
p.
7.
Alas. no one can produce the affidavits or records. In 1907.
8 Tompkins. Walker A. "Was the J. C. Cousins Steered to
the Expository Times (of England) carried an extensive
correspondence about Bartley. Among the letters they Destruction?" Fate. October 1955. p. 62 ..
received was one from the wife of the former Captain of
9 Fate. March 1951. p. 25.
Star of the East. who said the incident never happened.
10 Feldman. K. Frank. "Ghost Driven Ships." Fate, June 1952.
It's api-oarently another newspaper hoax. 18
p. 41. Also in Edward. op. cit. and Fate. September 1958.
p.83.
Non-journalistic hoaxes are not intended to be dis11 Ripley, Robert. Ripley's Belieue It or Not.
covered. at least not until the hoaxer chooses to let the
cat out of the bag. 'There is a genuine intent to deceive.
12 Klass. PhilipJ. UFOs Explained (1974). p. 134f.
for .monetary or other reasons.
13 Cark. C. O. "The Monongahela and the Sea Serpent." Fate.
The Maury Island UFO hoax is an example. Two WashDecember 1958. p. 31. Also, Edwards and Colby op. cit ..
ington men claiming to be harbor pilots told of seeing a Edward Rowe Snow in Supernatural Mysteries and Other Tales
(1974). and numerous others.
damaged flying saucer discharging junk on Maury Island.
14 Heuvelmans. Bernar~. In the Wake of Sea Serpents (1965)
They provided samples of the debris and also photo.
graphs. which "unfortunately" didn't turn out. The debris p . " 2 2 7 .
turned out to be foundry slag and the two men later ad15 Zoologist. 1859. p. 6492.
mitted that they had hoped to sell their story to Fate!
16 Fort. Charles. Books. p. 615.
The Kensington Rune Stone, one ofthe most thoroughly
17 Edwards and Colby. op. cit.
exposed of all hoaxes, still lives on. The stone was "found"
18 Scheffer. Victor. Year of the Whale (n.d.). Sent to me by
near KenSington, Minnesota, in 1898, by a Norwegian Bob Rickard. editor of Fortean Times. ..
farmer. The inscription on it purports to prove that a Norse
19 Blegen. Theodore C. The KenSington Rune Stone. (1968).
expedition reached Minnesota in 1362. The farmer who 20 Ord-Hume. Arthur W. G. J. Perpetual Motion (1977).
found it claimed he knew nothing about runes and deand many others.
scribed the inscription as "Greek." The hoax would be a
lot more credible if one of the perpetrators hadn't sent a
"copy" of the inscription to the Minnesota Historical Society
PURSUIT,

Su~mer

1978

101

WITCHCRAFT AND
WEATHER MODIFICATION
By George M. Eberhart
PART II
(Continued from last issue)

Lapland witches selling wind-knots to mariners. Oiaus Magnus. Historia de gentibus septentrionaliblis (1555).

THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

All the superstitions and hysteria of the preceding decades were inherited by the 16th century_ The Malleus
was still used to justify witch persecutions, and all sorts of
bad weather was blamed on demon-aided witch sects.
Catholic churches employed theirown forms of weather
magic, including a wax image called an agnus de; (because
it was molded in the shape of a lamb) that warded off
storms. St. Barbara was invoked against thunder. church
bells were run to disperse storms. and holy water was
abused by the congregation. "insomuch that against tempests of thunder and lightning many run to the church for

holy water to cast about their houses to drive away ill

Spirits and devils. notwithstanding the King's Majesty's
proclamations in the same. "39
Reformation theologians enthusiasticall~' exposed all
this as so much papist superstition_ Johann Brenz argued
in 1539 that bad weather came directly from God as pun- .
ishment for sin. and that if witches had actually confessed to storm-raising it was because they were ueluded
by the Devil who had foreknowledge of God's chastisements. John Jewel, bishop of Salisbury. mocked Catholic beliefs in the agnus dei in 1583. asking "what can a
piece of wax prevail to the staying of a tempest? The Lord
of heaven and earth. it is he that sendeth forth lightnings.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

102
and raiseth up tempests .... " Bishop Pilkington preached
King James VI of Scotland called Scot's book "damnagainst the efficacy qf ringing church bells in a storm.40
able," since he himself had been the object of weather
All in all it was a bad century for tempests. St. Paul's
magic in 1590 when Agnes Sampson of the North Berwick witch coven had tried to wreck the ship that was
steeple in London was hit by lightning. in 1561, and the
brooding populace thought it "was mischievously done
bringing the King back from Denmark with his bride ..
by art magic." The next year a severe hailstorm laid waste
Agnes "took a cat and christened it, and after bound to
the Dl,Ichy of Wurttemburg and the court preachers Alber
each part of that cat the chiefest part of a dead man and
and Bidembach had to remind congregations once again
several joints of his body." and threw the poor animal
that God. not witchcraft. causes storms. When lightning
into the sea to stimulate a tempest. Apparently James
destroyed part of the castle of TUbingen in 1579. the
did meet with unfavorable winds on his voyage. 44
Wind-witches on the island of Mull claimed to be responsible for sinking the Spanish Armada in 1588. The
"But ecclesiastical rhetoric
leader of the witches, the DOiteag Mhuileach. spent the
did not stop authorities from
entire night with her companions "raising and lowering a
great quern to the rooftree." This produced a terrible
assuming'witches guilty
gale that not only wrecked the Armada but blew down
of storm-raising."
the Doiteag's house as well. 45
The great demonologist and Attorney-General of Lorraine.
Nicholas Remy: boasted of having been respontheologian Jacob Heerbrand denied that witches could
have caused it since "these poor simpletons and old women sible for the executions of some 200 witches for stormraising by the year 1595. The witches had told him, he said.
can make storms neither by themselves nor with the cothat
a hailstorm could be generated by stirring up water in
operation of the devil himself. 41
a pool with a rod until it formed a dense vapor in which
But ecclesiastical rhetoric did not stop authorities from
assuming witches gUilty of storm-raising. After sufficient the demons could hide. This cloud the witches could
steer wherever they wanted and drop it down to earth as
torture Madame Desle la Mansen~e confessed to hailhail. Remy also mentioned the practice of urinating into a
storm production (among other things) at Luxeuil.
hole in the ground if there were no other ready-made
Franche-Comte, in 1529. Another case at Montb~liard in
pools.
and agitating the mud thus formed to produce rain.
the same region in 1554 provided inquisitors with a deUnlike
Scot. Remy was fully convinced of the meteortailed formula for hailmaking. Monter notes that hailmakological
powers of witches and demons. 46
ing was an "important maleficium in nearly every preserved confession" at Catholic Fribourg from 1502 to 1570.
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
although in the Protestant towns of Neuch~tel. Geneva.
AND AFTER
and Lausanne its occurrence was less frequent. Joan
Robinson of Walton was accused of conjuring a great
The Reformation was finally beginning to make an imwind in 1582. and an old woman in Vienna confessed
under torture to raising storms for the previous 15 years.
pact on weather modification theory. Catholic diehards
In 1588 Dietrich Flade of Trier was accused of urging crop like Remy notwithstanding. By 1600 even Catholic cardestruction by magical hailstorms.4~
dinals were questioning the utility of ringing church bells
to dispel storms. The Lutheran professor of Scripture at
Partly as a reaction to the shock of mass executions.
TUbingen. Johann Sigwart. in 1613 managed to justify
Reginald Scot directed his ,Discouerie of Witchcraft (1584)
to shattering the aura of mystery in the public mind about . executions of witches for storm-raising (even though supposedly powerless devils were deluding supposedly powerwitches and their activities: "insomuch as a clap of thunless witches) by explaining that the intent to do harm was
der. or a ga.le of wind'is no sooner heard. but either they
there all the same. Evidence from Switzerland and the
run to ring bels. or crie out to burne witches ... But cerJura indicates that Protestant skepticism had Virtually
tainlie. it is neither a witch. nor divell. but a glorious God
eliminated accusations of weather magic in Lutheran and
that maketh the thunder." And again:
Calvinist areas. and trials had dwindled' in Catholic sectors as well.~7 Gradually magical weather control left the
If you .read the executions doone upon witches.
realm of theological ma!eficia and slipped back into the
either in times past in other countries. or latelie in
misty world of folklore..
this land: you shall see such impossibilities confessed.
On the night of the Gunpowder Plot (November 5. 16(5)
as none. having his right wits. will beleeve. Among
a terrible storm destroyed part of the cathedral at Dornoch.
other like false confessions. we read that there was
Sutherland. and the Scots were so struck by the coincia witch confessed at the time of her death or execudence that they attributed both events to the devil. The
tion. that she had raised all the tempests. and proseafaring Basques also attributed violent storms to some
cured all the frosts and hard weather that happened
kind of evil force. especially when they involved shipin the. winter 1565: and that manie grave and wise
wrecks. The witches of Zugarramtirdi. Spain. who were
men beleeved her.
burned in 1610 admitted to raising winds and wrecking
ships in the Bay of Biscay. 4"
Scott listed various superstitions that witches had confessed to in their attempts to bring rainstorms: throwing a
In the 17th century it was common knowledge among
flint over the left shoulder: throwing sand into the air:
mariners that the Finns. Lapps. Danes. and Celts would
wetting a broom straw in water and sprinkling it in the air:
sometimes sell favorable winds that they had conjured up.
pouring water into a hole and stirring it up with a finger: As early as 1350 Ranulf Higden had said of the Isle of
burying sage; or boiling hog bristles. 4J
Man: "for worn men there sellith to schipmen wynde, as it
PURSWT. Summer 1978

103'
were i-closed vnder three knottes of threde, so that more
wynd he wol haue. he wil vnknette the mo knottes." The
Swedish Catholic priest and historian, Olaus Magnus,
described the witches of Lapland in 1555:
The Finlanders were wont formerly amonst their
other Errors of Gentilisme, to sell Winds to Merchants.
that were stopt on their Coasts by contrary Weather:
and when they had their price. they knit three Magical knots. not like to the Laws of Cassius. bound
up with a Thong. and they gave them unto the Merchants; observing that Rule, that when they unloosed
the first. they should have a good Gale of Wind:
when the second. a stronger wind: but when they
untied the third. they should have such cruel Tempests. that they should not be able to look out of the
Forecastle to avoid the Rocks. nor move a foot to
put down the Sails. nor stand at the Helm to govern
the Ship; and they made an unhappy trial of the
truth of it. who denied that there was any such
power in those knots. 49
The mythical lame smith of the Norsemen. named
Volundr. always kept a supply of wind knots in his smithy.
Norwegian Lapps in the late 16th century were selling
winds with the same three knots to credulous mariners.
Knud Leems repeated the same story of the Lapp witches
of Finmark in 1767. and even as late as 1814 Sir Walter
Scott visited an old crone of Stromness in the Orkneys
who boiled a kettle to generate winds which she then sold
to ship captains for sixpence. ~o
.
Trials for storm-raising still turned up from time to time.
In 1627 a witch at Eichsatt confesse'd under torture to
raising eight tempests; the devil had supplied her with a
magic powder made from children's corpses which she
buried in the ground to ensure foul weather. Reverend
John Lowes of Brandeston. Suffolk. was also tortured
into admitting tempest production. He confessed to Matthew Hopkins in 1645 that he had a yellow imp which he
commanded to sink a ship off Harwich. Five years later a
Norwegian witch named Karen Thorsdatter accused
another woman of raising storms. but the woman was
acquitted when her husband. a country judge. defended
her.~1

Anne Bodenham. executed at Salisbury in 1653. had

caused a violent wind to blow when she conjured up her
devils. Marguerite Peign~ was arrested in Comol. Switzerland. in 1658 for bewitchment and was later susp.ected
of hailmaking. Isobel Gowdie. the witch of Auldearne.
boasted .A her met.hod for raising wind in 1662:
Quhen we rease the wind. we tak a rag of cloth.
and weitts it in water: and we tak a beetle [piece of
flat wood) and knokis the rage [rag) on a stone. and
we say thryce ower.
'I KNOK this ragg upon this stane.
To raise the wind. in the DIVELLIS name:
It sail not lye vntilll please againe!~2
In Munchen on January 9. 1666. an old man was convicted of raising storms. and he was burned alive after
being torn up with red-hot pincers. Per Matteson was
brought before the Swedish Witchcraft Commission in
1671 for Conjuring winds by whistling through a tobacco

pipe, an event said to have taken place over ten years

earlier. One of the last witch trials involving weather control occurred at Merano. in the Tyrbl. in 1679. A 14year-old beggar boy was suspected by the local police of
~onjuring storms; he confessed under torture and implicated three other youths. and all of them were burned on
December 13. ~J

"By this time nearly all

the literate demonologists
were denying the witch's ability
to change the weather."
:::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~=:::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~:

By this time nearly all the literate demonologists were

deny'ing the witch's ability to chaAge the weather. Francois Perreaud devoted a chapter to disproving demonic
hailstorms using arguments similar to Brenz and Sigwart.
and the Quaker George Fox in 1657 ridiculed stormraising. although he never questioned the "spirit of witchcraft." John Webster also refused to believe stories about
weather magic. One of the few who still accepted the
powers of demons and witches over the elements was
Henry More. who called everyone else's skeptical theories unreasonable. ~4
There was a brief revival of ritual weather magic in the
18th century when a' few "medieval" grimoires were
written. ~~ but meteorology had developed into a fullfledged science and the old Renaissance ideas of "vapors"
and "ether" were being replaced -by sound atmospheric
concepts. Benjamin Franklin's lightning experiments in
the 1750s probably did more to knock the wind out of
witch-produced weather than anything else. And even
though the Polish peasants who forced all the women in
two Villages to bathe outside during a drought in 1790 to
bring rain~6 may have been subjected to the embarrassment
of contemporary scientific guffaws. at least it was preferable to kangaroo court proceedings. exquisite torture.
and a spectacular fiery finish!

SCIENTIFIC WITCHCRAFT
AND MAGICAL SCIENCE
I.

The advent of the scientific era did not stop the weather
modifiers. although they were forced to change their
tactics a bit. After the decline of traditional witchcraft numerous rainmakers sprung up in different areas of the United
States and each had varying degrees of luck. Explosives
enjoyed great popularity with the rainmakers. and in
1892 Congress appropriated $10.000 for experiments
conducted under the supervision of the Department of
Agriculture using dynamite and hydrogen-oxide balloons ..
In 1911 and 1912 C. W. Post (of Post Toasties. etc .. fame)
tried blasting rain out of the sky with bombs at Battle Creek.
Michigan. but it was difficult for him to prove that he had
caused any ensuing storms. Goodland. Kansas. was a
favorite proving ground for rainmakers in the 1890s because of its perennial droughts. Many drifters came to
town claiming successes in some distant place. then after
selling their secrets to a local company would leave for
the next dry settlement. The local compallies had few
successes in Goodland, although towns downwind would
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

sometimes complain to the mayor to "turn off' the rainmakers because they were getting more precipitation than
they needed. 57
Perhaps the most successful rainmaker was Charles
Mallory Hatfield, a sewing machine salesman who traveled arounq the West in his spare time producing storms
for drought-stricken areas. At each place he would set up
elaborate-looking 'tubs of evil-smelling chemicals guaranteed to generate tempests. His operations in Dawson City,
Yukon, in 1906,.however, conformed only minimally to
his advertisements and the territorial council paid him
merely a fraction of what they had originally offered . Ten
years later he claimed a resounding success at San Diego,
when shortly after se.nding up his chemicals violent rainstorms hit the area and caused extensive flooding. The
city council obstinately refused to pay him his $10,000
fee because local damages were so great, and by the end
of the year the city was deluged with $3.5 million in lawsuits for hiring a careless rainmaker. 58
In thC? 1950s "magical" weather modification took on a
new wrinkle with Wilhelm Reich's invention of the c1oudbu.ster. Reich was a.Maine psychologist (formerly Austrian)
who believed that the universe was suffused with a mysterious form of life energy which he called "orgone energy"
and which was responsible for everything from cosmic
radiation to biogenesis. Certain types of bad weather
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

were caused' by a negative form of orgone energy (DOR,

or deadly orgone radiation) which had a tendency to
form in black, smoky-looking masses (shades of St. Godric)
when normal orgone came in contact with radioactive
matter.
Reich's c10udbuster was designed to draw the DOR out
of the atmosphere and disperse the black clouds. Theorizing that water absorbs orgone energy, he joined together a series of hollow metal pipes, 9 to 12 feet long
. and 1112 inches in diameter, and connected them by a
metal-encased cable to a deep well. Reich found that
when the pipes were pOinted at the DOR-c1ouds they
soon diSintegrated..
Soon Reich discovered that ordinary rainclouds could
be busted as easily as the black DOR-clouds. Since the
atmosphere during a rainstorm has a high concentration
of natural orgone (lightning is its most visible manifestation
according to Reich). the c10udbuster apparently sucks up
the excess energy and transfers it to the well water, dispersing the clouds in the process. Strangely enough, the
c10udbuster could also be used to encourage raincloud
formatiol) if the pipes were pOinted at clear sky near the
edge of an existing cloud. Later model cloudbusters sported a telescopic sighting attachment and were mounted on
a movable stand to allow complex weather modification
experiments. 59

.,

Primary energy projectors operating from Indio Hills area in

Southern California advected immense tropical mOisture into
Arizona and Utah during July 1977 as part of multistate weather
engineering project. Technical details filed with NOAA in advance.
Photo reprinted by permission from Trevor J. Constable.

Reich fared little better with the authorities than medieval witches had. He died in 1957 in a federal penitentiary
where he had been sent for a contempt of court citation
stemming from his refusal to obey a Food and Drug Administration injunction against his orgone cancer therapy
device. Most scientists in the 1950s considered him an essentially talented man who had gone astray with a few
oddball theories. But in the past few years Reich's theories have increasingly met acceptance with psychologists
and biologists, and some have proclaimed him a genius
and a social prophet. Meteorologists have yet to be heard
from. riO
.
Of the few neo-Reichians who have repeated the c1oudbusting experi,ments, Trevor Constable. currently president of Merlin Weather Engineering in San Pedro, California, has been the most persistent. Constable's experiments led him to believe that the c1oudbuster. instead of
drawing energy out of the atmosphere to disperse clouds.
actually shoots orgc:;me energy into the atmosphere. This
additional orgone' absorbs excess moisture, raises the
"organotic potential." and ultimately disperses the cloud
cover. 6 Constable has had success with wind abatement
and control. heat-wave alleviation,62 and waterspout collapsing. He also claims at least partial responsibility for
putting out the July. 1977. Santa Barbara fire by diverting
cool offshore air onto the stricken region. 63

Other modern weather-changers have claimed similar

successes merely by using their own mental powers.
A London housewife. Doris Munday. claims to be able to
dispel rain psychokinetically. She said in 1970:
Nobody ever believes me ... There's no mumbojumbo. no incantations. no witchcraft - I just think
very hard. concentrate on what I want the weather
to do. and it works. At least. it works 90 per cent of
the time ... 04
Other psychics are able to disperse clouds by concentrating intently. Charles Hapgood gave a notable demonstration of this one day in 1968 at Charleston. West Virginia:
after several minutes of concentration a hole formed in
the cloud layer. the sun began to shine through. and as
Ivan Sanderson (who was present) said. "the weather remained almost perfect over about a hundred square miles
of the Kanawha Valley for the two days while we conducted our operations. though it continued to rain all
around. "0;
The proprietors of three ski lodges near Lake Louise.
Alberta. hired the services of a transplanted Swiss named
Bruno Engler to produce a few inches of snow for the
1973-74 winter season. Engler had learned a few tricks
from the local Indian populations. and his snowattraction
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

Weather control unit "Willy's Wand" designed and

built by Californian weather engineering consultant
Trevor James Constable is part of emergent new
technology aiming at environmental cleansing
through control of basic natural forces. Reprinted!!
by permission from Trevor J. Constable.

technique was very shamanistic: he dressed up in colored

feathers and a medicine-man mask as he danced around
and chanted for 15 minutes. On the third day a heavy
snow fell and the drifts piled up to six feet. In the grand
tradition of public ungratefulness toward weather modifiers. people began complaining that he had overdone it.
Engler answered them by saying: "Nobody told me when
to stop dancing, so I just kept on. Now we have enough
snow for all season. "66
A witch doctor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was employed to keep rain away from the Malaysi.an Open Golf
Championship in March, 1976. He apparently succeeded,
since the golf course remained dry even though torrential
rains had drenched the city for four days previously. 67
Another rainmaker was hired by the Sikh community
in Southall, London, during England's severe 1976
drought. Guru Jagat Singh Ji and his 20-man orchestra
managed to produce a shower within one day of his campaign of music and intense prayer.68
Occult weather modification seems to have become
completely harmless in modern times, but not so more
coI\.Ventional methods. From 1967 to 19 7 2 the Department of Defense spent $21.6 million on a cloud-seeding
program along the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos and Vietnam.
The idea was to increase rainfall during the monsoon seaPURSUIT, Summer 1978

son so that enemy vehicles. would have trouble passing

along the roads. However, according to Lt. Col. Ed Soyster of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. the final results of the
operation "canr~ot be precisely quantified. This is due to
the lack of sufficient ground stations to report." This unconventional warfare stirred up so much public outcry
that laws and treaties are now being drafted to prevent
further military weather modification operations. 69

SPECULATION
As this brief history shows, there are quite a few alternative methods of weather modification besides cloud
seeding. But do they really work? Other than Hatfield's
chemical process and Reich's physical (or metaphysical)
methods, they all seem to boil down to mind over matter,
the matter in this case being the atmosphere. The nature
and existence of meteorological demons is a complex
problem but it doesn't really concern us here. Gods and
demons were convenient explanations for phenomena
beyond man's everyday frame of reference. They symbolized the unknown Factor X which produce'd paranormal events.
Psychokinesis (PK) was first demonstrated in the lab
at Duke University by J. B. Rhine in the 1930s. Rhine

107
found that certain persons could influence the outcome
of dice throws more often than was allowable by chance. 70
The question soon arose that. if relatively large objects like
dice could be moved psychokinetically. what about small
particles. molecules. or energy fields?
Chauvin and Genthon demonstrated in 1965 that it
.was possible to influence the rate of blips on a Geiger
counter registering the radioactivity of uranium nitrate.
Uri Geller was able to produce pulses on a Geiger counter
when there was no radiation in the room. merely by holding the screen ill his hand continuously for 50 minutes.
Other experiments indicate that Geller can influence a
local electromagnetic field enough to register on a gaussometer and deflect a compass. 71
Clouds are essentially stable masses of water droplets
suspended in the atmosphere. Any alteration in a cloud's
stability by increasing the number of condensation nuclei.
the temperature. or the droplet size spectrum will even-

tually trigger rainfall. A stabilizing process applied to a

precipitating cloud can Similarly retard rain. Cloud dispersal
can theoretically be achieved by vaporizing the water
droplets. PK powers might be developed to .exploit all
these methods. Wind production or alleviation could also
be accomplished by paranormally moving molecules within an air mass and altering its temperature. All the PK
practitioner(s) need do is concentrate intently on the desired process.
But amateur weather modifiers beware! At least thirty
states require a license before anyone can engage in
modification activities. and a federal law has been in force
since 1971.71 Obviously the law was intended for cloudseeding companies. but if occult methods come into
vogl,le rain dancers and neo-Reichians could technically
be held in violation.
The grand old days of witchcraft are gone. but the
storm-raiser still needs.to watch his step! ~

REFERENCES
.1. Dorothy Gardner. Historic Haven: The Story of Sandwich
(1954). p. 166: and "Cranmer and the Heretics of Kent." in
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic of the Reign of Henry
V"I (pI. 2. James Gairdner ed. 1902).38:291. 300. See Keith
Tl nmas. Religion and the Decline of Magic (1971). pp. 25-50.
for more examples.
411 H.C. Erik Midelforl. Witch Hunting in Southwestern Germany 1562-1684 (1972). pp. 36-38: John Jewel. "On Romans
XIII. 12." in The Works of John Jewel (Pub. Parker Socy. vol.
24. 1847).2:1035. 1045: and James Pilkington_ "Exposition
upon the Prophet Haggai." in The Works of James Pilkington
(Pub. Parker Socy. vol. 35. 1842). pp. 1. 177.
41 Thomas Fuller. The Church History of Britain (J. S. Brewer
ed. 1845).4:313: and Midelfort. Witch Hunting. pp. 39-40.
.. Francis Bavoux. Hantises et diableries dans la terre abbatiale
de Luxeuil (1956). pp. 136. 138-40: Monter. pp. 152-53:
C. L'Estrange Ewen. Witchcraft and Demonianism (1933).
p. 163: and Rossell Hope Robbins. Encyclopedia of Witchcraft
and Demonology (1959). pp. 32. 203 [hereafter cited as.Robbins).
4J Reginald Scot. The DiscolJerie of Witchcraft (Hugh Ross
Williamson ed. 1964). pp. 25-26. 66. 70.
44 News from Scotland. Declaring the Damnable Life of Dr.
Fian. a Notable Sorcerer (1591). quoted by Robbins_ p. 489:
and Montague Summers. The.Geography of Witchcraft (1926).
pp.212-24.
4.' Horace Beck. Folklore and the Sea (1973). pp. 98-99:
and John McCormack. The Island of Mull (1923). pp. 8-9.
4. Nicholas Remy. Daemonolatriae: libri tres (1595). pp. 16266.
47 Robert Dingley. Vox Coeli: Philosophical. Historicall. and
Theological Observations of Thunder (1658). pp. 134-35:
Midelfort. Witch Hunting. pp. 43-44: and Monter. pp. 154-56.
48 Mackinlay. Folklore of Scottish Lochs. pp. 217-18: Julio
Caro Baroja_ Thf: World of the Witches (1965) _ pp. 163. 17677: and Pierre de Lancre. Tableau de l'inconstance des maulJais
anges et demons (1612). pp. 41-45.
Olaus Magnus. Historia de gentibus septentrionalis (London ed. 1658). p. 47. See also Alexander Roberts. A Treatise
of Witch-craft (1616). p. 21: Thomas Ady. A Candle in the
Dark (1656). p. 116: Ranulf Higden. Polychronicon (e. C. Babington ed. 1869). 2:41-43: and Angelo S. Rappaport. Superstitions of Sailors (1928). pp. 81-87.
5U Viktor Rydberg. Fadernas Gudasaga (1887). p. 80: Peder
Clausspn Friis. Norriges og omliggende ~ers sandfaerdige beskrivelser (1727). p. 128: Johann Fritzner _ "Lappernes hedenskab,' Historisk Tiddsskrift. 1st raekke. 4 (1877): 135. 200-202:
Knud Leems. An Account of the Laplanders of Finmark. in

A General Collection.of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages

and Travels (John Pinkerton ed. 1808). 1:376. 470-71: and
Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott (John Gibson Lockhart
ed. 1837)_ 3:203-204.
" Hugo Zwetsloot. Friedrich Spee und die Hexenprozesse
(1954): John Stearne. A Confirmation and Discovery of Witchcraft (1648): and Frederik Baetzmann. Hexevaesen og troldskab i Norge (1865) .
.. Nathaniel Crouch. Kingdom o{Darkness (1688): Monter.
pp. 110-11: and Confessions of Issobell Gowdie." in Robert
Pitcairn. Criminal Trials in Scotland (1833). :i:606.
'.1 Robbins. pp. 33. 43: Emanuel Linderholm. De stora hiixprocesserna i Sverige (1918). 1:114.202-204.225: and LudWig
Rapp. Die Hexenprozesse und ihre Gegner aus Tyrol (1874).
,. Francois Perreaud. Demonologie (1653). ch. 4: George
FOlS. A Declaration of the Ground of Error (1657): John Webster. The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft (1677): and Henry
More. An Antidote against Atheism (1662 ed.). bk. 3. ch. 3.
" Cabbalistic Secrets of the Master Aptolcater (1724). quoted
by Shah. Secret Lore. p. 240: and Arthur Edward Waite. The
Book of Ceremonial Magic (1961). pp. 101. 121. 187. 189.
'" Raimund Friedrich Kaindl. "Zauberglaube bei den Rutenen
in der Bokowina und Galizien." Globus 61 (1892):279.281.
" 27 Stat. 76 (1892): W. J. Humphreys. Rain Making and
Other Weather Vagaries (1926). pp. 31-33: and Martha B.
Caldwell. "Some Kansas Rain Makers." Kansas Hist. Q. 7
(1938) :306-24.
,. "It's Not Raining Inside Tonight." Pursuit 3 (1970):54:
David R. Morrison. The Politics of Yukon Territory 1898~1909
(1968). pp. 78-79: Ford Ashman Carpenter. Alleged Manufacture of Rain in Southern California." Monthly Weather Rev.
46 (1918):376-77: and Brad Williams & Choral Pepper. Lost
Legends of the West (1970). pp. 147-56.
..
Ola Raknes. William Reich and Orgonomy (1971). pp. 44_
99-102: and W. Edward Mann. Orgone. Reich and Eros (1973).
pp.220-56.
." Ibid .. pp. 28-29
." Trevor James Constable. "Orgone Energy Weather Engineering Through the Cloudbuster: in Future Science (John
White & Stanley Krippner eds. 1977). pp. 404-19.
Trevor J. Constable. "Operation Kooler: Conquest of a
Southern California Heat Wave_" J. Orgo~omy. vol. 6. no. 1
(1972). The conquest was achieved by generating cool inshore
breezes from the Pacific. since the cloudbuster apparently causes
winds to blow from any direction it happens to be pointing.
'.1 Personal communication. August 16. 1977: and Santa
Barbara News-Press. July 31. 1977.
Rain-making: New Style:' Pursuit 3 (1970):53.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

108
,.. "Noisy Clouds." Pursuit 2 (1969)::i2-:i:i: and Charles H.
Hapgood. Voices of Spirit (1975). pp. :i~-40. See also Rolf
Alexander. The Power of the Mind (1956). for similar experiments .
Kansas City Star. March 6. 1974.
., Kansas City Times. March 3D. 1976.
London Times. August 2H. 1976: and "Diary of a Mad
Planet." Fortean Times. no. 18. October 1~76. p. 9.
.." Deborah Shapley. "Weather Warfare: Pentagon Concedes
7-Year Vietnam Effort." Science 184 (19741:1059-61: and
Prohibiting Hostile Use of Enuironmental Modificatioll Tech

niques. Hearing before the Subcomm. on Oceans and Int'l En-

vironment. Senate Comm. on Foreign Relations. 94th Cong ..

2d Sess. (1976).
'oJ J. B. Rhine & Betty M. Humphrey. "The PK Effect: Special
Evidence from Hit Patterns." J. Parapsych. 8 (1944): 18-60.
" Remy Chauvin & Jean-Pierre Genthon. "Eine Untersuchung uber die M6glichkeit psychokinetischer Experimente mit
Uranium und Geiger-zahler." Z. fC,"r Parapsych. und Grenzgebiete der Psych. 34 (1965): 140-147: and John Hasted. "My
Geller Notebooks." in The Geller Papers (Charles Panati ed.
1976). pp. 197-212.
" John E. Howe. "Weather Modification." J. Kansas Bar
Ass'n 46 (1977):35-37: and 15 U.S.C.A. 330 (1971).

WEATHER MODIFICATION AND CONTROL?

"The kind of storms that killed only a few people in the past will kill thousands. The time is
ripe for such a killer storm. and fm afraid it could very well come this summer or fall . ..
- Merlin Williams. director of the Weather Modification Office in Boulder. Colorado

By S. N. Mayne
Scientists have talked about modifying (and therefore after a six year layoff. Plans for this summer will include
controlling) the weather for countless years. Now it is . attempts to seed silver iodide and pyrotechnic material
possible. according to a recent article in The New York into the clear spaces just outside the hurricane (or himicanlt)
Times (May 25. 1978). Climatologists have finally. after eye's wall of clouds. where the spiral arms begin. The goal
three decades. discovered enough global patterns which is to disrupt the flow of heat within the storm. thus forcing
could lead to computer models that could improve fore- its central winds to transfer to a wider circle. Wind velocasts. Certainly. improved forecasts could and should be cities in the larger circle could (there's that conditional
forthcoming.
word again!) be reduced by as much as 20 m.p.h .. due to
About a year ago. I and another SITU investigator found the laws of motion.
.
So. although some aspects of the global climate could
our way to the World Weather BUilding in Washington D.C..
where we ferreted out the unpublicized office of Don be computerized. the picture as a whole is far from being
Gilman. head of the 30 Day Long Range Prediction Group. understood. Suppose we did succeed (if that's the right
National Meteorological Center. During the course of our word!) in modifying. or greatly reducing. hurricanes. What
interesting discussions with Mr. Gilman. I asked him why. would this do to the overall balance of climatic actions?
with all our super technologies as- well as our satellites For instance. scientists have long known that hurricanes
which monitor the global weather patterns 24 hours daily. act as a major means of transporting large quantities of
computers had not been utilized to study the overall pat- warm moist tropical air into the northern polar regions:
terns. The answer is simple: no computers could possibly but what drastic repercussions would nature have in store
monitor and program all variables that make up the wea- for us if we stopped (or even simply altered) this natural
process?
.
ther.
This also brings to mind the situation that occurred in
But back to our New York TImes article. Merlin Williams
is the director of the Weather Modification Office in Boul- 1947 with the first attempted seeding experiment using
der. Colorado (Boulder itself is a potential flood target silver iodide. The hurricane. located off the southeastern
from Boulder Creek: the flood pattern here would be (Atlantic) coast of the United States. and which initially
similar to the disaster that struck nearby Big Thompson posed only a single threat. upon being seeded promptly
Canyon in 1976. killing 139 persons and demolishing split into two storms. with both of them subsequently strikmany new homes in the process). He feels there is a great ing two separate locations of the U. S. mainland.
urgency for the modification of weather - particularly
Ar. J so we wish the hurricane seeders and Seers luck:
hurricanes, citing that in the past. although hurricanes good luck for the seeders who would tamper with one of
caused the United States an average of 500-750 million the most masterful, unprediCtable and awesome forces of
dollars in annual damage. loss of life has been relatively nature; and bad luck for the chance that Mr. Williams's
small. But now all this has changed. In alarmingly in- scientific prediction will come true.
As Forteans know. despite our wishes the outcome
creasing numbers. Americans have systematically built
communities in dangerous coastal areas, particularly along could very well result in a self-fulfilling prophecy. even
the Southern Florida coast and the Keys. Many buildings though the "killer storm" may very well not materialize as
in the area have been built without hurricane-resistant predicted if left alone. By tampering with the incipient storm.
the scientists may unwittingly create that which they would
specifications.
The time is ripe for a "killer storm," according to Williams.
destroy.
.
In nature. anyway. the result of a seed is often a full
"Storms that killed only a few people in the past will kill
thousands. I'm afraid it could very well come this summer grown organism ....
or fall." (Maybe he know!? something we don't'?)
III liell of this. Operation Stormfury will be reactivated
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

109

"AHOY, MATE! WHICH FLAMIN'

PHANTOM SHIP SAILS THAR?"
By Larry E. Arnold

:~}

1977 hy Larry E. Arnold

The author wishes to acknowledge

Roland H. Sherwoods gracious
assistance and permission to quote
from his The Phantom Ship of North
umberland Strait. and X. editor of
Res Bureaux Bulletin. for clips on
recent sea monster sighlings.

The Palatine. immortalit:ed

by poets and romanticists.
is said to mak ... its reappearances off Block Island
on the anniversary of its
looting and burning by
wreckers in 1752. Red
flames still silhouette the
black square-rigger that
plies the dark waters of
Block Island Sound. but
theres more than one
mystery that haunts
this specter.
From P......'r Haininys (jh"st.~:
The Illu~trated HistCl'J.' (N,'w
York: Macmillan. 1')7;'). p.lll).
Photo r..producl.'d hy pl.'rmis
sion of 'hI.' Mo'J.' Ellons Heturl.'

Ubrory.

For still, on many a moonless night, .

From Kingston Head and from Montauk light
The spectre kindles and burns in sight.
- John Greenleaf Whittier,
"The Palatine"
[Based on research for the authors forthcoming book. ABLAZE! The
Case for, and cases of. Spontaneous Human Combustions. vol. 1 of
the series EARTH IN TRANSITION: Revised Planetary Perspectilles.1

Go down to the sea, young man," said the salt-encrusted

lips of the old mariner whose face resembled the troughs
and crests of the ocean which had weathered it. "Go down
to the sea, if you want to find a mystery ... "
The aging sailor's advice is not a revelation, mind you.
It is said there's an area (or areas) in which ships and planes
strangely disappear, or almost disappear only to escape
from the grip of unseen and unexpected forces. There
may be something factual to these 'Bermuda Triangles'
but the alleged evidence is hotly debated,

Yet there is truth in the seaman's words, for there's a

phenomenon of the sea which, though it might cause even
more arguments than do these fabled zones of disappt'ar
ance, will be harder to dispute. Too many people haw
seen the spectacleIt is said nothing intrigues a person more than a good
mystery. Add a ghost and the mystery becomes doubly
fascinating. Inject the mystical power of firt' into Ih,' br... w
and.,. well, what we haw is the haunting eniglllll of tht'
flaming phantom ships of the seo.
I'lIHSlJIT.

SIIIlIIlIt'r

1'178

110

IT'S NOT YOUR (EXTRA)ORDINARY

GHOST SHIP
Thl?re are many ghost vessels that have plied the oceans,
or sailt!d through some 'thing' that humans think is water.
The infamous brigantine Mary Celeste, found shipshape but strangely dt!void of her captain and crew on
5 December 1872, has become the classic example of a
multitudt! of deserted ghost ships.
Another eerie category of ghostly vessels exists, however. Not only do they cause wonder and terror in the
witnesses who see them. but they linger long after their
passing to taunt our concepts of Reality. These engimas
are the spectral ships -:- craft that. if manned, can be navigated through the water only by ghosts because nothing
else could stand on their ethereal decks.

The Goblin. a phantom

ship that sails inland
from Porthcurno Cove.
Cornwall. England.
Does this anomaly of
space-and-time displacement hold clues that
can explain another type
of phantom vesselthose illumed by their
own ghostly combustion?
from Anthony D. Hippisley
Cox..s HaullIt'd Rrirain (N.,w
York: McGrawHill. )975).

p. <!:t Photo r.. produced hy

p.. rmissioll of Hobert Harding
AssClciil1..s. London. England.

The Goblin. a black square-rigged specter (see above).

navigates within this latter category - but with a difference.
Time and again. says Anthony D. H. Coxe in Haunted
Britain, residents around Porthcurno Cove near St. Leven
in England's Cornwall. have watched this ill-orne ned ship
slice through the breakers. It heads straight for shore, only
to glide "almost half a mile inland before disappearing."
Who says ships must sail in water? Not the people of
Porthcurno CoveIf ghost ships are seen to go repeatedly where a normal
vessel can't, why couldn't these phantoms of the waves
do other 'impossible' things - like having ethereal flames
lick ravagingly at phantom rigging?
An affirmative answer comes lrom no less an 'ilIustrious
source than the Duke of York. later to be King George V
of England. While serving as midshipman on the 18791882 round-the-world voyage of the HMS Bacchante, he
and his brother Prince Albert Victor witnessed the unexpected - and the unexplained.
The scene occurred between Sydney and Melbourne,
Australia. The Duke's account of a "strange light. as if of
a phantom vessel all aglow" is taken from a diary entry
for 4 a.m .. 11 June 1881. and appears in the Cruise of
the Bacchante as follows:
"In the midst of the red light, the masts, spars and
sails of a brig two hundred yards distant stood out in
strong relief as she came up on the port bow. The
lookout in the forecastle reported her as close to the
bow, while also the officer of the watch from the
bridge clearly saw her. So did the quarterdeck midPURSUIT. Summer 1978

shipman, who was sent forward at once to the forecastle: but on arriving, there was no vestige o~ sign
of any material ship. The night was clear and the
sea calm.
"Thirteen persons altogether saw her. Two other
ships of the squadron, the Tourmaline and the Cleopatra, who were sailing off our starboard bow, asked
whether we had seen the strange red light. "4
As if her decks were ablaze, a recklessly piloted vessel
almost collides with a sovereign British'ship-of-the-Iinethen vanishes!
Aye, mate, a fiery phantom windjammer it must have
been.
Or was the night-watch of the Bacchante simply experienCing a collective hallucination? What then were the
two neighboring vessels in the fleet obserVing?
There arises another question, equally perplexing and
disturbing. Not more than five hours later, as the midmorning breeze was carrying the Bacchante towards Sydney, the lookout who first saw the specter fell from a crpsstree and was killed. 5 Coincidence? A slip of the foot? Or
did the sailor fall victim to the curse of a ghost ship. which
demands that whoever should first spy one will soon be
signing on a new voyage into the Unknown?

THE TEAZER LIGHT

A cursed voyage of the damned: sailors doomed to
man their posts forever amid the flames of a Hell-uponwater. Is this the fate of those whose actions contribute to
a ship's destruction by fire?
Some Nova Scotians living around Mahone Bay believe
it is. And maybe on a dark night when the chill Canadian
winds hammer at the shutters and the Moon ignites the
waves with a phosphorescent shimmer you might hear
their tales of a different kind of fire on the waterThe "Teazer Light," Canadian historian Roland H.
Sherwood was told, has repeatedly been observed racing
past Blue Rocks and into the channel between Mason's
and Rafuse Islands. "Reported as a great ball of light that
startles watchers, it goes bounding over the waters. to
suddenly grow into a great glare. such as a ship exploding
at sea: but there is no sound . The light flares hugely for
brief seconds and is gone," recounts Sherwood in his The
Phantom Ship of Northumberland Strait And Other Mysteries of the Sea. 6
Naturally there is a legend to explain this strange presence.
During t~e War of 1812 the Teazer, an American raiding
vessel. had a brief but illustrious career against British shipping. While under the command of Lt. Frederick Johnson,
the Teazer was captured and burned by the enemy. though
her officers were humanely released on condition that
they would not bear arms against the Crown again. But
when the Congress christened a replacement vessel the
Young Teazer, Lt. Johnson's patriotism and/or sentimentality became too strong: he signed on and continued
to disrupt Maritime commerce.
A curious parallel is found in another type of pyrophenomena: SHC
(spontaneous human combustion). A Mrs. Helen H. Conway completely
baffled all fire and police officials as well as the insurance investigators
by appearing to have exploded and burned in her apartment (where no .
other fire damage was found). However. the victim's granddaughter. in
the' house when the disaster occurred. apparently heard no sound and
learned of the tragedy only by sensing the intense heat and dense smoke
geperated by Mrs. Conway's combustion.

111
After a determined effort the Crown caught up with the
newly commissioned upstart raider in Mahone Bay. Lt.
Johnson, knowing his capture would be imminent and
the penalty for breaking his word-of-honor would be to
stretch the rope from a yardarm, made a quick choice.
The British would neither get him nor the vessel. He grabbed a blazing torch and threw it into the powder magazine!
The explosion flung pieces of debris and bodies down
on the approaching enemy. Only seven of the 36 crewmen of the Young Teazer survived the holocaust.
The Young Teazer was a death-ship, doomed. some
say, by Lt. Johnson's zealous patriotism and broken promise. And the trauma of 29 shattered souls sent to Davy
Jones' locker re-Iive forever their last firefilled seconds.
a lingering relic from the War of 1812 that still hal!nts
Mahone BayThat statement won't set well with orthodox Science,
to be sure. Admittedly, claiming this light to be a phantom
raider more than 160 years old is a bit strained since Sherwood says "it has never been reported ~s taking the form
of a vessel. "7
One is more apt to attribute the weird glow to a WiII-OTheWisp formed by swamp gas or some other source o.f
organic luminescent discharge. Conditions in several
parts of Nova Scotia are favorable for the creation of this
phenomenon. Near Amherst the great Tantramar basin
contains 60,000 acres of marshland where bobbing lights
are often seen. It has also been suggested that coal seams
under the sea could release gases that (for some mysterious reason) ignite when they meet the atmosphere.
Another probable theory - if one is adverse to a spectral
ship - is that the "Teazer Light" is ball lightning: also referred to on occasion as fire-balls and ghost lights (though
this term may not be precisely synonymous). Scientists,
after years of debate, are now of the consensus that globules of incandescent 'energy not only exist but refute the
cherished concepts of matter's behavior. Ball lightning
may last seconds or minutes: be small, large or variable
in size: change color or retain one hue: bounce off or go
through solid objects: zig-zag or maintain a straight-line
path: disrupt with a bang or disperse quietly.
Ball lightning also favors certain locales and its presence
seems to be linked with telluric energy flows (referred to
as Leys by some scholars and as telleynes by this writer) .
Our research into pyrophenomena has revealed the startling discovery that the spontaneous combustion of people
and property often occurs over straight lines, as if the
bizarre flames are produced by some heretofore unsuspected corona-like planetary discharge that produces
fires. q The same type of discovery has been made by
English investigators in connection with hauntings.
Bringing all these aspects together, one can suggest that
a telluric current (telleyne) in the vicinity of Mahone B~y
periodically discharges a red-hued energy globule that
wafts eastward until its short lifespan ends in a silent explosion. Thus Conventionalism is relieved (technologically
and emotionally) of having to deal with a haunting enigma
since the residents of Mahone Bay are viewing a naturally
produced emanation to which a long-forgotten ancestor
attached a yarn which in time grew to be accepted as fact
by some.
- A distinguishing factor called recurrence is demonstrated by ghost
lights per se.

(This is not to imply that tellurically formed hi:tll!> ()f !>elf

dissipating luminosity are understood within the frame
work of today's Science. however!)

THE PALATINE-ALIAS
THE PRINCESS AUGUSTA
The ruse that may placate minds about the Teal.er Light
is not so easily applied to America's most notorious mario
time' apparition. though. Then too. so many paradoxes
and twists accompany the story of the Palatine that it is
rather difficult to speculate exactly what is. or isn'r. sailing
through the waters off New England's Block IslandThe Palatine was said to have departed from Holland
in 1752, bound for Philadelphia with potential immigrants.
The crew mutinied and the ship went aground on Block
Island. whereupon, says John Greenleaf Whittier in his
: famous poem "The Palatine":
Down swooped the wreckers. like birds of prey
Tearing the heart of the ship away.
And the dead had never a word to say.
And then. with ghastly shimmer and shine
Over the rocks and the seething brine.
They burned the wreck of the Palatine.
In their cruel hearts. as they homeward sped.
'The sea and the rocks are dumb." they said:
"There'll be no reckoning with the dead."

"

Ah. but the wreckers on Block Island were wrong!

It is said a woman had hidden herself aboard the vessel.
and the vandals could only watch in horror as her screams
drowned in mists of smoke and steaming ocean. And it
seem~ the unfortunate lady was a force to be reckoned
with indeed. and not so easily forgotten. "But the year
went round." says Whittier. and the sea and the rocks
gave forth their secret:
Behold! again. with shimmer and shine.
Over the rocks and the seething brine.
The flaming wreck of the Palatine!
The fire-ship had returned from its watery grave. a haunting specter of what had been!
.
Ever since. the people around Rhode Island Sound
have had their reckoning with the Unknown. Here they
maintain a different type of nautical watch (see p. 109)for "a great red fireball on the ocean" that appears near
the spot where disaster occurred a long. long time ago ...
Such are the tales that comprise a nation's legendary
heritage. As is sometimes the case though. folklore doesn't
equate with facts.
Personnel at the Rhode Island Historical Society. the
State Archives. and independent researchers have shown
that no ship was looted by the islanders in 1752: that indeed. no vessel named Palatine ever arrived (by plan or
by accident) at Block Island!
There was, however, a ship named the Princess Augusta
that was Philadelphia-bound from Rotterdam in August
of 1738. carrying.350 refugees from the German districts
of Upper and Lower Palatinate. Its voyage was iII-omened
almost from the moment of the command, "Anchor.
aweigh!"
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

112
Poisoned water felled 'half the crew. including Capt. Samuels of the pacemaker Dreadnought; and by the capGeorge Long. and reduced the passenger list by nearly tain and crew of the whaler Montreal .
a third. The vessel was blown badly off course. where
Landlubbers saw the phantom too. as indicated by the
storms and cold weather contributed to the rapid attrition following portions of a letter written in 1811 by Dr. Aaron
of food supply already dwindled by the extended voyage, C. Willey. a physician on Block Island. and re-quoted
The rematning crew extorted substantial sums from the from Rev. Samuel T. Livermore's A History of Block
surviving passengers for the food and water necessary to Island:
continue their condition. Finally. after four months of
,
.
"The light actually is seen. sometimes one-half
merciless treatment at thp hands of weather and an ilImile from shore: where it lights up the walls of a
tempered crew. the Princess Augusta shuddered aground
gentleman's rooms th,rough the windows ... ,
upon the north point of Block Island on the afternoon of
December 27th,
"The people here are so familiarized with the sight
they never think of giving notice to those who do
When low tide came, the islanders helped get the pasnot happen to be present. or even mentioning it
sengers ashore but were prevented by the First Mate from
afterwards. unless they hear some particular enquiries
removing any of their luggage, With the return of high
have been made. It beams with various magnitudes.
tide the First Mate and his henchmen - for it seems they
Sometimes it is small. resembling the light through
had rifled the passengers' cabins - cut loose the anchor
a distant window. at otheJ:s expanding to the highand left the Princess Augusta to drift into a rock and sink
ness of a ship with all her canvas spread. The blaze
on December 29th. Down with the ship went not its capactually emits luminous rays. ,.
tain (who was buried in the far side of the Atlantic) but a
"The cause of this 'roving brightness' is a curious
crazed woman. Mary Van derLine. who had insisted on
subject for philosophical speculation." [Italics added)
guarding her chests of silver plate to the very last,
So ended the ominous final voyage of the Princess
Augusta in 1738. with a loss of 137 passengers and crew Curious indeed!
(It is interesting how the human mind accepts the unout of a total of 364.
The details studiously uncovered and meticulously usual if it happens often enough. yet fails to question what
arranged in John Kobler's Saturday Evening Post article. forces are behind this and even more common affronts to
"The Mystery of the Palatine Light. "'0 omit one important man's theories about the nature of Reality.,
Dr. Willey was just another in a long series of persons
aspect in an otherwise remarkable parallel to the pseudowho saw. or wrote of those who had seen. the ~trange light
mythical" Palatine: there is no mention of a fire.
at sea. When W. P. Sheffield published An Historical
One is tempted to say the flaming aspect of the whole
Sketch of Block Island in 1876. he listed quite a number
tangled affair was concocted by one of the more dramatic
of individuals who had observed the spectral ship: one
anonymous story-tellers for which New England is famed.
man. 92-year-old Benjamin S, Knowles. claimed to have
and that modern-day observers who report "a great red
seen it seven times.
fireball on the ocean" are seeing one of those globules of
And still the sightings continued. In 1934 newsman
telluric plasma suggested in the Mahone Bay enigma,
Edwin
C. Hill made a personal investigation of the phenBut how then is one to explain the experience of the
omenon
before writing these lines in his column. "The
captain of the Somerset. sailing in Block Island Sound
Human Side of the News":
shortly after the wreck of the Princess Augusta? His log"Hundreds have claimed to have seen the apparition.
the one place aboard a ship where there is no room for
superstition or hoax - reads like an echo of Whittier's and the 'Palatine Light' is a well known phenomenon
along the New England coast. There .. , are people living
poem:
this day on Block Island who will tell you. with their hand
on the Book, that they have gazed'seaward in the black"I was 50 distressed by the sight that we followed
ness of the night. startled by a bright radiance at sea. and
the burning ship to her watery grave. but failed to
have watched with straining eyes. while the Palatine,
find any survivors or flotsam. ""
blazing from truck to keelson. swept along the horizon."
The captain doesn't report a glow or a light or someIn the year preceding 19 November 1951. according to .
thing likewise equally indistinct. He is precise: he sees a a UPI dispatch and Vincent Gaddis. '4 Boston harbor police
ship. ablaze! Yet on reaching the site there is nothing to
were beseiged with reports of a mysteriOUS glow at sea,
be found.
Patrol boats sent to the vicinity found neither light nor exWe wonder if this seaman did what a Philadelphia Fire
planation. It was claimed to be the ghost of the Palatine,
Marshal told us he'd do if confronted by another sort of shrouded as usual in fire,
fire equally mysterious (SHC): ''I'd go out. get drunk.
How a spectral ship (or anything else) in Block Island
and forget about it.,."
Sound 73 miles away could be seen through the city lights
. The phantom lightship of Block Island was hard to forof Providence and Boston is beyond our ability to fathom.
get. however. because it kept reappearing!
Maybe Bostonians were seeing 'some new mystery of the
Raymond Lamont Brown. in his Phantoms of the Sea." sea: or the ghost of the Princess Augusta got daring and
says the fire-ship was spotted by Capt, John Collins of sailed around the Cape to Massachusetts Bay .. ,
the Roscius: by Capt. Asa Eldridge of the Pacific: by Capt.
. That thl! nanw of the wreckt>d vessel was forgolll!n but the region (the
P"latinat"s) from wh,ch the passl!ngl!rs caml! was.remembl!red. is not
so improbahll!. '"Tht> Palatines'" would in time become the naml! char
actt>ri.ling a complex series of associated I!vents, and later the phrase
would h.-conw the m,snumt>r for the ship itself.
PURSUIT, Summer 1978

Brown has his own version of the Palatine's fate. It was a conspiracy
. arrangl!d on a previous voyagl! by the ship's captain and wreckers on'
Block Island. he asserts." He offers no documentation for this conclusion.
however. Curiously, his rather thorough study of ghost ships mentions
only this one case of a fiery phantom of the seas. Even the specialists
don't sl!em to know much about this segment of seafaring hauntings.

113
of Block Isl~nd as the hapless woman succumbed to her
self-Imposed doom aboard a blazing ship, for instance. The
imprint of Ms. Van der line's own deranged mind undoubtedly increased the probability of forming this rent in the
fabric of time, for mentally imbalanced patients (if indeed
they are more insane than the norm - an assumption
years."I~
open to strong counter-argument) have an inordinate
ability to perceive or affect time-and~space in a way 'sane'
A ghost ship that burns like clockwork! Why would a
ghost, which in large degree is supposed to be removed
people usually cannot.
from our physical constraints, continue to respect our .
Thus reminiscent of the 'legend' of The Flying Dutchchronometry? And, just as baffling, how could a ship
man "who feared neither God nor his Saints" and so was
(in any form) do that?
"accursed" to sail and ''torment sailors" forever, the trauma
Did the researchers err: or were the ancient documents surrounding the drowning (and burning?) of the Princess
incomplete, when it is said there was no fire aboard the
Augusta and her lone passenger causes the sporadic disPrincess Augusta the day she and Ms. Van der line went
solVing of an invisible yet opa~que barrier and reveals their
down? Oid the trauma experienced by the victim as flames
eternal voyage together to the spectators of another reality.
and waves licked at her crazed psyche 'rivet' the event in
Like a theater projectionist who previews a film in its
space, causing history to continue with replays of the orientirety then sees only the same brief scene over and over
ginal scene until the whole truth of the tragedy - including
when he changes reels (though of course the rest of the
the final fiery fate - is gotten right?
action is there), the saga of the Princess Augusta plays on
and on. Yet after its 'first run' )t is seen only when the story
Perhaps instead, we are being shown a glimpse into
the esoteric concept of non-linear time: th~t is. that all
reaches its crescendo and the psychic-imprinted trigger
raises the curtain of consciousness and opens the window
events occur in the Now.
of time to flash its image of the 'past' into a 'present' world .
An analogy can explain this 'illogical' thesis. Imagine
. There is also a possibility that is in keeping with the hisa film of the entire last voyage of the Princess Augusta: .
torians' support of the Islanders' claim that their ancestors
it can repeat itself endlessly. During one particular showing it is seen by a large number of people who agree that
were innocent of any treachery regarding the Princess
this- 'event' belongs to 'their' time-frame in Reality. An
Augusta. That is, the Palatine light is not associated with
any event that physlcallyoccurred in Block Island Sound.
opaque curtain then fal!s over the projector's lens and,
although the film still coritinues to run, no one is able (or The scintillating specter could be a remote projection of a
chooses) to remove the barrier and see the images.
distant episode attracted to Block Island by peculiarities in
the local 'field' environment, much like water collects
This simplified concept was psychically presented to
l6
US through broader consciousness. though we have since
around a dust particle to create a raindrop or nebulous
found others have come to a similar realization. William
gases coalesce to form a star. More about this later. howJames, Ame.rican psychologist and philosopher with inever.
terests in the paranormal. formulated a "block universe"
Nevertheless for whatever reason. the Palatine light
in which the future is like a filmstrip whose frames are recontinues to blaze forth as it has done for years. adding
vealed to man as it unfolds. The British inventor and noted its haunting glow to the lights of yet another New England
time-theorist John William Dunne devised a comparable
Christmastide ...
model in his best-selling book. An Experiment with Time. 17
Even Whittier, in keeping with our observation that the lines .
A POTPOURRI OF
written by many poets result from their tapping of broader
PHANTOM SHIPS ABLAZE
levels of awareness, echoed this view in "The Palatine":
In "The Phantom Ship", J. W. de Forest visualized one
of the sea's spectral vessels this way:
Do the elements subtle reflections give?
Do pictures of all the ages live
It shone with vaporous brightnessOn Nature's infinite negative,
A glamour of tremulous rays:
Which, half in sport, in malice half.
It was not fire, but the' whiteness
She shows at times, with shudder or laugh.
Of a ghost of a perished blaze.
Phantom and shadow in photograph?
Though t~e poet referred to the Palatine, his words just
as adequately could describe other windjammers that
Whittier's insight has sensed a flaw - or advantage. de- light their own way through the Unknown.
pending on one's perspective - in Nature's mechanism for
In the Bay of Fundythe world's highest tides are said
controlling this 'curtain of consciousness' that separates real- to .wash against the St. Martins, which sank in these waters
ities and maintains man's belief that events are linear and to subsequently re-appear as a fire-ship - but only in the
exist only once.
months of September and October.
There is. in essence, a sensing strip on the film that causes
The John Craig. smashed to splinters off Shippigan Isan opening of the curtain that normally precludes the simul- land in northe~stern New Brunswick. has since re-surfaced
taneous viewing of two images (the 'past' and the present').
Geocosmic inter-reactions might well be involved also. contributing to
When it is activated, a reality-warp results.
or detracting from the forces that l1lust focus to form the critical combinaThis trigger that unleashes a merging (or bleedthrough) . tion that will temporarily merge the dimensions of multiple realities.
of continuing but 'separate' realities can be registered psy- A synthesis of paranormal events in Nature with astronomic (and astrochically: the collective horror felt by the helpless onlookers .Iogic) influences could make a fascinating thesis for a Ph.D.
Whatever, sightings of the eerie glow are at least as
recent as December 1969. This leads Frank Smyth, writing in Ghosts and Poltergeists, to mention another curious
aspect of the Palatine light: "we're still left with the perplexing fact that it occurs only during Christmas week,
and that it has done so, off and on, for more than 200

PURSUIT. Summer J978

114
as "The John Craig Light" to haunt the minds of men and storm. followed by a fearful shriek. The phantom ship
souls of ships that pass this stormy way.
would vanish. and calm be restored." 19
A New Brunswick poet. Arthur W. H. Eaton. gave
So goes - again and again - another of the many
substance to another fire-ship in his epic. "The Phantom mysteriOUS events that haunt Canadian waters.
of the Baie des Chaleurs." Some locals believe it is the
True. it's not a phantom ship all aglow with ethereal
specter of the Marquis de Malauze. scuttled with fire during flames. But there is luminous phenomena. and a stranger
the Seven Years' War. which continues to sail from the thing or two. It's worth a lookwestern end of the Bay at Dalhousie to Perce Rock in the
Gulf of St. Lawrence.
An appreciation of the bizarre nature of this spectral
Eaton. loosely echoing Edward Farrer's research into episode can be achieved only by reviewing the events
Canadian folklore. IS prefers to tell how pirates did dastardly that began three weeks before the Cape D'Espoir disaster.
things to a knight and princess aboard a ship in Chaleur
The British. desirous of including in their Empire the
Bay. only to fall prey themselves to a fiery meteor sent by French-dominated province of Quebec. launched a landDivine revenge. The pirate ship. consumed in flames. still and-sea assault from their American colonies in late July
sails in spirit through the black waters of the Bay to strike
1711. The meager French army had already been disterror .il} the fishermen who hear the spectral crew bewail- patched to Montreal to meet the British army when the
ing their imprudence.
city of Quebec learned that Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker
Intriguingly. a scene similar to the legend associated with was commanding an emeny fleet scheduled to sail up the
the Chaleur Bay phantom emerges from the mists of dark- St. Lawrence River.
The residents were gripped in terror. The city was powness to illumine the Isle of Eigg. one of the Inner Hebrides.
According to Kenneth Macleod's The Celt and the Sea. erless to halt an amphibious invasion. What could be done?
Faced with impending peril. Quebec City's priests and
the "long-theine" is regularly seen by the 'gifted ones' of
this i~land off the west coast of Scotland. It careens past at nuns launched a counter-offensive of their own: public
lightning speed. "and on deck was a long. lean black crea- fasting. penances. processions. prayers. and sacred banture. with a fiddle in his hand . and he was ever playing ners might save the day - if there were sufficient quantities
and dancing and laughing ... awful was the howling that of each (and some guns. as well).
Yet out on the lie d'Orleans. east of the City. one man
was below ... Doubtless the fire-ship was conveying the
was unmoved by the calamity everyone else was dreading
soul of some unrighteous Southern Land to [Hell]. "
The scholars classify this episode as a myth: Yet we are (despite the prayers of the priests). In fact. he actually exstruck with the similarity to another 'myth': Nero fiddling horted the citizenry to be jubilant! Who was this strange
while Rome burned. If the Emperor did command his city person that could ignore imminent defeat?
Jean Pierre Lavallee. a half-Indian peasant rumored
to be torched and then serenaded it. as some claim. might
not an ancient mariner have ignited his vessel and. in his to be a "wise man". was obViously confident. He had
insanity. accompanied the horror with strains from his reason to be. for he said he knew a sure-fire method for
fiddle? For his horrendous deed he condemned himself dealing with the British fleet!
Thus on August 15. as Walker's armada rode at anchor
to play his tune amid the flames of Hades forever.
We wonder if anyone in Rome has seen Nero on the in Gaspe Bay near Perce Rock (below) and waited for
balcony of a phantom palace. serenading a ghastly glow-.

. .'::'~::';f.~~~~1 ~

THE SORCERER AND

THE SPECTRAL SHIPS
If you've not found the events or theories in our little
voyage into the Unknown too distasteful for your sensibilities. then come along still farther. King Neptune has more
than one way to take the lives of those who dare violate
his watery domain for their own follies, and therefore remind the living how little is known about Nature's ways.
At Cape D'Espoir, near the Isle of Oeufs in eastern
Quebec. a number of British ships were lost on the night
of 22 August 1711. OccaSionally a strange light appears
on calm nights, and the tranquil sea suddenly thrashes
with "mountain high" waves.
"Then a phantom ship would be seen," writes Canadian historian R. S. Lambert, "crowded with sailors in oldtime scarlet uniforms. On its bowsprit stood an officer: ..
pointing with his hand to the black rocks at the foot of the
frowning Cape. Suddenly." Lambert continues in his excellent book Exploring the Supernatural, "the mysterious
light would grow dim, a crash would be heard above the
We are further intrigued by the mention of a fiddler playing his merry
tune aboard a specter ship. when the place names of many megalithic
sites in Britain contain the word riddler and possess legends of his
merrymaking. What is the archetypal siyniiic<!nce of the riddler whose
haunting melody is encountered ayain and again'?
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

'I~

I::;
>
::c

.-

..

.~'

:.ro ,

Looking down from the highlands of Gaspe. Quebec. one

might mistake famed Perce Rock. awash in the redness of an
autumn Canadian sunset. for a blazing phantom ship. Unlike
this rock firmly anchored in the coastal waters. the fire-drenched
ghost ships seen by hundreds of eastern Canadians have
ranged from Chaleur Bay east to Cape Gaspe and south
through Northumberland Strait many hundreds of miles away.
Do olle or several.fireShips haunt these waters'! And why?

115
bad weather to pass.' Lavallee farmed his land as usual.
If sorcery is at the heart of the luminous spectral scene
That night however. reports Farrer in the Atlantic Monththat repeats itself along the northern coast of the St. Lawly.20 the peasant retired to a small hut he had built at the
rence. then the magic doesn't end hereeasternmost tip of his island. There. until the early morning hours of the next six nights. he conducted unknown
The residents of Quebec greeted the first news of the
seances.
invader's change of fortune with incredulity. Lavallee,
While his neighbors probably wondered about his unhowever, just smiled. When the defeat of the British by
intelligible incantations. no one bothered him. Someone
the fog was confirmed, the Quebecois' joy over this 'mirelse was bothered though - Admiral Walker.
acle' was incredible!
.
During this period the British commander suffered unaccountable fits of depression. His journal entries described a series of nightmares in which his campaign met a
hideous end. 21 Was Lavallee's knowledge of sorceryfor that is implied in his title of "wise man" - transcending
the 335 miles that separated these two very different kinds
of warriors. and warning his adversary of doom if he failed
to abandon the campaign? HmmIt was August 20 when the weather improved at Gaspe
Bay. Walker. somewhat reticent we imagine. set sail from
Gaspe for the St. Lawrence. Balmy weather heralded the
next day. and the Admiral forgot his concern over the
frightful dreams. It would prove a fatal error of command.
That night Lavallee retired to his hut for the last time
and. having concluded his conjuring. extinguished the
. 'lcred fire over which he had labored for six solitary nights.
His magic, if that's what he was doing. was complete.
The following dawn found Walker's fleet enshrouded
in fog so thick that bearings were impossible to take. All
vessels were ordered to lay to with their bows to the south.
and wait it out. It was night before a break in the fog revealed a bit of land. Believing their position still to be on
the St. Lawrence's south shore. Walker ordered a reverse
tack to take the fleet into midchannel.
What everyone failed to consider - except perhaps
Lavallee - was the prevailing current. which had qUietly
but steadily carried all the ships 70 miles to the north.
What was seen through the fog wasn't the south shore
but the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Admiral Walker's
directive to change tack was tantamount to suicide!
It wasn't long before the unexpected sound of crashing
surf was heard. "What's happening?" the ships' commanders wondered. Then. as if waiting until the officers' dread
had peaked. the Moon shone forth to reveal a scene they
darec\ not imagine: the whole fleet was racing dead-ahead
to catastrophe on the breakers of the north shore!
Walker managed to save his flagship. only to hear the
wails of drowning men and the smashing of timbers all
night long. Scarlet uniforms of the Marlborough's Guards
were floating among the black rocks at daybreak: flotsam
was everywhere. Eight transports and 884 lives had been
lost. Admiral Walker accepted the recommendation of
his remaining officers without hesitation: the fleet would
sail for Boston. then back to Portsmouth.
When the shattered armada departed the French waters.
the British left behind more than broken ships and bodies.
Included in the carnage were the broken souls of almost
900 seamen and soldiers who. aboard their phantom
ships. still cry out in anguish at being hurled aground through
the error of their commander-in-chief!
Ah, but just who was commanding this frig~tful scene that
was once seen in dreams? Or was it a magician in a hut who
sent the night-time omens. who precipitated the mists. who
came as an astral light to look down upon the destruction of
his enemy'?

Some sought to credit the old man on the lie dOrleans.

who. after all. was said to be able to control the weather
with his chants and spells. They rushed to tell him the
good news. only to be informed by Lavallee that the English Admiral had more wrath to suffer for his flagrant disobedience of the sorcerer's will.
R. S. Lambert deduces that Lavallee's pronouncement
.was uttered about the 15th of October. Meanwhile. Ad.miral Walker's remaining fleet had just reached Portsmouth
uneventfully.
It being his duty to file a report of the calamitous mission
with the Admiralty. Walker left his flagship Edgar to begin
the somber journey to London. No sooner did he set foot
on land. however. than the air was rocked by a horrendous din. Walker reeled around to see the Edgar's exploding powder magazine fling pieces of the ship and 500
sailors across the harbor!
The Admiralty was never able to learn the cause of this
second major disaster to Walker's expedition. perhaps
the "wise man" in Quebec would have told them the
reason for this double-jeopardy that befell one of England's
most respected naval commanders, had they thought to
ask. But no matter: the stiff-collared men who commanded
Britannia's rule-of-the-waves would never believe His
Majesty's navy could succumb to the ravings of an unarmed Frenchman in a little hut thousands of miles away.
What the Admiralty did believe were the statistics showing Walker's losses. They stripped him of command and
abolished his pension. Broken by this final act of cruel
fate. Walker left England and settled on a plantation in
Carolina. There. nine years later. he published the account
of his tarnished career.
"What!" demanded the ex-Admiral in the Preface to
his vindicating Journal. "Was it expected I should have
commanded Wind and Weather? Or is it imaginable that
by Art Magick I raised storms and ferried Foggs to drown
so many Men, and endanger myself," he wrote in an
attempt to restore luster to his naval record.
Perhaps the years of reflection had given him insight
into the nature of the forces with which he held combat
and lost: "by Art Magick I raised storms and ferried Foggs ... "
These are the words one would expect to hear Lavallee
speak. not a man trained in the hard facts of military strategy. Possibly Walker did finally perceive the nature of his
true adversary back in 1711As an aside, in the early 1700s the Ill' d'Orleans acquired
. for no apparent reason a haunting and sinister nickname:
, "Isle of Sorcerers." And many miles away, where illuminated barks and scarlet-clad soldiers in 18th Century uniforms are still dashed against the dark rocks of Quebec, is
another haunting - and haunted - spot.
Sorcerers ... Art Magick ... death and disaster ... illumined ghosts of men and ships. We wonder: Is there a connection?
I'LJRSlJIT. Summ.. r 1978

116
wide that separates Prince Edward Island from Nova Scotia
in the Canadian Maritimes: Says R. H. Sherwood, the
authority on this particular ghost ship: "It has been seen
by people living in every village, town and hamlet along
Sl'uffl'r~ and ~kl'ptk'~ will claim the above cases are
the rugged Northumberland Strait. "24
tl;O \wird. tOll lIn~llh~tantiated. and in areas too remote
tu clpply till' ~dl'ntific witchcraft that would identify them
At least several hundred persons have watched this
eerie phenomenon 'sail' by, though the exact number
cl~ knuwn phl'nonll'na and exorcise these fiery specters
from till' l'Xl't'sSt'S of man's imagination forever. "Ethereal can't be determined. Records of sightings have been lost.
f1anll's t'nwloping ghostly hulls'~ Ha'" .
to be sure: some of the early accounts were probably deIt will takt' mort' than a sarcastic laugh to dismiss the stroyed to 'protect' innocent observers from slander. Many
crt'dihility of the next episode of fiery phantoms upon the who have seen the Phantom just never talk about it,
sea. howt'wr. The critics had best sharpen their arguments though. 2s They prefer to keep the secret to themselves
wt'll. for as our allusive old salt would say: "Avast ye rather than face abuse from the doubters who hastily
matt's. ya can't be able ta strike this'un down so easy'" charge "Sensationalist'" or ask "What were you drinking
Samuel Hull certainly couldn't clear his mind of what last night, eh?"
he saw in October 1970 as he scanned Northumberland
(Continued next issue)
Strait" from his home on Prince' Edward Island ...
"I noticed a blaze on the water, and it looked like a ship
REFERENCES
had caught fire." Hull recollected. "I could definitely make
I Coxe. Anthony D. Hippisley. Haunted Britain (New York:
ouf the outline of sails. They were about thirty or forty feet
across. and they were burning. The burning ship skimmed McGraw-HilI. 1973) p. 23. Cf. 2. p. 109: 3. pp. 30-32.
Gaddis. Vincent H .. Invisible Horizons (New York: Ace
across the water at high speed. I watched it for about a half
Books ed.) n.d.
hour. then it disappeared behind another island."
:t Hunt. Robert. Cornish Legends (Truro. England: Tor Mark
Mr. Hull didn't call out the shore patrol, though. He
Press). n.d.
knew the ship really wasn't there!
4 Miller. Richard DeWitt. Forgotten Mysteries (Chicago: Cloud.
During the 30 minutes he stood quietly on the bank
Inc
.. 1947). p. 5. Cf. 2. p. 100.
while tragedy seemed to plague a vessel not far away,
~ Fort. Charles. Lo! (New York: Ace Books ed.). n.d .. p. 96.'
Hull recalled the three sightlngs of a fiery specter reported
Sherwood. Roland H .. The Phantom Ship 0/ Northumberland
by an Island storekeeper in 1969; the eight people who
Strait and Other Mysteries 0/ the Sea. (Windsor. Nova Scotia:
together viewed the same apparition a few years earlier;
Lancelot Press). 1975. pp. 35-36.
and above all the recent experience of a ferryboat crew ...
7 Ibid .. p. 35.
"The men on the ferryboat thought a ship had caught
Hall. Mark A .. and P. J. Willis. "A 'Ghost Light' Survey."
fire in the strait." he told the Canadian press. "They went INFO Journal. Ill. no. 1. Autumn 1972. pp. 19-21.
full speed toward the burning vessel, intent on a rescue
o Arnold. Larry E.. "Fire-Leynes: A Connection Between SHC
mission. As they drew closer, the ship jlist vanished. They and Leys?" Fortean Times 22 (Summer 1977). Pt. 1. pp. 6-12:
realized the'y had been chaSing a ghost ship. and they re- 23 (Fall 1977). Pt. 2. pp. 9-17; 24 (Winter 1977). Pt. 3. pp. 6-9.
fused to talk about it. 23
Kobler: John. "The Mystery of the Palatine Light." Saturday
No, there would be no need to notify the authorities Evening Post. vol. 232. no. 50. 11 June 1960. pp. 44-45. 55.
this night either. thought Hull as the square-rigger's three 56.58.
flame-engulfed masts disappeared from view. You just II Gaddis. Invisible Horizons. pp. 104-105.
can't rescue a ghost shipU
Brown. Raymond Lamont. Phantoms 0/ the Sea: Legends.

THE PHANTOM SHIP

SEEN BY HUNDREDS

III

That night Mr. Hull joined a select group who had also
seen the Phantom Ship of Northumberland Strait. It
haunts a body of water 130 miles long and 8-to-30 miles

I ..
,,;
NEWFOUNDLAND

VLr'

. Eric Norman. who wrill!s of thl! incidl!nl in Beyond the Strange. II

. il1l'orrl!l'lly plan's Ihl! "Will ill "Nl'wfoulldland Strait."

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

Customs and Superstitions. New York; Taplinger Publishing Co ..

1973). pp. 178-179.
1\ Ibid .. pp. 177-179.
14 Gaddis. Invisible Horizons. p. 106.
Smyth. Frank. Ghosts and poltergeists (Greenwich. Conn.:
The Danbury Press. 1976). pp. 66-67.
I. Joachim.
"Integrating the Conscious. Unconscious. and
Subconscious: Subliminal Suggestion," See of Tranquility. A-X.
b M:uch 1976.
I' Dunne. John William. An Experiment with Time (New York:
.
. The Macmillan Co .. 1974).
I" Farrer. Edward. "The Folk Lore of Lower Canada." Atlantic
M"nthly. Houghton. Mifflin &Co .. B~ston. XLIX. April 1H82.
pp.542-550.
,0 Lambert. R. S .. Exploring the Supernatural (Toronto-Moil'
treal; McClelland and Stewart. 1966 ed.). p. 57.
'" Farrer. "Folklore of Lower Canada." p. 546.
"I Walk~r. Admiral Sir Hovenden. A Journal: or /ull account 0/
the late expedition to Canada .... (London: D. Browne. 1720).
U
Norman. Eric. Beyond the Strange (New York: Popular library. 1972) pp. H-9.
1\ Ibid .. pp. 8-9.
" Sherwood. The Phantolll Ship. p. 9 .
" Ibid .. p. 10 & pp. :n-:i2 .

I.

117

THAT WEDDING PHOTO

A year ago Pursuit (Vol. 10. No.3. Summer. 1977)

printed a photo (see accompanying scaled-down version)
sent in by a member in Alaska. The "strange" streaking
effect produced by the candle flames represented an "unexplained" which we felt would interest all our members.
Apparently it did. because the many responses we received only served to confirm our belief that SITU members are actively pursuing investigation of the unexplained.
"Explanations" ranged from hoax. to spirit manifestations
(or "psychic photography"). to equipment malfunction.
Although we do not automatically discount the former
explanations. we feel we must rely on the latter at this
point - the evidence would. in this case. point to a malfunction of the photo equipment used. (Even more likely
when we consider the camera involved was a new one.)
Consequently. we want to take this moment to thank
the following members who cared enough to devote their
time and energy to contributing an explanation for the
phenomenon: members #1261. #1018. #2605. #2206.
#478. #433. and #2489. who asked to be mentioned by
number only. and Eric Hovemeyer. Patrick Macey. Jann
Darsie. Norman Pfutzenreuter. Dr. Alan Keith Andrews.
Sr .. Hubert Malthaner. Gary Mangiacopra and Larry
Arnold were among the manymembers who responded.
Two of the responses received. both submitted by professional photographers. are printed here. The first offers
a short and simple explanation:
I refer to the photographic puzzle on page "92 of
Pursuit (Vol. 10. No.3. Summer. 1977): This effect
occurs because of a faulty camera shutter which remains open for some time after the flash bulb has
been fired and the picture taken. As a result. streaks
of light from the candle flames register on the film.
The reason why the other highlights in the picture.
such as those on the silver jug. do not show the same
'streaking' effect is because these highlights are produced by the light from the flash bulb and they do
not exist when the scene is lit only by the normal
room lighting. The level of light in a normal room is
insufficient to record any detail on a color film with
the camera aperture at f11. which is of course why
photographers need to use flash when recording
such a scene. But the candle flames. being incandescent and self-luminous. have a much higher intensity
of light and will record as irregular streaks of light
when the camera shutter is open and the camera is
moved at random. Your member in Alaska should
have his camera shutter checked and adjusted!
-Colin Bord
London. England
A more comprehensive explanation. and one which
points out the technical considerations in even greater detail. comes from a man who has nearly forty years of

experience in photography. and who a decade ago was

involved in a discussion about lens reflections mistakenly
taken for UFOs in the Flying Saucer Review:
The candle light traces in the wedding picture
reproduced in Pursuit (Vol. 10. No. :i, Summer.
1977) are not new' among the various sorts of photo
graphic anomalies.
Theoretically, for these types of traces to appear.
the following prerequisites must be considered: .
1) Camera movement during the time of exposure. i.e .. when the shutter was open.
:
2) An exposure time that was considerably longer.
than the duration of the flash.
3) Objects or light sources creating the traces
have to be a few orders brighter than the backgroun.d
scene. and their luminosity must be independent of
the flash (which means they must be self-luminous).
In order to determine to what degree the above
requirements may have been fulfilled in the case in
question. we must look at the photographic data.
The reproduction gives the impression that the film
was correctly exposed. It is reasonable to assume
that the correct synchronization was used. and that
the timing knob was not set to speeds above 1/60
seconds. Shorter exposure times would certainly
have resulted in a partial exposure of the frames.
considering the type of flash bulb used (the 5B flash
has a duration of 14 ms [milliseconds) or 1/71 second).
But aside from this. we do not know whether the
timing knob was set to "AUTO." "B.' or "60X."
As this is a crucial point in the whole affair. and since
possibly not many readers are familiar with the
FUJICA ST 901. a short description of the shutter
timing possibilities of this camera seems to be appropriate.
In the FUJICA ST 901. the shutter timing knob
can be set to the following positions:
AUTO - In this case the automatic exposure
control is activated. It has a range from 1/1000 sec
up to 20 seconds (this is the range given in FUJI's
technical data sheet - it is said. however. that it
actually reaches from 1/1.500 second up to 30
seconds.
Within that range. shutter speed is regulated continl.lously. depending upon the brightness of the
scene as well as upon the manually preset aperture
and the ASA values.
B - With this setting the shutter remains open.
as long as the shutter-release button is pressed down.
Automatic exposure control is ineffective.
60X-1000 - This area on the scale of the timing
knob is for the manual setting of discrete shutter
speeds ranging from 1/60 second up to 11 WOO
second. In this case as well. automatic exposure control is naturally not possible.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

118
Independently of whether the shutter is manually
preset or whether it operates under the automatic exposure control. the shutter speed is displayed in the
form of a digital readout (by means of LEDs [light
emitting diodes)) on the upper edge of the image
frame within the view finder. by means of a slight
pressure upon the shutter release button.
In the absence of a positive statement regarding
the actual setting of the timing knob. we must consider three possibilities:
1) If the timing knob was set on "AUTO" (or one
or two I-values above or below) the automatic exposure control measured in the low brightness of a
(presumably) normally lit room. We know, that the
. preset I-value was 11. From my own experience.
r I would estimate that, under these circumstances,
a 100 ASA film requires at least a shutter speed
somewhere on the order of one or more seconds.
and it is to this value that the automatic exposure
. control would have set the shutter. It is possible that
the photographer was unaware of this fact - despite
the display in the view finder-because he was busy
concentrating on the scene. It is also reasonable to
assume that the camera was held fairly still during
the brief duration of the flash. But. if immediately
thereafter. the camera was again taken away from
the eye (i.e .. dipped downwards and around). then
the bright candle flames could have created the
traces on the film - as the shutter was still open.
From the reproduction. it seems the overhead lighting at the time was not too strong, and therefore the
background was not blurred by the camera move. ment. (It is well known that during long term exposures persons can walk through the scene without
creating an image on the film being exposed!) The fact
that the reflections from the silver didn't create traces
is understandable if one considers that they were
dependent on the flash and were not self-luminous.

Ph",n n",lir: GARY Jl.1A/I;GIACOPRA

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

2} If the timing knob was set on "B." essentially

the same conclusions apply. but in this case the time
would depend on how long the photographer had
depressed the shutter release. From my own experience with the habits of photographers. I would say
that the shutter release is seldomly pressed down
for longer than 2 seconds.
3} If the timing knob was set on "60X." only an
irregular shutter function could explain the outcome
of the photos. If this were the case, it could be assumed that the shutter opened correctly but that its
closing was somehow considerably retarded. I have
experienced this type of failure with some older
cameras with focal plane shutters. but I doubt that
this is a feasible explanation in the present case.
Aside from these purely technical considerations.
I would like to mention that there is always an inclination to attach an undue significance to photographic anomalies when they occur in conjunction
with certain events or places. While a streak of light,
for example, may readily be recognized as a quite
natural reflection on the photo of a landscape. it may
also become the soul of someone deceased when it
appears on the picture of a church's interior.
On the other hand. Jung, the great Swiss psychologist, was of the opinion that even events which
remain explainable in quite natural terms may nevertheless have a synchronistic meaning (one independent of physical causation) for the people involved.
If Jung is right. then I hope that the candle light traces
are symbolic of our best wishes for the young. newly
married couple who sent the photo .
- Luis Schoenherr
Innsbruck. Austria

And finally. we reprint here two photos sent in by SITU

members who were able to duplicate the effect.

119

ANIMALS: WILD IN THE STREETS

I. CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF
THE FORT KIND
The following incident involves an absolute interfacing
of realities. Taken as an archetypal analogue, it may serve
as the brief but dramatic condensation of time and space
(involving as it does a two-hour, four-mile situation) into
a close encounter with ~n out-of-place event. Please note
and understand, in the true sense of analogy, the respective reactions on the part of the contactees-both human
and non-human.
It all happened in Prarie du Sac, Wisconsin, one Sunday afternoon last summer (our source does not give the
date nor. as in the retelling of a myth, is it necessary to
the story). when Barbara wanted to take a break from her
job --, and did. Barbara. a 36 year old, four ton elephant.
was working for Carson and Barnes at the time, putting
up their circus tent. Apparently frightened when a pole
she was hoisting fell to the ground, she decided to take
the afternoon off, much to the chagrin of her keepers,
a number of policemen and firemen, and a small herd of
accompanying citizens, bystanders and would-be elephant
trappers.
After getting past the village park and hospital. and
after two hours and four miles of chase (her progress, it
must be noted, was hampered by chains around her front
legs). Barbara came to a halt in front of the Maplewood
Nursing Home, where she saw her reflection (or maybe
another elephant. in her eyes) in one of the windows. In
any case, Barbara charged the elephant-image, which
resulted in the shattering of the window. Having passed
through a glass.darkly, Barbara now found herself in one
of the bedrooms of the home. Turning. she saw another
reflection (or another elephant) in the l11irror on the wall.
and charged again.
It was fortunate, perhaps, that the two elderly women
residents of the room were lunching in the dining room at
the time, although this merely forestalled the eventual
encounter.
Barbara had by now plowed through the bedroom wall
and was on her way down the hallway, leaving in her wake
behind her a trail of bent ceiling supports, torn-out electrical wiring, ceiling tile shards, and clouds of dust. ...
Harley Hannick was oblivious to the sounds in the hallway because he was so deeply absorbed in watching a
Sunday afternoon football game' on television. Harley, or
Everyman as he would be called in a medieval morality
play, can easily be fprgiven for his reaction upon seeing
Barbara' stick her head through the doorway. His response.
an archetypal reaction prevalent among those who experience the unknown or unexpected, was simply this:
shocked and incredulous. Harley slammed the door in
herface.
Barbara finally left the nursing home, this time by a door,
to be apprehended in a cornfield about a mile away. The
financial damage was covered, of course, by the Circus
insurance. but who knows what psychological damage

was done to a small town (let alone Barbara!) on a Sunday summer afternoon ....
Some additional reactions on the part of the residents
of the nursing home may further contribute to our understanding of the psyche's ability to accept or deny the brief
alternate reality imposed upon it. The ways in which these
residents chose to cope with The Phenomenon are in
many respects similar to the manner in which many people
choose to cope with a "paranormal" situation. One resident, 82 year old Josephine Roos. who chose to enter
into the phenomenon. replied nostalgically. almost wistfully: "All my life I had to travel to get to the circus.but today it finally came to me."
And finally, an anonymous white-haired little lady
offered the final answer. one which we Forteans must
admire. a response that could have come. in some inexplicable way. from Charles Fort himself:
"It's nothing new to us. Lots of elephants come here
to retire."
SOURCE: Sunshine News. April 1978. CREDIT: Richard Kinner.

II. ON DASHER! ON SMASHER!

More recently (May 23. 1978). Veronica Sikora was in
her bathroom in North Tonawanda (a suburb of Buffalo.
New York). dressing for work when she heard her picture
window in the living room shatter. "A lot of crashing
noises" followed. and Veronica peeked out to see a large
brown animal dashing (and smashing) about the living
room. Like Harley Hannick. she qUickly slammed the door.
Like Barbara. the deer (for that's what it was) went right
through a wall - between the living room and the dining
room. continuing to overturn furniture and smash household items in the process.
After ten minutes in the bathroom. Veronica realized.
from hearing youngsters outside yelling that a deer had
jumped into an apartment. the identity of the uninvited
visitor.
0
A policeman armed with a chair drove the deer out of
the house .. Still running. it managed another two miles
before the policeman killed it with a shotgun blast.
Too badly wounded to save. they said ....
"Until this morning, I didn't know there were deer in
North Tonawanda," Veronica said.
After that morning, there probably won't be any more ....
SOURCE: AP Ithaca Journal. Wednesday. May 24. 1978. CREDIT:
*'466.

III. HIGH WATER DEER?

Police in St. Louis were called in for a deer hunt March
26. 1978 at an unlikely location - a restaurant called the
Mansion House. A garage attendant there saw a deer run
into a utility room at the complex. She. like Veronica in
Tonaw~nda and Harley Hannick in Prarie du Sac, tried
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

. 120
to slam the door to the room. but the deer bolted past her
ahd gof away. Like the other two victims in our previous
animal tales. the animal was apprehended a few minutes
later.
After the deer had been taken away by the Humane
Society. police speculated .that the creature may have
floated down the Mississippi on some debris borne on the
surface of those high waters (from Prarie du Sac. Wisconsin. via the Wisconsin .River, perhaps'!).

SITU member WiII!am Zeiser. who sent the clipping in.

writes: "The deer. if it did come from the Mississippi on
debris (the river was high that date), would have had to
cross a dozen lanes of highway traffic. negotiate brightly
lit streets for blocks. and dodge the restaurant crowds at
that hour."
SOURCE: SI. l.ouis G/ool'd)l'lJIo("rat. 27 March IlJ7H. CREDIT: William

ll'is .... r.

SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained
events. Members are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports
they feel shouJd be included here. Remember. local newspapers often offer the best
(ur ollly) information concerning some events. Please be sure to include the source of
reference (name of newspaper. periodical. etc.), the date the article appeared and
your membership number (or name. if you prefer to be credited that way).

MUTILATIONS ON SCHEDULE
M!Jtilations are being linked to witchcraft
ceremoni~s again - atl(;!ast in Arkansas.
In Rogers .. Arkansas. Benton County.
sheriffs officials c1!lim five calves. a cow
and a horse. were mysteriously. mutilated
between April H and May I. 197H in three
separate locations - by religiOUS cultists.
No arrests have been made. howewr ....
. The eyes as well as the sexual and inter
nal organs of the dead animals had been
removed with surgical precision. it was
noted. and the blood had been drained
and taken away as well.
.
Two of the dead calves were found on
a northwest~rn Arkansas ranch n~ar the
Missouri border April H. Three mor~ calves
and a cow were found in a different loca
tion. and wer~ b~liewd mutilated som~
time before April 20. The horse. also
mutilated. wa" discovered May I:
Officials. while in the woods investigating
the animal deaths. stumbled across a flag
stone altar painted with white symbols
and littered with animal skulls and candles.
An anthropologist. Dr. Jerome Rose.
from the University of Arkansas at fay
etteville was consulted. His ver.dict was
that the slayings represented "witchcraft
in the EurQpean tradition ... based on the .
worship of nature. Since one of. the major
aspects of nature is reproduction. the
ceremonies should involve reproduction
in a simulated form." He told investigators
the ceremonies involved seem to be linked
to the vernal equinox and the cycle of
planting and reproduction, adding that
the influence of the equinox diminishes
by May3.
To make the situation even more pat,
Dr. Rose apparently successfully pre
dictedi!i the mutilation of the horse May 1.
and even went so far as to predict that no
more mutilations would occur after May 3.
PUIlSUIT. Summer 1978

Have Benton County officials. with the

help of an anthropologist. managed to
solw the mutilation phenomenon'? Will
the mutilators heed the findings of the law
enforcement agency'? Will Dr. Rose be
successful in predicting away the perpe
trators'?
Not only have the mutilations been ex
plained. but now that May :i has come and
gone, they are finished for the year.
Or are they'? Be sure to tune in again
next equinox ....
SOURCE: AP: Tire Kansa. City Slar. :, May
IIJ7H/Ap: (N.I) Hl'rald Nl'ws. :1 "May 1971'1.
CREDIT: William Zl.-iser;Tnm Adams/fred
Wilson.

BIGFOOT IN VIRGINIA
.Sev~n employees. part of an emergency
. crew of the Virginia Electric and Power
Company. were repairing storm damaged
dines and poles in a field near Middletown.
Virginia (August County). when they wit
nessed what they describ\.'d as a Bigfoot
type creature at approximately lJ:20 p.m.
March :iO. 197H.
The Vepco employees. said Robert
Huffman. a safety supervisor for the power
company, "saw something and it scared
the heck out of them. Right now. we're
just trying to play it down. We don't want
to scare people." The Vepco workers.
Huffman explained. were aboard a roughterrain vehicle moving througJ:t a I}asture
when they saw something in their head
lights. Whatever it was, the creature
"ran upright like a man. but there was no
~ay a man could run that fast." The em
ployees also told Huffman the creature
glided ov~ downed trees without stumbo
ling and turned toward them at the edge
of the woods. about 75 yards distant. and
appeared to be holding a red light close to
its chest Huffman added that he had

been instructed by his district manager to

say nothing about the incident.
The district game biologist with the Vir
ginia CommisSion of Game and Inland
Fisheries. Gary Spiers. took a cautious
approach: "I don't doubt th~se men saw
something." He added. however. that a
carcass is not always necessary to make a
believer out of him: "We have had persis
t~nt reports from reliable individuals for
years saying that they've Sighted mountain
lions in Virginia. There's never been any
hit on the roads. there's never been a picture taken of one and nobody's ever
brought one in. But I'm confident they're
out there."
As for Bigfoot. ..
"I don't know. I don't say it couldn't b~.
There are a lot of things that go on in the
"'l>ods that w~ knpw nothing about."
SOURCE: Ridlll,olld TiIJll's[)ispard,. :, April
197M. CREDIT: J. W. Burkl'. .Ir.

FISH FAU IN KENYA

fish rained in Kenya again during the
week of AprillJ15. 197H. just as they did
the previous year about the same time.
according to the Plliladelphia Inquirer.
Red and black riwr fish fell from the sky
on the Village of.Kisanana in th~ Rift Val
ley of Kenya. After a two hour thunder
storm had passed. villagers found the fish
scattered about the ground and squirm
ing in the trees.
The local councillor. Charles Kiptanui.
said everyone was mystified by the event
since the nearest lake is 14 miles away
and there are no rivers in the district. He
added that some of the villagers thought
the event a bad omen while others looked
at the fish as manna from heaven.
SOURCE: Philadl'lphia Inquirl". 21 April
197M. CREDIT: "270M.

121
HAS THE DOVER DEVIL
VISITED SOUTHCENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA IN
MARCH 1978?
We noticed these "footprints" uniformly spaced over the northwest corner of
our house's roof one afternoon towards
the end of the winter of 1977-78. The
rain gutter was frozen solid with ice. yet
that's where these "footprints" began and
then headed towards the southwest (up
the roofs slope) before turning due west
and ending at the edge of a 25-foot drop.
No trace of these markings was found
towards the west at ground level: another
singular line of marks was found below
the gutter. ap'proaching the house from
the east (as seen in the photo), but these
marks could not be traced for any significant distance.
A close-up of the roofprints unfortunately reveals no identifying details. as a
fair degree of melting had occurred by the
time we noticed them.
Location is 6 miles north of Harrisburg.
in Dauphin County. along the slope of
the southern-most ridge of the Appalachian Mountains through south-central
Pennsylvania.
Frankly. we're stumped. The neighbor
kids aren't talented enough to create such
a regular pattern by lobbing snowballs
from across the lane! No bird with which
we are familiar - and that includes Thunderbirds!-could have created this pattern.
either. So .. .'?
- Larry Arnold

BLACK CAT WAS A DOG?I

In the last issue of Pursuit (Vol. II, No.2).
we reported the appearance of an alleged
black panther in Plainfield. Illinois. Now,
it seems. a large black dog has been found
(dead) in the same vicinity. The dead dog
was described by Richard Rife. the Plainfield Township animal warden, as having
been a black bull mastiff. a breed which
he admits is represented by about only 25
examples in the entire United States.
(This may make the black bull mastiff
even rarer than the black panther!) The
dead dog's age was estimated to be one
year or less. and the animal was reported
to have had cropped ears and a tapered
nose.
The controversy remains, however.
Anthony Schons. a Lockport resident
who currently has '16 bull mastiffs at his
kennels. noted that he had seen only one
black bull mastiff in his life - and that was
about 25 years ago. "Black is not eve!")
permissible by (the standards of) the American Kennel Club." he added, doubting
the identification made by Rife. "Bull
mastiffs' ears aren't cropped. and they
don't have a tapered nose .... (The dead
animal) probably (has) got a little Great
Dane in him." Schons speculated.
As of this writing, no one has Claimed

ownership to the unusual canine. even

though the event has received froni-page
publicity in Plainfield. Why this apparently
young dog was so elusive for two months'
and could have been so easily mistaken
for a I<!rge. shrieking cat by an experienced
hunter are two of the questions left. as yet.
unanswered. Previous sightings of large
black cats elsewhere have not been so
easily resolved ....
SOURCE: Herald-News. Joliet. Illinois. 2H and
2<) April. 197H. CRE[)IT: ~9H5.

DEAD DOG MUTILATION?

On the afternoon of April 18, 1977. a
woman (name not released. but in our
source's files) living near Machias, in Washington State. looked out her window to
observe an early model. light creamcolored vehicle traveling east at about
4 m.p.h. as it passed in front of her house.
A Doberman Pinscher was walking, apparently on a leash. alongside the driver's
side of the car. The witness was unable to
clearly observe the driver. but. she did
note that the driver's hand, which was
resting on the steering wheel. was quite
large and that there was another (smaller)
person sitting on the passe!"'ger's side.

The vehicle passed slowly out of sight

around the corner of the house.
About fifteen minutes later the vehicle
passed again. this time traveling west at a
normal speed: but the dog was absent this
time. Thinking this somewhat strange.
she asked the neighbor's son if he would
walk up the road to look for the dog. The
boy returned a few minutes later to tell
her the dog was dead. and that it appeared
to have been cut up.
The woman waited until her husband
came' home. then accompanied him to
assess the situation. They found the dog's
remains lying along the south bank d the
road. The front portion of the.aninial was
lying on its back with the chest cavity cut
open. The dog had been cleanly severed
in two. 'behind the rib cage. The back half
and. rear legs could not be found anywhere. There was no' evidence of blood
and the exposed tissue of the chest cavity
was clean and whitish in appearance.
The intestines had been piled up a few
feet away, and the liver. heart and lungs
were missing from the carcass.
The witness stated that the work done
on the animal was "clean and precise."
SOURCE: The Phenomel19 Research Special
Report ((R2). July 1977. CREDIT: Jacob A
Davidson.
.

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

122
HYPNOTIZED CROAKER
Del Mar: California. April 21. 1978. Bill
Steed roots for pint-sized frog lifting weights
in training for the charity frog-jump at the
Del Mar fairgrounds. Steed says he trains
his army of 300 frogs using hypnotism.
Sorry. but we would have to see it (in
something besides the accompanying
photo) to believe it.

PELICANS IN THE MIDWEST

There's a strange trio of pelicans at the
Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Nebraska.
One of them was spotted by a Veterans
Hospital surgical researcher who managed to capture it and take it to the zoo.
Zoo director Lee Simmons reasoned the
bird was a oropout from a flock flying
south for the winter. but after the winter
was over and two other pelicans were
brought in to the zoo from Iowa and Nebraska. he wasn't so sure.
In any case. all three are healthy. gaining
weight and apparently none too anxious to leave the zoo. As a matter of fact.
Simmons adds. the only male among
them has developed a crush on one of
the females ....
The SITU member who sent the clipping in to us writes:
"Pelicans at least 1500 miles from the
sea'~ Not once. but on two successive
years in different states'? You may ask me
to believe in a single. stray. storm-born
pelican. but do we have here a type of
pipeline'! Cf. Big Bird accounts from illinois in For/eoll Times. "
SOURCE: AP: Sf. louis GlobeDenwcrar. 17
May 1'J7H CREDIT- William Zeiser.

MONTEVIDEO MONSTER
Professor Victor Bertullo. director of Uruguay's Institute of Fish Research. said he
could not identify an unknown creature
fished out of the Rio De La Plata by surprised fishermen. The fantailed sea monster. with a tortoise shell six feet in diameter and huge fins. could not be found in
any book. according to Professor Bertullo.
The creature weighed about a ton and
was dying when it was brought to the surface in the fishing nets and then towed
ashore ....
SOURCE: Agence FrancePresse: SI. Louis
Globe Democrat. 13-14 May 197H. CREDIT:
William Zeiser.

LONG-DISTANCE 'MAYDAY'
Three people aboard the Timber/ane. a
30-foot pleasure boat out of Marathon ..
Florida. issued a distress signal May 15.
197H. The Coast Guard station in Key
West did not hear it.
Citizens of Tucson. Arizona did. however. and called the unbelieving Pima
County Sheriff's Department radio
dispatcher there-to tell him so. "I want to
report a ship at sea in distress. I've just
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

picked up its Mayday signal." one caller

told the dispatcher.
"Buddy." answered the dispatcher.
"tpis is a desert town. There isn't a major
waterway within a hundred miles of here."
The caller insisted. however. that he
had heard the call over his citizen's band
radio. The dispatcher contacted federal
officials in Tucson. who in turn contacted
the Coast Guard in Key West. Florida.
Message confirmed. the Coast Guard
soon had the Timber/aile. which had begun taking on water. i.n tow.
A Coast Guard spokesman clarified ('?)
the situation:
"We didn't hear the message at all ...
We got two calls from people in Tucson
and one of the callers talked to people
aboard the ship for awhile until the sfgnal
faded."
Although CB owners may write in to
tell us the phenomenon is known as
"skip." we could not bring ourselves to
skip this one ....
SOURCE: AP: Ithaca (NY) Journal. 16 May
J<J7H. CREDIT: "65<),.

BIGFOOT IN ARKANSAS
A set of alleged Bigfoot prints. shoWing
five toes and measuring 71/2 x 17 inches
(with about double the stride of an averagesized adult human. according to one witness). was 'found near the Center Ridge
telephone exchange in south-cep'ral
Arkansas. Later the same day (March 5.
197H) another set of prints was found
about seven miles further along Highway
124 near a low-water bridge situated between the towns of Center Ridge and
Cleveland. Both right and left foot impressions were discovered in soft soil in a
nearby IHO acre farm from which. coincidentally. three head of cattle had myster-

iously disappeared just five days earlier.

Evidence as to why or how the cattle had
disappeared is lacking ....
Ed Andrews. whose farm is located just.
two miles from the first set of prints. reported that he discovered one of his 40pound hogs dead. its head pulled off but
its carcass otherwise untouched.
SOURCE: PetitJean County Headlight. Morrilton. Arkansas. H March 197M. CREDIT: Lou
Farish

BIGFOOT IN ALBERTA
In Manyberries. near Medicine Hat. Alberta (Canada). "Bigfoot" prints were
found the morning of December 1. 1977.
The 5-toed imprints. measuring S x 19
inches. were discovered in the snow near
the CP rail station in Manyberries. RCMP
Constable Bruce Best. called to the scene.
felt it was the weirdest thing he had ever
encountered. With 9 1/2 years of experience on the force. he could say only:
"I don't know what to think. actually."
The local hotel owner reported he spent
a restless night after being forced to close
the hotel tavern because "dogs kept barking and howling all night."
Almost all the SO Manyberries residents
visited the railway station to examine the
strange footprints which led from the front
of t~e station along the side of the building. [Editor's note: A previous article
entitled "Coherence in Chaos" (pursuit.
Vol. 11. No.1) discusses the frequency
with which unexplained manifestations
occur near railroad tracks and other 'conductive- materials and structures and
speculates as to the cause of these events. I
At one point whatever made the prints
. appears to have stopped by a window.
since the footprints there were spaced
only a few inches apart.

123
Some of the Manyberries residents are
not at all convinced the trail in the snow
was a hoax: Vern Dunlop. manager of
the railway station for seven years. doesn't
think anyone in the village would attempt
such a hoax.
SOURCE: The Medicine Hal News. 2 December 1977 CREDIT: 11225H.

NO JOKE
Seventeen persoris at the Navajo National
Monument campground watched help-

lessly as part of a towering. sheer 600-foot

sandstone wall collapsed May 30. 1978.
killing one person and injuring two others
at Keet See!. the largest cliff-dwelling ruin
in Arizona.
Head injuries were blamed for one
man's death. Although we do not wish to
make light of someone's misfortune. it is
in Keeping with Pursuit's policy of reporting strange names that we note here the
name of on~ of the injured who was identified as a dentist with the Public Health

Service in Arizona: Dr. Toothaker.

SOURCE UPI: The New York Times. 3D May
1978. CREDIT: "466. ~

MOVING?
If you are planning to move this fall, please
send your name, new mailing address and
old mailing address 10 SITU Membership
Services, R.F.D_ 5, Gales Ferry, CT 06335,
if possible 60 or more days in advance of
moving.

These Fortean Times

By Robert JM Rickard
During correspondence with your editor the idea was
mooted that I should attempt a column. here in Pursuit.
The notion had several advantages. Firstly. it would be
an opportunity to conduct an experiment: my own journal. Fortean Times (hereafter as FT). is largely devoted
~o collecting contemporary Fortean data under eventcategory headings. but in these pages I would like to present the "log-book" approach. summarizing the Fortean
events occurring in a given period. or at least those events
that I know about in. say. the previous three months.
At present the temporal correlation of Fortean data is
quite primitive. using a file card for each day on which
details are entered from clippings of different events as
they come in. Dave Fideler, editor of Anomaly Research
Bulletin (ARB), and I have discussed using this method to
compile annual Fortean chronologies - but this will take
time. a commodity we don't have enough of ... FT is initiating a development program, studying the modern data
processing hardware and software application to just this
kind of problem (any computer hams among you interested
in taking part are invited to contact me via Pursuit) ... but
this. too. has yet to be realized. Hopefully this column will
show that temporal correlation, even on a small scale. is
a valid technique that brings interesting results. and will
pave the way for more ambitious projects.
Secondly. this column would provide some discussion
of contemporary events and patterns: and thirdly. it could
provide Pursuit readers with a window on Forteana in the
British Isles. Since space here is naturally limited. I will.
in places. refer the reader to more detailed discussion in
FT and elsewhere. Referencing will be kept brief: a date
follows the source's initials. which can be decoded with
the table at the end of this column. Material drawn from
the pages of FT may be more fully credited or reported
(past or future) in that publication. [SITU members unfamiliar with FTs address take note: FORTEAN TIMES.
c/o DTWAGE 9-12 SI. Annes Court. London WI. Eng:
land.)
Having fired the opening shots, I now confess that the
deadline for this first column has caught me with my trousers down (but we won't go into that!) in the midst of drastic
domestic upheaval. Perhaps thIS would be a good opportunity simply to introduce myself. my approach and the
sort of data we'll be discussing.
While Fort himself recognized that patterns and cycles

existed in his data. he was never very forthcoming. preferring to hint in general. One of his more explicifcorrelations was between quakes and certain other phenomena
like aerial lights and sounds. and falls. This whole area
(suggesting a new specialization for science) was recently
brought into focus by reports of awesome light phenomena
in the sky during the great 8.2 Richter quake that destroyed
Tangshan city, Hopei. China. on 28 July. 1976. Yet
another Fortean datum is absorbed into the orthodox body
of science. for already the subject has attracted papers
(Earthquake In/ormation Bulletin 1977) and. of course.
a theory: that tectonic stress creates piezo-electric forces
affecting the electromagnetic field of the area precipitating
anomalous effects. And. of course. we have the mystery
booms ...
To judge from many of the US clippings I've seen. the
many US sources blithely blaming Concorde take no cognizance of the fact that the original report by Bristol University on the English Channel booms (late 1976 and onward - see FT23). placing the blame on Concorde and
peculiar high-altitude cold layers simply did not explain
all the reports coming in at the time. Apart from a consistent statement by coast guards and other regular witnesses
that the 'booms' are quite distinct from Concorde's sounds
(with which they are quite familiar) and that they occur
at Widely different times. we have the evidence of other
witnesses as far north as Cambridgeshire and lincolnshire:
and. of course. like ice-falls. similar incidents can be found
in the historical records of many countries. long before
the aviation era. In FT23, 24 and 25. and in Monsieur X's
excellent Res Bureaux Bulletin 28 and onward. case after
case of booms are given in both" Britain and North America in recent years ... and the astonishing emergence can
be seen of a fairly high correlation with other Fortean phenomena. The late 1976 boom-time in Southern England
was a period of vigorous activity both of lights-in-the-skies
and in close-encounters of the third kind (CE3: alleged
experiental contact with alien beings. etc.). as well as
mystery animal cases and 'coincidence' series like the incredible saga of- mystery explosions blamed on inexplicable
na.tural-gas accidents (see FT20) .
If a Fortean is expert in anything. it is as a connoisseur
of explanations. and didn't some beauties emerge during
the US East coast boom series! My favorite must be the
suggestion that a lunatic was tying dynamite to balloons
far out at sea. During this noisy December 1977 period it
was also noted that the sounds were being caused by reentering satellite junk exploding. Almost a month later it
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

124
really happens! ~adioactlve debris from the Cosmos 954
satellite re-enters over North America - see major newspapers for 27 January 1978 onward. (Incidentally this
time-correlation game really highlights some of the Universe's Jokes. Located within the supposed danger area
of this satellite accident were both Uranium City and Fort
Radium! And the scenario had been described in Harry'
Harrison's recent SF novel Sky/all - shOWing howshades of the Titanic! - Nature can upstage fiction.)
There are other insights into the intriguing mystery
booms - which, at the time of writing are still being sporadically reported or heard. Our simple file cards show
fairly good coincidents involving booms and quakes-:and not always in the same place! For example. on 2 December 19,77. the day 'of 'the first recorded booJTI off the
Charleston. South Carolina coast, there was a 6.2 Richter
tremor (some sources said 5.5) in the Gulf of Iran (RN 3
Dec.) and another in the Kamchatka peninsula (can't
locate source right now); and at Glsborne. New Zealand.
88 whales were beached (DT 3 Dec.). Fort. In discussing
alternating series of tremors and booms. wondered aloud
about a link to Mars at opposition during these times.
X. in RBB 28. points out that the recent series coincides
with Mars' closest approach in two years. In his biography
of F~rt'. Damon Knight confesses to have gotten Bell
Telephone Labs to computer analyze Fort's data. and to
his amazement (and the incomprehension of all of us)
found that not just the quake/sounds but the iNhole body
of data (errors included!) related closely to the Mars cycle.
What this means I can't say - but it does open a lot of
questions ....
There Is another factor. Any Fortean investigator of experience will admit the very low probability that effects
have only one cause. In Fort's notion of Continuity. events
are the nexus of infinite causes. only a few of which we
know about. Personally. I feel there is a strong similarity
between the paradoxical effects of the mystery booms and
the sonic effects experienced during 'poltergeist' casesin both cases. we hear of sounds loud enough to shake
buildings but which paradoxically leave little physical
evidence! Few of the recent booms affected seismographs
to any degree. and those that did had seismologists puzzled
over lack of corroboration for an earth tremor (hence the
term for the booms: pseudoseisms). If the news reports
are correct. there was a 3.1 Richter tremor in the Wareham. Mass. area almost exactly an hour after three loud
explosions and a red glow in the air were reported over
the Connecticut coast. on 20 December. Similar puzzling
pseudoseisms are on record from the great Hereford.
England quake in 1896 2 up to the more recent event at
L1andrillo. Wales on 23 January 1974. (see FT4 and 5)
when It seemed that a meteor and a tremor were coincident
with aerial explosions.
Before leaving the subject for no\Ao'. I could mention
that on 21 December. 1977, 2 more booms were heard
at Charleston. while a resident of Tom's River. New Jersey
was awakened at 2 a.m. that day by a mystery explosion
that set off his fire-alarm and thereby drawing to his attention a "globular light" outside the house (MCJ 24 Dec.).
At 2 p.m. the same day. the first of a new series of aerial
boomings began in the sky over Cornwall. England (WB
5 Jan. 1978). Then - Inevitably - booms in the sky
over Cornwall, Ontario (see RBB 29).
Here are ill fe\Ao' examples of my daily log for late last
year,
PURsurr. Summer J978

8 Aug.: 12th eruption in 48 hours of Mt. Usu in Northern Japan (SE 9 Aug.); meanwhile weird things happen
in the West Country skies of England ... strange "high
pitched whirling" sounds were heard over a wide area
around Bath. Somerset (BWEC 10 Aug.): and not very
far away at Poole. Dorset, there was a fall of hay at about
8:45 p.m. The hay was said to be accompanied by clumps
of grass complete with roots and soil! (DE 9 Aug.).
12 Aug.: In the early hours rare birds ",an ish (or were
stolen) from an aviary in Camden Park, London (LEN
12 Aug.) ... and typifying this day of balances. two rare
Manx shearwaters are seen on the Isle of Man (BEA 13
Aug.). A pet foal found hanged in a tree near Swansea
(LES 12 Aug.). was avenged by a giant (3 ft,) squirrel
attacking people and "eating everything in sight" in Bournemouth, Hampshire (DE 13 Aug.). At Bath. Somerset.
a priest sleeping at the side of a country lane (!I) is run over
by a motorist (ST 14 Aug.). and far away in Canberra,
Australia. a car being filled with petrol suddenly explodes
killing its passengers (DT 13 Aug.). At Russ Green. Essex.
a couple claim a bright UFO cliased their car. and certainly
6 policemen had seen inexplicable lights in the local sky
(WN 13 Aug.) ... but at Bognor Regis. Sussex. they could
not explain what it was they saw and heard. It seemed
(to witnesses) that a plane was crashing into the sea. It was
explained away by official explainers-away as a "shooting
star or comet" (sic). No debris was found! (BEA 13 Aug.). '
16 Aug.: a good day to speculate on whether our predecessors. the chroniclers of omens and portents. had
anything going for them. Today a modern demigod diedElvis Presley. There was a strong tremor in Calabria and
Apulia. Italy (DT 17 Aug.): and at Sutton. Surrey. a man
died as a mystery explosion destroyed his house (OM 17
Aug.). A small plane took off from a field in Berwickshire
and apparently has still not landed anywhere (DE 18 Aug.) ...
so if we send them a plane. can we expect anything back?
Yes. here it comes ... 2 blackened metal artifacts falling
out of the sky over March. Cambridgeshire (DE 17 Aug.).
In the evening an "eerie glow" is reported from a beach at
Mablethorpe. lincs. It is explained as luminous plankton
and shrimp scales - but it is not explained how they
should be there that night and not on any other. or why
in such quantity! (SET 17 Aug.).
Of course both time and event logs have to run together
if you're to get the best from your data ... this technique
has thrown up for attention many series of accidents (like
the grain silo explosions recently in USA): a rash of green
birds and colored eggs: a prodigious number of close encounters of all kinds in the British Isles recently: and such
aberrations as the run of grave offences including desecration. robbery. stakes through corpses' hearts (true!) - not
to mention a new game in Italy. the hijacking of coffins
for ransom.
This column ',ill make no claims for completeness. and,
I hope I can blow a few raspberries at my own literary and
philosophical pretensions. But I hope you'lI forgive some
whoops of Fortean joy when I find a real gem. Freakish
births have studded this last year with monstrosities ...
and one of the more notable happened on 29 January.
1978. ,with the arrival of a calf with three mouths. each
with teeth. tongue and lips. The curious from miles around
flocked to see this prodigy in the small village of Ziafon.
near Jerusalem. Israel (lHT 31 Jan.). little did they know
that about the same time that same day. just a few miles
away across the Dead Sea. in Jordan. another miracle of

125
three was appearing. In the Greek Orthodox church at
Madaba. south of Amman. where a large congregation
are convinced they saw a "dark shadow. then a blue light"
encircle an icon of the Virgin holding baby Jesus. When
it had passed. the icon had developed a third hand between
the two figures. (AP 31 Jan.).
These are Fortean times!

REFERENCES
1 Charles Fort: Prophet oj the Unexplained. by Damon Knight
(Doubleday. NY. 1970).
2 Books oJ Charles Fort (both 1941 & 1974 editions). p. 476ff.

r-----------------~----------SOURCES----------------------------~

AP
BEA
BWEC
DE

OM

DT

IHT

LEN
LES

Associaied Press wire service.

Brighton Evening Argus. UK.
Bath and Western Evening Chronicle. UK.
Daily Express: UK.
Daily Mail. UK.
Daily Telegraph. UK..
International Herald Tribune.
London Evening News. UK.
. London Evening Standard. UK.

MCJ

RBB
RN'

SE
SET
ST
WB
WN

Manchester. Connecticut. Journal.

Res Bureaux Bulletin.
Rising Nepal.
Sunday Express. UK.
Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph. UK.
Sunday Times.
West Briton. UK.
Weekly News. UK.

SYMPOSIUM
Comments .nd Opinions

LETTERS TO T",E EDITOR

Over the past thirty years a small forest has been consumed to make the paper for the hundreds of books.
magazines. journals. and whatever on the subject of UFOs.
The UFO phenomenon has become a part of our 20th
Century history and. it is possible. an even more important part of our 20th Century science. As such. it is a symbol
and reflection of our technological culture. Thus. the literature represented by these publications will. in time. become important research documents.
Many of these publications have been printed in small
numbersand. as such. are available for only a short time.
It can be successfully argued that. at lea'st from a scientific
viewpoint. many of these publications are junk. However.
even this junk is a part of the overall phenomenon. And.
as for the rest of the literature. it is well written and informative. Since most is printed in small numbers. there is a
good chance that in a short time much will be unavailable
to future researchers.
I was in Washington. D.C. a few weeks ago and stopped
by the Library of Congress to see what they had. They seem
to have most. but not all. of the books printed by the major
publishing houses and some of the privately printed specialty items. But. there was a lot missing. When)" wrote
them inquiring into their interest in acquiring more. they
answered by saying that their collections were well represented and no more material was desired.
What is needed is a major effort by the UFO research
community to interest a number of museums. universities.
libraries. or historical societies to establish permanent collections of as much of the UFO literature that is still available. Most libraries keep material on hand only for so long
as it is in big demand. What is required for these permanent
collections is the recognition of the needs to preserve them
for future historical research purposes.
.
Some of the major UFO groups and dominant personalities have extensive collections. But as can be seen

with the deaths of M. K. Jessup and Frank Edwards! they

can be easily lost if adequate preparations are not made.
Connections with established institutions seem to be the
best way to guarantee long term preservation.
If steps are not taken soon. available information resource may be lost forever. I hope a major UFO group or
personality will recognize the need I have outlined and
take some initial steps to see If it can be solved.
-William E. Jones
As an initial step in that direction we ask all SITU members to send us reports. newspaper and periodical clippings
and first-hand accounts as well as books and periodicals
they may not want or do not haue room to keep. Our
library and files were established expressly/or that purpose
and we will do our utmost to maintain and preserue our
materials until such time as we receiue the lunding
necessary to preserue them permanently by microfilming or some other process. Please do not leel that we
already haue the book or clipping: we are pleased to haue
duplicate materials. as this assures .a more complete preseruation. -Ed.

.. .

At a conference I attended last year. scuttlebutt was

heard such that it was "hoped" Pursuit would soon fold
so that other Fortean-oriented journals could give the field
the better treatment it deserved. . . . Regardless. it Is my
point of truth that Pursuit is the best Fortean-oriented journal available when one is considering in-depth investigations of enigmas and theoretical discussion of them.
-Member # 1946
We wonder what kind of Fortean would "hope" lor
Pursuit. or any other of the reliable Fortean publications.
such as Fortean Times. Info. Fate and others - to lold?t
-Ed.
.

.. .

PURSUIT. Summer 1978

126
I wish to point out for the benefit of fellow SITU members a basic error in S. Marriott's article, "Whamond's Law
Repealed" (Pursuit Vol. 11, No.1) which struck me as
soon as I saw it. It is with regard to his assertion that if a
m.an is scaled down to half his original height, his muscles
"will have only one-eighth the volume of an Earthman's
(sic), and will therefore be capable of exerting only oneeighth the force" (pg. 9 par. 5). This is a falsehood. The
truth is that while muscle volume IS decreased to 1/8,
strength is reduced to only 1/4 of original capacity.
To illustrate, let us reduce by 1/2 a 6 foot man, weighing 200 pounds, and capable of lifting a 500 pound weight.
Keep in mind all proportions are kept the same. His stature
will of course be reduced to 3 feet. His total volume (and
total weight) is reduced as the cube of the linear dimension.
This is to say that height was reduced according to equation 6 x 1/2 = 3 and so weight is calculated as
200 x 1/22 = 251bs.
Now comes the important biological and mathematical
rule that the author missed. This is that surface area and
cross-sectional area decrease as the square of the linear
dimension. Since strength is a variable based on crosssectional area of muscle. and not total volume of muscle,
the strength is reduced to 1/4. So this 3 foot tall gentleman
has a lifting power of 500 x 1/22 = 125 Ibs. Under Mariott's erroneous assertion he would have strength enough
to lift only 62.5 pounds.
There is nothing esoteric about the laws of 3-dimensional
growth. They are easily verified with application of high
school algebra and geometry. Perhaps, if he had not been
so intent on creating his series of unsatisfactory and superfluous algebraic equations, Mr. Marriott could have caught
the mistake himself.
For an elegant and easy-to-read discussion on how proportionate increases in body size work, and on basic laws
of allometry (changes in proportion due to changes in
size), see Krantz (,72a and '72b). His articles have a
special appeal for Forteans.
-Michael K. Diamond
I

Krantz. Grover (1972al "Anatomy of the Sasquatch Foot" Northwest

Anthropological Research Notes Vol. 6 No.1 (reprinted in The Search
for Bigfoot by Peter Byrne c. 1975 Acropolis Books. Washington D.C.)
Also. Krantz. Grover (1972b) "Additional Notes on Sasquatch Foot
Anatomy" ibid. Vol. 6 No.2 (reprinted in Byrne op. cit.)

Dr. Lorenzoni has brought up important questions

about the glib doctrine usually passed off as "evolutionary
theory." There are many mysteries about it. However,
the fact that the vast geological changes of the past correlated with new species and wide-spread extinctions
suggests to me that we should not give up too soon on
"factors external to the living being" as the source of evolution. It seems to me that there must b~ something that
can cause other than monstrosities when it causes mutation.
As for the "isolation" argument, I would think that only
a single mutated gene could eventually change into a species, provided the mutant individual was able to compete
with other individuals and to reproduce. If the mutated
gene was recessive relative to its "rival" gene (allelomorph)
in the chromosomes, its effect would show up at times.
LJue to "genetic drift" it could become the sole type of allelomorph available, in a certain small population, for that
characteristic of the organism. That is, whenever a small
. PURSUIT. Summer 1978

group of individuals leaves the pack. or is segregated

from the majority by some circumstance. the likelihood of
increasing importance to any new recessive gene is greatly
increased.
S. Wright pOinted out how the proportion of genotypes
fluctuates in small populations, and how one kind of gene,
either the dominant or the recessive, can be lost entirely.
Some animals live in family units only, and these would
seem especially liable to genetic drift. A population broken
up by a series of catastrophes is suggestive of another
way that small groups can appear. Separated groups can
refuse to intermingle, and hardship can keep a population
small, thus allOWing enough time for many mutations in
the genes to appear.
It is all speculative, but we must keep the avenues of
thought open.
-Harry E. Mongold

The Winter issue of Pursuit (Volume 11, Number 1)

was okay except for the article on Frank Searle. Everything I've read on Searle and his photos pOints to them
being hoaxes. Despite the fact that he had movie cameras
available, Searle seems unable to produce any motion
pictures to back up his still photography. Also, the fact
that Searle stated that he had hopes of making a lot of
money from the photos doesn't help much. I don't think
that any of the other better known Nessie hunters have
backed either Searle or his photos. I think that an editor's
note should have been included stating that the photos
were highly suspect.
-David Weidl
You're right, David. Searle's' photos have been questioned. One photography expert in England has staked
his reputation on his statement that the head and neck
shown in one of Searle's photos are identical to those
shown in a picture postcard of a brontosaurus. Another
photo in Searle's book shows two humps in a ring of water
(reprinted in Pursuit at the bottom of page 4); an identical
photo taken in the same sequence (but not published in
Searle's book) shows three humps, even though the water
markings in the two photos are identical - down to the
smallest ripple. Applied Photo Sciences, Inc., of Massachusetts, claims another of Searle's photos was produced
by enlarging the original negative, shot from a distance of
2550 feet /rom the shore - not 800 yards, as Searle
claims.
There's more: A farmer at the loch discovered. only a
couple of yards from where Searle had pitched his tent,
a small stuffed "monster, .. made of cloth and painted on
only one side. And, amidst all this controversy, Searle's
publisher., Coronet Books, has refused to reprint his book,
Nessie, Seven Years in Search ofthe Monster.
Are we admitting Searle's photos were faked? Not until
the evidence is clearer {one of Pursuit's functions, as our
members know, is to uncover hoaxes}. As noted recently
{at a Fortean mini-gathering in Connecticut} by Jerome
Clark: it is undoubtedly inevitable (and fitting) that any
true Fortean will, at some point in his career, have to dine
in the company of his leering adversaries, on a large plate
of crow. Although we agree, we would include in that
concept the sincere hope that when we do sit down to
dine, the crow on our plate will be a white one . .. -Ed.

127

BACK ISSUES
Back issues of Pursuit are currently available to members at a price of $2.00 per copy. Please note: As of December 31. 1978 the price will rise to $2.50. Order yours
now. If you wish to have a back issue order form write:
SITU Membership Services, RFD #5. Gales Ferry, Connecticut 06335, USA.

in member reactions to the ideas in CONGRA TULATIONS!. and also word on member experiences with
alteration of consciousness in connection with ufo or other
unusual phenomena.
The book may be ordered directly from Crescent. and
Macer-Story may be contacted by leaving your name and
address with her message service 212-691-7950. This
is a 24-hour service. and she will respond to 'urgent calls.

UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

The UFO Newsc/ipping Service. co-edited by Lucius

Farish and Rod Dyke, offers a monthly compilation of UFO
reports and Forteana from across the United States and
around the world. A must for researchers or for those iTiterested in keeping up with recent events. Write for details:
UFO Newsc/ipping Service, Route 1 - Box 220, Plumerville. Arkansas 72127. USA.

We are still processing names for the. new Membership Directory. Originally we listed July 1st as the latest
cutoff date. but since this dale falls after the Summer Pursuit
will be in print. we will hold off printing the names of interested members until the Fall issue of Pursuit (see Volume 11. Number 1. Winter Pursuit for explicit instructions).
Interested members who do not get their names in to us
in time for the fall issues. don't despair. We will include
submissions from latecomers in a later issue.

. ..

NEW BOOK
E. Macer-Story will be having a book entitled CONGRATULA TIONS! the ufo reality published by Crescent
Publications, 5410 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 400. Los Angeles,
CA 90036. She does not regard the events narrated in
this book as the final word on ufo contact. and is now collecting data for a sequel. In this context. she is interested

. BOOK REVIEWS
PHENOMENA: A Book of Wonders, by John Michell
and Robert J.M. Rickard. Pantheon Books. New
York. 1?77. 128 pages, $10.95.
Many of those reading this book review initially joined
SITU to learn more about particular. strange. phenomena
such as Bigfoot. the Bermuda Triangle. Loch Ness type
creatures and UFOs, or to understand a bit more about all
such phenomena in general. While SITU sends out bibliographical listings to answer inquiries concerning particular
subjects, we now can recommend a book that gives good
coverage of the whole curious spectrum. The book. entitled PHENOMENA: A Book of Wonders. by John Michell
and Robert J.M. Rickard, contains 119 illustrations and
offers numerous, brief examples and descriptions covering 57 major categories of the strange and unusual.
We still. of course, recommend the four books of Charles
Hoy Fort to anyone interested in learning more about those
strange phenomena - most of which still defy explanation and which are now often referred to, collectively. as
Forteana. But perhaps we should recommend that everyone read PHENOMENA first so as to better understand
and appreciate the more complete works of Charles Fort.
PHENOMENA was compiled and written in.England:
thus many of the events reported by the authors occurred
within the British Isles. This would not have disturbed 01'
Charles since, recognizing the wealth of material there,
he actually moved to London back in the 1920s in order
to collect data for his books.
Michell has already written six books of interest to For. teans; Rickard is the founder of Fortean Times (read his
column elsewhere in this issue). No matter whether you

OOPS!
The Spring Pursuit (Vol. 11. No.2) contained an error
in the bibliography to Harry Mongold's article. "The Concept of Simultaneity." The remark. "Also Dover. 1976.
same pagination." should follow Bergman's book (reference 12). not Einstein's (reference 11).

are an investigative specialist. a curious amateur or a doubter of strange phenomena - read PHENOMENA: A Book
of Wonders.
-R.C.W.

GUIDE TO PSI PERIODICALS. 6th edition, edited

by Elizabeth M. Werner. Inner-Space Interpreters
(ISIS), P.O. Box 1133. Magnolia Park Station, Burbank. California 91507, 1978, 100 pages, $3.00
"Every effort has been made to assemble a Guide which
gives essential information about magazines. newspapers
and newsletters pertaining to all aspects of Man's endeavor to get in touch with his many minds and bodies. other
energies and other dimensions." These are the words of
the editor who, in her introduction to the 6th edition. notes
also that this is the only Guide of its kind to have so wide
an international coverage.
Indeed, the Guide does just that. At a cost of less than
one 'penny per listing. the reader can find out about all
the organizations involved in the study of such subjects as
Parapsychology. Astrology. Wicca. UFOs. Forteana. etc.
No matter what your approach. or how selective your
reading, you'll find the Guide contains something for everybody. Besides serving as a handy reference for addresses.
the Guide also serves as a source of information concerning the goals and interests of the groups listed within.
Appropriately. there is no indication as to the integrity of
those groups: value judgements are left to the reader.
Overall, an impressive work. Aside from the listings of
pertinent publications', many of which do not appear on
news stands. the Guide to Psi Periodicals offers us the
realization that there is an increasing number of individuals.
groups and publications devoting their time and energy to
the study of the Unexplained. Encouraging, timely and
informative.
-R.M.W.
PURSUIT. Summer 1978

128
The World's Last Mysteries', The Reader's Digest Biomusic Synthesis by David Bihary, published by
Association; Inc., 320 pages, $11.97 (appi'ox.- David Bihary (p.O. Box 1013, Fairport, Ohio 44077),
variollls R.Il>. "deals").
1978,16 pages, $5.00).
This most fascinating, large volume (8 1/2x 11 in.) covering many "Ias{ mysteries, might only be but a forerunner
of future books on just such subjects, for we must realize
that discoveries are continually being made. Howe\.ler,
it is unlikely that a more enjoyable or definitive acc::ount will
ever be produced, or one more' suit~bly and beautifully
illustrated. From the Mayas to Tunguska"from the Olmec
to the Sahara, we are conveyed in the grand. familiar
R.D. style. Although it was originally published in France.
we now have the English language edition (complete with
its "Britishisms"), very reminiscent of the beautiful books
put out by Time-Life.
The section 'devoted to "megaliths of Europe" alone
would be worth the price of the book for those intrigued
by such monumental work. In addition to the thousands
in Europe 'and North Africa', one of the most thoroughly
covered is the familiar Stonehenge, including a very lucid
explanation of the four stages. or periods, of construction.
Indeed, whatever the reasons may have been for constructing such monuments. considering the population
(and the life expectancy) of our planet thousands of years'
ago. a major portion of all mankind must have been thus
occupied (to the exclusion of all else!). for hundreds of
years. Pity, too. that casual visitors as well as more serious
researchers are not advised, while visiting Stonehenge,
that the village of Avebury, 20 miles away. is also built up
in the center of just such a circular construction of megaliths!
In addition to mysteries . we are also treated to' some
explanations - such as the change from the former "Switzerland of North Africa" to what has become the now
desolate Sahara. We can understand how the workings
of nature. coupled with the ~arelessness and short-sightedness of man. may .result in wastelands which our planet
can ill afford:WilI we learn anything from such examples?
I~ at least two places we're treated to the offering (shades
of Von Daniken) that stone work and/or brickworks' have
apparently been fused or turned "glass-like" by what must
have been temperatures .'in excess of 1300 o C: - irritatingly. with no accompanying explanation - leaving
one's (at least this one's) imagination whirring in high gear.
If such temperatures had been available at such diverse
places as Hattusas (the Hittite capital. 95 miles eas~ of
Ankara. Turkey) and the Celtic Crag P,hadrig (near Inverness. Scotland). then who employed them and why? For
war. or in peace?
For those of us who. at some time or other. may have
looked 'down upon our "primitive" ancestors. the wealth
and extent of past civilizations herein described opens a
new panorama of ideas. It can. for example. be truly
humbling to find that the Mayan calendar was accurate to
five minutes per year! This reader wonders if anyone today.
using the same methods. could duplicate some of the
feats of the ancients.
And whether one's interests in Atlantis. includes the
belief that it was actually located on the island of Santorini.
at Bimini. or in any' other of the fabled places in between.
enough scenic. and photographic "proof" will be found
herein to satisfy. any theory.
Very highly recommended. for both general reading.
and scholarly. research in the various areas so well covered.
.
.
-M.JW.
PURSUIT. Summer 1971!

Although the price of this booklet seems somewhat excessive - especially considering the number of pages,
the quality of the paper, and the fact that the text is not
typeset, nevertheless there is more to digest here than in
many restaurants serving meals that cost twice the price.
"Biomusic is the combination of sounds, natural resonances, and Vibratory energies associated with life and
consciousness." This much we learn from the cover.
Once inside, our first realization is that we will have to
read the material again, that the data is too compact, that
we have in our hands much more than 16 pages of text;
by the time we are finished we are somehow convinced
there were another hundred or so pages hidden between
the covers. Some excerpts:
"EVidently our human body dimensions have evolved
in harmony with environmental energy fields. The human
skull size, for instance, approximates the wavelengths
associated with hydrogen (H) and hydroxl (OH) at 21
and 18cm.
"The nucleo-proteins, bones, and membranes within our bodies have properties resembling semiconductors,
(perhaps superconductivity), arid piezoelectricity. This
means that our bodies can transduce sound to radio waves
and vice-versa. Biological radio simply depends on tuning
in the carrier channel(s) and tuning out noise ... the physical principle of telepathy is that sYl11pathetic resonance
allows energy and informati.on. to be transferred as in a
radio .... The primary resonators in the human body are:
the aorta near 7 Hz. various heartsounds 35-2000 Hz,
and the intracranial resonances 4000 and 12,000 Hz.
The systems work together, and meditative harmony is
achieved when all the phasing has synchronized ....
..... Researchers have already shown that meditation
synchronizes right and left hemisphere brain waves and
that thi~ synchronization improves learning ability ....
..... Each hemisphere generates its own circular resonance circuit, and by piezoelectricity creates a magnetic
field around the head. This field interacts with environmental energi~s so that the interference patterns contain
information. As .in radio, different frequency/phasing
channels carry information from different realms. This
information is encoded in a vibrational-statistical language
which can be learned with patience . To varying degrees
we already process. such information, perhaps more readily
in the brain's right; nonverbal hemisphere. It's important
that the body/brain rhythms be coherently synchronized
or the information will be lost in one's own noise ....
Bihary includes a chart compiling a small sample of
natural vibrations (DNA line geometry, gold, Jupiter.
Tesla's resonance. water, and more) to the middle C octave
of a piano (..... in piano tuning. the octave is the only pure
interval: a binary logic COinCidentally found in nature ... ").
If you are looking for a glossy. illustrated compendium
geared to commercial and consumer interests. don't send
for this booklet. It'll disappear on your bookshelf. If you
are one' of those who seek information and you are not
concerned with the size or appearance of the vehide, and
especially if your interests include music. electronic hardware, radio waves and the interplay of frequencies in the
cosmos .. you may very well wish to have this.little green
booklet. There's a lot left out. but there's also a lot within ....
...,-.R.M.W.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

I

GOVERNING BOARD
President (and Trustee)
Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee

Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Susan Malone

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
FUND RAISING

Publisher - Robert C. Warth

Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf
Robert C. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven M~yne .
R. Martin Wolf Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth - Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino - Chainnan. Department of Anthropology. and Director. Paleo-Indian Institute. Eastern New
Mexico University. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato - Director. The Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured. Morton. Pa. (Mentalogy)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek - Director.lindheimer Astronomical Research Center. Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy - Professor of Geology. Institute of Geophysics. U.CLA. (Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal- Program in Applied Mathematics. Princeton University. (Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell- Professor of Biology. Rutgers University. Newark. N.J. (General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic - Professor of Anthropology. Department of Arcl-taeology. University of Alberta. Canada. (Ethno
SOCiology and Ethnology)
Dr. John R. Napier - Unit of Primate Biology. Queen Elizabeth College. University of London. (Physical Anthropology)
DL Michael A. Persinger - Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological Laboratory, Laurentian
University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada (psychology)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury - Head. Plant Science Department. College of Agriculture. Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz - Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory). Essex County Medical Center. Cedar Grove. New
Jersey. (Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott - Professor and Chainnan. Department of Anthropology. Drew University. Madison. New Jersey.
(Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight - Chief Geographer. U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. (Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck - Professor and Chainnan. Department of Botany. Drew University. Madison. New Jersey. (Botany)

.,.:,

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

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THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 11, No.4

FALL,1978

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf
Assistant Editor
Steven N. Mayne
Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson
Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J.M. Rickard
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Charles Berlitz
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Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artists
Britton Wilkie
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R. M. Wolf
Production
Marlin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

PURSUIT
THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON
Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

CONTENTS
Page
Anthropology of the Unknown: A Conference on Sasquatch
and Similar Humanoid Monsters
by Patrick J. Macey ................................................ 130
Comments and Queries on the Observed Ecology and Anatomy
of an UnclaSSified Species of Primate
by Robert E. Walls ................................................. 131
Toward Solving the Bermuda Triangle Mystery
by Michael S. Weston .............................................. 134
Climatic Variation and the Exploration of Greenland
by George M. Eberhart ............................................. 136
The Psychoanalysis Wangle
by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni. ........................................... 142
Acid Rain-A Formidable Dilemma
by S. N. Mayne ................................................... 143
Ahoy. Mate! Which Flamin' Phantom Ship Sails Thar"?" (Part II)
by Larry E. Arnold: ............ : ................................... 144
The Shiels Nessie Photographs
by Robert J. M. Rickard ............................................. 153
The Synchro Data-II
by Barbara Jordison ................................................ 15H
Archaeo-Illogical Fragments and Fantasies
by Britton Wilkie ................................................... 159
The Colonization of the Americas-As Early as 2000 BC?
by Ronald P. Anjard ............................................... 165

Cover designed
by R. M. Wolf

SITUations ............................................................. 169

Symposium ............................................................ 172
SITU Membership Directory ............................................... 174
Book Reviews ........................................................... 175
Annual Index: Volume 11 .......................................... Back Cover
c. SIIci\!ty for tlw IIlV\!SliYilliClIl of Ih" UIWXpliluwd 1')7:0;

130

ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE UNKNOWN:

A CONFERENCE ON SASQUATCH
AND SIMILAR HUMANOID MONSTERS
I
By Patrick J. Macey
From May 10-13 of this year. history was made in
Canada at the University of British Columbia. where
serious minded researchers and hunters of Bigfoot finally
gathered under the same roof of a scientific institution to
listen to an assortment of anthropologists. sOciologists.
psychologists and naturalists giving their opinions as to
whether or not Bigfoot exists.
Opinions were varied. ranging from viewing Bigfoot as
a possible psychological replacement for childhood imaginations of Dracula. Frankenstein and the Mummy. to
(possibly the most enlightening theory) one presented by
Dr. Butler. from the Department of Zoology at the University of Alberta. that Bigfoot may have a higher sensory
development toward avoidance behavior.
Dr. Butler was also part of a panel discussion entitled
"To kill or not to kill a Sasquatch." Included on the panel
was John Green. a highly respected Bigfoot researcher
and journalist. Dr. Grover Krantz. one of the few anthropologists who publicly claims the existence of the erectwalking giant Humanoid. and Dr. Ridington. an anthropology instructor at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Butler suggested the creatures should not be killed
or physically disturbed. stating: "We do not know what
impact the creature's death or disturbance would have on
its own group. It may be a dominant leader and its group
may depend on the leadership of that one creature for
their survival."
Both Dr. Krantz and John .Green gave their reasons
why a specimen must be taken for the good of science in
order to ascertain a knowledge of the creature's physical
make-up so that Bigfoofs future survival may be assumed.
From information thus gained man will hopefully act
accordingly in order to insure the protection of the Sasquatch. (Editor's note: Members interested in the subject
should read John Green's new book. Sasquatch: The Apes
Among Us. which is packed with almost 500 pages of
sightings and information from all over North America.)
Movies of the famous Roger Patterson film were presented by Rene Dahinden and Bob Gimlin. It was Pat
terson (now deceased) who. along with Bob Gimlin.
brought the world visual proof of Bigfoot with his film
taken in October. 1967 near Bluff Creek. California.
The film has been subjected to various scientific investigations. including scrutiny by Russian scientists whose findings were positive' regarding the film's validity. Gimlin
discussed the events leading up to the famous encounter.
and Dahinden read the Russian report and explained the
many investigations performed. including his own findings.
Dahinden. one of the most experienced and active researchers of the Sasquatch phenomenon. is noted for his
candid views on Bigfoot - and Bigfoot researchers. "Bigfoot research is serious business." he said. "There is no
room for some jokers claiming to be researchers who rely
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

on stealing material from serious researchers for their

own unethical use. They are liars claiming to be some
thing they are not."
A paper entitled "Brief Ecological Description of the.
Caucasus Relic Hominoid ("Almasti"). written by a Russian
professor. Dr. Marie-Jeanne Koffman. who was unable
to attend the conference. was read by the Conference
Chairperson. Dr. Marjorie Halpin. an assistant professor
and Curator of Ethnology at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC.
.
The Conference had some disruptive moments as well:
a Hollywood based film crew. attempting to exploit the
conference by using it as a "backdrop" for their semidocumentary on monsters and myths. brought along
their "star." a Bigfoot hunter from Hood River. Oregon.
who otherwise had nothing to contribute to the Conference.
After several days of inconvenience. many of the distinguished speakers as well as the audience had had enough
of the powerful hot glaring lights. the eqUipment. and
the film crew. At the request of many of the researchers
and members of the audience. the Conference Chairperson. Dr. Halpin. finally asked the film crew to leave:
the "star" left soon after the cameramen stopped taking
pictures.
There were some humorous moments as well: much to
the delight of the audience. Dennis Gates went "ape"
over his own personal film of Bigfoot. after warning the
audience that the film was under copyright. The first half
of the film related the near-convincing hoax of a Bigfoot
sighting which took place in Canada and involved a bus
full of witnesses. The bus driver's vivid description (including
facial features) of a giant creature as he chased it after the
creature crossed the road into the forest was thought
credible until the perpetrators confessed that the incident
was a hoax. One of the men involved had dressed in an
ape costume while another had served as a "plant" on
the bus to spot the creature as it crossed the deSignated
path. Dahinden and Gates were in the process of investigating the incident and filming the prints when'the hoax
was exposed. A fuller account of the incident appeared in
the Fall, 1977 issue of Pursuit, in an article by Dennis Gates
entitled "The Mission, B.C., Bigfoot Hoax."
The next scene of the "Gates film" focused on the Canadian forest ." as a creature came stalking through the
trees ... a creature covered with hair. gigantiC in size. walking erect. with ape-like features completely fitting the description of a Bigfoot! (A well known anthropologist has
offered similar remarks concerning a movie taken last Octo~
ber near Mount Baker.)
Suddenly. the hairy creature posed and curtsied before
the cameraman. then disappeared into the bushes. only
to return once again. this time without its previous "ape"
head - in its place was the terrifying countenance of
Dennis Gates. Lon Chaney could not have done a better
job: for a finale the Gates Monster swiftly threw Dahinden

131
over his hairy 'shoulder and lumbered away with his captured prey.
The "Gates film" ended with roaring laughter and
applause from the researchers and scientists present as
well as the audience. Gates. well known for his SedroWooley. Washington. Bigfoot/Sasquatch Clipping Service.
whiC;h provides researchers with current nation-wide coverage of the Bigfoot phenomenon. proved that Bigfoot
research has its humorous moments.
Allan Berry's controversial "possible sounds of Bigfoot"
was analyzed in depth by Dr. Lynn Kirlin and Lasse Hertel
from the Electrical Engineering Department of the University of Wyoming. Dr. Kirlin presented estimates of
pitch and vocal tract length from previously recorded
vocalizations of the purported Bigfoot. A good part of the
audience was convinced that Berry had indeed recorded
sounds from an unidentified living creature. although
Dahinden expressed some concern about the numerous
occasions Berry was able to record those mysterious sounds
over a considerable period of time.

A noted anthropologist. Dr. Carleton Coon. famous

for his research into higher orders of primates as well as
his open views on the reality of Bigfoot. was the guest
speaker for the Conference. "Credible witnesses and visible
signs of the elusive creature. including the Patterson film.
give credence as to why there has to be a Sasquatch: but
the data is rejected by conservative anthropologists."
stated Dr. Coon. After his speech. Dr. Coon received
a standing ovation from the audience.
In retrospect. the Conference. all important Clnd long
overdue event for the field of Sasquatch research. served
to instill a common sharing concerning the phenomenon
as well as developing deeper respect between field researchers and scientists. The opposing views remain.
Where do we go from here? Bigfoot. who may be able to
provide the final solution. apparently is not ready to give
it up.

COMMENTS AND QUERIES ON

THE OBSERVED ECOLOGY AND
ANATOMY OF AN UNCLASSIFIED
SPECIES OF PRIMATE
By Robert E. Walls
Probably most avid readers of Pursuit today are well
aware of the possibility that there presently exists. in sparse
Iy populated wilderness areas throughout the world. sev
eral officially unrecognized species of primate. This popular
idea was initially promulgated by Bernard Heuvelmans in
his outstanding work On the Track of Unknown Animals
(1958). Other books have since followed - Sanderson
(1961). Green (1968. 1970. 1973. and 1978). Dahinden
and Hunter (1973). Byrne (1975)". Napier (1972). and
Berry-Slate (1976). to mention but a few.
It is my own personal opinion. however. that Ivan
Sanderson's treatise. Abominable Snowmen: Legend
Come To Life. established a standard of thoroughness
that few investigators have since maintained. Undoubtedly
some will find fault with Sanderson's work. but considering
the amount of information available to Sanderson at that
time. and also considering his unique and varied interests
in the perplexing world of Forteana. I think his book is truly
a remarkable achievement.
Just what was it that Sanderson did that makes the book
a model to emulate?
He posed questions - both to himself (after which he
elaborately speculates upon those questions) and to his
readers. One might say that this is essentially the sine qua
non of any rigorous. dispassionate'. objective analysis.
Preconceptions must be' questioned. information critiqued.
Regrettably. few have taken this to heart. There is an
inordinate amount of speculation pervasive in the literature.
but so far too few germain questions have been asked.
Consequently. the arguments presented are not as exhaustive and clearly delineated as one would like. Queries

are imperative to science and I rather suspect that part of

established science's current reaction to the "pseudosciences" is their recognition that many of us. consciously
and unconsciously. fail to constantly question and critique
the data we use.
What I would like to do is discuss the Sasquatch/Bigfoot phenomenon as it presently exists today in North
America. One should keep in mind throughout this discussion that my questions and data often specifically relate to the Sasquatch oft reported in the Pacific northwest - although the questions and theory involved might
easily be applied to populations anywhere in North America. I would like to pose questions to the reader. and to be
deliberately disputatious about various cherfshed beliefs
commonly held by Sasquatch investigators. On some
issues I will offer explanations: on others I can only ask
questions. for I personally am not aware of any reason
able answers. Hopefully the reader will be.

COMMUNICATION
To begin with. let's ask how Sasquatch con specifics
communicate with each other. We have recorded quite a
diverse repertoire of vocalizations commonly ascribed to
the Sasquatch: but do these calls follow any particular
pattern - possibly similar to those heard from the many
other species of primates? Interestingly enough. they do.
As Bramblett and Rowell' note. long distance calls among
primates generally are stereotypical. while short range
vocalizations are distinctly more variable. The same pattern
seems to be true among the Sasquatch throughout North
America. What are described as loud screams or yells are
often heard in the distance. while less intense short rang!:'
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

132
vocalizations are described as whistling. gurgling whistling.
shrill noises. chatter. grunts. blowing. growls. coughs.
barks. squeals. and even a Iaugh.
In addition. the Sasquatch's vocalizations are surpris
ingly efficient in getting messages to can specifics. The
most commonly heard short rangesound. the whistle (or
"shrill"" whistle-like sounds). has an energy level at a wavelength that ensures maximum penetration of the foliageof paramount importance in the thickly vegetated areas
of the Pacific northwest. A whistle like tone also has the
added benefit of having a ventriloquist effect in that it
masks the location of the source. Parenthetically. I might
add that the Amerindians in the northwest often portrayed
the Sasquatch (on ceremonial masks) with pursed lips.
Screams. on the other hand. are of lower frequency
and much more efficient for carrying over long d{stances.
This efficiency in vocalization is quite consistent with many
other primate species.
Why these calls are emitted is another question indeed.
and realistically impossible to answer. I might suggest that
the high frequency whistle like sounds are short distance
warning signals. while the louder screams ostensibly are
used to keep track of or locate conspecifics over longer
distances. But this and any other explanations in this regard are strictly speculation.

FUNCTION OF ODOR
What about odor? What function might it serve'? Or is it
obtained accidentally in the course of some other behavior?
Actually. odor is described in reports far less than is often
thought - John Green's statistics show that only 14% of
all incidents indicate recognition of odor. Schaller noted
that he especially "smelled" the gorillas he was observing
when they became visibly excited over somethingwhereas they usually did not stink as badly. Is it possible
that the Sasquatch only stinks when it is confronted with
another large mammal? J would suggest this might well be
true. Emission of an odor would be a most efficient signal
in vegetation when visibility is restricted. whereupon an
unexpected and undesired interspecific confrontation
could be avoided.
Might the odor serve some sexual or territorial purpose'?
Personally. I believe we do nor possess sufficient data to
even speculate upon this question. It certainly is not impossible. though.

SEX RATIO
Why is it that many more male Sasquatches are observed than females? Using breasts as the criterion for discerning female from male. we discover that very few
females are ever observed. Is it possible. as Green has
suggested. that only lactating females have pendulous
breasts? The fact of the matter is that biologists have little
idea as to what function the breast really has. so we cannot easily dismiss that possibility. However. the female
Sasquatch's breasts have no precedent among the nonhuman primates - only female Homo sapiens exhibit
a similar characteristic: among them there is no demonstrated correlation between initial breast development
and actual lactation .
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

Perhaps female Sasquatch's are more reserved in their

daily wanderings. and may therefore rarely stray from the
inner reaches of the boreal wilderness. lance thought this
to be a likely answer. until a quick check of my files revealed that with sightings deep within forests. where Sasquatch was not aware of a Homo sapien observer. males
still outnumber females 3.5: 1.
.
How can we account for this unusual ratio of females
to males? In no other species of primate do males outnumber females - at best the ratio is 1: 1. but more often
than not females outnumber males by a 2: 1 ratio.
The whole matter of the sex ratio among Sasquatch
populations is most disconcerting. and some serious discussion of it is long overdue.

VEGETATIONAL ZONE PREFERENCE

A question rarely asked is whether or not the Sasquatch
(in the Pacific northwest) exhibit any preferences towards
various vegetational zones. It appears quite likely that
they do. By far the greatest proportion of incidents occur
in the Tsuga heterophy/la and Picea sitchensis zonesboth temperate and low altitude zones (after Franklin and
Dyrness). The next highest proportion (in percentage of
Sasquatch sightings reported) are the sub-alpine zones
Abies amabilis and Tsuga mertensiana. In northern California the Mixed conifer and Mixed evergreen zones also
hold a large proportion of reported incidents.
However. as one moves towards the eastern side of
the Cascade crest. incidents begin to taper off. The Abies
grandis. Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus ponderosa
zones constitute a much smaller proportion of incidents.
relative to the far western side of the Cascades.
The explanation for this distribution is quite obvious to
those who have lived in the Pacific northwest for any extended period of time. The western side of the Cascades
receives far more annual preCipitation than does the eastern side. Concurrently. the temperature variation (JulyJanuary) is not nearly as drastic on the western side of the
mountains as it is on the eastern side. It is obvious which
zones the Sasquatch prefers - the question that remains
unanswered is why do they venture into the drier zones
at all?

CREATURE OF THE NIGHT?

One assertion that has often been taken for granted is
that the Sasquatch is a nocturnal primate. True. approximately 50lfQ of all recorded sightings occur during the
hours of darkness: however. an equal share of activity
occurs during the day. The problem that exists is evidently
one of definitions. Nocturnal behavior is the daily activity
of a particular creature whose waking hours are almost
exclUSively during the night. The converse of this is defined as diurnal behavior. The Sasquatch appears to can
form to neither of these definitions - its daily behavior is
based indiscriminately on time of day. Therefore its behavior is more properly defined as arhythmic.
The argument that the Sasquatch moves around much
more at night than we suspect is based on the premise
that the activities of Homo sapiens are severely curtailed
in darkness. especially in the wilds. While the premise is
undoubtedly true. one could counter this argument by

133
asserting that the Sasquatch limits its nocturnal ventures
to areas frequented by Homo sapiens. An arhythmic animars daily behavior is usually based on food accessibilityit will feed either at day or at night. depending on which
time of day presents optimal foraging conditions. The
Sasquatch. as an arhythmic animal with an extensive foraging range. might occasionally find itself having to search
for food near inhabited areas. compelling it to temporarily
adopt nocturnal foraging habits.
Mention should also be made of the Sasquatch's reo
flected eyeshine. although I hesitate to do so - for it is
such a confusing issue. There exists a great contradiction
in observations reporting eyeshine - the majority of
people see a red reflection. but in a substantial amount of
sightings the color green is noted. Now. green is the color
reflected off of the tapetum. an anatomical feature of the
retina found in nocturnal animals. [n contrast. the eves of
diurnal animals (which lack a tapetum) will reflect a red
dish or white color. and often do not reflect any color
whatsoever.
How do we explain these contradictory observations'?
[s it possible the observers have made faulty judgements?
Could it be these are subspecie variations? Confusing the
issue even further is the matter of "glowing" eyes - eyes
that appear to be reflecting light from no recognizable
source. How do we explain these? No one has even
attempted to do so at this pOint.

SURVIVAL IN WINTER
Winter. That time of year when. in the northern wilderness areas. many mammals face imminent starvation.
A question of great importance arises - how does the
Sasquatch survive the winter'~
The only mammal of even comparable bulk in the
same situation is the bear. Yet the bear survives by adopt.
ing a form of pseudo-hibernation. wherein body temperature and metabolism drop slightly and oxygen consumption is cut in half. The animal essentially lives off its own
fat. generously stored by gormandizing the preceding
autumn.
.
Has the Sasquatch somehow managed to adapt to
harsh winter conditions by some form of pseudo-hibernation? It seems unlikely. especially since there is a fair
number of reported sightings and print finds during the
dead of winter. In addition. no other primate shows even
the slightest ability to control its own body temperature
and metabolism. One primate. however. is apparently
aided considerably during the winter by accumulated sub
cutaneous fat. acquired the previous fall: a Japanese
primatologist. Wada. has averred that the Japanese snow
monkey. Macaca fuscata. possesses this unique traitand it. too. lives in a seasonally snow covered environ
ment. The problem is that Macaca fuscata is a much smaller
animal than the Sasquatch. with much [ess demanding
nutritional requirements. And despite the benefit of additional fat. it must continually forage all winter long.
Some have suggested that the Sasquatch migrates
from higher to lower altitudes as winter approaches. There
is absolutely no evidence for this at present - but we
cannot. of course. preclude that possibility. After all.
according to Jolly. savanna chimpanzees migrate (albeit
over short distances) to and from seasonally productive

food sources. We must. for now. discount all popular

assertions of seasonal Sasquatch migration until we have
more voluminous data supporting the fact that they do so.
Until then. investigators must engage in some serious
cerebral exercise in order to ascertain just how the Sas
quatch.survives thl:' snowy season.

THREE-TOED PRINTS
Probably the most confounding issue of the entire Sasquatch phenomenon is the nature of 3-toed prints. It is
also the issue most ignored. Nobody was even willing to
touch on it at the recent Sasquatch conference at the University of British Columbia. Why?
[n the first place. it is a drastic aberration from pentadactyly (having five digits on the extremities). the basic
primate pattern. No other primate exhibits sllch morphological deviation.
Secondly. a well known concept to students of anatomy
is that structure must give some clue as to function. Yet
what possible advantage would a ~~toed foot have for a
tall heavy biped? Certainly not increased balance - 5
toes is more efficient for that. What advantage then?
Within small populations. an appreciable amount of
physical variation is bound to occur. Toe length. foot
breadth. heel development. and general foot length vary
quite often among small Homo sapien populations. But
nowhere do we see structural deviation to such an extreme
as we do with the 3-toed Sasquatches. Five toed and three
toed creatures in the same relative area should be thought
absurd - yet there is a fair amount of positive evidence
supporting the existence of this absurdity.
And. as if this predicament were not mystifying enough.
word now comes from the Soviet Union by way of Dmitri
Bayanov (via personal communication) that an anthropologist working in western Siberia has learned of local
traditions that tell of a 3toed Sasquatch-like creature
living in the nearby wilds!
A zoologist once said. upon first viewing the Patterson/
Gimlin film. 'The more something deviates from the known
the more proof that is needed." Perhaps this is the fate of
the 3toed Sasquatch. More clear photographs and de
tailed documentation of these unwonted prints must be
published. Consequently. we will no longer be able to
conveniently eschew the topic.

NEW SASQUATCH FILM?

In October of 1977. a new film purporting to show a Sasquatch was introduced to the public. Dennis Gates. writing
in the Spring 197~ Pursuit. has already outlined the cir
cumstances surrounding the film but I would like to up
date his report if I may.
In May of 197~. four individuals - Rick Noll and myself from Seattle. Bill Davis from Canada. and Tony Hea[y
from Australia - all conference attendees. made a concerted effort to locate the film site. Although we followed
specific directions given by Frank White (the individual
who took the film). we were not able to locate the site.
We then made repeated attempts to get Mr. White to
personally pinpoint the film site for us. Unfortunately.
White never made himself available - which was most
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

134
curious. especially since he had publicly offered his assistance to do so at the Universitv of British Columbia conference.
White's erratic behavior has done nothing but engender
frustration among interested investigators. Until he is able
to provide additional evidence supporting the authenticity
of his film. I and many others involved must remain very
skeptical.

AUSTRALIAN ABSM?
Something that should be of great interest to all those
interested in the world wide phenomenon of ABSM's are
the reports of large. hirsute. hominid-like creatures being
investigated in Australia (yes. Australia!).
No one yet is able to vouch for the authenticity of the
reported incidents. and there is not really a prodigious amount of information. but the investigation is still
in its infancy - so more may come. The question we
must ask ourselves at this time is how a non-human primate could reach Australia?
Those SITU members interested can write for an excellent booklet. The Hairy Man of Southeastern Australia.
by Graham C. Joyner. It goes airmail to the U.S. for $6.50
and can be purchased from Mr. Joyner at P.O. Box 253.
Kingston. A.C.T .. 2604. Australia.
I hop'e one does not get the impression that I have endeavored to throw a wet blanket upon the Sasquatch
subject. My queries and comments are meant only to
stimulate further discussion amongst those interested. We
need more speculative explanations for various aspects of

this specie's general ecology. However. it is imperative

that these speculations be based on objective_ dispassionate.
and critical analyses. Questions must never cease.
I think though that it is quite safe to say that no one
investigator knows anything about the general behavior
of the Sasquatch. The behaviors we have recorded during
our 20 or so years of research are only the behaviors that
have been occasionally exhibited in view of a relatively
few fortunate observers. Additionally. observations of
these behaviors are usually of very short duration. and.
of course_ are open to subjective interpretations by all.
Think. for a moment. of the history of ethological studies
of other feral. non-human primates. It took George SchaUer
500 hours and Diane Fossey over 3.000 hours of direct
observation to determine the true general behavior of the
mountain gorilla. It took Jane Goodall and Clarence
Carpenter thousands of hours of constant observation
and meticulous note taking to even begin to generalize
about the behavior of their respective subjects.
But with the Sasquatch we have seen only the minutest
portion of its daily activities. If we generalize now_ with
such meager and dubious data. we will have to suffer the
consequences - whatever they may turn out to be. later.
Remember. if we had relied on just the accounts (which
were then considered to be reliable) given by early explorers obserVing the mountain gorilla for the first time.
and the opportunity to conduct extensive ethological
studies had never presented itself. we would still believe
the many spurious attributes originaUy ascribed to the
mountain gorilla. Let us not do so with the Sasquatch.

REFERENCES
J. 1-'. hanklin and C. T. Dyrness. Natural Vegetation oj Oregon
and WashinglOn. USDA Forest Service General Technical
Report PNW-8. 197:-1
J. Napier. BIgfoot. E. P. Dutton & Co .. N. Y .. 1972
K. Wada. "Ecology of Japanese monkeys living in snowy areas."'
Yaen: 12: "Japanese monkeys in Shiga Heights - their
ecology in the snowfall season."' Physiol. Ecol .. 12( 1-2)
J. Green. 011 the Track of the Sasquatch. Cheam Publications
Ltd .. Agassiz B.C.. 196X: Year of the Sasquatch: Cheam
Publications. 1970: The Sasquatch Pile. Cheam Publications.
)'J7:{; Sasquatch: The Apes among us. Cheam Pub. &
Hancock House. SeaUle. IlJ7,~
B. /\. Slade and A. Berry. Bigfoot. Bantam Books. N. Y .. IlJ7b
P. Byrne. The Search jor Bigfoot. Acropolis Books Ltd .. Washington. 1975

D. Hunter and R. Dahinden. Sasquatch. McClelland & Stewart

Ltd .. Toronto. 197:{
I. T. Sanderson. Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Ufe.
Chilton Book Co .. N. Y .. 1%1
G. Schaller. The Mountain Gorilla: Ecology and Behavior. Univ.
of Chicago Press. Chicago. IlJb:{
T . Rowell. Social Behavior of Monkeys. Penguin Books Inc ..
Baltimore. IlJ72
C. A. Bramblett. Paltems of Prill/ale Behal'ior. Mayfield Publishillg Co .. Palo Alto. Cal.. IlJ7<>
A. Jolly. The E()o/utioll ol Primate BeJwvior. MacMillan Co ..
N. Y .. 1'J7l
B. Heuvelmans. Ull the "frock of Unknown An/llw/s. Rupert
Hart- Davis. I ').'1X

TOWARD SOLVING
THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE MYSTERY
By Michael S. Weston
Cs) 1<)7:-1. by Michael S.

Weslon

1 beli'eve a charged, rotating. mini-black hole may be

responsible for the bizarre occurrences in the region known
as the "Bermuda Triangle_" Although much too dense to
be carried around physically (a black hole the size of an
atomic nucleus would be as massive as Mt. Everest. while
one the size of a large pearl [diameter = .87 cm.) would
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

have the mass of the earth). it can be controlled by being

suspended through the creation of an appropriate electric
field. The only "handles" a black hole has are its mass.
spin. and charge. A mini-black hole with a mass of 2000
tons with maximum possible charge could be contained
by an electric field strength of 100.000 v/cm. This is independent of mass (as the black hole gets heavier. the electric charge it can sustain increases. and this increases the
response of the charged black hole to an electric field).

135
A field of such strength can be produced and maintained.
A problem in keeping high voltage supplies lies in the
breakdown of insulating material around high tension
cables. The best material to use would be none at all
(i.e .. a vacuum).
The electric breakdown is then no longer a problem,
nor would the black hole be able to absorb extra material.
thus becoming heavier. A saucer-type electric field profile
would achieve the necessary stability. It might be a good
idea to have the whole system mounted in a spacecraft
distant from earth, so that failure would not be catastrophic.
This may be the basis of the ultimate rocket drive motor.
and this I believe explains the reason for the shape of
many UFOs and the source of their power supply.
Around a black hole there exists what is known as the
event horizon. This is the locus of all points a distance r from
the center of the black hole. where r is the Schwarzschild
radius. When we approach the black hole closer than its
Schwarzschild radius we have truly reached the ultimate
point of no return. since the gravitational field is so strong
that its escape veloCity is greater than the speed of light.
As we approach the black hole, we have no way of knowing the danger lurking ahead because any dense object
will be invisible if its surface gravity is so great that light
can't escape. As we approach and enter this event horizon,
time and space become interchanged (space becoming a
narrow one-way street which everyone must move through
without choice. and time becoming something we move
in, in any direction). Space curves or "warps." while time
slows down or dilates relative to an onlooker "far away"
from the black hole.
What happens to those unfortunates who get caught up
within the black hole? One of about four things can happen. If they fall in from an equatorial direction (taking the
axis of rotation as north-south) total destruction will occur
from the infinite tidal forces. Otherwise the intruder is either
"shot out," via a "white hole," into a totally different universe with possibly totally different laws, or transferred
instantaneously into another part of our own universepossibly trillions of light years away (or possibly into this
universe some time in the future). Unfortunately. however. our mini-black hole probably isn't that massive (relatively speaking). and for black holes less massive than
1000 solar masses. high tidal forces near the event horizon
will kill our traveler and literally crush him out of existence.
Numerous pilots and sailors have reported. as their
final words before disappearing in the Triangle. that they
can't find the sun. that the sky looks funny and wrong,
that a complete disorientation seems to have taken place.
including compasses going crazy. unnatural power drainages, etc.
Crossing over the event horizon can be a subtle unnoticed thing in some instances: and of course once you
are in you can never see out again. The distortion of space
which would occur even upon approaching the event
horizon can explain many of the reported eerie observations. Those who luckily "escaped" from the black hole
after enduring weird experiences probably skimmed
"near" the event horizon but circumvented it so as not to
be caught. For those objects traveling in the same direction as the rotating black hole, at the right distance from it
there is a "slingshot" effect which could cause the object
to gain energy and be accelerated away from the black
hole.

One weird occurrence which I have read about concerned a pilot journeying in the Triangle who started to
feel the usual strange effects "of the Triangle" when. after
a few frightening moments had passed, he managed to
somehow "escape from its influence" and complete the
rest of his trip without incident. Almost without incident.
It seems his plane landed many hours before it was due.
a seeming impossibility unless one concedes that the
plane was traveling at several thousands of miles an hour.
which would be ridiculous. The explanation? A time dilation occurred as the plane neared a black hole yet somehow steered clear enough from the event horizon so as
not to be over 1 mile in width and 1/2 mile in height, and
sudden severe turbulence in the atmosphere. could be
brought on by water and air coming into close enough of
a proximity to the black hole to get sucked in. Disappearances have been reported under the water. on the surface and in the air. which is logical and to be expected if a
black hole's sphere of influence extends through any
medium within close proximity to it. In another incident.
a boat in the Triangle experienced tremendous battery
drain. compass irregularities. and an inability to travel in
its desired direction towards shore - it actually underwent a backing away motion in the wrong direction.
During this time a large dark shape in the sky. blotting out
the stars was also seen entering the dark area. Soon after.
both the moving light and the dark area disappeared.
at which point the compass and generator started working normally again and the boat was able to proceed to
shore. A black hole under the control of a UFO perhaps'~
On another occasion follOWing a plane's disappearance
into the Triangle. a faint message was received by a Naval
Air Station from this "Iost patrol.' But the time period in
which it was received would indicate that the message
was sent two hours after the plane would have run out of
gas. This is easily explained if one considers that. as any
object approaches the event horizon of the black hole.
time dilates so that two SOS messages sent out a second
apart by the doomed ship might be received hours. days.
months or years (or even longer) apart by a receiver dis
tant from the black hole. And ~~'hat about the plane that
shortly before disappearing radioed that it was circling
two unidentified islands. Radio communication from the
plane noted: "Nothing is down there'" and later. "Is there
any way out of thisF While observers on the islands could
clearly see the plane circling. occupants of the plane
could apparently not see any of the buildings on the islands.
Were the aberrations of space near the event horizon of
a black hole fogging their vision'!
Rescue parties often trespass the same area as their
unfortunate victims, yet seemingly without incident. which
would infer either that the black hole does not remain
stationary in space or that it is somehow shut on and off.
It is difficult to imagine shutting a black hole on and off as
its gravitational field is ultimate. It appears that the black
hole is somehow moving at times and. moreover. doing
so under the direction of some form of intelligence. since
random black hole motion in our atmosphere would most
probably have had devastating effects on the planet by now.
I believe UFOs could have the technology to seek out.
capture and control a charged, mini. rotating black hole
by creating the required intense electrical field (one of the
most ideal configurations capable of achieving this large
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

136
electric field with the necessary stability would be the
"saucer" shape). The black hole would also probably be
used as the power source for the "saucer"-shaped UFO.
This would represent the ultimate efficient power source
and could account for the incredibly swift, silent motion
attributed to UFOs. It is the author's feeling that UFOs
are of a beneficial nature since, had they wanted to hurt
us, they could have accomplished this very easily by
"dropping" a small black hole into the earth's center where
it would promptly devour the earth with great violence.
and would be absolutely unavoidable. Many disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle seem to be linked to UFOs.
The "last words" from victims may indicate that UFOs
were Sighted (e.g .. "Don't come after me .... they look
like they are from outer space. ").
Another interesting situation arises from the fact that
UFOs have been sighted for thousands of years. Obvious
questions arise: If they have been here for so long. are
they constantly traveling back and forth from their own
world? This would seem impractical considering the great
distances involved and the enormous time it would take
to traverse those distances. If not. have they remained
here for the past few thousands of years'? They would

have to have incredibly long life spans or to have colonized

in the vicinity of the earth. Or perhaps they are from a
parallel universe. occupying the same space as our universe. or perhaps they are even from the earth itself.
Perhaps also. if they have truly learned how to harness
the power of the black hole. then the UFOs we have
observed over the ages may have been paying us only a
single visit for only a short period of time, but are somehow able to dilate time relative to our time system so that
. a short period of their time could correspond to thousands of "earth" years.
It has been thought that the Atlantean civilization em
ployed some kind of "crystal" as a great source of power
and that this "crystal" presently is lying somewhere under
the Atlantic Ocean near Bimini Island. Perhaps this "crystal" was a mini-black hole. in which case a momentary
error of control could account for the sudden destruction
of Atlantis. Since once formed a black hole cannot be
undone. it would still be there today with all its tremen
dous power. and could. perhaps. somehow be connected
to all those weird occurrences in the Bermuda Triangle.

CLIMATIC VARIATION AND THE

EXPLORATION OF GREENLAND
By George M. Eberhart
Greenland was the first part of North America ever to
appear on European maps. yet it was the last to be depicted accurately. Its forbidding climate discouraged yearround settlement and exploration of the northern and
eastern coasts and the interior. But average annual temperatures have been higher there even in historic times
and may well have prompted European visits more often
than historians have suspected.
Although Eirik the Red is usually credited with the dis
covery of Greenland, he may well have based his expedidition on geographical knowledge that was readily available
at the time. The mountains of Greenland's Blosseville
Kyst are visible from the extreme northwest coast of Iceland
in good weather. Eirik may also have heard of the adventure of Gunnbjclrn, the son of Ulv Kraka, who in 876 or
so was driven west from Iceland to a group of small islands
he called Gunnbjarnar sker, or Gunnbjorn's Skerries,
probably somewhere off the Greenland coast. Another
Icelander, Snaebjorn Galti. landed on the skerries around
975 with some colonists, but he was killed after passing
one winter there. I
Eirik set sail to Gunnbjorn's Skerries in 982 after he
was exiled three years from Iceland for manslaughter.
The icy mountains of the Blosseville Kyst were Eirik's first
glimpse of Greenland. Finding no satisfactory harbor there
he sailed further south, rounding Kap Farvel and setting
up a temporary settlement at a place he called Eirik's Holm.
somewhere near modern Julianehab. 2 The grass was
green, the hunting was good, the lumber and stone were
adequate for building homes, and Eirik and his handful of
companions spent a rather pleasant three years of exile.
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

When he returned in 985 it was only to straighten out

old affairs in Iceland and to encourage other settlers to
come to his new land, which he now called Greenland.
Eirik sailed back to Greenland in 986 with twenty-five ships
to settle around Brattalf5 in what was soon called the East
Settlement. and a few years later the West Settlement
was established in the vicinity of modern Godtha"b. Two
of Eirik's sons. Leif and Thorvald Eiriksson. soon discovered and eventually colonized regions of the North
American mainland which they called Helluland. Mark
land. and Vinland. '
The discovery of Greenland thus opened up the rest of
the New World to Norse exploration. But the discoveries
were deliberately kept vague. since the Norwegian court
was anxious to keep its monopoly on furs. fish. falcons.
and ivory which the colonies provided. This instinctive
possessiveness may also have been at work in pre Norse
discoveries of Greenland and North America. and could
well be the reason why only a handful of obscure references
and inscribed stones give us any clue at all to ancient
North Atlantic crossings.'

PRE-NORSE DISCOVERIES
The first known southern European to bring back a first
hand account of the Arctic regions was the Greek navigator. Pytheas of Massilia. Around ~~OO B.C. he sailed north
into the Atlantic looking for the sources of Phoenician tin
and amber. He visited Gades in Spain. cruised along the
coast of Brittany, sailed to the north coast of Scotland.
and probably visited Iceland as well ..'
When he was in Scotland or the Orkneys Pytheas heard
rumors of an island six days to the north called "Thule."
While some authors have explained that this referred to

137

PURSUIT. Foil 1978

138
Norway or the Faeroes. there is evidence that Thule was
Iceland and that Pytheas actually visited it. Roman coins
found between 1905 and 1934 near Hamarsfjordur. on
the southeast coast of Iceland. support the hypothesis
that Iceland was well known at least a few hundred years
after Pytheas. The coins date from the reigns of Aurelian
(270-75 A.D.). Probus (276-82). and Diocletian (284-305)."
Cleomedes. quoting Pytheas. wrote that the "course of
the summer sun is wholly above the horizon there. being
identical with the Arctic Circle: and daylight lasts an entire
month." Pliny recorded that "from Thule it is a day's voyage to the Frozen Sea. which is by some called Cronium."
and Strabo added (based on Pytheas' account) that "there
was neither land properly so-called nor sea nor sky. but a
sort of mixture of all three. like a jellyfish. in which (he
says) earth and sea and everything are held suspended in
a sort of compound of all the elements. upon which one
can neither walk nor sail. ",
From these references we may speculate that Pytheas
visited the northern coast of Iceland where the midnight
sun is visible. and either encountered or heard stories of
pack ice to the north and the thick fogs that are common
in these regions.
Since the Scots had directed Pytheas to Thule. they
must have had some direct contact with Iceland and perhaps Greenland itself. Celtic seafarers were undoubtedly
aware of both Iceland and Greenland by the 9th century
A.D. One of the first to pass near Greenland may have
been the Irish monk SI. Brendan. who put out to sea in
his curragh sometime in the 6th century. The curragh. a
rugged boat built of leather around a wooden frame. had
been used by Irish fishermen since ancient times. It was
also sturdy enough for long voyages. such as the time the
Irish King Niall Nofgiallach sent a fleet to the aid of the
Picts against the Romans in the 4th century.H
Much of the account of Brendan's voyage is filled with
seemingly fanciful geography. for example a "column in
the sea" which "did not seem far from them but it took
three days to draw near it." Brendan and his crew sailed
round the thing. which was covered by a curtain of mist
and seemed to be "harder than marble and was of a very
bright crystal." They spent five days examining and measuring this column. which sounds suspiciously like a North
Atlantic iceberg. ~
Iceland certainly had been colonized by the Irish by
7Y5. according to the 9th-century Irish geographer Dicuil.
When the Norse arrived in Iceland around H50. the Irish
fled (westward to Greenland perhaps). leaving their books.
bells. and other possessions behind them. III The first Norse
voyagers to Greenland found skin boats and stone dwellings which they attributed to the skraelings. or Eskimo.
although the relics are more typical of the Irish. These
Greenland Irish may have emigrated to someplace in
North America where the Norseman Ari Marsson later
discovered them aCCidentally. calling their settlement
"Great Ireland. ""
Eirik the Red's name for his new colony. Greenland.
has usually been attributed to salesmanship to encourage
other settlers. since Greenland is much colder and icier
than Iceland. Iceland's capital. Reykjavfk. has an average
winter temperature no colder than Milan or Philadelphia.
But if we accept that Greenland was known in ancient
times. there might be a deeper Significance to Eirik's choice
PURSUIT. FaJl 1978

of a name. Pliny called the northern ocean Mare Cronium.

and Plutarch in the 1st century A.D. reported that the
Britons knew of an island to the west which they called
Cronia. where the Titan Cronos lay chained in eternal
sleep.12 [n the early Middle Ages scholars translated the
Latin suffix -ia into -land. making Cronia into Cronland.
and changed the initial letter from c to 9 in their gutteral
vernacular speech. thus transforming Cronland into
Gronland. Either Eirik or someone earlier may have modified Gronland (which still meant "Land of Cronos") into
Gronland. or "Green Country." which sounded better to
Teutonic ears. IJ
Ramsay suggests that the original Cronia may have
been the Celtic Cruidhne. an early Irish name for the island
of Britain which the Britons of Plutarch's time may have
used to refer to Ireland itself. In this case the British Isles
would have been the original Greenland. I.
However. a world map drawn in 1651 by the North
German cartographer. Casper Danckwerth. unequivocally
shows Greenland as Cronia (Fig. 1). Entitled Orbis Vetus
(the ancient world). the map purports to show the peopling
of the earth and the division of the races after the Flood.
North America is absent and the entire delineation of Eurasia is antiquated. contrasting sharply with the excellent
Dutch maps of the same period. The configuration of
Greenland and the other northern islands resembles that
of no other cartographer before or since. and it is tempting to suppose that Danckwerth (or his associate Johannes
Mejer) used as a source a much earlier map or text that
described an ancient discovery. 15

CLIMATIC CHANGE
Ancient history is so full of gaps that no one really knows
when the first discovery of Greenland was made. Minor
. retreats of the ice cap and warmer Arctic climates in prehistoric times may have allowed earlier seafaring peoples
to visit the island.
Fossil shell material found in glacial moraines indicates
a position for the inland ice margin some ten to twenty kilometers inland from its present position in the 6th millenium
B.C. Analysis of fossil pollens from Greenland lake deposits shows that the overall climate was much warmer
and drier between 5000 and 3000 B.C. Evidence from
driftwood indicates that during the same period there was
open water along the northern coasts of Greenland and
the Canadian islands in the summer. 1&
Mean Arctic temperatures may have been as much as
4 C. above the present in Neolithic times. when sea trade
flourished between the eastern Mediterranean. the British
Isles. and the Baltic Sea. The earliest traces of PaleoEskimo occupation in Greenland date from the end of
this climatic optimum. around 3500 B.C. 17
No literary. cartographic. or archaeological evidence
has been found to indicate an awareness of Greenland in
Neolithic Europe. However. the climatic conditions were
ripe for Arctic exploration. and it is tempting to speculate
that certain myths. such as the Hyperboreans of the ancient
Greeks. may have had their origin in the prehistoric discovery of Iceland or Greenland.
Pytheas made his voyage to keland at the beginning of
a general glacial retreat in the Arctic when the Icelandic

139
birch trees were becoming more plentiful. Eight hundred
years later. Brendan sailed during a colder period that
lasted until the time of the early Norse discoveries. The
reduced pack-ice conditions on the east coast of Greenland which facilitated the first Norse voyages prevailed on
the west coast and in the Arctic Ocean as well. allowing
baleen whales and the Thule Eskimo who hunted them to
spread north. 18
.
From about 900-1100 A.D .. Arctic temperatures in
general were as much as 3 C. above the present. Analysis of fossil pollen also indicates that the Norse had to clear
large tracts of scrub around Brattali". hinting that Greenland
was much greener during the Norse colonization. I" Volcanic activity in Iceland may also have encouraged a warmer climate through the dust veils ejected periodically by
eruptions. 211

A NORSE CIRCUMNAVIGATION?
Given a warmer Arctic climate. it is reasonable to suppose that the Greenlanders may have journeyed as far as
the northern coast in the 11th and 12th centuries. A lost
section of a saga called the HauksbFJk told of Norse wanderings to the "northern extremity" (a place variously
called Greipar or Kroksfjardarheidj) in search of driftwood
and game. In 1141 the Norman historian Ordericus Vitalis
mentioned that Norse noblemen had told him there was
no land north of Greenland. indicating a knowledge of
Greenland's insularity. Voyagers out of Iceland in 1194
discovered land somewhere in the north and called it
Svalbard. This mav have been either some part of Greenland's rugged east ~oast. desolate Jan Mayen Island northeast of Iceland. or Spitsbergen itself. 21
In 1261 the Norwegian King Hakon Hakonson made
an agreement with the Greenlanders. stipulating that if
they would pay taxes to Norway. they would then be protected by Norwegian laws - even those settlers who journeyed "far north under the Pole Star." And in 1266 the
Bishop of Garear in Greenland sent an expedition to the
far north. perhaps as far as Kane Basin. to find out where
the Eskimo originated. One reason for these northern
wanderings was that large quantities of walrus and narwhal ivory were brought back by the hunters. Tithes paid
to the Pope in Rome were largely in ivory. a commodity
in great demand in European markets."
The northernmost Norse ruin is the stone chapel called
Bj~rnefaelden on Nngssuaq Peninsula north of Disko.
which may have been the Kroksfjardarheidi mentioned
above. On Kingigtorssuaq. an island north of Upernavik
in 73 north latitude, a stone was found in 1824 on which
were carved 88 Norse runes. Internal cryptographic eviderlCe indicates that the runes were carved by a Norse
c1,?rgyman in 1244.1.\
Norse artifacts were found in 1935-37 by Erik Holtved
while excavating an Eskimo site at Marshall Bay near 79
north latitude. Among the objects discovered were some
chessmen. a bone comb. part of an oaken barrelhead.
and part of a chain-mail coat. 24

CARTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE
If the Norsemen reached the north coast of Greenland
or even sailed completely around the island during the

11th-12th century climatic optimum. news of the event

must have reached the Scandinavian court. Since geographic information about Norse possessions to the west
was a royal secret. only a few hints have filtered down in
medieval and Renaissance maps. The possibility that a
Norse map clearly showing Greenland and the other colonies still exists in Norwegian or Vatican archives has
intrigued scholars for the past 200 years.
The German clergyman Adam of Bremen wrote a history of the Diocese of Hamburg in 1075. in which he recorded information about lands to the north ostensibly
taken from interviews with King Sven Estridsen of Denmark. Adam's work mentioned both Greenland and Vinland. making it the first generally-accepted reference to
North America in European literature. the sagas having
been written somewhat later. Adam clearly calls Greenland
an is/and located 5-7 days sail from the Norwegian coast.
Later Scandinavian geographers conceived of Greenland
as a peninsula of Eurasia. but this was based on the vague
directions in the Icelandic sagas. Greenland was not clearly
proven to be an island until exploration of the northern
coast in the late 19th century. 2'>
The famous Vinland map. which shows Greenland as
an island. has been proven a recent forgery. However.
Mong~ and Landsverk's analysis of the Latin inscription
may well indicate that the forger had a 15th-century (or
earlier) model to work with. 2 True. most other 15thcentury cartographers have Greenland as a peninsulabut their maps were all ultimately based on the 1427 map
of Claudius Clavus who exaggerated a peninsula of Norway found on a 14th-century Italian portolan chart. pushed
it farther west. labeled it Gron/andia provincia. and peppered it with place names which. if read in succession
from the northern headland on the east coast to the northernmost name on the west coast. form one stanza of a
Danish folksong. 27
Admiral Morison's dictum that Greenland was not
shown as an island "on any map prior to 1650. but as a
peninsula of Asia" is false. A 1522 edition of the Ptolemaic
atlas contains a world map by Lorenz Fries with an unmistakably insular Greenland. although in general the
map is crudely drawn. Oronce Fin~'s double cordiform
projection of 1531 is much beller executed and also shows
Greenland as an island. As one can see from the comparison to a modern map (Fig. 2). Fin~'s Grone/ant is much
too far east and Kap Farvel lies several degrees north of
its true position: but the general westerly trend of the east
coast is shown. and what seems to be Disko appears on
the northwest coast. although Fin~ puts it in the latitude
of Melville Bugt. 1"
The Coppo world map of 1528 and the Laon globe of
1493 also show Greenland as an island. Gerhard Mercator.
in his 1538 adaptatio~ of Fin~'s world map. has re-attached
Greenland to his hypothetical polar continent. but in
1569 he returned to the island concept. According to
Justin Winsor. by the late 1560s Greenland's insularity
became the "prevalent opinion. and it was enforced by
the maps of Mercator (1569 and 1587). Ortelius (1570.
1575). and Gallaeus (1585). which placed it lying mainly
east and west between the Scandinavian north and the
Labrador coast."lQ
Another 16th-century map provides a hint that early
Norse maps were still available during the Renaissance.
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

140

Figure 2. Oronce Fine's Greenland converted

to a modern projection and compared
with a contemporary map.

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

141
The Cantino map of 1502 is an abrupt contrast to other
contemporary maps of Greenland. [t was made by Alberto
Cantino at the request of the Duke of Ferrara specifically
to show the Portuguese discoveries of the brothers Cortereal. Greenland and Brazil are thus placed well east of
the Treaty of T ordesillas line in the Portuguese sector.
Greenland's delineation is remarkably accurate. the west
coast trending in the proper direction and the east coast
devoid of islands.:w Although Greenland is not named
(which is unusual for 16th-century maps) it is labelled as
a "point of Asia," with the following inscription:
This country. which was discovered by the command of the most highly renowned prince Dom
Manuel. King of Portugal. is the point of Asia. Those
who made the discovery did not land, and could
see nothing but precipitous mountains:"
The problem with the Cantino map is that the coastline
is too accurate to have been drawn by the Corterea[s.
whose visit was short and confined to the southern coast.
Nansen claims that the detail on the west coast and the
general configuration of Greenland rule out its being a copy
of a Ptolemaic Clavus map_ and he suggests that Cantino
had access to another map which is now lost. J2 Sigurosson notes the similarity of Cantino's Greenland with that
of the Vinland map and suspects that a Vinland map forger may have used Cantino as a model. But this similarity
is ambiguous: Cantino could just as well have taken his
Greenland from a Norse original. Nansen doubts that
Cantino used a Clavus-type source map. "where Green[and is a narrow tongue of land with its east and west
coasts running very nearly parallel. ,..", Again we run across
a hint that Norse maps may have survived from the early
days of colonization.

DECLINE

134l. [var BartJson was reporting: " ... there comes so

much ice_ and in such a great mass. from the polar regions that no one. except at the risk of his life. dares follow
the old course. -, Radiocarbon-dated moraines in West
Greenland indicate an advance of coastal glaciers around
1250. Mean annual temperature in the Arctic dropped to
5 or 6 C. below the optimum of the 11th centurv. '"
The days of the Norse Greenland colony were numbered. The glaCiers were advancing. sea ice increased.
winters lasted longer. and crops failed. Increasing yearround permafrost after UOO seems to have forced the
Greenlanders to find ways other than simple burial to dispose of their dead. Hie colony was gradually forgotten as
it became less profitable to Scandinavian kings. and although a handful of Greenlanders lingered on at Herjolfsnes until around 1480. by 1500 the area's only inhabitants
were Eskimo ..h
The Arctic climate steadily worsened. Glaciation increased in Iceland in the late 16th century. causing cereal
and grain cultivation which had been dwindling since the
12th century to cease entirely. Englands average temperature dropped to its lowest in over HOO years. Occasional European visitors to Greenland were discouraged
from landing by foul weather and pack ice. John Davis in
1585 named it the "Land of Desolation." in sharp contrast
to Eirik's Greenland:'
Exploration declined until the second half of the 19th
century when technological advances and glaCial retreat
made expeditions less hazardous. Perhaps no other country
in the world has a history so closely linked with climatic
variation. While it did not take much of a temperature
drop to slow down an Elizabethan ship. the opposite is
also true: small temperature increases in arid Arctic fringe
areas like southern Greenland would enable even smaller
craft to make a relatively easy voyage.
It wouldn't much surprise me if one of Barry Fell's
Celtiberian inscriptions turned up on the north coast of
Greenland right next to a medieval Norse navigation cairn.

Eirik the Red's \:!asy westerly route from Iceland to the

east coast of Greenland was later cut off by pack ice. By

REFERENCES
I. Fillilur Jonsson. ed .. Landnamabok Is/allds lI9~!'i). pp.
4H-[) I: and Gustav Holm. Gunbjorns-skaer og Korsol!r. Meddelelser om Groll/and 56. no. H (191H) :~91-:mH.
~. Gwyn Jones. Tile Norse Atlantic Saga ( 19(4). pp. 1b4-6S:
and Finnur Jonsson. Gronlands gamle topografi efter Kilderne:
Meddelelser om Gronland 20 (IH9H) :~n-7:{.
:~. Gwyn Jones. The Norse Atlantic Saga. pp. 144. 14H-5!.
17H-79.
4. See Astri A Stromsted. Ancient Pioneers (1974).
S. Vilhjalmar Stefansson. Ultima Thule ( 1940).
6. Rhys Carpenter. Beyond the Pillars of Heracles (l9b6):
and Haakon Shetelig. -Roman Coins Found in Iceland: An
tiquity l:{ (1949): Ibl-6:t
7. Cleomedes. De motu circulari 1.7: Pliny. Historia naturalis
4.311: and Strabo. Geography 2.4.1.
M. Samuel Eliot Morison. The European Discouery of America:
The Northern Voyages, A.D. 5001600 (1971). pp. Ib-lH:
and Thomas F. ORahilly. Early Irish History and Mythology
(1946). pp. 21H-20.
9. Carl Selmer. ed._ Nauigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis (1959).
pp.SH-61.

Dicuil. Liber de mellsura orbis terrae lGustavo Parthey ",d ..

POO). p. 4l: and Finnur Jonsson. Land/la/llabok. p. 1.
11. Finnur Jonsson. Landllamabnk. p. 74: and William B.
Goodwin. The Ruins of Great Irelalld in New Englalld (194b).
p.lSH.
1(1.

Il. Plutarch. De facie quae ill orbe IUllae apparet ~ll.

U. Peter de Roo. History of America before Columbus (19110).
2:04-65.
14. Raymond H. Ramsay. No Longer on the Mop (197l). pp.
ISH-59.

15. Casparus Danckwerth. Orbis Velus. cum origine mag/larum

in eo Gentium a filius et Nepotibus Noe (Husum, 1(51). The
map is in the private collection of Prof. Francis Heller. Universltv
of Kansas School of Law.
lb. Anker Weldick. Estimates on th", Mass Balance Changes
of the Inland Ice since Wisconsin-Wechsel: Rapport. Gron
lands Geologiske Ulldersogeise. no. bH (1975). p. IH: Bellt
Fredskild. Studies in the Vegitational History of Greenland:
Meddelelser om Gron/and. vol. 19H. no. 4 (1 ~J7:{): and Eric
Olausson. "The Role of the Arctic Ocean during Cool Climatic
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

142
Periods." Acta Universitatis Ouluensis. ser. A. Geologica. no. 1.
1972. pp. 40922.
17. Rhodes W. Fairbridge. "The Holocene Epoch." in Encyclo
paedia Briltanica. 15th I'd.: and Hans-Georg Bandi. Eskimo
Prehistory (1969). pp. 157-74.
Ilj. T. Ernarsson. --Pollen: Analytical Studies on the Vegitation
and Climate History of Iceland in Late and Post-Glacial Times'"
in A. & D. Love. eds .. North Atlantic Biota and Their History
(1963). pp. 355-56: Albert A. Dekin. Jr.. "Climatic Change
and Cultural Change: A Correlative Study from Eastern Arctic
Prehistory." Polar Notes. no. 12 (1972). pp. 11-31: W. Dansgaard. et al.. "Climatic Changes. Norsemen and Modern Man'"
Nature 255 (1 May 1975):24-2lj: and Christian Vibe. --Arctic
Animals in Relation to Climatic Fluctuations." Meddelelser om
Grlnland 170. no. 5 (1967)::-11-99.
19. H. H. Lamb. "On the Nature of Certain Climatic Epochs
Which Differed from the Modern (1900-1939) Normal. in
Changes in Climate. Arid Zone Rsch .. vol. 20 (UNESCO. 1963).
pp. 125-50: and Fredskild. '"Vegitational History'" p. 133.
20. P. M. Kelly. '"Volcanic Dust Veils and North Atlantic Climatic
Chanye. Nature 268 (1~ Aug. 1977) :616-17.
21. Fridtjof Nansen. In Northem Mists (1911). 1:298-307:
"Groenlands Annal eitt eptir Hauksbbk.' in Gronlallds Historiske
Mindesmaerker (IH3HA5). 3:242-46: Ordericus Vitalis. Historia
ecclesiasticae 10.6: and Gustav Storm. ed .. "Annales Regii.' in
Islandske Anllaler illdtil1578 (18H8). p. 121.
22. "Uddrag af Kong Hakon Hakonslns Saga'" in Greinlallds
Historiske Milldesmaerker. 2:77't3-79: J. Kr. Tornoe. Columbus
ill the Arctic? (1965). p. 107. and Finn Gad. The History 01
Greellialld (1970). 1. U6-:~9.
23. J~rgen Meldgaard. Nordboerne i Gr,nland (1 Sl65). pp. ~:~
:-14: Magnus Olsen. "Kingigtorsuak-stenen og sproget: de Gr~n
landske runeindskrifter'" Norsk Tidsskrift for Sproguidenskab 5
(1932): 1:-19-257: and Ole G. Landsverk. Ancient Norse Messages
on American Stones (1969). pp. 75-95.
24. Erik Holtved. "Archaeological Investigations in the Thule
District." Meddelelser om Grrlnland 141. no. 1 (1944):298-302.
25. Adam of Bremen. Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontifi.
cum ex recensione Lappenbergii (llj7b ed.). pp. Ilj5-lj6.
26. Walter B. & Lucy McCrone. -The Vinland Map Ink." Geographical J. 140 (,June 1974):212-14: R. A. Skelton. Thomas E.

Marston & George D. Painter. The Vinland Map alld the Tartar
Relation (1965): and Alf Mong~ & Ole G. Landsverk. Norse
Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings (1967). ch. 9. 13.
27. Axel Anthon BjJlrnbo. "Cartographia Groenlandica.' Meddelelser om Grin/and. vol. 4lj (1912). pp. 102-19: and Nansen.
Northem Mists. 2:24H-76.
2lj. Morison. Northern Voyages. p. 69: and Nils Adolf Erik
Nordenskiold. FacsimileAtlas to the Early History of Cartography
(1889). p. 101. plates 39. 41.
29. Justin Winsor. ed .. Narrative and Critical History of America
118~4-89). 1: 129.
30. Kap Farvel is shown at approximately 6220' north latitude.
some 230' too northerly. Nansen suggests that this is an error
caused by the map's projection as an equidistant compass-chart.
"which takes no account of the surface of the earth being spherical and not a plane. and on which the courses sailed have been
laid down according to the points of the compass. presumably
in ignorance of the variation of the needle." Nansen. Northern
Mists. 2:371.
31. Sofus Larsen, Discovery of America Twenty Years Before
Columbus (1925).pp. 11314.
32. Nansen. Northern Mists. 2:36~-74.
33. Harald Sigurasson. Kortasaga Islands lru ondverou til/oka
16. a/dar (1971). pp. 140-44: and Nansen. Northern Mists.
2::~61)-70.

34. I. I. Schell. -'The Ice off Iceland and the Climates during the
Last 200 Years'" Geograliska All/lO/er 4:~ (19b 1) ::~54-62:
"Gronlands beskrivelse ved Ivar Baardson" in Gronlands His
toriske Milldesmaerker. :1:250: and Norman W. Ten Brink.
"Holocene History of the Greenland Ice Sheet Based on Radiocarbon-Dated Moraines in West Greenland'" Meddelelser 0111
Grln/alld. vol. 201. no. 4 (1975).
:~5. Poul N~rlund. '"Buried Norsemen at Herjolfsnes .. Meddelelser om Grnland. vol. 67 (1924).

3b. Schell. "lce off Iceland'" p. 355: Dansgaard. "Norsemen'"

p. 27: Anker Weidick. "Notes on Holocene Glacial Events in
Greenland'" Acta Universitatis Ou/uensis. ser. A. Geologica.
no. 1. 1972. pp. 177. IH3: and Albert Hastings Markham. ed ..
The Voyages alld Works of John Dal!is the NaVigator. Hakluyt
Soc'y Works. ser. l. vol. 59. 18HO.

THE PSYCHOANALYSIS WANGLE

By Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni
An important characteristic of established science is
that it has decreed divine honors on certain individuals
that are now its "protecting gods." Around them and
their ideas - or mental excreta. according to your point
of view - a whole theology has been built: and whoever
"names them in vain" is stigmatized as "medievalist" by
the scientific community.
Quite apart from the fact that to be called a medievalist
can also be considered an honor. [ think that it should be
apparent enough that exposing the real measure of those
squalid individuals - propped up exclUSively by tenacious propaganda - should be one of the more important
tasks of all true Forteans.
Previously. in this same journal. I have demolished two
of the persons of the "Unholy Trinity" of Establishment
Religion - Albert Einstein I and Charles Darwin." I now
propose to do the same with the third: Sigmund Freud.:I
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

The mass media have managed_ to a large extent. to

convince both the public at large and also many "intellectuals. that the above Viennese psychiatrist, the inventor
of psychoanalysis. was the discoverer of the subconscious.
That is plainly false. It is true. instead. that there had been
much delving into the subconscious by the French hypnotist school. headed by the famous Charcot. of whom
Freud was a disciple for a short time: from their work
Freud later borrowed plenty - without the slightest sign
of acknowledgment or gratitude. Another author who
had attributed to subconscious causes certain attitudes of
mobs was the French social psychologist Gustave Le' Bon.
whose work Freud knew. (For reasons of space_ we will
not dwell here on the concept that. from remotest antiquity.
all traditional civilizations were informed of a "dimensionin-depth" in the human psyche whose knowledge - in a
very different context from the psychiatric consultingrool1) - was the object of well developed initiation and
ascetic techniques. This was acknowledged even by an
erstwhile disciple of Freud. Carl Gustav Jung.)

143
It is also said that the psychoanalytic methodology has
been effective for the treatment of numerous cases of
mental derangements: and it is not impossible that that
might be true. What is not said with equal emphasis is
that what really counts in that type of therapy is suggestion.
whereby one may justifiably wonder if exactly the same
results might not have been attained by subjecting the
patients to techniques that had absolutely nothing to do
with psychoanalysis. And. in any case. the technique of
"conscious self-suggestion" which. with regards to its
praxis. and not to its theory. was very similar to psychoanalysis. had been successfully applied. quite independently of Freud and his gang, by the French psychiatrists
Coue and Badouin.

From the above it should be quite clear that what can

be regarded as valid and acceptable among Freud's wares
-namely: (a) his acknowledgment of a "dimension-indepth" in man (his "subconscious"), and (b) a certain
technology to treat mental perturbations - were not of
his own production but shamefacedly copied. What instead is entirely of his own making are certain "characteristics" which he chose to assign to his own version of the
subconscious and which were dictated strictly by his personalturn of mind and not by any objective scientific reasoning. These characteristics can be summarized very
briefly: the subconscious is something dark, demonic.
and evil. ruled exclusively by sexual impulses of an abnormal type: homosexual. incestuous. sado-masochistic_
etc .. etc. And Freud maintained that in spite of any appearances to the contrary. it is always this sort of "King-Kong
monster" that has the upper hand.
Emil Ludwig' suggested that Freud had observed certain
trends of thought and behavior among the madmen. the
deranged and the perverted with whom, for professional
reasons. he was in contact. and that he generalized them
to the totality of normal people. If this was true - as it

may well be - it would indicate that Freud had that peculiarly warped type of mind that pertains to most professional
subverters. and whose main feature is a lust for degradation:
both for themselves and for others.
In any case, and quite independently of Ludwig's observations. everything indicates that Freud had a onetrack mind bent in a certain direction to an exceptionally
high degree. It is likely that it was only an equally high
degree of self-inhibition coupled with an ambition to
emerge within the Establishment that stopped him from
becoming another Jack the Ripper.
At this point the question naturally arises as to why
Freud and psychoanalysis enjoy the acceptance and protection of the scientific establishment to the degree to
which it has been accorded them (the same acceptance
and protection enjoyed by einsteinian Relativity and darwinian Natural Selection. both of which have achieved
"offiCiality" within the modern scientific framework). The
question is quite valid: but an attempt to answer it would
bring us into fields of "the social sciences, law. religion or
ethics." that should probably be dealt with outside of this
publication.'
~

NOTES AND REFERENCES

l. 'The Relativity Racket:' Pursuit. Vol. 10. No.2. Spring. 1977.
2. "The TransfoTmist Myth:' Pursuit. Vol. 11. No. l. Spring.

197t{.
3. Freud's works and their apolo~etic commt'nts can be found
anywhere. Critical studies. on the other hand. are much rarer:
one of the bt'st is probably to bt' found in the work of Julius Evola:
Moschero e uolto della :;piritllolislllo cOlltemporollen. Edi/.ioni
Mediterranet'. Roma. 1':l7l.
4. Emil LudWig. Freud. Spanish translation pubhshed by E.ditorial
Diana. Mexico. IlJ5b.
5. I havt'. nonetheless. fact'd that problem o!lso!whel.... and pub
lished on the subject.

ACID RAIN - A FORMIDABLE DILEMMA

By S. N. Mayne
Man made pollutants are threatening forests_ fish life.
soil and undoubtedly man himself. Leon Dochinger.
a U.S. Department of Agriculture air pollution specialist.
may have made the understatement of the century when.
at a recent Environmental Protection Agency interagency
research meeting. he referred to 'acid rain' as" ... perhaps
the most serious environmental dilemma of the century."
He might as well also have added that the problem is so
serious that the chances are good we won't be around a
century from now to reflect upon his statement.
'Acid rain.' it appears. is a side effect of the combustion
of fossil fuels (oil. gasoline. coal. and natural gas). which
produces nitrogen and sulfur oxides. These are in turn released into the atmosphere. These gases are then converted into nitric and sulfuric acids through a series of
chemical reactions. Precipitation brings these toxic wastes
back down ....
Can we really be so naive as to expect to continue to

pollute our atmosphere ("What goes up must come down_"

Dochinger quips) to such an extent that we seriously harm
and destroy fish life. sterilize lakes. mar forest production.
impregnate soil and snowcaps and otherwise allow our
poisons to work their way into Earth's eco-system - and
still believe we can continue to survive with no ill effects?
What. for example. is this 'acid rain' doing to our food
supplies? Perhaps. since our foods are already 50 plied
with chemicals (or even made directly from them). it may
be only natural to assume that little (additional) harm could
come from the large quantities of sulfuric and nitric acids
raining down and becoming incorporated into our food
supply.
Scientists have indicated that carbon monoxide levels
in our atmosphere are now between 12-15%. the direct
result of burning fossil fuels to propel our cars. But. since
we don't seem to be able to live without driving our automobiles, and since we must use fossil fuels to run those
vehicles. then we must suffer by having to breathe in the
pOisons which result - after all. it's only 12-15% of the
atmosphere!
PURSUIT. Foil 1978

144
Also. since our entire society is totally dependent upon'
electricity. and since sulfuric acid is a result of burning coal
in order to generate our electric needs. we might as well
shrug our shoulders and say. "Oh well. just another unavoidable way (albeit a somewhat dangerous and selfdefeating one) to survive?"
Currently_ the average acidity of precipitation is increasing constantly in all parts of the country (not to mention
the entire planet!). From 1927 to 1937. for example. only
4% of the lakes in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate
New York had a pH value below 5.0: now 51 % have pH
values below 5.0. (On the logarithmic pH scale. a change
from pH 6.0 to 4.5 actually means a 32-fold increase in
acidity!)
"It's a global problem." Dochinger says. "and there is
no way to trace it or stop it because it does not recognize
boundaries." At the moment. it's not even possible to go
to a wilderness mountain hideaway - your own (home

. "" '. ~~~~

~~~.:::

':~
.- :. .. :.;.~

:;; ....

"

,"

.. ~.:.

REFERENCES
"Acid Rain Network 'Planned." Science News. Vol. 1 U. No. 2!J.
JunO! 24. llJ7H. p. 407.
"State Starts Study of Acid Rain Pollution." Ithaca JOllrnal. April
'12. IlJ7H. p.l).
"Acid Rain Threatening Fish Life. Forests. Soil." Syracllse PoslStandard. June :{. IlJ71'). p. 2.

"AHOY, MATE! WHICH

FLAMIN' PHANTOM SHIP
SAILS THAR?"
(9

1977 by Larry E. Arnold

'';'

......

.'....

By Larry E. Arnold
PART II
(Continued from last issue)
Mrs. Alton Langille. of Cape John_ Pictou County.
Nova Scotia. was one witness not afraid of slander and
ridicule. She described two instances of the enigmatic to
Sherwood. Here are excerpts from the experiences of
this woman who once labeled herself "an out and out
skeptic" of fiery ghost ships:
"At the time I first saw the Phantom Ship it was early
evening in the fall of the year- November 26, 1965. and
just turning dark. I was ... standing near my kitchen window. and when I looked up. I was so startled I could
hardly believe my eyes. There was this ship. on fire and
sailing down the Strait. The telephone was right beside
me on the wall. so as I watched the ship. I called some of
my neighbors up the road ... "
Word spread qUickly. and soon many others were getting their first glimpse of a legend-come-to-life! "There
was no mistaking it for a real ship_" exclaimed Mrs. Langille of the ethereal voyager.
"But that wasn't the end of it. Two nights later." she
continued. "almost under the same circumstances I saw
the Phantom Ship for the second time. Again I phoned
others to make sure I wasn't seeing things. They_ too. as
before. saw the same ship. Word was flashed to River
John. some six miles away. and soon our Cape road was

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

grown) food will still suffer the effects of the 'acid rain:
even though it may be from factories and cars thousands
of miles away.
Speaking Forteanly. is it not ironic that we use the
essence of life forms which took millions of years to accumulate in order to fuel our technological existence - and in
the very act of recycling ancient former life forms for our
brief indulgences_ we may also serve to hasten the demise
of our own species?

crowded with cars. loaded with people eager to catch

their first sight of the ghost ship. And they weren't disappointed. That time the Phantom was visible to hundreds of people for a half hour. and then. like the other
time. it just seemed to fade away. and where the bright
light had been, there was only the blackness of the water."'b
[Italics added)
If one has to be drunk to see the Phantom Ship. there
must have been one helluva party in northern Nova Scotia between the 26th and 28th of November that year! Or
maybe it was a touch of Hell itself that residents along
Northumberland Strait saw those two nights(Our files contain no records of another type of pyrophenomena - SHC - on the above dates. But we wonder if perhaps we missed some cases of humans engulfed
in eerie flames. or if there was a concentration of other
Fortean weirdies during this period. Worldwide research
into synchronous relationships may uncover a recurring
phenomenological harbinger that would enable the prediction of future appearances of the Phantom Ship. Apart
from the scientific value of such a discovery. just think
what a boon that would be to Nova Scotian tourism!)
Heston White and Marlyn Tattrie had a glimpse of the
Infernal. too. on a windless Friday night in the Spring of
1964. Sherwood interviewed Mr- White. who said this of
his sighting at Brule Bay:
"Suddenly. out on the dark water. the flaming ship
took shape. It made a red glow against the sky and the
water .. , and the whole thing seemed to be on fire. It went
sailing very fast out toward the Strait. and then suddenly
it wasn't there. I can't say that it went under water. It just
seemed to go to nothing as we watched."2J
A ship that always moves rapidly to the east. even on
a still night. only to vanish as oddly as it appeared. A very
mysteriOUS thing these waters of Northumberland harbor-

145
One of the less mysterious aspects that haunt this case
however. is the need to disentangle fact from myth. It is
a task made doubly difficult by the proven fallibility of the
human senses. and the readiness of man to see (or write
of) what he wants to see.
For example: Vincent Gaddis lH and Eric Norman. lq
who clearly. has used Gaddis as his source. assert that
around Merigomish "Every year. if the weather permits.
either before or directly after the autumnal equinox. the
weird vessel appears."
These writers continue their narratives by suggesting a
nightly vigil is kept: that "the shining copper on her keel"'
is visible: that "quite suddenly. the vessel lurches. as if
striking treacherous shoals" whereupon "f1ames appear
and dim figures can be seen jumping overboard." Rigging
and masts are downed in the inferno and "finally, a blackened hulk. the specter plunges beneath the waves.":!11
Now that's really dramatic! It stirred us to seek further
details through the postmaster at Merigomish. Nova Scotia. Our letter was forwarded to Roland H. Sherwood.
local historian in Pictou and. as it turns out. the authority
on the Phantom Ship. "Oon't pay any attention to what
you hear or read about the ship arriving at any particular
place on schedule each year." he told us. "or of people
seen jumping overboard .... these make fantastic reading. but are not to be relied upon.:!\
As Sherwood has lived along the Strait for 40 years
and seen the Phantom only twice (each time unexpectedly), one begins to doubt the feasibility and desire of
establishing night-long watches for weeks at a time. These
lurid tales of scheduled appearances and exploding bulwarks are no more than "cock and .bull" stories. he writes
in his excellent booklet. The Phantom Ship of Northumberland Strait And Other Mysteries of the Sea. "
Sherwood's criticism of others' re-creations points out
perhaps the most difficult task we have encountered when
writing about paranormal events: the desire to retain
one's scholastic integrity without putting the reader in a
daze (or doze). liberal use of literary license may encourage the "Best Sellers" list but it can - and often doescreate havoc when researchers seeking to unravel Nature's
mysteries must base their work on unreferenced. overdramatized and misrepresented facts.' As a result the
separation of truth from myth becomes even less easy.
and whole cosmologies could erroneously be built upon
fabricated evidence (as has occurred with the Piltdown
man and the Bermuda Triangle in some instances). This
concoction of data passed off as fact. and the sordid consequences of using it. has already occurred in some of the
world's most prestigiOUS research laboratories. 1.1
Unfortunately there appears no indication that this dilemma is anywhere near a solution. But we are trying to
contribute towards one by avoiding hyped-up descriptions based only upon excesses of the author. We hope
we aren't putting you to sleepStill, there are times when it is best not to jump to judg. I do not Intend this statement tn be taken as a dir.. ct assaihny of VlIlC .. nt
Gaddis. who has be,m more than helpful in aidiny us in various research
endeavors (and who repiled to me In a letter dat .. d June 16. 1'J7H:
"My info on Canada's phantom fiery ship from AP dispatch D.. c. H. 1')53
and Fale. Nov. 194,). A Balnmnre man went t(l Canada and saw the
appearance and exclt .. dly called me when he yot back. "): it should.
instead. be taken as a warniny to all rortealb to be wary of AP win!
stories ....

ments about "fantastic stories" tbat strain credulity. After

all. many people have scoffed about the Phantom. says
Sherwood - lIntil the~) see it themselves!
There are some fishermen around Pictou though,
states Sherwood. "who do not believe the stories reliable
people have told about the Fire-Ship" but are less hesitant "to liven an evening." as he sees it. with fanciful tales
such as this one:
"We kept gaining." claimed this group of seafarers after
they began pursuing a light between Pictou and Pictou Island (a distance of 10 miles). The light became the Phantom Ship. they said. "and soon we were inside a ghostly
glow. and as our motorboat kept going. we passed right
through the Phantom Ship and saw it disappear behind
us. .. S4
Now such a yarn may be too incredible for many people
to swallow. let alone the skeptic hardened to believe that
Existence is only what he can touch. Even Sherwood.
familiar as he is with the Northumberland specter. discounts the sailors' story.
We wonder though: On land ghostly things in the
shape of humans. pets. stagecoaches and so forth pass
through people. Why couldn't something like that happen at sea. with a ghostly ship for instance'?
Indeed it has. if one accepts the experience that Capt.
James Hampson wrote of in Fate (January 1955). In July
of 1934 he was fog-bound but proceeding slowly through
the Strait of Georgia. British Columbia. Suddenly a break
in the dispersing mists revealed a weather-beaten sailing
ship bearing down on his starboard bow. Collision seemed
imminent. Hampson spun the wheel to port. but it was
too late. He braced himself for disaster and waited for the
splintering crash that would sink his 46-foot cruiser. But
only "an odd. ghastly silence" met his ears. as his astounded eyes watched the old vessel pass through his bow and
Ollt the port side. Startled. he forgot to correct his former
bearing. Then Hampson was shocked again. but his
emotion soon turned to awe. Off to starboard lay a towboat's raft. he said. "directly on the course I had charted
and from which I had been diverted by the timely intervention of the ghost ship."
(For a similar incident involving the U.S. Navy. see the
April 1962 issue of Fate.)
Thus there is. in theory. no justification for Sherwood's
dismissal of the fishermen's 'tall tale' - because there is
precedent to back up just such an encounter. improbable
though it may sound. Perhaps a hint of sarcasrn. or an i11concealed twinkle in the fishermen's eyes. revealed the
true nature behind their words. But if the boatmen in Pictou did make up their story about sailing through a fire
ravaged phantom. it wasn't done wholly without basis in
fact!
Returning to the fiery apparition that plies Northumberland Strait. one man who couldn't have contrived such a
tall tale was Capt. Adam Graham. a "well-known and
highly respected man of the sea." Besides. there were too
many witnesses corroborating Graham's haunting experier:ce to label it a hoax.
The sighting by Graham and the townsfolk of Pictol!
occurred one night in 1HHO. and is the first recorded
observation of the specter.
Far out on the blackness of the water a three-masted
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

146'
vessel was suddenly spotted. apparently ablaze. The resiThe association of the Fire-Ship with the Micmac Indians raises one uery curious point which perhaps the
dents were horrified. as a bark had sailed from their town
only that afternoon only to be becalmed in the area they
reader is already pondering: If the modern accounts of
this sea-worthy specter so often describe a three-masted
now watched. "Rescue!" was the thought on everyone's
mind.
square-rigged vessel obViously of recent Euro-American
Capt. Graham and his crew launched a tug boat and
design. then how could the Indians have been seeing it
headed for the disaster. Would they get there in time.
long before such a vessel would have sailed these waters
each man wondered. to pick up survivors? Still miles
or - indeed - have even been built?
For reasons already stated. one cannot easily resolve
from their goal. the crew's concern qUickly turned to terror: the Fire-Ship had disappeared before their eyes! It
this perplexing observation by invoking the placebo of
didn't explode or sink ... it simply uanished!
"Hallucination!" (in its normal psychological sense. that is).
The captain ordered a search anyway, for survivors or
Could the glowing specter have been colored - that
flotsam or clues to the mystery that now haunted them.
is. enhanced by the observer's 'expectation and imaginaThey didn't know the conundrum that haunted them was
tion - so that in the mind's eye a blazing ship was 'seen'
itself a haunting. Nor did the townspeople. who kept vigil
to form inside mere coruscating mists? This. too, is diffion the whole operation from shore.
cult to accept because one would not expect to find so
They soon had a suspicion that the supernatural was
common an experience among the diversity of viewing
involved. for next day an incoming vessel reported that
conditions and witnesses (especially those skeptical or
the bark feared lost was sailing safely through the Strait of
completely ignorant about claims of the Phantom Ship).
Canso.
So what can be said about this baffling anachronism?
Their suspicion has since been confirmed again and
We have an ideaagain by the many hundreds who have seen the scenario
HOLOGRAPHIC HAUNTINGS?
repeated for almost a century. In the Spring of 1976. for
instance. a family saw the Phantom. And in the last week
When utilizing broader levels of consciousness to underof June 1976 a "person saw lights on the water. but not
stand the processes behind mysterious outbreaks of flames
as a ship ... '~
in the air.:19 411 the principle behind holograms was given
As Sherwood astutely concludes from all this in his
as the solution. 4.
booklet: "But when these same stories are told time and
A hologram is a recently discovered technique for protime again by young people. by old people, by indivijecting life-like (three-dimensional) forms by focusing
duals who have seen it. and by others who have witnessed
image-carrying laser beams upon a particular spot. The
the spectacle as a group. sometimes for short periods and.
result appears quile real (that is, physical) to the observer
at other times for an hour. the belief must come that there
but he can walk right through it if he wishes: which is to
is something more to the appearance of the Phantom
say the interface of light (energy) beams produces an illuShip than just the imagination. or a glib tongue and a
sion.42
good story-teller. ""0 [Italics added]
Also. a holographic image can't be destroyed per se.
Ah. that such a refreshing attitude could find its way
lf the hologram is cut in half. then two complete images
into all aspects of Science's hallowed (and often closed)
are formed and maintained (although successive patterns
hallsbecome less intense with each duplication). Hmm - a
scene that 'isn'f there. a ghost whose presence fades with
FINDING FACTS IN THE 'LEGENDS'
the number of appearances. a phantom that becomes
several mirror-images of itself ...
The basis for Sherwood's statement on the existence of
How does this modern technology relate to the Phanthe Phantom Ship antedates the (most recent) arrival of
tom Ship and other specters (fiery or not)? In other words.
the White Man to the shores of Northumberland Strait.
what does a hologram say about Reality (or what humans
You see. the Micmac Indians of the region had a legperceiue
as real)?
end - truth. we prefer to call it - that generations longThe similarity between a hologram's intangibility and
deceased had witnessed what in translation was called
the many encounters with equally ethereal 'ghosts' sug"Fire Upon the Water."
gests
the same prinCiple that creates one phenomenon
Interestingly. this Indian heritage is cryptically preserved
can engender the other as well.
to this day on every map of Nova Scotia. The Micmac
A hologram - a technological specter - results. from
word for 'fire' is bucto. and the English phrase 'an explobeams of light interacting. right? What about the ghost of
sion of gas' translates to pict. Sherwood suggests (backed
a haunting nature?
by some written authority, .he says) that the early French
If we may coin a new phrase. we suggest Beams of
immigrants. upon hearing the Indians refer to the area as
Reality combine to create the apparitions referred to.
pict-bucto. were reminded of the old province of Poictou
These Beams. whether occurring as light energy or
in their homeland.'" So they transposed the Micmac
some
other part of the electromagnetic spectrum (rays of
phrase to pic-tou and applied it to the region. Thus the
thougnt or telleynes. o for examples) occasionally comcity and county of Pictbu. Nova Scotia. retain in their name
bine holographically to project an event from one spacethe very description of the phenomenon which has visited
time
framework into another. Thus the Micmac Indians
these shores for hundreds of years ..
were seeing a local event from some 'future' framework
. This is an exc .. llent exampl .. "I usiny what A. J. 13,,11 (Rl'f. :iHI calls a
manifesting into the 'past'. which was their present.
"ll'xllink" ..- the jOillillY 01 morphemes from a parllcular lexicon-to
d .. riv,' Irom the spok,m word a d .. ep .. r understanding 01 a soci .. tys
.
contact with the phenom .. nal

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

The author's term lor telluric ley lines 01 lorce. which permeate the
planet and seem to be associat .. d with a variety 01 'supernatural' ",vents.

147
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P.HANTOM FIRE-SHIPS

<D- St'. Lawrence Rivera Walker's F'leet

- Chaleur Bay. Mal.auze Light

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Northumberland Strait~ the Phant.om Ship

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of 1711

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Block !slanch 'Palat1ne' Light'
Aust.1'fLl1a$ Melhourne-6ydney Light

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PURSUIT. Fall 1978

148
The mechanics of this space-time transmission are vulnerable to the many forces that influence the process. so
the 'rebroadcast' is neither always clear nor in the same
area each time. It is analogous to television signals: atmospheric peculiarities can distort or weaken normally
clear transmissions. and if one's antenna is improperly
aligned no picture appears at all (though a neighbor a few
blocks away can view the 'nonexistent' program if his
aerial is tuned-in).
So the Phantom Ship is sometimes seen merely as a
reddish glow: at other times with its rigging ablaze and
"movement on the deck. while others say they have seen
nothing but the flaming outline of a ship. ".:s It can manifest from West Cape. Prince Edward Island. to Cape
George in Nova Scotia. It could even 'exist' during the
daytime. though its low autoluminescence precludes visibility except in darkness - just as stars are present but
unseen during the day.
In fact. if the forces that determine the geographical
boundaries of the hologram are highly variable. the fireships of Northumberland Strait. and of Shippigan Island
98 miles to the north and Chaleur Bay 130 miles to the
northeast and Mahone Bay 103 miles to the south. might
be one and the same specter! Conversely. Northumberland
Strait could be an area of "zone phenomena." as Charles
Fort would call it. throughout which Beams of Reality can
focus the image of a burning ship: the hologram doesn't
appear outside the Strait however. because the Beams
can't intersect beyond the zone's perimeter. If this is so.
the specter ships of Chaleur and Mahone bays would be
distinct but parallel examples of regions producing the
same phenomenon as haunts the Strait.
This idea about rays. regions and realities can be extended even further - to the other side of the world!
Remember the fiery phantom seen by the Bacchante
off the coast of Australia'? We did. as we stood in the
bathroom one day. (What more appropriate place for a
Fortean to get inspiration. huh?) We also thought of an
tipodes. places directly opposite one another on the planet.
The theory was this: Could the Bacchante sighting have
been an antipodal reflection of one (or all) of the specters
seen off New England and the Canadian Maritimes?
We rushed to a globe seeking confirmation or refutation.
The luminous ghost ships of the western North Atlantic
haunt an area between latitudes 40 and 50 N and longitudes 62 and 70 W. Would the Bacchante's encounter with the ethereal be within this .zones antipode? We
flipped the globe over. our excitement building! We estimate the Duke of York and his crewmates saw their specter somewhere in the area bounded by ]6 and 4()0 S
latitude and 146 and 154 E longitude.
Well ... the 40 latitudes are antipodal at least. And
since the waters south to 50 S are isolated from population and shipping. phantom ships could sail there undetected. But the longitude for the hypothesized antipodal zone - 110 E to 1 H~o E - is more problematic.
This area encompasses the eastern Indian Ocean and the
western coast of Australia. whereas the Bacchante's position on 11 June 1881 was 30-35 farther to the epst.
The theory fails - unless the Beam of Reality passing
through the western North Atlantic is deflected some
8.8% to the east by telleynes or other geodynamic forces
as it passes through the Earth's interior. Then ...
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

We concede. however. that far more corroborative

evidence is needed before this fanciful idea can even be
classed as speculation-

FLUCTUATIONS IN
THE CONSCIOUSNESS
OF THE NOW
There is yet another possibility for resolving the mystery of the anachronism that confronted the Micmacsand us.
Returning to a previously offered theory. we can say
the ship that burns in Northumberland Strait is anchored
not in water but in the Now; it always is. That is. all objects that once existed still exist: those that will exist already
are.
We realize that Science has no room for such a concept
yet. preferring instead to recognize only a unidirectional
flow in time. Yet the abilities of psychics and esoterists belie this belief. both philosophically and practically. And, if
compelled to decide which group has the more accurate
grasp on the nature of Reality. we would unheSitatingly
choose what has been revealed by the latter groupConsequently. precognition and retrocognition are
valid because the vision perceived exists as part of the
collection of infinite possibilities. At some point in humanity's collective consciousness however, one aspect in that
eternal existence of all events is recognized to happen in
physicality (where man's senses are usually focused).
At that moment the event is categorized as the 'present:
after which it becomes a part of the past.'
Yet the process can work equally well in reverse. Human
consciousness, individually or in groups. can become
aware of an aspect of the Now that won't be recognized
by the mass of mankind until some moment in their 'future.'
Examples that fit nicely into this conceptual model can be
found in abundance throughout the literature of the paranormal.' ..
That perception - which creates our chosen reality
-can be altered by changes in one's mental activities. is
being constantly demonstrated within and outside of
science these days. Changes from the (normal) beta state
of brain-waves to alpha or delta or theta result in varied
degrees of Awareness and various effects on matter through
psychokinesis. An ever-increasing number of scientists
now accept this alchemic fusion of mind and matter.
As one therefore passes deeper into levels of lower
brain-wave frequencies. we have learned there are other
aspects of the psycho-physical system that undergo a
different transformation. "The cause of this rapid increase
in vibration-frequency has this effect upon the body: You
are less oriented to the physical as you increase your
Vibration-frequency. Therefore, there is less attachment
... to the physical. ".7
As a result of the physical realm becoming less encumbersome. less rigid and restraining. the barriers that limit
one's awareness of invisible but surrounding realities are
progressively dissolved. Things that 'aren't there' suddenly
appear before one's eyes.
From broader consciousness comes this simple analogy for the vibration-frequency concept of perception:
"Take a bicycle: turn it upside down. The wheel has spokes
and you can see the spokes. Spin the wheel. Thee

raise the frequency at which thee see these spokes as thee

raise the frequency (or speed them LIp, in other words).
The spokes do what( Disappear! To the physical eye they
seem to disappear . ....
The spokes are still there, to be sure: they're invisible to
humans but not to a high-speed camera! If one were to
raise his vibration-frequency to equal the rotational rate
of the wheel. the spokes would 'magically' reappear.
It's the same concept that the Mexican sorcerer don Juan
referred to when he spoke (pardon the pun) to Carlos
Castaneda" about "Stopping the World"" The realities
are there: man just normally fails to grasp their presence.
The time machine of H. G. Wells is already - in the
mind! Its ability to transcend the collectively agreed-to
physical space-time framework can be assisted on occasion by geocosmic interplays that encourage the weakening of perceptual restraints, thus permitting the bleedthrough of one so-called space-time continuum into
another. What happens then is referred to by some psychologists as a "collective hallucination." In a way they're
. The same abilily was possessed by Ihe yilted ones on Ihe Isle of Elyg
-Ihal is. Ihey wer .. capable or chanyiny Ihelr level or awarenes,; so as 10
perceive rhe Ionylhellw' as iI sailed past Ih .. ir Island and Ihrouyh
anolher dinwnsion.

right: an unexpected and out-of-place event is viewed by

many people who report the same thing. But it"s no delusion. a figment of unbalanced minds: it's real. a momentary infringement upon the agreed-to order of Existence.
This fleeting blending or merging hints to great possibilities when the loom that is Creation is more correctly
understood and responded to by mankind. Charles Fort
would understandAlready. this conceptual mcdel has been accepted in
many Eastern traditions - notably Chinese Taoism and
Mahayana Buddhism. The Chinese call it yuan yung lOU
ai - "the complete unobstructed penetration." Also. as
if to give the quantum-relativistic physics of Western
science a nudge in the right direction_ Fritjof Copra emphasizes the probability for interpenetrating realities by
demonstrating the parallel between physics and metaphysics (which is what we have been discussing all through
this article) in his monumental work, The Tao of Physics. ",
Returning from this lengthy aside to the problem of
how the Micmacs were able to witness a fiery phantom of
Euro-American design before such a ship would have
sailed the waters of Northumberland Strait. we can surmise that the Indians (who have a heritage of tranSCl!I1dence via 'medicine power") merely 'tuned into a lewl
PURSUIT, Fall 1978

150
of reality that already existed for that area. But the White
Man's history (that is. his perception) would not acknowledge the event until decades or even hundreds of years
later. when 'at last" a vessel whose name has never been
discovered sailed into the Strait and suffered a tragic fire
with all hands going down with the ship.
A plethora of forces - geomagnetic. gravitational.
telluric. solar. interplanetary and interstellar. emotionalare probably interwoven in the mechanism of consciousness and localized zone phenomena." A particular combination of these factors 'unlocks the dimensional doorway' and triggers the ocular sighting in and by witnesses
who still walk the coastline where the unanticipated can
literally rise from the sea to haunt you!
Perhaps some day it will be your good fortune to see
the sea god Manannan. who. according to Alexander
Carmichael's Carmina Gadelica. sails his fire-galley the
Wave Sweeper once every seven years from the Isle of
Man to the Hebrides to collect spirits of good men and
ferry them to the Celtic Paradise.
It is not our intent to discuss the interplay of the above
factors in manifesting the cyclic appearance of the Celtic
god's illuminated transport and the other mysterious
phantom fire-ships. Indeed. there is not enough data
available from which to construct scientific theories whose
validity can be tested. (Perhaps witnesses in the future
will take care to note as many environmental variables as
they can.)
There is one final enigma associated with the Northumberland fire-ship we'd like to mention. however. It's a
doubly strange hauntingOn Pictou Island the residents tell stories of the Woman
in White. an apparition who strolls obliviously through
the woods and knocks on doors only to vanish. In all. a
rather normal pattern for something considered as abnormal as a spook. But one moonlit night. reports Sher
wood. that pattern became a bit less normaL ..
Two resident fishermen observed the white figure of a
young lady walk slowly across the Island's beach. her
tresses tossed by an unfelt breeze and her arms outstretched
towards the sea. One man yelled a greeting. There was
no response.
Then to their horror. they watched as she stepped into
the glassy water only to fade away before their astonished
eyes. As they gasped in shock. a "ball of fire" materialized
and went skimming over the calm surface like a flat rock
flung across a pool.
"They watched as it went far out." writes Sherwood.
"and then. for the first and only time in their lives. they
saw the Phantom Ship rise from the waters of Northumberland Strait. They watched it in awe as the Fire-Ship
moved slowly along. and then. suddenly. it wasn't there",2
A phantom woman disappears into the sea ... is replaced by a ball of fire .. , is transformed into a blazing
ghost ship at the pOint where the lady pointed!
Though others had seen the Woman in White and the
Phantom Ship in separate appearances. neither of these
men had seen either specter before. And no one had
- ThO! appt!arance of the fireship of Chalt!ur Bay and the flaming Phan
tom Ship of NorthumbO!rland Strait oftl'n precede storms. thus sug
gesting a I1Il.'t .... orological connt!ction. In facl. th ... former sp<'cter is locally
called "TIl<' Bad Weather Light." (R",f. 5 \)

PURSUIT. Fal/1978

ever viewed the two apparitions together! It's pretty certain the two fishermen didn't seek a second opportunity
like their first one. eitherWhat is the meaning of this haunting connection?
We admit the significance of this particular episode is
unclear to us. We have an idea or two about how it might
fit into one or more of the theories we've advanced. but
it's more romantic if there is a bit of mystery left unattacked.
What do you think about the Woman in White and the
vessel that blazed forth where her outstretched arms
reached?

SAILING INTO
THE FRONTIER
After this lengthy voyage into the Unknown. do we
still dare to ask if these flaming phantom vessels are real?
Charles Fort always had difficulty determining what. if
anything. really could be called "real." But for most people.
a photograph would suffice for the tangible evidence so
often demanded by skeptics in order to be convinced of
the 'impossible.' Since the Northumberland fire-ship is
the one most observed. we thought this a good place to
look for physical support of a bizarre subject.
"You ask for photos of the Phantom." replied Sherwood to our letter. "To my knowledge none have been
taken. How can you photograph a phantom. or the Loch
Ness Monster?",3
Leaving Nessy (or Nessiteras rhombopteryz. as British
conservationists have officially christened it) to other researchers and other articles for the moment. it is possible
to photograph a 'phantom.' We have pictures of half-milelong 'invisible' animals that live in the Earth's atmosphere:
of ghosts descending or climbing British staircases: of
fires that 'cannot be.' yet nevertheless succeed in enveloping a body in flames and redUcing it to ashes in minutes.
So it is possible. even likely. that an alert Canadian
along the shores of Northumberland Strait has succeeded
in photographing the Phantom Ship. But afraid of the
sardonic ridicule that would greet his announcement. he
has kept his achievement to himself. Perhaps soon. in a
moment of courage or weakened sensibilities. such a
photo will be released and Science will have its sacred
tangible evidence to finally examine - or forget.
Still. the near-duplicate accounts of fiery specters reported by hundreds of witnesses around the world should
be sufficient to stimulate more investigation of the phenomenon than has been conducted to date. After all it
took only one man. Einstein. to re-order Physics a few
decades ago. We wonder how many men and women.
and how many decades. will be necessary before the evidence that surrounds us every day for a new reality will
be acknowledged. and accepted ...
These flaming ships that haunt the seas hold clues
about unknown forces that shape our environment.
Have we uncovered any of the truth about Reality from
examining their behavior? Can further study of their appearances reveal answers to yet-unasked questions?
Solutions. and understanding. will only come when inquiries into the abnormal. the bizarre and the 'impossible'
are conducted in the truest sense of scientific investigation.
An unseen friend once said to us: "Thee are very much
aware of the fact that the answer to many of these ques
tions that thee ask must transcend the information that's

151
at hand. For if the information at hand were such that
thee would know the answer, thee would not ask the
question. So thee are on the Frontier, my friend, and it is
a point of challenge. ",.
In this respect. a quote-worth-remembering comes
from Dr. W, F. G. Swann in Engineering and Pure Science:

Reality is no substance on which to anchor your soul:

for her substance is of the stuff of shadows. She has
no existence outside your own dreams. The concepts
one is willing to accept into his category of thinking
and to regard as natural. change with the epoch.
Reality and phantom ships ablaze: "the stuff of shadows."
Today many people are on the Frontier, changing with
the epoch as they create a whole new reality by challenging
and exploring so much that heretofore has been ignored or
taken for granted.
The questions are there because observations and facts
that don't fit into Conventionalism (the old epoch) are there.
Likewise, answers require only that the data be thoroughly
examined to yield a more complete understanding of the
Universe.
"Aye, mate, go down to the sea if y' .seek strange things!"
The straits and bays and oceans hold more than nourishment for men's bodies: they contain secrets waiting to be
revealed by man's mind.
Someday there will be fewer 'strange' things to wonder
about. like the fiery phantom ships of the sea. But until
then, and probably even afterwards, the ghosts of vessels
aflame will continue to appear - as 'rear yet as 'illusory'
as ever.

POSTSCRIPT: PHANTOM
SEA MONSTERS, TOO?
There's a fascinating point we'd like to discuss in connection with this article: sea monsters, specifically the
Loch Ness type.
How could fiery ghost ships possibly relate to the alleged
denizen of a land-locked lake in Scotland? WellAlthough we were unsuccessful in communicating by
eye or camera with a peaceful gargantuan (which some
have distastefully labeled a monster) during a 1977 stay
along the Loch, psychic data plus an abundance of complementing accounts spanning decades is sufficient to
convince us of the existence of Nessiteras rhombopteryz.
We don't have to see its severed head: nor does the Loch
need to be electrified to get a carcass to prove it (once)
existed.
But then curious things began to filter into the newspapers and Fortean literature. Suddenly, Loch Ness is no
longer unique in its unexplained fauna ...
Reports of "black bump-like protrusions and a sizeable
wake rippling through the water without apparent cause"
have circulated throughout the world's newspApers during
1976-77. These new sightings, though sounding quite
like those emanating from Loch Ness, come from areas
far removed from the Scottish Highlands.
The Canadian press, in 1977, conducted a well-publicized campaign to verify the existence of Ponik, a huge
creature said to inhabit Quebec's Lake Pohenegamook.

[n British Columbia a denizen with the alliterative mono

iker of Ogopogo was spotted thrice between February 5
and April 24, 1977, by several individuals (see Penticton
Herald for February 7, and Calgary Herald for February 8).
Ernie Muir, another man and a number of children were
standing on the shore of 70-mile-long Lake Okanagan
when three humps suddenly appeared through the churning water 500 yards offshore. Says Muir: "What [ saw
was definitely alive and moving very fast." His statement
about this 30-foot beast tallied with one given by three
women that same weekend but from a different location
along the lake (see Kelowna Courier, 28 & 29 April 1977).
Near Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Jim Flinn and Ken
MacLennan were fishing in Gabarus harbor when something seven feet long and ovoid-shaped used its two
flippers (or fins) to propel itself towards their dory. Being
fishermen didn't help them identify it: they couldn't.
Photos were taken, reported the Cape Breton Post (20
August 1976), but they didn't help either.
Lake Tagai, also in British Columbia, is home for the
"cadborosaurus" Tag, who apparently made its first apperance in August 1976 when it harrassed a fisherman.
Later three people spotted it from shore. Said Phil Streifel
in the Prince George Citizen (13 August 1976): "It was
about ten feet long, and appeared to be moving just under
the surface." What's curious to us is that Lake Tagai is
shallow. Where was this creature hiding all the time before Streifel saw it in mid-1976?
The same question arises when one considers recent
reports of a similar beastie in New England's Lake George.
Granted this body of water is deeper than Lake Tagai. but
then Lake George is in a heavily populated tourist and
residential area. Why, after centuries, is the unknown
only now being observed there?
A monster inhabits Lake Uri in Switzerland, reports the
tabloid Blick. Photos have been taken, but a solution still
escapes the Swiss.;"
The thought occurs to us that some of these mysterious
creatures that suddenly are haunting so many bodies of
water are, quite simply, ghosts themselves! That is, they
are either 1) holograms projected from another space-time
continuum, or 2) images of a terrestrial animal living in
the presently agreed-to physical reality that for some
reason are beamed through space to be received and
broadcast in other waters on the Earth's surface (a telecommunications network between regions conducive to
the same "zone phenomena," if you will).
Like phantom ships, these 'animals' appear real but
they are illusions from another moment or place in Existence. "
. IPostsubmission-- Authorl: Slarlhny and yraphil" supp,>rt for this
cnn:entlon conw. from tw,) photos of ""Nt!ssie"" takL'n at CastlL' Urquhart
May 21. 1977 (Just thr...... \wt!ks aft ..r this author Silt IhL're \\'l1h a
1201lm1lllens.. d camt!la. Dral~). publislwd lor lilt! first t 1111 L' toy<'tht!r i"
Forleoll Tillles (No 22. pp. 24 ilnd 2:,). OnL' of thL' two color tran,;pill
eneit!s obtained bv [)oc Shit!b wa,; lat ..r analwed bl: liruund Saul"L'r
Watch's c'.Imputer;. At the top ,.>f thell' W-point- critiqu~ is till' ""al"rminy"
dl!tenllinatlfJll that v.'ave lippll!s '..-all

btl

~l'\.'n

liuouyll Ih", crl!alllI"lJ'~

L'lonyatt!d neck and Iwad. thus sugyestiny tlw obj,'ct is IrOllsporelll 01

lmllsillcellr ""in construction" GSW thendorL' conriudL's ShiL'\"" slidL' i,
apt 10 be photo wizardry and cerlainly does rlol ""represent a bonafide
CI L'atlll <' of larye proportion;." Based on the IinL'S "f rea;nniny dL'IiL'loIWd
for fiery Phalltom Ships. hmwwl. \w wouldn't bL' so b"ld. A" l'<essy
hunter Tim Dinsdale wrote ill Forreorl Tillles (l'<o. 24. p. lEll about tlw
Shiels photos. "I would suygt!st ... thilt thl~ is an t!1<'Clwllic aberrario"
rath .. r than a photoyraphic onL'."lltalic:i ildd"dl

PURSUIT, Fall 1978

152
There is a third category in which to place the current
rash of monster sightings. That is. the creatures are tangible: they have been teleported from one reality into an
alien one through a hole in the fabric of Creation. They
become. in essence. physical specters!
(Chalk up one for Fort's "Supergeography. ")
We consider this last option because it is pretty hard to
make an ethereal ghost out of the following encounter. ..
a physical ghost from the past perhaps. but. ..
On 25 April 1977 Japanese fishing executive Michihiko
Yano saw the past - the very long ago past. His crew
aboard the Zuiyo Maru hauled in the carcass of a 30-foot.
2-ton "monster" along with the normal catch of eel-like
whiptails off Christchurch. New Zealand. Prof. Fujio
Yashuda of the Tokyo Fisheries University would later
say. after examining color photos of it. that the corpse
resembled a prehistoric plesiosaurus - an animal thought
extinct for 130 million years!" Said Yano: "1 was not
sure what it was at the time. but it does look like drawings
1saw of Nessie after my return last month."'" Commercial
profit was more important than scientific dissection to the
Japanese. however. and they threw the remnants of this
mysteriOUS thing back into the s.ea to prevent contamination of their marketable catchIf the scientists are right about the last days of the plesiosaurus. it looks like this is a case of bleedthrough from the
Now of 130 million B.C. to the Now of 1977 A.D. Unfortunately - or fortunately. if you don't relish a :~()-foot.
2-ton critter swimming into Waikiki Beach - the shock of
transition from one reality to another was too much for
the beast. and it died. t
Meanwhile only a few days earliert in Junction. Texas,
a young lad stumbled (but not fatally) onto a 700-pound
alligator in a shallow creek. Now alligators are not native
to Kimble County in Texas. so the Authorities said somebody who lived upstream lost his pet. The 'gator was
transferred to the Arkansas Wildlife Refuge but no one
has yet come to claim it.
We think there was one alligator quite surprised to find
his lush coastland surroundings in Florida or eastern China
suddenly transformed into the dry Texas climate of Edwards Plateau. 235 miles from the nearest ocean. Maybe
he was native to the area - during the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era when swamplands covered lower
Texas - and was just as surprised when he found himself
130 million years older in a fraction-ofa-second!
Anyway. science is still left to explain the :{()-foot black
Marine biologists and othl!r I!xperts in the UllIted States. somo! of
whom had not seen the Japanl!se crew's documentation. WO!H? Ilo!vo!r
theless to issue pronouncements 111 which ""flotsam and jetsam. non
Sl!nSI! and mass hysteria" is identified as the fisherman's catch. (Ref. 57)
The pundits haven't changl!d since Fort left them alone. h,lVe they')
t IPost submission-Authorlln Fortean Times (No. 24. p. 16). editor
Bob Rickard grapples with the curiOSllies of the Shi,!!s photos of Nessio!
and states they appear "to be confirmations of the paraphysical hypo
thesis: either we have evidence of crl!atures which can materiahll! anJ
dematerialize. or we ar>! faced with an equally earthshattering notion
that thought forms can be created and imprint"d onto what we call
reality." that images could Simultaneously be exited on Doc's rt!tinas
and film to coincide \\lIth real or psychokinetically produced dfects in
the 'real" world to substantiate the image. We are right now at :he edye
of the latest thinking about the nature of reality .....

t We wonder if April 1977 was a particularly active period for b(l!ed

throughs and other Fortean phenomena. Was Somebody Out There
shaking loose the fabric of Reality')
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

creature seen off Seattle's waterfront in April 1961: the

"serpent" with 8-inch prongs on its back that was spotted
in Canada's Lake Waterton in August 1956:"~ the repeated sightings of Morgawr along the Cornish coast during
1975-1977 .... ,~
If you don't like all this esoteric stuff about sea serpents
being multi-dimensional mergings. apported apparitions
or holographic prOjections. there's always this possibility
too: these 'monsters' were there as long as man has been
around to see them. but nobody bothered to look-

REFERENCES PART II
(Continued from last issue)
26. Sh~rwood. The Phantolll Ship. pp. 26-27.
27. lbtd .. p. 27.
2H. Gaddis. InVISIble Horizons.
29. Norman. Eric. Weird Unso/lled Mysteries (NI:'w York: Award
Books. 1)69).
:{O. Gaddis'. Invisible Horizons. pp. 1091 HI.

:H. Sherwood. Roland H ..

p~rsonal communication:

6 July

1970.
:{2. See 6.
:{{. "KI:'searcher admits he fakes journal data." Science News.
vol. Ill. nil. 111. (5 March 1)77). pp. 15015l.
:{4. Sherwood. The Phantom Ship. p. 2H.
:{5. Sherwood. personal communication.
:{b. Sherwood. The Phalltom Ship. pp. 1415.
:{7.1bid .. p.45.
:{~. Bell. Anthony J .. "Lexi-Links: Nature's Play on Words."

Forteall Times 17 (August 1'J76). pp. 5 7. 16.

:N. See" 'Spook' Flames Menace Paralytic." The New York
Tillles. 14 March 1)22. p. 17.
40. Fluiters. Jos: Cubillo. Los Fell~menos de Laroyo (Madrid:
lnstiluto geogr~fico y catastral. SI:'rvicio d~ magnetismo yell:'ctri
cidad terrestres. 194bl.
41 '"The Amal Sessions." Carlisle. Penna. no. l~H. 1 July
1975. 12 pp.
42. Wolf. K. Martin ... Coh~rencl:'
n". 1 (winter 197H). pp 2:-i':N.

III

Chaos." Pursuil. vol. 11.

4:{. Sh",rwpod. The Phantom Ship. p. 44.

44. Walker. GeorgI:' Benjamin. Bl!yond tIll! Body (London:
Koutledge & KI:'gan Paul. 1(J74).
4S

GUnll:'v. Edmund. Frederic W. H Mvers. and h'ank

Plwntasllls of the Living (London:' Truhner & Cn ..
1HHb). 2 vols.

Po~lrnnrl:'.

46. Joachim. "lnclud~ and ExcludL'." ThL' See of Trdnquilily.

P.O Box lOIn. Allentown. Penna .. 1HIOS. vol. A-XII. IlO. 54b.
IS May 1)71.1.21 pp.: Robl:'rts. Jane. The Seth Materwl (NI:'w
Jersey. Prentice Hall. 197(1). chap. 15.
47. "The Amal Sessions." p. b.
4:-;. Ibid .. p. 12.
49. Castalwda. Carlos. Journey to Ixtlall: The Lessons
JU<1n (New YOlk: Simon & Schuster. 1)72).

Ilf J)OIl

50. Capra. I'"ntjof. The Tao of Physics: All EXp/orCIllon of the

Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastenr Mysticislll (Boulder. Colorado: Shambhala Publications. 1)75).
Sl. Sherwood. The Phon tom Ship. p. 4b.
52. Ibid .. p. 20.
5:{. Sherwood. Roland H .. personal communIcation. 21 July
1976.

153
;>4. "The Amal Sessions." p. 11.

vol.

55. Res Bureaux Bulletin (Kingston. Olltario) no. b. p. 5: also

no 14. p. 4: 110. IH. pp. 4-5.

Hansen. L. Taylor. The Ancien; Allantic (Amh<rsl. Wi~

consin. Amherst Pre~s. IlJb9) pp. 2:{5~:{h.

~lb. "S~a MOllster Caught by ,Japanese Trawler."

59. "Ullidl'ntifieds ... In the Sea." The News (R. J. M. Rickard.

....d.). no. 15 (April 1<J7b). pp. 12-U. Ib-17: "UllIdelltilieds."
For/eon Times 19 (December llJ76). pp. 1~17.

The Euening

News. Harrisburg. Penna .. 21 July 1977. p. U.

57. "At Sea: 'Plesiosaur' merely a rotten whale"?."' Science News.

11~.

no.

5.

~mJuly

Il)77. pp. bHb9.

5H

THE SHIELS NESSIE PHOTOGRAPHS

By Robert J. M. Rickard

THE BACKGROUND
Anthony "Doc" Shiels. with his buskins and streettheatre group "Tom Fool's Theatre of Tomfoolery." largely
composed of his family. left their Cornish home for a
working holiday around Loch Ness in late May 1977.
booking in at the Inchnacardoch Lodge on the south end
of the Loch. Only six months before Doc had becomedeliberately or accidentally - the center of a sea-monster
flap on his home territory around the Falmouth Bay.
Cornwall.
As part of a publicity event called "Monster-Mind."
Doc joined several other magicians world-wide in a jOint
attempt to telepathically summon monsters to the surface
of traditionally monster-haunted sites. Whether they
were successful in the way they claimed. or whether the
event focused media interest on monster sightings more
than usual. we have no real way cif evaluating. but the
record shows that the summer of 1976 until the close of
the year saw an astonishing number of reported sightings.
A good number of these concerned Morgawr. the Falmouth Bay monster. and I have chronicled the sightings
and photos in Fortean Times and elsewhere' - but I would
like to mention one that concerned Doc.
Doc had sighted Morgawr once before. but when he
returned to the scene. the Helford River estuary below
Mawnan Church. with Cornish Life editor David Clarke.
to discuss the Cornish flap (which incidentally included
UFOs. and a winged-humanoid known as Owlman).
little did he think he would encounter Morgawr again so
soon. As Clarke interviewed Doc they both noticed the
head and neck in the estuary waters. and both managed
to take photos. "
Doc told me. before his trip to Loch Ness. how much
he would like to see Nessie. He felt his photographing of
Morgawr was a good omen for a trip to the Loch. He felt
his luck was in. So ... six months later. late in May 1977.
the opportunity came to combine business with pleasure.
As it turned out. the Shiels family and others saw monsters
on several occasions. on one of which the photos in question were taken.

THE PRELUDE
On the morning of 21 May. at about 8 a.m .. Doc. his
wife Christine. and four other people were in the Lodge
car park looking out over Borlum Bay. when their attention was drawn to a triple-humped shape on the smooth

surface of the Loch. Christine's statement. made on 24

September 1977 to Tim Dinsdale. describes the incident:
"We compared the humps with some sheep grazing by
the loch-side. and each hump was roughly the size of two
sheep ... that is to say. I estimate each hump to have been
at least eight feet in length. standing three foot out of the
water at the highest pOint. I believe that we saw three separate animals rather than a single creature." Doc also be
Iieves they saw three that time and more later in the day.
for as they drove around the Loch. he told me. he was
astonished at the ease and number of times he saw the
monster or monsters. Now. Doc is an intelligent man and
well read on Forteana: he is also a showman and uses
publicity to aid his way of liVing and working. He knows
how improbable and suspicious it sounds: a magician
goes somewhere hoping to see monsters. and does - as
he expressed it to me: "The Loch was jumping with them."
-while others camp out all year long on the loch-side
and see nothing. But that's the way it was. Doc went and
saw. Later the same day. he and his wife went to Castle
Urquhart and saw several long. wide wakes on the other
side of the loch'.

THE MAIN INCIDENT

At about 4 p.m. the same day. 21 May. Doc and Christine were still in the Castle grounds. Primed by the day's
sightings. Doc had his camera at hand and primed. As he
watched from those anciently weird banks. up popped a
slick head and neck - and out popped Doc's eyes. He
managed to get off two frames before the creature smoothly and slowly sank below the still ish surface. His wife did
not happen to see anything this time.
Doc summarized later: "The creature was rather less
than 100 yards away ... the part of the neck shOWing above
the waterline must have been around 4 or 5 feet. Don't
take any notice of what appear to be eyes ... 1could see no
eyes as such in the original. The light patch above the
mouth (if mouth it is. and I think it is) is merely a reflection off a kind of ridge. The color of the animal was greenish brown. with a paler underside. Skin texture. smooth
and glossy. The animal was visible for no more than 4-6
seconds. It held itself very upright. very still. except for a
turning of the head and a straightening of the neck before
it sank very smoothly below the surface. It had powerful
neck muscles. There is evidence. well possible evidence.
of a parasitiC growth at the back of the neck. on the dorsal
ridge. as a pale yellow/green patch is visible near the water.
Also in both pictures. a round pale object floats on the
water close to the neck." 3 Doc suggested to me that it
might be an empty McEwans beer can ..... So many of
them are to be found along the loch-side!"
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

154

THE PHOTOGRAPHS
Feeling that he had caught the definitive evidence - or
certainly the best yet - as soon as he returned to Cornwall. Doc sent his films to a professional developing service.
The results. two medium long-shots of the head and
neck. are designated ANS-1 and ANS-2. the latter shoWing
the slight water displacement as the creature turned to
sink down. The originals were taken on high speed Ektachrome transparency film. in a Zenith EM 35mm SLR
camera. at between f11 and f16 at 1/500th of a second.
through a 135mm Chinon telephoto lens.
Feeling elated at the success of the two photos. Doc
immediately sent the original of ANS-l to the Scottish
Daily Record who gave it a colour printing on their front
page for 9 June 1977. They also wired a black and white
version to their parent national. the Daily Mirror. appearing on its front page the same day.
The original of ANS-2 was sent to Doc's friend and colleague in the U.S .. the magician Max Maven. Maven wrote
back immediately with the stunning news that the slide
must have vanished on route. Doc is certain he enclosed
it - but the envelope arrived empty. The history of photographic evidence for the non-ordinary is littered with similar
accounts of vanishing evidence or jamming cameras. It
almost seems to be part of the phenomenon itself. and it
is always disturbing. Fortunately. prior to sending the original to Maven_ Doc had the foresight to lend ANS-2 to a
Cornish photo-journalist. David Benchley. who made a
glass copy-neg blow-up. and a print was sent to me for
Fortean Times and the Fortean Picture Library. A rephotographins of this ANS-2 print appears with this account
... but now for the bad news! The glass copy-neg has since
shattered. so our black and white print is now the nearest
record of the original ANS-2 colour slide.
The original of ANS-1 was copied by another photojournalist. Frank Durham. and copies were sent to manv
interested parties. After passing to Tim Dinsdale. this original is now in the hands of the Fortean Picture Library.
who now have the most complete and as original as possible set of Shiels monster photos. and who will act as
agents for the copyright.'

THE IEXAMINATIONS
Through the offices of Jerry Clark. associate editor of
Fate. one of these copies of ANS-1 was sent to William
Spaulding of Ground Saucer Watch's computer-assisted
photo-analysis team. As far as I know the GSW results
have not been published fully anywhere: but because of
their importance I summarized them in FT24 - they deserve mentioning here. too. Briefly. the GSW found an
"alarming" feature. the creature was apparently transparent as waves could be seen through its edges: they
also found the image to be "flat." with a lack of "natural
shadow" and water displacement: that the bright patches
were "unnatural" as if they had been painted on: that the
image was smaller than apparent size and must have been
further away to judge from the wave-size etc.: and that
time and camera direction were confirmed. and the photo
showed "patternized similarity" with other Nessie photos.'
PURSUIT. Fal/1978

We don't have room here to go into all the points. but I'm
not happy at all with the GSW conclusions that ANS-I does
not "represent a bonafide creature of large proportions":
and that it could easily have been the product of a doubleexposure at some stage. GSW refer to fakery for profit. and
the phrasing fails to hide the accusation they were too timorous to make directly. Had they no confidence in their own
analysis? In the first place. 'image flatness' and the image
appearing larger than suggested by the telephoto lens at the
stated distance can be accounted for by the fact that GSW
was analyzing a copy. and an enlarged one at that! If GSW
had seen the second transparency they would have seen
water displacement. The apparent transparency of the creature is more puzzling: Dinsdale thinks it might have been an
artifact of the computer-enhancing method": but others
have accounted for it in terms of a paraphysical thesis' and
the 'new physics' of orthorotation". Further analysis is
needed to clarify this question. GSW admitted that thev
had no procedure for analyzing the photo. but hastily
assembled the 'software' from a UFO and a "nuclar medical" (sic) program from two separate studies - quite untried. let alone on monsters. Furthermore. "patternized
Similarity" seems to have been based on "quickly acquired"
selection of Nessie photos "digitized ... for any patterns."
The sensibility of this escapes me - nor are any criteria
for the selection. verification and comparison of these
other photos given to justify the procedure. The GSW
analysis raises so many questions about itself that it must
remain virtually useless until independently confirmed.
Meanwhile. the original of ANS-1 was entrusted to Tim
Dinsdale. who showed it to many experienced Nessie
investigators and other interested parties. including Sir
Peter Scott. and Dr. Vernon Harrison (until 1976 president of the Royal Photographic SOciety) who have all expressed their conviction that the photo is not the result of
trickery. and does appear to show a large unknown aquatic
creature - its puzzling transparency notWithstanding.
Dinsdale even pOints out that there exists a model for the
creature's slow ripple-less movements: "In Doc's experience the head and neck were manifestly aliue. and its
vertical submergence. a noted characteristic of monster
behaviour. demonstrates the fact that it can alter its displacement. perhaps as P.dolichodeirus did (a type of
plesiosaurus which. as Frank Buckland pOinted out in the
first half of the last century. had a peculiar rib-structure
(and) could probably compress the air in its lungs at will.
and thus ascend or descend vertically). "q Dinsdale is attempting to submit the evidence to JARIC (the RAF photoanalysis group that authenticated Dinsdale's own Nessie
films) for study. with the full cooperation of Doc - not
the act of a faker.
That's the story to date. Doc has agreed to let the Forlean Pi,clure Library act as agents for his copyright. and
the FPL. with Doc's full agreement. will continue to study
the photos. Doc himself is fed up and angry at the snide
allegations of fakery on the one hand. and almost total
establishment disinterest on the other - these are. after
all. the best and most detailed pictures yet. far more so
than the Rines photos of which such a ballyhoo was
made a few years ago. It is quite unfair to dismiss the evidence simply because Doc's role as a catalyst for monster
appearances is almost too good to be true - in fact many
a scientific discovery now taken for granted could be

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Fortean Picture Library. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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PURSUIT, Fall 1978

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Fortean Picture Library. Not to be reproduced without permission.
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

158
banished on the grounds of being lucky accidents! Conversely. as a phenomenal effect. there are some people
in whose presence nothing happens. but this does not
constitute proof there are no UFO. ghost or monster
phenomena. As any experienced and sound investigator
will tell you. there is a strong undercurrent of synchronicity in these subjects that entangles not only the phenomenon and the witnesses but the investigator as well.
Finally. I'd like to add my own endorsement on Doc
and the photos. I've known him for some years now and
I respect his rare Fortean spirit. He knows there are enough
genuine enigmas without polluting their challenging mystery with crass fakery. Besides. he wouldn't have the
resources for a hoax of this complexity or technical skillhe'd have little to gain (indeed he's gained precious little
so far) and a lot of friends to lose if he did! Doc has signed
an affidavit to these facts - but for me the truth of his
statements was clear in his letters to me. I've no doubt
Doc will be heard from again.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. RJM Rickard. "Morgawr the Cornish Sea-serpent." Fate
October 1977. pp. 72-79.
2. This sighting was on 17 November. 1976. at about9::m a.m.
Doc's account and 3 photos appear in FTl9. pp. 14-16. David
Clarke's account is in FT21. pp. 28-29. and his photo (a triple
exposure-his camera jammed!) is in FT22. p. IH.
3. FT22. pp. 23-24. quoted from Ness Information Service
Nessletter 22.
4. The Fortean Picture Library can be contacted via the Forrean
Times address: FT. cio DTWAGE. 9-12 St Annes Courl. London WI. England.
S. FT24. pp. 14-16.
6. FT24. p. IS.
7. RJM Rickard. Fr24. p. 16.
H. Letter from Tom Bearden. FT2S. pp. 49-50.
9. FT22. p. 25.

THE SYNCHRO DATA-II

By Barbara Jordison
If you did try to collect the synchronous word pairs.
(the experimental method is described in Pursuit. Volume
11. Number 2) I would guess you were either bombarded
with data entries. or you were discouraged by the lack of
success - and may even doubt whether such data are
there to retrieve.
But yes. there does seem to be a "synchro process."
And the "process" does produce synchronous word pairswith a characteristic quality of unexpectedness. I think
that an accurate prediction method can be worked out.
so please stand by and offer your theories. -The collecting of over 1500 data entries, during about
five years of concentrated effort. has resulted in several
serendipitous leads - I've searched from the language
arts to the physical sciences for a theoretical gUide. I found
only two major theories which are based on the "occurrence of two events which happen at the same time."
In the psychological approach we have the meaningful
coincidence: however, we expect a relative simultaneity if
we are living in a physical relativistic universe. And therewith I met a traditional theoretical problem - followed by
the usual theoretical busy-work of non-solutions. pseudosolutions and semi-solutions. But no strategic solutions.
What we seem to have. at best. is a physical theory and
psychological data. If I understand the pattern. Jung based
his theory on his observations (and intuitions) of an inner,
timeless. acausal and psychological event: yet. in a relativistic physical universe (with a theoretical guide which
requires a time datum if statements made about a particular
event are to have a meaning) a timeless datum is incomplete. because it lacks a coordinate.
For 1111.' nyptilllillysts. Ilwl"l' is a synchronllus t.... chniqll .... used in hr.ak
illy litn~lIilY'=' codl"~.

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

We have a way of expressing this theoretical insight at

the daily levels. We tend to dismiss a "meaningful" coincidence as one of the non-problems in life. "It's merely a
(statistical) coincidence (dummy)." POOF!
Ah but the mystery of "meaningful" coincidences remains. There was never a strategic solution found-which
may explain how intuitions become traditional theoretical
problems. Or. perhaps we'lI have to outgrow our need to
structure a psyche in a relativistic universe - Jung did
ponder this possibility.
However the concept of a psyche may work out eventually. the present problem is how to account for the fact
that the synchro data's "third-context-words" (in presentation order). carry a "scenario effect" (expected). and a
"link" with actual. physical events (not expected). at least
at times. And. sometimes. there is a familiar 30-day timelag between the arrival of a data entry and the actual
physical occurrences. This has been noticed with other
research also. but not yet explained'. t
Possibly we could take a cause and effect (sequential)
viewpoint toward the "synchro process": however. it seems
better to view it as acausal - which is how Jung solved
his theoretical approach to the concept of a psyche in a
relativistic universe. Unfortunately. he couldn't find a
method to adequately (strategically) express his intuited
ideas about an acausal connecting principle. His statistical
method. when he tried to correlate astrological concepts
with his thesis. wasn't accepted by the scientific community.
The diagram I have drawn presents the second-best
theoretical guide I've found (the data-collection is better.
too). because therein lies structural information about the
unknown process from which it seems to be emerging as
evidence. We'll see.
I' P.. rsingL'r. Micha .. l A .. illld Lilfr'lli~I". Gyslain .. F .. Span', Tillie
Trallslt"I!S alld UlIlIslial EI1"II/5 (Chicago: N.. lsollHilli. 1')771.

159

THE ATTRIBUTE CLASS

THE REFERENCE CLASS

of English
Text to observer's
ears and eyes (during monitoring)

2-in~uts

THE
SYNCBRO
DATA

synchronous

input that 1s
synchronous

ARCHAEO-ILLOGICAL FRAGMENTS AND FANTASIES

By Britton Wilkie
I have here before me not one of the mind's seamless
garments. but an array of time's faded fragments - or
potshards - rather as one's idea might be an old mural
painted on plaster now half broken off and fallen awayperhaps to reveal still earlier designs. designs full of objects
in isolation. the human figures in their conscious intentions having also faded and fallen away from them ...
A long-time summer resident of Ontario. Canada.
I was surprised to encounter in the current archaeology
texts images of copper celts. knives. and other artifacts
said to have been wrought around the shores of the Great
Lakes about l.500 B.C. (Great Lakes metal work dating
back as far as 3.000 B.C.). This depth of antiquity coincides with the Bronze Age in Europe - which at once
came to my mind in connection with the lovely old Indian
copper-work. I have assembled here (Plate I) impressions
from various sources of (to the left) handicraft of the Great
Lakes Copper Age and (to the right) objects from the
East European Copper Age and early European Bronze
Age. I have chosen to establish the idea of similarity-

human artifice being various enough to suggest the contrary had I been so inclined. Speaking. though. of the
common dimension. it is much the same stuff. These
metal-working cultures. oceans apart. fashioned artifacts
of the same classes: celts. awls. knives. harpoons. and
projectile points of bone. and pottery of singular dullness.
sharing a decorative mode of comb and pit markings (or
of lines and pOints. geometrically speaking). I can recall
the many museums with long glass cases full of little pots.
hard mud shells marked with the inevitable tiny zig-zags.
all incredibly old and incredibly boring. preSided over by
that monument of patient boredom. the museum guardcondemned to sit in a corner all day with the glazed mockery of a watchful eye lest someone steal the garbage of
antiquity. I have illustrated. from among the many types
of European socket. examples harmonic with their New
World contemporaries. The spirals and helixes (or springshapes) so beloved of the Europeans are rare in the New
World. and as to the big safety pins. the fibulae. they are
scarcer than hen's teeth. Still. one can speak. as it were.
of the Harmonic Intervals of the Bronze Age - the inner
music of men developing technical civilization. There is a
common predisposition - through which similar objects
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

160

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are wrought by peoples far apart - so that wherever we

go among Bronze Age folk we find the preoccupation
with lines. dots. and geometries playing with the pottery.
This persists in Europe until the neat groups of zig-zags.
circles of circles. and simple non-figurative intervals are
fully realized as motifs (Plate 11).
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

Graves are the gold mine of the archaeologist - time

after time we have been delighted by jewels torn from the
feeble grasp of clutching skeletons now nameless and
anonymous to us. It is as though the very old ones have
risen up in heaven to the extent that they have sunk down
into the earth. layered over by centuries - so that the

161
archaeolgist claims the grace of one who clips angel
wings. that they may fall as a wonder to us here below.
rather than the odium of those who despoil the dead. But
how we have been insulted by those myriad musty volumes full of ancestral skulls reduced to cephalic indices!
There is a dreadful alienation implicit in the methods. The
ancestors perish away from us. caged by our numbersthrough which these most distant relatives have become
objective scientific curiosities. How pleasant it is to read of
the treasures of the Ming tombs-to see the golden tiaras
encrusted with pearls. but what of actual propriety'~ Per
haps the Ming lords. in being exhumed. are frustrated in
their intention. so that a rainbow of wrath shines around
the Museum display.
Being innocent of the archaeological act. I examine the
souvenirs at second hand. Ontario's Copper Age graves
yield the remains of persons interred with objects colored
in red ochre. Pots as well as shell pendants and shell
necklaces surround the bodies. In Europe. as elsewhere.
objects of the same description are found. also covered
with red ochre. which often stains the very bones. The
Dream of the Red Chamber: I see that the inmost sanctum of an early dynastic Chinese tomb is colored vermilion
and that the Mexican chieftain's tomb at Palenque (as to
the inner surface of the sarcophagus. beneath the sculpted
slab. as reconstructed in Mexico City) is also so colored.
which. from the point of view of fashion. makes a perfect
complement to his mask of green jade. The sense of the
custom. funereal redness. surviving in some form until
the periods of Antique High Civilization. seems obscure
to us now.
Finding myself in San Francisco in the early winter of
1977. my thoughts having reached a form rather as you
see set into the plane above. I was wandering through the
De Young Museum when a lady in black velvet. her dress
decorated with the night sky - the constellations as sequin
stars connected by silver threads - tugged at my sleeve.
pointing out. as she disappeared along two intersecting
planes of even-ness. wood-carving from the Trobriand
Islands - which I saw through a screen of Hiberno-Norse
vigor. as though Malinowski's south-sea islanders had
carved a copy of an illuminated letter from a Romanesque
bible. The style is called ornithoid among the palaeo
graphers - it consists of bird forms worked into the decorative scrollwork.

Raisonne D'Architecture (1878) as examples of medieval

illumination. The S I have contrived myself in the style of
the other letters.]
A bird is singing outside our window. Simply they
attempt the song without in terms of the symbols within.
He is declaring his territory. and so forth. Perhaps this is

(Author's note: The E (above) provides an image for the

pun CRUXAVES. PESUNICA derived by rearrangement
of the letters from the legend CRUX AVE SPES UNICA
(hail cross. one hope). The pun. giving the effect of rustic
ignorance. appears on a Basque cross at Hendaye and is
described by Fulcanelli in his Mystery of the Cathedrals.
This E and the M following appears in Bosc's Dictionnaire

appearance only. and in the true lexicons of the birds no

images appear. so no time is served and the sound is as
the darkness of deep space against time's whiteness.
A child enchanted by alchemic spells. "Crux aves.
Pesunica." might fly across the Pacific Ocean on men's
thoughts of birds. Works of art memorialize the spirit's
passage. Examples of the marvellous "bird script"" come
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

162
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to us from ancient China's Warring States period. A goldinlaid bronze spearhead (Plate Ill). the metal's surface
having a pattern of stars (not shown) produced by an unknown process_ bears such an example. alleged to say:
"King Chou Shao - May he himself use it." During the
Tang Dynasty the jungles of Indo-China were reputed. by
the northern colonists. to be the abode of curious goblins.
the hsiao or dragon birds - birds by day. but little men
with bird-like voices by night. These imps kept tigers as
pets and required presents - valuables or powder for
their bird-ladies - from those of humankind who happened into their realm. Further to the south, in Indonesia
and New Guinea. are said to live simple farmers. keepers
PURSUIT. Fal/1978

of pigs and tillers of potato fields. who. even in our own

time. through their tribes. engage in continual warfarein the belief that warriors embody the souls of birds.
To the east of New Guinea lie numerous islands whose
natives have in their society men very skilled at wood
carving. Plate IVA assembles several reflections of the
style. which features birds. abstracted and worked into
curves and spirals. as the chief motif. These curving, flowing shapes bring to mind the motions of fluids - water
and air - as the swirling patterns of the big sky might be
borne in mind by the winged beings on their great ocean
flights. The yin-yang shapes. the forms of the natural vortices. also appear in European ornithoid art of the early
Middle Ages - in the Book of Kells for example. In European work the bird forms are often tiny and are woven
together with great intricacy.
Proceeding eastward, we should pause to flutter about
Easter Island for a moment. Besides the Great Stone
Faces. little bird-men are described. These figurines are
carved with very large beaks and so resemble the toucan
of tropical America. Rongo-Rongo (Plate IVB). the writing
indigenous to the island. has been compared with the
symbol system used in the Indus Valley in ancient times.
Robert von Heine-Geldern believes that the Easter Island
script derived from a South Chinese script of the Shangyin Dynasty .
From Peru comes a vase (Plate [VC) sporting a warrior
with spear and shield. who has taken on the form of a bird.
With the Pacific bird song as our gentle headrest we
can return to sleep through the funeral ceremony of our
forgotten ancestors - and so dream again. The shells are
discarded shields. the pots are shelters like houses. Human
culture lives within the house. the word. unlike the wild
beasts who must live without. How the eternal sleep of
my remote progenitor seems like the page of a book - the
light within his light having flattened on itself - darkly
illuminated itself by catching up with itself - so he is left
without reflection and [ with a page of words. He has
contrived a way to live beyond himself if he can but move
in the constant instant where no time passes. The plane
falls away before the separate elements of vibration.
David Diringer in a nicely prepared book. Writing. describes the origin of the alphabet quite wonderfully. We
are able to follow the appearance of the purely phonetic
alphabet (as distinct from syllabaries assisted by ideograms) in the ancient Near East around the fifteenth century B.C.. from an adaptation of the older cuneiform
script to an alphabet of thirty-two letters. and thereafter
the appearance of a Canaanite script of letter forms ancestral to our own. From these roots all the subsequent
alphabets are found to have had nurture - even unto the
runes of the north and the writing of the Tibetans. The
alphabetic system separates the consonant from the vowel
to reduce the number of signs. To the Chinese this may
seem perhaps a rare and thin abstraction. depriving the
sound of its space - or perhaps something dim and dense.
When [ was a child [ was shown pictures of the painted
pebbles from the cave of Mas dAzil. France. They are
neolithic. older than history. and remind one of Easter
eggs. [ immediately took them to be alphabet signs. saying so, but was corrected by an adult. who loomed over
me. It seems that they represent the last phase of a process
that began with beautiful. energetic. and realistic cave

163

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PURSUIT. Fall 1978

164

::...

paintings of animals. proceeded to more abstract shapes

and stickfigures. and terminated in simple symbols (Plate
V). These symbols do bear a resemblance to the early
alphabet forms. especially with respect to the letter Sthe zigzag of primitive pottery. The Canaanite or Moabite
script - in contrast to cuneiform or Egyptian hieroglyph
ics - is crude. the letters formally similar to the Stone
Age pebble markings.
As the consonant is separated from the vowel. touch
ing a sphere of emptiness. so the symbol is isolated from
the image. Some believe the Azilian pebbles to be ances
tor" stones - something like the phallic stones of the
Hindoos - so that the symbols are ghosts as it were.
It would be presumptuous of me to persist in the childhood
impulse to draw the neolithic ghosts through the keyhole
of the Canaanite script - as this keyhole is guarded by
a monster spider who has built his web around the open
ing. offering the darkest depth of his woeful cavern as an
equal token for the living sunlight. We will conclude with
these spider webs decorating the tombs of prehistory
among whose red skeletons we had hoped to find the
source of the living word.
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
I. Bosc. Ernest. Dictionaire Raisonnt dArchitecture. Paris.
FirminDidot et Cie .. IH7~.
2. Diringer. David. Writing. volume 25 in the series Ancient
Peoples and Places. London. Thames and Hudson. 1'J62.
:i. Donnelly. Ignatius. Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. New
York. Harper and Brothers. IHH2.
4. Disselhof. Hans Dietrich. and Linne. Sigvald. The Art of
Ancient America. New York. Crown Publishers. 1'J61.
5. Gimbulas. Marija. The Prehistory of Eastern Europe. Part 1Mesolithic. Neolithic. and Copper Age Cullures in Russia and
the Bailie Area. Cambridge. Mass .. Peabody Musesum. 1'J56.
6. Newton. Douglas. Massim (Art of the Massim Area. New
Guinea). New York. The Museum of Primitive Art. 1975.
7. Obermaier. Hugo. Fossil Man in Spain. New Haven. Yale
University Press. 1924.
H. Whiteford. Andrew Hunter. North American Indian Arts.
New York. Golden Press. 11)7:i.
9. Wright. J. V .. Ontario Prehistory. Ottawa. National Museum
of Man. 1972.

165

THE COLONIZATION OF THE AMERICAS

- AS EARLY AS 2000 BC?
By Ronald P. Anjard
Historians have long taught that Christopher Columbus
discovered that portion of the world's land masses which
we now call the Americas. This teaching is true. of course.
in terms of recorded history. But as a general truism. it
was seriously questioned after a stone carving in Minnesota was attributed to a Viking expedition pre-dating the
explorations of Columbus. Furthermore. new findings in
recent years in both North and Central America have
raised more nagging questions as to who were truly the
"first"' visitors from established cultures: and whether. indeed. that question could ever be answered. In this regard. a famous Ra expedition attempted to demonstrate
that a primitive crossing of the Atlantic could not be ruled
out. Then. as discoveries and explorations continued_
there has accumulated an ever-growing store of evidence
that the Americas could well have been visited by many
different cultures including not only Egyptians_ Libyans.
Phoenicians_ Iberians. Celts. Jews. and Romans: but also
by Asiatics - including Japanese. Indians. and Chinese.
This article scans the various research accounts that have
generated these speculations. As its author _ I do not know
of any other such compilation. A more specific intent is
that of presenting these far-ranging evidences "all together"
in the hope that we might eventually reconstruct a more
comprehensive view as to who the true discoverers actually
were. In this regard. I suspect that it merely "scratches the
surface" of what future research may reveal in greater
detail.

PART I
In this section I would like to deal primarily with the
evidence found in Central America - particularly among
cultures of the ancient Mexicans and the Maya. There is
much circumstantial evidence that the Maya were directly
influenced by major cultures in Europe. Asia. and Africa.
This may be more than just coincidence: when the information is viewed as a whole. the total impact appears to
be highly suggestive of extra-cultural influence.

MATHEMATICAL AND
ASTRONOMICAL ABILITIES
The Maya. like the Babylonians of the same era (circa
SOO BC). were accomplished mathematicians and astronomers. The Maya were familiar with plane and spherical
trigonometry. which enabled them to compute the size of
the world. estimate the distance from pole to pole. and
calculate the length of a meridian. The Maya also knew
how to add. subtract. multiply. and divide: and made use
of a zero in their numbering system. At that time in history. only the Maya and Babylonians had the "zero."
Furthermore. the Maya already used a technique of metrical calculation only recently redeveloped in the middle

of the past century. Another important fact is that the

Babylonians and Maya were the only civilization able to
handle the numerical concept of a million.
Then_ in respect to calendars. the Maya year comprised
. :~6S.2420 days whereas our modern year is 36S.242]
days. They likewise determined the length of the moon's
and Venus' cycles with very high accuracy. The Dresden
Codex has been described as a highly sophisticated astronomical computer by the Institute of Mayan Studies of
the Miami Museum of Science. The Grolier Codex is a
calendar of the phases of Venus using a sophisticated
system. The Tro-Cortesianus Codex. another astronomical
computer. gives the synodic cycles of Venus, Mercury.
Mars. and Jupiter.
Consider next the Quetzalcoatl Pyramid in Teotihuacan
just north of Mexico City. By starting at its center as a
mark for the sun and measuring along the Processional.
Harleston (author of Mathematical Analyses of Teotihuacan) found that all nine presently known planets (plus
another) seemed to align with definite markers symmetrically spaced and in what appeared to be a binary progression beginning with the number 9. Only recently (mid '76),
the Russians reported finding a tenth planet (past Pluto).
Consider also that modern man knew only the first five
planets until the latter part of the IHth century.
The "Aztec clock" was a cosmic calendar of considerable sophistication. It showed an exact knowledge of cyclical movements of the planets. calculated their synodic
returns. and approached the accuracy of modern astronomy to within five decimal points. This calendar enabled
computation of solar and lunar eclipses, passages of the
sun at zenith. equinox. and solstice. as well as phases of
the moon. passage of Venus. and even planetary conjunctions. It has been determined that the Sumerians
used the same basic astronomical constant as the Mayans
for calculating planetary conjunctions.
The star Eta of the constellation Draco remained virtually unchanged in right ascension from lHOO BC to SOO
AD. Eta. therefore, could have provided the Maya with
an accurate measure of the sidereal year: and the path of
Eta Draconics correlates perfectly with a format found in
the Madrid Codex. The Maya knew of 40() stars in the
Seven Sisters Constellation of the Pleiades. Because only
six of these stars can be seen with the naked eye. this fact
suggests that the Maya might have used long. darkened
channels as a viewing expedient.
In a similar way. ancient Mexicans were known to have
not only employed carefully oriented temples to determine equinoxes and solstices but even used ball courts
and special details on buildings and other objects for astronomical measurements. In various codices for Babylonia
and Egypt. ancient astronomers are shown 'observing
certain stars from a dark cell through openings in temples.
The orientation of the Castillo at Chichen Itza in Mexico is
so designed to determine both the vernal and autumnal
equinoxes. Many temples are aligned with other buildings for determination of the equinoxes.
Stonehenge-like arrangements, similar in principle to
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

166
those found in England. can be found in Mexico near
Copan. Mexico City. and other sites. (This information is
also relevant to a latter section of this article.) Interestingly.
a "wood stonehenge." a collection of wooden columns
near the Nasca River at Cahuachi. Peru. has been dated
as several thousand years old. Dr. Jose Cabrera of the
University of Peru has collected 14.000 stones with carvings
of star maps. indians using telescopes. and even extensive medical operations. These stone carvings are believed to be around 30.000 years old.
The Mayan calendar started at 3374 Be. This year
would be their 5352nd year, accordingly. By comparison.
the Jewish calendar started approximately 5700 years
ago. The many stelae and elaborately carved buildings
throughout Mayaland are carefully dated using hieroglyphs. All of these findings lend further evidence that
their culture and science was well developed.

CENTRAL AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE

AND ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDINGS
The lava covered Cuicuilo Pyramid has been dated by
accepted geological methods as being at least 7000 years
old. Studies of this area have concluded that a rather advanced civilization once lived here. Consider also that
there are three times as many pyramids in Central America
as in Egypt. Then too. both Mayans and Egyptians used
"step" pyramids: and. also like the Egyptians. the Maya
used their pyramids pri!'Darily for religious and astronomical purposes. and only rarely as tombs.
Located north of present day Mexico City was a Mayan
city named Teotihuacan. which was about the same size
as Rome. This city had north-south and east-west avenues. with atrium-type apartment complexes. and two
major step pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun. and the
Pyramid of the Moon.
Consider also a colossal head, at La Venta, Mexico:
This sculpture has a strikingly Egyptian feature in that a
speaking tube ran from a giant ear to emerge between
two great stone lips. Also. a stele. also found near La Venta.
shows a figure with a pOinted beard. an elaborate robe
and head dress. and even oddly turned up shoes. Constance Irwin. the author of Fair Gods and Stone Faces.
found that the Hittites and Phoenicians were the only
other cultures in this period (500 BC) who wore long
robes. turbans with ribbons. pOinted beards. and upturned
shoes. Also. in Mesoamerica. startling semitic-like carvings
have depicted men with pOinted hats. braided beards.
hooked noses. pointed shoes. and even grapes hanging
from their belts. In contrast. a stone lintel found at Lorrillard City. Mexico. shows a priest passing a rop~ through
his tongue. How strange that the worshippers of Siva. a
Hindu God of Destruction. tortured themselves by drawing a rope through their own pierced tongues.
Throughout Mayaland there is evidence of a phallic
cult similar to that of the Phoenicians. Wheeled terra
cotta toys were also found in Mesoamerica. and these
somewhat resembled the terra cotta toy chariots modeled
by the Phoenicians.
During fifteen years of investigation of thousands of pre
Columbian terra cotta pottery heads and figures. A. Von
Wuthenau. art historian. found portraits of five different
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

racial types: Mongoloid. Chinese. Japanese. Negroid.

and "all types" of white people - especially semitic types
both with and without beards.
Another riddle that needs an answer: who made a'perfectly fashioned crystal skull found in the foothills of British
Honduras about 50 years ago. and estimated to be about
:~60() years old?

LANGUAGE, RELIGION,
AND CULTURE
The Mayan and Egyptian alphabets were quite similar.
and the Mayan. Hebrew. and Egyptian languages used
only consonants with no vowels. Consider also the closeness of the Mayan and Jewish calendars. as mentioned
previously. Then too. Mayan reliefs are strikingly similar
to motifs in Buddhist countries. The sun and serpent. two
of the most sacred symbols of Buddhism. were also very
important to the Maya. The cult of the serpent existed
from ancient times as far north as the mound builders of
Indiana and Ohio in the U.S.A. The serpent is still part of
the Zuni and Hopi rituals. The Hopi. Aztec, and Buddhic
doctrines taught that there was life after death. and also
that the world had survived four destructions. Consequently. the previously mentioned "rope through the
tongue" concept may also have a relationship to the culture of India. A collection of stelae and stones. by Father
Carlo Crespi of Cuenca. Ecuador. has been dated approx
imately 300 Be. and belonged to the Brahmi class. believed to have originated in India. Writings found on
these Brahmi stones shows a considerable amount of similarity with some early northern semitic scripts dated circa
WOO Be. Continuing on this pOint. Dr. B. Ch. Chhabra.
believes that on the famous Phallic Rock at Malokai.
Hawaii. there is an inscription resembling ancient sanskrit. Also like the Hindus. the Mayans postulated rhythmic astronomical cycles. Gordon Eckholm. outstanding
authority on ancient Mexico. has pointed out that there
exists significant parallels between Hindu-Buddhist art
and both the late and the past classic forms of Mayan art.
for those objects classified as lotus panels.
A Similarity of mnemonic devices such as quipas or
knotted cords has been noted among the Aztecs. preInca. ancient Mexican. Egyptian. and even Chinese cultures. Another custom of the Maya. one held in common
with Egyptians. Chaldeans. and Greeks. was for girls of
royal blood to marry their brothers. Phoenicians are believed by some authorities to have been avid child sacri
ficers. According to Hugh Fox's Gods of the Cataclysm.
their entire sacrificial system was based on an attempt to
prevent another and final great cataclysm. Historians
have attributed similar religious motivations to the Aztec
sacrifices.

SIMILARITIES WITH
THE PHOENICIANS
As earlier suggested. the Phoenicians of the first milennium BC and the inhabitants of Central America in that
same era shared much in common with both cultures
having an advanced knowledge of mathematics and astronamy. These were the only two ancient civilizations which

167
had a "plac'e-value" in their mathematics. a concept of
"zero" and the ability to express large numbers such as
"millions." Both civilizations had records of stars going
back 370.000 years. and both estimated the period of
the moon to within a matter of seconds. While the Romans
and other contemporaries thought the morning and evening star was two different bodies. both the Babylonians
and Maya knew them to be the same body - Venus.
Also. both cultures used gnomons to measure the sun's
shadow and determine latitude. Other common features
included pyramidal temples which rose in terraces and
could be used for astronomical observatories as well as
worship of sun. moon. and Venus: hieroglyphic writing:
the custom of deforming heads of newborn children: and
the use of incense. Furthermore. the Mayan rain god.
Tlaloc. is astonishingly represented as a figure of a white
man with a handle-bar mustache and long beard .... and
holding a thunderbolt of lightning just like a Phoenician
equivalent.
Concerning the special literature of ancient cultures.
the Chimal Book of Chi/am Bolam referred to the first inhabitants of Yucatan as having come from the east in
boats. Another ancient writing said that a leader. Votan.
returned several times to his former home across the Atlantic. to the area referred to as Valum Chiuim. This locale
has been identified by Mexican experts as Phoenicia.

tion at about 1800 Be. Another site. discovered at Nova

Scotia. Canada. has evidenced original construction that
possibly dates back to 2000-3000 Be. Based on analysis
of their very unusual carvings. these settlers may have
come from Malta.
Further evidence of Mediterranean culture in New
England is scattered over all six states. A chamber found
at Upton. Massachusetts. bears strong resemblance to a
"tholas" tomb" .. typical of Andalusia. Spain c. 1500 Be.
There is also a riddle in the state of Georgia. A wall
near the summit of one of its foremost mountains is more
than 7 feet high and approximately 10 feet thick. The
Georgia State Archeological Department has. estimated
the wall is 2000 years old. Cherokee Indians have a legend
that white men inhabited northern Georgia and Tennessee before the Indians arrived.
The Amerindians seem to have had their own equivalents to stone henges of England. the newly identified
henge in Loch Ness Lake. Scotland. and the Mayan and
Peruvian markers. Instead of using external markers.
these Amerindians arranged for light to show through
portals onto carefully located holes on an inner wall.
Stone markers. however. were used in their Kivas as
found in Mid America.

PART II

At Lake Assawompseh. Massachusetts. there is a carving of a ship very similar to a Minoan ship .... high bow
and stern. and one square sail on a center mast. Then.
near the White River. in Vermont. there is a hieroglyph of
.the late Ptolemaic Egyptian era.
Iberian magnetic compass dials were apparently copied
by the Amerindian. A disc found in Tennessee resembles
the dials of liria. Spain. At Grave Creek and Braxton.
West Virginia. tablets with Iberian inscriptions have been
dated to circa 800 BC.
Among the Algonquin materials at the Peabody Museum
in Massachusetts is an old birch bark manuscript labeled
as being of Cree (Ojibway) origin. Epigraphic analysis has
recently determined. however. that this script is actually
that of the ancient city of Palmyra. Spain. which was destroyed by the Romans in 272 AD.
In 1885. an inscribed stone was discovered by the Smithsonian Institution in the excavation of a burial mound in
Loudon County. Tennessee. Originally thought to be
Cherokee. analysis now confirms the script to be ancient
Hebrew. dated at circa 100 AD.

We will now consider the continent of North America.

Here. there have been found many pieces of our puzzle
pre-dating the famous Minnesota Viking stone. At Koster
dig' in western Illinois. archeologists from Northwestern
University are now studying civilization at a depth of
8000 Be. A University of Pittsburgh team has dated an
excavation near Avella. Pennsylvania at around 14.225
BC: and in the San Diego area. a civilization has been
dated in excess of 30.000 BC. And there is much more.
In the past several years. there have been major finds
throughout the United States regarding new sites. carvings.
and analyses of languages.

SITES
Mystery Hill at North Salem. New Hampshire is truly
an ancient American stonehenge. Extensive studies have'
established it as serving both as an astronomical site and a
religious site. Other similar sites have been discovered in
central Vermont and the foothills of the Green Mountains.
The sites appear to have been used for gravemarkers.
solar sightings. and for the worship of various Celtic gods.
Experts in epigraphy have established that newly found
carvings were written in Ogam. an old Celtic language.
According to B. Fell of Harvard. the Celts occupied Mystery Hill and related New England sites circa 800 Be. In
addition to the many sites in New England. others have
been found in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
A very early penetration of the New England area was
probably made by the Iberians. Spanish rock carvings of
sea worthy ships have been dated at 2000-3500 Be. On
Mohegan Island. 10 miles off the Maine coast. a settlement of ancient fishermen has been uncovered and related
to the Iberians. Radio-carbon analysis has dated this loca-

CARVINGS AND WRITINGS

The following table relates findings of ancient civilizations

to North American locations:
Ancient Celtic (France) . .. . .. New England. Midwest U.S.
Ancient Egyptian ............ Nova Scotia. l\iew England.
Oklahoma. Iowa
Ancient Iberia (Spain) ... ' ... Nova Scotia. New England.
Pellnsylvallia. West Virginia.
Tennessee. Oklahoma. Iowa.
and California
Ancient Israelites ............ Tennessee
Ancient Libyan .............. West and Southwest U.S.
Ancient Phoenician .......... New England
Ancient Roman ............. Texas. Georgia or Alabama

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

168
On the Cimarron Cliffs. Oklahoma, there ar!,! combined libyan and Egyptian hieroglyphs. The Rio Grande
Shishong Inscription was translated as libyan.
.
In late '76. the Indianapolis Star reported that Roman
pottery had been found near the Rio Grande river in Texas.
According to B. Fell of Harvard. libyan inscriptions in
the southwest. and the use of libyan words in painted
pottery of the Mimbers Valley. New Mexico ..... is highly
suggestive that the ancestors of the Zuni may have formerly been one of the linguistic groups of ancient Maghrib
arabic.

LANGUAGE
There is an extraordinary high incidence of ancient
arabic vocabulary in certain Amerindian tongues. For
example. the Zuni Amerindian tribe. called Shiwi in their
own language. speak what appears to be a creolinized
dialect of libyan origin. and which is probably related to
the parent speech of the various North African tribes that
called themselves by names similar to Shiwi. The Zuni
language is 50% libyan.
In 1901. ancient Pima chants were collected during a
Smithsonian expedition to Arizona. The almost total arabic
vocabulary of these chants also appears to be a creolin
ized dialect derived from an Iberic or arabic Maghrib province. The Pima language is rich in Punic (Carthage) roots.
The Micmas' language is 60% Egyptian. They still use

hieratic script. The Wabanaki (Maine) language is 60%

Phoenician. the remainder is Egyptian. Many of the New
England names tended to be of celtic origin. especially
the names of mountains and rivers.

CONCLUSIONS
Possibly the take-over of Europe by the "barbarians."
or the Moslem infiltration of Europe. or the destruction of
major libraries as occurred in Alexandria and Rome. as
well as the general restrictions of the Dark Ages all contributed their bit toward destroying any written records
that may have existed and/or prevented such records
from being made. However. increaSing evidence continues to suggest that great sections of North and Central
America were visited by different civilizations frequently
between the years 2000 and 500 Be.
This current study is in no way intended to discount the
accomplishments of Christopher Columbus - or even
the Viking, Leif Erickson. Rather, like all genuine research
outside of the exact sciences. it aims toward a closer and
closer approximation of truth as new discoveries and interpretations of data are analyzed. Hopefully, future research will refine these present speculations. and possibly
temper our usually rigid accounts of history and archeology with an expanded comprehension of inter-cultural
influences.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bergier. J .. Extra terrestrial Visitations from Prehistoric Times
to the Present. Regnery. 1970.
Brunhouse. R. L.. A Search of the Maya. Ballantine Books. 1973.
Dix. B. EoO "An Early Calendar Site in Central Vermont." Epi
graphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Dix. B. E.. "Possible Plinth Monument in Central Vermont."
Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Dix. B. EoO "A Second Early Calendar Site in Central Vermont."
Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Fell. BoO "Fifth Century Moroccan Emigration to North America."
Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Fell. B.. "Reconstructing American History." Epigraphic Society
Occasional Publications. Vol. 3.1976.
Fell. BoO "Inscribed Sarsen Stones in Vermont." Epigraphic
Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3.1976.
Fell. B.. "Ancient Iberian Magnetic Compass Seals from Liria.
Spain." Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol.
3.1976.
Fell. B .. "Ancient Arabic Script and Vocabulary of the Algonquin Indians," Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications.
Vol. 3.1976.
Fell. B.. "Pima Myth of Persephone." Epigraphic Society Occa
sional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Fell. BoO "Etymology of Some Ancient American Inscriptions."
Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications, Vol. 3. 1976.
Fell. BoO "Structure of the Zuni Language." Epigraphic Society
Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Fell. B .. "Roman-Celtic Phase at Mystery Hill. New Hampshire
in New England." Epigraphic Society Occasional Publica
tions. Vol. 3. 1976.
Kanjilal. D. K.. "Decipherment of Cuenca Spirits." Ancient
Skies. Vol. 12. No.6. 1976.
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

Landsbury. Alan. Tn Search of Lost Civilizations. Bantam Books.

Luyties. O. G .. Egyptian Visits to America. Noon and Skelly. 1922.
Morley. S. G .. Ancient Maya. Stanford University Press. 1946.
Morley. S. G .. Tntroduction to the Story of the Maya Hiero
glyphs. Dover. 1975.
Newham. C. A .. Astronomical Significance of Stonehenge.
Blackburn. 1972.
Salesburg. Stephen Jr .. Mexican Calendar Stone by P. V. Valenti. Ph.D.: from German.
Sanchez. G. I.. Arithmetic in Maya. Austin. Texas. Privately
Printed. 1961.
Silverberg, R .. The Mound Builders. Ballantine Books. 1970.
Stieglitz. R.. "Ancient Judean Inscriptions from Tennessee."
Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Thompson. E. H .. People 0/ the Serpent. Boston: Houghton.
Mifflin. 1932.
Thompson. J. E.. Rise and Fall 0/ Mayan Civilization. Norman:
University of Oklahoma Press. 1954.
Tompkins. P .. Mysteries of the Mexican Pyramids. Harper and
Row. 1976.
Totten. N.. "First European Colonists in North America." Epi
graphic Society Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.
Villacarta Calderon. Jose A. & Carlos A.. Codices Maya.
Guatemala: Tipografia. Nacional. 1930.
Volkmann. F .. "Stone Riddle in Georgia." Fate. Jan .. 1977.
Von Hagen. Victor. Search for the Maya, Fanborough: Saxon
Hall. 1973.
Waters. F.. Book of the Hopi. Viking.
Whittall. II. J. P .. "Precolumbian .Parallels Between Mediterranean and New England Archeology." Epigraphic Society
Occasional Publications. Vol. 3. 1976.

169

SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained
euents. Members are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports
they feel should be included here. Remember. local newspapers often offer the best
(or only) information concerning some euents. Please be sure to include the source of
reference (name of newspaper. periodical. etc.). the date the article appeared and
your membership number (or name. if YOIl prefer to be credited that way).

FALLING FROGS AND

TINY TOADS
In a letter to the Trenton (New Jersey)
Times. a Miss Elma Wittenborn writes
how. back in 1<J30 or so. she and her
niece went to Stacey Park to feed the
ducks along the river. when suddenly
a very black. very small cloud came
across the river from the Pennsylvania side.
When the cloud reached the park. both
Miss Wittenborn and her niece felt something which at first they thought might
have been hailstones striking them: but
then they saw hundreds of little toads
covering the ground. The creatures were
so small that she was able to hold 20 of
them in one hand. Some of the tiny toads.
none of which were found in the street or
elsewhere. were collected in a bottle and
taken home to be put in the back yard.
Alex Clark. whose letter to the same
newspaper was printed follOWing Miss
Wittenborns. writes how "about 65 years
ago." while living in Trenton. he also experienced a violent windstorm with heavy
rain. Going outside after the storm had
passed. he found hundreds of small frogs
about an inch long littering the street and
sidewalk. "Presumably." he writes. "they
had been picked up by the wind passing
over the Delaware River or the Delaware
and Raritan Canal Feeder and dropped
around our house. This is the only time
I have experienced this phenomenon."
SOURCE. Tr .. ntoll Times (New Jersey).
10 August. 1977. CREDIT: David Weidl.

which type." Only two dozen of some

2300 meteorites discovered so far are of
the carbonaceous chondrite type - (ones
which are rich in carbon - a key to life).
The three experts. Dr. King. Dr. Carleton Moore of Arizona State University
and Dr. Everett Gibson of Johnson space
center. by duplicating the procedures
(which included the use of rubber gloves
and a microscope which extended into an
airtight box) and anti-contamination facilities previously used for studying Apollo
moon samples. inspected the fragment
for a period of 30 minutes. Since its arrival
February 11. the sample ha~ been kept at
minus 40 degrees (the only temperature
reading that is the same in both Fahrenheit and Centigrade).
Cassidy. after tentatively identifying the
samples. said that meteorite specialists
would be needed to make a more definite
determination. "I don't think it's a question
of (minerals) evolving into life. It's a question of whether the comptex organic molecules to help form the building blocks of
living material were present that early."
the scientist said.
Dr. Brian Mason. a meteorite expert at
the Smithsonian Institution. was to receive
a 1/4 -inch chip from the fragment for analysis. Officials anxiously await Mason's
analysis. noting that if the fragment is
determined to be the first of 3 types. it
may prove to be very valuable. King said
that type 1 samples are "dripping with
amino acids." the carbon-based building
blocks of life.
SOURCE: Norwalk Hour (Connecticut).

On June 8. 1978. three experts took the

first offiCial look at one of 310 fragments
of unusually uncontaminated meteorites
recovered from the dry frozen Antarctic
last December and January by a joint
U.S./Japanese team led by Dr. William
Cassidy. a geologist at the University of
Pittsburgh.
"I think we are quite confident it is a
carbonaceous chondrite." said Dr. Elbert
King. chairman of geology at the University of Houston. "The question now is

April. 1978. CREDIT: David Weidl.

ORIGIN OF LIFE

According to The New York Times.

the 1/4-inch chip from the Antarctic meteorite fragment was sent to Dr. Brian Mason
of the Smithsonian. who. upon analyzing
the specimen. found that it was a type 2
carbonaceous chondrite. with 10 amino
acids and other protobiotic substances.
Methane emanations from the meteorite
were so similar to emanations from the
space object Orion A. a formative star,
that it was concluded that the meteorite
did. indeed. come from there ....
SOURCE: The New York Times. 14 June.

Writing for The New York Times. Walter

Sullivan. in an article entitled "Lighting
the Spark of Life." discusses various theories concerning the origin of life on earth.
The most bizarre theory presented is that
of Dr. Francis H. C. Crick. co-discoverer
of DNA's double helix. and Dr. Leslie E.
Orgel of the Salk Institute. who feel that
life originated in a super-civilization in outer
space that then purposefully ejected seeds
of life in many directions. The theory.
called "directed panspermia." is an updated version of the old 18th century
notion of panspermia.
SOURCE: The New York Times. 13 June.

1978. CREDIT: Jon Singer.

19h1. CREDIT: Jon Singer.

9 June. 1978. CREDIT: Joseph J. Patchen.

METEORITE SHOWS
SIGNS OF LIFE

HOPPING KANGAROOS
According to Mrs. Haeselich of Pewaukee.
Wisconsin. on the evening of April 12.
1978. she and her family were eating din
ner when a kangaroo hopped across their
backyard within 50 feet of the house.
Mrs. Haeselich and her husband ran outside and watched it hop over a hill to disappear into the woods ... It had to be a kangaroo. There's no doubt about that:'
Mrs. Haeselich said. "It was going very
fast and it was really tall."
The week before. two kangaroos were
reported a mile and a half from the Haeselich home. A school bus driver told authorities how two kangaroos hopped across
the road while she was driving in the
area.
But Sgt. Jim Flach at the Waukesha
County Sheriffs Department said officials
aren't sure the sightings were of kangaroos.
"We checked around last week and there
were no reports of a missing kangaroo."
he said. "We're not so sure it couldn't have
been some other kind of animal. such as
a deer which had been injured by a car or
something. and was forced to hop along
on injured legs."
A spokesman at the Milwaukee County
Zoo. 30 miles east of Pewaukee. noted:
"We don't have a kangaroo missing.
that's for sure. If we did. we'd know
about it."
SOURCE: The Trenronian (New Jersey). 14

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

170

PRANKSTERS BLAMED
FOR KILLING CROWS
Residents of Atlanta. Georgia. were upset
about finding some 50 dead black birds
along the middle of a two-mile stretch of
their city streets. The incident. which
occurred May 7. 1978. was the second
similar incident since March - when 54
dead crows were discovered along the
. middle of a one-mile stretch of the same
city's streets. The dead birds. it is felt.
may have been killed elsewhere by pranksters. then dropped along the street. Police
are not. however. investigating either
incident since they feel an obvious crime
has not been committed. Police Captain
Vernon Worthy was quoted as saying:
"Who would press the charges. a dead
crow'?"
SOURCE: S.u. News. May H. 197M. CREDIT:
Tom Adams.

A SECOND BLACK HOLE

British scientists. working with Dr. Ronald
Polidan of Princeton University. after
spending two months studying x-rays detected by the satellite Copernicus. have
discovered a second black hole. The new
black hole has been named Scorpii V-861.
SOURCE: The New York Times. 25 June.
1978. CREDIT: Jon Singer.

FLYING ROCKS
During twenty consecutive days in June
of this year. a house on Elm Avenue in
Hazlet. New Jersey, was bombarded
with large rocks and concrete debrisapparently hurled with considerable force
at the home from unknown locations estimated to be more than 100 yards away
from the residence. Many windows in the
home were broken: some of the rocks
bounced off the house. others damaged
cars belonging to neighbors.
Police arrested a 15 year old who lives
in the house after allegedly observing the
. teenager throw a pebble at his garage door.
Residents of Elm Avenue say police
arrested the wrong youth. and are willing
to testify that the youth was inside their
homes or with them when rocks and
debris were hurled from various locations.
The police. who feel that additional
juveniles may have been involved as well
have ruled out the possibility that vandals
using high-powered slingshots are responsible. since few readily available machines
are capable of throwing such heavy rocks
(up to five pounds!) with such selective
accuracy over a distance of three hundred
feet.
Robert Warth, SITU's president, investigated the phenomena and noted the
rock-throwing has continued (since the
initial 20 day bombardment). and that the
trajectory the rocks follow is such that the
missiles fall straight down. He also has
PURSUIT, Fa111978

brought to our attention the fact that no

one has ever been seen throwing the
heavy rocks - even during the 20 day
siege. when the surrounding area was
under intense police surveillance.
Although the suggestion has been
made that poltergeist activity may be involved (which would account for the
objects being thrown without physical.
human participation). police officers and
the lawyer for the arrested youth have
scoffed at the idea. "I don't think we could
get a ghost into the courtroom to testify."
the lawyer was quoted as saying.
SOURCE: The Sunday Register. Shrewsbury.
New Jersey. 9 July. 197H. CREDIT: Robert
Warth

FLYING NAILS
A garage at Adams Equipment Company
in Galax. Virginia. was bombarded with
nails of various sizes for four straight days.
In one day. mechanics at the company
collected 300-400 nails. many of which
they observed flying in from the front and
back doors - sometimes Simultaneously
from both doors.
Baffled police (as well as many spectators) observed the flying nails one day
while standing on the roof. One police
man was quoted: "There are hundreds
of them every day. There are roofing nails
and concrete nails and ten-penny nails.
every kind."
The police agree that whoever is doing
it must have good aim. "They're hitting
what they want to - they're not trying to
cause any damage or hurt anybody."
a policeman said. But the owner of the
company said that damage to windshields.
insulation in the 20 foot ceiling of the building. and overhead lights amounted to
about $1200. One mechanic was hit on
the arm. but was apparently unhurt.
The nails began flying Monday. July W.
at lO::m a.m. and continued until 5:30
p.m.: Tuesday. the flying nails started at
H:1I0 a.m. and quit at l:OO p.m.: Wednesday the phenomenon continued from
before H:OO a.m. until 5::~O p.m.: and
Thursday the pattern commenced at H:(KI
a.m. and ceased at 11 :30 a.m.
Nelson Lineberry. Galax police chief.
felt there was no pattern. "The nails just
seem to come from nowhere." he said.
Sometimes the nails came at intervals of
five minutes. followed by a pause lasting
10-20 min'utes: sometimes several nails
hit Simultaneously. while at other times
just one nail at a time would hit. The
police have checked factories. roofs of
vacant buildings. and other places surrounding the company. Although they
observed the location from several lookout points (while the nails were flying!).
they could not pinpoint the origin of the
phenomenon.
Lineberry dismisses mention of ghosts
and poltergeists because he doesn't believe

in the supernatural. "Its someone." he

said. "and I doubt if (the nails) are just
being thrown since they have so much
force behind them. but don't ask me
what's being used to throw them."
Lineberry intends to "nail" the culprit.
if one can be found ... Detectives are collecting nails and checking for fingerprints ...
Lineberry claims that throwing a missile at
a building is a felony .
SOURCE: Winston-Salem Journal and Sen
tinel INorth Carohna). 14. 15 July. 1978.
CREDIT: Member #709.

PLUTO'S NEWLY
DISCOVERED MOON
A team of scientists. led by James W.
Christy at the l).S. Naval Observatory.
has discovered a moon orbiting Pluto.
The moon. named Charon. orbits Pluto
12.000 miles above the planet's surface.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Pluto. because of the calculations made possible
by the discovery of Charon. is now conSidered to be smaller than previously estimated.
SOURCE: The New York Times. 8 July. 1978 ..
CREDIT: Jon Singer.

PIGEON VISION
Two Cornell University scientists. Dr.
Melvin Kreithen and Professor Thomas
Eisner. have demonstrated that pigeons
can see ultraviolet light patterns and images
which remain invisible to humans.
Contrary to long accepted theory. their
research (published in Nature. a British
scientific journal) supports observations
made recently by other scientists who have
found that vertebrates are not blind to
ultraviolet light. which is composed of
shorter wavelengths than visible light.
By monitoring the pigeon's heartbeats
under varying conditions. Kreithen and
Eisner have determined that pigeons can
see ultraviolet patterns. The birds involved
in the experiment were conditioned to be
afraid of receiving an electrical shock every
time an image of a cross was projected
onto a screen when normal light was used
to project the pattern. The same agitated
response was observed when the image
was shown to the birds by using only ultraviolet light to project the image. Using a
score of pigeons in several hundred tests
with ultraviolet light. the Cornell studies
followed gUidelines laid by recent European scientific research to determine
whether other vertebrates might also be
able to see ultraviolet light. Resulting research has indicated that toads. hummingbirds. lizards. and newts are all behaviorally responsive to such light.
Besides learning that birds can determine the sun's position from its ultraviolet
rays. other studies in the past decade
have found that birds can feel changes in

171

o
z

:::;:
J:
U

iii:

8
>
OJ

S
J:

0..

"Snippy," an Apaloosa horse, found mutilated in September,1967.

barometric pressure. can navigate by the

sun and stars as compasses. can distinguish between airborne odors indigenous
to different areas. can detect atmospheric
infrasounds undetectable by humans (infrasounds can be produced by auroras.
ocean waves. magnetic storms. and earthquakes. as well as many of man's mechanical devices). and are sensitive to polarized light and to geographic changes in
the earth's magnetic field.
SCientists are also aware that insects.
using ultraviolet light. can sense the sun's
location through a heavily overcast sky.
and can detect. in the coloring of flowers
and other insects. a tapestry of patterns
where a human observer may see only
one or two colors.
The Cornell findings are regarded as
a step toward understanding how birds'
vision works. The researchers hope it will
also help unravel one of nature's most
baffling riddles: what leads migrating birds
to their proper destination?
The Cornell findings substantiate European research and lend further credence
that possibly a great many other vertebrates
are sensitive to ultraviolet light and possess a different kind of color vision than
do humans.
The human eye has yellow pigments

in the lens to screen out ultraviolet rays:

with pigeons. however. the ultraviolet light
passes through a transparent lens directly
to the retina itself. which leaves us with a
SCientific question or two: "Flying up there
when the sun is blasting directly into its
eyes. why doesn't the ultraviolet light
burn a hole in the birds' eye?" Kreithen
asked. "Perhaps the real question is:
Why have man's eyes developed so that
we can't even see this other world that the
birds and some vertebrates can see'?"
SOURCE: The Trenlonian (New Jersey). 15
May. 197H. CREDIT: David Weidl.

SHADES OF SNIPPYTEN YEARS AFTER

In September of 1967. an Apaloosa horse
named "Snippy" was found mutilated in
Colorado's San Luis Valley. Since the
case is well known, we mention here only
that all meat was neatly removed from
the shoulder area (where a clean incision
had been made) all the way up to the
head. leaving only the exposed vertebrae
and skull remaining.
Ten years later, October 14, 1977, another mutilation of another Apaloosa was
reported, this time on the ranch of veteran
horseman and Apaloosa breeder "Red"

Henning. near Bothell, in Snohomish

County. Washington. A 5 1/2 month old
filly, worth some $750. was discovered
lying on its right side, with its legs straight
out. its ears pricked up. in grass that was
three inches tall and which showed no
signs that the animal had been running or
otherwise involved in a struggle - yet a
huge wound. from the animal's backbone
nearly to its hocks. was all that remained
of the hindquarters. On the rear of the
filly. Henning discovered a neatly shaped
hole extending from the base of the tail
halfway down to the hip section; the rectum, sex organs and approximately 40
pounds of eesh were missing."
We found no hide, no blood. no intestines." - either on the ground or within
200 yards of where the animal lay. Hennings told investigators. "It was just as if
something had picked that filly up and
just laid it down to rest.... It was such an
odd death that I couldn't come up with an
answer. I don't know of any animal in my
experience that just laid down and died."
The horse's owner summoned John
Carr. a veterinarian from the Redmond
Animal Clinic. to the scene. Carr said the
animal died in the early morning from
loss of blood (despite the lack of blood on
the ground) and found only a small
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

172
amount of blood in the animars heart and
chest cavity. Adding one more bit of mystery to the event. the vet also said the colt
had been in a heavy sweat. either from
running or from trauma. before she died.
He also stated it was the strangest killing
he had ever seen ....
Henning feels that any commotion in
the pasture would certainly have aroused
his two Labrador dogs. Besides. if the
horse had been running. he feels it would
have carved divots in the turf. Nothingnot a track or mark of any kind was left
for a clue as to why ,)r how the mutila
tion occulTed. or if any human participation
was involved.
Except perhaps this item of interest:
about 40-50 feet from the dead colt. and
despite the absence of any tracks and the
presence of undisturbed grass in the immediate vicinity. Henning found :~()-4() feet
of flattened electric fence. including two
of the fence posts - which had been
snapped off at the base.
According to Don Richmond. who investigated the Snippy incident. about 40
yards northeast of Snippy's carcass five or
six fence posts had been sheared off at
the first strand of barbed wire (about two
feet down from the top). In addition. a
bull which had shared the same pasture
with Snippy was found to be blind following the incident. and a calf in the same
pasture was also becoming blind (with il
"blue haze" over the eyeballs). its head
bl?came deformed (with a bulging of the
forehead). and th.! hooves were growing
at 111l excessive rate (and curling under)
after the incident.
SOURCE Ewrt'll. Washlllytoll Herald. Dt'
I~. 1'177. CREDIT: .Jacob A. DaVid
SOil. SnIPPY infolllliltillll: from int,-rvi<.'w with
Don "lid Alb- Richlllolld. Auyusl 17. 1'17S

c<.'llIhl!r

NEW SUPPORT FOR

UNIFIED FORCE THEORY
Physicists from Stanford and Yale Uni
versities. using Stanford's linear particle
accelerator to test the symmetry of atomic
and electromagnetic interactions. haw
found a violation of parity - the evenhanded symmetry in the interactions between particles (namely. the left-handed
or right handed spin of electrons). The
violation showed that the predictions of
Professor Steven Weinberg of Harvard
University and Professor Abdus Salam.
a Pakistani at Imperial College. London.
were verified. They had worked on the
"gauge theory" that related the weak force
with electromagnetism. The WeinbergSalam theory had also predicted a "neutral current"" in nuclear interactions. which
was verified in 197:~ by a research center
in Switzerland.
SOURCE: The New York Times. II .July.
1975. CREDIT: Jon Singer.

PURSUIT. Fall 1978

SYMPOSIUM

Comments and Opinions

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Last issue. we notified members that as of January 1. 1979. the price for
back issues of Pursuit will be increased to $2.50 per copy (for non-members the
price will remain $3.00). It should be noted here that Pursuit has nearly doubled
in size since [van T. Sanderson's death (176 pages this year alone!). For this
reason, and because back issues are becoming increasingly rare, we are raising
the price for back issues. We hope that the additional income. along with more
donations from members. will help offset skyrocketing costs. etc. We also hope
that members will understand. and will appreciate our desire to maintain the
$10.00 annual membership dues. Those who want to take advantage of our
$2.00 back issue price are encouraged to do so before the end of the year (for
a free back issue order form. send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: SITU
Membership Services, R.F.D. #5, Gales Ferry, Conn. 06335, U.S.A.).
Remember. we can not exist without your support!

THE FORT NOTES

We are pleased to announce that. starting next year. Pursuit will be publishing.
on a regular basis. the original notes of Charles Hoy Fort. We had hoped to be
able to publish the notes in a separate publication. but due to our financial
situation it may be some time before that wish is fulfilled. We have discussed
the project with a number of prominent Forteans - all of whom encouraged us
to start immediately. So be it.

LETTERS' TO THE EDITOR

THE TRANSFORM 1ST FACTS
Over the last couple of years I have been disturbed by the amount of space allotted in

Pursuit to dubious speculative dissertations which could otherwise be filled with solid
Fortean data. The one that prompted this riposte is Dr. Lorenzoni"s "The Transformist
Myth" (Pursuit. Vol. 11. No.2) because it encroaches on my own field. zoology.
Firstly. may I ask the point of the article"? Even if the opinions expressed were correct.
just what do they have to do with the Investigation of the Unknown"? We are supposed
to be breaking new ground. not reploughing old soil.
Secondly. although his arguments would have been very cogent against the theory
Darwin originally propounded. they have little bearing on the modern version of the
theory.
It is simply not true. for example. that no "missing links" have been found. The annals
of biology are replete with links that are no longer missing. To give just one example:
whereas formerly the gap between reptiles and mammals was considered unbridgeable.
by now so many intermediate forms have been discovered that the line between the
classes has become quite arbitrary.
It is also incorrect to state that all mutations are extremely rare and monstrous. This
may be the case with the highly visible mutations that geneticists are most familiar with.
but there exists a great commonalty of mutations whose effects on their bearers. for good
or evil. are far less dramatic or conspicuous. and their nature is only now being investigated.
Dr. Lorenzoni also completely misunderstands Menders proof of the invariability of
inherited characters. Mendel showed that reproduction involves a reshuffling of the
genetic cards. rather than a mixing of the genetic soup. which would have been fatal to
darwinian theory. This does not preclude the possibility of spontaneous' change in the
genetic material. On the contrary. it means that once a favorable mutation occurs it can
be passed down unchanged from generation to generation. There is thus no need for
favorable mutations to arise Simultaneously. nor for them to be isolated. Even a single
favorable mutation is quite capable of outbreeding its inferior contemporaries.
What Dr. Lorenzoni is probably confused about is the need for allopatry - i.e .. that
for two populations to be transformed into separate species they must be isolated. However. geography alone is quite sufficient for that.
As Dr. Lorenzoni put it: "In view of all the above it is not surprising that few profeSSional
biologists have cared to propose transformistic schemes which differ from darwinism."
-Malcolm Smith
Australia

173
J

Dear sir. Iv got something important'o tell you have you ever heard about the
DWARF DEMONS theres indian ledgends about the DWARFS. The indians called them
the little people. this is true what my mother told me what her father told
her my grandfather who lives in Mexico said that in the past that he had
sightings liB said that he seen little manlike creatures throwing. down a
deck of cards on the ground he desribed the little manlike creatures ugly
looking with flat noses the faces like old peoples they looked like little
kids after he seen them they ran back into the ~oods. My sister told me
when she lived a couple of years in ~!exico people told her thincs abour;the
little manlike creatures one woman tolri her that sha seen little manlike
creatures knowking her pile of fire .!ood. Someone else told her while she
was in Hexico not to let her son gb to t:le river becouse the D'!/ARFS l'Iill
attack him, THe little DWARFS ar.: known to attack little children.
I think that the :LIttle Manlike DJARFS belong to the BIGFOOT family they could
be related the DWARFS could be the enemies of BIGFOOT t,leres proof that the
DWARFS really exist IIIIIlD.mies were foundin the PEDRO ~~OUNTAINS,in WYOMING.
CANADA, HEXICO have:: reports of .i:iuci: l.ittle cre'ltureG roa:.;ins t:ie mounta"ins
there could be

SUCil

sighting;.; ri;ht here in the maTED STATES ABout D'.VARF creatures

unknow .... I say the D'.VARFS could be so:ne form of early mar, I say that :'n prehistoric
tt.ea *aee were dwarfs and gaints GIGANTOPITHECUS,was a gaint A~e.there might
of been a dwarf ape or fori::: d ..... arfman. DWAm'lAI-:ICUS I called the dwarfs that
becouse of there littleness since GIGAHTOPI'rHECUS,remains have been found in
CHINA, DWARFl1ANICUS remains may be undiscoveed sOr.lewere in the old world and
neVlworld I say someone should go and look for the fos.,,:le remains of D'.'IARFHANIeUS, D'.VARFMANICUS can still be alive today were BIGFOOT raollls in the RORTH'.vEST
I say that these tvlO creatures exist today. It-'read the ARGOSY"" magazine about
the DWARF DEMONS I couldnt beleave it wilen I read it then my mother told me
that. people in Mexico says th.y seen wild little creatures such as dwarfs run::ting
back into the woods. How can GIGANTOPITHECUS, and DWARFt'~ANICUS have survived
today BIGFOOT can be a aecenaet of GIGIu'iTOPITHECU.s and the m/ARF DEt-lONS can be
a decendet of D'!IARFHAi~ICUS You shou1.d investigate a~out ~':'/ARF foiAIHCUS and do
research on t~e little creature this can be im;ortant this ~igbt ~e another
BIGFOOT :Gystery on your harods.
By JCCKO FOiiTE~OT;

HERES A PICTURE SKETCH OF MY GRANDFATHER

IN

.~EXI CO

HE SAl D HE SEEN D'7 ARF r'iAKLIKE

CREATURES THHOWING CARDS AROUND HE SEEN

TROOPS OF THEM THBY LOOKED UGLY.

174

SITU MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

CODING AND INSTRUCTIONS
The directory is this time being attempted in the form of
a chart or listing of those members desiring contacts with
others of similar bent. You may address anyone in the list.
advising him (her) of your interests. name. address (phone
if practicable) and enclose it in a small envelope. seal it.
stamp it. and write on the front of the stamped. smaller
envelope. the membership number of your party. The
small envelope should then be placed in a larger one.
stamped and sealed. and sent to:
SITU Membership Directory
c/o Martin Wiegler
694 Stuyvesant Avenue
Irvington. NJ 07111 USA
Your inner message will be sent and then you two (or
more) are on your own. It should be noted that we cannot. ethically. arrange a "Fortean romance." as suggested
at least once. but you all have our collective blessings for
whatever you are able to so accomplish. It is suggested
that. particularly in the case of a message to a foreign
country. that the letter be kept light. in the interest of
saving postage. To all foreign countries the 22C "Aerogramme" may be utilized as the smaller envelope. versus
the 31 C per 1/2 oz. of regular airmail.
Our foreign members can also participate by making
use of the "international reply coupons" available at any
post office. for all members reside in a member country of
the International Postal Union. Each such coupon when
sent to SITU as payment of postage for the inner envelope. will be accepted for mailing within the US. or for
surface mail to another foreign country. Two such coupons
will assure airmail to any country.

CODING OF MEMBERS'
AREAS OF INTEREST
Ancient astronauts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Ancient Civilizations and writings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Animal mutilations ..................................
Anomalies of nature (weather. geology. etc.) ............
Anthropology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Antigravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Appearances and disappearances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Archaeology (including oddities) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Atlantis ...........................................
Bermuda Triangle and other such areas. ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bibliographic control and access to Fortean data . . . . . . . ..
Biology...........................................
Catastrophism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Christian and religious aspects of the Unexplained. . . . . . . .
Communication with intelligent animals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cryptozoology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Dreams. ESP. clairvoyance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Earth energies. ley lines. dowsing ............... . . . . ..
Earthquake predictions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Electromagnetic anomalies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Experimental information. synchro-data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Folklore. myths. legends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General (Forteana) ............................ . . . . .
Hollow earth. flat earth theories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

AA
AC
AM
AN
AO
AG
AP
AR
AT
T
BC
B
C
R
I
CZ
D
EE
EP
E
EI
F
G
H

. Human aura effects on TV. FM ...................... .

Hypnosis ......................................... .
Inexplicable artifacts ................................ .
Lake and water monsters ........................... .
Land and Fortean monsters and strange animals ........ .
Local and regional mysteries. field investigations
and follow-ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lunar phenomena ........................ '. . . . . . . . ..
Mathematical and unified field theories
of the universe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Megalithic monuments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Men in black. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Mind and unconscious. their influence
on Fortean events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Mystery lights and sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
MystiCism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Nervous system (as source of Unexplaineds) . . . . . . . . . . . .
OOBE............................................
Other universes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Paleontology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Parapsychology and its various manifestations. . . . . . . . . . .
Perpetual motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Photography (including Fortean events
and Kirlian). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Poltergeists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Pyramids..........................................
Rejuvenation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Rock images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seth material ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Sky falls ............................................
Sky quakes and lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Spontaneous human combustion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Superimposed realities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Survival after death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Telekinesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Time and gravity and space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Time travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
UFOs.............................................
Unexpl~re~ ea~th re~ions and survival
of extmct specIes .............................
Uri Geller phenomena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Witchcraft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R
LP
N
MM
MI
MU
ML
MY
N
B
0
PA
X
PM
PH
PG
P
RE
RI
SM
SK
SQ
S
Y
V
K
TG
IT
U
UA
UG
W

MEMBERS AND THEIR INTERESTS

(Alphabetically by States)
Member
No.

State

ZIP

Interests

2461
755
1261
2601
2001
2649
2971
2091
3019
3024
2215

AL
CA
CA
CA
CO
CT
DC
FL
FL
FL
IL

36532
90405
91744
94501
81211
06851
20009
33703
33464
32433
60126

2595
2841
32
2621

IL
IL
KS
KS

62002
62233
66044
66112

M, UA. EE
TG,G
G
M,U.X
M, L, A, U. S, PG, G
G
X
X.U,R
G
PM,AG.RE
SM, B, U, MI, M. V, UG, K.
D,AA
U,P,M
EI
U, M, L, BC. W, LP
U,M,L

175

Member

Member

No.

Stale

ZIP

Inleresls

No.

3051
2745
2042
2838
2023
955
2601
2817
2625
973
2519
2240
2921
2370
326
939
2245
573
2106

KY
KY
MD
MI
MI
MI
MN
MO
NJ
NJ
NJ
NJ
NJ
NJ
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY

41101
42301
20740
48180
48604
49036
56248
63119
07008
07087
07643
07701
07724
07801
10530
11372
11694
12466
12866

U.M
MI,A,G.U
AA,T,P,MM
U,I. R
B,G.X,TT
AR. T. AT, R. X
U.T.E
CZ, AN. N
X
Z
A. MI. L, U
U,TG,G
L. W, X
G
G,U
AO.MY
G
AR, B, PA
L

2229
1976
2894
763
1946
2770
2041
1476
2912
2926
1983
625
1692
2645
2627
1660
2467
1800
2714

Siale

ZIP

13204
NY
NY
14615
15068
PA
15216
PA
17110
PA
19067
PA
19130
PA
SO
57701
77035
TX
TX
78212
VA
22066
WY
82071
B.C.. Canada
Ontario. Canada
Ontario. Canada
Manitoba. Canada
Venezuela. SA
Northampton. England
London. England

Inlerests
R.N

H
ARIA. AC
G.MU
S.C,EE.Y
U,PH,R
G, U, ML. AC. SF. AP
M
S, AP. T. A. Q
U,M
M.U
HY.D.V
U
PH. RI. U
RL
TG. HY. MU. L. M
UA.M
G. U. A
G.U.M.F.H.O.RE.TT

BOOK REVIEWS
SKY CREATURES: LIVING UFOs by Trevor James

Constable, Pocket Books, New York, 1978. 252

pages, $1.95.
When a group of exobiologists. who often possess PhDs
and search for alien life-forms in faraway stars and galaxies. get together the conversation invariably turns to
discussing the need for the millions-of-dollars and yearsof-patient-research necessary to achieve their survey of
the heavens - unless the "unlikely" prospect of some
Alien contacting us Earthlings occurs first!
Well. the academicians are in for a jolt. For the price of
a $25 lens filter. a roll of high-speed IR film and a 35-mm
camera you (and anyone) can begin your own search for
alien life-forms above the Earth's surface and. what is
more. your chances of photographing strange organisms
are pretty good. After all. a half-mile-long beastie is a big
target!
In Sky Creatures: Living UFOs, author Constable tells
you how to become a freelance exobiologist: even how to
take color movies of pulsating organisms that "live invisibly
like fish in the ocean of atmosphere." For those not so inclined. Constable includes a sampling of his own pictorial
documentation of these radar-reflecting. sometimes luminous. and oftentimes very fast-moving (1000 MPH) aeroforms. Would you believe USAF jets were observed trying
to 'chase down' one of these UFOs as it romped through
the sky above the Mojave Desert?
Though not as broad in scope as The Cosmic Pulse of
Life from which this volume is abridged (reviewed in Pursuit. Fall 1977. page 135). additional material has been
included to strengthen the case that "many UFOs are living
organisms ... native to our atmosphere that have been
living with us. side by side. unnoticed. since the beginning
of time." An Appendix contributed by the reviewer examines several inexplicable aerial displays. such as the
Great Meteor Procession of 1913. in light of Constable's

revolutionary fulfillment of Dr. Carl Sagan's request for a

"bona fide example of extraterrestrial life .....
The Fort-like attitude of Constable's writing enlivens
the vast amount of data presented in Sky Creatures. Indeed. one could say the book is dedicated to Forteans
when Constable speaks of "the new humanity coming to
earth." to whom "I now hand you the results of my labor
and urge you to press on."
If you didn't get Cosmic Pulse (and even if you did).
read Sky Creatures if you want a guidebook into hitherto
-Larry E. Arnold
unseen lands.
SASQUATCH: THE APES AMONG US, by John

Green. Hancock House Publishers Ltd . Saanichton, B.C., Canada. and Seattle. Washington. 1978.
492pp.
It is usually dangerous to pay too much attention to
publishers' blurbs. and statements made by the author's
friends and associates. but in this case I fully agree with
Dr. Grover Krantz that John Green's book "will be the
definitive work on Sasquatches" and with the publisher
who calls John Green "the pre-eminent authority on the
fascinating question of whether mankind shares North
America with another upright-walking primate ......
The book is thorough. well-researched. and well written.
There is one chapter that presents a brief world survey.
including some Russian material which I believe may not
have been published elsewhere. but otherwise the book is
devoted to North America - all of it. It includes enough
case histories to satisfy those who like 'seed catalogues'
but is not overwhelmed by them. and there is much material from old newspapers and other sources that had not
come to light when Ivan T. Sanderson wrote his book
Abominable Snowmen nearly twenty years ago. quite
apart from the many new reports that have accumulated
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

176
since. Indeed. John Green's book makes a fitting companion volume to that earlier work.
There is an amusing chapter on Ivan Marx and (for the
uninitiated at least) an illuminating one on organizations
and expeditions: also a discussion of other evidence such
as footprints in stone.
There are good maps. illustrations (not too well repro
duced. though this is a very minor flaw). four indices
(Places and Newspapers. Names. General. and a very
detailed Sasquatch Index). and a good bibliography.
I suppose it is too much to hope that John Green's
book will result in the demise of that abominable term
Bigfoot. but one can always pray.
(N.B. If your bookseller does not have the book andior
will not order it for you. it can be obtained by mail from
Cheam Publishing Company. Box 99. Agassiz. B.C..
Canada. for $15 postpaid.)
-Sabina W. Sanderson

CREATURES OF THE OUTER EDGE by Jerome

Clark and Loren Coleman. Warner Books. New
York. NY. 1978.239 pages. 51.95 (paperback).
Creatures is a book for Forteans of all ages and stripes.
The eclectic animals and incidents cover virtually every
shape of beast which haunt the Keel-ish recesses of the
country. Perhaps the most surprising part of the book was
the revelation of markedly psychic overtones to the famous
battle with the sasquatches fought at Ape Canyon. California in 1924. Fred Beck. one of the miners beseiged by
the sasquatches. privately printed a book in 1967 recounting many psychic experiences of his - in fact. the
mine being worked at the time of the assault had been
located through the aid of "spirit beings." Moreover.
Beck insisted that the "apes" were supernatural and that
the other members of the party agreed in this. Compare
the account presented in Creatures (pp. 36-41) with that
found in Sanderson's The Abominable Snowman (p. 117)
in which the attack is related to massive forest fires which
had ravaged the region.
The very scope of the material offered sometimes causes
a want of detail. For instance. the account of the Lawton.
Oklahoma. "wolfman" makes no mention that the first
sightings - at the very least - may reaonsably be explained by subsequent police detention of some teenagers in possession of an ape mask (p. 89). And the year
of a report of a curious feline of considerable size in Paris.
Texas. is variously given as July. 1965" (p. '139) and
"July 26. 1974" (p. 235). Following immediately on such
critiCism. it must be added that the book has an all but
unique feature: a fairly comprehensive and definitely
usable bibliography. the value of which is obvious to all
Forteans.
This said. there is certainly room to question the book's
explanation for the principal source of the phenomenai.e .. a purely psychological explanation. For instance. in
the Beck account of the sasquatches. no mention is made
of the heavy fires of the time. Could some of the other
beasts also appear at a time of unusual climatic or environmental conditions and then fade away in more "'normal""
times? On the other hand. the creatures do not appear to
act in natural fashion in many instances. In one account.
a woman farmer was "hit... in the face with both paws"
and then proceeded to chase the animal up a tree with
PURSUIT. Fall 1978

a stick - and apparently required no medical treatment

after the attack (p. 148).
Rather than describing the large unknown feline types
as "very hostile" to humans (p. 163). one might better
comment on the ineffectuality of their assaults - and
those of Big Bird (pp. 176/77. 225-27). for that matter.
Any person seriously attacked by a zoological great cat or
bird of prey can expect serious injuries. Another odd
point is the penchant these remarkable large cats seem to
have for running into the sides of moving cars and then
bounding away seemingly unhurt. Are our mysterious
visitors actually less dangerous to humans than their natural counterparts?
.
The book carries on in the tradition of John Keel. to
whom the work is dedicated. Like Keei"s. the book should
be read for an interesting series of happenings. Also. as
with Keel. the explanations should be cross checked with
other publications: see Creatures. pp. 97104. for example. and Encounter Cases From Flying Saucer Reuiew
in regard to the Uniontown. Pa. case.' Definitely a "good
read". whose bibliography alone is well worth the price.
- William H. Banks
Also III Soga's UFO Repor! IJuly '71"<). p. '(1 + .

REPORT ON A SURVEY OF THE MEMBERSHIP

OF THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
CONCERNING THE UFO PROBLEM by Dr. Peter

A. Sturrock. Institute for Plasma Research. Stanford. CA. 1977.202 pages. 55.00.
In 1975. Dr. Sturrock polled the 2611 members of the
American Astronomical Society. asking for their opinions
concerning UFOs. The present Report is based on the
answers he received from the U56 AAS members who
were willing to complete his questionnaire.
Wireservice accounts have given some of the highlights of the survey. but there is much interesting material
throughout the complete Report. As might be expected.
some of the respondents (62 of the U56) had sightings
of UFO like phenomena to report. These accounts in
cluded observations of seemingly structured objects. plus
the usual "Nocturnal Lights" sightings. One case involved
apparent electromagnetic effects on a car engine. Photographs are included in the Report.
Aside from the personal reports of UFO sightings. it is
interesting to note the reactions of the AAS members to
a UFO questionnaire. On the negative side. there were
such comments as: "I object to being quizzed about this
obvious nonsense." Or. "Ithink the whole subject is a
bore. and that serious scientists should not become in
volved in it unless they have nothing better to do." On
the other hand. some respondents recognized the impor
tance of the subject and said as much: '"There seem to be
too many extremely peculiar reports by reliable witnesses
for this subject to be lightly dismissed ...... Others said
much the same thing. but one comment pointed up an
unfortunate - but all too true - aspect: "1 find it tough
to make a living as an astronomer these days. It would be
professionally suicidal to devote significant time to UFOs."
The Report is paperbound (8 112" 11 ") and is an excellent document for anyone's UFO library. Copies may be
ordered from Dr. Sturrock at: Institute for Plasma Research. Stanford University. Via Crespi. Stanford. CA

94305.

- Lucius Farish

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION' OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
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Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee

DEPARTMENTS
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Publisher - Robert C. Warth

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Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino
Dr. Carl H. Delacato
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Dr. George C. Kennedy
Dr. Martin Kruskal
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell
Dr. Vladimir Markotic
Dr. John R. Napier
Dr. Michael A. Persinger
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz
Dr. Roger W. Wescott
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight
Dr. Robert K. Zuck

Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian

Institute, Eastern New Mexico University. (Archaeology)
Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation ofthe Brain Injured,
Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Director, Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center,
Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Professor of Geology, Institute of Geophysics, U.C.L.A.
(Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University.
(Mathematics)
Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J.
(General Biology)
Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University
of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology and Ethnology)
Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University
of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological
Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont., Canada. (Psychology)
Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture,
Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center,
Cedar Grove, N.J. (Mental Sciences)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
(Geography and Oceanography)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Botany)

PURSUIT
INDEX

1978
Acid Rain: A Formidable Dilemma, 143
Aerial Life? 84
"Ahoy, Mate! Which Flamin' Phantom Ship Sails
Thar? (Part I & II). 109. 144
Analogies of the Propagation Waves of the Great
Fear in France, 1789, and of the Airship Flap
in Ohio, 1897, 17
Ancient American Underground Cities?, 90
Animals: Wild in the Streets. 119
Anjard, Ronald P.. 89,90. 165
Anthropology of the Unknown: A Conference on
Sasquatch and Similar Humanoid Monsters. 130
Archaeo-lIlogical Fragments and Fantasies, 159
Beamed Power for Starships. 83
Begg. Paul G.. 73
Berezovka Mammoth Mystery. The. 67
Berlitz, Charles. 75
BOOK REVIEWS
American Indian Myths and Mysteries, Vincent
H. Gaddis. 40
Biomusic Synthesis. David Bihary. 128
Creatures of the Outer Edge, Jerome Clark and
.Loren Coleman. 176
Guide to PSI Periodicals, edited by Elizabeth
M. Werner. 127
Phenomena: A Book of Wonders, John Mitchell
and Robert JM Rickard. 127
Report on a Survey of the Membership of the
American Astronomical Society Concerning the
UFO Problem, Dr. Peter A. Sturrock. 176
Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us. John Green. 175
Sky Creatures: Living UFOs. Trevor James
Constable, 175
The Haunted Universe. D. Scott Rogo. .80
The World's Last Mysteries. The Readers Digest
Association. Inc.. 128
Clark. Jerome. 88
Climatic Variation and the Exploration of
Greenland. 136
Coherence in Chaos. 28
Colonization of the Americas - As early as
2000 BC? 165
Comments and Queries on the Observed Ecology
and Anatomy of an Unclassified Species of
Primate, 131
Concept of Simultaneity. The. 60
Cosmic Hologram, The, 23
Davidson. Jacob A., 85
Derinkuyu and Other Ancient Underground
Cities, 89
Earthquake Lights. 48
Eberhart, George M., 55. 101, 136
Forteana Galactica, 69
Fortean Fakes and Folklore. 98
Fortean Times, These, 123
Frozen Mammoths: Volcanoes, Comet-Storms, or
Permafrost?, 67
Gray, Alan,

69

Jordison, Barbara.

66.158

Little Riddle, A, 72
Loch Ness Update. 1977. 2
Lorenzoni, Silvano, 70, 84, 142
L5: A Settlement in Space. 42
Macer-Story. E.. 94
Macey. Patrick J., 130
Mammoth Problem - Two Solutions,
Mangiacopra, Gary S., 82
Marriott, S., 9
Mayne, S.N., 25,108, 143
McKee, Jasper, 72
Member #340. 68
Mind Over Matter, 22
Mongold, Harry E., 60
Mr. Berlitz-Again!, 73
Mutilations: Up from Obscurity, 85

68

Nailed-Down Universe, The, or Plans for the

Box' Box Machine, 94
Nessie Sightings Endangered by Illegal Salmon
Netting, 5'
Observation on Critics Whose Appraisal of
Phenomena is Undisturbed by Personal
Knowledge or Experience, 75
Ott, John, 13
Paradoxical Orthodoxy in Cancer Research, 13
Paranormal Phenomena: The First International
Congress, 25
Pawlicki, T.B., 22,23,91
Physics of Physics, The, 91
Psychoanalysis Wangle, The, 142
Randazza (Not a) Sea Serpent Sighting, The,
Reardon, Russ, 7
Rejoinder to Jacob Davidson, A, 88
Rickard, Robert JM, 123, 153
Rind, David, 51
Rothovius, Andrew E." 17

82

Schadewald, Robert, 98
Shiels Nessie Photographs, The, 153
Singer, Jon Douglas, 45
SITUations, 75, 120, 169
SITU Membership Directory, 174
"Skyquakes" - And Separate Realities, 51
Skyquakes - Things That Go Bump in the Night,
Stoecker. William B., 83
Strasser, Joel A., 2, 5
Sutherly, Curt, 42
Symposiums, 40,78, 125, 172
Synchro Data, The, 66
Synchro Data-II. The. 158
Those Palenque Remains. 7
Toward Solving the Bermuda Triangle Mystery.
Transformist Myth, The, 70
Trunt, Leo, 67

45

134

Walls, Robert E.. 131

Weather Modification and Control?, 108
Wedding Photo. That, 117
Weston, Michael S., 134
Whamond's Law Repealed, 9
Wilkie, Britton, 159
Witchcraft and Weather Modification (Part I & II).
55,101
Wolf, R. Martin. 28

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

VOL. 12 No.1

WHOLE No. 45

WINTER

1979

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 12, No.1

WINTER, 1979

Publisher
Robert C. Warth

PURSUIT.
THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf

FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Assistant Editor
Steven N. Mayne

Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson
Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J.M. Rickard
Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artists
Britton Wilkie
Michael Hartnett
R. M. Wolf

CONTENTS
Page
A Statistical Analysis of UFO Electromagnetic Interference Events
by M. J. Rodeghier ................................................... 2
An Incredible Admission: What Did the Air Force Mean?
by Robert Barrow ................................................... 10
The Quest for Norumbega: Ancient Civilizations in New England (Part I)
by Jon Douglas Singer ............................................... 13
The Town that Wasn't Zapped by UFOs
by Barbara Jordison ................................................. 20
The Pevely Mystery Toxin
by William Zeiser ................................................... 21
Mutilations: The Elsberry Enigma
by R. Martin Wolf and S. N. Mayne .................................... 26
The Central New York UFO Wave
by Mark Bundy ..................................................... 35
SITUations .............................................................. 40

Production
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

Symposium .............................................................. 43
Book Reviews ............................................................ 45
The Notes of Charles Fort
Deciphered by Carl J. Pabst .......................................... 46

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained 1979

A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
OF UFO ELECTROMAGNETIC

INTERFERENCE EVENTS
By M. J. Rodeghier

ABSTRACT
Data was gathered concerning 363 UFO events
where land vehicles experienced electromagnetic
interference in the presence of the UFO. Calculations are made which shed light on the chance of
experiencing an event regarding sex and age of witness. as well as time of day. Contingency tables
are constructed for selected characteristics; arguments therefrom lead to doubt that a natural
physical phenomena can explain the reported events.

INTRODUCTION
The problem of the UFO phenomena has persisted.
perhaps even intensified since the report of the Condon
Committee in 1968. I During the 1970s. serious work has
begun on the problem. as evinced by the studies of Saunders.'-' McCampbell.'> Persinger. b and the Proceedings
of the 1976 Center for UFO Studies Conference. 7 These
and other investigations show convincingly that the UFO
phenomena can be handled in an analytical manner and
sense made of the available data. In a like manner, this
study treats "EM" UFO reports - cases where electromagnetic effects are reported in the presence of a UFOas hard data shedding possible light on the phenomena.
By statistical analysis of the report characteristics. we
hope to critically examine one prevalent hypothesis:
that UFO reports are predominantly due to natural phenomena. following known physical laws.
There are a variety of EM effects associated with this
broad category. One might break the data into: 8
1. Reports involving interference with vehicles on
the ground or water.
2. Reports involving interference with vehicles in
the air.
3. Power failures attributed to UFOs.
4. Reports involving interference with electrical
equipment. i.e .. radar. radio. television.
The earliest UFO report involving EM effects was recorded in 1908: however the distribution of reports in
time remained quite scattered until the early 1950s. when
the frequency increased to about 15 per year. The spatial
distribution of reports appears to coincide with that of the
60.000 cases from UFOCAT. For example. one-half of
the EM reports originate in the United States: just over
50% of all primary entries in UFOCAT are from the U.S. 9
Only reports from category 1. and only those which inPURSUIT Winter 1979

volve vehicles on the ground from that category. are

treated in this study. There are two main reasons. First.
they are by far the most numerous. accounting for about
half the total EM reports. Secondly. if control is to be kept
upon the data. so that effects like noise and physiological
symptoms can be studied productively and consistently,
one would not be justified in lumping, say, categories 1
and 3. Disparities in witness involvement are obvious and
statistically damaging. as are the differences in extent of
the EM effect.

DATA EXTRACTION
Sixty sources have been searched for data. The type of
source material was not restricted to any category; thus
reports have come from books. periodicals, catalogues,
and computer listings. It must be admitted that only 31
original case reports were examined by the author. This
is not surprising, given the nature of the field and the
diffuseness of original reports in small organizations throughout the globe. No significant qualitative or quantitative
differences exist between these 31 and the other group
of reports gathered from secondary sources. Table 1 is a
compilation by major source of the number of reports
from each.
Table 1
Source
Flying Saucer Review
Books of Vallee and Michel
Original Reports (CUFOS)
Books of the Lorenzens
Newspapers
NICAP
U.S.A.F. (BLUEBOOK)
UFO - Nachrichten
UFOCAT
The Ballestros-Olmos Catalogue

Number oj
Reports

52
32
31

29
21
20
15
15

14
13

The total number of reports compiled is 363. A study

by Claude Poher 'o of approximately 1.000 French cases
found a figure of 1.5% as the percentage of cases that
were EM. From UFOCAT one can estimate the total pool
of cases at 60.000. Then 1.5% would be 900, but this
should be reduced by half. as the observed frequency of
category 1 EM cases is approximately one-half of the total.
This final figure 450 compares favorably with the number
of reports the author has compiled. (In addition, it is antit:ipated that over 20 further reports will be accumulated

3
between the writing of this paper and its publication,
which will not be included in the statistics.) The access to
numerous special files that has been granted the author
has strengthened his view that the great majority of readily
available EM reports have been compiled. (References
15
are given in notes for the major sources from Table 1. 11 - )

PROCEDURAL ASPECTS
It was anticipated that difficulties in the reporting of a
UFO event would hamper the analysis. For example.
estimating distances at night is a notoriously poor ability
of humans. and recalling small details about an exciting
and strongly stimulating event like a UFO sighting leaves
most people somewhat at a loss. Moreover, it is known
from numerous psychological and physiological studies
that we can only make rough discriminations. not fine
shadings of data. 10.17
With these constraints in mind. characteristics of the
UFO event were chosen. They were time of day. number
of witnesses. type of witness by sex and age. area of sighting. color. sound. size of the UFO, type of EM effect.
physiological effect. type of UFO, and the presence of a
light beam. Individually the categories were divided as
follows: the separation of colors was basically that of the
simple spectrum, with metallic as a distinct category; the
presence or absence of sound. the presence or absence
of a physiological effect (e.g., nausea. smells, heat or cold),
whether the UFO was disk-like. oval. a light only. or
some other appearance; the presence or absence of a
light beam; and the age distribution into 1-10, 1119.
20-26, and above 26 years old. For tlJe remaining characteristics, the following subsets were' found convenient
for later analysis. The size of the UFO was broken into the
intervals 0-15 ft., 15-36 ft .. 36-100 ft.. and greater than
100 ft. The EM effect was either recorded as regular.
meaning that lights, radio. and/or the motor were affected.
or extra-regular. when destruction of engine components
occurred. For type of area we selected the categories rural.
urban. suburban, and deserted. such as a mountainous
area.
The median distance to the UFO in all cases was reported as 200 feet. which is. even at night when 86% of
the cases occur. near enough for the above data to be
noted with some accuracy. The various subcategories are
both distinct and simple and should cause the witness
little trouble in either distinguishing the data at approximately 200 feet. or then reporting what he has experienced. Moreover, only in two categories should extreme
difficulties arise - size and distance. For these characteristics the data was treated both as being accurate. for
display purposes and as subsets of some dimension in the
analysis section to avoid the inherent inaccuracies.

UFO EVENT CHARACTERISTICS

Of real and useful import is simply the presentation of
the data that has been gathered for this paper. Some has
been published before in other places. 18 - 19 but it is here
gathered completely. Other kinds of report characteristics
were recorded and are presented that were not discussed
above. such as the weather. These results should be use-

Table 2
Number of Witnesses per Case
ONE:
TWO:
THREE:
FOUR:
FIVE:
MANY:

(50.0%)
(23.5%)
(10.5%)
( 6.0%)
( 1.5%)
( 8.5%)

165
78
35
20

5
28

ful as comparison to others drawn from different types of

reports, as well as the base upon which to build a model
of the phenomena.
Because of incomplete reports of each event. the
numbers in tables will not add to 363.

Table 3
Type of Witness by Age and Sex
Children (0-10)
Teenagers (11-19)
Young adults (20-26)
Adults (27 and above)
Unspecified age

5 Male 2 Female
36
23
31
6
107
37
175
55

Table 4
Cases

Type of Locale
20
61
13
18

Deserted area
Rural area
Urban area
Suburban area

(18%)
(54%)
(12%)
(17%)

These areas were defined with reference to definitions

of standard metropolitan statistical areas. This finding that
roughly 70% of the events occurred in non-urban or rural
areas is well in accord with previously obtained figures. 20
Thus 19% of the cases include sound. a much higher
figure than is reported for the like percentage of UFOCAT
cases i)1 general, or from Phillips' Trace Catalogue. 21

Table 5
Sound
Explosive
Hum
Sizzling
Whine
Roar
Buzz
Whoosh
Whistle
Unclassified
Without sound

Cases

3
23
4
13

3
3
4
6
12
296

PURSUIT Winter 1979

.20

..

IS' I-

10 I-

OS'

IS'

100

l
Iro

12,.

SIZE OF UFO IN FEET

FIG. 1.

NUMBER OF UFOs VS. SIZE

The sizes of UFOs and the distances to the witnesses

are graphically displayed in figures 1 and 2. One should
note that two sizes are preferentially reported, approximately 100 meters and 9 meters, both sizes appearing in
literature before as being common. The distance graph
has a node at a value near 30 meters, but falls off in a
rough but recognizable exponential decay as distance
increases. Whether this is due to perceptual patterns of
the observers or is related to the UFO itself cannot be distinguished with the available data.
This pattern seems to imply that the EM effect is a shortrange effect, though. One might well look for some cause
of the effect then with the proviso that its driving e~ergy
is highly attenuated by atmospheric absorption.
Since 2 or 3 effects may occur in one case, approximately 25% of the total number of cases involved this
effect, again a much higher figure than has previously
been reported in the literature.

These are representative values only, but they exemplify the vast variance in distance when the same level of
EM effect is observed. There is no correlation (p = .99)

Table 7
Physiological E//ects

Cases

Heard voices
Sighted humanoids
Cooling
Heating
Paralyzed
Stunned
Static in air
Smell
Felt at peace
Felt under observation
Other

4
7
4
21
12
6
12
11
1
3
18

Table 6
Typeo/UFO
light
Oval
Disk
Other

PURSUIT Winter 1979

TableS

Cases
50
38
64
65

(23.0%)
(17.5%)
(29.5%)
(30.0%)

Weather
Cloudy, no rain
Partly cloudy
Clear

19
31

Fog
Snow

Rain

3
2
2

Table 9
Severity 0/ the EM Effect versus Distance to UFO

A. Only Radio and Lights

affected
100 feet
2 miles
20 feet
1,500 feet
75 feet
300 feet

B. All Electrical Components and Engines

800 feet
over 2 miles
100 feet
300 feet
1/4 of a mile
400 feet

between distance and severity of EM effect. This, of course,

does not imply that the EM effect is an "all or nothing"
effect. Vehicles are not all interfered with at the same level
of intensity.

DATA ANALYSIS
For selected data sets, calculations were made where
relevant comparison variables or limits could be set with
the aid of independent source material.
1. Time of Day: Figure 3 displays the number of sightings per hour interval (local time) for all sightings. Using
known information on the numbers of passenger vehicles
traveling on both urban and rural roads by time of day,22
and assuming that as more vehicles are on the highway

the chance of a UFO event increases proportionally, one

may adjust the given data and arrive at the true frequency
or chance of experiencing an EM effect as a function of
time of day. This has been done and figure 4 displays the
results, for U.S. cases only. As is quite obvious, this frequency is not at all constant, but exhibits a sharp increase
at precisely those times when few vehicles are about. The
results argue strongly that some unknown factor is operating
which preferentially enhances the chance of having a UFO
experience at certain times.
2. Sex and Age of Witness: Using statistics from the
National Safety Council for the sex of drivers by age
group,23 it can be determined that the percentages of
male and female drivers are 74% and 26% respectively,
in terms of miles driven. In referring to Table 3 above, we
see that these are the exact same figures derived from the
case reports. Though caution should be exercised as the
Safety Council figures refer only to drivers, and this study
includes passengers, this exact agreement would lead
. one to suggest that there is no preferential selection for
sex upon potential UFO event witnesses. Moreover,
since in the vast majority of reports there are only one or
two witnesses, this discrepancy should cause little change
in the final figures. The result is in a way we expected. as
a priori, one should have no reason to expect selection
factors to be at work.
The analysis of the ages of witnesses leads to a different
type of conclusion. Using the same reference source, one
can calculate the expected percentages of witnesses by

JO
~S

20
(I)

":;,
"0

IS'

c.:
til

~
~

.S

./

/. S'

2.' 3

J,"lS ",S'

S,. ',5"

70S'

I..

10

12.

,.,

I'

"

20 )10

DISTANCE TO THE UFO IN HUNDREDS OF FEET

FIG 2.

NUMBER OF UFOs VS. DISTANCE OF UFO

PURSUIT Winter 1979

6
age group. If a chi-square analysis is then done on the expected versus "measured" results, the differences from
the norm are found to be significant at the 1% confidence
level. This is shown in Table 10.
Table 10
Expected Number
(247 cases)

Result
Child
Teen
Young Adult
Adult
Xl=

11.5

59

32
36

37
144

167

27.738

x 2 = 11.34

The large group of teens and the correspondingly fewer

adults are the cause for this result.
An analysis of the age versus sex distribution in a contingency table, previously presented in Table 3, confirms
the null hypothesis that these characteristics act independently of each other (p = .95). We may then state that
while sex of the witness has no bearing on the likelihood
of experiencing a UFO event the age has a definite nonrandomizing effect on this chance.
One possible but tentative hypothesis for this result is
that older persons are less likely to report events due to

subsequent status losses in their communities. While

plausible, data proving this to be the case is not extant
now; more importantly, one may also plausibly argue
that teenagers' r!'!ports would not be as likely to be believed and thus recorded. In fact such treatment may discourage them from even attempting to report their experiences to the local authorities.
Additionally, older persons are probably not on the
highway as often as other drivers in the middle of the
night, thus redUCing the number of their reports. This
effect would be difficult to separate, though, from the
other factors influencing reporting.
At present time, then, an explanation for this effect on
the chance of experiencing a UFO event remains obscure.
Presumably when either more is known about the phenomena or about the characteristics of reporters, this result will then become less problematical.

PATTERN ANALYSIS
Contingency tables were then constructed for the characteristics of reports described in detail previously: sound,
light beam, physiological effect, size, type of UFO, colors,
and type of EM effect. These tables were done by hand
on a large graph paper made possible due to the limited
number of reports. x2 tests were then run on each separate
table set to test the null hypothesis that the two particular
charactersitics were independent. Due to small numbers
r-

25

r--

t-~

20 ~

III

~
o
c.

15 I-

---

tal
Il::

.-r--

t:.-

&3

10 l-

~
~
i~

s I-

.....-

11
2

I
1

I
I

1't

t--

"

P.M.
FIG. 3.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

'10

II .12

Z 3

Ai

A.M.

NUMBER OF REPORTS VS. TIME OF DAY (LOCAL TIME)

10 "

11,

7
~

3S ~
~

Eo<

3D ~

1'.1

1'.1

0
c..
p

21 ~

0(

c..
0

1'.1

J..D

rii

(.)

><
(.)
z
(g

IS

or
1'.1

_.

Il':

c..

.0

~
H

Eo<

=s
1'.1
II':

G' r-

r--"

12.

r--

.3

.t

.,

1-""1

Itl

."

'2.

.&

If

P.M.
FIG. 4.

Table 11

15
x'
250 x' (.05)

14
71

= 9.90

= 3.84

Table 12

Present
Absent
x'

Disk

24
40
13.330

Ii

78

n 0

""1111..

RELATIVE FREQUENCY OF EXPERIENCING A UFO EVENT VS. TIME OF DAY

(LOCAL TIME)

Physiological Effect
Light Beam Present Absent

Sound

A.M.

(below 5), it was impossible to conduct tests for most of

the colors against the other variables. One should also be
aware that as in the tables of data presented before, the
number of reports will nof add to 363 since all reports
did not contain complete information.
Listed below then are the tables for which results show
the null hypothesis to be rejected at the 5% level of significance.

Present
Absent

Typeo/UFO
Oval
Light

10
28
x' (.05)

4
47
= 7.815

Other

18
47

In Table 13 is the one test that was significant at the

10% significance level.
Table 13
Light Beam

Regular

EM Effect
Extra-Regular

Present
23
Absent
237
x' = 3.80 x'(.lO) = 2.71

9
41
x'(.05) = 3.84

DISCUSSION
Recapitulating what is displayed in these tests, the
severity of the EM effect and the presence of a physiological effect are related to the presence of a light beam.
When the beam is present, these effects increase in magnitude. And the type of UFO is related to sound; one
may readily observe this dependency is due to the paucity
of lights with simultaneous reports of sound - only about
8%. It should be noted that this is not due to the distance
of the UFO when seen as a light, because UFOs reported
as lights have come well within the median distance for
PURSUIT Winter 1979

8
sightings. At this distance not only should sound have
been detected, but any other features of the UFO would
have been apparent. Such is not the case, and we are left
with the fact that UFOs appearing only as lights tend not
to be associated with sound perception.
Thus we have found only 2 or 3 correlations (depending on the preferred significance level) among 21 possible
candidates. This is a very low number and argues for the
plausibility of the results. as either too many or no correlations would be a situation rarely found to be true in
nature. By 'plausibly' we mean that our data is not too
garbled or imprecise, or the corollary, that no factors that
would tend to order the data and thus non-randomize it
are involved. As was stated in the beginning of this paper,
results such as these lend credence to the reports of the
witnesses and support at face value the characteristics of
the reports. It would be best in trying to come to some
conclusion on the problem to treat their experiences as
representing physically real events that have occurred
to them.
In this light. it is again important to paint out that the
witnesses do not appear to be biasing the data. A graph
of reported size of the UFO against distance to the UFO
showed no correlations or trends at all. If some selection
factor was at work. we might expect the average size of
the UFO to vary proportionately to its distance. This does
not occur - again supporting our statement above.

"'The variety of hypotheses

advanced to explain the
UFO phenomenon, while not
infinite, are surely support
to the belief that the range
of the creative powers of the
mind are inexhaustible."
The variety of hypotheses advanced to explain the
UFO phenomenon. while not infinite. are surely support
the belief that the range ot the creative powers of the
mind are inexhaustible. Though most of the hypotheses
are and have been poorly developed. particularly in terms
of causal mechanisms. consideration of our results may
shed light on them. and in particular. the "UFOs are
natural phenomena" hypothesis.
listed below are the important facts or analyses central
to the line of reasoning we will discuss:
1. UFO EM vehicular interference phenomenon did
not begin until 1949.
2. There is a well-defined time of day when the
chance of experiencing an event is proportionally very large.
3. There are preferred sizes of the UFO. as well as
a tendency to occur quite near the observer.
4. The UFO event tends to occur in non-populated
areas with a frequency of about 70%.
5. The UFO event tends to occur (94% of the time)
in non-precipitating weather.
6. There is no correlation between severity of EM
effect and distance to the UFO.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

7. There is a correlation between type of UFO and

sound, and the presence of a light beam and the
magnitude of the EM and physiological effects.
A poll was conducted (by the author) of leading researchers and members of the CUFOS Scientific Board 24
as to whether a priori one would expect a correlation
among the characteristics analyzed above in contingency
tables, given that one of three hypotheses is the "true"
explanation of the phenomena: that UFOs are extraterrestrial craft; that UFOs are hallucinations or misperceptions; or that UFOs are natural phenomena of a yet
undiscovered origin. While the results will not be discussed
here in depth, we may note that wide disagreement was
evident on the first two hypotheses. But on the third, the
consensus was that more correlations were to be expected
than with either of the other two. This is quite reasonable,
since for example, the noise, distance, type and EM effect
of a lightning stroke are not independent variables, and
analysis of data from observers near groundstrokes would
result in many correlations. While the other two hypotheses might have their own areas of correlations, it is not
at all evident that they would have as many as when
UFOs are natural phenomena.
We examine the above list paint by paint, under the third
hypothesis, in an attempt to see if a coherent picture is a
result and if the data fit our supposition.

1. It is unlikely that a natural phenomenon would begin

in 1949. when vehicles had been on the road many years
before. It is also doubtful that this gap is due to lack of reporting, as the modern wave of UFOs began in 1947,
and the great bulk of EM cases did not start until 1954.
This 7 year lapse is highly significant and has never been
adequately explained. Our knowledge of the way physical
laws operate does not countenance sudden appearance
and manifestation of natural phenomena.
2. A priori one cannot understand why the chance of
UFO events increases in a period between 11 p.m. to
5 a.m. It is true that many natural phenomena have such
a skewed distribution: for example. the number of lightning strokes against time of day is highly peaked towards
the afternoon hours, but reasonable explanations are
usually forthcoming. Why vehicles should tend to be affected at night is very unclear.

3. A natural phenomenon may well have preferred

sizes. though preferred distances is not typical at all, unless it is truly a short-range "force."
4. There is no good explanation for the occurrence in
unpopulated areas. It is difficult to do any reasonable calculations on the relative number of vehicles in urban versus
non-urban highways imd reach a conclusion on the number of available witnesses. But obviously there are many
more cars out at all hours in urban areas and this preponderance of rural sightings makes no sense if UFOs are
randomly distributed. One should see here Persinger's
work 25 on space-time transients; these events, while highly
non-random. appear more often in populated areas.
Persinger explains this as being due to the simple availability of more potential witnesses. Saunders too has
shown that the level of reporting is positively related to
the population. 26 Thus the result in this paper becomes

9
even more difficult to explain, unless the hypothesis of
Ballester-Olmos holds: that close encounter UFO events
are more numerous in sparsely populated areas. 27

5. The preference for certain types of weather is quite

normal under the given hypothesis, though a causal mechanism is lacking.
6. This is totally an atypical effect if due to a natural
phenomenon. The or' dependence of all areas of our physical reality is well established, whether it be gravitational
forces, or their related effects. At least on the macroscopic
scale, this always holds true. But here it does not, and we
are left with the conclusion that our hypothesis does not
fit the data.
7. As voiced in the poll and through our discussion, the
few correlations found in the data are not the number expected to occur, so that once again our hypothesis is
found lacking.
Proving a negative is always a difficult undertaking. Yet
taken together, the above pOints argue most coherently
that the cause of the UFO EM phenomena being due to a
natural phenomenon must be questioned. Though some
of the data is ambiguous on the conclUSion, numbers 1
and 6 alone are enough to place in doubt the correctness of the hypothesis.

It is true that because of the statistical nature of the

analysis done in this paper, a small percentage of cases
may indeed be caused by a natural phenomenon . To be
present but cause no masking of our results So that the
conclusions above follow from the data, their number
would be under 10% of the total, probably much less
than that.
While the analysis has made very implausible the operation on a large scale of natural phenomena, this is only
true if the phenomena obey present-day laws, such as inverse square. One may well postulate the existence of
proc~sses unknown which do not obey these laws - this
study does not rule them out. But the author wishes to
note that until a causal mechanism may be deduced or
discovered, it is prudent to remain firm in the conclusion
that present-day physics does not explain the data and
reported characteristics of the EM UFO event.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to thank the Center for UFO Studies
for providing access to their numerous files, and to David
Saunders for listings from UFOCAT. Thanks are also due
to Fred Meritt, Jim Betinis, and Mark Chesney for their
constant encouragement and discussion, and to Tim
Rodeghier who drew the graphs.

REFERENCES AND NOTES

1. Condon, E. U., ed., Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying
Objects (Bantam, New York, 1968).
2. Saunders, D. R., AIAA Paper 75-43, January, 1975.
3. Saunders, D. R., DataNet Report, vol. 5, no. 12, pp. 4-5,
December, 1971.
4. Saunders, D. R., "A SpatioTemporallnvariant For Major
UFO Waves" in Proceedings of the 1976 CUFOS Conference,
pp. 231233, (1976).
5. McCampbell, J. M., Ufology, New Insights from Science
and Common Sense (Jaymac, California, 1973).
6. Persinger, M. A. and Lafreniere, G. Foo Space Time Tran
sients and Unusual Events (Nelson-Hall, Chicago. 1977).
7. Dornbos, N., ed., Proceedings of the 1976 CUFOS Conference (CUFOS, lIIinois, 1976).
8. Rodeghier, M. R., "Preliminary Results of a Study of EM
Reports" in CUFOS News Bul/etin. December, 1976.
9. UFOCAT is the acronym for the catalogue of UFO cases
kept in a computer file by the Center for UFO Studies. For a description, see The UFOCAT Codebook, by D. R. Saunders
(CUFOS, Evanston, 1977).
10. Poher, Coo "Etudes Statistique Portant Sur 1000 Temoignages d'Observation d'UFO," unpublished and distributed
privately.
11. Flying Saucer Review. published bi-monthly and available
through FSR Publications, Ltd., West Mailing, Maidstone, Kent,
England.
12. Michel, A., Flying Saucers and the StraightLine Mystery
(Criterion Books, New York, 1958).
13. Vallee, J. see Anatomy of a Phenomena, Passport to
Magonia, and esp. Challenge to Science (with Janine Vallee)
Regnery, Chicago).
14. Lorenzen, and Lorenzen, J., see Flying Saucer Occupants,
1967; UFOs: The Whole Story, 1969; UFOs Over the Americas,
1968 (Signet Books, New York).

15. Hall. R. H., ed., ElectroMagnetic Effects Associated with

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) (Subcommittee of NICAP
and UFO study groups of Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, June,
1960).
16. See here Bartley, S. H., Principles of Perception (Harper
Brothers, New York, 1958); Cornsweet, T. N., Visual Percep
tion (Academic Press, New York, 1970); Kaufman, L., Sight
and Mind: An Introduction to Visual Perception (Oxford University Press, New York, 1974).
17. Unpublished work by Haines, R. F., Perceptual Aspects of
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, July, 1976. Made available
through the Center for UFO Studies.
18. Rodeghier, M. R., op. cit., pp. 1-2.
19. Rodeghier, M. R., "First Generation Results of a Study of
Selected Electro-Magnetic Cases (UFO)", in The UFO Register,
vol. 7, parts 1 and 2, published by CONTACT International (UK),
Oxford.
20. Vallee, J. and Vallee, J., Challenge to Science (Regnery,
Chicago, 1967).
21. Phillips, T. and Hynek, M., (ed.) Physical Traces AssoCiated with UFO Sightings (CUFOS, Evanston, 1975).
22. Transportation and Traffic Engineering Handbook, by Institute of Traffic Engineers, 1976.
23. Traffic Accident Facts, 1976 Edition, National Safety Council, Chicago.
24. Results are available upon request to the author.
25. Persinger and Lafreniere, op. cit., pp. 157-166.
26. Saunders, D. R., "Some New lines for UFO Research," in
MUFON 1972 Conference Proceedings, pp. 130-145.
27. Ballester-Olmos, V. J., "Are UFO Sightings Related to
Population?", in Proceedings of the 1976 CUFOS Conference.

PURSUIT Winter 1979

10

AN INCREDIBLE ADMISSION:
WHAT DID THE AIR FORCE MEAN?
By Robert Barrow
HE paragraph was very short and concise. In fact, it
Tcontained
only two sentences consisting of 22 words.
And, although we on the "outside" of the Pentagon
would hardly be able to find out, the brief letter from the
Air Force's Office of Information in Washington, D.C.
must have caused considerable embarrassment for the
U.S.A.F. The Air Force letter was probably all the more
troublesome because it concerned one of the most famous
UFO incidents of all time, the dramatic Socorro, New
Mexico case of 1964 .
Looking back fourteen years, here's how the whole
story began ....
At about 4:45 p.m. on April 24, 1964, with plenty of
daylight in his favor, Patrolman Lonnie Zamora of the
Socorro, New Mexico police department was chasing a
speeder outside town.
Zamora's attention was suddenly distracted as he looked
off in the distance and saw a blue flash in the sky, accompanied by a loud noise. Knowing there was dynamite
stored in a shack in that direction, he thought it best to
forget the speeder and check on the activity by the shack.
This was no easy task, as Zamora had to drive through
rugged desert terrain and drive up an inclined area.
Rising to the top of one incline, he looked ahead and
saw what he thought was an automobile standing on end,
with two small, apparently human forms standing beside
it. Zamora was now several hundred feet away from the
"car" and his view was not altogether unobstructed due
to airborne dust, apparently disturbed by and surrounding the object. Before continuing to climb up the desert
mesa, Zamora radioed headquarters and requested assistance.
Nearing the scene at last, he heard two noises like metal
striking metal. Zamora pulled his cruiser up to the spot
where he thought he had seen the object, departed and
walked a few steps further.
To his utterly unexpected amazement, Zamora no longer
saw any little figures, but he discovered that the object
was not a car; it was a large, white egg-shaped thing. And
almost as soon as Zamora spotted the object, he heard
a deafening roar and the thing ascended into the air. The
officer took hasty cover as he watched it emit a long blue
flame and move directly over the nearby dynamite shack,
barely missing the structure by a few feet. The roar soon
changed to a high-pitched whine, the flame disappeared,
and the object-now a UFO in every sense of the term For accuracy. details on the Socorro case itself have been paraphrased
from the investigation results of James and Coral Lorenzen of APRO,
3910 E. Kleindale Rd .. Tucson, Az. 85712, who arrived at the landing
scene less than 40 hours after the incident. Further information on So
corro may be found in the Lorenzens' excellent book. Encounters with
UFO Occupants. a 1976 Berkley paperback (Berkley Publishing Corp ..
200 Madison Ave .. New York. N.Y. 10016).

PURSUIT Winter 1979

accelerated to a high speed, mdintaining a low altitude.

It was gone in a matter of a few seconds.
Just as the UFO was out of view, fellow Patrolman
Sam Chavez arrived to aid the officer. What he found
~as a thoroughly frightened and dirty Patrolman Zamora.
Afterwards, when some sense could be made of the incident, Zamora recalled that the object rested on four legs
which retracted into the thing as it arose. Investigations
revealed a spot in the gully where four depressions, apparently made where the UFO rested, were found. Vegetation in the area clearly showed signs of having been burned
with high intensity heat and. in fact, some of the grass
and shrubbery was still smoldering the next day.
Because of the nature of desert soil, investigators qUickly
determined that, had a hoax been involved, tracks would
have been left all over - but there were none. Nobody
had visited the area prior to Zamora and Chavez, on foot
or by machine. Further, Chavez himself noted that Zamora
could not have implemented a hoax because he had
available no tools with which to make the impressions, etc.
Within just one week after the Socorro incident, Zamora
and Chavez were questioned, not only by James and Coral
Lorenzen of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, but also by U.S.A.F. UFO consultant Dr. J. Allen
Hynek (who, formerly very skeptical about UFOs, discovered many unsettling facts about the Zamora report
that helped change his mind), Army Intelligence officer
Capt. Holder, F.B.1. agent Arthur Byrnes, Sgt. David
Moody of Project Blue Book, and a Maj. Connors of Kirtland AFB. Without exception, the interrogators were impressed with Zamora's integrity and vivid desire for an
explanation of the incredible event he had witnessed.
Few sightings have received the attention the Socorro
incident gained, and it is still listed as unidentified in Air
Force files.
When the Socorro case took place, I was fairly new to
UFO research and, by coincidence, had joined the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena
(NICAP)-my first UFO mganization membership-a little
more than a month before the New Mexico furor began.
Therefore, this was the first big UFO case I had seen splattered across the nation's newspapers, and I began searching for whatever information I could find on it.
As months passed, the Socorro mystery grew more
impressive and continued to defy a lot of ridiculous explanations. (In recent literature, we find, for instance,
UFO skeptic Philip J. Klass going to lengths to come up
with a solution: that Zamora and others had participated
in a hoax to cause publicity for their town! My personal
opinion on that "theory" is that anybody who accepts it
is gullible, ignorant of the facts, and, just maybe, a little bit
stupid.)
By late 1964 I could stand the enigma of Socorro no
longer. I wrote to the Department of the Air Force in
Washington, D.C., seeking information. While, at this

11

unge Objects
ighted Over N. M.
,BurQtrEItQtJE.: N. M. '14'1- flying object shortly after mid
sightings-.in; New night Tuesday.
ar.e _keeping au- Newspaper, offices and broad
busy investigating fly cast stiltions were receiving a
objects. ... ..
:few telephone calls about sight
man who reCused to iden ings but most callers would not
himself because he. said he idcntiCy themselves, saying they
be laughed at. said he did not want to be ridiculed.
a big ball oC: red flames . State Police Capt. Martin Vir
Monday: night near. Las gil investigated a sighting near
.N. M. He made no esti Espanola. He found the ground
still 'smouldering 20 hours after
of the size .of the ball.
reports came on the heels the sighting. He said rocks in
.from points. stretching thl' center of the area were
more or less straight line ~pjjt, a bottle was. melted and
near Caballo Lake south of green brush had. been set on
or Consequences in South 'fire, evidently: by intense .heat.
:New Mexico to an area All the reports are. similar in
"'''I'Y''V'Y in Northern New that they describe oval or egg
.The first.of a series of shaped objects with size esti
of sightIngs came Fri mates ranging Crom the size oC
a car to about 30 feet or longer.
20.year.old youth,. Don State police and military oUi
.from Edgewood, on ci:.ls have conCb:med finding
66 east bf .Albuquerque, scorched earth at the sites, and
police h~. fired a wedgeshaped depressions that
shots at an unidentified officers say appear to have been

point in time, I don't recall exactly how I phrased my

question, I remember that I asked whether the Socorro
UFO might have been extraterrestrial, as I was very curio
ous about the outer space UFO theories at the time.
But, of course, the last thing an Air Force letter would
have stated was that a UFO might have an extraterrestrial
origin but, being rather young and new to all this at the
time. I didn't know what to expect in reply.
The letter reproduced here, dated 8 January 1965, is
the response I received. It seems pretty routine at first
glance, explaining that the Air Force has found no solu
tion, and that there was no reason to believe the thing
was from outer space.
However, one word does make a difference: vehicle.
For a sighting which had absolutely no explanation, and
for anyone familiar with the usual bureaucratic ho-hum
tone of official government letters, designating the Socorro
UFO a vehicle of whatever sort was a first class surprise.
I immediately notified NICAP officials. who, instinctively
realizing the letter's significance. asked for a photocopy. If
AF Public Information Officer Maj. Maston M. Jacks had
entertained any misgivings about inserting the unfortunate
word in his reply, the entire AF Office of Information he
worked in was about to find itself the object of. rm sure,
unwelcome publicity from NICAP. The Air Force had
always held NICAP in contempt due to the organization's
relentless criticism of its absurd UFO investigation.
In its popular and influential newsletter. the U.F.O. investigator (Vol. 3, No.2, 1965), NICAP took the oppor-

left by some type of landing ~iIitary bases say thc~ have

no such aircraft fitting the de
gear.
.
Spokesmen at all New MexiCO scriptions.

Says UFO Really

vro Project of AF

ALBUQuERQl,JE, til .M.. (AP) At White Sands Missile Range,

-A University of New Mexico meanwhile, Gene KanoCr, chief
meteoritics expert. says the of administration for the "N~.
strange craft a Socorro police- tional Aeronautics and,." Space
man saw April 23 probably was Administration at White Sands,
a vertical: shorttakeoff .and said the lunar excursion module
landingaircraft operated by the designed for the Apollo moon
. flight might fit Zamora's de.
Air Forct:..
Orricer .Lonnie Z~mora: touch scription but VIon't be built un
ed off .a flurry of unident~ie~ til later this year. He said it
flying object reports after des~ was unlikely that the module
criblng a sl\very, egg.shaped would be tested at White Sands.
object he said he .;aw on the The northern tip of the missile
desert southwest. of Socorro.. range is only a few miles from
Dr.. Lincoln Lapaz' said the the point of Zamora's sighting.
Air Force experimented with . Kirtland Air Force Base Buth
the vertical ta~eoCf planes sev rities, in reply to Lapaz's
~ral years ago and what Zam theory said they knew of no
ora' saw probable was a new such planes In the state.
secret model.
Left: PostS'andard, Syracuse, N. Y., April 29,1964.
Above: PostStandard, Syracuse, N. Y., May 3, 1964.

tunity to comment. first, that AF spokesman Maj. Jacks

had recently given Patrolman Lonnie Zamora a "top
believability rating."
Then, the NICAP editorial staff (consisting then of Maj.
Donald E. Keyhoe. USMC, ret .. Richard Hall and Donald
Berliner) added to the mystery by referring to the unusual
letter:
Even more surprising, . . . Jack's letter to NICAP
member Robert Barrow, Syracuse, described the
UFO as a "vehicle" - though he still claimed no
evidence that it was from outer space.
However. this official admission that the UFO was
some kind of unknown machine. is a long - and
puzzling - jump from the usual "explain away"
answers of mirages, delusions, etc.
... The original Socorro report had wide publicity.
but to date the AF has never issued a press release
admitting the UFO was a strange vehicle. nature
unknown. If it had, this probably would have been
a front-page story, focusing serious attention on
UFOs.
The only portion of this story that hasn't been revealed
now is the one hidden somewhere behind the doors of
the Air Force Dept. in Washington. Only there might we
be able to answer the lingering questions posed by the
strange letter: What did Air Force officials really think
PURSUIT Winter 1979

12
about the Socorro case? Did the government know considerably more than it told the public, or was it, too, mystified beyond embarrassment?
In direct contradiction to official policy, what prompted
the Air Force Public Information Division to refer to the
UFO as a vehicle?

And if it was a vehicle that touched down at Socorro on

April 24, 1964, a vehicle that could cause a veteran police
officer to become filled with terror: what kind of vehicle
was it?
And whose?

Shadow or Substance at OC07l'O?

By EDWIN I . .SAFFOR~
~bject . (UFO), it. is interestinglUFO investigation team. Helhe saw' two figures in white
.' TI." PDi,-SI';nJortl .. Bu,~~u'
to note' there are som, material.has been .on .the job since the coveralls.
WASHINGTON -. A myster 'clues with' which. the investi.! mid 19505..
He' said wheri he approached,
ious .f1)ing object described rec. gators can work.' These arel .Pentagon officials" don't think the figures jumped' in the ve('ntly by a, polic~ .officer in New ~ample's of: .scorch ',:soil and there 'is any c~mn~tion between biele. and it .took off with a
lI.exico has drawn an: ,-\ir .force charred brush. . .
"IWhite Sands and what ~onnie roar, quickly disappearing.
ch'i1ian investigating. '~eam to I.t.is:also interestiJ.lg to notejZamora of the Socoro she~iff's Twenty hours later. a state
the s~~me.. . . .
th!lt" the sighting was made at I ~Ifice . reported seeing. But police .- captain' found' indenta. The officer" reported -seeing:a Socoro, ",.1\[',' a.t. the' edge of they' count Zamora 'as a reli- tieins in the ground and the
strange.. egg ". sha~!i" V4!hiele'lthe' va.st White Sllnds. }ro~lng able' witness and say he' -was ground was 'still smouldering
about"-the size' of a compact car, Grounds. atop secret test area not drinldng. .
. where Zamora said he saw the
which' he" Sllid was boarded ':by for' .missiles and ,other w~apons. . Zamora reported that .he ~as strange \ehicle.. Since then,
two figures' in . wbite co\'eralls In this. area, the .first atom driving alone hi a deserted area there have been other strange
when he ~aw the strange egg- sightings' in the Socoro area.
and tCio.k Qrr. into the. air. \vith 'bomb'was exploded in 1945.
great . speed' when"'he tried to' .
Familiar Task'
shaped object several hundred
Awalt Report
appr~ach it.. . .
. .Iitve$ligating UFO reports is yards off the road. He dis- Air Force spokesm.en prefer
. Although .Jhe Air Force is a' familiar t~sk for :Dr.J. AI cerned some J:ed markings that to wait for Hyneck's initial retreating the' incjdent, whiCh oc- len Hyceck, director' of Nort!l. seemed to be an upside down port before. commenting.
curred Apri..25, 'as;' a .routinelw~s~rn Universitys Dearborne "V" and three lines ..across t 1 ) . e
.
report of an unidentified n~ing Observatory.and leader' of the top of the "V." He also claims
Above: Post-Standard, Syracuse, N. Y., May 12, 1964.

Below: The letter which Robert Barrow received.

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

WASHINGTON

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

8 January 1965

Deal" Mr. Barrow:

The Socorro, New MeXiCO, sighting is still
unsolved. However, no ev1dence was found which
indicated that the vehicle was from outer space.
S1ncerely,

,-~->r>.~~
MASTON M. JACKS

l.mJor, USAF

Public Information Division

Office of Information
PURSUIT Winter 1979

13

THE QUEST FOR NORUMBEGA:

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
IN NEW ENGLAND?
By Jon Douglas Singer

PART I

Old maps of sixteenth and seventeenth century New England show a curious picture
of a many-towered city with the odd name of Norumbega. Sometimes the city is not
shown but the name persisted, covering the entire region of what is now New England.
Researchers have wrangled over whether this name is of Norse or Indian origin. The
controversy over this mystery cODtinues, for the city of Norumbega (if it ever existed)
was never found by the early explorers such as Champlain. I
What was the source of the legend of Norumbega?
Was it purely a fantasy of the gold-hungry explorers who
wanted to emulate the luck of the Spanish conquistadores
in Mexico and Peru? Or was it based on the discovery of
weird stone walls and enigmatic earthworks that have
been found since Colonial days all across the northeast?
As pioneers drove their Connestoga wagons across the
Appalachians or sailed their flatboats down the Ohio River,
they encountered more and more of the strange stone
ruins, as well as fantastic earthen pyramidal structures, all
of which defied imagination. Were these the works of the
vast, dimly remembered empire of Norumbega?
Accounts left by westward-moving settlers have brought
to light strange stories of crumbling stone walls which capped the mountain peaks from Maine to Georgia and which
even extended to Ohio and IIIinois. Also, uncanny earthworks were found elsewhere in the Southeast, in Tennessee, in the Midwest, and in Michigan, for example. These
works of 'the Mound Builders were the source of a whole
wellspring of scholarship and of pseudoscience. and even
of literary works. These puzzles have only been partially
unraveled in modem times. We know now that the Mound
Builders were not Vikings, Phoenicians, lost Israelites, or
Atlantean refugees fleeing from the great holocaust of fire
and flood. They were a series of nameless tribes known
only by the modern archaeological designations given
them by scholars.
The mystery of the Indian tribes and of the Mound
Builders led to the beginning of American archaeology,
and thereby gave rise to theories of cultural diffusion (the
idea that ancient Old World civilizations influenced native
American cultures). Gradually, after centuries of work,
scholars felt they had unraveled the problem. As early as
1648 several writers such as Thomas Gage of England
suggested that they had come from Siberia via the Bering
Strait.2 By the nineteenth century, the problem of Indian
origins was almost solved; but the Mound Builder problem

gave vent to new theories of diffusionism. By the 1970s,

however. the Mound Builders were known to be a group
of Indian cultures. The earliest were the Poverty Point
People of Louisiana (c. 1000 B.C.), the Adena culture of
Ohio ( c. 1000 B.C.-400 B.C.), and the Hopewell of
Ohio (c. 400 B.C.-500 A.D.), which reached their zenith
with the Middle MissiSSippians of the Mississippi Valley
and their contemporaries the Temple Mound Builders of
the Southeast (c. 700A.D.-1700A.D.).3
But even as the Mound Builder mystery subsided,
thanks to work by men like Cyrus Thomas in the 1880s
and modern researchers like Don Dragoo and Raymond
Baby,4 a new enigma arose to haunt scholars. This problem, which caused the pre-Columbian trans-Atlantic diffusionist theory to rage like an inexorcisable demon stalking the halls of academe, was the discovery, since the
early 1800s, of perplexing stonework of pre-Colonial origin in the Appalachians and in surrounding areas. Writers
like Hakluyt or Richard Deacon thought that these were
the work of Welshmen who came under the leadership of
Prince Madoc in 1170 A.D.~ Most archaeologists, however, are of the same opinion as A. R. Kelly of the University of Georgia, who feels that those stoneworks are of
Indian origin. 6 The problem of the stone walls has persisted as writers and historians like Andrew E. Rothovius
pOinted out the resemblance between these stone walls
and similar ones found in New England in the 1930s.
By the 1930s, just as some of the solutions (such as the
theory of Viking voyages to America) that were put forward to explain the cultural diffusion ism were gradually
gaining respectability, the scholastic world received a
shock. William B. Goodwin, an historian and retired
insurance salesman from Hartford, Connecticut, during
the course of his research on Vikings, was led to a peculiar
stone chamber near Boston, Massachusetts. Goodwin,
who had become interested in early American history
during a visit to Jamaica in the Caribbean, had previously
PURSUIT Winter 1979

14

studied old English and Spanish forts; and he had already

gained some notoriety by arguing with the late Samuel E.
Morison. the great dean of early Spanish colonial history.
Goodwin then wrote a book about Norse expeditions to
Vinland and studied. briefly, the odd legends about Irland
hit Mikla, Great Ireland. a colony of Irish near Vinland, In
that book he referred to some strange stone huts in New
England, and in subsequent work he abandoned his
studies of the Norsemen and devoted his time to the
study of the peculiar stone ruins in New England.
While visiting Prof. Olaf Strandwold. former Superintendent of Schools in the state of Washington, who was
also an expert in runes and Viking voyages, Goodwin
was told of the Pearson stone chamber. which the professor had heard about from his friend Mr. Alfred A.
Cheney of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Cheney had heard
of it from his friend Mr. Malcolm Pearson. a photographer
and also then the owner ofthe site.
Goodwin was startled by the chamber. He had never
seen anything like it. It consisted of a 4 foot high entranceway leading to a 14 foot long passageway, which in turn
culminated in a circular domed chamber about 10 feet
high and 11 feet wide. (I myself have seen this chamber
through the courtesy of Prof. Barry Fell, Malcolm Pearson
and the current owner, Mr. Robert Ramsay. In my opinion. the chamber does indeed resemble the megalithic
European beehive structures, which is exactly what Goodwin thought; he concluded that it was probably Dark Age
Irish, of c. 500 A.D.-900 A.D .. and it was, he felt, similar
in construction to the Christian monastic buildings at
Skellig Michael in Ireland. 7
Before Goodwin finished a survey of the site, he was
told of another, more fantastic site at North Salem, New
Hampshire: an entire cluster of ruined beehive chambers!
This site, Pattee's Caves, so-called after a local farmer
and previous owner, was bought in 1933 by Goodwin
who enclosed it with a fence, hired a crew, and commenced excavations. Since the stones composing the
imposing walls frequently weighed upwards of 10001500 pounds, Goodwin used his insurance man's sense
and promptly took out an insurance policy for his men
and for any visitors to the site, for there were soon hundreds of tourists who came after the newspapers began to
pick up on Goodwin's work and theories. 8
Briefly, Goodwin uncovered or surveyed chambers
that were still standing, finding in the process dozen~ of
PURSUIT Winter 1979

features which didn't seem to fit in with accepted Colonial

American architectural history. He found a huge stone
table that had a groove cut around it. This was called a
Sacrificial Table, although Goodwin later concluded that
it was a Christian altar. He also found a speaking tube
carved in stone which went from the altar to a nearby
stone chamber. In one of the buildings Goodwin found
a stone bench like those used in Irish monasteries. In the
same bUilding, Malcolm Pearson found a carving of a
deer. In addition. several artifacts, which later proved to
be mostly of Colonial or Indian origin, were found in the
same structure.
Aside from Pattee's Caves, Goodwin discovered (either
on his own or through assistance from his correspondents)
about 70 stone structures elsewhere in New England, including a miniature beehive at Hopkinton, Massachusetts, a series of beehives at another location in New Hampshire (including a small group of miniature beehives in the
southwestern part of the state). still others in western Massachusetts and in Maine. Another group of beehives was
discovered in Vermont, while in northern Massachusetts
Goodwin noted the existence of a huge stone effigy mound
containing several chambers of stone. This structure had
been used as a tourist attraction in the nineteenth century, and Goodwin was unable to locate hundreds of artifacts which had been previously housed in a long-demolished nearby museum. Another huge altar-like stone
table was found in Foxboro State Forest, Massachusetts,
and some curious stone throne-like monuments were
found in Ontario, Canada.
In 1939, Prof. Hugh Hencken briefly surveyed the site
and concluded that it was probably Colonial. 9 Prof. Junius Bird of the American Museum of Natural History in
New York City reached the same conclusion after a brief
visit in 1945. Bird also concluded that the site was most
likely Colonial or Early American}O Goodwin. meanwhile.
perSisted in his theory that the site was a ninth century A.D.
Christian Irish monastic settlement. He emphasized that
the Y Cavern, a Y-shaped chamber of stone. resembled
Irish monastic architecture, and insisted that the beehive
buildings were similar to Irish examples, noting the existence of a similar site of beehive-shaped buildings (in very
ruinous condition) at Sculpin Island. in Canada. These
ruins are depicted in a photograph on page 418 of Goodwin's book, The Ruins of Great Ireland in New England,
which also details his work at Pattee's Caves. Even after
the publication of his book in 1946 Goodwin perSisted in
attempting to prove his theory. When he died in 1950,
Goodwin had failed to convince the academic community
of his theory's factual basis.
Goodwin left the site to Malcolm Pearson, his photographer, and the one who had led him to many of the
sites in the beginning. Pearson and several scholars who
had become interested in the site formed the Early Sites
Foundation. The Foundation hired Yale University graduate student Gary Vescelius to study the question of preColumbian remains at Mystery Hill. Vescelius excavated
for a short time and found 8,000 artifacts, most either
from Pattee's time or of native Indian origin from the Point
Peninsula culture of 1000 B.C. He concluded that the
site was, at the earliest, Colonial.

15
Some researchers were not satisfied with Vescelius'
rather cursory survey, which dealt with only one small
section of the site - a rock-shelter. Vescelius gave almost
all his attention to this structure, leaving some 28-33 acres
virtually unexcavated in the process. II
In 1956, a new character came onto the scene. This
was Robert Stone, an engineer of the Western Electric
Company and a resident of Derry, New Hampshire. Stone
was also a history and archaeology buff. and was certain
(whatever may have been the merits of Goodwin's theory),
that Pattee's Caves were most likely pre-Columbian and
non-Indian. Pearson agreed to lease the site to Stone.
and in 1957 opened it to the public as a tourist attraction
for the purpose of raising funds for research and the maintenance of the site. In 1958 the name was changed to
Mystery Hill Caves and in 1960 the site was renamed
Mystery Hill, its present name. 12
Meanwhile, in 1955 a well-known Connecticut archaeologist, Frank Glynn, a former president of the Connecticut Archaeological SOCiety, had become interested in the
site. Having studied the megalithic ruins of Malta (a Mediterranean island whose ruined temples such as Hal Tarxien
still consitute an enigma), he became convinced that cer.'tain aspects of Mystery Hill's architecture resembled ancient
Mediterranean examples more than either Christian Irish
or Colonial American ones. This was a revolutionary
notion, an hypothesis almost as wild as those Phoenician
or Atlantean hypotheses about the Mound Builders. The
difference was that Glynn was a trained archaeologist,
although his main handicap was that he wasn't affiliated
with any university or museum; hence his academic colleagues tended to regard him as somewhat of an amateur.
Nevertheless, he was far more skilled in excavation techniques than Goodwin.
Goodwin had been criticized not merely for his revolutionary theory, but also because he had used bulldozers
to move around stones, and had attempted to restore fallen
walls by piling up rocks which were adjacent to each other
and which "appeared" to be similar to each other. Glynn
tried to avoid such pitfalls, and therefore used more painstaking archaeological methods.
Glynn began work in 1955, with a field survey that had
as its purpose the gathering of information about the
various features of the buildings which most resembled
ancient Mediterranean examples from c. 2000 B.C. In
the so-called Oracle Chamber he noted that a room with
corbelled architecture appeared similar to Maltese examples, as did the niches in the walls of the room. A stone
seat also found in the room was like ancient types, as was
a stone-capped drain running out under the wall. Another
chamber in the Oracle Chamber contained an animal
carving (found also by Goodwin) on one of the wall blocks,
and Glynn noted similarities between this and Maltese
carvings. The nearby "Sacrificial Slab" was similar to Maltese ones. as was the Speaking Tube, both of which Goodwin had uncovered previously.
The Court at Mystery Hill was found to be like the one
at Malta's Hal Tarxien site, as was the ramp and West
Wall. An enclosure west of the Court as well as one southwest of the end of the ramp were also found by Glynn to
resemble Maltese examples. 13

In 1957, Glynn excavated in the cellar area. and found

not only nineteenth century remains such as a lime burning
pit. but also a couple of stone chopper-like tools that were
removed from just above the bedrock. The bedrock itself
had been quarried. Two new drains that had been carved
in bedrock were found. as well as a fallen 91/2 foot high
baetyl-like stone. which resembles similar standing stones
at megalithic Old World sites. Lastly. Glynn rediscovered
a dead pine stump originally found, adjacent to one of
the walls. by Hencken. (Vescelius. oddly enough. hadn't
been able to find it.) Glynn wasn't able to use C-14 dating
at this time, but he estimated that the stump dated to
1652.14
In 1958-9, Glynn excavated at 11 different areas of the
site and found even more evidence that an hitherto unidentified culture had existed in North America. The artifacts found were mostly Colonial or Indian (of the Point
Peninsula II Culture mentioned previously): this hypothesis he based on architectural resemblances. Glynn
found that the site extended beyond the 20-30 acres
studied by Goodwin. noting in one area the remains of a
megalithic gateway (only the base blocks of which remained). He also found evidence of possibly pre-Colonial
ancient slash-and-burn land clearing. and a mysterious
pottery type known as North Salem Plain (which may be
pre-Columbian). In addition. he also studied crevices on
the nearby cliffs in which locals had claimed skulls were
once found. Glynn also uncovered possible traces of a
buried well, and managed to excavate part of Pattee's
house, finding some animal (and possibly three human)
bones, along with a 50 foot long drain, in the process. IS
In 1966-7 a new series of excavations was conducted
at the drain east of the cellar of Pattee's barn,I6 the purpose being not so much to recover artifacts as to uncover
material which could be dated by C-14. Goodwin couldn't
prove the site was pre-Columbian because he didn't have
a good method of dating the site: there existed no coins
nor inscriptions which could be used in determining the
age of Pattee's Caves.
In 1946, just as Goodwin's book was going to press,
Dr. Willard Libby of the University of Chicago had developed the C-14 method of dating objects composed of
organic matter. (This method involved the radioactive
isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14. All living matter contains equal amounts of these isotopes; when an organism
dies, the C-14 disintegrates at a fixed amount, called a half-

PURSUIT Winter 1979

16
life. The date of the object's death is calculated by figuring
the proportion of C-14 to C-12. This system is good for
dates as early as 50,000 years before the present (B.P.)
and dates are estimates expressed in years plus or minus
a few decades or centuries. 17) Glynn was thus able to
make use of a new archaeological tool that might very
well provide proof for Mystery Hill's pre-Columbian origins.
One charcoal sample analyzed by Geochron Laboratories. Inc., was designated No. GX0024; it yielded the
pre-Pattee date (the first such) of 1810 A.D. A second
sample was dated by Geochron. This one, GX0025, was
dated to 1550 A.D .. a pre-Colonial (although not preColumbian) date and the first obtained at Mystery Hill!
There were pre-Pattee Colonials at Mystery Hill. Feldman wrote that in 1641 the site was owned by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which granted it in that year to
the Rev. Nathaniel Ward. In 1662 MajorGeneral John
Leverett bought the site and built a house on it in 1676.
(His house isn't shown on the map in Feldman's book,
however.) The 1550 date certainly was older than the
earliest permanent English settlements and was an important breakthrough in Mystery Hill archaeology. 18
Other excavations during those years. 1967-8, were
conducted by Glynn. James Whittall. Marjorie Chandler.
and Barbara Edfors. They excavated a sump-pit and
found sherds of the enigmatic North Salem Plain Ware.
The group then re-excavated the dead pine stump area
and found the roots noted by Hencken; the roots penetrated the walls of a stone building called XIB. A C-14
date. No. GX118, from Geochron. gave the date of
c. 1690 A.D. plus or minus 90 years. It was thus at least

',:' . ~'-="

'z .
.

.d.

~~:!~',:.."'"
PURSUIT Winter 1979

as early as the oldest Colonial era. Primitive stone tool

fragments were found as well.
Serious objections have been raised against these C-14
dates. For example, Norse expert Birgitta Wallace wrote
in The Quest for America that the C-14 dates were derived
from disturbed areas or else that mistakes had been made
in the excavation process, so that the dates were out of
context. 19 Other objections about the C-14 dates have
been raised by such scholars as Prof. Dena Dincauze of
the University of Massachusetts as well as Prof. Stephen
Williams of the Peabody Museum at Harvard; who felt
the C-14 samples had been taken from beneath (and
therefore did not apply to) the structures they were trying
to date. 20
.
Meanwhile, Robert Stone and his ass9ciates persisted
in their belief that Mystery Hill was pre-Columbian. In the
course of several years. strange things began to turn upclues which Goodwin hadn't found. While most of the
artifacts had turned out to be either Colonial or postColonial or Indian, some of the artifacts remained mysterious. For instance, Goodwin had found an iron dagger
blade that appeared to bear a great resemblance to Norse
examples. in both style and content. 21 Also. the strange
North Salem Plain Ware hasn't been identified as far as
I know.
In 1968 Glynn died, but his work went on, being conducted by the then newly organized New England Antiquities Research Association (NEARA), which was
founded in 1964. a year after Stone had completed the
purchase of Mystery Hill from Malcolm Pearson. Although
Stone was the head of NEARA, his Mystery Hill Corporation is legally a separate association. Stone was assisted
in the founding of NEARA by his relative, Osborn Stone,
of Derry. New Hampshire; Andrew Rothovius of Milford,
New Hampshire; Lionel Girard of Montagui Center,
Massachusetts; Charles Winslow of Greenfield, Massachusetts; and Robert Neikirk of Andover. Massachusetts.
These men began a project that involved the cataloguing
not only of Goodwin's 70 sites. but also of a few hundred
others found by their contacts and fellow members of the
growing society.
While the NEARA people were busy combing the New
England countryside for evidence of pre-Columbian Old
World cultures in this land, exciting discoveries were being
made almost by chance (not by strict excavation techniques) at Mystery Hill. These discoveries, made by Robert
Stone. consisted of peculiar stones with odd markings on
them that could have been ancient inscriptions. Neither
Goodwin nor Glynn had found their like, and they were
the fuel which sparked an even greater controversy. The
inscriptions were indecipherable to the NEARA people.
who did not at first have any trained linguists among their
ranks. However, in 1975, they contacted Prof. Barry Fell
of Harvard University. In his book America B.C.,22 Fell
writes that though he was a marine biologist by training,
he had become interested in cultural diffusion by studying
the dispersal of plants, animals and man across the Pacific.
Through contacts in Harvard, he learned of the work of
Harvard alumnus James Whittall II, an architect and
amateur archaeologist who had been interested in Mystery
Hill for several years.

17

Fell was invited to the site at North Salem, saw the inscriptions, and was immediately excited by the fantastic
possibilities that they presented. He was certain that they
were in an ancient script called Ogam which had, up to
that time, been found only in Ireland and Britain and
which had been dated only to the fourth century A.D., at
the earliest. Fell was certain that these inscriptions were
far older - on the order of a thousand or more years!
Also, not all were in Celtic: some were in Iberian, the preRoman language of Spain! An inscription Robert Stone
found in 1975 was deciphered to read: "To Bel."2J Bel
was the sun god of the Phoenicians, but the ancient Gauls
also had a sun god, named Belenus!24
Fell and his associates were astonished by these inscriptions, which implied a colonization of America long before the putative settlement of Culdee monks. Fell tentatively dated these inscriptions to c. 800 B.C.-40 B.C., or
a little later, which he deduced from the style of writing
and from the style of the language. 2s Fell was not, it seems,
dreaming these translations up out of his imagination.
Although he was a zoologist by training, he had for years
been interested in both modern and ancient languages,
including Egyptian. Babylonian. Greek. Latin. Sanskrit.
Gaelic, Arabic, Phoenician, and many others (including
Maori, the native Polynesian language of his New Zealand
homeland).
Thus, a war of the words was unleashed as scholars
rushed to support or attack Fell's radical position. Writer
DeWitt S. Copp noted, for example, that while Prof.
Warren G. Cowgill of Yale University, an expert in Ogam
and Celtic culture, had expressed interest in the Mystery
Hill inscriptions, he had declined an invitation to view
them at the site. This seems to be at first glance a most
unscientific interest on the part of a scholar who should
be so excited by a potentially important discovery that he
would want to rush to study the evidence with a fine-tooth
comb before either accepting it as valid or debunking it.
To be sure. Copp didn't give Cowgill's reason for not going
to Mystery Hill; however, we shall learn in a later part of
this report that this attitude among scholars appears to be
a somewhat representative one. It is only in the last two
years or so that more academics have become interested
and supportive of the theories concerning Mystery Hill.
One of these is Dr. linus Brunner of St. Gallen, Switzerland, one of the world's leading experts on ancient IndoEuropean languages. 26 Indeed, Prof. Fell told me that
European scholars are generally more liberal than Americans when it comes to trans-Atlantic cultural diffusion. 27
Thus. as new evidence began to appear, the controversy became more heated. It was suggested by opposing
sides that the strange buildings were either abandoned
Colonial farm buildings or ancient temples. Those who
supported the theory that Mystery Hill was a pre-Columbian
site began to follow the trail of the Sun Gods as they wound
their way across the valleys and through the forests of old
New England. Here and there. as in Vermont or the outskirts of Poughkeepsie in New York, standing stones
would rise up like the crude ancestors of EgyPtian obelisks,
often reaching heights of 6 or even 8 feet. 28 Some of these
were arranged in patterns which seemed to convey astronomical symbolism. Indeed, the next great breakthrough

at Mystery Hill and at the sites in Vermont came when researchers working at the same time as those finding inscriptions made discoveries of their own. and found even
stranger suggestions of ancient sciences.
So, imagine you are walking along a trail in western
Massachusetts. It's hot, and you stop to rest for a moment.
You stoop beside a gurgling brook to get a drink of clear
natural stream water. Your eyes widen in amazement as
you see the incredible reflection of a circle of standing
stones. Looking up from the water, you wonder if you
have suddenly been teleported to Salisbury Plain in England ... .Is that Stonehenge? No, you are still in northeastern
PURSUIT Winter 1979

18
America, and you are looking at one of the weirdest discoveries yet made in this area - the Berkshires Standing
Stones Site, one of the keys which will unlock the gates of
the past and will help us to solve the enigma of Mystery
Hill and the crumbling ruins of New England.
(To Be Continued)

PURSUIT Winter 1979

(Editor's note: The names of nearby towns and other identifying

factors are in the files of NEARA; but. because many of the sites
mentioned in this article have been vandalized by treasure
seekers. we have withheld the information at the request of that
organization. The sites, except for Mystery Hill and one or two
others, are on private property which is not open to the public.
In Vermont, the ruins are protected by state law.)

19

REFERENCES
1. Ramsay. Raymond H. No Longer on the Map. New York,
Ballantine, 1973, pp. 143-156.
2. Willey, Gordon and Sabloff, Jeremy A .. A History of American Archaeology. San Francisco, W. H. Freeman And Company.
1974(?)' p. 26. As early as 1590. Fray de Acosta had suggested
a similar theory.
3. Silverberg, Robert, Mound Builders of Ancient America,
Greenwich, Connecticut, New York Graphic Society. pp. 2267,
et seq.
4. ibid. p. 244, 247, p. 173 et seq.
5. Deacon, Richard, Madoc and the Discovery of America,
New York. George Braziller, 1966.
6. Kelly, A. R., ed., "Aboriginal Stone Structures in the Southern Piedmont," Athens, Georgia, University of Georgia Labor
atory of Archaeology Series. Report No.4, 1962.
7. Goodwin, William B., The Ruins of Great Ireland in New
England. Boston. Meador Press, 1946, pp. 40-41.
8. ibid. po. 62
9. Pohl, Frederick, The Lost Discovery. New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 1952.
10. Feldman. Mark, The Mystery Hill Story. Derry. New Hampshire, 1977, pp. 31-2.
11. ibid, pp. 32-4.
12. ibid, chronological chart.
13. Glynn, Frank, "Some Parallels for the North Salem Com
plex's Architecture," North Salem. New Hampshire. April, 1955,
reprinted in, and edited by. James P. Whittallll. Early Sites Research Society Work Reports. Vol. II. No. 18, 1976.

14. Ibid. "Field Report. 1957." edited and reprinted by J. P.

Whittallll. in E.S.R.S. Work Reports. Vol. I. No. 10. January
1976.
15. ibid, "Field Report, 1958-9. North Salem. New Hampshire."
in August. 1976 E.S.R.S. Work Reports. Vol. 2. No. 19. p. 4.
16. Feldman, op. cit.. p. 46.
17. Trento, Salvatore M. The Search for Lost America. Chicago.
Contemporary Books. 1978. p. 245.
18. Feldman. op. cit.. chronological chart.
19. Ashe. G .. (ed.). Praeger Publishers. New York. 1970.
p.l72.
20. Copp, DeWitt S .. "Goodbye Columbus. Or. Was Massasoit
a Celt?", Country Journal. August. 1976 (courtesy M. Kling.
NEARA).
21. Goodwin. op. cit .. p. 191. The sample was" tested by the
Harvard School of Metallurgy's labs and found to be of excellent
Norse quality, possibly from Swedish mines. It was similar to a
Norse ax found by Goodwin in Nova Scotia: the latter had a
runic date on it. "1005 A.D."
22. New York, Quadrangle Books. 1976. p. 19.
23. ibid, p. 90.
24. MacCana. Proinsias, Celtic Mythology. New York. Hamlyn.
1970, p. 32. There was also a mythical Welsh god or hero named
Beli (p. 67).
25. Fell. op. cit., p. 92.
26. CoPP. op. cit .. p. 64.
27. Fell, personal communication. December. 1977.
28. Sincerbeaux, Mr. E., personal communication. April. 1978.

PURSUIT Winter 1979

20

THE TOWN THAT WASN'T ZAPPED BY UFOs

By Barbara Jordison
A UFO magazine had chosen the town of Chester, Illinois
r-\ to play the leading role in a featured story - UFOs
were to attack, destroy and rebuild the town in the January issue.
There was no way to know it would turn into a media
flap, but it takes merely a little imagination to know that
any magazine publisher is delighted with free publicity.
After the advance press release, in November, the wire
service picked up the UFO-Chester story and by mid,December it spread across the country's newspapers for
. an extended silly-season story.
Two days before Christmas, a friend from college years
let me know early in the morning that Chester was in the
news. It was barely sunrise in the Midwest, but Robert
was wide awake in Richmond, Virginia and ready for
swift repartee.
He got right to the point. "I see on the front page of
The Wall Street Journal that Chester was attacked by
UFOs in August." He waited. "Hello, out there."
"I'm here," I yawned. "In fact, the whole town is here,
or at least someplace outside. No, it was a couple of years
ago, and a different month ... the story is erroneous."
Robert came back swiftly, "I didn't know you knew
such a big word," thereby winning half a pOint. What I'd
actually meant was there had been an unexplained Sighting, but I wasn't going to tell dear 01' Bob that and spoil
the effect. Right?
Next I heard from my brother in Miami. The UFOChester destruction was in the Florida papers. At this
point, no one took the story seriously - how could such
an idiotic story carry any belief factors?
The nearby St. Louis newspapers divided into two
camps and gave free publicity to "Star Wars" and "Close
Encounters" by linking them in the headlines with the
UFO-Chester event. A St. Louis TV news team visited
the town, taped some interviews and everyone had a jolly
laugh around the newsroom after the reporter delivered
his light report. However, after a radio network interview,
the publisher of the UFO magazine added a new note to
the fun and games - a discordant theme began to reverberate throughout the editorial responses to the publisher's attitude.
He was deadly serious. He insisted the story had been
sent to the magazine from someone in Chester. Why his
UFO magazine? Because they didn't expect to be believed by anyone else. "Do you believe that cock and bull
story?" he was asked during the telephone interview.
"I believe something happened," was the responsesaid with the conviction of a method actor.
Thus, high theater turned into tragedy and bypassed
comedy. Not only was the story and the publisher a target,
some of the left-over Christmas ire was directed at the
town of Chester.
The West hadn't been heard from yet. It was the dipping from The Tulsa Tribune that Signaled the real change
PURSUIT Winter 1979

in the fun and games approach. The editorial writer did

not like the length of time it took for denials to come out
of Chester.
I wish someone would explain the editorial's last paragraph: "But Chester had better not laugh too hard. There
could be a Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind, and nothing left but a hole in illinois." ~erhaps that's telling it like
you see it, from out th'ar, pardner.
The St. Louis Globe Democrat took a more fatherly,
protective tone toward Chester: " ... writers should not
hallucinate in print, and then try to convince the public
that this fanciful tale is for real. There already is enough
confusion in the country without trying to conjure up
attacks by UFOs on places like Chester." Well, in an open
society no one owns a subject like UFOs and the media is
expected to police itself.
It is difficult to see the harm in such high-jinks. Perhaps
it was the heavy makeup on the magazine's act that caused
most of the problems, the fantasy was heavily disguised
as factual. Allan Hendry, the editor of the scientif-oriented
International UFO Reporter explained, from northern
Illinois:
"I received a lot of calls inquiring about the 'attack':'
said. Mr. Hendry, "so, like an idiot I called the sheriff in
Randolph County. You see, as the real sheriff pOinted
out, there's no such thing as a 'city sheriff' in Chester."
(A clue in there fizzes. It seems unlikely that a local,
Chester writer would call his main story character a 'city
sheriff' and possibly it pOints to a Big Apple writer instead.)
The peak slid into a trough by February, but the magazine missed the cues and planned a bash in Chester.
The press release didn't make the weekly newspaper's
deadline, so there was a built-in excuse for the expected
30,000 spectators to be 29,880 people short, by actual
count.
In a town of 5500 people, it had to be a spoof-a grand
closing thumb-to-nose gesture, at worst, and Peck's bad
boy come to collect his ego's reward for meritorious persistence.
The UFO qlagazine sent two representatives to Chester.
When they stepped out of the rented helicopter, when it
landed at the high school practice field, a boy asked, "Is
this a publicity stunt?"
"I can't answer that question," was the reply. Masterful
line delivered with masterful straight-face aplomb.
The crowd was silent and waiting. Many were youngsters and high school students who had to be at the high
school for other purposes than to hear what the magazine's representatives had to say. And the word had
gotten around town so that the group's tolerance level for
further gaff was nearly at zero.
Since the town's mayor was elsewhere, the police chief
accepted the framed plaque (congratulating the mayor
and the citizens of Chester for their understanding and
cooperation) and a sealed envelope for the mayor-when
he could be found.
The whole atmosphere appeared to be one of controlled politeness toward the two visitors. A sudden fisticuffs between the two, along with an inference that it was

21
uncontrollable and probably motivated by beings beyond
their control. was a dismal curtain act. So the sealed letter
had to be the final bow.
Long after the men had climbed back into their rented
whirlybird and 'coptered into the sunset. the mayor opened
the envelope. The mayor was informed that the magazine

had decided it would be five years before they could release the names of those Chesterites they claim saw the
invasion on the night of August 2. 1977.
In a less sophisticated age it all would've been a footstomping comedy of success. "Sleep well. Chester."
wrote Allan Hendry. "It's UFOlogy that's hurting."

THE PEVELY MYSTERY TOXIN

By William Zeiser
HERE is no room in a bureaucrat's file for anomalous
Tevents.
no certificate to register the bafflement of the
seemingly unexplained poisoning of a family; yet the
bizarre and tragic chain of events that befell the Boyer
family of Pevely, Missouri. is filled with incredulity, false.
leads. ambiguous evidence. and even temporary suspension of rational analysis in the face of the unknown.
In desperation of closing the case, an improbable explanation for a double death was announced. only to be
promptly disputed by other "experts." Group psychosomatic effects. proximity to former UFO activity. and an
associated earthquake must also be considered in this case.
The tragic riddle began Sept. 19. 1978 when Eva Sims,
unable to reach her daughter, Bonnie Boyer, age 36, by
telephone after repeatedly getting a busy signal, drove to
the Boyer home with her husband Alvin. They were to
spend the night there to avoid the fumes from pest extermination at the Sims home. Ironically, Mrs. Sims was to
encounter instead the grim results of fumes of a different
and far more mysterious kind.
Mrs. Sims entered the Boyer home and spoke to Robert
Boyer, age 36, a U.S. Army recruiter. Bonnie's husband,
and the father of their two children Tonya, 16. and Barry.
14. Boyer "didn't let on like he knew me." Mrs. Sims
recalled. She asked him where his wife was."He looked
back at me and shook his head as if he didn't know."

"Bonnie Boyer was found dead

on the bedroom floor with
a blanket over her robed figure."
Bonnie Boyer was found dead on the bedroom floor
with a blanket over her robed figure. Mrs. Sims said that
Boyer acted as if he didn't know who his wife was. He
went to the bathroom and vomited and began to cry.
Mrs. Sims notified the authorities.
Only a year ago Boyer had moved his family into his
half-constructed home in the Blackberry Hills area of
Pevely (near where he and Bonnie had grown up) after
spending a nomadic 17 years in the Army. He had stopped
construction on the home. a simple poured concrete
basement with a roof upon it, after being notified that he
was to be transferred to Kansas City, Kansas, in early
October. Arrangements had been made with Boyer's
nephew, Steve Reisner, age 23, to move into the house
after the family departed.

Two dogs and a cat were found inside. also in a weakened state. There was evidence that the pets as well as
members of the family had been sick. (The dogs soon recovered and the cat was sacrificed for tissue samples.)
All the windows in the home were closed and an air conditioner was operating on a cooling recirculation setting,
and therefore not venting fresh air from outside the house.
This was all the authorities had to go on as the body of
Bonnie Boyer was wheeled out the door. Although natural
gas or carbon monoxide was at first suspected, there
were no gas appliances found in the home. And although
the house is hooked up to a sewage line. there were no
traces of methane gas found either.

"Two dogs and a cat

were found inside, also in
a weakened state."
A curious incident occurred. however. that was reported
but once in the press before being dropped from sight:
Pevely police Sgt. Harry White smelled "what appeared,
to be a gaseous substance in the basement. He said it
smelled sweet - almost fruity. "2 The identity of this odor
has not yet been established.
Sgt. White said that he experienced a headache after
being in the house for 45 minutes. Several other police
and firemen also became ill after entering the Boyer home:
the first officer to enter the house, Colleen Fitzpatrick. 23.
became so nauseous she fell down. She recovered enough
to drive herself to hospital where she was treated for a
cough and a slight fever. then released. (One newspaper
reported falsely in a front page story. later corrected.
that she was admitted to hospital. without. however.
mentioning the olfactory datum reported by Sgt. White.)
There are indications of a group psychosomatic effect
here, as our data will show.
The two children. semiconscious, were having seizures.
Boyer was reported to be "in a spaced-out condition" by
Patrolman Tom Lewis. "All he could tell me was who
[the children) were, and how old they were. That was the
last intelligent thing he could tell me. "3
Families nearby were evacuated briefly the night of
Sept. 20. but allowed to return home at 4:00 a.m., even
though authorities could not be certain the mystery toxin
or infectious agent was confined to the Boyer household.
Overnight, a team of Army epidemiologists arrived to
investigate. Their equipment checked for any possible
nerve gas contamination, but found none.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

22
Within hours, specialists called in to the case were
assembled under team leader Dr. Howard Schwartz,
a toxicologist and associate professor of medicine at the
St. Louis University School of Medicine. Several likely
causes were checked and abandoned over the next fortyeight hours: neither carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide,
methane, cyanide, strychnine, arsenic, drug overdoses,
nor evidence of food poisoning were indicated by medical
tests on the victims. Physical violence was ruled out by
investigating police. The Army announced that Boyer
could have had no access to nerve gas or other military

"Sgt. White said that he

experienced a headache after being
in the house for 45 minutes. "
gases. Geiger counters showed no radiation from the
family's microwave oven. (This finding represents a meaningless triviality, because nuclear, or ionizing radiation is
an entirely different physical phenomenon from microwave
or other non-ionizing forms of electromagnetic radiations.)
Tests proved negative for a viral or bacterial agent, including Legionnaires disease. An autopsy of Mrs. Boyer
revealed "no obvious cause of death." Dr. Schwartz commented, "I haven't seen anything quite like this. All the
labs are going full blast on this, and we're not any closer
to a poison than we were before. "4
Sept. 21 - Barry Boyer, the 14-year-old son, died
around noon, thus becoming the second fatality of the
still-unknown toxin. Dr. Schwartz, coordinating federal,
state, and university investigators, along with area medical examiners. several hospitals and even a veterinary
school. could offer no explanation. "Frankly. we've chased
down a lot of avenues and have come up with zilch."5
Not quite a cipher, however. An unusual substance
had been detected in the bodies, a breakdown product of
dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a solvent used in many household products, which. while not toxic itself, has the property of easily carrying other chemicals across the skin
barrier. (DMSO. an ingredient of hand lotion and pesticides
was once used to dangerously dose persons with LSD at
rock festivals, etc., when mixed with water and sprayed
on naked skin from a toy squirtgun.) The DMSO was not
found in "any unusually high amount, and we are not
saying it caused the problem," Dr. Schwartz said. It may
have aided the entry of some still-hypothetical toxin.
Sept. 22 - Test animals spent the previous night in
the Boyer home. A dog, a kitten, and a rat "appeared
normal" to investigators who donned disposable oversuits
and air tanks to feed the animals and observe any changes
in behavior. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(E.P.A.) experts had checked the air with negative results for exotic gases which could have seeped into the
house from sinkholes which longtime residents say dot
the area. There was also speculation that radon gas had
escaped from subterranean rocks a few hours before,
when a mild earthquake struck between Pevely and St.
Louis. 30 miles north, at 7:30 the morning after Mrs.
Boyer's death. The quake, of Richter magnitude 3.3. ran
along a fault that runs just to the east of town. 6 No credence
was given this theory. however.

The mayor of Pevely said residents were starting to get

edgy. "They want to know what the hell happened. They
keep bugging me about it."7
Sept. 23 - The test animals were still doing fine, and
seemed playful to the space-suited investigators. Yet Tony
Boyer remained in critical condition, while the elder Boyer
could still not answer coherently.
Hundreds of toxins had by now been eliminated by the
expert team racing to solve the Boyer case. The search
for an answer was taking far longer than anyone expected,
and the metropolitan area was astir with rumors. Pressure for an answer, any answer, seemed to be growing as
time closed in.
Sept. 26 - The fulltime efforts of more than fifty experts had, after a week since Mrs. Boyer's death, at last
indicated a suspect for the mystery toxin.
Traces of an odorless, potent toxin, methyl bromide
(CH:J3r), were found by the E.P.A. in the family's tea
kettle and coffee pot, as well as in the air of the sealed
home. It was also reported that CH:J3r was found in urine
samples taken from the late Mrs. Boyer. 8 This latter finding was negated a few days later when it was announced
by St. Louis County Medical Examiner Dr. George E.

"The two children, semiconscious,

were having seizures."
Gantner, Jr. that no significant traces of CH:J3r had been
found in Mrs. Boyer's body. (Mrs. Boyer was the first to
succumb and did not receive medical treatment such as
inhalation therapy as the other had. Since she remained
in the sealed house, tissue samples from her body would
have provided the most promiSing clues to the identity of
the mystery toxin. However. Dr. Gantner said, only "small
traces" of CH :J3r were found therein. 9)
Investigation was centering on a cache of 30 (erroneously reported as 80) insulation panels stored in the
Boyer home. As the details unfolded it was discovered
that Steve Reisner, Boyer's nephew, was planning to
insulate the house for winter. Employed at the nearby
Dow Chemical Co. plant that manufactures Styrofoam
sheets, he had reportedly stolen several of the sheets for
that purpose.
The insulation was "uncured." meaning it had' not
been kept in company storage for a required seven-day
curing period during which 97% of all industrial fumes
would have been degassed from the material. Dow's
product was suspected of emitting the methyl bromide
because a related molecule. methyl chloride (CH:1CI), is
used as an aerosol propellant to pressurize the plastic foam
into becoming Styrofoam. Methyl bromide occurs as a
very dilute impurity in methyl chloride, at .25 to .5 parts
per million (ppm). Curiously, no proportionate levels of
methyl chloride were detected in the home or in tissue
samples.
Tonya Boyer continued a remarkable recovery, coming
out of a coma and the same afternoon being well enough
to visit with her father, who had the difficult task of telling
Tonya that her mother and brother had died.
"Toxin Found in Pevely Deaths!" the headlines proclaimed. The mystery was solved. The Explainers cheered.
Dr. Schwartz, however, hedged his bets.
Styrofoam is a trademark used by the Dow Chemical Co.

PURSUIT Winter 1979

23
While "we feel that [CH3Br) was the most likely cause
of the poisonings." Dr. Schwartz said, he could not prove
the Styrofoam stored in the Boyer home had indeed poisoned the family. He suspected it, he said, for lack of
another logical source. Yet he noted methyl chloride
(CH 3CI) was not found in the Boyer house in sufficient
quantities to have caused any illness. The hazard level for
methyl chloride is five times safer than that of methyl
bromide.
Pevely Police Chief Robert Perkins announced that
warrants for involuntary manslaughter will be sought
against an unnamed suspect. "We feel there will be an
arrest,"IO Chief Perkins said. Later, he was to backpedal,
saying, "at present, there are no plans to issue a warrant
because there is nothing to justify a man being charged."11
Sept. 27 - The Explainers. flushed with victory, collide
with Dow Chemical's experts. and the case ricochets into
Intermediateness. Instead of Absolutes and Identifiable
Causes, we have only evidence of probabilities. synchronicities. and inconsistencies. Two topics were especially
befogged. with contradicting evidence - the matter of
concentrations of toxin in air and Styrofoam samples.
and the matter of when and how much of the insulation
was taken to the home.
Both sides agreed that CH~r was considered safe in
the workplace at 20.ppm for 8 hours' exposure, while
CH 3CI (the substance actually used to make Styrofoam)
was safe at 100 ppm air sample. The concentration of
CH~r normally present in Dow's product from impurities
is .25 to .5 ppm. Dow scientists claimed this level could
not have caused the symptoms suffered by the Boyers.
Dow Chemical Co. has had no empk>yee fume-related
injuries from its Styrofoam plants in at least ten years.
They said it is impossible that methyl bromide could be
emitted, even in a closed environment such as the Boyers'
basement home,. in toxic or in lethal quantities from uncured Styrofoam.
Test results by the E.P.A. released six days later showed
a concentration of CH~r of up to 300 ppm in Styrofoam
samples taken from the Boyef home, and a concentration
of CH 3CI of 60 ppm in the air.
The Explainers would have to account for the fact that
methyl chloride entered the home in a concentration four

"The mayor of Pev~ly said

residents were starting to get edgy."
million times greater than methyl bromide. yet was detected a few days later at one-fifth the concentration of
the methyl bromide. Also to be explained is how methyl
chloride, which is much more soluble in water than methyl
bromide, 12 was not found in tissue samples or the kettle at
hazardously elevated levels. whereas the methyl bromide
was. It was subsequently confirmed by Boyer that his
family had not used any fumigants, fire extinguishers, or
pesticides that might contain bromide. (Although investigators found that if Styrofoam is sprayed with such a fumigant and placed in a closed space it could give off a toxin,
it was decided that such had not been the case with the
Boyers.) A further complication of the concentration question involved the administration to Barry and Tonya of

drugs containing bromine. This could have affected the

lab results but also could be factored out.
The second field of ambiguity involved when and how
much Styrofoam was actually placed in the Boyer domicile.
Pevely police listed 15 sheets taken to the home on Sept.
14; this also was reported as 12 sheets on Aug. 14 by one
paper.
Dow had different figures. They said 45 sheets were
stolen from the plant Sept. 9 and 10 more on Sept. 16.
Boyer, upon partial recovery, recalled his nephew
delivered Styrofoam on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17, when
Boyer. and his wife brought about 15 sheets in from a
rainstorm at 9:30 p.m. If Mrs. Boyer had died, as determined, 12-17 hours before being discovered the afternoon

"Could a piece of ground

become hostile?"
of Sept. 19, and the Styrofoam sheets (if indeed they
were the source of the toxin) were brought indoors the
evening of the 17th, she would have succumbed only
about 24 hours after exposure. (CH~r is absorbed by
inhalation, skin, and eye contact to the ratio of 5:4: 1.
CH 3CI's ratio is 3: 1: 1. Il)
Yet a friend of Barry's, Tim Weibking, visited once
Sept. 16 and then watched television for 8 hours on
Sept. 17 inside the house - during which time the Boyers'
symptoms appeared. Weibking, however, suffered no ill
effects. according to his mother. Mrs. Margaret Weibking.
The case grew less consistent still when it was reported
that Boyer's niece, Suzie, age 10, who also spent the day
of the 17th in the house, that evening developed severe
hiccoughs, felt exhausted and nauseated, and was subsequently taken to hospital by her father - the doctors
could find nothing wrong.
A house. A family. A toxin. Twenty-four hours of exposure kills Mrs. Boyer and later Barry. Eight hours of
exposure leaves Tim untouched. Eight hours of exposure
~ospitalizes Suzie. At the U.S. Center for Disease Control
in Atlanta, Georgia, test animals frolic amidst uncured
Styrofoam in a "duplicate environment." "The rats are
doing fine."14
Oct. 7 - After 18 days of trying to identify the Pevely
toxin, investigators were still stumped. according to Dr.
Gantner, who considered CH3Br "unlikely" to have been
the toxin, at least by itself. Work was focused on the possible synergistic reaction of CH~r with some unnamed
other gas that leaves no trace in the body. Dr. Gantner
concluded. "We just don't know the answer. "I~
The bureaucrat's file remained empty.

EPILOGUE
This case serves as a parsimonious example of several
pitfalls and common features of a Fortean phenomenon
and its interpretation. Firstly, we have the problem of
"noise" in newspaper accounts, via false reports, unresolved
conflicts in different stories, and typos. Then there is the
almost comical sideshow of the local constabulary's investigation, including its puzzlement, reverses. and general
interference.
There are the few untidy but intriguing facts: that the
PURSUIT Winter 1979

24

PURSUIT Winter 1979

25

"1

~!
!
I
i

fF

j.';

f4
". I'

-~

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" ... s

:'J'

PURSUIT Winter 1979

26
Boyers were to move out of state soon; the unexplained
'fruity' odor perceived by Sgt. White; the immunity of
Tim Weibking.
And we have a rush to judgment, perhaps, by the principal scientist in the case, Dr. Schwartz, who was under
pressure from all sides to resolve the mystery. His contention involving Styrofoam still remains as a possibility, albeit
that contention is still held in limbo by Dow's scientific rebuttal and the judiciousness of Dr. Schwartz's colleague,
Dr. Gantner. The cleaving to a perhaps-untenable but
sole explanation for this conundrum illustrates (so humanly)
how our rational minds would rather stretch logic into a
Iiferaft of straws than be immersed beneath the face of
fathomless mystery:

We need mention yet anotherfeature ofthe case, UFO

activity near a reservoir outside of Pevely almost every
night throughout the Summer of 1971 - a conjunction
not of temporality but of locality. (No UFOs were reported, to my knowledge, during the Boyer affair.)
My own guess on the Pevely mystery toxin? I'll close
with a question. Could a piece of ground become hostile?
Can certain locales on this planet viciously turn on their
occupants, sap their vital energy with malevolent emanations, debilitate them mentally,' and utterly ruin their health?
Could substances - either toxins or simple catalystssomehow materialize diffusely through an enclosed space
to wreak devastation, then just as mysteriously retire unto
the chthonic realms?
~

REFERENCES
1. St. Louis Post Dispatch , Sept. 20, 1978
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. PD Sept. 21
5. PD Sept. 22
6. PD Sept. 20
7. PDSept. 24
8. St. Louis G/obeDemocrat. Sept. 27.1978

9.
10.
11.
12.

ibid. Oct. 7-8

ibid. Sept. 27
PDOct. 3
Handbook of Analytical Toxicology Cleveland:
Chemical Rubber Company, 1969
13. ibid.
14. G-D Sept. 29
15. PD Oct. 8

MUTILATIONS: THE ELSBERRY ENIGMA

By R. Martin Wolf and S. N. Mayne
winter, 1977 issue of Pursuit (Vol. 10, No.1),
INanthearticle
("Chaos in Quiescence." by R. Martin Wolf)
concerning SITU's investigations into the cattle mutilations
reported from a number of western states begins with the
information that on August 5, 1976, "we were now sitting
in the Sheriff's Department's offices in Great Falls. Montana, asking our initial questions concerning the mutilations
when the phone rang. A mutilation." The veterinarian
and deputy sheriff who examined the carcass of the animal with us estimated the time of the animal's death to be
sometime on the 4th of August.
Two years and two days later, we traveled to Elsberry,
Missouri, where a number of mutilations. had been reported,
and were once again sitting in the office of a Sheriff's Department, once again asking our initial questions concerning the mutilations when, once again, the phone rang.
A mutilation, believed to have occurred three nights before - once again, August 4 - was reported.
This coincidence, which represents a direct correlation
between two events which occurred exactly two years
apart some 1000 miles distant from each other, began
our investigations into a series of unusual events which
unfolded in the Elsberry area during the summer months
of 1978.
By now most Forteans have probably heard of Elsberry,
where mutilations have been reportedly occurring since
April, 1978, reaching a peak in June of that year when
PURSUIT Winter 1979

the phenomena received national coverage. The extent

of mutilations, however, as well as some of the controversial enigmas surrounding some of the cases have not
get been adequately dealt with by the media. Because of
this, and since SITU became directly involved in the investigations, we hope this article will be able to clarify
what actually occurred.

THE ELSBERRY SEVEN

Although national press and other media coverage of
mutilations in the area might lead one to believe that the
phenomenon commenced in June, 1978, The Elsberry
Democrat (primarily through the efforts of Margaret Watts,
who has covered most of the mutilation incidents in detail for that newspaper) has shown that the mutilations
actually began much earlier.
On January 25, 1975 a mutilated cow was found by
hunters in Sandy Creek, Missouri. The cow, reportedly
cut around the left jaw, was missing the tongue and the
left ear - which had been "cleanly cut off." There was
also a large hole in the rear of the animal's carcass where
the sex organs had been removed. In addition, "hair on
the right side and right ear had been singed. The right ear
was notched as if an identification tag had been removed,"
according to The Elsberry Democrat. I
April 26, 1978,3 miles west of Elsberry: a 350 pound
bull calf (a crossbreed - Hereford and Angus) was discovered, dead and mutilated, 650 yards from the house,
on a farm belonging to John Mayes. It is worth noting

27
that the bull had been moved, along with the rest of Mayes'
herd of cattle, to another pasture the week before: nevertheless, the animal was found mutilated and alone in the
old pasture. Sex organs were missing, the right ear was
severed even with the skull, and there was a reported
lack of blood in the cavity. There were no other apparent
marks. and rigor mortis had not set in even though it was
estimated that the cow had been dead at least two days
prior to the carcass being discovered. Predators, it was
noted, had left the carcass untouched. A small burned
area, about the size of a campfire, was found near the
animal's body. 2
June 8, 1978, 8 miles west of the Mayes' property:
, The carcass of a dead 200 pound Black Angus heifer was
found near a creek in a pasture on Forrest Gladney's farm
near Okete, Missouri. The animal's right ear, right eye,
udder and sex organs were missing, and the flesh remaining appeared to have been severed by a very sharp instru"
ment. There was an absence of blood noted, and rigor
mortis had not set in. Besides the nauseating odor which
permeated the surroundings, a mass of black insects
which were not immediately identifiable was found in the
rear section of the animal where sex organs had been removed. Eight feet to the north of the mutilated calfs carcass
officers from the lincoln County Sheriff's Department
found an imprint matching the size of the calf's body. with
an outline of the calf's hair ringing the edge of the impression mashed into the grass. Between this area and the
carcass investigators could find no evidence of drag marks.
Other animals, including the calf's mother, would not
approach the carcass.
According to The Elsberry Democrat, "it was noticed
that flies which had been on the carcass of the Gladney
calf were dead and stuck, as if glued, on bare tree limbs
above the site where the steer's body lay. Also a strip of
leaves about 40 feet in length on a tree near the carcass
has turned brown. Branches of the tree containing the
flies have been taken to a laboratory for analysis."3
It was the Gladney mutilation, and primarily this particular aspect of the situation, which brought the Elsberry
mutilations national press and media coverage; because
of the enigmatic results of the analysis, however, we will
discuss them in a later, and more appropriate, section of
this article.
June 17, 1978: A 1000 pound Hereford cow, along
with her two to three-day-old calf belonging to Gary Hagemeier were found dead at the edge of a wooded area
along a creek about 4 miles west of Elsberry. The calf's
right eye, lower teeth and tongue were missing, there
appeared to be a lack of blood, and the animal was lodged
between two trees. The calf's mother had her left ear,
left eye, tongue, udder and reproductive area cut away;
and there was no sign of blood in the carcass or on the
ground surrounding both animals, according to the paper. 4
The hips of the cow were lying on the flanks of the calf.
Grass where the animals were lying had been mashed
down in the form of a half circle, as though from signs of
a struggle. Two holes about JI/4 inches apart and 1/4 inch
in diameter were found on the inside of the back leg (in
the femoral artery). Black, beetle-type insects, similar to
those found at the Gladney mutilation, were found in the
cow's mouth.

According to Dr. W. E. Newberry, a veterinarian who

visited the scene. the cow died giving birth to the calf. His
conclusion was that a hiplock birth (the calf was never expelled from the cow) had occurred, and that considerable
thrashing about had caused the cow to roll onto her back.
Once down. she was then unable. because of the impeded
birth of her calf, to get back up. And as for the missing
organs on the animals, the vet concluded it was the work
of predators.
The same day (June 17, 1978), another mutilation
was discovered on the Mayes farm (a mile southeast of
Hagemeier's): The rectum area and reproductive organs
had been removed from a dead steer. There was no blood
in evidence and no sign that a struggle had taken place.
Two days later, it was noted that a 4- to 5-foot circular
area of grass had died and had turned brown at the spot
where the steer was found mutilated. ~
June 24, 1978: What was possibly a non-mutilation
was recorded on this date,when Veterinarian Dr. Newberry
examined a dead cow on the Robert Taylor farm southwest of Elsberry. The vet, witnessed by a KTVI-Channel 2
(St. Louis) news team camera, indicated a singed area on
the cow's shoulder and stated that thiS, evidence of a
typical lightning stroke, was the cause of death. The vet
then cut the hide in order to clearly show where the lightning.had discolored the flesh. (There had been a severe
thunderstorm in the area the previous day.) There also
was blood in evidence on the cow, the vet noted. The TV
newscast aired later in the day. however. despite that
station's avid interest in the mutilation situation, failed to
show the vet's explanation.
During our investigations in the area, we were somewhat puzzled when, six weeks after the cow's death, we
were informed that the carcass was still lying on the spot
where it had been discovered without becoming significantly
decomposed during the summer. Usually, cow carcasses
diSintegrate, through the actions of predators as well as
the summer sun, more quickly than those of mutilated
animals, which are often reported to deteriorate more
slowly.
A point also worth mentioning here is that we were
informed by the Sheriff's Department that in a 20 foot
diameter area around the cow the grass appeared to have
been trampled by the other animals in the herd. This and
the fact that the dead animal's carcass appeared to have
"slobber" on it would seem to indicate contact and concern on the part of the other cattle present - an aspect
not present at most mutilation occurrences. (It may also
represent a situation common to other cases of lightning
strikes but so far unrecorded.)

SITU INVESTIGATES
Monday morning, August 7, 1978 we drove to an area
southwest of Elsberry, with a deputy sheriff. As we stepped
from the car at the Joe Vitro farm, we immediately noticed
the family's dog, a German shepherd, chewing away at
the severed leg of a caH - the leg of the calf we had come
to investigate, we were to learn shortly. Proceeding to the
field where the latest mutilation lay, we examined a 300350-pound calf which had been missing for several days.
It had been discovered by two of the Vitro children at the
PURSUIT Winter 1979

28

LLI

>

::E

from one of the family members that around midnight

on Friday he was startled by the sound of screaming.
According to the man who heard it, the scream "sounded
like a calf in pain."
In order to keep our investigations schedule, which
necessitated our presence in the West, we found it necessary to leave Elsberry the follOwing day, Tuesday, August 8,
with a return trip to the area planned later in the summer.
That night, we were to learn later, while we were sitting in
Lawrence, Kansas in deep discussion with Forteans Steve
Hicks and George Eberhart, Mrs. Vitro heard what sounded
like a metal object falling into a rainbarrel. The next day,
it was discovered, something had returned to the Vitro
farm, removed an eye and an earfrom the dead calf, and
apparently moved the body 20 yards away from its original position - leaving no discernible drag marks in the
process ....

UFOs AND OTHER

UNUSUAL PHENOMENA

The Vitro calf, reported as dead and mutilated

to the Lincoln County, Missouri Sheriffs Department, August 7, 1978.

edge of a thicket some distance from the nearest accessible road. Apparently the dog, according to the boys
who had discovered the calf, had found the right front leg
atop a small knoll approximately 100 yards away from
the carcass. The calf, which was lying on its left side, had
been stripped of hide on the upper right side causing the
exposed rib cage and throat area to extend from the right
front shoulder to the middle of the rib cage, and from the
backbone to the belly area (see accompanying photos).
The area from which the right front leg was missing showed
no fresh tear marks and no visible blood. A small flap at
the perimeter of the exposed area near the right ear showed
indications of having been cut, and a small bruised area
was apparent on the right rear hip.
Although we searched the surrounding area with the
deputy sheriff, we were unable to find any human or other
tracks that might indicate how the animal died, nor did
we discover any evidence that the calf had been mutilated
where it lay. The calf's tongue, eyes, ears and sex organs
were intact. After taking a few photographs, we spoke
with various members of the family, during which time
we learned the mutilation had probably occurred Friday
night, August 4th. Not only did this agree with our own
and the deputy sheriff's estimations, but we were to learn
PURSUIT Winter 1979

A number of people in the Elsberry area, some of them

directly touched by the mutilation phenomenon, have
experienced unusual lights in the sky. Because the field of
Forteana should not exclude any correlation as totally
insignificant, we feel the unusual sightings and other strange
events which mayor may not be related to the mutilation
reports should nevertheless be recorded. The significance
may evolve on its own eventually; it is our task at this
time to simply document that which has been reported.
In 1975 (it was January 25 of that year, remember, that
hunters found a mutilated cow in Sandy Creek), John
livengood, City Marshal of Elsberry, observed three
objects together .Although a strong temporal and geographical correlation is not striking in this particular case,
we mention it only to provide a background for the much
more obvious correlations which follow.
Following the June 8 discovery of a dead cow on the
Forrest Gladney farm, the Gladneys reported that bright
lights, unidentifiable to them, were seen in the area June 9,
10 and 12. Mr. Gladney said of a large glOWing light he
and his family observed June 9: "I saw this big orange light.
It was as big as a full moon and it wasn't too high above
the ground." Two additional lights appeared, and the
three of them together staged a spectacular display over
his farm, pulsating colorfully for one and a half hours "like
they were giving themselves signals."8 During the week
of June 4-June 10, lights similar to the Gladney ones
were reported from the Shelbina (about 100 miles north
east of Elsberry) and Portageville (about 300 miles southwest of Elsberry) areas. 9
It might be mentioned as a point of interest that following the mutilations which occurred during the month of
June, a woman in the area reported her cows had developed pink eye - an unusual occurrence in old cows
such as hers which should have developed an immunity
Two more views of the Vitro calf carcass.
Above: Side view. Right &Gnt leg is missing.
Below: Neck region, showing possible cut.

29

'.'"
,

~~.

"'

't~
,,.
'\.' .
~

'J:

"

.z:

','

PURSUIT Winter 1979

30
to the disease. The woman's husband, who had never
been ill in his adult life, suddenly and inexplicably became very ill for a few days, then recovered just as suddenly and mysteriously.
The night before the cow and calf deaths (possibly
caused by hiplock, according to the vet) on the Hagemeier
farm, Mrs. Hagemeier said that her son had mentioned
to her that he had observed "a bright, red-orange light
making a half circle around the farm. It made no noise
and it was something he had never seen before."lo
June 18, one day after the Hagemeier cows were found,
as well as the second mutilation on the Mayes farm (which
lies a mile southeast of Hagemeier's), Manford, Maurice
and Aprile Hammond called another couple to witness

"A number of people in the

Elsberry area, some of them
directly touched by the mutilation
phenomenon, have experienced
unusual lights in the sky. "
their observation. The Hammonds had heard on a police
scanner that an unidentified woman in the Kings Lake
vicinity had reported a bright light hovering over their
home. II (At about the same time, it should be noted, an
Elsberry man, Greg Smith, was traveling east on Highway B when he observed a bright light in the southeastern
sky.) Manfred Hammond described the bright saucershaped light he observed at about 10:45 p.m.: "It looked
like your traditional flying saucer ... it looked like if you took
two saucers and would tum one on top of the other. It was
tremendously bright and hovering - as bright as the
brightest of fluorescent lamps. It was so bright that when
it would go down behind the trees, you could see it shine
behind them!"12
Also on the same night, Mrs. Gail Gilchrist, a retired
Army communications speCialist, was watching (through
binoculars) as a "flashing red, blue and green" UFO floated
around the sky inside a "triangle of smaller lights."ll
The next night, although no UFOs were reported in
Elsberry, there was an unidentified light reported over
Harvester, a community located about 30 miles to the
southeast. 14
June 25, the day following the discovery of a dead cow
(probably from a lightning strike) on the Robert Taylor
property, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gladney discovered two
circles on the closely cropped lawn near the deck of their
clubhouse on the Mississippi River. The double circles,
the larger of which was about 8 feet in diameter and the
smaller of which was inside the larger one and measured
about 5 feet, were discovered about 7 a.m. The grass
which formed the circles was covered with a silverish blueblack sooty substance which would reappear after being
rubbed off the grass blades. The substance also produced
a peculiar odor, it was noted.
Although the Gladneys noticed no noises after retiring
about 12:30 Sunday morning, one neighbor reported
hearing beeping sounds, while another neighbor claimed
he heard a loud roar which he attributed at the time to
someone in a boat traveling the river at high speed.
Another resident who lives in the Elsberry area also
PURSUIT Winter 1979

noticed a peculiar odor. The smell lasted over a two-day

period, during July 19 and 20. She first noticed the odor
at about 8 p.m. the 19th, and she felt at that time the
smell was that of "chemicals," although really unlike anything she had ever smelled before. The wind was in the
south: the next night the south and southwest, and was
even more unusual because of the miles of open farmland around her.16
A few days later, July 26, and some 80 miles away,"
the residents of St. Louis were concerned about an unusual
chemical spill in the River des Peres, although whatever
it was remained a mystery to city air pollution officials.
The strange odor, described by some as "oniony," drove
out several employees (who became dizzy and nauseated)
of one firm and caused hundreds of complaints. Spokesmen for two users of the chemical (believed to be Mercaptan, although the source is still a mystery) reported no
spills or leaks from either of their gas storage facilities. 17
Police in Union, Missouri (about 80 miles southwest of
Elsberry) received several reports of UFOs July 26 and 27.
Early in the morning of July 27, Mrs. Clora Winscher told
police that the back end of her car was briefly lifted off the
ground by a bright ball of light as she drove down the
highway. The police report reads: "A UFO with a brilliant
light rode over the top of her vehicle. She heard a crash
toward the rear of her car, and the rear lifted off the ground
for a few seconds." Sgt. Robert A. Reichardt, of the Union
city police, who along with a county sheriff's deputy examined the car, said the auto (a 1974 Mercury Comet)
had two distinct dents in the trunk "like nothing I'~e ever
seen."IB
" "
The same morning, Union city police received a report
from Mrs. Velma Clines, who lives about 6 miles west of
the first sighting. She had observed two objects, one following the other, both of them orange in color; they were
at treetop level and reportedly made no sound. Another
sighting, this one by the wife and two children of Union
Mayor W. J. Stieffermann, was made the morning of the
26th, and occurred about a mile from the first one.
By the 28th of July, UFOs were seen about 100 miles
away from Union, at Fort Leonard Wood. On that night,
and for the third night in a row, Spec. 5 Garry Love, his
wife and a neighbor watched a bright. star-shaped object
that appeared to come out of the sky and then fade away.
"It looks like a star and it seems to become bigger as it
comes toward us and it Vibrates," he said. He mentioned
also that the light moved very slowly and would get "real
white."
"When it got close, you could see a V-shape with a ball
under it," he noted, adding that when the light was closest
to him, he could see a little yellow spot with a blue haze
around it in the center. 20
The night of August 4 is an especially interesting night.
It was late that night (around midnight), remember, that a
Vitro family member heard what sounded like a calf screaming in pain. It was also that night that the suspected mutilation took place on the same farm.
A woman neighbor who lives nearby, with a direct line
of sight to the Vitro property as well as the Taylor property - from her front door you can see the Taylor cow.
suspected of dying from a lightning strike, lying in the
field - observed a strange sight at 11:20 p.m. the night

31

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF UNUSUAL EVENTS

1975
1978

January 25
April 26
June 8
June 4-10

Mutilation discovered by hunters, Sandy Creek, Mo.

Mutilation reported on Mayes farm, Elsberry, Mo., area.
Mutilation reported on Forrest Gladney farm, Elsberry area.
Unidentified lights seen during week in Shelbina, Mo., and Portageville, Mo., areas.

June 9,10,12
June 16
June 17
June 18

Gladneys claim lights, unidentifiable to them, were seen in Elsberry area.

June 19
June 24
June 25
July 19,20
July 25
July 28
July 29
August 4
August 8
August 12,13
August 14
August 30
September 3
September 19
September 20

Hagemeiers observe UFO on their farm.

Hagemeier calf, reported mutilated, found.
UFOs reported by two separate observers in Elsberry area around 10:45 p.m. Reports also
from several people west of Elsberry.
Harvester, Mo. UFO reported.
"Non-mutilation" (lightning strike?) at Taylor farm.
Twin circles of strange, odd-smelling substance found near Ralph Gladney clubhouse on
Mississippi River. Noises reported also.
"Chemical" smell reported from farm community near Elsberry.
Powerful odor, possibly from dumping of chemical Mercaptan, pervades St. Louis area,
causing dizziness, nausea, and evacuation of offices.
UFOs reported in Union, Mo., area.
UFOs reported, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Death of cow, reported mutilated, on Vitro farm, Elsberry area; strange scream heard
around midnight by family member.
Vitro calf carcass reported mutilated again, and moved 20 yards from original position.
"Strong gassy" odor noted, less than a mile from Vitro property, coming from other
direction than Vitro property.
Strange sound, like metal object hitting house, Elsberry area.
Light earthquake, felt in southeast Missouri and Tennessee.
Strange "mushroom"-like odor reported, Elsberry area.
Pevely "mystery toxin" victims discovered.
Earthquake, of 3-3.5 magnitude on Richter scale, felt in St. Louis area; epicenter located
in South St. Louis, on St. Louis Fault which extends to Pevely, Mo.

of August 4. Earlier in the afternoon the woman (who requested us not to print her name) had experienced TV
interference on all stations. At 11 :20 she was amazed to
see a lighted object down next to the road in a field below
the lane going to her home. She described the object to
us as being cross-shaped, flying horizontally, with bands
of two alternating tones of red (like reflectors on a car or
bicycle); and she estimated the object's length at about 20
feet (with the cross-piece measuring about half that). She
termed it "remarkable."
The truly remarkable aspect to the event is that visually,
from her position of observation, the manifestation flew
directly above the Taylor cow carcass where it lay in the
field. Interestingly, the object, when first sighted by the
woman, was also about 20 0 away from a direct line of sight
to the Vitro farm, where a man watching television was
about to hear what sounded like a screaming calf.
The follOWing week, on both the 12th and 13th of August, the same woman noticed a very strange odor coming
from the east. Describing the smell as noted on the 13th
(after experiencing TV interference again all day), she

mentioned that the odor "smells like a dead odor but not
like a dead odor. Either it's in between or it's different.
Maybe it's more like a gas odor. [It's] really strong ... a gassy
smell, like propane gas."
The next night, she heard what sounded like something metallic hitting her house ....
On August 30 an earthquake shook the area. Light
tremors shook homes in southeast Missouri and extreme
western Tennessee, although no apparent damage was
caused, according to a St. Louis newspaper which was
quick to add that minor faults, it appears. are scattered
throughout the state. including the St. LOUis Fault and
one that extends for about 30 miles from near Pevely,
Missouri, to New Melle, Missouri. 21
The geophysically conscious crescendo is quickly drawing
to a close, ending not with a whimper, but a Fortean bang.
September 3, 8 a. m.: The woman who notices "phantom smells" and cross-shaped "UFOs" now detects "another
odor this a.m., like musky mushrooms, or moldy mushrooms ... a half hour later I went outside and the odor was
gone .... "
PURSUIT Winter 1979

32

....
o

SHELBINA

ILLINOIS
MISSOURI

ST.
LOUIS

....

UNION
PEVELY
DIXON
o

SCALE: 1 inch= 22.5 Statute Miles

mutilation reported
UFO
reported
strange odor reported
mysterious toxi n

FORT
LEONARD
WOOD

....o

fault lines
September 19, a.m.: Robert Boyer, in a dazed condition, tells his wife's aunt, who has come to pick up her
niece to go to work, that his wife Bonnie would not be
going to work because she was ill. Bonnie is discovered
by her mother later in the day, not ill but dead, in the bedroom of her home in Pevely, Missouri.
"Yes, she's cold," an incoherent Boyer told his motherPURSUIT Winter 1979

in-law, as he drew a blanket up around Bonnie's chin.

The trail as to what killed Mrs. Boyer and hospitalized,
in critical condition, her husband and two children is also
getting cold ... possibilities include poisoning, a virus, gas,
or even homicide. Reporting to the worried media, Jefferson County Coroner Dr. James C. Rehm discussed an
autopsy performed on the body of Mrs. Boyer: "It's so

33
ambiguous it doesn't make sense."22 [Editor's note: For
a full account of this very strange incident members are
invited to read William Zeiser's article, "The Pevely Mystery
Toxin," elsewhere in this issue.]
September 20,7:25 a.m.: The Bang. An earthquake,
ranging between 3 and 3.5 on the Richter scale, and
apparently associated with movement along the St. Louis
Fault, was felt for hundreds of miles (from Perryville,
Missouri to the Chicago suburb of Skokie, lIIinois). Near
the epicenter in South St. Louis, residents reported a
sound like thunder, (one person said their dog barked
and ran in circles), or like dynamite blasting at the end of
the street.
The St. Louis Fault extends 45 miles northeasterly
from near Valmeyer, I1Iinois (across the Mississippi from
Peoely, Missouri), through St. Louis to the East Alton,
l/Iinois area. 23

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Back in the Elsberry area, the Sheriff's Department is
dismayed. They cannot discover any human involvement in the mutilation incidents, and because they are
thorough and practical in their investigative endeavors
they cannot allow UFOs (which the local populace often
equates, for lack of a more detailed knowledge of the
phenomenon, with spacecraft belonging to beings from
other planets) to take unwarranted blame for the events
in their area.
Logically, they are upset with the media reaction. Newspaper reporters and TV camera teani~ from all over the
country have rushed in (where angels fear to tread),
trampled the. area, poked fingers at carcasses and fun at
witnesses, and distorted and deleted statements and evidence offered by the sheriff and his deputies, all the while
pointing their editorial fingers excitedly at the sky and
screaming vague things about extraterrestrial viSitations.
In the midst of all this, the sheriff and his few deputies
must contend with truly serious matters, what for them
amounts to the thankless task of having to deal with theft,
vandalism, and all the other daily criminal infringements
of the law.
The department is also upset by the sources of their
investigations as well as the resulting media misrepresentation. A direct case in point concerns the analysis of the
dead flies found clustered around twigs near the Forrest
Gladney cow carcass discovered June 8. Apparently the
insects (many of which were dead) were stuck together
by a fungus which had been exuded from the bodies of
the insects. The Sheriff's Department had the specimens
looked at by a laboratory, which reported verbally that
the fungus being exuded from the insects was unknown
outside a laboratory. This was reported instantly by TV
stations around the country who were following the Elsberry mutilations. When the written report arrived at the
Sheriff's Department, however, the story had changed
considerably. Now, it was stated, it appeared the fungus
was a very common one, one that can be found all over
the place, yet a sample of it simply had never been brought
into a laboratory before. Although this roundabout reasoning and contradictory treatment of data may seem

highly unusual to the casual reader, to Forteans it simply

offers another altogether too familiar example of the state
ofthe art ....
Another case in point has already been mentioned.
The vet, working with the Sheriffs Department, in attempting to demonstrate to the media (and for those watching
from the other side of the camera) that at least one specific
carcass could oery logically be explained by having met
its death from something as mundane and simple as a
lightning strike, found that when the broadcast was made
his report was deleted in favor of more exotic premises.
Wastil)g his time and the taxpayer's money once was
more than enough, he felt. And we tend to agree.
By the time we got to the Elsberry area to conduct our
investigations, the Sheriff's Department was still kind
enough to spend long hours with us, still hoping someone would listen .... We thank them, and hope we have
adequately conveyed their feelings.
In any case, by now the mutilations have subsided.
A couple have been reported from near Dixon, Missouri,
safely over 150 miles to the southwest of Elsberry, but
the Sheriff's Department there feels they can all be explained. The unusual lights in the sky over Fort Leonard
Wood some 50 miles to the south may be more difficult

"Amidst the long and winding

trail of false clues, unknowns,
unexplained lights and smells,
circles in the grass and dead
cows, misrepresented statements
and hard investigation by
law enforcement officers,
mysterious illnesses . .. and even
human deaths, there remain,
nevertheless, some remarkable
consistencies among the
Elsberry events."
to explain, but so far they are still distant. The last word
we have heard from Elsberry has been slightly - but only
slightly - more mundane: at the end of October, 1978,
parents of trick-or-treaters were being warned to be careful
where they allow their children to roam. A satanic cult
rumored to be in the area might be looking for a child
sacrifice ....
Amidst the long and winding trail of false clues, unknowns, unexplained lights and smells, circles in the grass
and dead cows, misrepresented statements and hard
investigation by law enforcement officers, mysterious
illnesses and unmarked helicopters (yes, there were some
of those reported, too ... ) and even human deaths, there
remain, nevertheless, some remarkable consistencies
among the Elsberry events.
Throughout the article, we have attempted to document
the high proportion of strange Fortean events that have
PURSUIT Winter 1979

34
occurred in a relatively small geographical microcosm.
Correlations and relationships among the varied phenomena have been obvious, and at the same time more
complex. We would suggest that what we may be dealing
with is of vital interest to the Fortean world as a 'whole,
and The Phenomenon in particular.
We would also, in closing, make the suggestion that
persons such as the woman who perceived unusual lights
and odors on a regular basis during the time the events in
this article took place should not be treated as a threat to
the security and sanity of the world, and therefore shunned and forced, in anonymity, to question their own
perceptions, but perhaps instead to be respected as a
barometer of sorts ... a forecaster of things to come ....

Area Code 314

Phone 5288546

ACKNO~DGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank the following persons and organizations
for the help they have given in making this article possible: the Lincoln
County Sheriffs Department, and especially Sheriff Cliston Hilton, who
along with his deputy, Don Penrod, spent a great deal of time and
energy relating to us the pertinent facts regarding mutilations in the
Elsberry area; John Livengood, Chief of Police in Elsberry, who has
been keeping track of UFO reports in his area; Margaret Watts, who has
written a number of articles for The Elsberry Democrat documenting the
mutilation events as they oocur; The Elsberry Democrat and the 51. LouiS
Post-Dispatch and G/obeDemocrat and other newspapers which,
despite the usual reluctance on the part of the press to cover mutilation
events, nevertheless saw fit to publish the information they received;
William Zeiser, for information related to the Pevely, Missouri, mystery
toxin: and finally, the unnamed woman mentioned at the end of this
article.

Sherifr. Department
LINCOLN COUNTY
P.o. Boll. 115
Troy, Mi8.ouri 63379

CliBton L. Hilton
Sheriff

Dear Mr. Wolf,

Thank you for sending us a copy of the article on the mutilations in Lincoln County.
The Sheriff and I do have a few comments on this article that we would like for you to consider
before you release your article. First of all, I don't believe that any news media has believed
Dr. Newberry's statement as to why the hide on the carcasses looked as if it had been cut. I certainly
think his explanation should be printed so the public can make up their minds,on that matter.
Possibly an experiment should be conducted on a carcass to see if predators do this. Also, I believe
your paper should consult an insurance carrier for livestock to see if an animal would be insured
if it died of a natural death or if it would have to be a violent nature before covered. One caller
did state that the insurance company wouldn't payoff if we said it was a death other than violent.
As to the mention of apparent lack of blood, I do believe Dr. Newberry showed exactly why that was.
I have investigated many human 'deaths in our county, and the blood will also settle to the lowest
point of the body as in the animals. As to the UFO sightings, we proved beyond a shadow of a doubt
in one case that it was a light at the back of a house, still a lot of people:wouldn't accept that explanation. Also, we in Lincoln County can see the airplanes taking off and landing at Lambert
St. Louis Airport. An awful lot of these can be explained if the peopl~ want to hear. I can imagine
the fright of some people before the "Northern Lights" were explained to them. I believe some
reports are mislabeled UFOs when they could be, and some definitely are: cars, on high terrain,
dusk to dawn lights, radio towers and fog-shrouded lights.
As to the flies on the trees, the Sheriff's department sent specimens to the Columbia Missouri Laboratories for analysis. The T. V. station, KTVI, channel 2, sent a specimen to the Ralston
Purina Laboratory of St. Louis. They supposedly made the statement that these flies were unknown
outside the laboratory. However, they retracted their report the next day. All in all, we think your
report is the most impartial one we have read. There certainly are some facts that are unexplained
in some of these incidents and we are not going to try and hide that fact. However, we feel we have
been slighted by not having some very important facts explained to the public. Please feel free to
use our name and also to print this letter along with your article.
Respectfully yours,
DIS Don Pe~~ _!~3J)

fJ~tj~r(/ja~

~~
Sheriff Cliston Hilton

PURSUIT Winter 1979

35
NOTES AND REFERENCES
1. "Bizarre Cattle Mutilations, Investigations Continue," The
14. Op. cit., Elsberry Democrat, June 22.
Elsberry Democrat, June 22, 1978.
15. "Unexplained Incidents Still Occurring in Elsberry Area, Els
2. Ibid. Additional information concerning the incident comes
berry Democrat, June 29.1978.
from personal interview with Lincoln County Sheriff Cliston
16. The woman who does not wish to have her name released
Hilton and Deputy Don Penrod Aug. 6,1978.
gave us the information during our investigations in the area.
3. Op. cit., Elsberry Democrat, June 22.1978.
17. "Powerful Odor Mysteriously Pervades Area," St. Louis
4. Ibid.
GlobeDemocrat. July 25. 1978.
5. Ibid.
18. "UFO Reports Move to Fort Wood Area," St. Louis Globe
Democrat, July 29-30, 1978.
6. "Elsberry Split on UFOs," St. Louis PostDispatch, Aug. 13,
19. "UFO Sightings Harry Police in Union. Mo .... SI. Louis
1978.
GlobeDemocrat, July 27, '1978.
7. Op. cit., Elsberry Democrat, June 22.1978.
20. Op. cit .. GlobeDemocrat. July 29-30.
8. "Police Chief Links UFOs to Mutilation of Animals. " National
Enquirer, Aug. 29, 1978.
.
21. "Area Quakes as Eons-old Fault Hexes Its Muscle," SI. Louis
GlobeDemocrat, Sept. 21, 1978.
9. "Mutilated Heifer Found on Forrest Gladney Farm," Elsberry
Democrat, June 15,1978.
22. "Cause of Death in Pevely House Still a Mystery," St. Louis
GlobeDemocrat, Sept. 21, 1978.
10. Op. cit., National Enquirer. Aug. 29.
23. Op. cit.. "Area Quakes as Eonsold Fault Flexes Its Muscle,
11. Op. cit., Elsberry Democrat, June 22.
GlobeDemocrat,
Sept. 21. ~
12. Op. cit., National Enquirer, Aug. 29.
13. Ibid.

THE CENTRAL NEW VORK UFO WAVE

By Mark Bundy
Drawings by the author

through the years, the city of Syracuse, N.Y.,

DOWN
has had a sporadic series of encounters with UFOs.
Jacques Vallee, in his excellent treatise, Passport To
Magonia (Regnery, 1969) lists two UFO incidents that
occurred in Syracuse during 1960 and 1968. Maj. Donald
E. Keyhoe, author of Aliens From Space, acknowledges
also that on Nov. 9, 1965, the eve of the great Northeast blackout, the deputy aviation commissioner of Syracuse and several other pilots related seeing a large, rounded
fireball rising upwards near their vantage point at Hancock
Airport. At the same time, a flight instructor and his student were making their approach to the airport immediately follOWing the blackout when they observed a "f1amecolored globe" about 100 feet in diameter. It should be
noted that the object was hovering near the Clay power
substation, an automatic control system that was a vital
power link for New York City. For the year of 1977, my
own files contain a case that occurred in February of that
year, involving dozens of witnesses that watched as a triangular object with flashing red, blue, and green lights
maneuvered over Lyndon Golf Course, in Syracuse at
roughly 8:30 in the evening.
Admittedly, there has been no great abundance of
reports over the years. But that was before the spring of
1978, the spring when the unidentified flying objects visited
Syracuse and many of the surrounding towns en force.
Syracuse was treated to its first UFO flap.
Despite the heavy coverage that the UFO wave received from local newspapers and network affiliates, misinformation ran rampant, as it does still at the time of this
writing. And although several highly credible UFO cases
made the six o'clock news and the front page, it goes

without saying that the media missed completely quite a

few multiple-Witness cases, a few of which this writer was
able to investigate personally.
As far as the press first knew, the onset of the flap took
place on the night of April 6, 1978. Officer Dennis Kiteveles
and his family experienced the first UFO encounter near
their home in the town of Baldwinsville, which lies to the
immediate northwest of Syracuse. Their attention was
drawn to an object that appeared over some woods adjacent to their residence, at about 10:05 in the evening.
The craft, an oval-shaped object, moved back and forth,
at certain pOints ascending slightly. The vehicle had a
narrow band of red, blue, green, and yellow lights running around its middle, from which there were bright
flashes of light being emitted.
But the UFO was not confined to a light display only.
At roughly 10: 15, the UFO was seen to shoot two extremely bright flashes that arced to the ground below.
At that instant, the lights in the witnesses' home went out,
along with those of some 3,000 more customers in the
adjoining Jordan-Elbridge area. Corroboration of the
incident came from several sources. A police helicopter,
sent to investigate the sighting, observed the two flashes
of light and the ensuing blackout. The witnesses said later
. that as the helicopter approached, the UFO accelerated
rapidly and flew away. It was also confirmed by the Syracuse HeraldJournal on April 7th, that Hancock Airport
radar operators had picked up an unidentified object on
their screens at the time and the location of the sighting.
The day following the sighting, the witnesses Willingly
gave their names to the newspapers and the TV stations,
a decision they were soon to regret after they made the
headlines. This writer knows well of the humiliation they
have suffered.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

36

UFO seen by pollee dispatcher and family on the night of April 6, 1978. Running
around middle of the object was a row of red, blue, green, and yellow flashing lights.

The Baldwinsville sighting was investigated by APRO

field investigator Robert .Barrow and journalist Robert
Monell. They related to this writer that, in their opinion,
the family was quite sincere and very intrigued by their
experience. The two researchers also noted that the Sighting took place right over a reservoir, a common element
that appears again and again in the annals of the UFO.
So began the wave. From that night on. the situation
just accelerated. The next day, local law-enforcement
agencies received well over 30 phone calls from people
wishing to report their own sightings. According to one
spokesman, many of the callers were willing to take polygraph examinations to prove the authenticity of their
stories.
Robert Waltz, age 21, and William Colton. age 27,
both from the town of Van Buren, N.Y., were the next

Diamond-shaped UFO that appeared to residents

of Syracuse and members of the Syracuse Police
Department. The lights on it were blinking red.
blue. green. and yellow. with one white one near
the top. Incident took place on the evening of
March 29, 1978.

PURSUIT Winter 1979

ones to observe unknown aerial phenomena. The two

were driving along route 48 shortly after 7 p.m. April 7th
when they perceived a large ball of bright white light flying over in the evening sky. The odd mass was moving
west at a high rate of speed when it suddenly stopped
and remained stationary. After a few minutes the light
was extinguished, only to be replaced by a series of red,
blue, and green flickering lights. But no sooner had this
transformation occurred when these lights went out also,
and the object was lost in the darkness.
Within the space of an hour, another sighting took place.
Eight teenagers, bicycling near a water tower in thEt town
of Southwood, reported seeing three seemingly connected
lights maneuvering in the sky. The youths told Deputy
D. J. Murphy that the UFO remained over the hill for a
while, illuminating the area "like daytime." DUtifully, the
police searched by helicopter and on foot, but no trace of
the UFO was found.
A few days later, a monkey wrench was thrown into
the sequence of events, chronologically. Rumors began
to circulate that a UFO sighting, involving Syracuse police
and local citizens had taken place a full week before the
Baldwinsville sighting. As it turned out, the UFO encounter had indeed happened, but its true ramifications. were
not to be felt for days to come.
On the night of March 29th, at just about 9: 15. police
were dispatched to Kramer St. on the south side of the
city in response to an urgent call. The officer to view the
UFO first (along with several area residents) was Edgar
Prue, a name to live in infamy with the Syracuse Police
Department. Prue called for a helicopter to be sent immediately to the location where they were observing a
diamond-shaped object with criss-cross series of red, blue,
green, and yellow blinking lights on its surface. But the
UFO quickly "shot up into the air and disappeared,"
according to Linda Lobello, before the operators of the
helicopter were able to view it. At least, that is what a
spokesman for the police officially stated.
Diane Mcguire of Kramer St. told the Syracuse HeraldJournal that she indirectly learned that the pilots of the
helicopter, in reality, had seen the UFO. "Officer Boyle
came back to see that 1 was alright," she related in an interview. "I asked him if Putnam (an occupant oHhe.heli-

37

copter) saw anything, and Boyle said, 'Unofficially he

did.' "
The sketch made by officers Prue, Pallotta, Boyle, and
Miss Mcguire has not been released, and it apparently
won't be. Up until a month ago, it was possible for the
price of a few dollars to obtain photocopies of the police
reports. But now researchers are being told that the reports are on inter-departmental memos, and therefore,
unreleasable. In spite of angry grumblings made by investigators and the media, the flow of information has
been neatly blocked.
But the effects from the March 29 sighting were not
played out fully yet. A short time later, 36-year-old Edgar
Prue, a thirteen year veteran of the department, was
coming off duty at his usual time when he was confronted
by Chief Thomas Sardino. His superior was apparently
after something, as he repeatedly demanded that Prue
hand over an unidentified item that he was allegedly carrying. Prue described Sardino's behavior in this way to
the Herald-Journal: "He came on very strong and belligerent in full view of a whole platoon of officers and a
hallway full of civilians. I think that was a bad move on his
part."
Sardino was after a drawing that Prue had shown his
co-workers earlier in the day. The poster-sized cartoon,
drawn by a friend of Prue's, depicted Chief Sardino flying
a UFO, while being observed by a crowd of police officers
from the ground. The picture, in a very real sense, symbolized something for the officers who had seen UFOs

and were told not to talk about their experiences. Pallotta,

one of the witnesses to the March 29 sighting, admitted
that he'd "get chewed out" by his superiors if he talked
about a UFO encounter he had a few weeks before the
sighting.on Kramer St.
Prue refused to hand the drawing over, calling it "his
own private property." As a result, Sardino suspended
him from all duties.
The UFO wave didn't suffer from any other bureaucratic
messes, apart from the case of one Sgt. M. J. Tuohey,
the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department officer who
handled most of the calls and reports for the authorities.
In short, Tuohey peeved quite a few individuals, some of
whom this writer has talked to. He told a majority of people
that the nocturnal lights they saw were observations of
the planet Venus, which wasn't an evening star at the
peak of the wave. In an interview with the Post-Standard
on May 11, Tuohey blamed the entire UFO flap on balloons, a statement that angered several local balloonists
who were interviewed later on WTVH's six o'clock news_
The worst part of all was that Tuohey promised repeatedly
that he would give total cooperation to the Center for
UFO Studies. The extent of his cooperation was best
summed up by Allen Hendry in the Center's International
UFO Reporter:
" ... Sergeant Maurice Tuohey of the Onandaga
County Sheriff's Department became the focus for
UFO reporting in that area, thanks to I~cal press

.:~

..
.-. ,

...

...,

..

.-

-.

A "huge" UFO seen on April 7, 1978, between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. An electrical"hummlng"
sound could be heard as the UFO passed above the two witnesses in the South Onandaga
Hill area of Syracuse. The dimensions of the craft were described in terms of "several football fields." and as being larger than those of a commercial airliner. Through binoculars.
the UFO was seen to have a row of high windows radiating around Its front. from which
there was a myriad of bright lights shining. The extensions in the rear were estimated as
being several hundred feet in length, with each one having a red light at Its end.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

---...

38

Vehicle seen on the night of May 3,1978, near Cazenovia, New York. The craft was
"described as making a ''whooshing'' sound and as having a "fluorescent" glow to it.
The two witnesses agreed that upper part of dome was a mixture of colored lights.

coverage. He promised me directly, (and twice via

the press) that the Center for UFO Studies would
be recipient of a considerable package of witness
descriptions, sketches, and photos. Then, accord
ing to local sources, the heads of the area's law
enforcement agencies opted to 'stone wall' the entire
situation inexplicably. Repeated appeals by myself,
various reporters, and investigator Robert Barrow
failed to shift the 'embarrassing' burden onto our
shoulders ... "
As a result, the IUR's profile map of the United States
during the month of April shows no UFOs. Except for a
short UFO repprt Robert Barrow had published in the
APRO Bulletin, there has been no coverage on a wider
scale of the 75 to 100 cases that occurred here. The auth
orities, very early on in the flap, admitted to having a little
over 75 UFO reports. Other researchers are placing the
number of sightings well over 100. The sad part is that
we'll never know. The most that I can offer are three excellent UFO incidents that were purposely kept from the
media and the police.
On the blustery evening of April 7th. two residents of
the South Onondaga Hill area (who asked that their names
be withheld) observed probably the largest UFO to ever
appear during the flap.
A short while after 8:30, the two witnesses. armed with
a pair of binoculars, saw what they described as a "huge"
craft in the starry night sky. The altitude of the object was
estimated at about 1,500 feet in the air, but due to its size,
the UFO was quite easily visible. In fact, it was the description of the size that the witnesses had trouble getting across.
They spoke of the craft's over-all length in terms of "several football fields." The general shape to the object was
that of a flat saucer, elongated out. Curving around in
front of it was a row of what looked like plate glass windows. Multi-colored glows issued forth from these portals,
some blending into rainbow-like forms that had colorations the witnesses said they'd never seen before. At the
rear of the slow moving vehicle were four cylindrical projections that each had a brilliant red light at their ends.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

The protrusions were related as being hundreds of feet in

length.
The main portion of the UFO was glOWing a bright
white, while the entire vehicle seemed to be emanating
an electrical humming sound. The craft came from the
vicinity of the Jamesville area (which lies to the southwest
of Syracuse), then executed a wide turn and slowly headed back that way.
Fifteen minutes later, 12-year-old Paul Cunningham
snapped a Polaroid picture of an object that appeared to
him and his friends in the very same area. The UFO was
said to be as large as "an airliner." Investigator Barrow,
intrigued by the photographs, deemed analysis necessary.
APRO's Jim Lorenzen personally supervised the process,
and his subsequent conclusions are quoted here. In reference to the Cunningham photos, he wrote:
" ... AII this suggests an actual angular image much
smaller than the Polaroid image shown. Conclusion:
the image is probably due to a film/development
flaw."
But for the results of another analysis done on a photo
taken by a friend of Cunningham's, the conclusion was:
"The Hubbel photo also lacks background comparison information, but its size and appearance does
seem consistent with what was reported. There is no
way to establish without a doubt the authenticity of
this photo, but if the witnesses agree that this looks
like what they saw, then I'd be of the opinion this
photo is genuine."
John and Pat Rudy were not expecting to be paid a visit
from a low-level UFO as they drove home from a wedding
reception on the morning of April 29 - but they got one
anyway.
They were just at the Thompson Rd. Exit of Route 690
when they spotted an object which appeared to be follOWing
their car. They later estimated the UFO was approximately
150 feet away from them and roughly somewhere from 80

39
to 100 feet up in the air. Because the craft was on the
driver's side, John was able to view it much better.
The UFO certainly had a unique shape to it. John said
that the structure of the craft resembled "an erector set
type of construction." He elaborated, saying that it looked
like it was made of some kind of piping that internally
connected at differing paints. Both witnesses agreed that
there were at least three lights on the object, two red ones
and one very bright white one situated at the front of the
strange vehicle. No noise of any kind emanated from the
UFO.
At the New York State Fairgrounds exit of 690, the
Rudys pulled their vehicle over and stepped out to watch
the object. It was moving across the sky to the southwest
of Syracuse, over the Solvay area. After a few moments
more the UFO was lost to view on the horizon. Using a
clock on the dashboard of their car, the Rudys placed the
duration of the sighting between five to six minutes.
It was only a matter of time before a landing case would
turn up, and while I was investigating a nocturnal sighting
out in the town of Jordan, I did come across one.
The Moore family, owners of a rural residence nestled
among a chain of picturesque drumlins, certainly weren't
looking for UFOs on the night of May 9. It was early evening. The entire family had just returned home, and were
pulling in their driveway when two circular lights, appearing to be about "as big as world globes," passed overhead.
The strange object traversed the sky over the house, then
hovered at the crest of a low hill that rises behind their
home. By now, the family had clambered out of the car,
and three of the five children were standing on the car
watching the object, while the mother and another member
of the family went inside and viewed the object through
an upstairs window.
For somewhere between five to ten minutes, the object
remained in the same position till it suddenly dropped
down below the summit. The Moores clearly remembered that there had not been any kind of electrical disturbance during the time that the UFO was present. Mrs.
Moore did tell us though that their two dogs, usually very
calm, were barking and growling wildly as the UFO hovered at the top of the hill. But the important discovery of
the whole incident was not to come till the next day when
Joe Moore, a very articulate young person. was to visit

the location where they saw the object with two of his sisters. In the uncut field, they found two round impressions
of burned grass, approximately six feet in diameter and
about three feet apart. The children would have looked at
the area further, but their scrutiny was interrupted when
they saw a plane in the sky directly above them. The vehicle was flying extremely low and was pulling a tight circle
about the hill. The sight of this unnerved them so much
that they left the area immediately.
By the time I visited the Moores', along with MUFON
field investigators Tony Nugent and Steve Zalewski, we
were frustrated to find that the field had been plowed. After
shooting an entire roll of film, we admitted defeat and left.

...

As I was pulling together the material needed for this

article, I decided to take a verbal check of what other investigators thought of this wave. Since I'd already heard
Allen Hendry's views in the International UFO Reporter,
I decided to speak with Robert Barrow, a key figure in the
flap. In an early interview, Barrow emphasized that he
was quite impressed with the number of multiple-witness
cases, especially the ones involving the Syracuse police.
A short while ago, he told me his full views on the amount
of official cooperation the authorities offered:
"I'm very upset. ashamed, and embarrassed by the
response of their decision-makers, although I feel
for the most part that the officers taking the orders
tried their best to do what they could. But I think
they were severely hampered by their superiors."
Tony Nugent, the researcher I worked with on the Jordan cases, couldn't agree more with Barrow. He simply
called the situation "a disgrace."
By late June, the sightings were starting to drop off.
After mediation, Edgar Prue was returned to his post.
Two National Enquirer reporters left town, infuriated with
the official run-around they received. CUFOS stilllal"J)ely
wondered where its reports were, while the local media
dropped the subject as no longer being newsworthy. The
Central New York UFO wave became a part of history,
a history that is sadly incomplete and lacking in its overall
coverage. It's a wonder that the UFOs put up with such
shoddy treatment.

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40

SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained el1ents. Members
are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports they feel should be included here.
Remember, local newspapers often offer the best (or only) information concerning some el1ents.
Please be sure to include the source of reference (name of newspaper, periodical, etc.), the date the
article appeared and your membership number (or name, if you prefer to be credited that way).

MYSTERIOUS FISHING UNE

Thousands of feet of fishing line floated
down from the skies over Greensburg,
Ohio, during the month of September.
Residents have been faced with the problem of explaining the mysterious event
ever since John Wright discovered a piece
of the material snagged on a bush behind
his house. When he began pulling it off
the bush, he found there seemed to be no
end to it. Neighbors came to his assistance
with fishing reels and began winding in
the line. After collecting about 1,000 feet,
which filled eight reels, the line broke and
floated away.
Wright's co-worker at an automotive
plant, Ken Corasmun, followed the line
visually for about 2,000 feet before losing
sight of it in the sky.
Among those left staring into the clouds
was a sporting goods store manager .
Naturally, he theorized that children
probably had been flying kites with the fishing line, and it broke ....
SOURCE: SI. Louis PostDispatch(AP) 9/24/78
CREDIT: William Zeiser

PLANE VANISHES AFTER

PILOT REPORTS UFO
Frederick Valentich, 20, was on a 125mile training flight when he radioed air
traffic controllers in Melbourne that he
was being buzzed by a UFO. Transport
Department spokesman Kenneth Williams
said Valentich radioed the Melbourne,
Australia Flight Service Control at 5;06
a.m. EDT Sunday, October 22,1978, and
reported a UFO follOwing him at 4500
feet. Ground control replied that there
was no air traffic in the area below 5000
feet.
Valentich observed: "It has four bright
lights-appear to be landing lights. Aircraft has just passed over me about 1000
feet above."
"Can you identify the aircraft?" control
asked.
"It isn't an aircraft. It's ... " Then silence.
Two minutes later Valeritich rasped:
"Melbourne, it's approaching from due
east toward me. It seems to be playing
some sort of game. Hying at a speed I cannot estimate. It is flying past. It is a long
shape. Cannot identify more than that...
corning for me right now. It seems to be
PURSUIT Winter 1979

stationary. I'm orbiting and the thing is

orbiting on top of me also. It has a green
light and sort of metallic light on the outside."
:
Suddenly Valentich reported his engine
was choking. Then followed a strange
metallic sound, then only silence. Nothing more was heard from the pilot flying
his single engine Cessna 182.
A full-scale search by the Australian Air
Force failed to tum up anything. Air Force
planes did sight an oU.slick about 18 miles
north of King Island, but transport officials
said it was not made by a light aircraft.
Valentich's father said his son studied
UFOs as a hobby, but added: "he was not
the kind of person who would make up
stories. Everything had to be very correct
and positive for him."
The Transport Department was skeptical
that a UFO figured in Valentich's mysterious disappearance, despite several calls
from other persons along the coast who
claim to have seen a UFO the same night.
"It is possible that he could have become
disoriented," an Air Transport official said.
"The aircraft could have inverted and he
could have seen the reflections of the
Cape Otway and King Island lighthouses
on the clouds above him." Or, to put it in
the words of another Transport official,
he could have seen his own lights reflected in the water, or lights from a nearby island, while flying upside down. (This.
sounds to us like blatant floundering for
an excuse on the part of the explainers; .
although to be fair about it, we should
admit the possibility that a pilot may,
under certain circumstances, become
confused enough to flip his plane over
and not know it - if he were being pursued by a UFO, for example.)
"It's funny all these people ringing up
with UFO reports well after Valentich's
disappearance," said Ken Williams, a
spokesman for the Transit Department.
"It seems people often decide after the
event, they too, had seen strange lights.
But although we can't take them too seriously, we can never discourage such re- .
ports when investigating a plane's disappearance. "
After a week of fruitless searching,
Valentich's father offered his views on the
matter. He feels his son was "snatched
by beings from outer space .. .that explanation is as good as any. Fred was a firm

believer in UFOs and now I think he was

right... what else can explain this mystery?
I would rather think he was alive and well
on another planet away out there some-.
where than dead at the bottom of the
sea."
SOURCES: Asbury Park (NJ) Press(AP)
10/24/78; The Daily (Elizabeth, NJ) Journal"
(UPIl 10/23/78; The Ithaca Journal,
11/1/78
CREDIT: Mrs. Herbert Toombs; Fred Wilson;
Member #432; Joseph Patchen

...

CHESSIE: CREATURE OF
THE POTOMAC
Chessie, the nickname chosen for a creature sighted in the Potomac, along with
other creatures which may constitute
members of her family, was Sighted frequently. during the summer months of
1978 near where the Potomac flows into
Chesapeake Bay.
During the summer, approximately 20
persons claimed to have Sighted the
serpent-like creature near the Northumberland County shore of the Potomac.
Despite the skepticism that pervades the
rural, somewhat isolated area, many residents willingly accept the plausibility of
stories of such a creature.
When a Bay Quarter Shores summer
resident, Ves Plaugher, asked a Smithsonian Institution naturalist about the
possibility of the creature's existence, the
naturalist said the bay, with its prodigious
marshlands and easy entry from the open
sea, "could contain almost anything."
Descriptions of the Potomac River
creature bear Similarity to those reported
in other waters such as Loch Ness, Scotland; the deep-water lake of Kol Kol in
the Karakysustan Valley of the Soviet
Union; Lake Pohenegamook in Quebec,
Canada; the St. Johns River in Ortega.
FlOrida; Flathead Lake in Montana; and
the Intercoastal Waterway near Florida.
Believers in the Potomac River creature's existence have become even more
convinced due to the similarity of descriptions offered by some 20 persons who
claim to have seen the creature.
One witness, Donald Kyker, a retired
CIA employee, claims he wouldn't have
mentioned his sightings to anybody if other
persons had not seen it. What made it
appear as a serpent of some kind, ac-

41
cording to Kyker, was the vertical undulation of the body that seemed to propel it.
"But, the head remained stationary."
Kyker was impressed by the creature's size
and speed. He described it as between 25
and 30 feet long, approximately 7 or 8
inches in diameter and moving at a speed
of 7 or 8 mph. "You would have had to
jog down the beach to keep up with it,"
he commented.
Another family to witness the creatures
was the Smoot family, neighbors of Kyker.
Mrs. Smoot said the first large creature
she saw swimming downstream was longer
than her 36-foot back porch. Two smaller
ones she saw swimming upstream measured about 5-10 feet in length, and a
third was about 15 feet long, she said.
"I don't relish letting my son ski out there
in the river with whatever it was out there,"
she said. "Having children and grandchildren who swim and ski, we wanted
to find out what it was." Mr. Smoot chose
a strange way of finding out what the
creature was; he took out a .22-caliber
rifle and shot at one of the smaller creatures. "When I hit it with the .22 rifle, the
forward three or four feet reared up and
then they all sounded. We went out in
the rowboat but there was no sign of it,"
he said.
Theories that the creatures were either
a line of porpoises jumping and diving in
unison, floating stumps, cow-nosed rays
or broken fish net poles bobbing with the
waves have been vehemently discounted
by witnesses.
"There are things called ribbon fish that
vaguely fit [the descriptions of the creatures)," said John A. Musick, an associate
marine biolOgist with the Virginia Institute
of Marine Science. Ribbon fish, however,
are rare and almost exclusively deep-sea
dwellers. There is little likelihood that one
would swim 70 miles across the continental
shelf into the Chesapeake Bay, then up
the Potomac River, he concluded.
Another theory offered to explain the
sightlngs is that giant South American
reptiles accidentally transported to the
Potomac in the hulls of commercial sailing veSsels escaped into the marshes
when the vessels were left in tributaries to
rot. (It should be noted here that we can,
in reading and printing t!"tis theory, understand why the person who made it chose
to remain anonymous .... )
Aside from the theories that have circulated, there are other creatures that
have been reported in the Potomac in
recent years - sea otters, sea turtles, and
even a whale.
Until something more definite transpires, perhaps the statement made by Mrs.
Mary L. Lewis, one of the first witnesses
to observe the creatures, should serve as
the proper Fortean attitude. "It wasn't
poles. They were moving and it wasn't

porpoises either," she told an eager reporter looking for a story. "It was just an
animal in the river, and I felt like it belonged
there."
SOURCES: Richmond Times Dispatch 8117,
20/78: The Washington Post 8/78
CREDIT: J. W. Burke, Jr.: Fred Packard

MYSTERIOUS BLACK CAT?

Last year, Pursuit brought our members
the story ("Mysterious. Big Black Cat in
Plainfield, Illinois," Vol. 11, No.2, p. 76;
continued as "Black Cat Was a Dog?!",
Vol. 11, No.3, p. 121) of an alleged black
panther seen "stalking something" in
Plainfield, Illinois. Witnesses claimed the
animal produced shrieking sounds. Subsequently, the body of a large black dog
was found in the vicinity. The question
remained, after the excitement had ended,
as to whether or not the dead dog (variously described as a black bull mastiff and
not a black bull mastiff) was or was not
the culprit.
More recently, during September of
1978, a large black, panther-like cat was
reported by various witnesses living in the
vicinity of Point Pleasant, West Virginia
(known among Forteans as the part-time
residence of Mothman) .
Sam Tubaugh was watching the movie
King Kong Sunday night, September 17;
during a scene consisting of men and
women running down a street, he got up
and went to the door. As he opened the
door, he observed a dark animal within
ten feet of the house, d1uminated by a dusk
to dawn light. When Tubaugh yelled
"bang" the animal appeared startled. "The
next thing I saw was a black streak." he
claims. Describing the animal as being
two feet tall or more with a long tail, he
said "it seems black in color, but of course
I've only seen it at night." Although Tubaugh reportedly had spotted a similar
animal the previous year, he felt "it's larger
this year."
An unidentified woman who lives just
off the same road as Tubaugh also reportedly observed the animal sometime
the next day. And after Tubaugh's sighting, another resident of the area, Marcena
Denny, became mystified by the disappearance of some of her chickens.
"I had about 40 chickens," she said. "Now
I've only got about a dozen left." The only
clue to their disappearance is a "bunch of
feathers on the ground," she observed.
And about a week prior to Tubaugh's
incident, Mrs. Denny reported she and
her daughter both heard a sound "like
a woman screaming" outside her house.
Two youths who also claimed they encountered the animal while walking down
a road described a long tail that touched
the ground as the animal walked.

Four days after Tubaugh came out with

his story. the culprit (or scapegoat) was
captured. Charles Beard, Mason County
Dog Warden, went out to the area at the
request of Mrs. Denny. She had called
him on the telephone the night before.
when another of her chickens had been
snatched. This time she had seen that the
culprit was a dog. Beard had to shoot the
black and brown mongrel with a tranquilizer gun in order to subdue it and load it
into his truck.
Is this Tubaugh's panther? The two
youths still believe they saw a big cat with
a long tail that touched the ground. A wildlife biologist who examined scratches on
the ground and other marks which Tubaugh felt were left by the cat feels that it
is very unlikely a cat left the scratches and
marks. Although this case seems to have
been even more neatly explained than
the Plainfield. Illinois event. the local
legend that a large cat prowls the woods
in the vicinity of Point Pleasant remains.
SOURCE: Point Pleasant (West Virginia)
Register 9118. 20. 21/78
CREDIT: Loren Coleman

BRIGHT LIGHTS OVER

CHARLESTON
About a month after residents of Point
Pleasant had been convinced that the
phantom panther they had seen was
nothing more than a starving stray canine,
several bright objects zipped across the
night sky elsewhere in West Virginia.
"I couldn't tell you what they were. I've
never seen anything move like that. I'D tell
you." said one of the witnesses, Cpl. Don
Sharpe of the state police, who reported
he watched seven of the objects for about
30 minutes the night of October 20, 1978.
Sharpe was one of at least three troopers
who, along with other law enforcement
officers, observed the aerial lights. Although one trooper took photographs of
the objects, results were unsatisfactory.
Authorities said they received more
than 30 reports from Kanawha County
alone. Observers described either hovering or slow-mOVing objects displaying
green, blue, white and sometimes red or
yellow lights. The majority 'of the reports
indicated at least three objects traveling
together.
"If an airplane went over, the lights
.would dim down till you couldn't see
them," Sharpe said, describing how the
objects would zip across the sky at the
speed of a meteor, and then abruptly
slowdown.
A supervisor at the airport control tower
at Kanawha Airport said there were unidentifiable objects on his radar set all
weekend. He felt the ones seen Sunday
could have been a weather-caused radar
phenomenon.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

42
"This is the type of weather, hot and
clear that follows a cold snap, that produces these types of sightings," said
Robert Brown, director of the Green Bank
National Radio Observatory, who agreed
the weather might be one explanation:
"There are turbulent thermal cells in the
air that can produce strange effects."
Strange indeed.
SOURCE: Asbury Park (NJ) Press 10/24/78
CREDIT: Member -1432

HARE METEOROLOGIST
Tass, the official SOviet news agency, said
in a dispatch from Minsk that a friendly
hare in the Byelorussian village of Novyazki
warns the local peasants of impending
rainfall by beating a roadside stump with
its paws.
The rabbit first appeared in the village
several years ago and quickly became
accustomed to the villagers, according to
Tass.
The hare moved from farm to farm,
soliciting carrots from the friendly natives
by drumming with his paws on their windowpanes.
"But the meaning of the hare's drumbeat remained obscure to the peasants for
some time," Tass said. "Then they began
to notice that every time after such a performance by the long-eared drummer it
rains."
.
The "living barometer" has proven
very dependable, according to Tass.
"The hare never makes a mistake, and
what is most valuable, he warns about
rain several hours in advance, which is
enough for the peasants to prepare for it."
Byelorussian zoologists consider this
example of a hare communicating with
humans to be very rare. Tass, however,
claims "some old women in the village
earnestly believe that the hare gives the
peasants weather forecasts because he is
grateful for the carrots they give him during
the hard times in winter."
SOURCE: 51. Louis Past Dispatch (UPI)

10/1/18
CREDIT: William Zeiser

THE DESCENT OF THE

GREEN SLIME
An unexplained green slime fell on Washington, D.C. September 5 and 6, 1978.
The affected area is generally bounded by
Rock Creek Parkway on the west, Pennsylvania Avenue on the north, G Street on
the south and 23rd Street on the east. The
slime was discovered injuring plants and
animals, soiling automobile windshields,
angering residents and baffling city health
offiCials. About half the flowers in one
resident's back yard garden simply wilted
and died in the two-day period during
which the substance fell.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

Although the city's Bureau of Occupational and Institutional Hygiene was studying samples of the strange substance,
Dr. Herbert T. Wood, chief of the agency,
had little to report: "We're still drawing a
blank - we're baffled." He did say, however, that the substance was a green liqUid
and that it seemed to have fallen from a
considerable height. In fact, the roof of a
12-story building under construction near
25th and K Streets NW was coated with
the substance, he noted.
"It's a green material - it's soluble in
water and it's soluble in alcohol," he continued. "When this stuff hit, it was very
fluid." Later, he added, the substance
thickened and turned more black than
green.
Mike Love, of 947 26th Street NW reported that his West Highland terrier "got
sick - he got nauseous," and stopped
eating for several days. Also, the dog's
hair reportedly changed from its normal
off-white color to blue or black.
Meanwhile, a cat and a dog belonging
to Jerry Oaks of 953 26th Street NW
"just flat out won't eat. They still won't eat,"
according to Oaks. "I'm worried about
my cat keeling over. I don't know what's
keeping her alive."
"When that cat dies, heads will roll,"
a neighbor suggests.
Another resident of the area found his
car windshield so covered with black spots
that he couldn't see through the glass.
Residents have speculated that the substance could possibly be either a pesticide
or jet fuel, perhaps. Wood, however,
who claims tests will continue, admits "as
of now, I have no idea whatsoever."
SOURCE: The Washington Past 9/11/18
CREDIT: Fred Packard

BEAMING MESSAGES
THROUGH EARTH
Navat Research Laboratory physicists are
researching the feasibility of sending coded
messages through, rather than around,
the earth.
The proposed technique would use
coded beams of subatomic particles known
as neutrinos. These particles have tremendous power to penetrate (without significantly weakening) through the center of
the earth. They also travel at or close to
the speed of light.
A Catholic University physicist, Dr.
Herbert Uberall, who first proposed neutrino communication, feels such a system
would offer the protection of almost
assured message secrecy. Uberall said a
neutrino beam would not be affected by
sunspots, nuclear explosions or weather,
and that it would defy jamming by an
"outsider."
In other words, a neutrino telegraph
would be a low-data form of secret com-

munications for specialized military purposes.

It is hoped in upcoming years that
enough will be known about neutrino
communications to proceed with a demonstration project, Dr. Albert Saenz, head
of the Naval Research Laboratory research
team, told the American Physical Society.
"We are trying to show from the standpoint of physics from the present-day
knowledge that it's possible," Saenz said
in an interview. "All sorts of physics, and
engineering, questions have to be answered."
A high-energy atomic accelerator (such
as the one at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory at Batavia, Illinois)
would be needed to generate a manmade neutrino beam.
SOURCE: Euening Sentine/(UPI} 4/26/78
CREDJT: Larry E. Arnold

SUPERTREES
A supertree, developed from the sterile
clones of male cottonwoods crossed with
black poplars, has been developed at the
University of Wisconsin, in Madison. The
tree, which grows 12 to 18 feet annually,
is being experimentally planted throughout the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin by
the city's Bureau of Forestry.
Immune from most diseases that strike
elms, ashes and maples, the supertree
does not bear cotton-like seed plumes,
which natural cottonwood trees bear seasonally, and which are infamous for clogging swimming pool filters and air conditioners.
SOURCE: 51. Louis Post Dispatch (AP)

10/1/78
CREDIT: William Zeiser

GRAVITATIONAL RECALL
Although astronomers in general believe
the universe is in the process of flying
apart, a team of X-ray astronomers from
the Naval Research Laboratory and Northwestern University has now found evidence that this may not be the case. Observations that the galaXies will eventually
stop receding from one another and will
come back together were presented at a
meeting of the American Astronomical
SOCiety in San Diego, California.
"Astronomers agree that the universe
emerged from the explosion of a primordial
fireball about 16 billion years ago," says
Herbert Friedman, a prominent X-ray
astronomer with the Naval Research Laboratory. "This 'big bang' creation produced
an expanding universe of hundreds of billions of galaxies. "
In recent years astronomers have not
been able to find enough total matterstars, dust and gas in those galaxies - to
allow the universe sufficient mass for the

43
gravitational attraction needed to pull the
receding galaxies back together. The
"missing mass" therefore required an
"open" universe that would continue flying apart indefinitely.
Friedman's X-ray astronomy team.
however. has discovered hitherto undetected matter in the form of gas between two clusters of galaxies. AlthQugh
the gas is invisible to ground-based optical telescopes, it emits X-rays detectable
by a NASA satellite orbiting above the
earth's atmosphere.
"The very existence of such cosmic gas

clouds is very likely typical of all regions

of the universe in which clusters of galaxies
have formed," Mr. Friedman commented.
"From the X-ray brightness, the scientists
conclude that the mass of the cloud enveloping the two observed clusters was
equal to a million billion suns. Multiplying this example by all the clusters in the
universe indicates the equivalent mass of
a closed universe." If this interpretation
is correct, 90% of the weight of the universe exists in the form of inVisible clouds
of gas not used up in the formation of
galaxies.

Mr. Friedman would very roughly guess

at placing the period of expansion of the
universe at 40 billion years, meaning that
another 24 billion or so years must pass
before gravity halts the recession of galaxies
and starts pulling them back together. The
contraction phase would eventually produce a new fireball and another "bang,"
and so on, into eternity.
SOURCE: WallSlreelJournal. 9/12/78
CREDIT: Fred Wilson

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions

PAYMENT FOR PURSUIT ARTICLES

Starting with Vol. 12, No.3 (Summer, 1979), Pursuit
will pay lC per word for all articles published. Please feel
free, as of this notice, to submit articles for consideration
for publication in the Summer Pursuit (by the time you
read this, any future' articles submitted and accepted will
receive payment). Payment will be forthcoming upon
publication of the article. The deadline for the Summer
issue is March 15, so have your articles in by then, if possible (articles received after March 15 will naturally be
conSidered, at the same pay scale, fot later publication in
the journal). Articles printed prior to: publication of the
Summer (Vol. 12, No.3) issue will not be considered for
payment. Also, payment will not be offered for articles
already published elsewhere and reprinted in PursUit, or
for items used iR the journal's SITUations or Symposium
columns. Writers of book reviews will receive $5 per review published. Copyright rights for original articles published will still be returned to the authors upon publication,
as we have done in the past.

(four issues): $12.00; overseas (airmail) $18.00. A sampling from 1978 includes: Radiohalos and Earth History
(Vol. 11, No. I), On the AdlJance Claim of Jupiter's
Radionoises (Vol. 11, No. I), VelikolJsky and Establishment Science: My Challenge to Views in Science No!. 11,
No.2), The Venus "Greenhouse Theory" Debunked
(Vol. 11, No.2), From the End of the Eighteenth Dynasty
to the Time of Ramses II (Vol. 11, No.2), Geogullibility
and Geomagnetic RelJersals (Vol. 11, No.4), The Mystery of the Pleiades (Vol. 11, No.4).

. ..

S.I.S. REVIEW
S.I.S. REVIEW is the Journal of the SOCiety for Interdisciplinary Studies, and is available by writing the editor,
Malcolm Lowery, 11 Adcott Road, Acklam, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS5 7ER, United Kingdom. Articles
in the journal concern such topiCS as "Proofs" of the Stability of the Solar System and A Philosophy for Interdisciplinary Studies.

UFO RESEARCH PROJECT

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

"I am involved in a project putting together an extensive

catalogue of UFO literature and thought. To achieve the
comprehensive goals of the project (among them a bibliography of between 15,000 to 25,000 listings), your assistance is needed. Specifically,l am looking for UFO literature
(books, newsletters, journals, magazines, etc.), past and
present, that ufologists and others would be willing to
donate. lend, xerox, or sell for inclusion in this reference
project, with special emphasis on foreign (English language)
literature and small-circulated material which has long
been neglected or forgotten. Any assistance would ..be
appreciated. Information on the project is available upon
request. Thank you."
- Tom lind/Box 71l1Hobe Sound, FL 33455 U.S.A.

The Dover Devil?

KRONOS
KRONOS, A Journal Of Interdisciplinary Studies, is
available by writing c/o Prof. Warner Sizemore, Glassboro
State College, Glassboro, NJ 08028, U.S.A. Annually

May I advance an hypothesis to account for the footprints

discovered prancing across Larry Arnold's snowy rooftop
(Pursuit, Vol. 11, No.3, p. 121)?
Although I am not observing the evidence of the matter,
but only a copy of photos of .undetermined scale and
vantage point, it appears the footprints are roughly square
in shape and remarkably co-linear. The spacing is regular,
with no extended breaks in the series, which terminates,
by account, abruptly on the West side and perhaps links
up with a series on the ground, trailing off to the East.
I propose that these supposed footprints were made by
the impact of a broken-up icy jacket blown from a utility
pole located, I must infer, several feet out of the picture to
the Northwest.
This direction is that from which winter's stormy gales
typically blow in Pennsylvania, frequently coating electric
and telephone wires with fractable cylinders of rime, congealed sleet, and rotten ice. These cylinders, when blown

PURsurr Winter 1979

44
off the wire and plopped upon snow. make impressions
square in cross-section.
If the icy sheath disintegrates just as the wire (swayed
by the wind) begins an interval of acceleration or deceleration, releasing the ice bits at smoothly differing velocities,
the scatter upon impact would account for that gracefully
curved path.
As every hypothesis has a critical experiment, I suggest
Mr. Arnold check whether a utility line runs near the house,
roughly parallel to the footprints. And as the predictions
derived from any hypothesis are its chief virtue, I shall
predict that at closer examination some of the footprints
are circular in cross-section, if they be formed by cylinders.
But, alas, our evidence has melted!
- William Zeiser

. ..

Or...
Monster footprints in snow? An anomalous problem solved!
There is a very simple explanation for many of the 'Devil
Tracks' found in snow, and it is simply this: Suppose, for
example, a crow hops along a snow-covered rooftop, then
glides down and hops along the ground for a while (leaving
tracks in the process), then flies away.
Now the next day, the infrared rays of the sun come
down. For the most part, the rays would reflect off the
snow: but not the crow tracks! The infrared radiation
would accumulate in the small indentations formed by
the tracks and would melt the snow around them. In fact,
the larger the indentation becomes, the faster the snow
melts - until the tracks become large enough so that air
circulation dissipates most of the heat.
Someone just might come along that afternoon, follow
the tracks, and have a cardiac arrest (the Dover Devil
strikes again)!
The possible sources of monster tracks are almost endless, for there are lots of little, and big. animals (including
man) that romp through the snow.
My explanation, of course, does not work for tracks left
in mud. I therefore think that, for all practical purposes,
mysterious tracks should only be taken seriously when
they are made on more solid ground(s), so to speak.
- Brian Black

.. .

I rarely read the "letters to the editor" section of any publication, and so nearly missed Mr. Diamond's letter concerning my article in last winter's Pursuit. As it is, I am sure
my reply is untimely.
Much to my embarrassment, Mr. Diamond's point is
correct; and though I am not at all happy about it, I extend my thanks to him for pointing out the error.
This is not to say however, that I am willing to concede
the general argument. The case for "Whamond's Law" is
greatly ov~rstated. It is simply not true that 01/ sources of
stress on structures and organisms will vary with gravity
and size in the same way. As I pointed out in my original
article, hydrostatic pressure varies directly with gravity
regardless of size or shape, and that alone is sufficient to
disprove "Whamond's INVERSE SOLELY Law of Gravitation" (sic).
PURSUIT Winter 1979

Furthermore, Mr. Whamond is, in a larger sense, guilty

of the same sort of hidebound thinking for which he so
bitterly berates establishment science. He presents his
theory as being correct to the point of excluding all other
possibilities; a position which is extremely precarious at
best. There is generally more than one way to solve any
given problem; a circumstance of which someone with
"7 years' experience in the patents field" should be acutely
aware.
-So Marriott

.. .

SORRYI
Apologies to author Michael S. Weston and to our
readers for the printer's omission of 16 words from the
article "Toward SolVing the Bermuda Triangle Mystery"
published in the Fall 1978 issue of Pursuit. Beginning at
the tenth line in the right-hand column on page 135 the
text should read as follows with the bracketed words
included: "A time dilation occurred as the plane neared
a black hole yet somehow steered clear enough from the
event horizon so as not [to have gotten "caught" and was
possibly influenced by the "slingshot" effect. Strange
waterspouts, sometimes reported] to be over 1 mile in
width ... "

WALTERJ. McGRAW 2nd

1919 - 1978
Walter McGraw, who died November 18, was a founding
member of SITU and served on the Board of Governors
and Trustees when his other work permitted him to give
the Society what he considered to be sufficient time to
warrant his serving as a Board member. Even when not
on the Board he was always available for consultation in
his special fields and carried out any number of investigations for us, though few of these will be known to the
membership. He was a newsman and never took anything for granted or repeated what others had written or
said; at least not until he had gone to see for himself.
Although best known to the general public as a writer
and director of programs for radio (he was a superb interviewer), he will be remembered by Forteans primarily for
his book The World of the Paranormal, which exemplifies
his objective and healthily sceptical approach to Fortean
phenomena. In it he added some new material but also
disposed of some oft-repeated tales which on investigation
proved to be untrue. (Alas, they are still repeated by
writers who are more interested in sensationalism and
money than in truth.) Our members may also remember
his report on the work of Cleve Backster on plant emotions.
His interests were many and varied (with his first wife
he wrote Prison Riots, a standard work) and his influence
on SITU a good one. He will be missed.
.
Our sympathy goes to his widow, the former Suzanne
DePinna.

45

BOOK REVIEWS
OUR UFO VISITORS by John Magor, Hancock
House Publishers Inc., 12008 1st Avenue South,
Seattle, WA 98168,264 pages, $8.95.
John Magor, as many readers will know, is the editor/
publisher of the excellent magazine, Canadian UFO Re
port. Those who have appreciated his work with the
Report, as well as those unfamiliar with his writings, will
want to read his first book.
In general, it is a recapitulation of the UFO events which
have occurred in the Western Mountains/Rocky Mountain Trench area of Canada. Magor tells of the flap of
1967-68 when this region of Canada was "invaded" by
UFOs. The Trench has been called the "Playground of
the Gods," seemingly with good reason.
Although the focus of the book is on Canadian activity,
portions deal with the mysteries of the Moon and Mars,
signals from space, historical evidence of UFOs and other
topics. Canadian cases of landings and occupant sightings are also detailed.
Commenting on the tendency of some UFO investigators to downgrade single-witness reports, Magor says:
" ... this is like saying the UFO phenomenon is so unbelievable anyway, we must set for it standards of testimony
much higher than required in a court of law where a man's
life can depend on the word of a single witness. It is not
a view I support. If a researcher never passes the point
where he believes the word of a single witness can be sufficient at times, I think he is wasting his time. He has come
to a halt because he continues to put skepticism before
inquiry. He is trying to reduce the problem to his own
terms, which he will never do."
At one point in the book, Magor repeats some erroneous
and misleading information about a prominent UFO contactee, but this is a minor criticism of what is, in all other
respects, an excellent book. No matter if much of the
material has been published in previous issues of the
Report, it is good to see it all again between the book's
two covers. An outstanding section of photos and illustrations is included, plus a bibliography and index.
Our UFO Visitors has my unqualified recommendation.
- Lucius Farish

Handbook 0/ Parapsychology, Benjamin Wolman.

Ed. Van Nostrand. New York. 1977.xxi. 967 pp .
iIIus. $35.
Adllances In Parapsychological Research-Vol. 1:
Psychokinesis. Stanley Krippner. Ed. Plenum Press.
New York. 1977. x. 2.35 pp . iIIus. $18.95.
Few scientific topics are so often in the public eye and
so seldom in the general scientific literature as parapsychology, sometimes called psychical, or "psi" research.
Although the field has several nationally referred profes Psi phenomena are defined as apparently direct interactions of the
mind with the environment. including ESP (extrasensory perception.
the receipt of information) and PK (psychokinesis. physical effects im
posed on the material world).

sional journals, from which over 1000 papers have appeared in Psychological Abstracts. this research has been
generally ignored by the major journals serving psychology.
medicine, biology, and physics, the broader journals such
as Science. and the semi-popular magazines such as
Scientific American. Some scientists treat it as a belief
system rather than a field of inquiry. and Christopher
Evans writes of "almost universal scientific hostility" to this
research. Yet in analyzing his own poll of New Scientist
readers, he found: "parapsychology is clearly counted as
being exceedingly interesting and relevant by a very large
number of today's working scientists ... a massive 88%
held the investigation of ESP to be 'a legitimate undertaking' ... a paltry 3% [considered] ESP an impossibility."\
Most scientists have had little basis for judging the work
for themselves. Although there are a number of excellent
survey and state-of-the-art books.2 these are not Widely
known. Now. Wolman's Handbook and Krippner's biennial Advances volume provide an authoritative and accessible overview. Wolman's Handbook organizes the
various aspects of parapsychology in simple format: History; Research Methods; Perception and Communication;
Physical Systems; Altered States of Consciousness; Healing:
Survival of Bodily Death; Other Fields: Models and Theories; Soviet Research; Suggested Reading and Glossary.
Each chapter proceeds as if the reader were scientifically
literate, but unfamiliar with the field. The authors are at
home with their subjects, and the bibliographies are extensive and solid. Krippner's book is equally straightforward. concentrating (in Volume 1) on psychokinesis.
Volume 2 will come out "in about a year" and will discuss
extrasensory perception. Exceptional editorial experience
as well as thorough first-hand knowledge of the subject
matter characterize both books.
The scientist newly exposed to this subject may discover
in these books areas where his special knowledge could
improve on techniques or instrumentation used for psi research. Conversely, he may learn of methods of experimental control, data analysis, or even fundamental concepts with important implications to his own work. But,
most intriguing. he may find that his laboratory is equipped
to replicate some of the strange effects reported. and he
may be tempted to try. And that is what science is all about.
For example. Krippner's book discusses a number of
common instruments used to detect the possible effects of
mind on matter, such as a cloud chamber, a laser beam,
a system of isolated thermisters. a magnetometer. a random number generator, and physiological data recorders
attached to humans, animals, or plants. Not everyone
has access to a "proven psychic" (although a successful
faith healer is often a good candidate), but the literature
abounds with reports of finding unexpected capabilities in
one's self, friends, or colleagues. Like many attributes of
the human personality - e.g., hypnotisability, sexual response, artistic creativity - psi abilities are elusive and
not always subject to call, and not everyone finds statistical
evidence of such events persuasive. But the direct personal
PURSUIT Winter 1979

46
experience of watching a physical parameter repeatedly
respond to an act of will is hard to ignore.
To do original work in this field often requires skills
from a number of fields, e.g. psychology, electronics,
statistics, biology. But a crucial part of the process called
science is peer criticism, and any scientist can contribute.
Psi research has been severely handicapped by being
denied the creative interplay with the broader scientific
r.ommunity that normally comes from publication to a

wider audience than is reached by the specialty journals.

When this fails to occur, all scientists are impoverished to
a real but indeterminable degree. If these books help
attract the attention of other scientists to this fascinating,
puzzling, important field of research, perhaps we can
begin to realize the prophecy of astronomer Fred Hoyle:
"When science begins the study of non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all
the centuries of its experience."
- Theodore Rockwell
REFERENCES

1. The "hostility" reference is: Humanist 37. No 3. 22 (1977)

The poll is reported in: New Scientist 57, 209 (1973).
2. See. for example:
Angoff. A. and Shapin, B. (Eds.) Parapsychology and the
Sciences. New York: Parapsychology Foundation, 1974.
289 p. $7.00
Beloff. J. (Ed.). New Directions in Parapsychology. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1975. 174 p. $8.50.
McConnell, R. A. ESP Curriculum Guide. New York: Simon

& Schuster, 1971. $5.95: $1.95 (paper).

Schmeider. G. R. (Ed.) Parapsychology: Its Relation to
Physics, Biology, Psychology and Psychiatry. Metuchen,
N. J.: Scarecrow Press, 1976. 178 p. $11.00.
White, R. A. (Ed.) Surveys in Parapsychology. Metuchen,
N. J.: Scarecrow Press. 1976. 484p. $17.50.
White, R. A. and Dale, L. A. Parapsychology: Sources of
Information. Metuchen. N. J.: Scarecrow Press. 1973.
302 p. $7.50.

THE NOTES OF
CHARLES FORT
Deciphered by Carl J. Pabst
INTRODUCTION
"If I pass along these notes"Thus began Charles Fort's "massive collection of inconvenient, frustrating,
stubbornly resistant data," as Damon Knight was to call it.
Fort slyly alluded to this collection several times in his books.
001 shall not note them all in this book, but I have records of 31 extraordinary
events in 1883" (BCF, p. 52).
"I have collected 294 records of showers of living things" (BCF. p. 544).
"Though I have hundreds of notes upon mysterious attacks upon human
beings. I cannot develop an occult criminology now" (BCF. p. 648).
We hoped against hope for some of these notes.
We have them now. And much more.
When he began to publish Fort's notes in September. 1937, Tiffany Thayer
remarked in the first issue of The Fortean:
"The notes present many difficult problems of translation. They were written in pencil - over a period of twenty-six years - in a code known only to
the author - a sort of personal shorthand. The letters, numbers and symbols
are wretchedly formed and many of the tiny scraps of paper are misfiled and
disarranged. There are thirty-two boxes of memoranda."
Four years later. in his introduction to the omnibus edition of Fort's books,
Thayer was still struggling:
"He used cryptic abbreviations and certain symbols which amount to a personal shorthand, making transcription an arduous undertaking."
Nevertheless. this edition of Fort's notes is as literal as possible. The temptation to spruce up these jottings has been resisted with a will. The spelling
and punctuation used by Fort has been retained. The oblique mark (/), first
used by Thayer. is retained as necessary to string together the individual elements of each note. All comments and corrections, including Kiesewetter's,
are bracketed. Also included are cross references to Fort's books.
PURSUIT Winter 1979

THE NOTES
Notes I A date and a place on green paper =
q - Rept B.A .. 1911 I I = small 1 II =
greater I III = greatest.
1800 / Directions I If I pass along these
notes I Anything with the third item a leiter is
from the London Times. such as Aug 21-1O-e.
18-- / Case at Leeds / Fir bog bursts in ireland. I See Irish Naturalist. June. 1897. I
ISee Sept 2, 1824.1
184- / Cuper / Sound like thunder and
whirl i See Sept 9. 1923. / ISee June 30.
1842.)
18- / The Leeds case / Bursting bogs and
streams of muddy water / Science. Ap. 1.
1892. p. 187 ! ISee Sept 2. 1824.)
1800 / At Seringapatum about 1800. ab size
of an elephant - "No reason whatever for our
doubting fact. Dr. Bul ist) I Bt. As. 1855/34.
IReverse side) See May 28. 1802. / B Assoc
1855/34.
1800/ N I W. an early one of plants. etc .. at
sea / with March. 1905.
1800 / Col. the wild men of the "mixed"
languages.
Note / Watch for 2 or more polts or other
"spirits.'
N / Fulton leiter / myst flames / See Oct 15.
1907.
Watch for note / boa Long Island. Sept 7.
1893/ Cobra there (L.l.l long before. I ISee
May 31. 1881.1

1800
Feb 4
Feb. 26

/ Columbia / Ecuador / Venezuela I great q / [BA) '11.

I Lisbon / q and heavy rain I BA

54/9p.m.

47
ABBREVIATIONS
ab
Acto
A. J. Sci
Al
An de Chimie
Ap.
Aug
B.A.

about
According to
American Journal of Science
[ ? Almanac? )
Annales de Chimie
April
August

Report of the British Association for the Aduancement of

Science

BAssoc

Report of the British Association for the Aduancement of

Science

BCF
bet
Bib Brit
Bib. Univ.
Bt. As.
Bull Soc. Sismol. Ital.
Col. the wild men
Conj Venus
C.R.

The Books of Charles Fort

between

Bibliographie British [?)

Bibliographie Uniuerselle
Report of the British Association for the Aduancement of
Science
Bulletin de la Societe Sismologique de Italy [?)
Collect the wild men
Conjunction Venus

0-79

Comptes Rendus
The Book of the Damned, p: 79

Dec
dept.
det met.
EtoW.
Ext

December
department
detonating meteor
East to West
Extraordinary

(F)

Fletcher's List

Feb
Fr
Frgs
Ghst
Intro to Meteorology
It
Jan
Kiesewetter

February
France
Frogs
Ghost

L.l.
London Times, 3-b
Mag. Pop Sci
Mar
Mass.
Med. Repos.
met
Metite
M.W.R.
myst
N. American
N.H.
N.M.
N / W. an early
N.Y.
Nor. Car.
Nov
Obs
Oct
Op. Mars

Introduction to Meteorology
Italy
January
"An enterprising new member has undertaken the task of
checking the references in Charles Fort's NOTES as printed
in the Magazine, especially and primarily those gathered
from the Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. This welcome refinement of details is forwarded by H. A. Kiesewetter, of Buffalo;who is assisted in
the work by Mrs. Kiesewetter" (The Fortean, 1110, p. 146,
c. 1).
Long Island
London Times, page 3, column b
Magazine of Popular Science
March
Massachusetts
[?)
meteor
Meteorite

Monthly Weather Reuiew

mysterious
North American
New Hampshire
No More
[?)
New York
North Carolina
November

Obseruatory

p.

October
Opposition Mars
page

Phil Mag

Philosophical Magazine

Feb. 27

I Etna began recurring at intervals

until middle of lS02. I BA '54.

I Mexico I great q. I [BAI'll.
I Vulcan I Fritsch of Magdeburg I
Obs3/136.
Mar. 20-21 I China II I [Small earthquake I
BA'11I.
I Essex I Steeple-Bumstead I
April 1
det met. BA '60.
[Kiesewetter i I April 1 - Essex: SteepleBumstead - Fireball - detonation fell
with a hissing sound. I April 5 - North
America - great meteor - detonationstones fell. I
Aug
Perseids I A. J. Sci 37-335.
Aug. 5
I N. American fireball. BA '60.
[Kiesewetter I I August S - North America - Fireball. I August 15 - Halle
France - Fireball.l
Oct. 17
Small earthquake, Valley of Ossau
in the Pyrenees, France. BA 1911.
[Kiesewetter I I October 17 - Small
earthquake in Valley of Ossauin Pyrenees
France.1
Nov. S l O p . Mars I (A 1).
Dec. 9
I Vallets (Latium) Italy - small
earthquake. BA 1911.
[Kiesewetter II December 9 - (Should
be "29", and "Vallets" should read
Valletri).1

MarS
Mar. 20

1801
I At Rastadt, sulphur rain I rain
so charged with sulphur that people
made matches of the material I
Phil Mag 44-254.
I Chili I great q I [BAI'l1.
Jan 1
I [London TImes). 3-b I q's I
Mar. 10
New England.
I Inferior conjunction Venus-Sun.
May 26
June and I Youghall Mirages I Thomson,
Intro to Meteorology, p. 258 I
before
[Reverse side] Thomson (D.P.).
Intro to Meteorology, S755. g. 23.
I Halle I Fireball I BA 60.
June 19
I Eskilstuna I Sweden I violent q.
July
I a mountain I the sea covered I
dead fish I BA Rept '54/44.
I Montgaillard I Fireball I BA '60.
July 14
I [London TImesl, 3-c I PlanetslI
Aug 25
[London Times]. 7-2-c I disc of
Ceres.
I France (Ain) I Fireball I BA '60.
Aug 26
I London Timesl. 2-c I 16-3-d I
Sept 12
q's I Scotland.
.I [London Times). 3-c I Sunspots.
Sept 14
I Great q I Mexico I Look up,
Oct 5
see ifright - B.A., 1911.
Bologna, Italy I I I [Small earthOctS
quake I BA 1911].
I [London Times). 3-c I Nov. 2OctS
3-b I Meteor.
[London Times). 3-d I 14-3-c. d I
Oct 15
Ext storms.
Colchester and Burg St. Edwards,
Oct. 23
stones fell? BA '60.
[Kiesewetter I I Oct 23 - Colchester:
Bury 51. Edwards. Fireball (aerolitic)1
PURSUIT Winter 1979

48
ABBREVIATIONS (Continued)
polts
Prof.
q
Rec. Bull Soc.
Sci, Montpellier
ReptB.A.
Sci. Gos.
ScOp.
Sept
Symons'
tho storm
Tran Merc
Va.
Volc
Vulc
Nov. 3

poltergeists
Professor
earthquake

September

Symons' Meteorological Magazine

1802
I Ulm I Thick viscous liquid I Phil
Jan4

Jan 17
Feb 7
May 12
May 28

Aug 7

Aug 10
Aug 15
Aug 23
Sept 1

Sept 15

Oct 1

Mag 44254 I in abundance,

covering eveything exposed to it.
I bet 7 and 8 a.m. I Carinthia
and Turkey I great q preceded
[Reverse side) at Trieste, by a
"terrible" thunderstorm and "tidal
wave" ! BA 54.
I Spain I I [Light quake I BA
1911).
I Vulc ! Fritsch of Magdeburg I
Obs3/136.
I (It) I Brescia I great q I [SA) '11.
I Near Puzlemischely, Hungaryblock of ice,1200 pounds I
Science (Michels) 2276.
I Concussion in dept. Lot and
great met seen at Cahors I C.R ..
17621 I det met at Cahors.
[Reverse side) Concussion at Cey
Ius (Lot) I BA '54.
I Quedlinburg I Fireball I SA '60.
I Venezuela I II I [Medium
quake I BA 1911).
I "Terrible shock," Richmond,
Va., and rumbling sound I BA 54.
I Drought I q. I Naples and
Capua I been no rain since
March I BA 54.
I Loch Tay, Scotland I stonefall I
questioned in BA '60.
[Reverse side) Refers to Monthly
Magazine, Oct. 1802, p. 290.
I Beauvais (Oise) I bet 9 and
10 p.m. I det met I q and left a
sulphurous odor of long duration I
listed as a q I Bull Soc. Sismol.
Ital. 14/326 I (BA '54).
[Reverse side) C.R. 17621 I bet
10 and 11 p.m. I meteor I E to W.

PURSUIT Winter 1979

Ap.35

I Volc I Goentoes, Java I C.R.

70878 I N.M.
I Described in Richmond Gazette
of 23rd I tremendous fall of

OCI.

10

April 20

Ap.20
Ap.20

thunderstorm
Transit Mercury
Virginia
Volcano
Vulcan

House on fire by a meteor.

Nov 1213 I Night; Philadelphia I shock /
BA'54.
Early in Dec I Austria I I / [Small earthquake I
BA 1911).
Dec 12
I [London Times), 2d I Ext
storm / Plymouth.

I Red rain I R - May 16, '46.

I Italy I red dust / An de Chimie
2/31/267.

Record de la Bulletin de la Societe Scientifique,

Montpellier [?]
Report 0/ the British Association for the Aduancement of
Science
Science Gossip
Science Opinion [?]

I (+) / [London Times). 3d I

Feb 4,5,6
March 8

I Vulcan by Fritsch of Magde

bourg I C.R. 83/587 I

[Reverse side) rapidly crossing the

sun.
Oct 21
I Carmarthen I See Oct 30, 1868.
Oct 26
I Russia I AustriaHungary I
great q. I II or III I [BA 1911) I
Turkey.
Nov.
IEtna I "Etna" I Rodwell.
Nov. 6
I Suffolk I Fireball I BA '60.
Nov. 7
I Algiers I q. I II [medium) I
BA'll.
Nov. 8
I Tran Merc I Sc Op. 1.
Nov. 9
I Vulcan by Keiser at Amster
dam I C.R. 83719.
Nov. 9
I Transit Mercury lObs. 29/416.
Nov. 26
I Turkey I I I [Light quake /
BA 1911).
Dec 24
lop. Mars I (A 11.
(ab Dec. 26 I Conj Venus.
Dec 28
I Japan I ~ and sea waves I
III I [Heavy I BA 1911).
Dec 31
I Sisteron (Basses Alpes) I Sun
rose a glowing red color. I q at
11 a.m. and at 2 p.m. I BA '54.
[Reverse side] Nov 31?

Ap.25
Ap.26
May 2
May9
June4

July 4

July 24

Sept 1
Sept 22
Oct 5
Oct 8
Oct. 8

1803
Jan8

Jan. 21
Feb. 2

/ Poland I I I [Light quake I

BA 1911).
I Volc fish I VOIc of Cotopaxi I
witnessed by Humboldt I His story
see Sci. Gos. 187025 I That this
time and other times of eruptions
in the northern Andes fishes have
been cast by the volcanoesalways of the same species, Arges
Cyclopum.
[Reverse side) Millions of them
sometimes in such numbers that
their decomposing remains have
bred disease. But though it is said
that some have fallen in a "half
noiled" condition, most of them
were untouched by fire and some
were alive.
I Meteors I Am. J. Sci 40-349.
I Silesia I Fireball I BA 60.
I Marseilles, France I I I [Light
quake I BA 1911).

meteors at R.
[Reverse side) A. J. Sci 26135 I
from 1 till 3 a.m. I also in Mass.
I Mets I A. J. Sci 26135.358 I
40363.
Meteors I newspapers in Nor.
Car .. Va., and N.H. quoted I
A. J. Sci. 36359 I Heavens
seemed to be on fire from 1 to 3
a.m. Alarming and astonishing in
Richmond. I Also N.Y .. Mass.
I Japan I q / BA '11 I I [Light).
I Ac to Fletcher I L'Aigle.
I L'Aigle (Ome) I Bib Brit 37/283.
Cambridge / detonation and
shock, ; meteor I BA '60.
I Metite struck a house at East
Norton. I European Magazine
44-72.
[Reverse side) 1/2 of silceous
clay I rest oxidated iron, mag
nesia, nickel and sulphur I BA60;
Phil Mag, July, 1803.
I East Norton I Leicester. I
Metite? I BA '60 I Phil Mag, July,
1803.
I 11 p.m. I Christiana I q pre
ceded by sound like thunder I
[Reverse side] At Laurnig. q fol
lowed by aerial sound and distur.
bance. I BA54.
/ III [Heavy) I q I Calcutta I
BA'I1.
I Geneva! Fireball i BA 60.
I Stones near Avignon I Bib Brit
24295.
I Apt I (Fletcher).
I Gordes (Vaucluse) I France I
bet. 6 arid 7 p.m. I "Some per
sons believed they felt an earth
[Reverse side) quake." At Apt,
an aerolite hard) fallen bel. 10
and 11 a.m.' I Rept B Assoc

54/53 I
Ocl. 15
Oct 28

Ocl.29
Nov. 13

Nov. 13

Nov 16
Dec 12

[Front side) Same as 5th?

I Great floods I Madeira I
Symons' 34.
I (Fr) I Nantes and Antwerpq I Storm at Paris and Rouen and
met seen. I BA '54.
I Caucasia I I I [Light quake I
BA 1911).
I Met size moon / Edinburgh and
London I BA 60 I
[Reverse side) L.T., Nov. 153
g I 163d 1304a.
I 8:30 p.m. I "Very remarkable"
fireball - England. I Mag. Pop
Sci 361.
I Geneva I Fireball / BA '60.
I Mt. Blanc I 4:30 p.m. I
Violently shaken and ice fell from
it. IBA54.
(To

be continued)

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
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Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
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Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino
Dr. Carl H. Delacato
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Dr. George C. Kennedy
Dr. Martin Kruskal
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell
Dr. Vladimir Mar~otic
Dr. John R. Napier
Dr. Michael A. Persinger
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz
Dr. Roger W. Wescott
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight
Dr. Robert K. Zuck

Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian

Institute, Eastern New Mexico University. (Archaeology)
Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured,
Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Director, lindheimer Astronomical Research Center,
Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Professor of Geology, Institute of Geophysics, U .C.l.A.
(Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University.
(Mathematics)
Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J.
(General Biology)
Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University
of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology and Ethnology)
Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University
of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological
Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont., Canada. (Psychology)
Head, Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture,
Utah State University. (Phytochemistry)
Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center,
C.edar Grove, N.J. (Mental Sciences)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Cultural Anthropology and linguistics)
Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
(Geography and Oceanography)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Botany)

PURSUIT
INDEX
1978
Acid Rain: A Formidable Dilemma, 143
Aerial Life? 84
"Ahoy, Mate! Which F1amin' Phantom Ship Salls
Thar? (Part I & II), 109,144
Analogies of the Propagation Waves of the Great
Fear in France, 1789, and of the Airship Flap
In Ohio, 1897, 17
Ancient American Underground Cities?, 90
Animals: Wild In the Streets, 119
Anjard, Ronald P.. 89.90.165
Anthropology of the Unknown: A Conference on
Sasquatch and Similar Humanoid Monsters, 130
Archaeo-lIIoglcal Fragments and Fantasies. 159
Beamed Power for Starships. 83
Begg. Paul G., 73
Berezovka Mammoth Mystery. The. 67
Berlitz. Charles. 75
BOOK REVIEWS
American Indian Myths and Mysteries, Vincent
H. Gaddis. 40
Biomusic Synthesis. David Blhary. 128
Creatures of the Outer Edge. Jerome Clark and
Loren Coleman. 176
Guide to PSI Periodicals, edited by Elizabeth
M. Werner, 127
Phenomena: A Book of Wonders. John Mitchell
and Robert JM Rickard. 127
Report on a Survey of the Membership of the
American Astronomical Society Concerning the
UFO Problem. Dr. Peter A. Sturrock. 176
Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us, John Green. 175
Sky Creatures: Living UFOs, Trevor James
Constable, 175
The Haunted Universe. D. Scott Rogo. 80
The World's Last Mysteries. The Readers Digest
Association. Inc.. 128
Clark. derome, 88
Climatic Variation and the Exploration of
Greenland. 136
Coherence In Chaos, 28
Colonization of the Americas - As early as
2000 BC?, 165
Comments and Queries on the Ob,erved Ecology
and Anatomy of an Unclassified Species of
Primate. 131
Concept of Simultaneity. The. 60
Cosmic Hologram. The, 23
Davidson. Jacob A.. 85
Derinkuyu and Other Ancient Underground
Cities. 89
Earthquake Lights. 48
Eberhart, George M., 55, 101. 136
Forteana Galactica. 69
Fortean Fakes and Folklore, 98
Fortean Times, These. 123
Frozen Mammoths: Volcanoes, Comet-Storms. or
Permafrost?, 67
Gray. Alan.

69

Jordison, Barbara.

66,158

Little Riddle. A. 72
Loch Ness Update, 1977. 2
Lorenzonl. Silvano. 70,84,142
L5: A Settlement In Space. 42
Macer-Story, E.. 94
Macey, Patrick J., 130
Mammoth Problem - Two Solutions,
Manglacopra, Gary S.. 82
Marriott, S.. 9
Mayne. S.N.. 25. 108. 143
McKee, Jasper, 72
Member #340, 68
Mind Over Matter. 22
Mongold. Harry E., 60
Mr. Berlitz-Again!. 73
Mutilations: Up from Obscurity, 85

68

Nailed-Down Universe. The. or Plans for the

Box Box Machine. 94
Nessie Sightings Endangered by Illegal Salmon
Netting. 5
Observation on Critics Whose Appraisal of
Phenomena is Undisturbed by Personal
Knowledge or Experience. 75
Ott, John. 13
Paradoxical Orthodoxy in Cancer Research. 13
Paranormal Phenomena: The First International
Congress. 25
Pawlicki, T.B., 22,23,91
Physics of Physics. The. 91
Psychoanalysis Wangle. The. 142
Randazza (Not a) Sea Serpent Sighting, The,
Reardon. Russ. 7
Rejoinder to Jacob Davidson. A. 88
Rickard. Robert JM, 123, 153
Rind. David. 51
Rothovlus, Andrew E.. 17

82

Schadewald, Robert. 98
Shiels Nessie Photographs. The. 153
Singer. Jon Douglas, 45
SITUations. 75.120.169
SITU Membership Directory. 174
"Skyquakes" - And Separate Realities. 51
Skyquakes - Things That Go Bump In the Night.
Stoecker. William B., 83
Strasser. Joel A., 2,5
Sutherly. Curt. 42
Symposiums, 40, 78, 125. 172
Synchro Data, The, 66
Synchro Data-II. The, 158
Those Palenque Remains. 7
Toward Solving the Bermuda Triangle Mystery.
Transformist Myth. The. 70
Trunt, Leo. 67

45

134

Walls, Robert E.. 131

Weather Modification and Control?, 108
Wedding Photo. That, 117
Weston, Michael S., 134
Whamond's Law Repealed, 9
Wilkie. Britton. 159
Witchcraft and Weather Modification (Part I & II).
55.101
Wolf, R. Martin. 28

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

,.,.

r"?

(',
("

c:'
('
('

...
I"""'Il"'")nt"'"""",r

VOL. 12 No.2 WHOLE No. 46

SPRING 1979

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Research (members on'y)
and 'ega' address
SITU
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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 12, No.2

SPRING,1979

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf

PURSUIT.
THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Assistant Editor
Steven N. Mayne
Consulting Editors
JohnA. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson
Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
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Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
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Contributing Writers
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R. M. Wolf
Production
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the InvestigaHon of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

CONTENTS
Page
Water Monsters of the Midwestern Lakes
by Gary S. Mangiacopra ............................................. 50
Lake Monsters
compiled by Joseph S. Haas, Jr ....................................... 56
Is the Panther Making a Comeback?
by Susan Power Bratton ............................................. 58
Black 'Mountain Lions' in California?
by Loren Coleman .................................................. 61
The Search for Norumbega (Part II: Stars, Symbols, and Scholars)
by Jon Douglas Singer ............................................... 63
What Is Time?
by Harry E. Mongold ................................................ 67
The Time Pump
or
Speculations on the A-Spacial Energies of Chronicity
by E. Macer-Story .................................................. 75
The Known and the Unknown
by Steven Mayne ................................................... 80
Count Saint-Germain: Where Are You?
by Curt Sutherly .................................................... 83

Cover designed
by Britt Wilkie

TimeTrav~1

by T. B. Pawlicki. ................................................... 85
SITUations .............................................................. 88
Book Reviews ............................................................ 89
Symposium ............................................................... 91
The Notes of Charles Fort .................................................. 92
The SOCiety for the Investigation of The Unexplained

1979

50

WATER MONS"TERS OF
THE MIDWESTERN LAKES
By Gary s. Mangiacopra
AMONG the many unpublished notes of the late Charles
H. Fort was a reference to a one page article in the
Chicago Tribune for Sunday, July 24, 1892, recounting
no less than ten reports of lake monsters sighted in the
states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.!
The superficial researcher and writer would have taken
such n~wspaper accounts at face value, without any
investigation or confirmation as to whether or not the
incidents had actually occurred; but the hardcore Fortean,
who knows the importance of careful research - especially when one is dealing with published accounts of an
age of 90 years, is concerned more with the accuracy and
detail of these reports. Each of those alleged lake monster
accounts will be reprinted here in its entirety, and will be
followed by the results of my own investigations.

I. THE LAKE MENDOTA AND

LAKE MONONA MONSTER
"Though Madison's [Wisconsin] sea serpent has been
seen on numerous occasions during the last few years
and its existence vouched for by many respectable citizens, Billy Dunn, perhaps the most famous of Madison's
fishermen, has alone been accorded the honor of having
a hand to hand conflict with the monster. It happened in
this wise: On a warm day in June in 1883 Dunn, accompanied by his wife, was qUietly fishing in Lake Mendota
near what is tailed Livesey's Bluff, when he noticed a black
object moving threateningly towards the boat. As it came
nearer, the outline of a large snake was discernible, the
head of the reptile being raised for several feet in the air,
the forked tongue darting fiercely backwards and forwards,
and the water in the vicinity being conSiderably disturbed.
Dunn was equal to the occasion and seizing an oar awaited
the attack. The serpent, with a fierce hiss, sprang upon
the boat, but only to fall back partially stunned by the wellaimed blow of the fisherman. The oar could not be withr drawn, however. before the coils of the snake had sur" rounded it with their firm embrace, and the reptile, recovering from the blow, had darted its long black fangs
entirely through the blade. Now was Dunn's opportunity,
and as the monster was struggling to disentangle its teeth
from the wood, he rained blow after blow upon it with a
hatchet he carried by his side, until the snake gave up the
contest, uncoiled itself, and sank beneath the waters.
"Dunn still keeps the oar with some of the huge black
fangs of the snake imbedded in it as a memento of his terrible experience.
"Dunn will not trust himself to guess at the length of the
reptile. He says that it was of a light greenish color and
covered with large white spots."!
PURSUIT Spring 1979

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
My inquiry to the Madison Public Library resulted in
my receiving two articles from the Wisconsin State Journal;
I was informed that the Wisconsin State Historical Society
had no further information on these subjects. 2
One of the articles, dated June 28, 1883, confirms the
original account as a rendering of what allegedly occurred,
but added some information that was omitted in the initial
article.
The precise time of the incident was reported as 11 :00
a.m. the morning of June 27. Apparently, the head of
the animal was raised two feet or more above the surface
of the "perfectly placid" water, which was nevertheless
disturbed for some distance to the rear of the creature,
thus indicating the animal was of a considerable length.
The animal, we learn, was many feet long and several
inches in diameter, and its color was a light shade, with
white spots about three-quarters of an inch in length, while
the tongue was jet black and very long.
As to the ultimate fate of the oar with the animal's huge
black fangs protruding from it, it was purchased by a Chicago drummer and could be seen in one of the prominent
museums of Chicago. 3
Surprisingly, the second article I received in answer to
my inquiry concerns another lake monster Sighted June II,
1897 in nearby Lake Monona:
"The Monona sea serpent has made its appearance
about two months earlier than usual this season, according
to several people in the vicinity of East Madison who aver
that they saw the monster last evening. They say it was at
least 20 feet long, and traveled east on the surface of the
lake until Eugene Heath, agent of the Gaar-Scott company,
fired two shots at it when it turned and came back; at this
juncture either the snake or the spectators appear to have
disappeared. It is probably the same animal which is
credited with having devoured a dog which was swimming in the lakes a few days ago.
"Mr. Schott and others who saw the 'thing' whatever
it may be, insist that it is a reality and not a joke or a creature
of their combined imaginations. Its appearance is not of
a serpent though none of them cared to make a close
investigation. Mr. Schott says, however, that he saw it
plainly in the bright moonlight, and its shape was like the
bottom of a boat, but that it was about twice as long. It
traveled with a portion of its back out of water, and went
through the surface at a high rate of speed, especially
after being shot at. Mr. Schott's two sons saw it, and were
so firmly convinced that it was a dangerous animal that,
when soon after two ladies desired to be rowed over to
Lakeside, neither of the Schotts, who have spent a large
part of their lives on the lake, would venture out."4
Thus we find two possible lakes which may contain
species of water animals of an unknown variety. Further
investigation may prove rewarding.

51

II. THE MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN,

LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER
"The mystery of the collusion of the three masted
schooner Cheney Ames, with the south pier at this harbor
is being cleared up. It will be'remembered, as told in these
dispatches, that the boat on entering the harbour suddenly became uncontrollable and was dashed against the
sharp corner of the pier and received a rent which shortly
afterward sent her to the bottom, When the crash came
Ed Maloney, a seaman, comprehended the situation at
a glance and seizing a piece of tarred canvas sprang over
board, when, with superb prowess and bravery, he succeeded in placing the cloth over the opening, the pressure,
of the water holding it in place. This almost unexampled
and strategic movement kept the Ames afloat until she
went down in shallow water several hundred feet up the
channel. Maloney was immediately hurled by a heavy
sea aft and beneath the vessel. His companions had no
fear for his safety, for the tar can swim and dive like the
disputed Alaskan seal. He passed entirely beneath the
vessel, coming to the surface abaft the stern on the opposite side. Contrary to all expectation, instead of striking
out and swimming ashore, he acted as one stunned or
paralyzed, and when he had drifted to the pier he was
hauled in more dead than alive. He quaked in his dripping boots and his face was bleached with subject terror.
Recovering his breath, or more particularly his wits, he
told a marvelous story, yet one in corroboration of other
stories and rumours current hereabout. In brief, his story
was that in passing beneath the vessel he glanced through
the water as a man would through open air and beheld
the sight which froze his blood and dried up his fountains
of speech. Lodged between the wheel and rudder of peculiarly constructed schooner, and coiled several times
about the rudder was a serpent full sixty feet in length.
Its jaws, in which gleamed ferocious fangs, were distended, and the gleaming bead-like eyes of the beast
looked earnestly into the eye of the sailor as he passed.
The lower part of the body was yellowish, pink and white,
while the upper portions of the reptile were glossy black.
The wheel had cut a gash in its side, from which the blood
spurted and discolored the water in the wake of the vessel.
Before Maloney had told his story the monster had freed
itself from the trap of the rudder and wheel and plunged
into the depths of the lake, As soon as the rudder was unobstructed it responded to the efforts of the nonplussed
and tugging wheelsman, and the disabled schooner was
thrown to the north side of the channel and in a few minutes sank.
"Referring to this sea monster, William Dixon, superintendent of the water department, said when he saw it at
about 2 o'clock, or an hour before the wrecking of the
vessel, it was floating in toward the harbor in spiral shape,
or as a huge, inverted corkscrew. Then it changed its
position to a mammoth yet graceful interrogation point.
Mr. Dixon had reported sighting the serpent before it became entangled with the ill-fated Cheney Ames.
"The presence of this mighty reptile, followed so closely
by the unusual auroral display, has caused some nervousness on the part of summer tourists at Lake Harbor, and
the coast is constantly patrolled in hopes of catching a
glimpse of this terror of the lake." I

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
This is a rare instance in which the witness is mentioned
as being beyond question, and did, in fact, exist; and the
Cheney Ames did suffer damage which caused her to
sink - but the reported lake monster nevertheless seems
to be lacking in actuality.
The real reason as to why the vessel became uncontrollable was due to a strong wind - almost a gale - from
the north, creating treacherous seas as the ship attempted
to make it to the harbor by a straight run with the wind at
her side, with some towing assistance from the tug Annie
L. Smith. Just as the vessel had reached the point opposite the end of the south pier, the wind apparently drove
her against the corner of the pier, thus causing a large
hole to appear in the side of the ship.
It is obvious that Edward Maloney did dh{e over her
side and did assist in stretching a canvas over the hole,
allowing the water pressure to keep the canvas in place
until the ship could be towed further away before she
sank, probably due to her cargo of 575,000 pounds of
portage red entry building stone: but there was at the time
no mention published of the alleged lake monster which
had caused the accident and which must therefore be
considered as a hoax!
The mention that the "presence" of the reptile was followed closely by an unusual auroral display - if that
observation by the writer of the article can be confirmed
from other sources, may well deserve further investigation,
but in general, regarding this case it can be proven that
although the crew member and the ship existed, the lake
monster probably did not!5.67,8

III. THE LAKE GENEVA MONSTER

"The citizens of Lake Geneva and the thousands of
people around its banks are in a state of intense excitement.
They are flocking to the shore in groups and stand there
by the hour peering intently out into the lake. No matter
if the sun does pour his hottest beams down on their devoted heads, no matter if their earnest endeavors resulted
in burned faces or ruined complexions -:- such things are
but trivial affairs at this time and are the last to be considered or given any heed. All this confusion and constant
scanning of the waters of our lake may be explained by
the discovery that the sea serpent which we read about in
natural history as only a myth, is an actual living thing. It
was seen yesterday [July 22, 1892] by a couple of boys,
who were fishing with Ed Fay, over on the south shore,
near the residences of Prof. Swing and J. Van Inwagen.
The boys were trolling for bass, having had good luck,
and were just about to start for the city when suddenly
there arose out of the water within a few rods of the boys
the monstrous head of a huge serpent with large, fiercelooking eyes and wide open mouth in which they could
plainly see several rows of sharp hooked teeth. The head
arose about ten feet out of the water and came slowly
towards the boat in which the boys were huddled, almost
palsied with fear, They could plainly see the scales on the
neck of the reptile or fish glisten in the evening sun. It
seemed to be of a light-green color on the breast or belly,
which turned darker towards the back, which was nearly
black. The boys began to think they could hear Gabriel's
PURSUIT Spring 1979

52

trumpet and that they were to pass to their reward through

those gaping jaws which seemed about to close upon them.
"When the serpent got within a few feet of the boat he
suddenly turned and went out towards the middle of the
lake. He also seemed to throw himself out of the water so
that the boys are ready to swear they saw as much as 100
feet of his body clear of the water and in the largest part it
must have measured three feet in diameter.
"As soon as the boys could gather their senses they
started for the city as fast as they could pull their boat and
it will be many a day before they venture on the water
again. When last seen the serpent was still carrying his
head out of the water and slowly moving up the lake
towards Keye's Park."!

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
My inquiry to the lake Geneva Public library received
the following response: "We have been unable to find
any information on the monster supposedly Sighted in
Lake Geneva in 1892. We checked our local history books
and clippings files, as well as copies of the newspaper for
June, July, and August of that year. There was no mention
of such an event.'"
Considering the "thousands" of persons who were along
the banks awaiting a glimpse of the monster, and that
such an occurrence would surely have received notice in
the local newspaper, it must be concluded that this incident,
too, is likely a hoax.

IV. THE PETOSKEY

LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER
"A party of tourists out in a sail boat on lake Michigan
about twelve miles from here, were having a good time
the other day when one of the party on looking ahead
saw what looked like a huge mass of tumbling waves. He
called the attention of his companions to it and upon
coming a little closer they saw a monster sea serpent sporting in the water. It would lash the water into foam for a
great distance, roll and tumble about, and then for a
moment lie perfectly still, when its shape and size could
be easily seen. At times it would dive down and remain
under for a few moments and then reappear a short distance away. Then again the monster would raise itself
almost entirely out of water when its ugly looking fins
were to be plainly seen. Finally the monster gave three or
four terrible lashes with its immense tail and sank out of
sight. Its estimated length is from sixty to seventy-five feet
and fully four feet in diameter of the body. Its head could
be easily seen and its Vicious-looking eyes were as large
as dinner plates. The monster jaws were of immense size
and fairly bristled with ugly, sharp teeth. The color was a
sort of dark brown, which grew lighter toward the tail. Its
body was tapering like a snake's, but was not very long
for its size. The water was quite calm, and there was but
little wind and there can be no doubt that the people saw
what they claim."!

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
The following response came in answer to my inquiry
to the Petoskey Public library: "I regret to inform you
that our newspapers only go back as far as 1893, and we
therefore cannot send the information you have requested."!O
PURSUIT Spring 1979

It is my feeling that the incident reported should be

regarded as a possible lake monster sighting until further
information can be located to either prove or disprove it.

v.

THE LAKE MONSTERS

OF THE OCONOMOWOC,
WISCONSIN, REGION

"At intervals for a number of years an immense fish has

been seen in lake la Belle, Fowler, Oconomowoc and
Okauchee, and especially in Fowler. Rumor has even
had it that there was a sea serpent in these lakes, but
however that may be, there is very good authority for the
belief that they do contain some very large specimens of
. the buffalo fish. One day in June, 1886, Mr. C. I. Peck
saw in Fowler lake a very large object and went towards
it in a boat when it disappeared, but soon after came to
the surface again for a moment. It seemed to be fighting
something. It was a fish and that portion exposed to view
appeared to be about 4 feet long. The whole length was
probably 8 feet and the weight sixty or seventy pounds.
This was said to be its first appearance since ten or fifteen
years before, when it was quite familiar object in that lake,
a favorite camping ground between Church Point and
the dam. It was then called the grandfather of all the fish
i.n Fowler lake. Last fall a fisherman while spearing fish in
Okauchee lake claims to have seen a buffalo fish six feet
long and weighing 80 to 90 pounds and having scales as
large as silver dollars. The buffalo fish is said to be very
hard to capture and although there have been exceedingly
big catches in each of our lakes, the chance remains for
some expert fisherman to break these records by bringing
[in] the grandfather. Since the lake opened this spring,
and as late as a few days ago, several persons have often
seen in Fowler Lake, near Church Point, a strange looking
object which, from its long serpent-like tail, some have
taken to be an otter. Others think it is a beaver they have
seen. There used to be beavers in these lakes, and there
is now an old beaver dam between Oconomowoco and
Nashota lakes."!

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
The Oconomowoc Public library answered my inquiry
as follows: "I have been unable to find anything definite
for you regarding a lake "monster" or immense fish Sighted
in the lakes around here during the late 19th century. Oldsters say they have heard of this story, but nothing more
definite. "11
The reply coming from the Waukesha County Museum
contained some additional information: "We have searched
the 1880 History of Waukesha County, The Waukesha
Daily Freeman Centennial publication, our "lakes and
localities" files as well as our historical information files
without finding any references to such a fish having been
Sighted in any of the lakes in Waukesha County.
"A 'gag' postcard is enclosed, but this was apparently
meant only as a joke, and no mention of any 'sightings'
are found."12
The postcards, circulated about fifty years ago, were
captioned: "We went out and caught a small one for
breakfast - Okauchee lake, Wis.," and showed a boat
containing two fishermen, one of whom had in his hands
a fishing pole with a gigantic fish at the end. The second

53

card, of Lake Keesus, showed two men running from the

shore, being chased by two enormous fish with teeth. 13
There is circumstantial evidence that the lake creatures
cited as monsters may be a species of fish which simply
grew to an enormous size.

VI. THE LAKE MINNETONKA

MONSTER
"Fond mammas who allow their funloving offspring to
disport themselves along the lapping waters of Lake Minnetonka have had cause for anxiety of late. A sea serpent
that is more than a serpent - a huge, composite
monster combining the shapes and characteristics of snake,
toad, and turtle - is found to inhabit the lake. His appearances are rare, occurring only at night. The few who have
been at once privileged and horrified to behold this uncanny reptile describe it as of great length, and of all the
fantastic hues of Joseph's coat. It is a cyclops, its one green,
blazing eye being located midway between the forehead
and nose. Its length approximates thirty feet. The lower
part of the body is shaped like a turtle. This portion is flat
and nearly round, being some ten feet in diameter, with a
row of short, stubby legs on each side, armed with sharp
claws, like the turtle, alternating with other and much
longer legs, which are found only among the batrachian
scales. Overlapping this turtle body some five feet in front
and twice that length behind writhe and twist the sinuous
folds of the purely serpentine portion of this anomalous
creature. It has no scales, but is completely armored in a
series of wart-like bunches as large as a man's head and
varying in color from white to black, with all the intermediate shades of blue, purple, yellow, and green. It wears
no mane, but tufts of hair of all imaginable colors occur at
frequent intervals on every side from head to tail, and
below the wide jaws appears a long, bushy goatee of
coarsest fiber. Its jaws are furnished with broad, pOinted
teeth, and in and out between these rows of glistening bone
plays the red, bifurcated tongue with amazing swiftness.
The monster's mode of propulsion is a curious cross between the ordinary snakelike natation and the awkward
paddle of the turtle, but its speed is remarkable. When
suddenly and without premonition this most horrible
hybrid rises to the surface, its vocal organs emit a peculiar
noise, half roar and half scream and hiss which, added to
the tumultuous lashing of the water with the restless tail,
produces a most startling effect upon the ear.
.. Almost as strange as the monster itself is the origin to
which its existence is ascribed by the superstitious. More
than forty years ago Edmond Dornier, an old French settler,
inhabited Crane Island, in Lake Minnetonka. Dornier had
a lovely daughter of 19 who, while fishing in a canoe off
the island, was thrown into the water by the upsetting of
the tricky craft and would have drowned had not Mehawanta," an old Indian chief, witnessed the mishap. The
brave scout swam out and brought the perishing girl to
the shore. Tenderly laying her on the sward, Mehawanta
began the work of resuscitation. While thus engaged
Dornier, who was a hundred yards away, had not witnessed the accident and was ignorant of the true situation,
lifted his rifle and shot the old chief dead. Terrible was the
father's despair on discovering his awful mistake, and
from that time until his death was his every waking hour

tormented with the most poignant grief. The great serpent

turtle of Minnetonka is supposed to be the material embodiment of old Dornier's remorse."1

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
The Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical SOCiety was
unable to provide any further information in regard to this
alleged monster, which should, in all probability, be considered a hoax. 14

VII. THE MACKINAC ISLAND

MONSTER OF MICHIGAN
"On the western end of Round Island there is a crescentshaped bay with a shelVing sandy bottom. On warm days
you can see a few bathers splashing in the sun. Sometimes
when it is very clear, from over here on the veranda of
the Grand Hotel you can see the waters gleam.
"Today a young lady on the beach put her hand to her
eyes and fainted. She had been admiring the grand view
of the strait and she dropped her field glasses; she did not
cry out, she only pOinted toward Round Island and then
bumped her head against her sister's shoulder. There
were only five persons in the group, and as two of them
ran to the edge of the water for a handful to help the
young woman, they looked in the direction she had pOinted.
With the naked eye it looked like splashing corks. With
the glass it looked like men hurriedly scrambling for the
shore.
"It is a bare mile from Round Island to the wharves and
in a half hour the bathers were back in the sail boat which
bore them over. They looked very glad to get back. To the
excited group which met them at the docks they told strange
tales and, for these settings, certainly a new one. They
did not seem to want everyone to hear.
'Long as from here to the shed!'
'No, to the gate!'
'Looked like a huge snake.'
'Black and oily.'
'Nearly got Jimmie.'
"Anyone could tell that they were frightened and that
very severely. It was equally certain that nothing of cool
facts could be then obtained.
"This evening at the cottage of his father John Benem
Stevenson, J. Frederick Stevenson has just made a statement to this effect: A party of young men (declines to
give the names of the others), principally from the Eastern
bluff cottage, went bathing. They have several times gone
this year, as today, in a Mackinaw boat. They left the
water hurriedly in a fright caused by the appearance of
some kind of a monster in the form and general appearance of a huge snake. The creature did not attack them
or come toward them, as was perhaps said when they
landed at the dock, but it came near enough to one of the
party, who was at some distance from the land, to seem so.
It was taking its own course, which seemed to be in a southeasterly direction, towards the mainland, and without
apparently noticing the presence of the bathers.
"Mr. Stevenson further says that he is acquainted with
sea serpent lore and has often heard them described.
This creature, he affirms, whatever it is, did not possess
the traditional fiery-eyed dragon head, nor had it any fins
or any colOring, so far as he could see, but was black and
PURSUIT Spring 1979

54

oily and made a singular whirring noise as it passed. It

seemed to be in every way except its enormous size similar
to a snake in appearance and in the manner it traveled.
The most striking and start1ing thing was the peculiar noise
it made, sounding like the ringing buzz of some machinery.
"Mr. Stevenson is very cool and deliberate - almost
reticent - in his statements and seemed not at all solicitous for hearers or anxious for credence.
"Though it happened over three hours ago, scarcely
anyone on the island has heard ofthe strange event.
"The young lady who fainted has now entirely recovered,
but refuses to say a word on the matter. But that she saw
something that frightened her is a certain, which proves
that it must be large to be seen by a field glass at a distance
of a full mile. That her feminine instincts were excited
when the thing came near a certain young man is also
certain. Which doesn't prove anything, her young friends
say, but they don't want her name published.'"

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
From the Detroit Public Library came this reply: "No
records of the nineteenth and twentieth century reports of
the Great Lakes monsters of which you write in your
letter was located in the files and indexes of the Burton
Historical collection."'5
This incident must also be suspected as a hoax.

VIII. THE ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN,

MONSTER
"Capt. Jenkins of the steambarge Fenton reports that
in crossing Lake Erie he sighted what appeared to be a
wreck of some kind. Approaching it, the thing was seen
to be a huge serpent about thirty feet or more in length.
The tail of the monster was laterally compressed, thus
adapting it to the same purpose in locomotion through
the water as the caudal fin in fishes. The head was nearly
a foot in length, the nostrils being placed not as in ordinary
serpents, at the end of the snout, but above; and the
eyes, blazing like two balls of fire, were about two and a
half inches in diameter. The neck was very short and thick
set and the mouth, turned upward instead of forward, was
of huge cavernous dimensions, when the animal opens
its jaws so as to display its forked tongue. The color was
black with yellow white bands on the body and white
patches upon the head.
"On passing the huge reptile it was observed to rear its
head and neck out of the water and fall into the wake of
the boat as if in pursuit of prey. For twenty or more miles
the chase continued, the serpent equaling the speed of
the steamer and swimming gracefully most of the time
with its head and neck only out of the water, but occasionally rearing upon its abdomen so that it seemed to
stand up straight above the water for about fifteen feet,
as if to take a survey of the deck and see if there was any
prey there worth seizing. At intervals the animal approached
the ship closely and, rearing up, as it were, on its haunches
seemed disposed to oart on board and seize some of the
persons on deck. At such times the experience was thrilling
in the extreme. Nevertheless it gave the opportunity to
observe the situation of the serpent's nostrils, the Gonical
shaped teeth pointing backwards in the open mouth, and
the reddish color of the abdomen. Finally, after about
PURSUIT Spring 1979

twenty miles were thus passed, the huge monster as if

wearied, or deeming further pursuit hopeless, abandoned
the chase and swam gracefully away."1

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
A reply came from the Buffalo and Erie County Public
Library: "We are sorry to inform yol,l that we cannot locate
any articles concerning a lake monster in Lake Erie in
1892.
"The film for the local papers was checked for the dates
given plus dates on either side.
"Also, we tried the almanacs and local history files for
that year.
"There are many books on sightings of monsters but
nothing we can identify with Lake Erie. Neither do the
names of Captain Woods and Jenkins appear. "16
This incident, therefore, must be considered suspect.
Anotherpossible hoax?

IX. THE DEVIL'S LAKE

MONSTER
"Three years ago in the month of August the pleasure
seekers that were enjoying the delightful climate and grand
scenery of Devil's Lake were startled by the report that a
huge sea serpent had been seen in its waters. The excited state in which the narrators returned from their
adventure, together with the similarity of the accounts of
each, convinced every one of the truthfulness of their
tale, and for a time none but the bravest dared to venture
on the lake. After these adventurers had departed the story
soon came to be looked upon as being composed of stuff
that dreams are made of, or was explained as resulting
from a practical joke played by those [who find] that 'Satan
finds some mischief for idle hands to do.'
"It seems, however, that the matter is not to be passed
over so lightly. The original discoverers of the reptile were
a party of young women or girls, who, of course, fled at
first sight of the monster, but last evening about 8 o'clock
not only one but two of their snakeships were seen by
four men while out fishing. The names of these observers
are: Col. B. C. Deane, a person of unquestionable veracity; L. E. Hoyt, J. B. Cundall, and F. E. Shults, and from
the first named the writer gets the following account:
"The party was fishing at the southwest part of the lake,
near the marsh and having good luck at that spot concluded to anchor their boats and set their lines. They had
done this, and were about to partake of refreshments
when a peculiar rippling of the water was noticed about
100 feet distant. Up to this time the water had remained
perfectly placid, and this strange disturbance attracted their
attention. Gazing in that direction they soon saw the head
of an immense reptile as it appeared above the water
where the disturbance was first noticed. At first the head
was barely visible above the water, but gradually it rose
until it stood fully six feet out of the water, and to the part
of the body that was at the surface of the water two large
fin-like paddles were attached. The reptile did not seem
to take the least notice of the fishermen, but its large head
swayed from side to side, looking in an opposite direction
as if in search of something.
"It was not long before the object of its search appeared.
It was nothing less than a second sea serpent of exactly

55
the same description. The second one madeits appearance
in the same manner as the first. She stood motionless for
a few seconds and then the first one made a terrific plunge
toward the other and the two serpents were in mortal
combat. They lashed the water to such ~n extent that the
waves came near swamping the boats and the party, pale
as death, cutthem loose and rowed ashore.
"Today a party of hunters was organized and started in
search of the monsters."l

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
I was unable to locate any information about this incident,
and feel it should be regarded as a possible sighting. Additional research is needed.

x.

THE CHICAGO MONSTER

"Capt. McKee of the two-mile crib got up early the other

morning. His rest had been disturbed by bad dreams, and
he thought a little of the early morning lake breeze would
do him good. Day was just breaking, the rising sun tinting
the eastern horizon with a glory peculiar to this particular
spot on the Western Hemisphere. He, Capt. McKee, not
the sun, sat down on a guard rail and surveyed the sleeping city before him. Thin columns of smoke, genuine
Chicago smoke, forerunners of many columns, both thick
and thin, curled lazily skyward. The surface of the lake
was calm, despite the northwest wind that had been actively
at work the night before, yet little white caps marked the
breaking of the water along the pier and shore.
"The Captain turned his gaze away from the homes of
men and toward the ball of flame and the path of fire it
cast across the bosom of the lake. Something strange
caught his eye. It looked like a big wave, not whitecrest or
breaking, but a solid wall of water moving slowly in the
direction of the crib. On it came, and as it approached the
Captain took a great deal of interest in it, when within
500 feet the wave seemed to disappear, only to reappear
again in circular form. Running into the office the Captain procured a marine glass, and focusing in on the object,
for he hardly believed it to be a freak of wind and water,
saw that it had life and form.
"Now the Captain is a man who does not swallow every
fairy tale, and during his stay has frequently laughed to
scorn stories about sea serpents, but this apparition dashed
his skepticism to pieces, for what the eye sees the mind
believes, and there before him, lashing the water with its
tail, was a serpent fully 180 feet long.
"The monster halted within 200 feet of the crib, raised
its head thirty-one feet from the water, and slowly surveyed its surroundings. Its head was like that of a Gila
monster, flat and broader at the gills than at the snout.
In color it was yellow and black, something like designs
worked by kindergarten children in beads. Its eyes, plainly

visible through the glass, were pinkish and seemingly

small in proportion to the immense size of the beast.
Above the eyes protruded horns three feet long. They
were whitish gray, like dirty ivory.
"But the most marvelous thing about the animal was
its glOriOUS crop of auburn whiskers. They were long and
curly, and could Senator Peffer have seen them his soul
would have been torn with feelings of chagrin and envy.
As the monster shook his head the flying spray from his
whiskers reached the crib and soaked Capt. McKee to the
skin. With intelligence almost human the reptile turned its
tail around and for four minutes combed and stroked the
hairy tangles that fell from the hideous mouth.
"The animal body was scaly, but without the wings
generally accredited to the sea serpent. The tail was forked
and a blow from it seemed almost as powerful as those
delivered by whales when the harpoon enters their blubber.
"Apparently satisfied with the scrutiny of the crib and
its surroundings, the serpent cooly turned on its heel and
walked away.
"So did the Captain."l

INVESTIGATION RESULTS
So should the reader. I was unable to locate any further
information concerning this incident.

CONCLUSION
Of the ten reported incidents concerning various alleged
lake monsters, only three lakes - Mendota, Monona, and
Oconomowoc - seem likely prospects for harboring within
their waters a species of unknown animals; and in the
latter case, the "monster" is most likely a gigantic species
offish.
The Muskegon incident is in all likelihood a definite
hoax, in which the shipwreck and the attempts to keep
her afloat are accurate; but the mention of a lake monster
is completely lacking from any of the accounts published
locally.
The remaining lake incidents, due to the lack of corroborating information, must be questioned as probable
hoaxes - perpetuated perhaps, if not perpetrated, by
the writer of the Chicago Tribune article.
My article has been written for the sole purpose of bringing into the present Fortean perspective a number of
historical incidents, along wi~ any further information
which I might have been able to acquire. Personally, I do
not consider my findings the final word on the history of
these lakes and their possible contents; my intention is
simply to lay a foundation for inquiry on the part of other
researchers who may be able to carryon the work of
investigating other forgotten sightings published in local
newspapers.

REFERENCES
1. "Western Lake Resorts Have Each a Water Monster,"
Chicago Tribune (Chicago, III.), 24 July, 1892
2. Private communication, Ms. Margaret Stephenson, Madison Public Library, Madison, Wisconsin, 20 August, 1976
3. "A True Snake Story," Wisconsin State Journal (Wisconsin), 28 June, 1883
4. "What-Is-It in Lake," ibid., 12 June, 1897

5. "A Boat Sunk," Daily Chronicle (Muskegon, Michigan),

15 July, 1892
6. "Struck the South Pier," ibid., 16 July, 1892
7. "Raised the Cheney Ames," ibid., 20 July, 1892
8. "Save Ed Maloney," Moming News (Muskegon, Michigan),
16 July, 1892
9. Private communication, Ms. Alice Engelman, Lake Geneva
PURSUIT Spring 1979

56
10.
11.
12.
13.

Public library, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 27 August, 1976

Private communication, Ms. Norine B. Russell, Petoskey
Public library, Petoskey, Michigan, 26 August, 1976
Private communication, Ms. Lois Hornig, Oconomowoc
Public Ubrary, Oconomowoc, WISCOnsin, 3 September, 1976
Private communication, Ms. Ardelle M. Gulrud, Waukesha
County Museum, Waukesha, WISCOnsin, 9 September, 1976
"Fish Pictures," unnamed, undated newspaper

14. Private communication, Mrs. Arthur Rice, Excelsior-Lake

Minnetonka Historical Society, Excelsior, Minnesota,
1 September, 1976
15. Private communication, G.H.B., Detroit Public library,
Detroit, Michigan, 23 November, 1976
16. Private communication, Ms. Shirley B. Stowater, Buffalo
and Erie County Public library, Buffalo, New York,
30 August, 1976

-------------LAKEMONSTERS------------Compiled by
Joseph S. Haas, Jr.
NORTH AMERICA
Alaska
Lake Iliamna: 3,9
Raspberry Strait
off Kodiak: 3
Arkansas
Lake Conway: 7
White River: 6,7
California
Lake Folsom: 2,9
Lafayette Lake: 7
Florida
St. John's River: 5,7
St. Lucie River: 7
Idaho
Lake Coeur d'Alene: 10
Lake Payette: 2,7,9
Illinois
Lake DuQuoin, also known
as "Stump Pond": 3
Lake Michigan: 3
Indiana
Big Chapman's Lake,
Warsaw: 3
Huntington's Lake: 1
Lake Manitou: 9
Maine
SysJadobsis Lake,
Lincoln: 1
Massachusetts
Twin Lakes,
Berkshire Hills: 1
Michigan
Lake Huron: 7
Paint River: 3
Minnesota
Great Sandy Lake: (2),9
Montana
Aathead Lake: 3,8,9,10
Missouri River: 3
Lake Waterton: 3
Nebraska
Alkalie Lake
Hay Springs: 3,6,9
Nevada
Lake Mead: 2
Lake Walker: 2,9
New Jersey
Passaic Falls: 1
PURSUIT Spring 1979

New York
Canandaigua Lake: 1
Lake Champlain (see Vt.)
Hudson River: 3
Lake Onondaga: 3
Lake Ontario: 3
Silver Lake,
Gainesville: 1,9
Ohio
Lake Erie: 9
Oregon
Crater Lake: 1
Forked Mountain Lake: 1
Hollow Block Lake: 2,9
Pennsylvania
Wolf Pond: 1
Texas
Klamath Lake: 1
Utah (10)
Bear Lake: 2,9
Salt Lake: 9
Utah Lake: 9
-other mtn.lakes: 9
Vermont
Lake Champlain: 2,3,7,8,9
Lake Memphremagog: 11
Washington
Rocklake: 1
Wisconsin
Chippewa River: 2
Devil's Lake: 1
Elkhart Lake: 2,9
Madison Four Lakes: 2,9
Lake Mendota,
in Madison: 10
Mississippi River: 2
Lake Monona: 9
Lake Pewaukee: 6,9
Red Cedar Lake: 2,9
Red Cedar River: 2
RockLake: 9
Sturgeon Bay: 10
Lake Superior: 2
Lake Waubeau: 2,9
Lake Winnebago: 2
Yellow River: 2
Wyoming
Hutton Lake: 1
Lake La Metrie: 7,9
The Great Lakes
Lake Superior: 2
Lake Michigan: 3
Lake Huron: 7
Lake Erie: 9
Lake Ontario: 3,9

CANADA
British Columbia
Cadboro Bay: 3,14
Lake Cowichan: 3,9
Lake Okanagan: 2,3,9,
10,11,14
Lake Sushwap: 9,11,14
Manitoba
Lake Dauphin: 2,9
Lake Manitoba: 2,3,7,9,10
Lake Winnipegosis: 2,9,
10,11,14
Ontario
Muskrat Lake: 3,11,14
Lake Simcoe: 2,9,11,14
Quebec
Lake Duchene: 9
Mocking Lake: 2,9
Lake Memphremagog:
11 (see Vt.)
Lake Pohengamok: 9
New Brunswick
Skiff Lake: 1
Lake Utopia: 3,7

AFRICA
Central
Lake Bangweolo: 9
Lake Victoria: 9,10
South (10)
Orange River: (2), 9
River Vaal: (2).3

ARCTIC CIRCLE
Bear Island's Lake: 9

SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina
Lago Lacar, of (Lauin)
Andean Nat'l. Park: 9,10
Lake Najuel Huapi: 9
Lake in the territory
of Santa Cruz: 9
(Sheffield's) Mountain Lake
in the Esquel region, in the
Andean foothills, of the
Chebut Territory, down in
Patagonia: 9,10
River Tamango: 9
Bolivia
Madidi swamps: 9
Brazil
Upper Rio Negro River: 7
Chile
White Lake: 9

SOVIET CENTRAL
ASIA
Lake Kol-Kol: 13

INDIA
Sadiya's swamp, Assam: 9

AUSTRALIA: 9
Western
Swan River
Southern
Crystal Brook
Mount Gambier's lagoon
New South Wales
Lake Bathurst
Fish River
Midgion Lagoon, Narrandera
Murray River
Murrumbidgee's Lakes
Murrumbidgee River
Victoria
Lake Burrumbert, Ballarat
Lake Corongamile
Eurora district
-And
Lake Alexandria
Lake George
Hunter River
River Monoglo
Nerang River,
Mirramac Plains
LakePaika
Lake Tarla
Tuckerbil swamp, Leeton

BHUTAN
One of the northern
lakes: 9

DENMARK
Lake Farrisvannet: 9

ICELAND
Lake Lagarflot: 9
Thorskafjord: 9

IRAQ
River Aracani
(the Murad Chay): 9
Euphrates River: 9
Tigris River: 9

IRELAND
Lough Abisdealy: 9
Lough Allen: 9

57
Lough Bran: 2,3,9
Lough Bray: 2,3,9
Lough Cera: 9
Lough Cleeraun: 3
Coole Lake: 9
Loch Cuilleann: 9
Lough Derg: 2,9
Derry River: 9
Lough Dubh: 3,9
Lough Erne: 2
Lough Fadda: 3,9
Lough Foyle: 9
Lough Geal: 9
Lough Glendalough: 3
Lough Graney: 9
Loughlnagh:9
Lough Laeghaire: 9
Loch Lein: 9
River Liffey: 9
Loch Lurgan: 9
Lough Major: 9
Lough Mask: 3,9
Loch Meilge: 9
Lough Muck: 2,9
Lough na Corra: 3,9
Lough Nahanagan: 9
Lough Neagh: 2,3,9
Loch Ramhuir: 9
Lough Ree: 3,9
Loch Riach: 9
Shannon River: 9
Loch Sileann: 9
Loch Veagh: 9

RUSSIA (USSR): (3)

North-eastern Siberia (10)
Lake Khaiyr, Yanski Region
of Yakuti a: 2,9
Lake Labynkr, Sordongnakh
Plateau: 2,9
Lake Vorota, Sordongnakh
Plateau: 2,9

Southern Den-Shan Mountains

Lake Sary-Chalek,
Turkestan: 9

SCANDINAVIA: (10)
(Mostly Norway): 9
Bergso's Lake
Deblemyren's Lake
Jolstravatnet's Lake
Krodern's Lake
Krovatnet's Lake
Lake Lunda
Lundevatnet's Lake
Mannesfjord
Lake Mjosa
Mosvatnet's Lake
Odegardskilen's Lake
Orekram's Lake
Ormsjoen's Lake
Oyvanna's Lake
Repstadvanet's Lake
Ringsjoen's Lake
Lake Rommen
Sandsavanet's Lake
Skodje's Lake
LakeSnasa
Sogne's Lake
Sorsasjoen's ~ke
Sor Somna Lake
Storevatn's Lake
Stuvsfjordhylen's Lake
LakeSuldal
Sundifjord
Tinnkjodnet's Lake
Torfinnsvatnet's Lake
Tyrifjorden's Lake
Uland's Lake

SCOTLAND
Lochaber: 9
Loch Argyle: 9

Loch Arkaig: 9
Loch Assynt: 9
Loch Awe: 9
Loch Beiste: 9
Bonnie Prince Charlie's
Loch, Island of Skye:
12-p.166-7
Loch Canish, Lewis: 9,
12-p.168
Cauldshields Loch: 9
Corpach Loch: 9
Loch Duvat: 9
Lochfyne: 9
Loch Garloch: 9
Loch Garten, Shetland:
12-p.175
(Lochs Lewis: 9)
Loch Locky: 2,3,8,9
Loch Lomond: 3,9
Loch Morar, Lewis: 3,9,
10,12-p. 167
Loch na Mna: 9
Loch nan Dubhrachan: 9
Loch Ness, Shetland: 2,3,
7,8,9,l0,12-p.170
Loch Oich, Shetland:
2,8,9,12
Loch Poit na h-I,
Mull: 12-p. 166
Loch Pityonlish, Shetland:
12-p.175
Loch Quoich: 3,9
Loch Shiel: 3,9,10
Loch Suainbhal: 1,9
Loch Tay: 9
Loch Treig: 9
Loch Urabhal: 9
Loch Vennachair: 9
Caledonian canal

JAPAN

MALAYSIA
Lake Gunong Chini of
Tasek Bera: 3,9

MEXICO
Lake Catemaco: 3

NEW ZEALAND: 9
South Island
Ashburton River
Lake Herreon
Lake Ellesmere

SWEDEN
Lake Bullare: 9
Lake Malern: 9
Lake Storsjon: 2,9,10

SWITZERLAND
Lake Lucerne: 8
Lake Uri: 4

TASMANIA: (3)
Lake Tiberias: 9
Great Lake: 9
Lake Echo: 9
Jordan River: 9

WALES
Lyn Cowlyd, Caernarvonshire: 12-p. 153
The author would be interested in hearing from other
members wishing to share
information concerning lake
monsters. Write: Joe Haas, Jr.,
P.O. Box 447, Lincoln,
NH03251. USA.

Lake Chuzenji: 9

~---------------------------INDEX-----------------------------'
1. MYTHS & LEGENDS OF OUR OWN LAND, Vol. 11,1896, by Charles M. Skinner. Chapter: "Storied Waters, Cliffs, and
Mountains," sub-chapter: "Monsters and Sea Serpents," pages 297-305.
2. ARGOSY MONSTER (ANNUAL)' "Other Lake Monsters," pages 32, 34.
3. BEYOND REALITY, No. 14 March/April, 1975, "America's Lake Monsters," by Jerome Clark and Loren Coleman,
pages 28-33, 52.
4. THE BOSTON SUNDAY GLOBE, August 29, 1976, page 12.
5. THE BOSTON GLOBE, June 14, 1975, pages I, 6.
6. SAGA, Nov. 1974, Vol. 49, No.2, "America's MysteriOUs 'Loch Ness' Monsters," by Jerome Clark & Lucius Farish,
p. 44-45, 60.
7. SEA MONSTERS, Spring 1977, Vol. 2, No.1, "Mysterious Water Dwelling Monsters of North America," (by B. R. Ampolski,
or Harold D. Salkin), pages 22-25,57-58.
8. SECRETS OF LOCH NESS, No. I, 1977; Nessie articles; "Has Anybody Seen the Champ of Lake Champlain?" pages
56-61; and "What's that in Lake Lucerne?" pages 62-63.
9. IN SEARCH OF LAKE MONSTERS, by Peter Costello, Chapters 5-15, pages 103-240.
10. SAGA, Sept. 1976, Vol. 52, No.6, "Loch Ness Monsters ... Around The World," by James Natal, pages 20-23, 56,
58,60,62.
11. BEAUTIFUL WATERS, Vol. II, 1938, by William B. Bullock, pages 111-119.
12. HAUNTED BRITAIN, by Antony D. Hippisley Coxe, 1973, pages 153-175.
13. FATE, Vol. 30, No.6, Issue 327, June 1977, pages 30-32.
14. FATE, Vol. 31, No. I, Issue 334, Jan. 1978, page 52.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

58

IS THE PANTHER MAKING A COMEBACK?

By Susan Power Bratton

Drawings by Lucia De Leiris
Text and artwork reprinted by permission from National Parks &
& Conseruation Magazine,Vol. 52, No.7, July, 1978. Copyright
1978 by National Parks & Conservation Association.

quietly, as if she were totally aware of her

SHEownwalks
magnificence. Two spotted kittens follow behind
her, a rambunctious contrast to their cautious mother.
Weaving down the mountainside, they step irito a clearing. Several picknickers suddenly see something that is
not supposed to be there, and everyone stares in awesome disbelief as the mountain lion family slowly crosses
a road in the middle of Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. Did these lucky park visitors really see a lion?
The eastern mountain lion, known in the Appalachians
as the panther (often pronounced "painter"), is now
nationally endangered. The species originally occurred
throughout eastern North America, but extensive hunting
and destruction of its wilderness habitat resulted in a
severe reduction of the lion population. A few panthers
PURSUIT Spring 1979

are known to inhabit the Florida Everglades, but the species has long been considered extirpated from the remainder of the eastern United States. In the early t 900s
both the eastern timber wolf and the mountain lion were
pronounced extinct in the Southern Appalachians. Although occasional sightings of big cats continued through
the thirties, forties, and fifties, most of these reports were
met with skepticism and were attributed to too much corn
liquor and an overeager imagination. Recent evidence
indicates, however, that this fascinating animal not only
may be living in the Appalachians, but could be slowly
increasing in numbers.
Ben Sanders, of the U.S. Forest Service, was one of
the first biologists in the area to realize that the panther
might well be recovering part of its former range and that
its endangered status would make proper management
of the species a critical issue on federal lands. Sanders began to investigate sightings himself and urged other wildlife managers to do the same. Perhaps the incident that
most spurred the effort was a Widely reported sighting in
1975 in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, where a
group of visitors saw a female with kittens cross the road
in broad daylight. Most of the witnesses could describe
the animals exactly, down to the dark tip on the mother's
tail. The panther was later seen again near the same site
by a Forest Service employee.

59

Nicole Culbertson, a college student working with Uplands Field Research Laboratory in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, interviewed dozens of people who
had reported seeing panthers in or near the park. In a
report finished in March 1977, she concluded that at least
forty-four reliable sightings had been made since the
1930s. Nicole also discovered that the greatest number of
sightings were from the areas of the highest deer density,
not from areas of highest visitor density, such as the Appalachian Trail. This discovery is not surprising, inasmuch as
deer are the panther's principal source of food. If people
were merely imagining panthers, however, one would
expect the sightings to correlate strongly with the number
of people using a site. They don't.
Many of the recent sightings have been made by rangers
from both the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway, by
trail crews, and by other people who "know the woods."
A sighting by Park Service ranger Kent Higgins in June
1977 is typical. Ranger Higgins was driving along Laurel
Creek Road just outside Cades Cove in Great Smoky
Mountains National Park when he thought he saw a redbone hound cross in front of him. Taking a closer look,
he realized that the legs of the "critter" were much too
thick to be those of a dog and that he was seeing something far more exciting. He got a good look at a young
panther, "red-brown in color, same as a deer in summer,
and having a long tail." (Panthers range in color from
tawny grey to a reddish-brown.)
Another impressive sighting from the Great Smokies
occurred in 1975 near Chimneys Picnic Area on Newfound Gap Road. Among a group of visitors who saw a
panther with kittens was a Mr. O'Harris, a retired animal
trainer who had worked with big cats for fifty-five years.
He followed the panthers down to a nearby stream and
provided a very accurate description. During 1976 two
other sightings of panthers with young in other areas of
the park were reported.
With sightings of panthers should come other sorts of
sign as well. A few cat scats (droppings) that are too large
for bobcat have been found in areas where lions have

.
~'.

!:!
'

been reported. Ben Sanders has photos of covered kills

found in national forest areas and is attempting to obtain
more of this sort of evidence. A dead buck found in the
winter of 1976 in the Tremont area of Great Smokies
may have been a panther kill. The marks left by the predator's teeth were too far apart to be. those of a bobcat,
and the claw marks made by the front and rear feet were
also widely spaced. The buck was large and did not seem
to have any injuries other than those caused by the predator. The only animal other than a lion large enough to
be capable of the kill would be a black bear, but they should
have been den ned up and not eating then.
In the past two years panther tracks have been identified at several locations in the region. Frank Singer, a Park
Service wildlife biologist, found a set of panther tracks
near a dead deer in Cades Cove. J. R. Buchanan, an expert tracker who frequently participates in mountain rescues, was following a wild boar family along the Appalachian Trail when he noticed a set of lion prints in the snow.
Apparently the lion was also tracking the hogs.

/"

k
I

"

....

./'

/.>

.~~I'~7"

\h"'li.'- ~ ",
PURSUIT Spring 1979

60

As reports of panthers become more numerous, the

need for a clearly defined management program in the
Southern Appalachians becomes more and more pressing.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with
the Forest Service is now setting up a regional study that
will attempt to determine the abundance and distribution of the eastern cougar in the Appalachian Highlands.
This study, to be supervised by Dr. Robert Downing, will
include investigation of sightings and tracks and an attempt
to use scent posts and recorded calls to attract the predators to sites where they might be photographed. The Forest
Service plans to continue other research, including the
use of a professional lion hunter to verify the presence of
cougars on federal lands.
The elusive panther may eventually influence a number of policies concerning land management in the Appalachians. Panther habitat could be affected by a number
of proposed road-building projects, including the controversial Transmountain Road in Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. For instance, the suspected panther kill
found near Tremont in the Great Smokies was within a few
hundred feet of the suggested route for the new road
over the mountain. Forest cutting practices that favor
deer should also favor panthers. This factor could be
considered in Forest Service policy in the future. The
presence of designated wilderness areas may also help
to preserve the species; and protection from hunting,
especially from poachers with dogs, may be very critical.
Panthers have large home ranges and may move great
distances to establish new territories. Cooperation among
several state and federal agencies will probably be necessary to ensure proper management for the whole region.
Thus far, the return of the big cat has been viewed with
great interest by park and forest managers. The Forest
Service has been enthusiastic in its support of research on
PURSUIT Spring 1979

panthers, and plans to continue the effort in the future.

The Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National
Park, Boyd Evison, has a personal interest in panthers
and collects sightings records himself. He believes that
the big cats may be important to future park management
and is very much aware that the Great Smokies is one of
the few places in the eastern United States where enough
wilderness habitat is available to support large mammals
such as panthers and bears. The day may be coming
soon when the Smokies is one of the only places in the
East where the hiker can sit in camp and hear the unforgettable scream of the panther echoing over the ridges.
Panthers are large, powerful animals but are usually
quite shy of man. No finer symbol of the eastern wilderness exists than this solitary lord of the mountains. Many
wildlife enthusiasts hope that the proud cat may someday
again become a permanent resident of the Southern
Appalachians and live undisturbed-a wild and mysterious
creature in a wild and protected land.
/

Susan Bratton is an ecologist involved in research work in south

eastern national parks. She has completed a number of studies
on the European wild boar and its impacts, backcountry visitor
use, and plant community structure.

61

BLACK 'MOUNTAIN LIONS' IN CALIFORNIA?

By Loren Coleman
1978 by Loren Coleman
MYSTERY CAT seen in North America is, more often
A
than not, described in news accounts and police
reports as a "black panther." Generally, in zoological
circles, some license is given to term the melanistic leopard
of Asia and Africa (Panthera pardus) as the black panther.
However, here in the United States of America, the usual
flesh and blood answer to the phantom feline question
points toward the puma or mountain lion (Felis concolor)
as the critter behind the accounts of big black cats.
The problem remains, nevertheless, that besides being
behaviorally worlds apart from the phantom cats, the
mountain lion of the New World has never been shown
to exhibit the black color phase. Oh yes, there is one report from 1843 of a melanistic puma supposedly having
been killed in the Carandahy River Section of Brazil. But
no record of what became of the body exists, and the
animal may have been a melanistic jaguar. Although
various scholars claim the Rorida subspecies of Felis concolor tends to be black now and then, not one black puma
has ever been photographed, captured or exhibited. Still
the sightings of "black panthers" persist. In my exploration of the Everglades in 1978, I talked to a National Park
Service Ranger who told of someone having seen a "black
panther" two days before our discussion.
The problem of "real" mountain lions and the "unreal"
phantom cats is brought into focus ever so clearly in California.
California is a state where recent estimates claim about
twenty-five hundred mountain lions may roam. But within range of the California puma, we find some of the most
concentrated and interesting "black panther" reports.
For several years, large black cats have been Sighted
near Ventura, in the Conejo Valley. A full-fledged hunt
for two of these full grown black panthers was conducted
in 1964, but things did not come to a peak until 1967.
During the afternoon of the 12th of December of that
year, Henry Madrid of Montelvo was installing a fence
around the Ventura County sewer plant. Henry spotted
a black panther pacing restlessly back and forth on the
steep mountainside near the treatment facility. He and
fellow workers Dick Simmons, Fred Salinas and Manuel
Portillo kept an eye on the panther while the county sheriff
deputies were notified. Taking in the situation quickly
soon after they arrived, the deputies pOinted their squad
car in the cat's direction, and bounced off in hot pursuit
toward the hillside. The obligingly flat field stretched out
before them, but it proved to be merely a thin, dry cru~t
over a bed of sludge. The chase ended with the police car
plunging hood deep into a sea of sickening muck. By the
time a tow truck arrived to rescue the deputies from their
smelly predicament, the black panther had disappeared.
This was the first in a series of inddents that led many to
believe the Ventura County black panther was an omen of a
sinister nature.

Soon after the deputies' disaster, Kenneth French and his

wife saw the black cat on January 9, 1968, near a moun. tainside while they were out driving. The couple debated
whether to report it. "Rnally my husband stayed to keep an
eye on it while I went to get a sheriff's deputy," Mrs. French
later told reporters. "Apparently the cat ran away just after
I left. My husband and I aren't the type to report weird
things, and it's pretty embarassing to have people think
you go around seeing black panthers! Whatever kind of
black cat it was, it was bad luck."
The "bad luck" of this black panther was to even trap
an airman on a sheer, six hundred foot cliff on the 23rd of
December, 1967. It took rescuers four hours to get him
down after he went hunting for the panther. Ventura
County's black panther was never caught, despite the airman's and many others' efforts.
Not to be outdone in the annals of Californian claims to
phantom pantherdom, the accounts from Northern California far outweigh those from the southern portion of
the state. All of the sightings from the north are centered
around the San Francisco Bay Area.
In Marin County, a survey of the San Rafael newspaper, The Independent Journal, for the years 1957-1975,
shows a total of approximately thirty separate sightings of
large, mountain lion-like animals. More often than not
(75% of the total), the color of the creature is not given,
but in fifteen percent of the reports, the cat is said to be
definitely black. A confused picture of what is being seen,
"black panther" or puma, exists. Further mystery is added
when such an incident as the one in June, 1963, when
two women collecting watercress at a creek were chased
home by a "panther," calls to mind behavior unlike Felis
con color. In March of 1975, a large, powerful-looking
"panther" sauntered through downtown Fairfax, California, and jaywalked across the busy Sir Francis Drake
Boulevard, leaving townsfolk shuddering in its wake.
The Humane SOCiety of Marin attempted to track it down
and capture it, but gave up empty-handed. Robert L.
Dollarhite, Director of Operations of the organization
called the Fairfax sighting "extraordinary," saying it is
unusual for mountain lions to approach urban areas.
Mystery feline or common mountain lion? These panther
accounts merge into those from Mt. Tamalpais and Mill
Valley also in Marin County of a chattering, five foot tall,
"earless mountain lion" and Bigfoot seen in 1963, 1975
and 1976. What are we to make of this swirling phantasmagoria of mysteries? But things get crazier way out west.
South of Marin and San FranciSCO, in December of
1973, a flurry of reports of a five-foot-Iong, 150 pound,
"dark black" (how dark can black get?) panther made it
into the papers. Navy Lt. Comdr. Thomas Mantei's coDie,
Cleo, supposedly even treed the cat in a eucalyptus in a
.
gully behind Mantei's San Jose hillside home.
Meanwhile, east of San FranciSCO, in what is generally
known as the East Bay area, a series of UFO reports and
black panther sightings was coming to an end. It started
in the East Bay in the Spring of 1972, when two men in
the space of three days called Gary Bogue, Curator of. the
PURSUIT Spring 1979

62

Alexander lindsay Jr. Museum in Walnut Creek to tell

him of their sightings of black panthers. Neither knew the
other, and no press coverage had stimulated the reports.
One man watched the cat through binoculars when he
was at home for lunch. The other witness was walking his
Irish setter wh4;!n his dog started barking at a large black
cat up in a tree. The five foot long beast jumped out of
the tree and ran off.
About twelve miles from the first reports and three
weeks later, a woman and her neighbor reported they
were looking out the back window, watching a black
panther chase cattle. The panther also strolled over to her
pool and took a drink. (We have heard this daytime pooldrinking behavior from witnesses in Southern California
in 1972, and Ohio in 1977.)
StiU no publicity and East Bay's cat continued to be seen.
A month after the swimming pool incident, the Concord
Naval Weapons Depot Commander called authorities to
report a black panther on the grounds of his facility. Animal
Control officers and several military personnel observed
the mystery feline through binoculars. All agreed it was
black, and puma-sized. They called out one of the officers
with his .357 magnum rifle, and the cat vanished.
During the Fall of 1972, a rancher living at the base of
Mt. Diablo noticed his ducks and geese had begun disappearing. The fowl were not being ripped apart like a
dog would do, but were totally devoured. The rancher
and his wife also heard what sounded like heavy gutteral
purring outside their bedroom window. Then one midnight, there was a loud thump on their roof, their horses
made a big fuss, and the family German shepherd scratched
to be let in. Well, they sure as hell knew something was
up! The rancher grabbed a flashlight, went outside, and
saw a large black panther turn, look at him, and walk
calmly away. Tracks about five inches across were found.
The naturalist at the Las Trampas Regional Park was
the next person to see "it," beginning about three months
after the rancher's encounter. The naturalist and others
frequently saw the black panther in the company of a
tawny-colored cat-like animal, chasing deer. This is not
the first time two different colored mystery cats have kept
company. We are reminded of the August 7, 1948, Turner boys' sighting from Richmond, Indiana. The patterns
of the mystery felines were and are being played out in
California.
The Bay Area's phantom panthers have also shown a
preoccupation with automobiles. For example, on Wednesday morning, the 19th of December, 1973, Larry

Rephahn told Fremont police he almost struck a black

mountain lion as it dashed across Niles Canyon Road
near Joyland Park.
Indeed, stepping back from the California accounts,
what we see is part of that circle we can start measuring
anywhere. The "black panthers" do not seem to be "black
mountain lions." The Californian mystery cats reflect and
repeat patterns found in the ufological sphere. like UFO
sightings, these cat sightings occur in waves ("flaps") and
in specific locations ("windows"). Nineteen seventy-three
appears to have been a big year around the San Francisco
Bay area for sightings of large, black panther-bke creatures,
while at the same time, it was the "year of the humanoids,"
to use David Webb's phase, elsewhere in America.
As for "windows," I have long noticed an American
historical acknowledgement of weird phenomena by way
of place names including the word "devil" (e.g. Devil's
Kitchen in S.lIIinois, Devil's Den in New Hampshire, and
so forth).
Interestingly, some of the more frequent flap-related
sightings of the Californian black panthers have taken
place in the Diablo (Spanish for "devil") Valley. One
booklet on the Las Trampas Regional Park noted the
black cat was referred to as "The Black Mountain lion of
Devil's Hole," because it was frequently seen on the slopes
of Mt. Diablo and in the Devil's Hole area of the park.
(Fortean events do become part of the geography of an
area, and place names can often be a key to where fruitful research may uncover important information.)
So, in a smoke screen of actual Felis concolor in California, something else appears to be going on. Flaps and
window areas exist where people are viewing creatures
unlike mountain lions. Mountain lions are not black; our
phantom friends who vanish before being caught or killed
are black. Mountain lions do not usually chase people,
and prowl during the day; these mystery cats do. The
differences are many.
We should begin to understand these things, for as the
pumas come back to the East and the picture there gets
muddled and confused, so too must we come back to
the basics, in an attempt to sort out the "real" from the
"unreal."
Right now everyone knows there are mountain lions in
California. What few people do not wish to learn is that
something else is there also - something which, despite
whatever form it used to take, people have had to think
of in terms of "diablo" in order to catalog.

THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT

Author and SITU member Charles Berlitz has
helped aspiring researcher and writer William Moore
with is startling new book, The Philadelphia Experiment: Project Invisibility (to be published by Grosset
& Dunlap, April 1979, $10.00 hardcover). Moore's
book is the first concrete case for the actuality of
secret Navy research on invisibility. "Overcoming
official inertia, camouflage and cover up" as Berlitz
says in his introduction, Professor Moore gives solid
evidence that in 1943, as an outgrowth of research
designed for defense, Navy scientists found a way
to make matter invisible. They succeeded in making
PURSUIT Spring 1979

a ship vanish from the Philadelphia Navy Yard and

within minutes reappear in Norfolk, Virginia before
being whisked back to Philadelphia. Moore pieces
together his painstaking research, based on supposedly misplaced government documents and on
interviews with witnesses and "scientists whose
proximity to and familiarity with this experiment has
compelled them to live quietly in extremely isolated
areas." The Philadelphia Experiment: Project Invisibility will be one of Grosset's lead hardcover
titles for Spring 1979.

63

THE SEARCH FOR NORUMBEGA

Part II: Stars, Symbols, and Scholars
By Jon Douglas Singer
I of this article I discussed the history of Mystery
INHillPART
and some of the controversy surrounding that site:
is it an odd Colonial or post-Colonial American ruin or is
it the remnants of a Bronze Age temple of c. 2000-900
B.C.? If Mystery Hill were an isolated site, the latter theory
would be easy to dismiss; but the same type of structure
has shown up elsewhere in New England and, more recently, in southern New York State, as we shall see in a
moment. Indeed, while Goodwin had found some 70 sites
of a possible pre-Columbian origin, the number, types,
and locations of sites has increased dramatically-to some
200 or so strange stone ruins and inscription-like markings.
The assertions of those who support the pre-Columbian
origin theory were buttressed by new findings and new
developments in the field of archaeological research: the
discovery of a Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows
in Newfoundland, Canada, in 1961 by Dr. Helge Ingstad
of Norway; new radiocarbon dating methods whereby
scientists found it necessary to place the ages of several
key megalithic European sites earlier than previously
thought due to changes in the carbon-14 caused by atmospheric pollution; the development of archaeoastronomy
and its popularization by such scholars as Gerald Hawkins
at Stonehenge; and the findings of the Ancient Vermont
Conference at Castleton College, Vermont, in 1977.
These new developments, which caused a revolution that
is still underway today, along with their relation to the
Mystery Hill problem, will be the subject of the present
article.
Scholars who supported this revolution now began
to look at Mystery Hill in a more favorable light. As time
went on, new techniques in archaeological research contributed to the use of interdiSCiplinary methods, while
findings in other branches of knowledge led to the growth
of new insights regarding the complexity of ancient cultures.
The first example of the revolution occurred when
scholars began to notice that some archaeological sites,
when dated by carbon-14, seemed to be older than preViously thought. The ruined city of Jericho, for example,
was now found to date from as early as 6000 B.C.-not
4500 B.C. as had been previously thought. In a similar
vein, many of the sites in northern Europe were now
dated as 500-1000 years older than previously considered.
Another problem was that some sites seemed to be too
young. An example is the Great Pyramid of Cheops in
Egypt, which was thought to date from 2600 B.C. until
carbon-14 dating put its age at around 2200 B.C. instead.
This controversy was resolved during the 1960s when,
in 1967, Dr. Hans E. Seuss studied Bristlecone pine trees,
some of which have been living for 5000 years, in California's White Mountains, and compared the tree rings to
the dates of carbon-14 samples. Seuss found the tree ring
dates differed from the C-14 dates by as much as a thousand years. Up to 1000 B.C., the C-14 dates were found
to be 200 years too recent, and at 3000 B.C. they were
found to be 1000 years too young.

Francis Hitching, who summarized the radiocarbon

revolution in Earth Magic,29 didn't give the reason for the
change in age. In the September, 1975 issue of Yankee
Magazine Andrew E. Rothovius, an historian and editor
of the NEARA Journal, wrote that the differences in the
dates were caused by solar radiation fluctuations which
had affected organic carbon prior to 1000 B.C. 30 Thus,
at Mystery Hill, the carbon-14 dates were revised far
backwards, to 320 B.C., 1200 B.C., and 2025 B.C. (the
earliest one). 31 This corresponds to the height of the European rriegalithic age, just prior to the Indo-European
invasion.
While the radiocarbon revolution was taking place in
Europe, new evidence for pre-Columbian voyages turned
up in America. From 1961 to 1968 Dr. Helge Ingstad,
a Norwegian scholar, studied the sagas for evidence of
Norse presence in America. Dr. Ingstad followed the
clues (such as descriptions of the landscape as well as
durations of sailing time from Greenland to Vinland)
contained in those sagas, and relied also on previous
research performed by early antiquarians such as A. W.
Munn of Newfoundland, who suggested in 1914 that the
Epaves Bay area, where L'Anse aux Meadows is located,
was Vinland. Ingstad found a cluster of low,. barely noticeable mounds which appeared similar to the remains of
Icelandic house foundations. With support from the National Geographic SOciety, among others, Ingstad excavated and found at least eight houses (of turf), four boat
sheds, a charcoal kiln, firepits, and similar features of a
Norse farming settlement. Uncovered as well were bog
iron slag, nails (of iron), part of a bronze ring pin, and
soapstone artifacts. Remains of Indian and Dorset origin
were also discovered at the site. Ingstad's findings served
to revolutionize scientific thinking regarding the question
of pre-Columbian European voyages to America. 32
Other possible sites of Norse settlements have been
found in America. The first of these discoveries, in the
early 19405, was at Sop's Arm in Newfoundland, Canada;
but Arlington Mallery, who mentioned the site in his book,
Lost America, 33 offered hardly any information about his
discovery other than in the caption to a photograph.
More detailed information on what is probably a Norse
site, but which has received little publicity in the United
States, is one at Pamiok Island near Ungava Bay in Labrador. This site was found in 1964 by Prof. Thomas Lee
of Montreal's Laval University. Since 1964, Lee has
been excavating several nearby sites, including huge
longhouses of Greenland Norse type, stone dams, a stone
pillar shaped like the hammer symbol of the pagan god
Thor, stone cairns, and even a Norse-type ax, as well as
skulls which were analyzed by the Harvard anthropologist,
Dr. Carleton Coon, who agreed they were of Scandinavian
type.
Lee's findings have been criticized by Birgitta Wallace,
the runic expert, with whom he has become engaged in
a running battle over the question of whether he has
found a Norse site or an early post-Columbian European
fishing settlement. 35
PURSUIT Spring 1979

64

Another possible Norse site was excavated at Follins

Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, by Frederick Pohl who
found there the remains of a boat shed and turf houses.
Others have labeled Pohl's find a post-Colonial American
landing site dating from the War of 1812, however. 36
A last, and the most recent, site of Norse activities in
America has allegedly been discovered in Amambay,
Paraguay, by a French anthropologist, Jacques de Mahieu,
who is currently head of the Institute for the Science of
Man in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 37 Mahieu claimed he
had found the remains of a fortress, a carving of Odin's
six-legged horse Sieipnir, and runic inscriptions dating to
the rather late period of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
centuries. (The inscriptions used Arabic numerals, by the
way.) Prof. Barry Fell, however, disagreed, claiming the
writing made no sense as runic but that the "runes" were
misinterpreted Iberian letters from c. 500 B.c.pa Whatever the origin of these inscriptions, they appear to be
deserving of more study since they would be among the
first, if not the first, bona fide inSCriptions in South America-not counting the mysterious Parahyba Inscription
(allegedly a Phoenician record) from Brazil, to which I will
return in the last of my series on Norumbega. (The controversial Kensington Runestone, it should be noted,
does not count as a site of Norse settlement because no
houses have been excavated in its vicinity. A more problematical ruin is the Newport Tower, allegedly Viking, to
which I will also return in Part III of this series.)
The accomplishment of Thor Heyerdahl in voyaging
across the Pacific in the early 1950s and, more recently,
across the Atlantic, along with the success of the English
historian Timothy Severin in sailing, as recently as 1977,
from Ireland via Iceland in an Irish curragh (skin boat) to
show that St. Brendan and other Celtic voyagers could
have reached our shores, have convinced a growing
number of serious scholars that ancient mariners could
have discovered America long before Columbus. Three
landmark books on this possibility are Land to the West, 39
The Quest for America,40 and Man Across the Sea. 41
These works present the opinions of orthodox scholars,
many of whom are now gradually beginning to accept the
idea of trans-Atlantic voyages. There are also a host of
popular books, such as Charles Boland's They All Discovered America,42 which mentions Mystery Hill in a favorable light and accepts the possibility of Phoenidan voyages
to America. A more scholarly text is Before Columbus,
by Prof. Cyrus Gordon, then of Brandeis University and
now of New York University, who proved the Parahyba
Stone in Brazil was an authentic Phoenician inscription,
and that a stone from Bat Creek, Tennessee, was not a
Cherokee Indian inscription of the early 1800s but rather
a Hebraic inscription written in Canaanite letters from the
time of the Jewish rebellion of Bar Kokhba!
Having summarized the history of the revolution in
scholarly thinking regarding pre-Columbian voyages to
America, I shall now turn to the next series of clues which
will lead us to the solution of the Mystery Hill riddle. Our
line of evidence began in England, at Stonehenge, whose
great monoliths rise up like giant's claws out of the mists
of Salisbury Plain. From the time of William Stukeley, in
1740, until the present, scholars have debated the problem of Stonehenge's purpose: Was it tomb, temple, or
observatory?
PURSUIT Spring 1979

Peter Brown in his book Megaliths, Myths, and Men,43 .

presented a history of the various theories which contributed
to the solution of the mystery of Stonehenge. Stukeley
thought the Phoenicians and Druids had built Stonehenge.
(This led to the popular misconception that the Druids
had indeed built Stonehenge - a misconception which
presists to this day even though it is now understood that
the Druids were merely the priests of the Celts who arrived
sometime after 900 B.C.) Not until the 1960s was it known
that Stonehenge had been built long before 1000 B.C. by
a mysterious, pre-Celtic megalithic people.
At any rate, Stukeley calculated that the measurements
of Stonehenge were based on the "Druidical Inch," a unit
of measurement (equal to 20.8 English inches) used by
the Druids (although there is no proof they had such a
system). This inspired such men as Piazzi Smith, who
then developed the Pyramid Inch; Flinders Petrie, who
produced the Etruscan Foot; and Sir Alexander Thorn,
who found the Megalithic Yard.
1771 saw more mathematical work performed at Stonehenge by Dr. John Smith, who thought the stones used
were markers for determining the rising and setting times
and pOSitions of the sun, moon, and stars, as well as for
determining the length of the year. Other astronomical
work was done by Ainders Petrie, the great Egyptologist
who felt that Stonehenge was pre-Roman, although
some of the stones were post-Roman from the time of the
legendary King Ambrosius Aurelianus of the Fifth century
A.D. Petrie was one of the first to calculate the date of the
monument by showing that the positions of the stones
indicated changes in the obliquity of the ecliptic (the apparent path of the sun across the sky), from which dates
could be calculated.
Next, in the 1890s, an Englishman named Norman
Lockyer was in the process of studying the Parthenon
when a friend casually suggested they measure the angle
of the stones. To their surprise they found the stones
seemed to be aligned so as to contain matching patterns
of proportions. These studies were continued with similar
results at the pyramids in Egypt, and later at Stonehenge
and other megalithic monuments in England and France,
in Brittany. 44
Since Lockyer was a respected astrophysicist and an
editor of Nature, the most prestigious of British scientific
journals, his work received some support. Although
interest in his work faded soon after his death in 1920,
and while interest in megalithic alignments in general
ebbed in most quarters, some individuals such as Retired
Admiral Boyle Somerville found astronomical implications
in as many as 90 sites - including Drumberg Circle at
Glandore, Ireland and a stone circle at Clava, near Balnuarin, in Scotland. 45
In the 1950s and 1960s, three men brought the study
of megalithic astronomy to such respectability that it is
now almost an unquestioned fact. These men were Dr.
Alexander Thorn, C. A. Newham, and Gerald Hawkins.
Thorn was Emeritus Professor of Engineering at Oxford
University from 1945 to 1961 and is at the time of this
writing currently an Emeritus Fellow of Brasenose College
at Oxford. Newham had been a retired engineer, an
amateur astronomer, and a president of the Leeds University Astronomical Society. Hawkins is an American
scholar.

65

Thom fO!Jnd (and is still finding) hundreds of astronomical implications in the positions of the stones at Stonehenge and at sites in Scotland such as Callanish-a stone
circle. Newham found similar patterns since he became
interested in the subject after a visit to Stonehenge in 1957.
He tried to publish his findings first, but was rejected by
Glyn Daniel, a British archaeologist and editor of Antiquity,
the distinguished British archaeological journal. 46 Later,
he brought his theories to the popular press, and only
after Hawkins' book, Stonehenge Decoded, was published did Newham get belated credit. Hawkins received
the lion's share of the publicity because of the now famous
film documentary on his computer studies of Stonehenge. 47
At any rate, all these scholars gradually tuned the American archaeological establishment to the megalithic alignment idea, and on this side of the ocean antiquarians
soon began to wonder if the pre-Columbian ruins here
might not contain similar alignments with star positions,
winter and summer solstices, or vernal equinoxes. After
years of research it was shown that such is indeed the case.
The Mayan and Toltec (and later Aztec) astronomical
alignments which are now well accepted hardly need
mentioning here. The proceedings of two conferences on
the subject have been published: interested readers are
referred to Anthony Aveni's edited version of a conference
held in Mexico City, Archaeoastronomy in Pre-Columbian
America,48 and Native American Astronomy.49 These
two massive works present the conclusions of years of
patient research among the Mayan jungle-hidden ruins
such as the Caracol, or round observatory-like temple, in
Yucatan. Articles included in the books concern the orientation of various temples to stars like Capella, and still
other articles deal with the alignments to stars that were
found by archaeologists studying sites such as Chaco
Canyon, a vast ruined pueblo site of the Southwest from
the Middle Ages. Native American Astronomy also contains a fascinating chapter on the mysteriOUS Medicine
Wheels - structures composed of stone cairns and round
walls which were found in southwestern Canada and
which were aligned to various stars. These structures
were in some cases built as early as 2000 B.C., and that
brings us nearly to the time of Mystery Hill. Were the
Medicine Wheels influenced by the people of Mystery
Hill? The structures are over a thousand miles apart, but
they are contemporary ....
Now that astronomical archaeology was in vogue, the
Mystery Hill archaeologists of NEARA and ESRS began
to look at their site with new vision, asking new questions: "If Mystery Hill could be as old as Stonehenge,
and if Stonehenge contains astronomical patterns in the
positions of its stones and in the relationship of its various
parts to the surrounding natural features such as nearby
hills, then why couldn't our site contain similar patterns?
If the same group of people who built Stonehenge had
also built Mystery Hill, would it have alignments?
Mark Feldman, in The Mystery Hill Story, is certain the
answer is yes. 50 Since 1965 Robert Stone, along with his
cousin Osborn Stone (an engineer, surveyor, pilot, and
astronomer), have been measuring the stones and walls
and comparing standing stones in an effort to check for
astronomical implications. They have found that stones
outside the main site of Goodwin's 30 acres or so are part
of a greater site which surrounds Goodwin's area. There

are now some twelve monolithic stones (some apparently

fallen over), a few of which are freestanding and a few of
which are imbedded in stone walls. Some are aligned
with the winter sunrise position. One stone, deSignated as
Stone G, had the controversial Celtic Eye of the Sun God
symbol on it (I have seen a similar stone, much smaller, in
Connecticut recently). 51 A chart in Feldman's book shows
that the Summer Solstice sunrise and sunset positions
have been marked, as well as the equinox sunrise and
sunset positions. Pole Star alignments have also been
detected.
The work is difficult, and the NEARA people have had
to cut down trees (the hill is still heavily forested); they
also have built a small platform to help make their sightings
more accurate. Some indiViduals, like the Connecticut
historian Alfred Bingham, have criticized the alignments. 52
However, a Vermont NEARA member and discoverer of
several important megalithic sites, Mrs. Betty Sincerbeaux,
has told me that more profeSSional astronomers have
recently looked at the Mystery Hill alignment data and
have been favorably impressed by it. 53
Still, the sceptic could say the alignments are the results
of chance alone, or that the stones are no longer in their
original positions because of earthquakes during the 1700s
or because of the more recent disturbances by Pattee,
Goodwin, and by various archaeological excavations, or
even by the nearby towns which carted away many of the
stones for sewer projects in the 1920s.
Perhaps. But then a young inventor and optics scientist
who had become interested in astronomy and then in
ancient astronomy after reading some of Thom's books,
such as Megalithic Lunar Observatories,54 became curiious about Mystery Hill. (It is somewhat strange how
those who become involved in archaeoastronomy are
usually applied SCientists, engineers, and astronomers
rather than archaeologists!) Byron Dix, a Vermonter who
had already studied Mystery Hill, wanted to test out his
theories of alignments elsewhere in New England. According to historian Francis Hitching, Dix bought a motorcycle in order to SWiftly reach the more remote sites, many
of which were accessible only by dirt logging roads and
still rugged Green Mountains, where the ghosts of Ethan
Allen and his men still haunt the old battlefields.
Dix was informed of several interesting sites by an intrepid Vermont farming couple, the Sincerbeauxs. Betty
Sincerbeaux had come across the strange standing stones,
some upwards of eight to ten feet tall, which rose suddenly
out of the forest gloom. She also had found stone chambers and ancient, rambling walls which did not resemble
the Colonial-type field walls among which she had grown
up. Perplexed and intrigued, the Sincerbeauxs informed
Dix of the ruins, and after several years of research (which
is still continuing), Dix felt he could publish some of his
results.
Briefly, Dix came across two sites, at least one of which
Mrs. Sincerbeaux had found, which seemed to be aligned
in such a way that the walls and standing stones could
have been used, thousands of years ago, to determine
the position of the sun, moon, and stars at various times
of the year. Both sites consist of the follOWing features:
stone walls, standing stones and recumbent stones, stone
chambers, 107 angle intersection of stone walls, probable
astronomical alignments between walls, monoliths, and
PURSUIT Spring 1979

66

pOints on the horizon, as well as petroglyphs and possible

inscriptions, or "organized markings," in a language long
forgotten. 55
Dix called the first site (after he had found the second
one) Calendar Site I, because he found that the stones
here were oriented to the positions of the midwinter sunrise and sunset (December 21); the equinox sunrise and
sunset (March 21 and September 21); and the midsummer
sunrise and sunset (June 21).56 Although the lengths and
heights of the waDs are not given in his article in the Ancient
Vermont book, 57 the sketch Dix has included shows they
form an L-shaped enclosure in a deep bowl-shaped valley.
Calendar Site I also contains an inSCription which Fell
deCiphered as being the name of the god Bel, a sun deity.58
Bel is a Pheonician deity, but in America B. C. Fell explained how the Celts came to worship that god in America.
Apparently the Celts in America were mixed with the
Celtiberians, a tribe from northern Portugal consisting of
mixed Celts from Gaul, and Iberians - those mysterious
pre-Roman inhabitants of Spain who were influenced by
the Carthaginian colonies in southern Spain and from
whom the Basques may be descended. Ancient Vermont
also contains photographs of a grid, called a "sun grid,"
which is carved on a block at Calendar Site I, and which
shows the plan of the angles formed by the alignments.
A similar grid glyph was found at Calendar Site II in 1975.
Calendar Site II was discovered in central Vermont
a few miles from Calendar Site I. The sketch in Ancient
Vermont shows it to be in a different situation from Site I;
a modern road divides it, and it is on a flat plain rather
than in a deep valley. It has a large stone chamber and
several standing stones - some freestanding and some
incorporated into the walls. There is also a strange stone
platform, along with a smaller one to the north of it, like
a miniature ziggurat. The larger structure measures 28:Y4
feet by 38:Y4 feet, while the smaller platform measures
16:Y4 feet by 14'16 feet. From it the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise have been determined. It is
also aligned with a standing stone and a stone pile. One
of the walls at the site measures 168 feet in length and
the other wall 81 feet; their heights are not given, but the
first wall terminates at a small, three foot tall monolith.
The stone chamber, by the way, measures 90/a by 191fo
feet, thus comprising one of the largest stone chambers in
New England. (Others, of similar dimensions, have been
found in southern New York by Salvatore Trento's Middletown Archaeological Research Center, which was founded
in 1976 and whose work will be discussed in the next and
concluding portion of this series.)
If there is a Calendar Site II, could there also be more?
The answer seems to be yes - in Canada, at Thunder
Bay in Ontario, at a site found in 1975 by Allen Tyyska,
an archaeologist working for the provincial Ministry of
Natural Resources. 59 Although the circumstances surrounding the find are not given in the article in the Winnipeg Free Press, the site appears to consist of: a stone
serpent effigy (a rare find east of the Appalachians), stone
staircases, stone walls, and petroglyphs. The site is at
least 500 years old and is definitely pre-Columbian, although no carbon-14 dates are available. It is presumably
Indian.
A fourth alignment site in Massachusetts, near the Sudbury River, consists of no less than 88 acres of stone walls
PURSUIT Spring 1979

and stone mounds, some with petroglyphs. The site is

a fantastic one - not just for its extensiveness, but also
because the walls form patterns which are apparently
symbols. Barry Fell, who looked at those patterns, found
the walls were really outlines depicting symbols from the
Egyptian hieratic cursive script!6o There are also stones
indicating the positions of such constellations as Draco,
Bootes, and Ursa Major. There are three stone mounds
at the site: one of them 3 feet high and 15 feet Wide;
another 16 feet wide and 4 feet high; and the other 7 feet
high and 22 feet wide. There are also dozens of stone
cairns, as well as alignments which yield the date of the
summer solstice. Lastly, there are five ring-shaped stone
arrangements, called calendar rings. Some of these are
near the main part of the site which also contains walls
aligned like a rebus forming the Egyptian sun-ship symbol.
The site was discovered in 1969 by Richard Keller, a state
conservationist, and was studied by him and three friends:
William Crandall, John Jonasch, and a local antiquarian
named James McDonough, who said the site was not
Indian but resembled Irish stonework. No excavation has
taken place yet.
The last area of interest we will discuss in this section is
the Berkshires Stone Circle Site, discovered in May, 1971
by the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, who informed
NEARA of the find. The site consists of six standing stones,
many of which may have fallen over (one of these is
17'12 feet long and, if it had been upright, would have
represented one of the tallest known standing stones in
New England). There seems to be an alignment between
the site and a mountain peak to the north, possibly a Pole
Star indicator.61 On May 29, 1977 a NEARA team, including Marjorie Kling (NEARA librarian) and her family,
the Sincerbeaux family, F. Newton Miller, and others
surveyed the site and found several pictographs, possibly
of Indian origin, which included three animals - one
similar to a lizard and two four-legged beasts. On another
rock, groove-type carvings were found as well as a complex symbol shaped somewhat like a tail. Another symbol
indicated a cruciform design. 62
Thus it seems that throughout New England a large
number of stone structures have been found which appear
to be neither Indian nor Colonial, but pre-Columbian in
origin. The structures are spread over a wide area and
seem to indicate a sizeable colony, for similar types of
structures and petroglyphs recur over and over again.
Many of the so-called Celtic structures were unknown to
Goodwin, and some of these occur in the areas which
ol.d maps of New England call "Norumbega." Were these
mysteriOUS ruins of New England built by a lost civilization
called Norumbega? The ruins exist; but so far nobody has
found the city of Norumbega.
Or have they? In Naragansett Bay in Rhode Island,
strange submerged ruins of towers and arches have been
occasionally reported. Could Norumbega have sunk like
a miniature New England Atlantis, leaving exposed only
its remoter tombs and monuments like the haunted obelisks from an H. P. Lovecraft horror saga? I will attempt
to bring the existing clues together in Part III of this series.
Perhaps our search for Norumbega will yield some astonishing implications about the true antiquity of American
history.
(To be continued)

67
NOTES AND REFERENCES
29. New York, William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1977,
p.77.
30. Rothovius, Andrew E., Yankee Magazine, Sept., 1975,
pp. 103 and 164.
31. Feldman, Mark, The Mystery Hill Story, North Salem,
N.H., Mystery Hill Press, 1977, p. 47.
32. Book review by Dr. Junius Bird, American Museum of
Natural History, in Archaeology, November/December, 1978,
of The Discouery of a Norse Settlement in America, by Anne
Stine Ingstad, New York, Columbia University Press, 1977.
33. Washington, D.C., The Overlook Company, 1951, p. 174.
This was dated by comparing old beach lines to roughly 1150
A.D.
34. Lee, Thomas, "The Norse in Ungava," NEARA Journal,
Summer, 1976.
35. WaUace, Birgitta, in The Quest for America, ed. by G. Ashe,
PraegerPublishers, New York, 1971, p. 175.
36. Pohl, Frederick, The Viking Settlements of North America,
New York, Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., pp. 198-99.
37. "Possible Viking Artifacts To Be Studied in Paraguay,"
Houston (Texas) Chronic/e, 8/5/77, pp. 1-2, c/o NEARA
Library.
38. Fell, Barry, "Iberian Inscriptions in Paraguay," OPES,
Vol. 2, No. 43.
39. By Ashe, Geoffrey.
40. The Quest for America, op. cit.
41. Riley, Carol L., Austin, Texas, 1971. This book contains
many fascinating papers on both trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific
pre-Columbian voyages to America.
42. New York, Pocket Books, 1961.
43. New York, Harper Colophon Books (Harper & Row), 1976,
p.56.
44. ibid., p. 60.

45. Hitching, Francis, Earth Magic, William Morrow & Company, Inc., New York, 1977, p. 132.
46. ibid., p. 151.
47. ibid.
48. Austin, University of Texas Press, 1975.
49. Austin, University of Texas Press, 1977, pp. 147-169
(reprinted in William Corliss' Ancient Man, the Sourcebook
Project, Glen Arm, MD, 1978).
50. Feldman, op. cit., pp. 55-70.
51. ibid.
52. "Were 18th Century Freed Blacks the Builders of Stone
Connecticut Sites?" NEARA Journal, Spring, 1977 (reprinted
from the Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin, July, 1976).
53. Personal communication, Autumn, 1978.
54. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1971.
55. nix, Byron, "Possible Calendar Sites in Vermont," in Ancient
Vermont, ed. by Dr. Warren Cook, Castleton College, Castleton,
Vermont, 1977, p. 13.
56. ibid., p. 14.
57. ibid., p. 19.
58. ibid., fig. 67.
59. Rajnovich, Grace, "Giant Rock Structure Indicates Geometry
was Used By Indians," Winnipeg Free Press, 4/4/75, courtesy
of Mr. James Griffin, antiquarian of Vancouver, Canada.
60. Crandall, William; Jonasch, John; and Keller, Richard,
"A Massachusetts Patterned Mound Complex," in Ancient
Vermont, op. cit.
61. "A Remarkable Standing-Stones Site Located," NEARA
Newsletter, June, 1971, p. 40.
62. Kling, Marjorie, "The May 1977 Finds at the Berkshires
Standing Stones Site," NEARA Journal, Summer, 1978,
pp.11-14.

WHAT IS TIME?
By Harry E. Mongold
but incorrect notion of time is indicated
O NEby begUiling
the follOWing quotation from Bertrand Russell:
"A date is fixed with complete preciSion if it is known
concerning every event in the world whether it wholly
preceded that date, or will wholly come after it, or was in
existence at that date. To this statement someone might
oDject that if the world were to remain without change
for, say, five minutes, there would be no way of fixing a
date within these five minutes if the above view were
adopted, for every event wholly preceding one part of
the five minutes would wholly precede every other part,
every event wholly subsequent to any part of the five
minutes would be wholly subsequent to every other part,
and any event eXisting at any part of the five minutes
would exist throughout the whole of them. This, however, is not an objection to our statement, but only to the
supposition that time could go on in an unchanging world. " I
It is true that we would not know of any such five minutes, but no one can know of all events, and what we
mean by "time" is, and must be, whatever moments exist,
regardless of whether we at present know of them all.

A "time" that is the known sequence of events is a time

that expands with increasing knowledge, but a time that
is basic to whatever has happened is a framework for
reality. It is as a framework for our conceptualizations that
both time and space must function. As will be seen, however, time is itself a concept, when the word refers to a
framework for conceptualization, while geometric space
is an objective reality.
Another incorrect notion is that time is a direction, like
"up." The notion of space-time as a four-dimensional
reality is promoted by some (but not all) writers on relativity theory. They define time as a static dimension and
then write as though we were moving along a space-time
chart, which is clearly a self-contradictory conceptualization. Motion requires time. A universe in which all occurrences were Simultaneously in existence would not have
any moving things in it. There is no way to incorporate all
time as a dimension and yet have people independently
using time in their own pursuits. Consequently, some
writers on relativity wisely specify that they represent time
as a dimension only for mathematical convenience. 2
One's impression of the passage of time, i.e., "psychological time," is not to be confused with what clocks measure. It is sometimes said that the fact that one may think
PURSUIT Spring 1979

..

_.._ - - - . _ - - -

68

he is waiting a half hour but finds it is only fifteen minutes

shows that "time is relative." What one feels about time,
whether it is slower or faster than the clocks say, has nothing to do with the case. It is only a way of measuring, and
it is an unreliable way.
Another usage of the word in relativity theory is to say
that "time runs slowly for someone who is moving very
fast." It is said that there is no universal time but only
local times. Time is said to "dilate" in moving bodies; the
"local times" apply to such as a space ship leaving the
earth and (since motion is relative) also the earth. This
contradicts the concept of time as a fourth dimension (or
analogue to it) and clearly uses the word to mean "clock."
Einstein reasoned that clocks in motion ruri more slowly
than clocks that stand still, although there is much argument as to whether this statement is meaningful. (Many
writers say that moving clocks only appear to run more
slowly.) It is the theory that there is no standard clock;
it is not asserted that moments themselves slow down.
What is found true by experiment is that clocks moving
eastward about the earth can lose time, while clocks moving
westward can gain. 3 Clocks in a weak gravitational field
speed up. Time itself, of course, does not "run" at all, let
alone speed up or slow down. It is a concept of a vast
duration which we split up in divisions that suit us. We
can tell when the earth gets around the sun and we use
this division of time as basic. Only a changing thing like a
moving planet or watch hand or living heart can go fast or
slow, and then only in relation to other movements.
Experimenters in subatomic physics use the phrase
"time reversal." They are speaking of cause-effect series,
very brief causal chains, where particles decay in a predictable sequence. The events may be steps in decrease
or increase of force or velocity. There is no reason why
the order of the events should be in one "direction" rather
than the opposite, but this question concerns the feaSibility
of event sequence reversal in isolated processes. It is evidently a misapplication of the operationalist definition of
"time" in terms of events. That definition refers to all events,
not a short sequence in a tiny area. Certainly there should
be a distinction between a few insignificant happenings
somewhere in an atom and the great story that is eternity.
It is true that the test for the passage of time is the perception of events, such as one's own breathing, occurrence of signs of fatigue, and heart beat. The test is not
the tested, however, and what we mean by "time" is the
history and expectation of all possibilities of change. Change
is a characteristic of geometric space (Le., physical space
with all accompanying matter). Time must be recognized
as our abstraction on our experience in terms of changes.
Abstractions are concepts. Thus time is but an idea that
objects in space (especially those objects that are our own
bodies) force upon us. Space and its contents exist now,
and on Iy the now aspect of time is an objective reality.
Before expanding on this it will help to consider an important challenge to the acceptance of the Now. E. A. Burtt
writes, "To such a view it is impossible to regard the temporal movement as the absorption of the future into the
actual or present, for there really is nothing actual. All is
becoming. We are forced to view the movement of time
as passing from the past into the future, the present being
merely that moving limit between the two. Time as something lived we have banished from our metaphysics ....
PURSUIT Spring 1979

The fact that man can think in the present of a past happening seems a strange matter to modern speculators ....
If we are a part of the world, then the t of physics must
become but a partial element in real time, and a more inclusive philosophy thus rewon might again consider the
evidence in favour of attributing movement to the future
rather than to the present, while the idea of the past as
dead and vanished might be consigned to oblivion with
other curious relics of an over-mechanical age. "4
After (have united his first two sentences into one that
ends, "because all is becoming," I begin to see this passage as a struggle with the idea of continuous change. If
one thinks in terms of continuous change he faces nothing
but change itself - nothing is there to change, because if
it were ever "there" it would be static at that moment.
The reference to the t in physics is, of course, to simpler
problems than may be concerned with a fourth dimension of space; it concerns formulas for the final speed of a
falling object, for instance. Burtt is saying that there is
more to time than the durations used in physics calculations, and this is natural considering that he has not considered discontinuous time, which a time made up of
short durations (the time the physicist uses) obViously is ..
Our conception of time is based on our experience of a
succession of Nows, each one a static world. (Relativity
theory's teaching that simultaneity is not universal, but
relative to a state of motion or a position, seems entirely
false. S) There is no motion "during" an instant. The question of how long an instant may last would have to be
answered in terms of natural processes; it would be a fraction of some process found to be consistent in duration.
Conceivably there will some day be a way to determine
what is the unit of change, say a minute fraction of the
time that some physical particle takes to decay. Certainly
it must be extremely short compared to what we can observe in day-to-day living. There should be no objection
to supposing a basic unit that is very small, for we are in
a position to see vast numbers both small and large compared to our kilometers and our hours. The universe is far
beyond our comprehension in any case. To say that all
events in it happen in a series of tiny instants, a series of
jerks, without continuous motion, stretches our imagination only a little further. The only question is, could it be
true? Does it fit all that we know about events?
The paradoxes of Zeno of Elea, who apparently did
not appreciate their true significance, express a number
of situations in which it may be seen that continuous
motion is impossible. They show that our ordinary conceptions of motion are self-contradictory. On the one
hand we believe. motion to be what we call "continuous,"
and on the other hand we are obliged to attribute to motion
some characteristics that imply it is discontinuous.
In the case of a moving arrow Zeno pOinted out that it
is assumed to be always somewhere, and that "somewhere" implies position in a point of space, although if it
is in a position it is not moving. The idea of it as in a place
contradicts the idea of its continuous transit from one
place to another.
One can try to get away from the idea of positions involved with motion by insisting that an object can be in
one of two states relative to the observer - static (meaning in a position) or 1110ving (meaning not in a position).
Thus, when an object moves past an observer it is not

69

"passing through" any positions. If this verbalization has

any meaning, it at least deprives our idea of space of a lot
of its usefulness. Space is essentially "simultaneous positions. "6 Something declared to be not in a position would
be declared outside of space. Generally, the backers of
continuous motion accept that a moving object must pass
through the same geometric points that it could occupy if
standing still.
If the flying arrow goes through points of space (either
absolute or relative) it is sure to be at a given point at
some time or other, and the concept of a continuous time,
that can be cut down into finer and finer fractions of an instant, only makes the case clearer. At one of those tiny moments the arrow is sure to be at any given position.
The common explanation for continuous motion is that
both space and time can be infinitely divided, theoretically, but this is only an evasion of the fact that either an
arrow exists in space or it does not, and either it passes
through locations in that space or it skips them, the latter
still requiring places from which it vanishes and at which it
appears. An infinite division of space does not obviate the
necessity of an arrow being at each subdivision as it goes
through; it only intimates that the arrow has a tremendous task visiting every point that a mathematician can
visualize.
There is something in our very concept of space that
implies discontinuous motion, then. In the case of time
we can say that there must be a "now," and that is the
basic instant, although Burtt tries to get away from that.
Space is a simultaneity of positions in that "now." Movement is change from one position to another, and a moving object can be stopped in any of them. A fast mover
must stay at each point very briefly (Le., only a few of the
inconceivably short "instants" of which time is made up),
while a slower mover stays longer at each location. In one
instant an arrow is here; in the next or a much later instant the arrow is at the next point of space. This is easier
to conceive now that we have motion picture films. Presumably a fast enough camera could catch an arrow staying at one point of space while a bullet passed through
several of them, although we might not be able to detect
such minute changes when examining the lengthy stretch
of film it would take to show them.
In the second of the more famous tales of Zeno a runner is shown to be unable to overtake another, if motion is
continuous. Suppose Achilles is running three feet behind the tortoise he is following. If the tortoise moves only
half an inch while Achilles moves four feet, at first thought
it seems obvious that Achilles will pass it by. However,
Achilles must move a distance of two feet before he can
move four, and he must cover one foot before he can
cover two. In fact, if he moves half the distance between
him and the tortoise, the latter, in this case, moves one
seventy-second as far as he does, and as Achilles moves
half of the remaining distance, it moves ahead again.
Every slight forward advance made by the one is matched
by a slight movement by the other. Now in the concept of
continuous motion it is represented as possible to cut off
motion at any time and still find motion. There is supposed an infinity of fractions of distance, but for every
fraction of the distance remaining to Achilles the tortoise
will find a tiny fraction to move also. The tortoise will continue to extend Achilles' remainder to go, and he can

never catch up.

If motion is discontinuous, however, there is no such
problem. The tortoise does not continuously extend the
distance for Achilles. Rather, it settles at each point for a
time and then leaves it for the next, these pOints not being
infinite in number.
There is wide disagreement on this problem. Kasner
and Newman reason that motion must be discontinuous;
they believe that space can be infinitely divided .. Their
concept is apparently that Achilles skips many of the points
that the tortoise has to visit: "The statement that Achilles
must occupy as many distinct pOSitions as the tortoise is
correct. So is the statement that he must travel a greater
distance than the tortoise in the same time. The only incorrect statement is the inference that since he must occupy
the same number of positions as the tortoise he cannot
travel further while doing so .... Achilles may travel much
further than the tortoise without successively touching
more points."7 As for their conclusion about space and
time: "Most of us would swear by the existence of motion,
but we are not accustomed to think of it as something
which makes an object occupy different pOSitions at different instants of time. We are apt to think that motion
endows an object with the strange property of being continually nowhere. Impeded by the limitations of our senses which prevent us from perceiving that an object in
motion simply occupies one position after another and
does so rather quickly, we foster an illusion about the
nature of motion and weave it into a fairy tale .... The story
of motion is the same as the story of rest. It is the same
story told at a quicker tempo. The story of rest is: 'It is
here.' The story of motion is: 'It is here, it is there.' "8
Bertrand Russell states his view of motion, relative to
traversing a race-course, as follows: "The words [reportedly used by Zeno] 'one by one' are important. (1) If all
the points touched are concerned, then, though you pass
through them continuously, you do not touch them 'one
by one.' That is to say, after touching one, there is not
another which you touch next: no two points are next
each other, but between any two there are always an infinite number of others, which cannot be enumerated one
by one. (2) If, on the other hand, only the successive
middle points are concerned, obtained by always halVing
what remains of the course, then the points are reached
one by one, and, though they are infinite in number, they
are in fact all reached in a finite time."9 This passage is
applied only indirectly to the Achilles-tortoise tale; it is
presented here for its clues to Russell's concept of continuous motion. Although it no doubt appeals to the imagination of one who indulges in the time-consuming process of conceiving "infinity," its meaning is doubtful.
(1) He refers to "all the points touched" but says they are
not touched "one by one." It is eVidently not two by two
either, because he says then, "after touching one, there is
not another which you touch next," meaning not a next
point that is touched. But what is touched then? His statements might leave the possibility of skipping most of the
infinite pOints, but he says "pass ... continuously," which
means all of the space is used. Passing through all points
but not touching them in turn implies that they are touched
in groups or masses, a vague or impossible concept of
linear motion. (2) He is Willing to say, however, that midpoints are touched one by one. He is not, certainly, sayPURSUIT Spring 1979

70

APOLOGIA FOR MY ILLUSTRATION TO HARRY E. MONGOLD'S ARTICLE, "WHAT IS TIME?"

Here is a tournament on tortoise-back. The Knight of Continuous Change does battle with the Knight of Discontinuous
Durations. Zeno and Tortoise hurry to see the event (trapped in the vanishing point of their paradox) already attended by
the King and Queen, Death and The White Rabbit-who consults his pocket watch ...
Could we have time without an unmoving point of reflection? The focal moment provided a projective shadow-the
intervals-which veil experience. The time experienced around the point could just as well be described in terms of a dis.
tance traveled-as by the sun, bearing the earth in orbit around it ... In this way, time always has a direction in space.
"Time is Motion," we say, as though applying to the motion a then unmoving notion-the physical stuff of time is
illusive-as the change is in the matter, not in the interval...
-B.W.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

71

( / ..,

ing that a runner may stand at the starting post, leap to

the middle, etc., but that "all" of the infinite points are
touched, with midpoints being touched one by one and
the others presumably in groups. This is mysterious,
especially the concept that "no two paints are next each
other. " What are they next to?
A. P. Ushenko dispenses with the attempt to solve
Zeno's paradoxes with numbers approaching infinitesimals as follows: "The 'mathematical' solution calls attention

to the point that there are infinite convergent numerical

series (of distances and intervals) which are comprised
within some finite distance and some finite duration, and
give a simple method for calculating the distance and the
interval required for catching up with the tortoise. This
solution completely misses the difficulty of Zeno: it tells
when and where Achilles catches up with the tortoise
provided he does catch up, but Zeno argued that he cannot do that. A true solution must explain not only when
PURSUIT Spring 1979

72

comes very slightly different. All over the universe there

are objects in slightly different positions from the immediately previous instant. An object moves from one place
to another by disappearing from one location and appearing at the next, a set tiny distance farther on its route, disappearing again and reappearing either at the same position
or a distance slightly farther on.
The inconceivable brevity of an instant is suggested by
the fact that most of these changes in position are because of subatomic particles in their orbits and photons of
electromagnetic radiation leaving their sources. It would
seem that light must stop at most of the pOints in its route,
yet it takes only one second to travel about 186,000 miles,
or one one-hundred-and-eighty-six thousandth of a second
to travel a mile, which must consist of an amazing number of points. If we ever find something thin enough that
if we stick it in a beam of light we find it still dark, we can
surmise that photons have skipped this pOint of space
(which does not mean going through it, of course, but
disappearing from one point and reappearing farther on) .
This is what Kasner and Newman suggest. Otherwise,
light probably stops at every position. If this conception
seems absurd, compare it with the conception that light
consists of vibrating or spinning particles. Millions of these
are said to land on a desk (which consists of millions of
electrons moving about atomic nuclei) and somehow rebound and make their way to our eyes so that we can see
the desk.
In light of the discontinuity of time (or, we might better
say, the existence of discrete Nows rather than an objective direction), reported anomalies of motion can be
somewhat better understood. A wartime airplane navigator wrote the science editor of Argosy magazine as
follows:

and where but how one racer can overtake the other."'o
I would say that Ushenko's own space-time diagram of
the events is no better, being only a picture of what we all
know happens in reality without explaining any more
than the mathematical method does. No one can pretend
that Achilles does not catch up, that they keep running
forever with Achilles just slightly behind (as the concept of
continuous motion requires). While one .has the impression that, as the supposed fractions of space and time get
tinier, the two runners get tinier themselves and disappear
from view, we know that an ordinary calculation of overtaking and passing within minutes is correct. The question is, how can it be if motion is continuous? The answer
seems to be that motion (and space and time) is discontinuous and has no infinity of fractions but has a finite
number of pOints and instants.
I have said that Zeno's paradoxes are solvable when it
is accepted that motion must be discontinuous. Some
writers, however, declare that it is that very idea which
makes the fables self-contradictory, and that therefore
one must accept that motion is continuous: "This proof
[of Zeno's that motion is impossible) is eVidently based on
the implicit assumption that a time interval and a space
interval are respectively constituted of instants of time
and points of space, in violation of the (tacitly) postulated
relation of 'point' to 'space extension' and 'instant' to
'time extension.' " The latter phrase is in reference to a
definition: "That is to say, a time interval cannot be construed as constituted of its instants because by the very
postulated notion of instant it is durationless, so that any
sum of them, infinite or not, will still be durationless."11
This, I believe, is a very common mistake. Points and
instants have extension, and it is incorrect to say, as most
textbooks do, that a point has no extension and an instant
has no duration. It should be obvious that the basic unit
of anything will have characteristics that will add up to
larger amounts of it. "Extension" does not imply divisibility
nor does "duration." It is true that the only extension and
duration with which we are acquainted personally can be
divided, but we must postulate that there is a type of each
that cannot be. These units are the smallest in existence
anywhere or any time, and reality is necessarily conceived as so constituted that nothing can be placed half
on a point and half off and that nothing can happen beginning in the middle of an instant.
Samuel Reiss, whom I am quoting, assumes that instants
are durationless and that they may be found in time but
not making up time. He goes on: "If temporal extension
or duration cannot consist [of), in the sense of add up to,
a sum of duration less instants, this means that any experience takes in a part of the future as well as the past and is
not a matter of one instant to the next."12 He cites Henri
Bergson, and of course this idea is found above in the
quotation from Burtt. My own conception is that one can
define "past" only as "what has been a Now" and the
future only as "what will be a Now." I have no idea how
they can be defined so as to allow a concept of mixing the
two. I think Bergson, Reiss, and Burtt simply are repelled
by the idea that motion is jerky and life is a series of jumps.
I think the cure for such a repulsion is to watch a lot of
"movies" and to consider seriously whether it makes any
difference that they are made up of stills.
The broad picture of a discontinuous world is a universe that exists only an instant in one state and then be-

In ... 1955, I was a navigator on B-26s in Korea. We

were returning from a training mission, heading
close to due south, and I found that we had a ground
speed of about 550 knots. This would have meant
a wind of 265 knots. We were at 7,000 ft. Both the
pilot and I laughed at this, but I rechecked it at the
next two check points, and the results were close to
the same. We made our home base and forgot
about it.
. . .1 admit the possibility of some error in this wind
computation, but not too much .... As a rule, the jet
stream does not dip so low. And if it did, the velocity of 265 [Knots) would be unusual. I have no
explanation .... 'J
If the calculation of speed relative to the ground was
550 knots, and if this implied a wind speed of 265 knots,
the plane's speed according to its instruments was 285
knots in the air immediately surrounding the craft. In
comment by an expert called in on the case it was remarked that the "jet stream" known to act in the upper
atmosphere does not dip lower than 20,000 feet and
could not flow south, as the plane headed. It was said
that if a great wind carried the plane there should have
been a great turbulence with entry into it or exit from it,
possibly loss of control. If the body of air that the plane
flew through suddenly acted as a unit with the plane and
moved like a wind through the surrounding atmosphere,
the effects could be explained, the commentator thought.

PURSUIT Spring 1979

------------

- - - -----_. __ . _..

..

. ..

73

This would require a mysterious affinity between the

plane and its immediate body of air, with the latter slowing down at the right time for the plane to descend at its
destination.
Another communicant wrote the same editor about a
flight in a C-97 (cargo) plane in the same area:
... Kwajalein weather [report) gave me a pleasant
forecast .... Terminal weather at...Guam was standard, and we all looked forward to a pleasant night
flight of approximately 6 to 6 + 30 hours .... We
climbed out to about 12,000 feet, leveled off, and
settled down for the flight ... .l logged ... a fix, saw
that the weather briefing was about right, pOinted
the aircraft toward Anderson [Guam) for another
hour .... Second hour out, since the weather was so
good, I decided to use a Celestial Fix for a position.
Loran is good for the last three hours into Guam,
dubious for the first three out of Kwajalein because
of distance from the station. So, for my second
hourly position, I shot what developed on the chart
as a perfect three-star fix. It was a true pinpoint.
It left no doubt as to where the aircraft had been at
that point in time. I logged it.. ..
Third hour out, with a tremendous feeling of
security in my own ability, and confidence in our
meteorologists, I shot a second celestial fix. Weather
was excellent: high, broken overcast, no turbulence,
wonderful results. Another pinpoint fix. Only problem was ... , this last fix was about 340 nautical miles
down intended course. A C-97 at that altitude works
at a true air speed of about 220 knots. With the pertinent information stuck on a computer I came up
with a wind of approximately 110 knots from 070. 14
After that hour ground speed was apparently normal
again, but in that unusual hour the C-97 aircraft had made
a speed of 340 knots, pretty good for a freighter in a wind
reported to be around 10 knots, as the correspondent
adds. Again, there could not have been a normal wind of
high enough speed, unnoticed, and it seems that the
cargo ship took its air with it or its instruments would have
shown a greater speed than they did. An officer at the
point of destination said these unexplained bursts of speed
occurred 8 or 10 times a year for various craft.
Ivan Sanderson, the Argosy science editor, who has
included the above two incidents in his interesting book,
"Invisible Residents," suggests: "If ... the planes slipped
into areas wherein time ran slower the planes would have
comparatively longer to get farther and thus come in early.
If they ran into a faster time slot they would be late on
arrival."1S At first thought it might seem that if events
should follow each other more slowly than usual there
would be more time to get things done, but I think what
is really thought of here is the slowing down of all clocks
except the mechanical and physiological ones concernedthe plane and its personnel. In other words, the rest of
the world could slow down and let the plane travel farther,
just as when they turn back the clock in a legislature they
have extra hours. If we must separate the plane from the
rest of the world, probably the processes in the flight area
sped up, rather than outside processes slOwing them down.
If planes slipped into areas where events moved more
slowly ("wherein time ran slower") the planes would

operate more slowly relative to surrounding areas. That

does not solve anything.
Apparently there was no report that the chronometers
in use had gained time. The simplest idea is that the planes
spent less than their quota of instants at each point of
space, thus having a burst of speed. This is unexplained,
but at least it is less involved than an increase in all events
would be. Remembering that even when we consider fast
vehicles must spend a number of instants at each point
(contrasted to electromagnetic radiation, which reaches
so far so soon), the explanation - as far as we can go
with it at present - for unusual speeds should be a reduction of the time spent at each point, or even the occasional skipping of a point.
The apparent fact that aircraft can gain unprecedented
speed by failing, in some unfathomed way, to linger at
spatial points as usual, offers a field for study. If we can
learn to control the basis of motion in another way than
by applying forces, the possibilities should be many. We
may be able to travel at very great velocities by manipulating the natural tendency to disappear and reappear in
a related location. Perhaps the inhabitants of UFOs (if
they are actually vehicles) do this. It would explain also
the ability of a so-called flying saucer to change direction abruptly as though it had no momentum, taking off
at a definite angle or reversing its direction. Momentum
arises from the use of forces. Readjustment of velOcity by
tampering with the mechanism of motion may provide
inertia-less transport.
Recognition that reality is a series of states would have
made it easier for physicists to accept the Gibbs-Heisenberg idea of a "statistical universe." Discontinuity in time
implies that a cause is only an "antecedent" and an effect
only a "consequent," since there is no possibility of transfer of any of the cause's nature or substance between
instants, and there must be an abrupt change in the motions
of the objects involved. (In a chemical causation the objects involved are microscopic, and the events are numerous. Similarly, electrons and other particles are involved
in electrical causation. Even a meeting of a brake lining
and a brake drum should be considered a case of a myriad
of microscopic events, for all the things we can see and
lift are only disguises for masses of always active tiny
things.) Having accepted that cause and effect are not
mysteriously related by a continuous change, one can
welcome the discovery that what we have considered
necessary consequences among microscopic events may
be accidental, and causation only a statistical result of
random particle motions.
The notion of causation is rather a stumbling block to
accepting a world that "jumps" from one state to another,
because it is difficult to understand why there should be
so close a connection between states. A cause is directional: if two particles are to separate by causation, they
are determined to move in certain directions. Acausal relations, however, are random: the particles may separate
in any directions. It seems quite possible, according to
modern physics, that reality is acausal at base but consistent enough on the average that it seems causal at our
level of observation (which is far indeed from the subatomic level). If so, there is not the control of one instant
over the world of the next instant that there otherwise
seems to be. The particles of one momeni are simply very
close to the particles of the preceding one. Their average
PURSUIT Spring 1979

74

positions are significant only at the higher levels of organization.

Like most hypotheses, "replacement-time" ideas can
be distorted. Thus, to the many variations on the idea of
a static four-dimensional universe could be added the
following: Suppose that all the instants of eternity are
"flashing" (appearing, disappearing, reappearing) together.
Suppose that people are really spirits moving in a supertime, moving forward in a coexistent group of moments
from one "flash" of our bodies to the next. Suppose that
eternity is something like a coiled rope in a pile, so that
events of one century would be adjacent (in super-space)
to the events in another century. We have already suggested that the movement of aircraft can be abnormal
within a relatively short series of moments. With a coexistent eternity maybe one could slip into another coil,
accounting for some mysterious disappearances.
Such a suggestion is a mangling of the idea. A coexistent eternity would not allow for any shifting of the bodies
involved, since they are already in all their possible positions. The aircraft would not be moving; all their existences
would be in their places at each instant. The view of this
paper, on the other hand, is that only the Now exists.
The Nows to come may not be quite in accord with what
is expected or what is usual. The future is not laid out.
The notion of a universe that is constantly replaced
implies that there may be instants of other universes between our instants, in which other universes could be
flashing on and off. We can imagine that a body in one
universe might somehow slip up on the length of the in-

stant it usually uses and get out of phase, so that it appeared

in the wrong universe. If there should be some factor that
made a body unstable when not in its own universe,
something might eventually jiggle it into its proper sequence
of instants (Nows) again. Here we have a possible answer
to ships that disappear without trace or recognizable cause,
and also men that appear from nowhere, confused and
ignorant, until some day they disappear as mysteriously
as they came and are never heard from again. Similarly,
the unknown catlike beasts sometimes reported,I6 and
even the Bigfoot, may come from such an Elsewhere.
In summary, "time" means a sequence of replacements
of the world as a whole. Time is an abstraction upon experience, since in reality there is only Now. This is what
most people assume until they become philosophers or
phYSiCists, and then they may be convinced that they
have been mistaken. This is unfortunate. I would say that
the common sense view is correct. Although one can
deduce that ''time is discontinuous," this particular wording
is not strictly accurate, since there is no objective spacelike time framework. There are only objective instants,
in fact only one - this one. Memory gives us the delusion
that it is continuous, or at least, that motion is. Perception
gives us the valid impreSSion of the current instant also,
however, so that we hold contradictory concepts. Adquate conSideration, then, should pare one of the deluSions, although for practical purposes of planning and
remembering one retains as useful the concept of time as
a coexistent series.

REFERENCES
1. Bertrand Russell, Human Knowledge, Simon and Schuster,
1948, p. 270.
2. For example, David Bohm, The Special Theory of RelatiVity,
W. A. Benjamin, Inc., 1965; C. M!!SUer, The"Theory of RelatiVity,
Clarendon Press, second edition 1972; Hans Reichenbach, The
Philosophy of Space and Time, Dover, 1958.
3. J. C. Hafele and R. E. Keating, Science 177:168 ff (14 July
1972.)
4. E. A. Burtt, The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern
Science, Doubleday paperback, 1954 (1924,1932), p. 95.
5. Irving F. Laucks, "Was Newton Right After All?" Philo
sophy of Science 26:229 ff (July, 1959); Harry E. Mongold,
"The Concept of Simultaneity," Pursuit 11:60 ff.
6. H. E. Mongold, op cit, p. 63. For a similar opinion interpreted in accordance with the theory of relatiVity, see A. P.
Ushenko, The Philosophy of Relativity, George Allen and UnWin,
1937, p. 46.
7. Edward Kasner and James Newman, Mathematics and the
Imagination, Simon and Schuster, 1940, p. 58.

8. Op cit, p. 60.
9. Bertrand Russell, Our Knowledge of the External World,
George Allen and Unwin, 1949 (1926), p. 177.
10. Op cit, p. 176.
11. Samuel Reiss, The Basis of Scientific Thinking, Philosophical Library, 1961, p. 169.
12. Ibid.
13. Reprinted in Invisible Residents, Ivan T. Sanderson, World
1970, p. 146.
14. Ibid, pp. 152f.
15. Ibid, p. 156.
16. Curt SutherIy, "The 'Thing' of Sheep's Hill," Pursuit 9:9 f
(January 1976); Curtis Fuller, "Killer Dog," Fate 29:8 (September, 1976); "Bigfoot in Virginia," "Fish Fall in Kenya," "Has the
Dover Devil Visited South-Central Pennsylvania in March 1978?,"
"Black Cat Was a Dog?," etc., Pursuit 11:120 ff (Summer, 1978);
David Fideler and Loren Coleman, "Kangaroos from Nowhere,"
Fate 31:68 (April, 1978).

PAYMENT FOR PURSUIT ARTICLES

Starting with Vol. 12, No.3 (Summet, 1979), Pursuit will pay 1 per word for all articles published. Please feel free,
as of this notice, to submit articles for consideration for publication in the Fall Pursuit (by the time you read this, any future
articles submitted and accepted will receive payment). Payment will be forthcoming upon publication of the article.
The deadline for the Summer issue was March 15 and articles received after March 15 will naturally be conSidered, at this
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No.3) issue will not be considered for payment. Also, payment will not be offered for articles already published elsewhere
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receive $5 per review published. Copyright rights for original articles published will still be returned to the authors upon
publication, as we have done in the past.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

75

THE TIME PUMP

or

SPECULATIONS ON THE A-SPACIAL

ENERGIES OF CHRONICITY
By E. Macer-Story
1978 E. Macer-Story
of the most important tasks for the investigator of
ONEunusual
phenomena is the separation of the phenomenon itself from ideas about the phenomenon.
This is very difficult to do in retrospect. Methods for
systematizing information are always arbitrary and therefore to a certain degree "unnatural." Familiarity with particular methods often leads to the falsely secure notion
that the system itself has some natural and organic existence as a phenomenon.
We are most familiar with alternate informational systems
as they occur in the variation of words from language to
language. People of all sorts are able to distinguish the
phenomenon of a chair itself from the word "chair" in any
language.
Silently, it is possible to indicate the phenomenon
"chair," without access to any spoken language whatsoever,
except the mute, conventional gesture of a raised arm
and pOinted index finger.
Yet, thus silently un-named, it is still possible to sit
down upon the object itself. If any person pOints, however, to an empty area of space and asks you to sit down
on the "chair" in well-inflected German, French, English
and/ or Italian, it is impossible to follow this direction
without falling on your rear end. Simply, this is because
there is no actual chair in the area. The word or the gesture itself does not supply the solid object. Conversely
the absence of specific words and/or apparatus of description does not negate the actual phenomenon.
Individuals with no training in engineering, chemistry
or other of the technical sciences are not used to thinking
of technological systems as a similarly arbitrary form of
language. It is common to suppose that the technical
formulae of these disciplines are somehow absolute and
objectively similar.
For example: ordinarily, we would not be able to think
of any way to deal with electricity other than by indicating
"positive" and "negative" charge. Plus and minus are a
global technical convention. It would be difficult to imagine
contemporary physics or chemistry existing without the
use of these symbols. Closely allied with concepts of plus
and minus are the spacio-temporal concepts of "foreward" and "backward"; foreward indicating "in-front" of
a reference pOint, and backward indicating "behind" that
reference pOint.
Foreward equals plus. Backward equals minus. We
have been conditioned to feel that these concepts are
naturally obvious. It seems ridiculous to mention them so
specifically.

In the case of electricity, plus means "actively moving"

or incomplete, and minus means complete or "passively
moving." The elementary concept of a battery involves
the induced flow of incomplete-to-complete and complete-to-incomplete, until the battery materiels themselves become non-reactive, forming-for examplelead sulfate (PbSO,J.
Actually, of course, no one sees plus and minus figures
moving around inside the battery like the letters in an
alphabet soup. It is, however, known that electrodes of
lead (deSignated Pb) and lead dioxide (deSignated Pb0 2 )
generate an electrical current when dipped together into
aqueous sulfuric acid (H~04)' also known as H + and
HS0 4 - . Presumably, these lead electrodes will generate
this electrical current with or without the arbitrary chemical terminology which uses plus and minus attributes to
describe the micro-chemical alteration in matter which we
here on Earth call "electric." Suppose that on another
planet, in a different galaxy, Thomas Edison had not been
the first major inventor to use electricity in a repeatable,
reliable fashion. Further suppose (and to do this you will
have to separate the phenomenon of electriCity itself
from ideas now used to systematize this phenomenon)
that something entitled chronicity was discovered co-incidentally with "electricity," which on the planet ANOTHER
is called simply "the pulse energies." Remember that the
discovery of a natural force does not mean mastery of
every aspect of this force. There is no patent, for example,
on electriCity itself, only on the devices used to channel
and control the natural reactions which generate electromagnetic force.
Picture ANOTHER inventor who has been trying to channel and utilize chronicity. Since the weather on this hypothetical planet is always tropical, and the days are long,
there is no pressing need to heat or light the habitations
of ANOTHER by using elaborate mechanical apparatus run
by the pulse energies. Further, on ANOTHER, iron, magnesium and crystaline deposits are plentiful, so that any
school child (there are regular elementary schools on
ANOTHER) can build his or her own personal nightlight
and hotplate by the use of ordinary techniques of chemical
combination and circuitry.
However, the atmosphere on ANOTHER is much less
dense than the atmosphere here on Earth. There are no
birds, and the creatures that do fly can sustain aerial maneuvers for only a short time. Therefore, it is impossible to
build practical, winged craft for rapid long distance flight.
Yet ANOTHER is actually the size of Earth or larger. Civilizations have grown up all around the globe. ANOTHER's
countries can communicate by the use of radio and television and transport individuals and cargo by overland
train or sailing vessel, yet there is a pressing need to physically transport matter more rapidly from place to place.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

76

Time is of the essence on ANOTHER. Inventors all over

the planet speak and think of the mysterious possib~lities
of chronicity, as we discuss the practical use of atomic
energy.
On ANOTHER, it is taken for granted that there are several
sorts of time energies: p-energies, which relate to electromagnetic pulse frequency; g-energies, which relate to the
gravitational suspension of ANOTHER within the solar
nexus; and the energies of chronicity, which are a-spacial
and therefore do not partake of the distance and density
measurements common to both the p and 9 continua.
Since distance is no factor in utilizing the a-spacial
energies of chronicity' , there are research laboratories all
over ANOTHER in which people are trying to figure out
a safe and sane way to translate the vibrational phenomena
of the p and 9 continua temporarily into the a-spacial
energies of chronicity, and then back again.
This would mean that an object could disappear spaciaUy
in one place and re-appear again spacially in some other
location, thus circumventing the long hours spent in surface transport over land and sea.
Let us now translate this alien sort of speculation into
an informational system referent to Earth. One of the
most popular informational systems on Earth is the daily
newspaper, augmented by the drugstore paperback book
rack. This is not a technical system, but it is an informational system all the same, used primarily for obtaining
popularly-accepted facts and information. Of course,
yesterday's fact may become tomorrow's fiction or vice
versa, but this evolution is a matter of time, and as the
facts change they will again be processed through the
popular informational system. Currently available on the
paperback book racks are a number of paperbacks which
discuss the unexplained appearance and disappearance of
objects, people, radar images, and conventionally recorded
time (See, for example: The Great Lakes Triangle, by
Jay Gourley [Fawcett, 1977].)
It is a popularly accepted Earth-fact that sometimes
things do appear and disappear in a way which is not the
result of any known electrical and/or mechanical cause.
These a-spacial events are not usual, and when they do
occur they are noticed, and pass into the public informational system as anecdote, news story and/or philosophical puzzler.
It is a Widely held terrestrial theory that mysterious
lights and disk-shaped objects which appear and disappear
in the sky in this strange a-spacial fashion may come from
ANOTHER planet where technological development is
"more-advanced" or "alien."
Several years ago, I read a science fiction story about
some wayward children who memorized a few of the
nonsense rhymes from the book Alice in Wonderland, and
then (by following some sort of accompanying diagram)
vanished forever from the room in which they had been
playing, presumably into the mirror-reversed universe of
Wonderland. It is interesting that Lewis Carroll, who
wrote of passing through the looking glass, was by profession a mathematician.
In various areas of higher mathematics, particularly in
"group theory" and calculus, the spacial metaphor of
"inversion" is particularly important. The process of in These are not the same as earthinventor c. G. Jung's a-causal prin
ciples of synchronicity. since they are actual energies, not ideas.

PURSUIT Spring 1979

Figure 1

version involves taking a point, rotating it 180 degrees,

and dropping it down through and beyond a horizontal
plane so that the point itself ends up "behind the looking
glass" in an inverted position with regard to a circular
axis (figure 1) .
Of course, the very process of inversion takes time.
It is a spacial operation which occurs in two stages: "rotation" and "reflection." MetaphOrically, the inverted point
has actually traveled through space in order to get behind
the looking glass of the horizontal plane.
On ANOTHER, it is recognized that the spacial calculus
used to describe operations utilizing the p and g pulse
energies as they mesh to form the pseudo-crystaline structure of molecular matter is useless in describing the effects
of chronicity, since the energies of chronicity are in essence
a-spacial. Operations utilizing the energies of chronicity
will of necessity employ techniques which are non-Euclidian
and non-geometric, since the logical treatment of geometric forms requires spacial, sequential reasoning.
For example, on August 8, 1978, while browsing
through a reference book on mathematical group theory,
I came across the interesting fact that 23 is the international
numerical symbol for the incomplete tetrahedral cubic
point group.
This struck me with a particular urgency, as in his nonfiction book on synchronistic events connected with UFO
contact, entitled The Cosmic Trigger, Robert Anton Wilson
mentions being beset by the number 23, seeing it on
address labels, in telephone numbers and on various other
items. He is at a loss to understand exactly why his mind
should be drawn to this particular number.
Since molecular time is often measured by the pulsing
of the tetrahedral ammonia molecule, which inverts itself
with regular periodicity, as we are all still wondering why
the Egyptians built large, tetrahedral tomb structures and
whether or not small regular tetrahedrons really do preserve meat and vegetables and sharpen razor blades,
clearly the number 23 - standing as it does for the tetrahedral point group as an international numerical symbolmight be highly Significant as an a-logical clue to the nature
of chronicity. However, since the energies of chronicity
are a-spacial, there can be no tetrahedrons within this
time-continuum.
On ANOTHER, this is characteristic of the energies of
chronicity: nospace/notime is regarded as an advantage.
It is desirable to transport physical items overland from
location to location in the shortest time possible. The
problem on ANOTHER is not acceptance of the energies of
chronicity; it is the invention of safe and effective means
for the utilization of these energies.
Yet here on Earth, in our present state of technical
and philosophical development, the door seems to be
shut to us conceptually. The "looking glass" is a hard, impassable barrier, reflecting only patterns of visible Iightlight behaving according to the ordinary rules of electromagnetic and gravitational time. The very idea of passing

77

Figure

Figure 3

"through" the looking glass is a deception. There are no

alternate rooms beyond the surface.
Actually, the "looking glass" fantasy itself is a spacial
concept, involving as it does the pivotal reversal of physical
shape (RH). Unfortunately, physical reversal within three
dimensions does not lead to a liberation from these dimensions. This is because the physical manipulation itself is
carried out entirely within three-dimensional space. It
opens no interdimensional doors. What if the energies of
chronicity were "quantized," much as the energy states
of electrons are quantized within the atom? If this were
so, it would be possible for a particle or system of particles
to make a "quantum jump" into another continuum.
In this alternate continuum, the "speed of light" (that
famous constant C in Einstein's equation E =MC 2 ) would
be quantitatively different, thus generating constructions
of matter with a texture quantitatively different from the
electro-magnetic texture we are used to perceiving.
Conceptually, this time quantum jump is not so difficult
to imagine: the molecular energies which bind atom to
atom would simply change frequency. However, actually:
how might this be accomplished?
Of course, it is impossible to visualize such a quantum
jump of the molecular energies, as this particular transition
would be fundamentally a-spacial.
Ordinary conceptions of space are ineluctably linked
to conceptions of time. In order, for example, to get up
and walk across the room anyone must expend at least
an instant of time.
Habitually, most people are likely to take the distance
they may traverse by foot and wrap it around the circumference of a graVity-driven, 360 degree clock. The hands
of this clock are always traversing a linear, circular distance.
In considering the energies of chronicity, it is necessary
to separate the phenomenon of time itself from ideas such
as the 360 degree clock.
What happens to this linear pre-conception when the
numbers 2:35. followed by the numbers 6: 10 appear
sequentially on the face of an electrical registry device
which displays the time of day? I could look up and read
the numbers 2:35, write the words "measured time" and
then look up - as I think - one instant later and read
the numbers 6: 10.
If I were looking at a circular clock face, the hands of
this device would have to have covered a sizeable chunk
of the 360 degree circumference in less than one degreeminute. I would notice immediately that something was
the matter. I might even go so far as to call this instant
alteration of the physical hand position a paranormal
occurrence of telekinesis , but I certainly would not (according to the usual preconceptions) dare to think that the
change in the physical position of the hands had actually
altered time. I would simply phone time-of-day service
and reset my rebellious clock.

Unus~al

alteration of matter at a distance from the percipient.

Figure 4

If I was not looking at a 360 degree clock, but simply

had a timed electrical registry device which first flashed
2:35 and then one instant later 6: 10, I would (according
to the usual spacial preconceptions) be less likely to become
concerned about a "paranormal" occurrence which had
violated the "laws" of time and space. This is simply because I could not see the unusual "time jump" happening
spacially.
Spacially, one of the most interesting facets of a tetrahedron (international point group number 23) is that it
can be considered to represent an incomplete cube. A cube
has six equal sides (figure 2). A regular tetrahedron has
five sides, four of them equal triangles and the fifth a
square with sides equal to the base of these equilateral
triangles. A pyramid with a solid base, therefore, can be
considered to be a regular cubic solid, minus one side
(figure 3). Where is this side?
The number of boundaries of each dependent side has,
in a tetrahedron, been reduced from four to three. The
area of a solid surface cannot be contained by any number
of boundaries smaller than three. Therefore, a regular
tetrahedron, as well as being the simplest regular, solid
geometrical representation which can be constructed
from an assemblage of five two-dimensional planes, is
spacially economical. Individuals who take the trouble to
build their own regular tetrahedron are, in a sense, cutting
the three-dimensional plane down to essentials.
Of course, as I have mentioned, on ANOTHER this trimming down of space is an essential scientific problem.
Scientists would like to be able to collapse distance andin effect-make it disappear. It has often been rumored
that inside one of the larger pyramids of Egypt is a secret
chamber. This chamber has never been found. Perhaps it
is the misSing side of the regular cubic solid which might
have been erected from the base of this stone tetrahedron.
Or, perhaps (almost inconceivably to the spacial imagination) this hypothetical secret chamber inside the tetrahedron
is what happens when the upper three-dimensional figure
is reduced by one side, collapsing into a two-dimensional
arrangement of two equal-Sides planar figures, joined at
the edges and bounded on two sides. Of course, this
"chamber" would not be a potentially solid area, as is the
tetrahedron contained within a cube. It would be the
imaginary line within the solid tetrahedron where the
two-sided, two-dimensional planes intersect (figure 4).
Remove, for example, the bottom side of the four upper
triangular areas, and let the spokes of this open umbrella
fold up together, as they would if no intervening dimensionality were holding them apart, and one line will be
created. The baseless triangular solid will literally disappear
from sight (figure 5).
Of course, by adding the missing sides one by one, and
expanding this linear umbrella, the original tetrahedron
can be constructed at any other location by a simple measurement of relative distances. Now, consider instead of
this tetrahedron the "solid" four dimensions (three spacial
PURSUIT Spring 1979

78
FigureS

boundaries plus measurement in time) by which we

usually bound and restrict the everyday affairs of our life.
Consider the top four triangular planes of the tetrahedron
to be these spacial quantities, and the square bottom of
this figure to be the fifth (slightly different geometrically)
dimension of chronicity.
Remove this square surface of a-spacial linkage, and
the four upper dimensions then will collapse together,
since there is no third side of each triangle to bound and
complete the area.
.
On ANOTHER, this geometric analogy is called the "time
pump," though there is a smaller scientific faction which
prefers to label this collapsible area of space the "time
umbrella."
The "time umbrella" people feel that matter which
vanishes from space due to the manipulation of chronidty
is simply "furled" somewhere and does not actually cease
to exist; whereas, the "time pump" majority cannot accept
the concept of "furled" matter, and believe that the structurally-supportive energies of chronicity literally pump up
and expand matter itself into dimensionality,much as the
addition of a third linear boundary can transform the
simple intersection of two lines into a potentially solid
piece of area.
This is not the way we are accustomed to think here on
earth. Though it is generally recognized that a line is the
intersection of two planes, and that the intersection of
three or more planes can form a solid, we do not usually
think of these geometric activities as literally occurring,
although they are, of course, a formalized discussion of
literal reality.
An electromagnetic field is seen by technicians and
theoretical analysts as being a state of matter with certain
boundaries. It affects qualitatively the area within these
boundaries. This electromagnetic effect is seen to occur
regardless of the variety of matter which might be within
the field. The boundaries of the field do not follow the
shape of the material structures within the field, but have
a relatively separate existence. We should separate this
phenomenon itself from ideas about the phenomenon.
It would be quite possible to consider an electromagnetic
field not as a qualitative abstraction, but as a bounded,
invisible solid, which is co-existent with visible matter.
Further, consider a tetrahedral electromagnetic solid.
This is an energy-thing which can instantly disappear in
one place, and reappear again in a different location,
substantially unaltered - prOVided that somebody pulls
the switch and moves the equipment. The only problem
with the electromagnetic solid (as everyone has been researching on ANOTHER) is that it does not absorb matter.
When the electromagnetic field-solid vanishes, it leaves
the visible solids with which it has been interacting perhaps
altered magnetically, but substantially as they were before.
If an electromagnetic solid is generated in the area of
a table, for example, the table will not disappear when
It takes time to progress outward from one centimeter to another.

PURSUIT Spring 1979

the generator is turned off, but - if it is metal - it may

have become a magnet, or show magnetic alteration on
the molecular level.
One of the most interesting side effects of some "ufo"
sightings has been that there is a magnetic alteration in
the molecular dipole of metallic material in the vicinity.
This has led P. J. Klass, in his book UFOs Explained, to
theorize that UFO phenomena might be some variation
on electrical plasma, which often manifests as "ball Iightning," and can carry a magnetizing charge.
The Great Lakes Triangle, the paperback I cited previously, describes objects such as airplanes and ships
which seem to become disoriented as to direction, and
vanish. If these objects do not actually "vanish" in the
Great Lakes area of the United States and Canada, then
there does seem to be an alarming number of freak accidents within this particular geographical area.
I have personally (this is independently of Gourney's
book) interviewed a bush pilot who regularly takes hunters
on trips up to the Arctic and to inaccessible areas within
the Great Lakes region. This pilot, who is currently flying
out of a location just north of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario,
told me that he had once seen a "UFO" light in one of
these backwoods areas. Independently of this sighting,
which was also witnessed by several hunters, he has experienced magnetic alteration in an area approximately
150 miles northeast of the area in which the light was
seen.
While flying through this "magnetic" area, the compass
of his small plane will spin and lose magnetic orientation.
He attributes this to the iron and copper deposits in the
north central area of the American continent, a geographical area which is popularly known as the "iron range."
Of course, conditions in an "iron range" area, where
there are heavy metallic deposits near the surface of the
earth, would be roughly similar to environmental conditions
on ANOTHER, where iron and other such minerals lie around
close to the surface of the planet, and are readily available.
It is easier to build an electromagnetic field-solid on
ANOTHER due to the magnetic properties of the environment.
Now, consider this electromagnetic solid to be not a
condition of matter, but a container, an artificially created
cavity which is able to convert the molecular "solidity" of
visible matter into the a-spacial energies of chronicity and
literally "pump" this transduced matter into another location, where (within another artificially created electromagnetic cavity) it will be reconverted into approximately
its original shape.
Approximately.
For with this process of transduction, there will always
be some difficulty in reordering the transmitted matter
exactly. Accuracy of matter-transduction is the focus of
intensive research on ANOTHER.
This process of transduction (the direct conversion of
one type of energy into another type of energy) can be
imagined to be a lot like television transmission.
Instead of a two-dimensional image "being relayed by
See Earth's piezoelectric crystal, which converts mechanical stress
directly into electrical cunent.

79

an electronic scanner which transmits images from a linear

grid, a three dimensional object would be "pumped"
from place to place, one electron-bit at a time, via the
chrono-electronic transducing chamber. I am not referring
to the transmission of a hologram image of an object via
laser reproduction, but to the actual dissolution and reconstruction of matter itself.
How would this "time-pump" actually operate?
Firstly, it would have to be effective on the molecular
level, transducing matter from location to location not like
a tornado (which indeed can jerk up an entire location
physically, piece by piece, but does not redeposit this
location in an ordered way) but more like the electronic
scanner used in television. This scanner moves regularly
over a grid area, recording variations of color and intensity
into pulse signals contained within a carrier wave. This
ordered collection of pulsings can then be retranslated
into the original picture by the reverse process of scanning
out the irregularities, line by line, onto the matching grid of
a home TV set.
light points arrive into the TV apparatus one at a time,
though the picture itself seems (by optical illusion) to be
registering simultaneously, since the linear scanning process happens so quickly. The hypothetical "time-pump"
would have to do something similar, pumping the transduced solid back one matter-point at a time into threedimensional molecular solidity or (to reverse the process)
lJanishing this solid one matter-point at a time into the
a-spacial chronicity continuum.
However, since there is no space, there is no sequential
order. In order for the "time-pump" to work, each matter~
point transduced out of the electromagnetic cavity and
into the chronicity continuum would have to be imprinted
(as is each cell of a living organism) with a master plan for
reassembly, so that it knows, for example, to "wait" for
a micro-second, until the other matter-points which should
properly be flanking it arrive into the electromagnetic
reception cavity.
This a-sequential assemblage would occur in a matter
of milliseconds, so that the physical structure would seem
to the naked eye to "appear" or "disappear" much as the
linear display on a TV screen appears (except when there
is "snow" or electrical interference) to be of one piece,
rather than a series of light points.
When discussing the quantized energy levels of molecular structure here on Earth, it is often said that electrons
are "pumped" from one energy orbital into another.
This pumping represents the addition of a certain number
of volt electrons of electromagnetic energy, or the loss of
this energy. The energy content of each photon (matterpoint of light energy) is given on earth by the equation
E = hc/).., where h is Plank's constant of energy quanti"zation, c is the electromagnetic "velocity of light," and
). is the wavelength in centimeters. We commonly assume
this velOCity of light to be an invariable constant.
Suppose that this quantity C were not an absolute
constant, but a quantified variable, able to be "pumped" by
a certain number of volt-chronos (the electrical unit linked
to ANOTHER's chronicity system) onto a quaiitatively different energy level. This would mean, in terms of the Earth
equation "E = hc/)', that (given the observed invariance

Figure 6

AI~C

:I

of centimeters and energy quantization within the Earth

environment) the energy content of the photon or "matterpoint of light energy" would have to change .... as the volt
chronos were changing.
It is a popularly known dilemma here on Earth that
the photon within the electromagnetic continuum seems
to be both a "wave" and a "particle," passing through two
apertures at once in an electromagnetic grid and yet registering subsequently at only one place on an electron
counter.
This means that the photon has been observed to exhibit
a-spacial behavior within this continuum. Clearly, then,
no matter which technical system you are using (Earth's
or ANOTHER's) there is room within the observed phenomena for speculating on the existence of "chrono-volts"
or "time energies" related somehow to what we already
know about the unusual properties of the photon.
People are used to thinking of the famed wave and/or
particle demonstration as involving a difference in the
observed behavior of "matter" at different, successive
instants of time. Yet we should separate these ideas about
the phenomenon from the phenomenon itself.
Here we have three point-events at which the photon
is noticed (figure 6). Perhaps the particle at A and B is not
in the form of a "wave," but is the same single energy
packet which registers at point-event C. At point-events
A and B, the chronicity of time has become a-spacial, so
that these discrete events (which are really separate, involving the same, single photon) somehow take place at
the same electromagnetic instant. Remember that the
devices which measure these point-events are electrical
devices. The measurements are taken at relatively short
intervals, involving fractions of a wavelength.
Is there something about the spacial arrangement of
this famous and mystifying experiment with the photon
which affects the chronovoltaic characteristic of this matterpOint, causing a-spacial behavior to register within the
electromagnetic continuum? Remember the legends
about the secret energy chamber within the tetrahedron.
Energy within each mode of electromagnetic oscillation
is proportional to the square of the amplitude of that oscillation. If, then, the measuring slits in the photon experiment are placed 1/2 wavelength apart (as is the general
prescription) and a photon (nothing is perfect) hits the
edge of one of these slits, then is skewed sideways ... the
amplitude of oscillation is "broken," thus changing the
energy content of the mode of oscillation. Assuming that
the energy transitions of the oscillated photon are discrete
and occur in "quantum jumps" according to some constant,
is it not possible that by jarring the electromagnetic matterpoint of light energy (or "photon") out of phase, the
"chronovoltaic" nature of electromagnetic time is qualitatively altered? Might not a tiny electromagnetic tetrahedron
with proportions adjusted to the fraction of a wavelength
PURSUIT Spring 1979

80
PHYSICAL
(MOLECULAR) CAVITY

ELECTROMAGNETIC SOLID
particle enters
in EM phase

-.,.---~

L..-_ _---Jv

exits in
equilibrium

SINGLE ENTRY BOX

(entry/exit through same
aperture)

traction
of EM phaselength

exits
qualitatively
altered in
phase

SINGLE ENTRY
ELECTROMAGNETIC AREA
Figure 7

cause qualitative changes in the behavior of "time," since

electromagnetic time is measured by pulse?
This would be similar to the selected emission effect
obtained in "black box" radiation effects, during which
the resonance mode of a cavity determines the frequency
of the electromagnetic radiation emitted (figure 7).
Had ancient Egyptian philosophers and "magicians"

seen diagrams of this tetrahedral "time pump," perhaps

preserved from some Atlantean culture, which the famous
seer Edgar Cayce has described as possessing "ray-emitting crystals" with fantastic properties relating to matter
transmission and destruction?
Were the Atlantean crystals tetrahedral, or has Earth
been visited by representatives from ANOTHER planet, which
is magnetically different from Earth, more sophisticated
as to chronicity, and upon which the electromagnetic
field is technically considered to be a "solid" cavity?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
On black box radiation effects:
Beard, David B. and Beard, George B., Quantum Mechanics
With Applications (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1970)
On crystallographic point groups:
Leech, J. W. and Newman, D. J., How to Use Groups (London: Methuen, 1970)
On disorientation and disappearance:
Gourley, Jay, The Great Lakes Triangle (New York: Fawcett,
1977)

THE KNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN

By Steven Mayne
history man has continually maintained
THROUGHOlIT
a conscious quest for knowledge. The dictionary defines the word known as: that which is apprehended or
perceived by the mind or senses; that which has become
a part of knowledge. And knowledge is defined as: the
sum total of what is known.
Armed with that which he has acquired and formulated
as knowledge, man then searches for the unknown, which
is also defined by the dictionary: unfamiliar, not ascertained,
incalculable, inexpressible, having no formal recognition.
This leads us immediately to a very disturbing paradox.
Can the known, which exists in the mind, search for the
unknown? This is not intended as a rhetorical question.
If we do not know what something is, how can we find it?
How can we know the unknown? In other words, if our
minds apprehend and acquire new information, It is no
longer unknown. Anything the mind has perceived through
experience, through the senses, is known, and is therefore incorporated into our knowledge.
As Forteans, we have learned to constantly question
and re-examine that which is called reality - the known.
We must, therefore, ultimately question the very precepts
of knowledge. Rather than to engage ourselves in a running
conflict of belief versus disbelief with those sceptics who
have grounded their argument in hard-core definitions of
what is "known" about "reality," we should instead perhaps
concentrate our efforts on pointing out to them the need
for questioning the known - that which to them is often
indisputable, unchangeable, and absolute.
Surely we must come to understand the known before we can develop a perspective by which to view the
unknown. Unless we do so, we are doomed to fail in our
PURSUIT Spring 1979

efforts because what we call the known will prevent us,

interfere, and continue to impose its own interpretations
and structurings upon the unknown.
In searching for the unknown we use eyes which are
accustomed only to seeing the known. What would happen if we could realize that what we assumed to be the
known is, in fact, unknown, that the very foundation
underlying knowledge is itself questionable? Without
seeking an answer, let us simply examine the instability of
that structure within our own psychological framework.

SYMBOLS: IMAGES OF
THE KNOWN
Man lives continuously in two worlds - the world of.
life and consciousness, and the world of symbols. Ever
since man invented reading and writing and became dependent upon those means of acquiring and transferring
information, knowledge has often suffered. The words
and symbols, intended Originally to convey the actual,
have instead become the actual.
For rational purposes, we use many varieties of symbol
systems - linguistic, pictorial, mathematical, ritualistic,
musical. We would, in fact, have no science, art, law, nor
philosophy without such symbol systems. In a very real
sense, then, symbols are indispensable. But, as history
has shown, they can also be fatal. Aldous Huxley's comment is appropriate in pointing out how this happens:
Consider, for example, the domain of science on
the one hand, the domain of politics and religion on
the other. Thinking in terms of, and acting in response to, one set of symbols, we have come, in
some small measure, to understand and control the
elementary forces of nature. Thinking in terms of,

81

and acting in response to, another set of symbols,

we use these forces as instruments of mass murder
and collective suicide. In the first case the explanatory
symbols were well chosen; carefully analyzed and
progressively adapted to the emergent facts of physical existence. In the second case symbols originally
ill-chosen were never subjected to thorough-going
analysis and never re-formulated so as to hannonize
with the emergent facts of human existence. Worse
still, these misleading symbols were everywhere
treated with a wholly unwarranted respect, as though,
in some mysterious way, they were more real than
the realities to which they referred. In the contexts
of religion and politics, words are not regarded as
standing, rather inadequately, for things and events;
on the contrary, things and events are regarded as
particular illustrations of words. 1
Symbols are not a priori negatives; they have, however,
only been used realistically in those fields we do not consider of supreme importance. But they have also been
used idolatrously and insanely in every situation involving
our deeper impulses. "Abstract concepts," notes J. Chilton
Pearce, "having no basis in immediate reality, can alter
our interacting with real things, and so change the nature
of our reality experience. "2
The most profound philosophers, Huxley goes on to
note, throughout the ages, have conSistently fallen into
error equating their verbal constructs with fact, and imagining that symbols are somehow more real than what
they stand for. 3
We are no better off than our philosophers. Our minds
are rarely, if ever, free. We constantly fill our minds with
symbols. The mind is held together by ideas, and it lives
and has its being around those ideas. The mind moves
only within the radius, however wide or narrow that radius
may be, of its own center. It dares not wander from that
center, and when it does, it is overcome with fear, fear not
of the unknown, but of the loss of the known.
Ideas have become far more important to us than action.
We have totally separated the idea from the action. Ideas
are always creatures of the past, and action is always in
the present. We are afraid of living in the present, and
therefore the ideas of the past have become of ultimate
importance to us. 4

THOUGHT: WE THINK,
THEREFORE WE ARE NOT
Through self-delusion we have come to believe and
accept that we cannot live without thought. Yet, paradoxically, we also would separate thought from the thinker,
preferring to believe the thinker is separate so that the
thinker can, by means of thought, change. When we
realize we are greedy, jealous, or envious, for example,
we think we should not be that way; we then try to change
those thoughts and therefore an effort is made to "become" something else, thus sustaining a dichotomy.
Thought breeds duality in all our relationships, including
our relationship with the unknown.
So the thinker separates himself from the thought. For
example, he separates the known from the unknown.

He never realizes that in the very act of demanding to know,

he is altering his perception of the unknown.
Thought, if you observe it, is the response of memoryand memory is the repository of accumulated experience
and knowledge. From our background of memory, then,
we react; and this reaction constitutes thinking. We have
led ourselves to believe that we must fill our minds constantly with knowledge, and this has led us to actually
believe that we cannot possibly exist without a mind that
thinks incessantly. We are so crippled, overwhelmed,
deluged by the manifestations of those thoughts that we
often lose the meaning. Since we have no idea how to
exist without it, we constantly feed the thought process
more information, thereby perpetuating it. We cannot
conceive living without letting thought continually form
our decisions, and so we continue thinking thoughts that
are, in reality, detrimental to living in the here and now.
Whether we want our minds occupied all the time so that
we will never see ourselves as we actually are, or because
what we really are prevents us from seeing ourselves, is
irrelevant; I am simply attempting to show how the mind
habitually operates.
The same fallacy applies to our acceptance or denial of
the unknown. We are so continuously overwhelmed by
a constant flow of information from all sides that we must
tune out the majority of that information. Data from the
unknown spectrum is immediately correlated to the known,
thus altering our perception of the information. Indeed,
we are much too busy accumulating and categorizing all
the manifestations of known data, most of which we accept
at face value without question because that data has already
been produced through the thought processes of others;
we have no time left for the unknown. For this reason,
the initial reaction is often to reject the unknown, simply
because it cannot be apprehended or perceived by the
mind or senses - i.e., it is not known. Thus we fail to observe that information for what it may be. Thought has
altered our perception, blinding us and preventing the
influx of new information.
A new fact cannot be seen by thought. It can be
understood later by thought, verbally, but the understanding of a new fact is not reality to thought.
Thought can never solve any psychological problem. However clever, however cunning, however
erudite, whatever the structure thought creates
through science, through an electronic brain, through
compulsion or necessity, thought is never new .... 5

ANALYSIS
We are prevented from ever being able to analyze the
incoming information.
In psychology, which is the mind studying the mind,
we can see how the process works directly. The traditional
approach to understanding the mind is an analytical one,
yet psychologists themselves have fallen prey to systems,
ideas, and theories, and these have, in fact, become the
reality. Action means doing. AnalysiS prevents action in
the present because in analysis there is time - a gradual
peeling away of layer after layer, and an examination and
analysis of the contents of each of those layers. It is a neverPURSUIT Spring 1979

82

ending process. By allowing the time element, the way is

opened for all forms of distortion - and that has little
to do with either the reality of the situation or the liberation
of the self. It was Einstein who noted: "The true value of
a human being is determined primarily by the measure
and the sense in which he has attained Iiberationfro~ the
self. "6
From the start, then, there is duality - the analyzer
and the analyzed. But the analyzer is the accumulated
knowledge of all the little parts he has analyzed. And with
that knowledge, which is of the past, he analyzes the
present. The analyzer is trying to change what is, the present, according to what he has learned, the past. Therefore
there is dichotomy, contradiction, distortion, disorder,
confusion, and little or no understanding.
Ultimately, the same is true of all knowledge. What we
consider knowledge is simply more thought-structuring of
the mind. In trying to analyze the unknown by using elements of the known, we are repeating the same mental
processes. Those processes, of comparison, correlation,
and analysis - including all their limitations, not only
alters the perception of the unknown, it confines the unknown to the known, thus preventing any true perception
or apprehension of the new data, except as an accidental
byproduct of the overall process.
That process, as I have attempted to show, is often
based exclUSively on data which is already faulty simply
because it has suffered the same fate as the new data:
it has been subjected to the same thought process, a neverending circle that can be measured starting anywhere ....
The known, as precariously unreliable a tool as it may be,
only serves to define the unknown as that which it is not.
Thus we have come to the Ultimate Paradox.

CONCLUSION
Earlier in this article I suggested we simply examine the
instability of the mental structuring of knowledge, without
seeking an answer. It should be obvious now why we
cannot seek an answer. There is none. Any answer or
conclusion we could reach would be a perpetuation of
the process of logical thought, of analyzing the unknown
by using the fallible data of the known - or already perceived and apprehended.
Instead, I have chosen to show that the known is itself
based upon a questionable foundation. Instead of viewing only dichotomy and separating, through our mental

processes, the known from the unknown, perhaps we

should attempt to understand the fluid interflow between
the two ends of the spectrum. Knowledge should, unless
it is to become another meaningless symbol, portray the
actual - that nothing is truly known or explained - and
not become the actual definitive paradigm of that which
is greater than itself. However great we may think our
understanding of the knowledge of the greater reality we
call the universe, we must nonetheless never cease to
realize that that body of knowledge is simply one limited
aspect of our true relationship with the unknown.
Bearing this in mind, we can then observe that, if the
known is the unknown, cannot we comfortably integrate
into the very process of thought itself the perception that
the unknown, at some level beyond our current limited
thought structures, can be known as something other
than what it is not? Can we not welcome the paradigm
shifts, the reintegration of symbol and meaning and all
else resulting from opening ourselves to observing the unknown from a new perspective instead of closing ourselves
off to that potential?
Do we have so many answers that we cannot tolerate
a question?
The mind moves from the known to the known,
and it cannot reach out into the unknown. You
cannot think of something you do not know; it is
impossible. What you think about comes out of the
known, the past. ... This past is thought, shaped
and conditioned by many influences.... Thought
can only deny or assert, it cannot discover or search
out the new .... The function of thought is to communicate but not to be in the state of experiencing.
When experiencing ceases, then thought takes over
and terms it within the category of the known.
Thought cannot penetrate into the unknown, and
so it can never discover or experience reality. 7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Any reader who is familiar with Krishnamurti will readily
see that the author of this article has relied on the works
and expressions of this man, who I feel has been grossly
ignored by the Western world. I feel his "works" are extremely important and devastating in impact, and that
they should, by all rights, be brought. to the attention of
serious Forteans.

REFERENCES
1. Aldous Huxley, Foreword to The First and Last Freedom by
J. Krishnamurti (London and Southampton: The Camelot Press
Ltd., 1954)
2. Joseph Chdton Pearce, Exploring the Crack in the Cosmic Egg
(New York: Pocket Books, 1975), p. 42
3. Huxley, op. cit.
4. J. Krishnamurti, Freedom From the Known (New York and
Evanston: Harper & Row, 1969), Chapter XIII

5. Ibid, p. 102
6. Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions (New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc., 1973), p .. 23
7. J. Krishnamurti, Commentaries on LiIJing 1st Series
(Wheaton, Illinois: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1967),
pp.43-44

ADDITIONAL READING
C.G. Jung, MemOries, Dreams, Reflections (New York: Vintage
Books, 1965)
J. Krishnamurti, The Awakening of Intelligence (New York:
Avon Books, 1973)
PURSUIT Spring 1979

Any and aU works by J. Krishnamurti-there are dozens of books

Joseph Chilton Pearce, The Crack in the Cosmic Egg (New
York: The Julian Press, Inc., 1971)

83

COUNT SAINT-GERMAIN: WHERE ARE YOU?

By Curt Sutherly
NTIL the autumn of 1975, had never heard of the
U
legend of Count Saint-Germain - the man who
lives forever. According to various reports which are prob1

ably a mixture of fact and fantasy, Saint-Germain has

wandered the halls of humanity since pre-Biblical times,
presumably for the expressed purpose of gUiding our race
through periods of turmoil. Kind of an immortal Dudley
DooRight ...
Despite my skeptical attitude, there is a surprising body
of literature associated with the presence of the eternal
man. For instance, a survey of 18th Century documents
reveals that the good Count pops up in the memoirs of
anybody who was Somebody during that period of time.
Mesmer, Horace Walpole, Casanova, Count de Challon,
Charles of Hesse, and many other dignitaries, musicians,
adventurers and general characters-at-Iarge refer to meeting
Germain.
The Count has also been credited with initiating practically every so-called "secr~t society" ever founded, including the Rosicrucian Order, the Freemasons, Nights of
Templars, the Illuminati, and the Knights of light.
Many SITU members may already be familiar with the
alleged movements of the Count. Nevertheless, for those
who are not, allow me to repeat a short conversation
documented in the Countess d'Adhemar's biography of
Marie Antoinette (to whom Germain was supposedly an
advisor until her death by guillotine). The conversation in
question is said to have taken place between Germain
and the aging Countess de Gergy:
"Fifty years ago," Countess de Gergy said, "I was ambassadress at Venice and 1 remember seeing you there
then calling yourself the Marquis Bailetti. You looked just
as you do now, only somewhat riper in age perhaps, for
you have grown younger since then."
"Madame," Germain replied, "I am very, very old."
"But then you must be nearly one-hundred years old,"
the astonished Countess declared.
To which Germain replied, "It is possible that I am
much older ... "

If, prior to the fall of '75, anyone had suggested to me

that Count Saint-Germain was (is?) for real, I probably
would have qUietly shook my head and walked away.
Looking over my shoulder, I wonder about that skepticism,
especially in view of my passion for researching the paranormal. Be that as it may, one need not be too surprised
to discover that I first heard of Saint-Germain while attending a UFO conference.
This particular conference was held the weekend of
October 17-18, 1975 at the Trade Winds Inn, Fort Smith,
Arkansas. As "flying saucer" gatherings go, it was one of
the better ones.
Personalities from nearly all the major UFO study groups
were present, as were scientists such as J. Allen Hynek,
Leo Sprinkle, Jim Harder (University of Berkeley, Calif.),

and Dr. Richard Haines (Aerospace Medical Association

of Aviation Psychologists). Having attended quite a few
saucer conferences in the past (as, presumably, have
many SITU members), I was pleasantly surprised that the
event was dignified by relatively serious-minded individuals
rather than the usual drink-it-up party crowd generally
manifest at such affairs.
Enroute to the conference, my driving partner, Gene
Steinberg, and I stopped off to pick up UFO historian
LUCius Farish, who is sometimes referred to as "the Rock
of UFOlogy." Farish, for those SITUers who don't know,
makes his home in Plumerville, Arkansas. He is one of
the very few Forteans to make his living by researching
and writing about UFO and paranormal phenomena.
(He is, inCidentally, also a member of SITU.)
Together, Farish, Steinberg and I breezed into Fort
Smith, Gene at the wheel - and who suddenly cast his
roving eye upon an attractive girl standing by the conference
hotel's parking lot.
"Say, I've gotto meet that girl," he chuckled.
"Sure, Gene, sure," Lou and I replied, certain we'd
never see the lady again.

.. .

The follOWing night, October 18, Gene cornered me in

a section of the hotel lobby .
"Remember that girl we saw when we arrived - the
one I wanted to meet?" he asked.
Thinking for a minute, I managed to recall the girl:
"Yeah, what about her?" 1replied.
"Well, I just finished talking to her, but you know, she
told me this really incredible story ... "
During the next fifteen minutes, Gene related a saga
earlier told to him by his new-found friend. And as he
had noted, the story was, in fact, rather incredible.
What it boils down to is this ...
Upon introducing himself to the girl and exchanging
opening pleasantries, Gene discovered his companion
was from West Germany, although not a native of that
country. (He mentioned her by name, but for story purposes, we'll refer to her as Sandra.)
As Gene told it, Sandra had flown to the United States
for the sole purpose of attending the conference - but
not so much to learn about unidentified aerial objects as
to meet Dr. James Harder.
Sandra, it seems, had had several baffling experiences
during her youth (today she is perhaps 22 years old), and
she was hoping that Dr. Harder - whois an expert hypnotist as well as a UFO authority - might be able to jog her
subconsciOUS somewhat on the matter of these experiences.
(Whether he did or not I never did learn.)
According to Gene, Sandra had lived in Canada as a
child. She was an only child and perhaps no more than
six. or seven years old when trouble broke out in the family.
Gene didn't expand on the particulars of the strife, and
I didn't ask. Suffice to say that the usual difficulties often
encountered between man and wife surfaced in Sandra's
household, nearly resulting in a broken marriage.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

84
Gene went on to say that, almost miraculously, a stranger
arrived at Sandra's home and due to his presence the
family problems were resolved. Sandra, Gene said, paid
little attention to the stranger at first, probably because of
her age and inattention to detail. But one thing did stand
out in her mind: whenever the stranger (we'D call him Alex)
sat Sandra on his lap, she couldn't help noticing his eyes .
.He had no pupils!
Some months after the marriage difficulties had come
to an end, Alex took his leave of Sandra's home, claiming he had to return to his birthplace somewhere in the
eastern world. He was never very specific when mentioning his birthright, but often alluded to being of royal blood.
Alex also claimed to have seen much and traveled extenSively.

Several years after Alex had departed, Sandra's parents

decided to uproot and travel east. They eventually settled
in West Germany, but as fate or otherwise would have it,
their marital problems returned to plague them.
And, as before, Alex appeared to smooth things over.
By this time Sandra was in her mid-teens and a somewhat better observer of detail. Alex, she decided, was
strikingly handsome, tall, elegant of manner and speech,
and prone to talking as little as possible. Furthermore, he
actually did have no noticeable eye pupils. This, Sandra
told Gene, was the only immediately strange thing about
the man. Otherwise, he was perfectly normal - perhaps
too normal.
Sandra said she continued to watch Alex with great
care and frequency. As a result, she eventually discovered
that the man seemed to have a perpetual smoothness of
cheek and chin. Acting on a hunch, she rummaged through
his shaving kit one afternoon; and as she had begun to
suspect, there was no razor, electric or otherwise.
Fimilly, driven by the obvious strangeness of her parents'
guest, she confronted Alex, and asked him about his eyes.
In reply, he only laughed at her. Then she asked him why
he never needed to shave. This time he did reply, telling
her that he had never had any need to shave. That, however, was as much as he would say about anything.
Sandra told Gene that, despite the man's seeming
alienness, she felt no fear of him. Instead, when Alex
vanished for the second and final time, she experienced
a sense of loss at his going.
In the months that followed, Sandra often nearly asked
her parents about Alex, but for some reason refrained
from doing so. She told Gene that as odd as it may seem,
her mother and father had at all times acted as if their
guest had been perfectly normal.
At some point, Sandra became infatuated with the
UFO mystery - perhaps, Gene said, thinking there was
a connection between UFOs and the mystery man. The
end result of her interest was her trip to the United States
to meet Dr. Harder, whom she had heard much about.
However, she stumbled into Gene (almost literally, I understand), and needing someone to talk to, blurted out
her entire story.

Standing In the hotel lobby with people thronging about,

it was difficult to accept Gene's recollection of Sandra's
account. Still, I've known him for some years and despite
PURSUIT Spring 1979

a, few faults, I have never found him to be a liar. Added to

this was the simple fact that he was obViously as baffled
by Sandra's story as was I.
So, after hearing him out and not having the slightest
inkling of what to do about it, I told him that I had a couple
of loose ends to tie together, but that I would meet him at
the room of a mutual friend within the hour.
That friend was one Allen Greenfield, a longtime UFO
researcher, (then) resident of Atlanta, Georgia, and something of a radical with regard to theorizing on UfOs and
possibly related phenomena. (AI, along with Gene Steinberg, was among the vanguard of those who thought that
UFOs might have an other-than-extraterrestrial explanation: in 1965, he and Gene came forward with what they
called the "alternate reality" theory; i.e., that UFOs pop
in from another space-time continuum or dimension. To
day, AI's theorizing has gone beyond even this stageas some SITU members may well know.)
So it was that Allen Greenfield greeted us in his hotel
room, already wearing his famous Cheshire smile. Settling
into a chair, I listened silently as Gene once again related
.the events told to him by Sandra.
When he had finished, a few seconds of silence walked
by. Then AI said: "It sounds just about like the old stories
of the Count Saint-Germain."
Gene and I exchanged baffled glances: the Count who?
"Count Saint-Germain. You never heard of him?"
We hadn't, but got an earful that night.

...

. Referring again to Germain's alleged conversation with

the Countess de Gergy: the Count had offered to prove
his longevity by reciting various historic events which only
he and the Countess could have recalled. But the Countess
interrupted his proposed reverie.
In a shaken state of mind, she cried: "No! No! I am already convinced. Surely you are either a god or a devil ... "
Perhaps Allen Greenfield was correct when he halfjokingly said, that night in his hotel room, that SaintGermain may actually exist - someplace, some-Time. Is
it possible that objects - and men - can slip through time
and space, at will, covering hundreds or thousands of
years in a comparative eyewink? Maybe this is the secret
of Alex, the secret of Saint-Germain, in fact the secret
behind scores of reported humanoid appearances that
have baffled Forteans for so many years.
Consider: a time-traveler who slips back and forth
through the ages, meeting, then re-meeting select individuals. To those of a bygone era, such a one would certainly
have appeared to be either a god or a devil. Take your
choice ...
Still, if Germain is really out there somewhere, would
someone kindly tell him to stop by for an interview?

Note: there is a postscript, of sorts, to this story. A few

days after Gene and I returned to our respective homes
from the conference, Gene received a letter from UFO
researcher-writer John Keel. In the letter (a copy of which
Gene sent to me), John raved on about the chaos of the
UFO field and a number of other Fortean matters. Overall, it was a usual Keel letter - awe-inspiring to say the
most(?) But the ~ost curious thing about it was his chosen
signature - the Count Saint-Germain. ~

85

TIME TRAVEL
ByT. B. Pawlicki
Plate Flutter Experiment (described in "Mind Over
THEMatter,"
Pursuit, Vol. 11, No.1, Winter, 1977)
shows that a universe filled with radiant energy will create
moire patterns in its space. These moire patbl!rns are fields
of force, and they function like mental structures in a universal mind. Where universal vibrations come into mutual
phase opposition, standing-waves are created. Standingwaves manifest the properties of material particles. As
phase alignments change in the vibrations constituting a
standing-wave structure, the material form behaves like
a body directed by intelligence. Where a moire pattern is
stabilized by phase opposition, the mental concept it represents becomes manifest in a material form; altematively,
the idea is realized by material particles (already existing)
following the trajectories of the lines of force defining the
moire pattern. The Plate Flutter Experiment demonstrates
the mechanics of mind and matter to be inherent in the
geometry of vibrations.
The rotation of a field of vibrations from the radiant
phase to the standing-wave phase and back again is a
continuous cycle. All patterns of energy in the universe
eventually become realized in a material form, and all
material structures return to the field of energy which
created them. This is the cycle of life and death. This
means that everything that can possibly happen win happen
during a complete cycle of universal time. .
Elemental vibrations exist in mutual isolation; they pass
through each other without affecting each other in any
way. You can observe this in the waves on the surface of
water. Elementary waves produce harmonic beats by
augmentation at intersections. These beats are compound
waves. Compound waves are a kind of moire pattern.
Compound waves and moire patterns move much slower
than the elemental waves, their velOCity being a function
of phase coincidence, and they change direction, amplitude
and wavelength according to the harmonic ratios of the
elemental waves. All mental concepts and material structures are compound waves.
Where and when a particular pattern in the field of
vibrations will materialize is determined by the angles at
which the elemental wavefronts intersect. Because elemental waves are eternally immutable in all parameters,
the patterns for all possible events (compound waves)
exist in some state of development at some location in the
universal field of energy right now. In other words, the
past and the future exist for all time as a physical reality,
determined and predetermined.
A focusing lens demonstrates that the universe is a
hologram. All parts of a hologram are identical to the
whole in essential structure; increasing the size of a part
of a hologram serves only to increase the amount of
structural detail that can be resolved. This means that all
possible events are not only in existence right now, but all
possible events are in material existence right here.
Each of us is a standing-wave structure manifest as a

material body. Because our wave structure is determiiled

by phase and frequency coincidence, we ca.n exchange
energy only with the radiant waves and standing-waves
which are tuned to harmonic ratios of our own phase and
frequencies. The universal waves to which we are tuned
are experienced as our physical reality. The universal
waves to which we are not tuned are experienced as
"empty space." As phase relationships change by the
continuous rotation of the universal field of energy, waves
which were out of tune from us phase into tune, and
waves which were in tune phase out of tune. This phase
rotation is experienced as the continuous flow of time. In
other words, it is the "empty space" of the universe which
is filled with the past and the future. All movements fill
space which was empty and empty space which was full;
movement is what defines the flow of time. ThIs is a greatly
simplified description of highly abstract mathematics.
Physicists found that the mechanics and energy balances
of the present physical reality could not be accounted for
unless another state of existence was hypothesized, because energy is continually being lost from one location
and continually being created at other locations without
traversing the intervening distances. They called the alternative state of reality, which cannot be detected by any
physical means, the Virtual State, and quantum equations
are balanced by hypothesizing energy that is continuously
rotating from the Virtual State into our reality, and from
our reality back into the Virtual State. By performing their
calculations in the most abstract mathematics, .physicists
have failed to realize they are using the Virtual State to
describe what everyone experiences as the flow of time.
The Virtual State of the universal field of time can be
illustrated by the mechanics of television. Each broadcast studio radiates a three-dimensional pattern of intelligence into universal space. All programs from all stations
are three-dimensional structures of energy existing in the
same broadcast space at" the same time. This universal
matrix of television waves corresponds to the Virtual
State of reality. A particular television receiver can perceive as reality only the single frequency to which it is
tuned. The program it makes manifest, therefore, becomes its single reality. All of us are like television receivers
tuned to the same frequency, so we all share the same
reality. There is, of course, a considerable bandspread to
accommodate lunatics on both fringes who are disturbed
by harmonic interference.
The phase to which a television set is tuned is a function of its location. A receiver 12,000 miles from another
receiver in the broadcast studio will make the program
manifest one-fifteenth second later; this illustrates that
time is a function of location. A receiver at the neighboring star will come into the same reality some four years
later. At the present time, the three-dimensional structure
of the television matrix is not immediately apparent because we are using the signal to generate a two-dimensional
image, but when RCA puts holographic TV on the market,
we shall be able to tune into our choice of three-dimensional programs by a twist of the dial. Although RCA will
PURsurr Spring 1979

86

soon give us holographic images in our living room, Iifesize in California, the broadcast signal itself will be linear
and not holographic. A holographic broadcast signal requires each wave to be replicated continuously by reflection
everywhere. A true holographic broadcast signal would
make it possible for a given television receiver to tune into
any broadcast made in the past by adding a phase tuner
to the frequency tuner. This is not imaginary speculation.
It is a well proven fact that commercial radio and television broadcasts are trapped by reflection and resonance
in various ionized layers surrounding the earth, and from
time to time someone is shaken to his roots by picking up
a program that was broadcast before he was born. This
phenomenon was discovered over fifty years ago, shortly
after radio became a commercial enterprise.
If you have a basic understanding of mathematics and
physics, you must realize that any space that can contain
more than one three-dimensional structure in the same
place at the same time must be a four-dimensional space.
Frequency is the fourth dimension. And if a given frequency can contain all programs separated by phase in a
time continuum, phase must be the fifth dimension.
Einstein got it all balled up.
The commonplace example of television broadcasting
proves what scientists learned long ago in the laboratory.
Reality is a creation of the observer interacting with the
observed. We look at the Virtual State of the universal
field; we perceive the Real State.
These models prove that every location in time and
place is defined in the universal field by a unique set of
phase coordinates. If a specific scale of detail is also to be
defined, a unique set of frequency coordinates must be
added to the phase locations. It is evident, therefore,
that travel through time is identical in its mechanics to
travel through space; both are manifest by a rotation of
phase coordinates. Trekking across space to get from
here to there is taking the long way, and it uses up fuel;
waiting for the future to arrive is the slow way, and you
gotta pay rent. The short cut is to jump directly through
the matrix of the Virtual State by staying where you are
and spinning your phases.
Rotation of phase is what energy is all about. This is
why space and time are functions of energy. Unless the
equation uniting space and time with energy. is broken,
there is no feasible way to dematerialize in one location of
space/time and rematerialize instantly in another location
without burning up all the oU in Arabia to shift a few hours.
Nevertheless, we know this can be done without making
OPEC rich because the process is observed continually in
Quantum Physics. Spontaneous mat/demat on the quantum scale happens because every structure and event in
Real Space is manifest by a specific harmonic balance of
vibrations; all that is needed to jump through the Virtual
Space is to take energy from some of the constituent vibrations and add it to others to alter the balance of the
compound wave structure. An engineered operation
requires no net expenditure of-energy at all, except the
power to keep the circuits humming.
During the normal flow of time, certain phase alignments mesh together across a considerable span of Real
Time and Space. At these times, "windows" open between Widely separated points, and "crosstalk" occurs
spontaneously between them. Jung refers to this phenomenon as "synchronicity." Mystics retain a faculty for
PURSUIT Spring 1979

tuning the phase alignments of their minds long after

birth, and they are thereby able to tune in on these "windows" to experience clairvoyance, to remember past lives,
and to foresee the future. Whatever phenomenon can
occur naturally and spontaneously can be duplicated,
however crudely, by technology once the mechanics are
understood. Radio is a technological duplication of mental
telepathy, television is a technological duplication of
clairvoyance, robotics is a technological duplication of
psychokinesis, and the Flying Saucer is the technological
mastery of time travel. Time transport is achieved by
waiting, like one of our moon probes, for a "harmonic
window" to open through the Virtual Space; at that instant, the phase coordinates of the field generated by the
saucer is altered to result in a dematerialization at its position of origin and a rematerialization in another time and
place. The Flying Saucer is a quantum phenomenon
amplified by harmonic integration to the human scale.
One of the critical problems of time travel is the possibility of an expedition from the future altering the past
so that the future is changed. This means that the Time
Trekkers are stranded in the past with no future home
they can return to. The Time Loop Paradox has fascinated
sci-fi imaginations for centuries, probably more than it has
interested theoretical physicists. The answer is obviOUS,
but no one dared to prove it "because it demolishes all our
beliefs about reality. You see, although all events are
existing here and now, the sequence of events during any
given experience of time is infinitely variable.
.
The line of travel followed by any chain of physical
events in Real Space, moving from the past to the future,
is determined by the harmonic structure of the events
relating harmonically with the field of universal energy.
At certain junctures, the balance of harmonics makes it
possible for two courses to be followed through space/time,
each with equal probability. In this circumstance, a given
event divides itself spontaneously into two replicas, and
both structures continue into different futures. We see this
happen when a bacterium reproduces by cell division,
and it happens again when a zygote twins. In these cases,
both replicas remain tuned to what we call Real Space,
so we do not notice that each twin is living a different life
as alternative futures of the same parent. In other cases,
however, each twin disappears into the Virtual State as
perceived by the other, and this conforms to the common
conception of divergent time streams. This phenomenon
has never been recognized in the physics lab, of course,
because the alternative development in the Virtual State
is undetectable; there is no excuse, however, for failing
to calculate it. Between divergent time streams there may
be considerable harmonic crosstalk, and this phenomenon
is manifest as the doppelganger. Alternative realities may
run paraDel, diverge, or rejoin at another harmonic junction.
John Wyndham dramatized the problems of getting caught
in parallel time streams in the movie, Quest for Love,
which has recently been rerun on TV.
Whenever there is an interaction between past and
future, the balance of harmonics is altered at both locations, and there is a fracturing in the stream of time. The
Time Trekker is not stranded, however, because the
specific phase/frequency coordinates of his origin remain
unique, and he can always return there. The real handicap of the Time Traveler is what to do while waiting for
the next window to open back to his home. He could get

87
thrown onto a time stream which won't offer a direct
flight back to base for centuries, and his only alternative
route is switching back and forth among distant harmonic
locations until he finds a direct window, like trying to fly
from Cairo to Jerusalem on a scheduled airliner during
one of their wars. The Time Loop Paradox is resolved by
the Time Loop Exclusion Principle of the Sidetrack.
All psychic visions of the past, the distant and the future
are governed by the Exclusion Principle. This means that
when Bridey Murphy recalled her past life, the memory
was altered in consequence of interaction with the present.
Therefore, although her story fits historical record suffiCiently to be convincing, Bridey's memory of her past is
not exactly the same as Bridey's actual life. Even your
own memory of last year is colored by interaction with the
intervening events. A clairvoyant vision may be truthful
enough for any practical purpose, but it will not be exactly
the same as the real occurrence. For that matter, no two
eye-witnesses will describe the same real event exactly alike,
and they are correct there. And visions of the future alter the
future. This is why fortune-telling has such a poor reputation
with the Better Business Bureau. As a rule of thumb, the
less a prophecy is understood and believed (i.e., the more
limited the interaction between the future and the present),
the more likely it will be realized, and vice versa. This is
the meaning of the myth of Cassandra.
Psychic experiences are manifestations of spontaneous
crosstalk through the Virtual State. This means that psychic
communications are harmonic distortions of what we call
Reality. It is the distortion of present reality that makes
psychic people look crazier than they need to be. The
alternative reality is also distorted in the perception, and
the greater the distortion, the more difficult it is to figure
out what the experience means. At a certain level of distortion, the pattern of the alternative reality is perceived
as something altogether different, even though it is eventually realized what the perception referred to. At this
degree of distortion, the perceived pattern is called a
"symbol." The more obscure the symbol, the less the
interaction between different locations in space/time.
This is why prophetic symbols have a greater chance of
becoming realized than prophetic visions, but not until it
is too late to do anyone any good.
Experiencing the future, and alternative space/times,
is marvelous and sometimes ecstatic, but once you realize
that dying and rebirth is the way the universal field unfolds,
the desire to get somewhere else in a hurry loses some of
its naive urgency.
Time Trekkers must disembark in space/times which
harmonize physically with home base in order that they
have a surface to support them and air to breathe. All
people on this earth, and during most times, share this
harmony. But the consciousness of a particular time and
place not only determines what can be perceived as tangible, but also what will be perceived as real and meaningful. Between Time Trekkers and a local population,
there is a phase/frequency dislocation between cultural
fields of consciousness. This is the space/time warp.
Only vibrations which harmonize with both fields can be
transmitted across the warp. Depending on the extent of
the dislocation, perception across the warp will range
from a misunderstanding to total physical invisibility.
It is not necessary to resort to abstruse calculations,
launch an interplanetary expedition to Titan or fly in a

saucer to confirm the real existence of a space/time warp.

Geographical coordinates are phase diviSions. The differences we experience in landscape and culture from
one country to another are manifestations of a phase/frequency difference. This is why certain countries and
cultures are called "advanced" and others are regarded
as "backward." Travel on Earth is actually travel through
time on more scales than measured by the International
Date line. When you travel far enough, the twist of phase
makes it impossible for you to understand what the locals
are saying; after more phase rotation you will fail to perceive what they are doing. Eventually, their physical
presence becomes inaudible and invisible and utterly undetectable, even though you are right among them. A common example of the loss of perception across the cultural
space/time warp is the foreign accent. It is commonly believed that the foreigner cannot reproduce our native
sounds because his tongue is not practiced, but the real
reason the foreigner cannot reproduce a native sound is
that he cannot hear them. The Anglophone, for example,
cannot hear the liquid "i" in my Slavic name, and every
Anglophone is certain he hears an "n" sound that is not
there; no Slavic ear replaces the sound it cannot hear
with one which is not there. In Rhythms of Vision, Lawrence Blair begins his second chapter with an account from
Magellan's log. When Magellan first landed in Patagonia,
the barefoot natives could not see his ships. To the abOrigines, the sea appeared empty to the hOrizon, and the
white men appeared on the beach out of nowhere. The
voyagers literally appeared out of the Virtual State. The
first persons in the tribe to notice the galleons anchored
off shore were the shamans, and when they pOinted out
to their people that tall ships could be seen if they looked
very hard, the rest of the tribe began to perceive the flotilla. Whether or not this account is true depends upon
the historical confirmation, but it is obvious that our civilization is having an identical experience with the UFO
phenomenon.
The future mind can see the past more readily than the
primitive mind can perceive the future, even when it is
right in front of the eyes. We can recognize a raft and a
horse more readily than a primitive Patagonian could
recognize a submarine, an aircraft or a frogman. Even
when Time Trekkers are invisible to us, therefore, we
remain visible to them. This is rather fortunate, because
someone has to avoid collisions. In order to communicate
across the time warp, either the Trekkers or the natives
must tune their heads to a common phase/frequency.
If future-men tuned their heads to us, they would be incapable of performing any examination meaningful to
them, so they must retune the native into a space more
harmonious to their own. A change of field frequency is
shown by the experiments of Kamiya and Brown to produce a change of consciousness. If an alternative state of
consciousness is sufficiently different from the normal
state, the experience of the alternative state is not available to the normal state. The alcoholic calls this space warp
phenomenon "blackout," while psychologists call it "state
conditioned learning." But experiences acquired during
one state of consciousness are remembered when the
same state of consciousness is restored. Now look again
at the stories of hapless people being contacted by a UFOnaut, and having no memory to account for the lapse of
time when they are returned to their community; when
PURSUIT Spring 1979

88

returned to the alternative state of consciousness by a

hypnotist, however, the contactees relate detailed stories
of being subjected to a mind bender by the UFO, after
which the saucer became visible, some communication
transpired, and when their minds were bent back, all evidence of alien presence had disappeared.
The consistent fact about the UFO phenomenon is that
contact has such a limited effect that it may as well have
never happened. If contact affects our culture in any way,
our immediate future will change drastically onto another
time stream. This will destroy us just as we destroyed the
Amerindian cultures merely by making our presence visible.
Time travel must always be from the future to the past;
it can never be the other way around. You see, as soon
as a SOCiety achieves a technology of time transport, it no
longer has a future. Their future becomes an extension of

their present, which they can visit and return as readily as

our jet-setters hop to Saint Tropez for the weekend. All
future knowledge becomes available to them instantly, so
the only way to go is back. The technology of time travel
is the end of time as we know it. It is the ultimate in instant
communication. Everything is realized here and now,
simply by tuning into the universal hologram. Time travel
is the technology of Nirvana, union with the universe.
The engineers of time soon tire of traveling through
phases because it is merely one more step in the technology for them to create the past, the present and the
future to suit their convenience, much as contemporary
political historians are wont to do. With this achievement,
they acquire the power and immortality befitting the very
gods of myth.

SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained events. Members
are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports they feel should be included here.
Remember, local newspapers often offer the best (or only) information concerning some events.
Please be sure to include the source of reference (name of newspaper, periodical, etc.), the date the
article appeared and your membership number (or name, if you prefer to be credited that way).

ANIMALS AT lARGE

SNAKE AnACK IN JULY

A large number of stronge stories involving

animal attacks on humans were sent in
last year by SITU members. Since we do
not have the space necessary to print them
all, we include here an abridged selection
of some of the more interesting events
which occurred in the United States during
1978.

Aline Tharp, who lives just outside the

Outer Loop in southern Jefferson County,
Kentucky, was bitten three times by a
snake which refused to be captured.
Although she claims to have called chemical companies, wildlife departments, zoo
officials, and police officers, Mrs. Tharp
has received no help. For nearly a year
the snake occupied the house in which
Mrs. Tharp had lived for sixteen years.
The first time she was bitten, Mrs. Tharp
was lying in bed when she felt something
moving in her hair, then something like
a needle sticking her in the head, she reported. Not knowing what to think, she
decided to see a doctor when the sore
had still not healed two weeks later. The
doctor diagnosed the sore as a snakebite.
The snake was later seen around the
refrigerator and beneath the mattress on
her bed, and although the mattress was
discarded, the snake remained and succeeded in biting Mrs. Tharp twice moreonce again in the head.
Mrs. Tharp decided to keep a hatchet
in the kitchen, and has also acquired a cat
in the hope that one or the other of them
may work where other attempted solutions
have failed.

HAWK ATTACK IN
THE MONTH OF MAY
From Newton, Pennsylvania, comes
the story of a hawk seen (and felt) in the
1700-acre Tyler State Park of Bucks
County. At least five separate attacks were
made on joggers in the park by a hawk
reported as being about sixteen inches tall
with a wingspan of more than a yard.
A typical victim was Sam Petryszak,
a teacher from nearby MOrrisville, who
claimed he was running along one of the
park's trails when he heard a swoosh and
a flutter behind him. The next thing he
remembered was being sprawled on the
ground, his head scratched, watching a
hawk glide away. The hawk landed in a
tree and stared at Petryszak, who later got
a tetanus shot.
Another teacher was assaulted near the
same spot, and three other joggers, at least
one of whom also suffered a head cut,
reported similar incidents.
FollOwing the attacks, park rangers
found it necessary to warn joggers and
hikers using the park trails.
SOURCE: (AP) The Patriot, Harrisburg, PA,
May 26, 1978. CREDIT: Larry E. Arnold.

PURSUIT Spring 1979

SOURCE: The Courier Journal, KY, July 21,

1978. CREDIT: Harold Holland.

...

another Friday, August II, when suddenly, without warning, a 150pound

chimpanzee named Joey (who had somehow escaped from his compound in the
monkey house) attacked him, flinging
him from the cart and causing him to run
into the main zoo building for a tranquillzergun.
Returning with the gun and the zoo's
director, SchepiS was again attacked by
Joey. Howard Hays, the zoo director,
managed to escape, but Joey went after
Schepis in a frenzy. Grabbing him by the
neck, the five-foot chimp hurled Schepis
against a glass door, shattering it in the
process (see opposite) .
After calling the police, Hays discovered
two female chimps, Josephine and Matilda, were also on the loose. Police riflemen shot and killed Joey between bear
moats about forty minutes after the attack
on Schepis, then cornered Josephine on
a hillside overlooking the Children's Zoo.
She too was cut down by rifle fire. Matilda,
who fared better than the other two
chimps, was cornered and forced back
into her cage.
SchepiS, badly shaken and suffering
from cuts on his arm and back, was treated
at St. FranCis Hospital and released.
SOURCE: Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Post
Gazette, August 12, 1978. CREDIT: Olive
Oltcher.

IN AUGUST

PYTHON ATTACK
IN SEPTEMBER

Pete Schepis, the foreman of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Zoo, was riding an
electric cart from one section of the zoo to

In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Joe Savage was ending his night club act as
usual - by having two pythons curl

CHIMPANZEE ATTACK

89
around his body as he disappears in a
cloud of smoke - when he failed to
appear for his final bows. Band members
who rushed to his aid discovered Savage
being slowly choked by the pythons. The
performer had to be given oxygen and Xrays at a hospital, then was released.
SOURCE: (AP) St. Louis, Missouri, Globe
Democrat, October 7-8, 1978. CREDIT:
William Zeiser.

PYTHON ATTACK
IN OCTOBER
Emmett Martin, of Aorence, Kentucky,
was not so fortunate in an incident which
occurred September 18. Martin, who
kept three reticulated pythons (as well as
other snakes, alligators, small lizards and
spiders) in his basement, went downstairs that night to work with the creatures.
His wife, hearing a thud, found her husband dead on the basement stairs, with
one of the reptiles wrapped around his
neck. She unwrapped the snake and caUed
the police.
Robert Lotshaw, general curator of the
Cincinnati zoo, when informed of the
incident, was surprised.
"I've never heard of such a thing happening, especially with a man who knows
reptiles," he said.

"~

'..
. .....
\ ~..
.);~
)... 1-4
I,. ~

SOURCE: (UPIl St. Louis, Missouri, PostDispatch, September 21, 1978. CREDIT:
William Zeiser.

TWO LION ATTACKS:

OCTOBER 17
In Pleasanton, Texas, a 250-pound
African lion jumped a fence and attacked
a pipeline worker, biting him on the hip
and lower back while it dragged him
some fifteen to twenty feet. Other pipeline workers managed to chase the lion
away.
About an hour later police officers
spotted the lion chasing cattle in a pasture
about a half mile from where the attack
had occurred. They summoned Jack
Rutherford, the animal's owner, who
walked up to the lion and placed a rope
around its neck.
That same day, in Tallassee, Alabama,

Zoo forema~ Pete Schepis stands at glass door against which a 150pound chimpanzee threw him. Photo by Albert French for the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette.
a 300-pound female lion, one of two lions
that had been chained outside the home
of Margaret Haynie and her husband,
broke its chain and killed Mrs. Haynie as
she walked from an outdoor toilet to the
house, jumping her from behind and biting
her on the neck and head as it dragged

her about 100 yards into the woods.

Mr. Haynie said he had bought the animals because they were orphaned and
would have been destroyed if no one
took care of them.
SOURCE: UPI; source unidentified, October
22, 1978. CREDIT: Dave Collins.

BOOK REVIEWS
CATASTROPHIST GEOLOGY, Caixa Postal 41003,
Santa Teresa, Rio de daniero, Brazil. $10 for four
issues.
This semi-annual journal, begun in 1976, is a most
useful resource for people studying geological and archaeological mysteries. It is dedicated to "the study of discontinuities in Earth history," and it ferrets out surprising,
even stunning information.

For example, in the December 1977 issue, a 1959

Soviet textbook on geology is quoted on the subject of
"fossil cemeteries": " ... we find in the annals of the Earth
proofs of real catastrophes which in a short time exterminated large numbers of animals and plants. Their remains
form whole strata of the earth's crust and may be called
fossil cemeteries or fields of corpses ... " The two-page
excerpt lists some instances.
PURSUIT Spring 1979

90
The same issue carries a technical article by a physicist
showing that shifts of the planet's crust and reversal of the
planet's magnetic field may be due to changes in gravity.
This is almost heresy to normal science since gravity is
considered to have been constant throughout Earth's
history. Even more "far out," the physicist says that those
gravitational changes may themselves be due to the solar
system traveling through the wall-like "domain structures
of galactic space" which interact with our planet.
The longest and most provocative piece in the issue is
by a Soviet geologist who shows the relationship between
supernovae, ice ages, and animal extinctions and mutations. Hard radiation from bursting stars, he suggests,
provides a unifying explanation for the puzzling disappearance of dinosaurs, etc., as well as the sudden appearance
of new species after a period of global glaciation.
If future issues continue to provide such good material,
Catastrophist Geology will become the standard-bearer
of those debating the uniformitarian "business-as-usual"
school of geology. Well worth reading.
-John White
ENCOUNTERS WITH UFOS by Clifford Wilson,

Birmingham, Alabama: The Cornerstone Ministry,

1978. Series of 3 90-mlnute tapes. May be had
separately for $4.95 each. DistrIbuted by CreationLife Publishers, P. O. Box 15666, San Diego,
CA92115.
This is an interesting series, dealing with UFOs and Their
Mission Impossible (Part I), Encounters with UFO Occupants (II), and UFOs and the Bible (III). Dr. Wilson is a
Widely known Australian educator and archaeologist who
has gained popularity as author of a number of books,
notably Crash Go the Chariots in which the claims of
E. von Daniken were ably debunked.
Dr. Wilson convincingly presents his case, using a logical step-by-step method. He stro.ngly favors a paraphysical explanation of UFOs and in ths connection
refers to the contention of Lynn Catoe, the compiler of
an official U.S. Government bibliography on the subject.
Much of the material presented on these tapes will be
known from the author's UFOs and Their Mission Impossible (1975) but at times goes beyond this. In my opinion,
most people will find the most-to them-new information
on tape 3. Here Dr. Wilson, in his capacity as a Biblical
scholar, takes issue with the supposed UFO occurrences
in both Old and New Testaments, shOWing that the claims
of much popular literature in this field are built on a foundation of sand. Also, he points out parallel phenomena involved in spiritualistic seances and UFO close encounters.
One may not agree in toto with Dr. Wilson's theolOgical
stand but certainly he has done his homework in preparing this material (except for 2 cases related which have
in fact been debunked) . He deserves to be heard.
- Kristian Kristiansen
RELIVING PAST LIVES: THE EVID~NCE UNDER
HYPNOSIS by Helen Wambach, Ph.D. Harper &:
.;

Row, New York, 1978.200 pages, $8.95.

Dr. Wambach has given us an important insight here
on the subjects of hypnosis and reincarnation. Her investigations based mainly upon the use of regressive hypnosis
examine not only who her subjects may have been in a
previous life and details of that existence but indicate that
PURSUIT Spring 1979

what they may have experienced then could possibly

account for some of their present attitudes in this life. Particularly fascinating is the fact that a fear or phobia of a subject disappeared after the subject re-experienced, under
hypnosis, their death in a previous life.
After having had a remarkable personal experience of
her own in which she relived an event of another time
period, Dr. Wambach was drawn by her curiosity to eventually change from a traditional therapist in psychology to
doing pioneering research on the controversial subject of
reincarnation.
The concept of life after death has been a part of various
religions and philosophies for thousands of years. Now,
Dr. Wambach, with over two thousand hypnotic regressions and ten years of experience, has presented us with
new data and statistics to allow us to draw our own conclusion.
In using the specialized tool of regressive hypnosis,
Dr. Wambach has also broadened the knowledge of the
use and effect on the subject in a hypnotiC state. It is curious that throughout this research the subjects seemed to
know what questions the doctor was going to ask before
she could verbalize them.
Many readers will, I'm sure, find the book difficult to
put down once they begin reading. There is a wealth of
ideas for further investigation that we can hope Dr. Wambach will pursue. Dr. Wambach seems to be modestly
brief in places but, nevertheless, this book is absorbing
throughout and well worth reading.
-Robert Warth
CONGRATULATIONS: THE UFO REALITY by
Eugenia Macer-Story, Crescent Publications, Inc.,
Los Angeles, 1978.118 pages, $4.95.

When dealing with a controversial topic-especially

one of a psychic origin -a vague thesis in the hands of a
skeptical audience can do substantial harm. Eugenia
Macer-Story's Congratulations: The UFO Reality presents a fascinating theSiS, but fails to relate it in any con:
vincing way. She maintains that there is a psychic connection between UFO sightees (her word) and the events
in their lives that follow; that UFOs choose their contactees
by their psychic receptiveness; and that once contacted,
these people form a paranormal network who's lives are
almost governed by synchronicity.
Jung makes a strong case for the existence of synchronicity. Ms. Macer-Story, however, interprets even
the most insignificant of events in this more serious light
and builds her ideas from the slightest, most obscure coincidents until her very thesis must be questioned.
Her oft-proclaimed love of surrealism may have influenced her strategy in presenting this work, but what
may work on a subliminal level in a surrealist poem or
painting does not work in a quasi-scientific doctrine.
What's needed and what's miSSing is a coherent, expounded series of events and ideas to support a rather
dramatic thesis.
Ms. Macer-Story's many articles for Pursuit show both
an integral knowledge of her subject matter and a unique
personal perspective. In Congratulations: The UFO Reality,
we have the same personal approach, but an unfortunate
obscurity in the .presentation.
-Gerald Seligman

91

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions

LETIERS TO THE EDITOR

Perhaps these cases of clearing incarnation-influences
in regressions could be of interest to you.
Lately I have used in my healing work not only bioenergy but psi-information as well, received from other
dimensions-as described in the splendid book, Many Lifetimes. We heal now preferably at a distance, with telephone-calis as a means of control (we have many reasons
for not healing with contact-methods, and very seldom
with non-contact influence). The healed are often persons
we do not know and have never seen. When such a call
arrives, we can "see" (using our technique of awakened
"pseudo-visual" effects, as I call it in my clairvoyance
training group) not only the person and the illness, but
also the "preViOUS" incarnations (we know that it is really
not "previous"; it is not all that simple-the incarnationprocess is far deeper and more complicated) which are
the source of some illness; we can "see" how it works on
the person "here and now."
Th.e process works like the psychoanalyticat method,
only tuned deeper into the layers of the individual-formation. The best way to try to regress the patient to his past
life is to make him experience it again, for himself. We
have carried out many such experiments and, in general,
the methods have worked. (You can read about my
method in articles I have written for the journal, Esoterica
(No.7, 1974), in Germany, and in another journal, Ultra
(No.1, 1974), from Finland.
You can, in your "recurrent dreams," receive experiences of your own death from one of your previous
incarnations, and this dream will trouble you until you
understand it. Then it vanishes, and you are calm againnothing disturbs you. It is the same with other "extracerebral" memories. Many important conclusions can be
drawn from dreams-for your further acts or attitudes
(if you understand how to use this form of pSi-information). Many potentials for experiencing mental and physical healings, moral changes, cleansing from negative
feelings and deeds, etc., can be accomplished.
An example: a lady told me of a recurrent dream which
troubled her very much and which made her nervous.
In her dream, she found herself on rails with a train approaching; yet she did not stir, despite a terrible fear,
a terror .... Her daily attitude, when faced with difficulties,
was to avoid them, and not fight them. Everybody should
know that such an attitude does not help radically, and
one will have the same situation in the next reincarnation,
until he learns to fight it in the right way.
I got her to see this incarnation, the situation-it was
a suicide .... Because she thought she could not master
the situation she could not fight it! Now, in this lifetime,
she made the same mistake of re-entering the same battlefield, again and again! And the type of difficulty is always
the same. She had to understand that SUicide, as with
every form of avoiding decisions, is no way out of a problem-you have to solve it. And if you do not solve such
problems in this lifetime they will appear again and again,

in many different forms and situations, in your present

daily life-and in the next ones ... until you learn to master
them in the right way.
I asked her if she had a scar across her body, over the
stomach. She said she had something like a scar there,
but she had never had a wound on her stomach, which
was the place I "saw" as being the fatal wound experienced
under the wheels of the train. Her moods changed radically after this experiment-she became more cheerful
and a stronger person. The dark recurrent dream did not
appear again after the regression and my explications of
the influences of past existences, and after she was able
to draw conclusions from it that will affect her for the rest
of her life.
There are many different types of cases. Another example: one of my fri~nds did not like cats, she feared
them-she would panic when she saw a cat! I had a "flash"
and told her: "In one of your incarnations you were killed
by a black panther." She cried out: "How do you know
about my dream? I often see a terrible giant black cat,
attacking me, killing and eating me! What a coincidence!"
But it was not a coincidence ... .It was her "far memory"
which regressed to her in dreams, and which I too could
"see." After our conversation and my explications, her
attitude towards cats changed, and the dream did not
appear again. In general, she was calmer .. It often works
that way, in many different forms.
We have many experiments of this type, my students
(who study different psi-effects) and I. (I teach healing,
clairvoyance, regression, etc.) We think it is very important to understand the facts of reincarnation, the purpose
of "far-memory" flashes, to know how they influence our
life; then we can change our life and our whole being for
the better, with the help of this understanding, and so
change the fate of mankind, and the "collective Karma,"
by helping to avoid the holocaust which is inevitable if we
do not pay attention to the warnings that we have been
getting for many years, from all sides ...
Hope these facts and considerations will be of some
use to you-and to others.
- Barbara Ivanova
USSR
The small article, "Pelicans in the Midwest," on page 122
of the Summer, 1978 issue of Pursuit (Vol. 11, No.3),
is definitely not a Fortean matter. White pelicans are
common in fresh and brackish lakes all over the midwest
and west. I myself have seen their endless flights in formation over Devils Lake in North Dakota and they are
common in other lakes as well. The Great Salt Lake in
Utah is one of their favorite haunts.
Unfortunately, the article does not specify whether
those in the Omaha zoo were white or brown pelicans.
Brown pelicans would be unusual in the midwest as they
normally range only along the coast of the GuH of Mexico.
-Martin V. Vitums
PURSUIT Spring 1979

92
Aug 25

THE NOTES OF
CHARLES FORT
Deciphered by Carl J. Pabst

Aug 12,
Nov. 22
Sept
Sept

ABBREVIATIONS
These abbreuiations pertain to the Fort Notes which follow. Abbreuiations
used in the Notes which are not found here haue been printed in the
Winter Pursuit (Vol. 12, No.1).
AM.J.Sci.
Bull Sc Sismol Ital

0-228
LT
qs
ReeSei
s.e.

American Journal of Science

Bulletin de la Societe Sismologique de Italy [?)
The Book ofthe Damned. p. 223
London Times
Earthquakes
Recreative Science
Southeast

Sept 1
Sept 7
Sept 10
Sept 25
Oct 11

Oct. 18
Nov. 24

I q - fog / Almeria, in Grenada,

Spain I qs - heavens obscured by
a dark mist
[Reverse side] which condensed
into a cloud, from which came
"five terrible flashes of fire". A
mountain was cleft and sent out a
stream. / BA 54.
/ Vesuvius.
/ near Senlis, France / Frgs /
Rec. Sci 3/332 / Aug., 1804.
/ Bromo. / volc / Java / [C.R.]
70-878 I N.M.
/ Granada, Spain / I I [light
quake / BA 1911] / See Aug 25.
/ Rreball / Tunbridge Wells I size
moon I s.e. to n.w. / BA 60.
/ Weimar / Fireball / BA '60.
/ Vesuvius I BA 54 I See date
JUly 28.
Caucasia / I / [Light quake I
BA 1911).
I Tuscany / severe q of a series and
"dull aerial noises" / BA 54.
/ Metite (stone) / Hacienda de
Bocas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico /
(F).

1803
Dec 13
Dec. 16
Dec 28

July 28

/ 11:30 a.m. / Massing, Bavaria /

stonefall / BA '60 / (F
/ Schwartzenburg / Fireball /
/BA60.
/ Q believed by some persons at
Nantes and Antwerp. Great storm
and meteor. I BA '54.

* ).

July 28

August

1804
I Wheat fell in Spain - said been
carried over Straits of Gibraltar from
a threshing floor at Tetuan. /
M.W.R . May, 1917.
Jan 6
/ [LT]. 3-a I 10-2-d I 12-2-d I
13-2-d / 16-3-a / 17-3-c /
/ 18-2-c / 19-3-b / 24-2-d /
Ghst / St James Park.
Feb
/ Austria, Styria / I / [Light
quake / BA 1911).
Feb. 24 / Great tho storm Holland to
Moscow. / BA54.
Mar 17 / (Try[?]) / Det met I BA 60.
Ap.5
/ Metite / Glasgow I (F) / Possil,
near Glasgow I 3 miles from I
Bib. Univ. 26/203.
Ap.15
/ 9:45 p.m. / Det met I Geneva I
Bib. Brit. 25/364.
May 9
I [Ln, 3-b / Planet Hercules by
Olbers.
June 4
/ Dessau / Rreball / BA 60.
June 7-8 / about midnight I q. I Greece /
preceded by "terrible heat" /
BA'54.
spring and/ Ext rains / Med. Repos. 8-374 /
summer 9-7,165/
[Reverse side) Rec. Bull Soc. Sci,
Montpellier 2-166.
July 4
/ Eruption / Sea of Azov / First a
little island rose. / BA 54.
July 7
/ Japan / III / [Heavy quake /
BA 1911].

PURSUIT Spring 1979

Aug
Aug. 3

/ During q at Spolleto (see if so

spelled) blood red moon[Reverse side] dry fog - then
entirely obscured by vapors. /
C.R. 17-62l.
/ Spoleto, Italy / q - Vesuvius
sent forth smoke I fog - moon
blood-red / BA '54.
I Frgs / 0-79 I 3 leagues from
Toulouse at La Conseillire / ac to
Prof. Pontus of Cahors. I sky
cloudless /
[Reverse side] Suddenly a thick
cloud and thunder and lightning
and very large drops of waterrain of toads - fell on garments of
travellers on the road
[Front side] between Albi and
Toulouse. I
[Reverse side] ab volume of a cubic
inch / one or 2 months old / fields
filled with them I For a quarter of
an hour his coach travelled on a
"living pavement" of them. /
[Front side] See Aug 15, 1836. I
C.R.3/54.
/ Fremard, near Amiens I frgs. I
Rec Sci 3/332.
/ Inferior conjunction Venus-Sun /
(A 1).

Aug 7

I (fog and q) / Grenada / Dark

mist and q I 0-228.

Aug-Oct / Tiflis, Georgia / and Italy /

alternating q's / BA '54.
Aug 19 I Eckwarden / Fireball / BA 60.
Aug
/ Spain / q's / Grenada / "At
25-26
Albugnol. the heavens were
obscured by a dark mist, whi<;h
resolved
[Reverse side] itself into a cloud.
whence in 10 minutes five terrible
flashes of fire (lightning?) issued
and after each flash a shock took
place. I BA '54.

1805
Jan. 28
Feb. 1
Feb 17

/ Op. Mars / (A 1).

/ Fireball I Saxony / BA 60.
/ Det met / Sigmaringen,
Germany / BA 67-414.
March 21 / Innsbruck, Austria / I /
[light quake I BA 1911].
March 25 I (old time) / Two stones fell at
Irkutsk. / B Assoc 1860/62 /
[Reverse side) C.R. 125-896.
April 1
I Volc I Tjermai, Java /
C.R. 70-878.
Ap.6
/ Irkutsk, Siberia / Stone fell. /
Fletcher's Intro to Study of
Meteorites, p. 98.
April 27 I [LT), 3-g / q. / Birmingham /
Wolverhampton / Newcastle.
June
I daytime / Stonefall I
Constantinople / BA 60.
July
/Vesuvius.
July 3
/ Candia, Greece I II [medium
quake/ BA 1911].
July 16 / U.S. Columbia / III [Heavy
quake I BA 1911].
July 21 / Fireball / London / BA 60.
July 26 I Italy I III / [Heavy quake /
BA 1911].
July 26 I (It) / Ref. for all = vol. 14 /
phe / Bull Soc Sismolltal 14/326.
July 26 / BA '11 - III [Heavy) / q /
Naples / Scots Magazine 1805-717.
July 27 / [LT], 3-b / Th. storm / violent I
Birmingham.
Aug 6
/ Berlin / Fireball / BA 60.
Aug. 11 / Moodus explosion/ 6 occurrences
recorded from 1791 to Aug. 11,
1805,
[Reverse side] but had been heard
for a centu[ry]. / in the Am. J. Sci
39/339 / Writer tries to show
th[ey] are earthquake phe, but says
that ther[e] is no good explanat[ion].

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Albena E. Zwerver
Steven Mayne
Gregory Arend
Susan Malone

President (and Trustee)

Vice President (and Trustee)
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee,
Trustee

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
FUND RAISING

Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf

Assistant Editor - Steven Mayne
Distribution - Martin Wiegler
Robert C. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven Mayne
R. Martin Wolf - Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth - Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino
Dr. Carl H. Delacato
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Dr. George C. Kennedy
Dr. Martin Kruskal
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell
Dr. Vladimir Markotic
Dr. John R. Napier
Dr. Michael A. Persinger
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz
Dr. Roger W. Wescott
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight
Dr. Robert K. Zuck

Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian

Institute, Eastern New Mexico University. (Archaeology)
Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation ofthe Brain Injured,
Morton, Pa. (Mentalogy)
Director, Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center,
Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Professor of Geology, Institute of GeophYSics, U .C.L.A.
(Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University.
(Mathematics)
Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J.
(General Biology)
Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University
of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology and Ethnology)
Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University
of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological
Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont., Canada. (Psychology)
Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture,
Utall State University. (Plant Physiology)
Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center,
Cedar Grove, N.J. (Mental Sciences)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
(Geography and Oceanography)
Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Botany)

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE'UNEXPLAINED

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VOL. 12

No.3

WHOLE No. 47

SUMMER 1979

..

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Research (members only)
and legal address
SITU
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Telephone (201) 842-5229

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 12, No.3

SUMMER, 1979

PURSUIT

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf

THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

Assistant Editor
Steven N. Mayne

FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Consulting Editors
John A. Keel
Sabina W. Sanderson
Senior Writer
Curtis Sutherly
Associated Editors
John Guerrasio
Ziaul Hasan
Editor for the
United Kingdom
Robert J.M. Rickard
Contributing Writers
Charles Berlitz
Jerome Clark
Lucius Farish
Vincent Gaddis
Brad Steiger
Staff Artists
Britton Wilkie
Michael Hartnett
R. M. Wolf
Production
Martin Wiegler
Fred Wilson

Cover designed
byR. M. Wolf

Devoted to the Investigation of ''Things'' that are Customarily Discounted

CONTENTS
Page
The Synchro Channel
by Barbara Jordison ............................................................ 94
Let"s Test the Communication Hypothesis
by Barbara Jordison ............................................................ 95
Between the Plastic Eagle, Between the Mezuzah and the Crucifix, an Article of Faith
by Grace Undapresha .......................................................... 96
Neodino~aurs
by Ivan T. Sanderson .......................................................... 100
More on Extant Dinosaurs
by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni. ...................................................... 105
Exegesis: Unexplained Data Related to United Flight 389
by E. MacerStory ............................................................ 110
How to "Fingerprint" a UFO and "Hear" Its Light
by Russ Reardon ............................................................. 112
ULF Tree Potentials and Geomagnetic Pulsations
by A. C. Fraser-Smith ......................................................... 114
The Weekend Effect: ULF Electromagnetic Fields, Powerline Harmonics.
and an Interview with Antony C. Fraser-Smith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ....... 116
What to Believe-Or. Paring Down the Paradigm
by Dr. Arlan Keith Andrews, Sr .................................................. 119
The One PhYSical Experiment Impossible to Explain
byT. B. Pawlicki. .............................................................. 120
Metrification: Even Pyramid Power Won't Save the Sacred Inch
by Robert J. Schadewald ....................................................... 124
Ornithological Erratics: Winter 1978-1979
by Loren Coleman ............................................................ 125
UFOs Down Under and All Over
by Jon Douglas Singer ......................................................... 127
Symposium ....................................................................... 131
SITUations ...................................................................... 133
Book Reviews
by Robert C. Warth ........................................................... 138
The Notes of Charles Fort .......................................................... 139

The Society for the Investigation of The Unexplained 1979

94

THE SYNCHRO CHANNEL

by Barbara Jordison
of collecting the Synchro Data is described
THEin method
the Spring, 1978 issue of Pursuit; theoretically,
anyone is able to collect data via the experimental setup.
Briefly, to collect the Synchro Data an observer monitors
a broadcast of English text and, at the same time, reads
English text. Any words that are both heard and read,
at the same time, become the recorded data-along with
the clock time of occurrence.
"Data turns into information," says Jacques Vallee,
"only when someone asks a question about it!"l Although
he was talking with co-author Dr. Hynek about the storage
and retrieval of data in computers, it's a metaphoric gem
with algorithmic sparkle and it's applicable to the Synchro
Data.
Here is a typical example of a 5-hour data run. The
data were collected April 24, 1970:
~~-----------------

CST

12:50am
2:07 am
2:09am
2:10am
2:35am
3:35am
4:06am

Audio

heconomic"
"down"
0.15"
"23"
"down"

hprobably"
"15"

Visual

economic
down
15
23
down
probabilities
15

Probability
"average"

.06323
.05105
.07995
.08498
.05105
.06976
.07995

News Note: "Last week, ending May 1st, Dow Jones

Average at lowest in 7 years-since JFK in Texas time.
Off 13.66 for the week."
List the immediately visible characteristics which you
see in the data; there's one of Robert Anton Wilson's coincidental 23s, the timed intervals show an occurrence
pattern, there's redundancy in the message and there's
an oracle effect that only appears when the data series is
linked with the news of the day.
And after you've brought the valent details into awareness, think a moment about our long development from
oral cultural traditions, which were long ago directly transcribed into a written form. Adding, of course, what we
know of printed form and today's electronic media effects
on our awareness processes.
We seem to have a prototypical communication process. In Diagram I, I've borrowed the 'black-box' and
'real-line' technique to present the Synchro Channel as
an habitual 'programmed' route, over which the input
signals arrive at the 'brain-box.' Thence to the prOjected
'product,' the Synchro Data. The 'word-form' is conveniently consistent.
Since energy concepts can form a 'meta' system to the
diagram, all signals can be mathematically analyzed, and
a formula written for the channel's capacity for carrying
input signals through the whole Synchro Channel. At
least when the signal is in word-form, because noise is
considered a signal and is present.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

Now a signal can be added to a banking channel, in

such a way that it will route millions of dollars into a personal account. No doubt we'll learn more of something
that's called the 'nine's complement.' The point is that this
demonstrates, among other things, the concept that a
signal can change the channel over which it goes. (And
goe$, and goe$.)
ObViously, the world isn't yet safe for electronic banking
channels. Are electronics making' the world downright
unsafe for living channels? There's evidence that this is
happening. And our inner territorial rights are not highpriority legal rights yet. But bioentrainment is provable
'brain washing.'
At the moment, 'brain washing' is a term like 'propaganda,' it carries only negative valency. But when we call
it 'meditation' the idea is more acceptable. It's become an
individual responsibility to strengthen the inner freedom
from unwanted bioentrainment, while at the same time in
quest of new entrainments as we are free to follow inner
need to know and to experience living channels. Problems arise whenever those living channels are not recognized in the collective laws of the nations.
I can think of two recent cases. A boy in Florida was
defended on a murder charge by his attorney who tried to
link the crime, in a cause and effect way, to the material
on television. If bioentrainment was mentioned, I missed it.
And, second, there are the physical and other hidden
symptoms shOWing up in animals and families living around
high-tension electrical carriers. However, the answer isn't
"move to Canada," because (surprise!) the U.S.S.R. may
have been experimenting with signals aimed that direction.
It would seem we have two major recycling lessons to
learn. As we tune into the electronic input stage, the first
thing we meet is pollution and a total disregard for inner
territorial rights. That's junque and 'noise.'
However. we seem to have some protection. In telepathy experiments it reportedly has been shown that a
transfer of brain-wave pattern is possible between a human
sender and a human receiver. But there's no 1: 1 interpretation of any messages that are sent over such "biological radios." Well, individuals may not show efficiency
in this, but what of collective effectiveness? If your own
'natural communication channel,' as presented in the
diagram, ever carried an additional signal how would you
recognize it? And how would you interpret it?
Which brings us to an all-purpose question: "How do
we retrieve information about 'how to retrieve information'?" Given that we have data and we seek 'information,'
what do we understand by the term?
There are four approaches: (1) we intuitively know
what is meant by the word, but a context does influence
us, (2) information theorists mathematically measure it,
and carefully do not define it, (3) leaving this task to the
semantic and communication theorists, thence we arrive
at (4) synergetic approaches with new, often vague, retrieval rules-to find not only 'information,' but clues to
its polar opposite.
The concept we've come to know as UFOs better have
a high priority on the list of concepts to be redefined, "before transcendence past Piaget's Formal Operations
stage." 2

95

IInPU1i to ears

Brain/Mind
intercoM

.. Synchronous data: stored in

a written record

Input to eyes JW

Diagram 1: A Communication and Information Conceptual View of the Synchro Channel

Let me quickly ruffle through the Synchro Data record

book and find only the series of interest to 'Americans.'
"We like American kept free," (1972). "No like deal Federal no we guys good," (1972). "New noise tell American
past catalyst time," (1973). "America's/ American true/
truth back," (1978).
With over 1500 data entries recorded, you can imagine
my reluctance to present any more examples of the Synchro Data. I think the best way is to describe the method
of collecting the data and hope you're convinced to try it.
And if you do try it and don't collect any data, perhaps it's
just as well to keep studying and try again. Because there
are pitfalls to worry about, as a reporter, bylined Robin
Snelson, concluded a short report in the February, 1979
issue of Future: "The UFO phenomenon needs serious
study now, Vallee warns, 'before the new myth is created,
before the myth of extra-terrestrial revelation replaces the
myth of rational acquisition of knowledge'."
I doubt if a reshuffle of myths is sufficient.
There's another experiment to try, using the basic twoinputs of English text to the ears and eyes. Add a second

ear-input off a police band or something. I collected

'10-4' and 'car' before the drop in quality and frequency
of the data convinced me to discontinue the second earinput.
This brings up Robert Anton Wilson's collection of coincidental '23s.' Is it a collection of 'parity bits' which keep
the channel open? Is it more like a collection of '1O-4s'
which seem mysterious if you don't know the code? Or,
has he retraced an historical feedback loop and retrieved
a 23-code book?
If a vote is taken for the best underground book, Cosmic
Trigger gets my vote for the most interesting and the best
written, but I question its conclusions based on the evidence as he's presented it thus far.

REFERENCES
1. Hynek, J. Allen, and Vallee, Jacques, The Edge of Reality
(Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1975), p. 82
2. Brain/Mind Bul/etin, Volume 3, Number 22. October 2, 1978,
"Unitary Knowing-Intellectual Stage Beyond Science?"

LET'S TEST THE

COMMUNICATION HYPOTHESIS
by Barbara Jordison
of 1970 a series of lectures was organized
INatthethesummer
NASA Ames Research Center. The background
information-"from the question of the origin of the universe to that of the origin of life and the origin of intelligence" -was followed by a stepwise consideration of the
possible methods for interstellar communication. This
neatly packaged can of worms is available to the student
and the general reader, along with a 40-page bibliography
with references up to 1974. 1
While the UFOs merit only a brief dismissal comment,
ten scientists did go on record with their shared perspective that interstellar communication is a scientifically
plausible quest. Would that their talents had extended to
a discussion of the unscientifically plausible UFO sighted
by an astronaut.
Michael Arib summarizes the basic questions: "First,
are there 'intelligences' elsewhere in the universe? Second,
if there are, can we, at least in principle, communicate
with them? Third, if such communication is possible, how
might we implement it?"
ConSidering the possibility that we already may be
dealing with the second question, what form does he
think a communication will take? What can we expect?

"Sending a message," Arib says, "is not a matter of

phoning up Charles X who will be on a planet near Syrius
and having a chat with him about the latest ballgame
results. Presumably the message is going to be some sort
of encyclopedia, a distillation of much information."
In other words, we can expect a species-to-species message
and we cannot expect dinner guests. Of course he did
preface it with "presumably."
Let us assume that science fiction's 'star persons' are
born traveling, and they live and work in space merely
because they have solved some technological problems
and can maintain a permanent artificial environment and
tap an energy source that we are only slowly becoming
aware is there. Then let us ask ourselves, once again,
are we missing a message in the UFO reports? Specifically
a species-to-species message? One that is designed to
protect identities, and we have mistakenly assumed that
is the mystery for us to solve rather than our trying to
translate the message that is directed to us all.
When we put the UFO into the familiar context of a
parade-followed by a series of nervous reports to our
whole planetary classroom ("Show and Tell" speeches)the fact that the parade route has circled the earth, and
has been going on for years, is not emphasized by inexperienced parade-watchers. If there is a current repetitive response, it's the description of those 90-degree turns.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

96

They intrigue the technician in us; who doesn't want to be

the first kid on the terrian block to build their own working
model?
Of course with competition comes some faking and
stalling and a lot of evasive theorizing about who is sponsoring the parade. ("They are not real, it's all in your
head.") What we need is a practical technological breakthrough! Obviously in the transportation categories, and
not so obviously in the communication category.
That sign-using cousin of ours might be the favored
geo-transmission species. And the big-feet mystery animals
a long-term developmental link, in case plan-A fails.
Anything is possible in science fiction moods. Even whales
that sing a song of the seasons may be getting more direct
incoming signals than we humans.
If communication is our next assigned lesson, and it
seems it is, we need data to study. With Californian courage, B. Ann Slate opened a can of questions in 1978:
"From somewhere in the universe, another intelligence is
broadcasting messages to Earth. Perhaps these are being
beamed via channels still undetected-or attuned only
for certain individuals." 2 The retelling of their adventure
with a "cryptic message" is a valuable addition to the ongoing record.

However, it suggests to me that one of the problems

with data that are collected by automatic writing is the
tug to interpret the words as directive. rather than as reflective of a larger principle. The data, in other words,
carry a signal of the automatic writee's intercom. Interpretational comparisons are essential; the more the better.
All the methods of collecting potential incoming messages need study, but an open comparison is the best
way to evaluate the methods. Perhaps a Fortean orientation is ideal for translating any species-to-species messages?
If we find that pendulums, crystals or planchettes are
constellating only remnants from a bygone age, well ...
try the synchro-data method. J And remember to file a
report on your findings. hmm?
REFERENCES
l. Ponnamperuma, Cyril and Cameron, A.G.W., eds., Inter
stellar Communication: Scientific Perspectiues, (Houghton Mifflin Company. 1974); An Astronomy Book Club selection
2. Slate. B. Ann, "Search For California's Time Tunnel."
Saga's 1978 UFO Annual
3. Jordison, Barbara, "The Synchro Data," Pursuit, Vol. 11,
No.2 (Spring 1978), pp. 66-67

BENEATH THE PLASTIC EAGLE,

BETWEEN THE MEZUZAH
AND THE CRUCIFIX,
AN ARTICLE OF FAITH
by Grace Undapresha

I.
SNAKEOILSALESMENIN
A CYBERNETIC WASTELAND
HOSE not bludgeoned by the decade mongering
T
germane to the mid-sixties nor dematerialized by the
tacit rumbles of the current preface to the eighties, have
found out just how many wholes it doesn't take to fill the
Albert Hall. The generation of stern impartiality, most uncommon to the reflexive consumer, precludes wishful
thinking. To rational, Western man, psy. extra, meti;! or
paranormal forces, are alien forces which the state religion of science resists as theological residue. Yet 10% of
our network programming is devoted to precisely this
ethereal area.
According to the antennas of Time and Newsweek.
Fundamental Christianity is gaining ground faster than
the various brands of Eastern wisdom now showing on
the neighborhood shelves. Given that, one is not prone
to squirming beneath the wrath of commerce or allowing
one's vision to be ellipsed by the profit motive, are Scriptures a fair match for statistics? The relation of the slogan
to the sale is as known to the ad man as the wrinkles in
PURSUIT Summer 1979

the benign countenance of Mao have become known to

the populace of the People's Republic. Is there a difference
between seeking truth and seeking fact?
"Slap me twice then turn me around and ask if it was
nice," said the Yankee Oracle on January 27, 1978 in
the Albert Hall of the Americana Hotel where non-denominational void dippers gathered for the Spiritual and Psychic
Awareness Weekend. He stipulated that the investigators
of hearsay drank plenty of coffee and ate plenty of french
fries, i.e. armed themselves with enculturated fuel, before
venturing toward the precipice from which few returned
harbOring the disposition with which they began. Suppose
that the faith of 90 million Fundamentalists does not fit
the findings of the metaphysical gumshoe, or that when
Moses raised the Serpent for the Lost Children in the
desert, he was asking them to sublimate their sex energy.
What are the forces that change human nature and is it
possible to accelerate the process of evolution?
The seventh of the fourteen basic transgressions is the
telling of secrets to the immature or the uninitiated.
"Give not that which is Holy unto the dogs, neither
cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample
them under foot and turn again and rend you"
MATTHEW 7:6

Just like the Danbury State Fair, one could see the nonexistent mounties groom the non-existent Clydesdales,
or sample some of Aaron Burr's ectoplasmic preserves.

97

Omens tacitly lingered, proclaiming the management's

refusal to bear the responsibility for the destiny of the
contents of your cranium. Psychics, Yogis, Doctors,
Astrologers, known professionals within their field, coagulated upon the non-site ready to illuminate your drama
and boost you toward the fountain of Ponce DeLeon. It
is the same non-story of how the teachings degenerate
into the practice of magic and fortune telling prior. to the
administration of authenticity. "Remember," said the caffeinated veteran dispersing his investigatory platoon,
"Everyone is here to make money."

II.
THESUTRAOF
PRIMEVAL DELUSION
The teachings are those of the dispersal and acquisition
of power, or the politics of juice and the percentages of
those who short out upon gaining mere proximity to it.
What have the old ways of magic, shamanistic ritual and
prediction to do with new modes of morality and multiple
ideological frameworks? The way one views gods, devas,
toothpaste and reruns of the Twilight Zone, is contingent
upon historical developments. The matrix of the contemporary spectacle is composed of psychoanalysis, the
electronic communications media and the collaboration
of corporations and centralized governmental structures
for the purposes of social management and capital accumulation. "Clairvoyant" in French, means "clear seeing."
To the ancient Egyptians psychics were called "mouthers,"
those through whom information flowed. The Media is
often called "the public educator."
"Whatever you learn of sortilege, calculation, rites
and diagnosis, be clever and learn so as to know it.
If your skill and cleverness of method have not been
perfected by practice, you will not produce medicine, but poison. "
On Saturday, February 18.1978, Murdock's Post told
us that the man there, looking like Dr. John the Nite
Tripper, wearing the Gre Gre hat. was none other than
the archbishop Pangratos of the Greek Orthodox Holy
Sepulchre Church of Graecia Magnesicily. He had empowered an ex-hijacker, thrice divorced, father of three
into the role of Bishop. The newly ordained server of the
Protestant Lord plans to set up ecclesiastical shop in a
castle on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. For the annual dues of $2,000, you too can kiss the Bishop's
$45,000 cognac colored ring at will. Bishops are the conical figures that move on the diagonal either on the black
or in the red. The typographer, upon dropping the lead
is liable to hot line god into dog or place the angle where
the angel should be in terms of linear stimuli pertaining to
the pinhead.

III.
JUST HOW DEEP ARE THE ROOTS
OF PLURALISM OR IS
SECULARISM REFLEXIVE?
When Galileo let his balls roll down an inclined plane
at his own chosen speed, the light which dawned upon

natural philosophers was that our reason can understand

what it creates according to its own design, i.e. that one
must compel nature to answer one's questions. However, what forces evoke responses concerning the issues
which have been stricken from the minds of the masses?
Sixteen centuries of the dark ages were initiated by a spiritual movement. When Galileo turned his tube towards
the heavens and proved that Earth was not the center of
the Universe, the Church's resistance was akin to the
Westerner's revulsion upon encountering the Eastern
refutation of ego. America, emanating from the Reformation-hence the awareness of the political potential of
theocratic institutions-was founded upon the separation
of church and state as well as the freedom of religion.
Christianity. essentially a patriarchal cult, was founded
upon the separation of man from the divine.

IV.
ROUND ONE: THE MEN
IN RED ROBES FROM THE EAST
MEET THE PINSTRIPED
GLADIATORS FROM THE WEST
1) MISPLACED CONCRETENESS

The view from the Lhasa Cement Factory means that

Tibet, roof of the world, which for centuries embodied
the globe's vague musings about wonderment, no longer
exists. In an age when atrocities are commonplace, a
nation destroyed remains an exiled culture of mind. The
TImes of the aforementioned. synchronistically auspicious
Saturday, ran an editorial on the predicament of the Tibetan
refugee whose passport states his country of birth as China.
What the Westerner misunderstands about the Tibetan is
that although he may not have seen an electric light bulb
until well on into his adult years, the life world in which he
was bred was one which naturally assumes the paranormal realm of information. Those of us spawned in
cultures which condition away from one's intuitive functions, find this intoxicating if not exotic. The acquisition
of supra-normal powers is to the Tibetan, part of a process
of maintaining certain commitments for the purpose of
'liberating all sentient beings from sorrow.' Given the
major power's delicate dealings with the capricious Peking
regime, if you're a Tibetan and happen to be speaking at
the United Nations, you are in snow, the consistency of
which is liable to be unpredictable.
2) HAVEN'T YOU SEEN THE SAUCERS?

If you happen to be the leader of one of the four sects

of Tibetan Buddhism and are being viewed as something
other than an anthropological curiosity, you're used to
thin ice. That same Saturday, the United Nations held a
conference on "Today's Chaos, The Spiritual and Psychic
Answer." Speakers were Howard Kip Parker, producer
of the Psychic Film Festival, Gene Kieffer, Director of the
Kundalini Research Institute, and His Holiness Sakya
Trizin, Patriarch of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism.
That we are currently becoming aware of our ability to
communicate with dimensions which defy corporal contentions means only that. The metal extra connection is
not necessarily concurrent with ethical refinements. If one
were to view the world in a manner which was not domiPURSUIT Summer 1979

98

nated by linear dogma nor by star-trek, Leary-eyed terminology, one might upon having witnessed such phenomena
as The Son of Sam or the rise of the Third Reich, and
conclude that psychic forces are unamenable to human
control.
The first speaker, a shaman who entertains the natives
with magic pictures, foresees an explosion of epiphanies
in the wake of the Star Wars/ Close Encounter fever. The
psi virus, presently creating landing platforms for extraterrestrials in the minds of many, may very well be creating
receptivity for expansive encounters with inner space.
Mr. Parker asserts that the Psi film is going to replace the
Western. Via manipulating aspects of perception, media
can directly engage the psychic structure of the viewer.
According to Parker one could, with appropriate audio
visual stimuli, accelerate the growth of a Third World
country to self-sufficiency within one generation. If the
ranks of the star-spangled, technocratic godhead possessed
sufficient societal dedication, we could 'eliminate hunger
and create immortality.' In citing the example of a proposal to institute T.M. into the New Jersey public schooi
system, which was blocked by the Catholic Church on
the basis of maintaining the division of church and state,
Mr. Parker advocates appropriating Eastern wisdoms as
technology rather than as religion.

The present stage of psychic research is still esoteric,

cultish, and has yet to catch up to the banalities of the
witch doctor. Parker's vision is to create the proper context with which to inject the nuances of inner space into
the foreground of contemporary consciousness via the
Media's manufacture of a need for this category of stimulus.
3) DOES T. M. MAKE ONE LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR
ANYMORE?

Kundalini is neither in the dictionary nor the encyclopedia. It is, according to Mr. Kieffer of the Research Institute, one of the most jealously guarded secrets of mankind
and possibly the Unified Field Theory.
The issue is illumination, and Kieffer's position is to
remove the matter from the domain of spirituality, the
aesthetics of which abhors serenity's disruption by debate,
into the realm of science and to prove the biological aspects
of Enlightenment via examining the blood, spinal fluid
and nerve structure of various subjects. In 1970, Kieffer
read the autobiography of Gopi Krishna which documented
his experience of the awakening of Kundalini, the serpentine energy sleeping at the base of every human being's
spine. Krishna, living in Kashmir, having failed his college
entrance examinations at the age of 17, began a daily
mental exercise of concentration. Seventeen years later,
at the age of 34, Krishna, a minor government clerk,
experienced what is described as 'illumination' in various
ancient scriptures of Egypt as well as India. "Suddenly
with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liqUid
light entering my brain through the spinal cord ... the
illumination grew brighter and brighter and I experienced
a rocking sensation and then felt myself slipping out of
my body entirely enveloped in a halo of light. I felt the
point of consciousness that was my self growing wider
surrounded by waves of Iight. .. I was now all consciousness without any outline .... " etc., etc., etc. The metabolic
entertainment was not just another roadside attraction,
for Krishna began to experience all of the altered range of
PURSUIT Summer 1979

consciousness and activity described in obscure manuals

on mysticism. He began to write cognitively in nine languages, three of which he knew prior to his awakening.
He became clairvoyant, etc., etc., etc. Kieffer responded
to Krishna's appeal, which was to bring his experience to
a wider audience, to put the ancient phenomena on the
contemporary map, and to focus some technological
investigation upon the area. Now at the age of 76, six
books and seven years later, Mr. Krishna is about to begin
his public career with a visit to the States wherein he will
confer with various scientists. What happens if the faith
of 90 million Fundamentalists doesn't fit the facts? The
wobble of earth as it traverses through space, and the
warp of mind as it wobbles through time, conSistently
reveal that anger, lust and passions keep the wheel of
life rolling. Hence it might take something just this side of
mass lobotomy to change human nature. According to
Kieffer, "the more we come up against the impenetrable
enigmas of psychic phenomena, the more we fractionate
our personalities." There are infinite numbers of separate
realities. "There is no single underlying truth to inert meditation. Practitioners of transcendental meditation reach
whatever level it is that they want to reach." A student of
magic for years, Kieffer stated, "I don't know a single
magician who doesn't live in fear of the forces with which
he tampers."
4) WHITE LIGHT GOING DOWN THROUGH MY BRAIN
WHITE LIGHT'S GONNA DRIVE ME INSANE
OR IS IT TRUE THAT PROFESSOR EINSTEIN SLEPT
WITH HPB'S SECRET DOCTRINE ON HIS N1TE TABLE?

Posit the hierarchy of Being between: turkeys who are

hopeless for they won't take their head out of the bush,
chickens who ruthlessly peck and claw at materialistic
kernels, and those who woke up to the fact that there isn't
anything that can't be done to a turkey which in all probability will be done to higher forms of life. In that sense we
stand on the brink of creating spineless, succulent, white
meat winners, ignorant of their identity yet eager to perform. Kieffer's vision is grim, for it speaks of the internal
divisions within the United Nations as well as the prospect
of fifty nations possessing nuclear armaments. Those
conSidering the regard of extra-terrestrials toward the
child Earth have only to peruse the modern world's treatment of technically unsophisticated minorities such as the
American Indian. Suppose Kundalini is the Unified Field
Theory which underlies electromagnetism and gravity.
Consider the evolutionary chain of life which stretches
from microscopic invisibilities on out to intelligent elements which are unpositable to the human mind. Although
the intellect is not the channel through which to tune into
para-programming. it is certainly the means by which to
subject the controversies to critical analysis. Since there is
a fundamental disagreement as to the actual existence of
this channel through which the evolutionary goal of genus
man is instrumented, Kieffer suggests the comparative
unfolding of metaphorical allusions veiled within ancient
scriptures of mystery traditions.
Inscribed upon a temple within the delta region of Egypt,
"I am all that was, and is, and is to be. No mortal hath
lifted my veil. And the fruit that I bore is Helios," is attributed to the goddess Isis, sister and wife of the god OSiris,
whose yearly death and resurrection personified the self-

99

renewing potential of nature. Bypassing for the purposes

of brevity the yearly innundation of the Nile which vivifies
the parched valley, and skimming over to Greece, Helios
was the sun god depicted as driving his chariot across the
sky from east to west, daily. Within the lineage of Tibetan
Buddhism, Nagarjuna and Asanga are considered the
two great chariots, emanating from Maitreya, the Buddha
of the Future and Manjushri, the Lord of Wisdom, holders
of the profound and extensive teachings. Vairocana is the
Sun Buddha who "expels darkness and illuminates the
world of men." One cannot realize Vairocana via the
limitations of space and time, but as magic. The miracles
will disappear when their cause, commitments to the
teachings, vanish.
Enter Sakya Trizin, born in Tibet in 1945, considered
an incarnation of Manjushri, training began at age 5, enthroned as Head of Sakya order at age 8, speaks fluent
English.
Evolution is not haphazard but extremely methodical
and gradual. Rather than start with metaphysical assumptions about the ultimate nature of reality, the Buddhist
begins with a basic mindfulness regarding methods of
procedure and understanding.
5) LIKE PUFFED RICE, THERE'S NOTHING THERE
AND YET IT'S EVERYTHING.

According to the Kundalini Research Institute, Enlightenment is a physiological event. According to Sakya Trizin,
the causes for Enlightenment must be created. When the
historical Buddha was questioned as to whether he had
taught everything which he obtained via his experience
beneath the Bodhi tree, he held forth a blade of grass
proclaiming that as all that was necessary. "Buddha"
means one who woke up. The effects of the attainment
of Buddhahood in this lifetime subsume all of the special
effects attributed to paranormal phenomena with the exception that these 'gifts' were acquired via arduous training
in renunciation and development of proper view, as well
as a quality of compassion which knows no discrimination.
The floor opened up and questions began to trickle.
The Lama excused himself stating that we wouldn't interfere with his concentration, and prepared himself to give
a Long Life Empowerment. As he climbed up upon the
throne positioned within traditional Tibetan ritual arrangements, the moderator watched as the Lama began his preliminary motions and commented, "And I hope his doesn't
interfere with ours!" The dialogue flew but the fascinating
part was how the beginning of the ritual wove in and out like
a haunting tenor sax, wailing in the distance at a pitch so
high that only gods could hear it. The talking ceased and the
"wang" formally began. The Long Life Wang is a consecration of the Body, Speech and Mind, removing the moral
and mental defilements from the participant, enabling
him to pursue a long fruitful life . The benefits of this ceremony are dedicated to the welfare of all living creatures.
Participants are requested to visualize light issuing forth
from the Lama's heart, shining upon the world. Yes,
folks, it did happen there. A Tantric ritual was held at the
U.N., structured to keep your internal Timex ticking in
tune forever. The Buddha of Limitless Life, Amitayus, is
said to have appeared, radiant, in the form of an ancient
Indian Prince. At the conclusion, participants could approach the Lama to receive special blessings.

6) I SAID MISTER, MY PROSPECTS ARE GOOD.

HE SAID SISTER, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.
I GOT NO CAR AND IT'S BREAKING MY HEART,
BUT I FOUND A DRIVER AND THA T'S A START.
Wading Through The Opening Of
The Wisdom Eye

"1 asked him if he wasn't playing the qUintessential Clint

Eastwood alone ..... " He said "You have to shut out doubt.
You have to will your way through. You have to know
how you feel about things and where you stand on this
planet." (Eastwood talking to Jean Vallely in Esquire,
3114178)
For obvious political reasons, we know very little about
the Tibetan culture that was destroyed. The following
Saturday's Times, 2/25/78, told us that the Chinese
People's Political and Consultative Conference convened
for the first time since 1964 in an effort to rally groups
alienated by the Cultural Revolution. Present was the
Panchen Lama, who had not been heard from since 1965.
What appears to be a conciliatory gesture towards the
Tibetans is merely more agit prop structured towards
maintaining social order and regaining popular confidence.
As was stated, the modern matrix consists of psychoanalysis, media and the collaboration of industrial and governmental forces for the purposes of keeping the people's
blinders on. Is stating within the Spielberg idiom, "We
Are Not Alone," very different from plastering across the
dark highway, in Tibetan, "We Are Not Separate" in this
predicament of embodiment? "The disease is not transmitted by the men, Mr. Spock. It is caused by the area of
space which we are in." Far from stating that we are all
one, for while Ms. Bryant is fuming over the complimentary
magnum of K-Y, and some other force is looking to hang
niggers from Louisiana, and others are wondering how
Salvation Army People regenerate themselves, the Post
of 3/3 told of the "Baby Born Without A Mother." If the
story is indeed true, then the 14-month-old baby boy clone
of the millionaire will mature into a carbon copy with
identical fingerprints. Mail early and start to plan the tea
party. King Tut can sit to the left of Adolph, and Elvis can
sit to the left of Chaplain, but dear, dear, his body seems
to be missing! Corporations have the right to own Iifeforms created in their laboratories. Moralizing upon the
issue, a Sloan Kettering scientist cited, "Human beings
don't have the wisdom to be able to control genetics.
Cloning should be stopped, Violently if necessary." According to Kieffer, of the Kundalini Research Institute, "The
intellect can recombine DNA and subatomic particles, it
cannot recombine the hidden forces of nature which
control us." By the time a little clairvoyance dawns upon
a whole lot of us, we may just grasp the reason for secrets
and the historic consistency to the persecution of Buddhists.
In the meantime, "Go, monks, and wander forth for the
gain of the many, for the welfare of the many, in compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, for the wellbeing of gods and men. Proclaim, monks, the Teaching
glorious, preach for a life of holiness, perfect and pure,"
sounds a bit more embracing than that Pearls-before-Swine
stuff. To the Buddhist, hell is a heuristic realm of experience to be matriculated out of, whereas the Christian,
that man of wealth and taste who's been around for a long,
long time, just throws the key away. ~
PURSUIT Summer 1979

100

NEODINOSAURS

by Ivan T. Sanderson
Reprinted from More "Things", Pyramid Publications, Inc .. New
York, New York. Copyright 1969 by luan T. Sanderson, with
the kind permission of Sabina Warren Sanderson.

The entire first chapter from More "Things" is being

reprinted here in its entirety. Since the book has
been out of print for many years, we hope many of
our readers who have never seen this 'article' on
Dinosaurs will enjoy it.

has been a very curious going-on in Africa for

THERE
more than a century that needs a good airing. The
mere thought of it is an abomination to scientists but it is
a matter that never fails to excite our imagination. It revolves around the question-probably for the most part
born of wishful thinking-that so many of us asked in our
youth; namely, could there be a few dinosaurs still living
in some remoter corners of the earth? But first, two expressions of caution.
One is that there actually is not and never has been
such a thing as a dinosaur, per se, the term being a more
general one like "predaceous beasts" than, say "hoofed
mammals'.'. It means literally "terrible reptiles" and was
initially coined to cover all reptiles discovered as fossils,
and at one time it came to include even the larger extinct
amphibians and related comparatively tiny creatures only
two feet long. 2 There never was any group of animals
officially, properly. and scientifically deSignated that of
the Dinosauria, although later the term tended to be confined to members of three large groups of terrestrial reptiles
that are thought to have become totally extinct some
seventy-five million years ago. These are now known as
the sub-orders Theropoda, Sauropoda, and Ornithopoda.
Lately. however, the term has once again swelled to include just about all extinct reptiles and the larger amphibians. 3
My second word of caution regards the concept of
modern-day Africa. Just because it has been so much in
the news for the past two decades, has been fought over,
and is now allegedly criss-crossed by roads, it does not
mean that it is any "lighter" than a century ago. In fact,
with the advent of the airplane it has reverted to being
the truly dark continent in many respects. Its vast jungles
and swamplands have been by-passed in all the modern
hubbub, and thousands of locations that were fairly well
known fifty years ago have now been Virtually lost. The
mere size of the place is quite beyond comprehension to
those who have not visited it,4 so it is quite useless to suggest
that there is not room in it for all manner of things as yet
unknown.
There is really nothing but negative evidence to support
the statement that dinosaurs are extinct. while, astonishing
as it may seem, there are apparently quite a few people
who actually believe that some still do exist. Moreover,
the evidence they present, is positive, even though they
cannot deny that it is purely circumstantial. Much of it
may probably and quite justfiably be disposed of as wishful thinking, as examples of mistaken identity, scientific
over-enthusiasm, native stupidity or even bad liquor; but
PURSUIT Summer 1979

there are some things like the tuatara, a two-foot Iizardshaped creature from New Zealand, and some millions of
crocodiles which are just as real as the elephants in our
zoos and the cattle in our fields. but which are as old as
the oldest dinosaurs. All the facts. moreover, are on record,
so let us examine them, beginning with what will probably
be regarded as the lunatic fringe.
A well-known South African big-game hunter, delighting in the name of Mr. F. Gobler, returned from a trip to
Angola and announced to the Capetown newspaper, the
Cape Argus, 5 that there was an animal of large dimensions. the description of which could only fit a dinosaur.
dwelling in the Djilolo Swamps, and well known to the
natives as the "chipekwe". He stated: "lts weight would
be about four tons and it attacks rhino, hippo and elephants. Hunters have heard a chipekwe-at nightdevouring a dead rhino, crushing the bones and tearing
out huge lumps of meat. It has the head and tail of a lizard.
A German scientist has photographed it. I went to the
swamps in search of it. but the natives told me it was extremely rare, and I could not locate the monster. Nevertheless, I am convinced the chipekwe does exist. Here
is the photograph."
This, of course, produced a terrific outburst in the
editorial and correspondence columns of the paper. but
the astonishing thing is that the majority of the experts,
both scientific and sporting, and all with much local knowledge, agreed that it might exist. Their reasons will become
abundantly clear later.
I doubt if any of us would believe such a tale, even if
related in all solemnity by the most renowned explorer.
Yet a well-known big-game hunter named Maj. H. C.
Maydon, with over a decade of experience chasing animals
in Africa, has written of this and a number of similar statements: "Do I believe them? Of course; why not? I add
fifty percent for native exaggeration, but I believe there is
more than 'something' in them. I met a man. an old
hunter-prospector, once in liVingstone. Rhodesia, who
swore that he had seen a water monster in Lake Mweru
and had studied its tracks. Why has no one yet seen these
beasts in the flesh for certain or brought one to bag? Because they are forest or swamp dwellers. How many
people have seen a bongo or a giant forest hog or a yellowbacked duiker. and yet they are not excessively rare. "6
The greatest animal dealer of all time, Carl Hagenbeck,
not only believed in such reports but actually invested a
very considerable sum in an expedition which he sent to
Africa under his best professional collector to search for
the creature. A hard-boiled businessman with many years'
experience in buying and selling animals simply does not
do such a thing unless he has very real grounds for expecting concrete returns on his money. Hagenbeck had
such grounds, which he states in his own words as follows:
"I received reports from two quite distinct sources of the
existence of an immense and wholly unknown animal
said to inhabit the interior of Rhodesia. Almost identical
stories reached me, first, through an English gentleman
who had been shooting big game in Central Africa. The
two reports were thus quite independent of each other.
The natives. it seemed, had told both my informants that
in the depths of the great swamps there dwelt a huge
monster. half elephant, half dragon. This however, is not
the only evidence for the existence of the animal. It is
now several decades since Menges, who is. of course,

101

perfectly reliable, heard a precisely similar story from the

Negroes; and still more remarkable, on the walls of certain
caverns in Central Africa there are to be found actual
drawings of this strange creature. From what I have heard
of the animal, it seems to me that it can only be some kind
of dinosaur, seemingly akin to the brontosaurus ... 7. 8
Now it is easy enough to scoff at these tales and even
to pity the sporting major and the poor gullible animaldealer. It is quite permissible to view such reports with a
healthy skepticism and it is assuredly prudent to do so.
Nonetheless, to let the matter rest there would be utterly
unscientific. The very basis of science is a healthy skepticism-one, moreover, that should question the skeptic
who denies the possibility of anything just as readily as it
should question the benighted traveler who dares affirm it.
The borderland of zoology is very extensive; the number of animals still to be discovered on this small planet is
much greater than is popularly realized or science is prepared to advertise. 9 Nor are all of these microscopic worms
or tiny, obscure tropical beetles. There is the famous case
of the okapi, an animal as large as a horse that was only
a rumor until 1900 but is now well known. The number
of entirely new types of animals that are discovered every
year is amazing. And this brings us to the next set of facts
which anybody with a truly unbiased mind should contemplate.
A notion has somehow gained popular credence that
the surface of the earth is now fully explored and for the
most part well-known and even mapped. There was never
a greater misconception. The percentage of the land surface of the earth that is actually inhabited-that is to say,
lived upon, enclosed, farmed or regularly traversed-is
quite limited. Even if the territory that is penetrated only
for hunting or the gathering of food crops be added, vast
areas still remain completely unused. \0
There are such areas in every continent, areas that for
years are never even entered by man. Nor are these only
the hot deserts of the torrid regions or the cold deserts of
the poles. I have visited a house in New Jersey behind
which the woods extend in one direction, unbroken by so
much as a path, for twenty-one miles.
In parts of the tropics there are areas of quite staggering immensity which no man has as yet been able to
penetrate. Whole mountain ranges in Australia have never
even been seen from the ground; large parts of the northern
Himalayas are as yet unvisited; regions of New Guinea
have never been reached, and considerable portions of
the Amazon valley are quite unknown. The Addar swamps
in Central Africa cover 1800 square miles, those of the
Bahr el Ghazal several thousands, and parts of them cannot be traversed. Just because a map is covered with
names does not mean that the country is known. Aerial
surveys made with modern photographic techniques only
add to this popular misconception, for many of the physical features are recorded in some detail then rapidly find
their way into our atlases. They are given names and fill
up the space. but at the same time the country remains
absolutely untouched.
The notion, therefore, that some beast could not exist
because of its size or because somebody would sooner or
later haveseen it, is really quite absurd. There might easily
be creatures as big as elephants living in some profuSion,
say, in the back of the Guyanas, which are now only a few
hours' flight in a commercial plane from Miami. Such

animals might have been well known to several thousand

people for hundreds of years, but their presence would
still be unsuspected by us, for few of the Amerindianswho from aerial surveys are known to exist in that areahave ever come out or even been seen by anyone from
outside.
Another fact that is often not sufficiently appreciated
even by experts is the extraordinary selectiVity displayed
by many animals in chOOSing their places of habitat.
Larger animals especially tend to stay within a limited
area that is often very distinctive as far as vegetation and
other environmental conditions are concerned. Nomadic
animals often travel only from one patch of some particular kind of forest to another of the same, avoiding all
other kinds as they would a forest fire. Hippopotamuses
will abound in certain stretches of a river and never be
seen in others.
This trait often accounts for the supposed rarity of
many animals, when in point of fact-apart from species
that are actually on the road to extinction-there is probably no such thing as a rare animal. It is merely a question
of finding where it lives and how it lives, and in that place
it will prove to be quite common. Any creature living in
a tropical swamp surrounded by dry jungles would always
stay there and, if that swamp could not be penetrated by
man, might never be seen. In such a swamp of two thousand square miles' extent, many very large beasts could
lurk.
The possibilities become even greater if the animals in
question be semi-aquatic; it is interesting to note in this
connection that all the accounts of as-yet-unidentifiedbeasts which sound like descriptions of dinosaurs are of
swamp creatures that retreat into the water when alarmed.
The vastness of Africa is a byword and can be attested
to by any who have flown over it, but to be really
appreciated it has to be seen from the ground. Also, it is
only on the ground that one comes to understand the true
nature of the tropical forests and swamplands. A companion and lance spent a full five minutes peering into a
small patch of bushes trying to see an animal apparently
about as bulky as the two of us put together, that we could
actually hear breathing. We never did see it, even when
it took fright and left, making about as much noise as a
light tank! liOn another occasion I was in a canoe among
reeds in Africa and. after looking up at the sun ahead to
take my bearings, bent down to pick up a cigarette. When
I looked up again there was a full-grown bull elephant
almost on top of me. As I watched, quivering with fright,
it sank down behind the. reeds, and although I immediately
stood up in the canoe so that I could almost see over the
swamp, I never even heard the huge beast again, nor
did I see so much as a single reed move. And this was
only a mile from a native village of two thousand souls, in
an area where elephants had not. as far as I could learn,
been seen within living memory. 12
Small wonder, then, that residents of Africa, and especially those who have hunted big game in more distant
parts, do not readily scoff at these tales which provoke us
to so much laughter-tales such as that brought out of the
Congo by a certain Monsieur Lepage in 1920. 13
This man returned from a hunting trip and announced
that he had come upon an extraordinary animal of great
size in a swamp. It had charged him, making a snorting
noise, and he had fired wildly; but seeing that it did not
PURSUIT Summer 1979

102

halt, he had retreated precipitately. When the monster

abandoned the chase he turned and examined it through
a pair of binoculars for a considerable period of time. He
stated that it was eight meters-about twenty-six feet-long,
had a long painted snout, a short horn above the nostrils,
and a scaly hump on its shoulders. The forefeet appeared
to be solid like those of a horse, but the hindfeet were
separated into digits.
The most astonishing thing about these reports, however, is not so much their prevalence as the widespread
points of their origin. Here again our modern atlases are
very misleading because the practice-born quite properly
of necessity-of squeezing the whole of Africa into one
page gives the impression that the Cameroons are not
really very far from the Upper Nile. This distance is actually
1600 miles, and the territory in between is a vast land of
forests, swamps, and savannahs. The natives on one side
have no connection whatsoever with those on the other,
and yet very similar stories are prevalent at both extremes.
These native tales are heard throughout the equatorial
rain-forest belt from Gambia in the west to the Nile in the
east, and south to Angola and Rhodesia. Carl Hagenbeck's
collectors picked them up in Liberia, and the leader of a
German expedition to the Cameroons in 1913 made a
very interesting report which has never been published in
full, but which has been quoted by several others. In Widely
separated areas, he collected descriptions of an alleged
beast named the "Mokele-mbembe" from experienced
native guides who could not possibly have known each
other. His description states:
"The animal is said to be of a brownish-gray color with
a smooth skin, its size approximating that of an elephant;
at least that of a hippopotamus. It is said to have a long
and very flexible neck and only one tooth but a very long
one; some say it is a horn. A few spoke about a long muscular tail like that of an alligator. Canoes coming near it
are said to be doomed; the animal is said to attack the
vessels at once and to kill the crew, but without eating the
bodies. The creature is said to live in the caves that have
been washed out by the river in the clay of its shores at
sharp bends. It is said to climb the shore even at daytime
in search of food; its diet is said to be entirely vegetable.
This feature disagrees with a possible explanation as a myth.
The preferred plant was shown to me; it is a kind of Iiana
with large white blossoms, with a milky sap and applelike
fruits. At the Ssombo River I was shown a path said to
have been made by this animal in order to get at its food.
The path was fresh and there were plants of the described
type near by. But since there were too many tracks of elephants, hippos, and other large mammals. it was impossible to make out a particular spoor with any amount of
certainty. "14
This brings up the whole question of native tales, over
which there is perhaps more acrimonious debate than
over any other subject. Opinions appear to be about
equally divided among those who have lived in Africa,
but both parties tend to overlook certain facts. Because of
his animistic beliefs, the African lives in a world peopled
by a host of spirits which are nonetheless just as real to
him as animals are to us, and he may describe these with
great clarity of expression. However, we must at the same
time consider the fact of the African's customary and remarkable knowledge of natural history; usually, he not
only has a name for all the animals in his country but also
PURSUIT Summer 1979

knows their habits and their slightest variations in great

detail.
The African can, however, develop a maddening habit
of exaggeration or even outright fabrication if he desires to please an inquiring foreigner. Against this, in turn,
must be placed his very widespread reluctance to publicize anything in his territory that might conceivably be of
value to the outside lest-as he has learned from unhappy
experience-a new tax immediately be clapped upon it.
If you do get a tribal African's confidence and he starts to
talk about animals, as opposed to the spirit creatures of
his country, it is well worth while to listen intently, for it
must not be forgotten that certain Africans always contended that mosquitoes had something to do with malaria,
a fact we proved only quite recently. Similarly. others
talked about the okapi for a very long time before it was
actually shot by a white man. But sometimes the African's
patience with us and our disbelief of things he knows well
becomes exhausted, and even he resorts to the writing of'
official minutes.
I must interject here a brief account of a personal experience that occurred in 1932 when I was with the wellknown explorer and animal collector, W. M. (Gerald)
Russell. and two young Africans employed by us, Bensum
Onun Edet and Bassi Aga of the Anyang people. We had
paddled all day up a remarkable river named the Mainyu
which ran north, straight as a man-made canal, from a
large circular pool in which another small river emptied.
and from which the mighty Cross River emerged on its
way south between the Cameroons and Nigeria to the
Atlantic at Calabar. The Mainyu itself was over a hundred
miles long. arising in the Assumbo Mountains to the north.
ending in this straight run, then cutting a slightly tortuous
gorge through a ridge of limestone four-hundred-feet high
that lay athwart its entrance to the Mamfe Pool. All the
way it ran through the uninhabited, (by any humans) high,
deciduous, Equatorial rain-forest, between smooth rock
shelves backed by strands of white sand with lush short
herbage. behind which the towering forest rose like a
cathedral wall. its foliage overhanging the sandy beach.
From the giant trees of this forest wall hung innumerable
creepers (locally called Iianas) both enormous and fine as
cotton threads. Many bore exotic flowers and enormous,
globular green fruits, looking like footballs, and just as
tough.
On returning downstream to the "Mamfe Pool from a
day of very hard paddling upstream on a collecting trip,
we just glided along, paddling only now and then to maintain way. Sundown was approaching as we entered the
gorge. Gerald Russell was in the lead canoe with Bassi;
I followed about a hundred feet behind with Bensun.
There were deepening shadows in the gorge and all along
its towering vertical walls at water-level were the arched
tops of huge caves. We had previously penetrated some
of these at the pool-end of the gorge to collect a certain
kind of very rare frog, but we had never before passed
these huge ones farther upstream.
When we were about in the middle of the mile-anda-half-long winding gorge, the most terrible noise I have
heard. short of an on-coming earthquake or the explosion
of an aerial-torpedo at close range, suddenly burst from
one of the big caves to my right. Ben, who was sitting upfront in our little canoe with a "moving" paddle, immediately dropped backward into the canoe. Bassi in the lead

103

canoe did likewise, but Gerald tried to about-face in the

strong swirling current, putting himself broadside to the
current. I started to paddle like mad but was swept close
to the entrance of the cave from which the noise had
come. Thus, both Gerald and I were opposite its mouth;
just then came another gargantuan gurgling roar and
something enormous rose out of the water, turned it to
sherry-colored foam and then, again roaring, plunged
below. This "thing" was shiny black and was the head of
something, shaped like a seal but flattened from above to
below. It was about the size of a full-grown hippopotamus-this head, I mean.
We exited from the gorge at a speed that would have
done credit to the Harvard Eight and it was not until we
entered the pool that Bassi and Ben came-to. What we
wanted to know, what was this monster? Neither could
enlighten us as they were not river people. However, both
finally yelled "M'kuoo-m'bemboo", and grabbed their
paddles. When we reached the little beach at he far side
of the pool where we kept our canoes, we were met by
the rest of our gang, some twenty-strong and all local
men. They were very shaken and solicitous of our safety.
All the river people among them confirmed Bassi and
Ben's diagnosis. These animals lived there all the time,
they told us, and that is why there were no crocodiles or
hippos in the Mainyu. (There were hundreds of both in
the pool, the other river, and the Cross River.) But, they
went on, "M'koo" does not eat flesh but only the big Iiana
fruits and the juicy herbage by the river.
Later we moved across that river permanently and
camped nearby. We found huge pathways through the
herbage from the river and masses of the great, tough,
green "footballs" smashed up, and some with pieces, a
foot wide, bitten out of them just as we bite a piece out of
an apple. But now back to official reports.
The now famous report of the late King Lewanika, of
the Barotse tribe, is of this nature. The king, who took
great interest in the fauna of his country, constantly heard
of a large reptile that lived in the great swamps. He had
passed this information on, but, since nobody believed it,
he gave strict orders that the next time any of his people
saw the animal they were to tell him immediately. After
some time three men reported, saying that they had come
across the beast at the edge of a marsh, that it had a long
neck and small, snakelike head, and that it had retreated
into the swamp on its belly. King Lewanika immediately
visited the spot and states in his official minutes that it had
left a track in the reeds "as large as a full-sized wagon
would make were its wheels removed."
Other native evidence comes from widely separated
sources. An experiences white hunter named Stephens,
who was also in charge of a long section of the telegraph
line which runs along the banks of the Upper Nile, has
given a great deal of information about a large. swampdwelling reptile known to a number of tribes as the "Lau."15
The natives described the animal to Stephens in great detail and more than one of them affirmed that they had
been present at the killing of a "Lau." They variously
described it as being between forty and a hundred feet
long, but concurred in stating that the body was only
about as big as a donkey; that it was dark yellow in color,
and that it had a vicious, snakelike head, with large tentacles or wiry hairs with which it reached out to seize its
prey. Later, a Belgian administrator from the Congo

asserted that he had seen a "lau" several times in a swamp

and had shot at it.
The most convincing native account, however, comes
from Northern Rhodesia, and is of the animal called the
"Chipekwe." An Englishman who spent eighteen years
on Lake Bangweulu in that country has given an account
of the slaying of one, as described by the local chief, who
had it from his grandfather. 16 Apparently the tribesmen
killed the creature with hippo spears. It had a smooth,
hairless, dark body, and the head was adorned with a
single white ivory horn. The story was firmly rooted in
local tradition; the Englishman believed in the existence
of the animal, for he reports that a retired local administrator had heard some very large animal splashing in a
lake in the nighttime and had examined large unknown
spoor on the bank the next morning.
The mention of a single ivory horn brings us to a whole
set of most interesting facts that were assembled from
quite another source. Some years ago during the excavation of the famous Ishtar Gate of Babylon by the German
professor, Robert Koldewey. a number of startlingly realistic bas-reliefs of a dragon like animal with cUriously mixed
features were brought to light. It had a scaled body, long
tail and neck, hindfeet of a bird and forefeet of a lion, and
a strange reptilian head sporting a single straight, upright
horn like that of a rhinoceros, wrinkles under its neck, a
crest like a modern iguana lizard, and a very pronounced,
serpentine tongue. At first this fabulous creature was
classed along with the winged. human-headed bulls and
other fabulous monsters of Babylonian mythology, but
profound researches gradually forced the professor to
quite a different conclusion. 17
The creature had the name of the "Sirrush" and the
priests were said to have held it in a dark cavern in the
temple. It was depicted on the walls of the Ishtar Gate in
great numbers and in association with a large, ox-like
animal which is now known to have been the extinct
aurochs-very definitely a real animal. When analyzed,
allowing for considerable Babylonian artistic license, the
strangely mixed characters of the "Sirrush" appeared to
be much less fabulous than had at first been supposed,
and, despite his solid Teutonic background, Professor
Koldewey became more and more convinced that it was
not a representation of a mythical creature but an attempt
to depict a real animal, an example of which had actually
been kept alive in Babylon in very early days by the priests.
After much searching in the depths of his cautious scientific soul. he even made so bold as to state in print that
this animal was one of the plant-eating, bird-footed dinosaurs, many types of which had by that time been reconstructed from fossil remains. He further pOinted out that
such remains were not to be found anywhere in or near
Mesopotamia and that the "Sirrush" could not be a Babylonian attempt to reconstruct the animal from fossils.
Its characters, as shown in Babylonian art from the earliest
times, had not changed, and they displayed great detail
in scales, horns, wrinkles, the crest and the serpentine
tongue, which, taken altogether, could not alI have been
just thought up after viewing a fossilized skeleton.
On further analysis. the "Sirrush" seems to display
characteristics of the "Chipekwe" of Lake Bangweulu
and of Monsieur Lepage's beast from the Congo. The
single horn on the snout, the scaled hump on the shoulders, the solid forefeet and cloven hindfeet, the long neck
PURSUIT Summer 1979

104

and small serpentine head and even the "tentacles" of the

"Lau" an appear in the "Sirrush." But, much more significant is the little matter of a certain dinosaur of the Theropod or so-called "beast-footed" group known as Cerotosaurus or the "reptile with a horn". This had a single,
upright, white horn on its snout, was probably scaled at
least in part, had rather long kangaroo-like hind legs with
only three toes like a bird. This is rather annoying because
the designation thero-pod means beast or mammal-likefooted, while another of the dinosaurian groups is called
ornitho-pod which means bird-footed and its members
have three, four, or even five toes! The theropods were
carnivorous, and this would coincide with the hippo-eating
proclivities of the "Chipekwe." We have no evidence
from fossils that Ceratosaurus was scaled but there is no
reason why it should not have been; also, if you look at
the head of a large, old iguana in profile you will note just
such features as the "Sirrush" displays, namely, gular or
throat folds of skin, a crest rising to a point on the crown
of the head and then running down the neck and along
the back, a very round prominent eye, a slim lower jaw
with prominent scales, and sooner or later you will see
the forked tongue flick out. Recently, the way in which
the skeletons of many of the dinosaurs have been articulated and set up in museums has been very seriously criticized by a group of palaeontologists. (See bibliography.) 18
They contend that the ancient large reptiles were erected
upon (like mammals). rather than slung between, the
limbs (like lizards). It is possible therefore that dinosaurs
like Ceratosaurus, despite its small front limbs, spent
much time like a browsing kangaroo with its forefeet on
the ground, and since the hands had five little clawed
fingers it would be rather natural that a Babylonian sculptor
should liken them unto a lion.
The only jolt to this theory is that the only one-horned
theropod - this Ceratosaurus - is known only from the
Cretaceous period of North America. However, this does
not mean that it could not have had an ally in Africa,
since there are closely related theropods of other kinds
known from both continents.
The final link in this chain of evidence may well be the
findings of some archaeological digs in Somalia. These
brought to light numerous massive structures of a type
known only from the Mesopotamian region, composed
of baked bricks, some of which were glazed just like those
built into the wall and gate of Ishtar. This is much less
fabulous than it sounds, for there is absolute evidence
that seaborne trade had been carried on by the Sumerians,
before the rise of Babylon, between Mesopotamia and
the east coast of Africa which was called "Me-Iukh-kha"
and was said to be inhabited by Salmuti, meaning "black
men". If a horned, theropod dinosaur existed in Africa at
that time, a captive specimen or specimens might well

have been shipped back to Mesopotamia, where they

would undoubtedly have created quite a stir and become
the exclusive property of the ruling priesthood: in fact,
the "beast in the pit" of the Bible. Their presence as sacred
beasts would prompt the making of very careful portraits
of them on important monuments.
Whether the Babylonian "Sirrush" and the other creatures rumored to have come from Africa exist now, or
ever existed at all, is a matter that can be proved concluSively only by the discovery of either a live specimen or of
fresh bones in association with the remains of men. But if
they do exist, the question that immediately springs to
mind is, could they be dinosaurs? The answer, perhaps
rather surprisingly, is yes.
Neither in its general nor its restricted sense does the
name dinosaur necessarily imply primitiveness of structure, great geological age, or even large size. for there are
many medium, small, and tiny ones. The crocodiles as a
group are just as old and indiVidually much larger than
many dinosaurs, while the tortoises belong to one of the
most primitive of all reptilian stocks. The little lizard-shaped
tuatara which still lives on some islands off New Zealand,
is, in the general sense, a dinosaur and it is much more
primitive and comes from an older stock than those three
groups which we call dinosaurs in the more restricted
sense.
This puts the whole matter in an entirely different light.
If the tortoises. the tuatara, and the crocodiles have managed to survive from the age of reptiles, there is really no
reason why members of the other groups, some much
less primitive and including those that we may choose to
call dinosaurs, should not also have survived. The majority
of the reptiles disappeared at the end of what is called the
Cretaceous period, after which the more active and "clever"
mammals took over. But there is no reason why some
might not have lingered on until today in the vast and
isolated swamps of Africa-the one part of the world that
has remained tropical and comparatively stable since the
Cretaceous period and which was almost entirely unaffected
by the great ice ages and the mountain-building disturbances of intervening times.
It is indeed a very curious business that merits our consideration and, in my opinion, some active investigation.
Can the whole thing be the product of wishful thinking?
Can all these big-game hunters, animal collectors, game
wardens, and princely African writers of official minutes
be pure sensation seekers or under the influence? Did
Professor Koldewey just go daft, and throwaway his high
scientific standing with carefree abandon?
There could be dinosaurs alive today, so let us try to
maintain what should be the true scientific spirit and simply
say that, as yet, there is no positive evidence that they do
still exist.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Sanderson, Ivan T., "There Could Be Dinosaurs". The
.
Saturday ElJening Post. 3 January 1948.
2. Owen. Richard. "Report on British Fossil Reptiles, Part II."'
Report of the British Association for the Advancement of
SCience, Eleventh Meeting, Plymouth. July 1841, pp.
60-204.
3. Colbert, Edwin H., Dinosaurs: Their DiscOlJery and Their
World. New York: E. P. Dutton. 1961: Men and Dino
saurs, New York: E. P. Dutton, 1968.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

4. Bartholomew, John. AdlJanced Atlas of Modern Geog

raphy. New York: McGraw-Hili, 1962.
5. Gobler. F., [letter to editor], Cape Argus, July, 1932:
also as F. Grobler. Rhodesia Herald, 15 July 1932.
6. Maydon, Maj. H. C., quoted in Lane, Frank W .. Nature
Parade. Sheridan House, 1954.
7. Hagenbeck, Carl,. Beasts and Men, London. 1909.
8. Ley, Willy, The Lungfish. The Dodo. and the Unicorn,
New York: The Viking Press, 1948.

105
9. Heuvelmans, Bernard. On the Track of Unknown Animals.
London: Rupert Hart-Davis. 1958.
10. See demographic maps published by American Geographical Society.
11. Sanderson. Ivan T., Caribbean Treasure. New York:
The Viking Press. 1939.
12. Sanderson, Ivan T.. Animal Treasure. New York: The
Viking Press. 1937.
13. Lepage. quoted by Lane. Frank W., "Mystery Animals of
Jungle and Forest", National RelJiew (London). July 1937.

14. Von Stein zu Lausnitz. Freiherr. quoted in Ley. Willy.

op. cit.

15. Stephens. Sergeant. quoted by Millais. J. G., Far Away Up

the Nile. London. 1924.
16. James. C. E.. [letter to the editor). London Daily Mail.
% Dec. 1919.
17. Koldewey. Prof. R .. Das IschtarTor in Babylon. Leipzig.
1918.
18. Bakker. Robert T .. DiscolJery. June 1968 [see also New
~rk Times. 2 June 1968).

MORE ON EXTANT DINOSAURS

Cerro Santa Ana. At its top, a patch of tropical rain forest has remained Isolated
in the desert from the end of the Cretaceous.

by Dr. Silvano Lorenzoni

Photographs by the author

the Spring, 1977 issue of this magazine I had exI Nplained

that the survival of actual dinosaurs-or of
I

some other kinds of prehistoric and supposedly "extinct"

living forms-both animal and vegetable-was both possible and likely in the high and isolated plateaux of the
Guayana region south of the Orinoco River, in northern

South America. In particular, I quoted an exceedingly

puzzling eyewitness account to that effect.
Since then this matter has acquired broadened contours, both as a consequence of my readings and of my
conversations with several knowledgeable people interested
in this subject,2 and of my own travels and on-site perusals
and interviews with witnesses.

.. .

To begin with, something more about the Guayanese

plateaux. There is evidence, collected and published by
PURSUIT Summer 1979

106

The Roraima from near Santa Elena de Uair{m. Atop this mountain it has been said that unidentified fossils are extant.

Dr. L. Croizat,3 that the definitive isolation of those plateaux dates from the end of the Cretaceous (60 to 80
million years ago) which is exactly the time when the
dinosaurs-at least as a well-distributed and powerful
group of species-became extinct. That in itself constitutes
an additional prop for the hypothesis that their last descendants could still survive on those isolated heights.
Dr. Croizat, however, leads us one step further when he
expounds a theory whereby the Guayanese plateaux
reached their present configuration in a very quick and
almost catastrophic fashion. I shall attempt to sketch,
very briefly, Croizat's theory:
At the end of the Cretaceous most of South America
was formed by a comparatively low and continuous plateau
of pre-Cambrian sandstone that extended roughly from
the Caribbean to the Argentinian pampas. At that time
the rising of the Andes, all along the western edge of the
continent, changed the situation in two ways:
(a) the primeval plateau was lifted-owing to isostatic
forces set up by the appearance of high rock masses to
the west-and presumably cracked.
(b) new rivers and river basins were created-notably
the Orinoco to the north, the Amazonas to the center and
the Parana to the south. As a consequence large water
masses, channeled along the cracks of the primeval plateau,
caused an unprecedented erosion. The result was the
definitive breaking up of the plateau into two parts: Guyana
in the north, and the Brazilian uplands (the "Mato Grosso")
in the south. Guyana, while smaller in extent, is substantially higher above sea level than the Mato Grosso and of
PURSUIT Summer 1979

a much more broken nature, being the land of the fantastic "tepuyes" or flat-topped mountains.
Incidentally. the cracking mentioned in (a) above should
have caused some localized volcanic phenomena and/or
extrusions of igneous rock. I have personally observed
igneous extrusions on the north side of the Auyantepuy
during my last (April, 1976) expedition to that mountain.
In the event Croizat's theory is correct, the credibility
of the possible survival of purportedly "extinct" species
on those lone heights would be strongly enhanced. I have
been able to collect two further pieces of information:
(a) During a recent trip (September, 1978) to the SaIto
Angel area4 I was informed by the local indians that in the
vicinity certain "unusual size lizards" exist. One may justifiably wonder what they may be.
(b) A report on fossils, supposedly seen atop the Roraima, has been made. 5 No "official" report has ever been
made of fossils in the Guayana area.
Quite apart from the above, Croizat's theory has some
other interesting consequences. In particular, any formations, however small, made up of pre-Cambrian sandstone
which is to be found north or west of the Orinoco, should
OPPOSITE PAGE

Above: Serrania del Moroturo, as seen from the

farm "La Herrereiia (La Apariclon, Portuguese,
Venezuela). An unidentified "water monster" is
reported to inhabit a lake in these mountains.
Below: Pre-Cambrian sandstone formations in the
Galeras de EI Pao. A peculiar saurian (a varanid?)
has been sighted in this area.

107

PURSUIT Summer 1979

108

offer much of a hold to any prehistoric endemism. But,

of course, one never knows. In Colombia, on the other
hand, what appears to be a large pre-Cretaceous residue is the Sierra de la Macarena, scarcely 200 km. southeast of Bogota, which would also be worthy of Fortean
atten tion. 8

.. .

Saito Angel (Auyantepuy). In this area "unusual size

lizards" have been reported.

be interpreted as residues of the "primeval plateau"; as

such, they are worthy of an investigation as to possible
peculiar biological endemisms.
In Venezuela there is at least one such formation, of a
fair size, the so-called Galeras de EI Pao (States of Guarico
and COjedes). This is a system of low hills, about 300 m.
high, about 100 km. long, and 20-30 km. wide, parallel
to and separated from the Venezuelan coastal range (which
is a prolongation of the Andes) by narrow and low swampy
valleys.
Peculiarly enough, it is from these "Galeras" that an
exceptionally large reptile has been reported,6 described
as something resembling a "Komodo dragon" -i.e., what
could presumably be a large varanid. To this day, true
varanids do not officially exist anywhere in South America.
(The closest there is to them is the zoological family Amei
videa: iguana-size carnivorous lizards that are, however,
very far frorri fulfilling the descriptions that are given for
those unknown "dragons."7)
I have personally observed residues of sandstone walls
in the higher parts of the Sierra de Coro (State of Falc6n,
Venezuela). Those, too, are likely to be residues of the
"primeval plateau," probably too small and too broken to
PURSUIT Summer 1979

I shall round off this paper by indicating a few more

locations in Venezuela which, even though they are not
tied in with the theory and phenomenology of the Guayanese plateau, nevertheless may merit Fortean interest in
terms of the possible existence of unusual flora and/or
fauna:
(a) Cerro Santa Ana (peninsula of Paraguana) and
Galeras de EI Baul (State of COjedes). 9 The Cerro Santa
Ana is an isolated height about 900 m. high close to the
middle of the otherwise nearly flat peninsula of Paraguana. This peninsula is the driest part of Venezuelato all intents and purposes a desert-while the summit of
the Santa Ana sustains a genuine tropical rain forest in its
uppermost part (above about 600 m.). This patch of rain
forest, not larger than about 25 sq. km., must have reo
mained ecologically isolated for the last 60 to 80 million
years. I have personally visited this peak on several occasions. During one of my visits there I discovered a peculiar
crustacean. some specimens of which I sent to SITU to
have identified .
The forest atop the Santa Ana (a mountain that appears
to be of volcanic origin) is definitely unlike anything I have
observed in my multiple travels and expeditions, with the
presence of an endemic dwarf palm (known to science
but of no known relationship) and abundance of a large
tree of the Ficus family and creeping ferns-all of them
singularizing features.
Geologically akin to the Santa Ana are the isolated
volcanic hills of EI Baul (Galeras de EI Baul) , in the midst
of the Venezuelan central plains. To the best of my knowledge they are still ecologically, botanically and zoologically unexplored.
(b) Serranla del Moroturo is a wooded mountain range,
about 2000 m. high. It branches off from the Venezuelan
Andes and makes the border between the states of Lara
and Portuguese. In a secluded area of that range there is
a lake, about 1000 m. above sea level, in which is said to
live, for want of a better identification, a "water monster. ,.
The area is not particularly isolated from an ecological
standpoint; it may be that this "water monster" is nothing
other than an anaconda-which in itself would be a peculiar occurrence in an isolated lake at 1000 m. above sea
level. On the other hand, since the pond apparently dries
SITU sent these specimens to Dr. Thomas E. Bowman. Curator.
Crustacea. Department of Invertebrate Zoology. of the Smithsonian
Institution. Here is a summary of his findings: UI have examined the
specimens of Ligia and I believe they are Ligia platycephala (Van Name).
There are some small differences from published descriptions. but I sus
pect these are related to the smaller size of your specimens. I have found
that L. platycephala has already been reported from Cerro Santa Ana
by. A. Vandel, the leading authority on terrestrial isopods. in 1952.
("Etude des isopodes terrestres nkoltes au Venezuela par Ie Dr. G.
Marcuzzi," Memorie del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona. vol.
3, pp. 59203). It is generally agreed that L. platycephala and L. simoni
Dollfus from Cumbre de Valencia. Venezuela and Santa Marta. Colom
bia, are sufficiently distinct from other species of Ligia to warrant
recognizing a subgenus, Pogonoligia Jackson, for them.
"Until now we have had' no representatives of L. platycephala in our
collections, so the speciments you have given us are most welcome."

109

.... "

..

Residue of sandstone wall in the Sierra de Coro.

out during severe droughts. there is a chance that it may

be a variety of lungfish. Lungfish are known from the
low-lying grounds of the Venezuelan central plains as
well as from the Amazonian basin (and also from equatorial Africa and Australia), but never from above 1000 m.
above sea level. In the event that the denizen of the Moroturo lagoon was indeed a lungfish, it would have to be of
a new and unknown variety. But need it be a lungfish?

To sum up: I have presented what evidence is known

to me as to the possibility of Fortean findings in the biological field in South America in general and in Venezuela
in particular. While some of this evidence-specifically
that which refers to sightings and second hand reportsmay turn out to be pure hearsay, I think it is highly unlikely that it will a/l prove to be without a basis. I feel quite
certain that a systematic exploration of the areas mentioned would be richly rewarding. Such a systematic
study I have myself slowly begun, even though within the
all-tao-narrow margins of my extremely scarce free time.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. S. Lorenzoni: "Extant dinosaurs: a distinct possibility,"
Vol. 10, No.2, Spring, 1977.
2. In particular, with Dr. Leon Croizat, one of the world's great
est biogeographers and ecologists, now director of the Xerophitic Botanic Gardens at Coro, Venezuela.
3. See: Leon Croizat: Biograffa analftica y sintetica (panbiogeograffa) de las Americas, Biblioteca de la Academia de Ciencias.
Vol. XV, Caracas (1976) (2 tomos).
4. See: Croizat: Pan biogeografIa , op. cit.
5. The Saito Angel, the world's highest waterfall (1000 m.l,
falls from the Auyantepuy. I was informed of this by Dr. Janis
Racemis, now retired from a biology chair of the Universidad
Central de Venezuela. His source was "a Swedish geologist"
Pursuit,

who had climbed the Roraima sometime in the 1960s.

6. The information was given to Dr. Croizat in 1972 by a prospector then living in Caracas.
7. All quotes referring to Venezuelan fauna are taken from:
Eduardo Rohl: Fauna descriptiva de Venezuela (vertebrados) ,
Tipografia Americana, Caracas, 1949.
8. The high plateau of Cochabamba (Bolivia) probably represents with respect to the Mato Grosso the same that the Galeras
de EI Pao or the Sierra de la Macarena, represent with respect
to Guyana. See Croiza!, op. cit.
9. Refer to: Antonio Luis Cardenas C.: Geograf/a f,sica de
Venezuela. Talleres graficos universitarios, Merida (Venezuela).
1965.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

110

EXEGESIS:
UNEXPLAINED DATA RELATED
TO UNITED FLIGHT 389
The radar tape processed by SAGE must indicate a malfunctioning of equipment.
The odd behavior of this equipment must be due to
some problem with the continuously-oscillating time
standard or some time demodulation program computerlinked to this constant electromagnetic pulsing.
It is significant that the crash of Flight 389 seems to
have been caused by the irrational behavior of three experienced commercial pilots who, while engaging in casual
conversation with the control facilities in Chicago about
their ordinary altimeter setting, failed to level off their. aircraft normally, and instead directed it downward, making
a surprise nosedive into Lake Michigan. Previous conversation with the Chicago Approach Control seems to
indicate that the instruments in the plane were working
normally, and that this uncontrollable crash landing was
the result of some inexplicable human error or sudden
equipment failure.
I was standing out looking at the stars one evening last
summer, when a bat flew at my head. It flew back and
forth from my head to the house se.veral times, seemingly
trying to get a bearing on my alien height in comparison
to the familiar dimensions of the building.
Perhaps this bat felt that a measure of my height might
be a measure of my identity.
Like the U.S. Air Force Defense Command, bats use
a "radar" device which bounces signals off physical objects.
It is not any direct impression of the object itself which
reaches the bat, but a variation of its own original ultrasonic probe. Bats use ultrasonic rather than electromagnetic test probes of their vicinity. A bat which had ceased
to remember the original signal which it emitted would
lose directional orientation, due to a lack of any ability to
make an approximate comparison between the original
remembered signal and current ultrasonic signals bounced
back from the object.
Memory malfunction in the bat would manifest as spacial disorientation. It would start flying into objects. It
might even make a nosedive directly down into the obvious blue surface of a lake. thinking that it was flying
upward.
As in measuring a human being against a house to find
the comparative height of the object, the only way to correlate the mental state of the pilots in charge of Flight
389 with the unusual radar tracking of this ill-fated flight
is to compare these two unlike malfunction events in
terms of what they may have in common. It seems to me
that in both cases there has been a significant "memory

by E. Macer-Story
1978 E. Macer-Story

of the most interesting side effects of "ufo" maniO NEfestation

is the false image or "angel" effect on radar
mechanisms. For example, at the time of the mysterious
nosedive taken by United Flight 389 on August 16, 1965,
the U.S. Air Force Air Defense Command radar network
(SAGE) recorded two moving targets in the 389 crash
area.
As a matter of fact, there was only one aircraft in that
area. These two radar tracks recorded by SAGE both
displayed secondary data which does not agree with first
hand information determined by examining the actual
wreckage of the plane.
The central, stabilizing device in a standard radar instrument is a continuously-oscillating time standard, usually
a quartz crystal. An approximation of the distance and
speed of objects registering on the radar screen is obtained
by a process of "time demodulation," during which the
difference between a constant electrical pulse and the
similar pulse reflected by the moving object is measured
in terms of time delay and relative frequency. The demodulation of the frequency gives the speed of the object,
while the measure of the time delay interval provides an
approximate distance of the target from the radar registry.
In analyzing the sudden nosedive of Flight 389, the
radar data which has perplexed investigators involves a
certain Track A039, which ceased recording several
minutes before the crash, and a second Track K047, which
began suddenly several minutes before the crash and
continued for two minutes after the crash, discontinuing
at a point approximately 23 miles due west of where the
wreckage was later discovered. This is a simplified visual
representation of tracks A039 and K047:
Assuming that this is the track of one airplane, since no
other aircraft was in the area, Flight 389 seems to have
disappeared for two minutes, reappeared, crashed. and
yet continued to fly on for several minutes after this crash,
finally vanishing entirely. Jay Gourley, in his book on the
"Great Lakes Triangle" area, states that Flight 389 would
have to have accelerated to well over the speed of sound
in order to make this observation valid.
Clearly, since ordinary wreckage. was found in Lake
Michigan near a place where eyewitnesses saw a fireball
over the water, this hypothetical acceleration is impossible.
A039
K047:

PURSUIT Summer 1979

2-3
MINUTES

K047

CRASH

----1ti

I...

..........,

~~

2 MINUTES

'I

111

malfunction." The radar mechanism forgot how to process the data correctly, and three experienced pilots
forgot for a moment how to fly their plane. Or the equipment in the plane forgot for a crucial moment how to fly
itself automatically.
What sort of phenomenon could cause a memory
malfunction in both a machine and a trained human being,
and/ or two pieces of electronic equipment situated miles
apart geographically? Certainly, this long-distance coincidence is not just a psychological error on the part of
the flight crew. It has to involve a very palpable sort of
mutual phenomenon or the radar equipment would not
have gone haywire at the same time, and scanning the
same area, as an inexplicable nosedive into Lake Michigan.
What sort of physical phenomenon could both throw off
the time standard of the radar mechanism and alter the
consciousness of the flight crew of United Flight 389?
Since the nervous system, like the continuously-oscillating time standard in a radar sensing system, is basically
an electrochemical mechanism, clearly this mutuallyexperienced phenomenon is something which alters the
electromagnetic atmosphere in the area where these
unusual effects are occurring, otherwise the radar and
the mental capacities of the crew would not both be independently affected within the same time/space frame.
This would also be true if the equipment within the
plane and not the sensibilities of the flight crew had been
affected by some unknown phenomenon: in order to
logically link the malfunction of the radar with the crash
itself, it is necessary to postulate some more general electromagnetic change in the crash area, which was being
routinely scanned by the U.S. Air Force Air Defense
Command when the unusual effects were recorded on
the radar tape.
There is only one problem as concerns this supposition about a changed electromagnetic atmosphere in the
area of the crash. The crash and the radar mechanism
were not in the same small geographical area. Therefore
the pilots and/or their equipment and the continuouslyoscillating time standard of the SAGE radar network
were not independently affected within the same time/
space frame.
They were, however, independently affected with
reference to the same unusual event, an inexplicable
plane crash.
Clearly, there must have been something very particular
which both caused the plane to take a nosedive and bolex
up the radar. Suppose, for example, that Flight 389 entered a pocket of altered molecular-electronic density at
the termination of radar track A039.
Once inside this area of altered structural density,
the plane itself would "disappear" to the radar, since the
area surrounding the plane would be an area of matter
which was structurally different from the electronic density
of the surrounding atmosphere, and therefore non-reflective to a conventional electromagnetic radar pulse.
Of course, any accelerated craft which entered such a
pocket of altered molecular density unexpectedly could
not be expected to survive this transition intact. Sup Altered structural density is a quality involving a change in the electronic bond which binds together the basic molecular structure of mailer.
An alteration of basic molecular-electronic density would change the
electromagnetic structure of any large object.

pose that at some point the wreckage of Flight 389 preCipitated out of this area of altered density and into Lake
Michigan. Further suppose that at the beginning of radar
track K047 a craft of an unidentified nature emerged
from this area of altered molecular density and continued
on about its esoteric business, then re-entered this same
continuum of altered molecular density, vanishing to
radar.
The flight data recorder of Flight 389 has never been
recovered. If I were now plotting a science fiction story,
I might now order these speculations in such a way as to
indicate that a craft which was able to navigate using
energies of an electronically "strange" density, and which
also possessed a more sophisticated knowledge of the
"time" continua than we currently do in the U.S.A., had
darted out into the skies over Lake Michigan just long
enough to recover the evidential flight data recorder . . .
before or during the crash descent.
This would account for the unusual acceleration recorded by track K047, if the SAGE mechanism was not
malfunctioning. However, I am not at this moment plotting
a science fiction story. We will never know exactly what
happened to Flight 389. Either the radar device was malfunctioning, or it was not malfunctioning. If it was malfunctioning, it is extremely interesting that the misbehavior
of the continuously-oscillating time standard occurred
within the same half hour as the inexplicable air crash
which it was tracking.
If the SAGE mechanism was not malfunctioning, then
something unusual indeed happened in the vicinity of Flight
389. It is within the realm of real possibility that United
Flight 389 hit a pocket of altered structural density, which
affected not only the relationship of the molecular structure
of the aircraft to its environment, but also the electrochemically regulated perceptual mechanism which they
were consulting. Clearly, the unusual event of the crash
itself had some effect on the time/space perception of the
radar mechanism, most particularly the time perception
of this mechanism, which abruptly dropped one track,
only to begin another track several minutes later, happily
continuing this anomalous second track for several minutes
after the time of the crash as witnessed, only to abruptly
discontinue recording a solid target over twenty miles
from the crash site. indicating the termination of the flight
in an area where no wreckage has been recovered.
If the reader finds the foregoing information difficult to
understand, that is because it makes no sequential sense.
During all of these various stop/start times, there was
only one aircraft in the scanning area, and this aircraft
was seen by eyewitnesses to explode into the water at a
time well before track K047 had ceased recording.
This sort of discontinuous information is common
among individuals who have experienced precognition or
other altered states of informational consciousness, associated with dreams, drugs and/or ESP. It is unique to
have a tape from a radar mechanism which perhaps may
demonstrate the same purposefully-discontinuous mode
of perception.
Associationally, then, whatever caused Flight 389 to
take an abrupt nosedive into the water seems to be in
effect quite similar to the "bio-plasmic" or "pranic" phenomena accompanying a strong ESP impression or poltergeist haunting.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

112

Of course, an airplane crash is not a haunting, and

only a short-sighted u.ltrasonic bat might dart from one to
the other of these mysteries in order to make some sort of
analytical comparison.
This meticulous directional disorientation has probably
led to the widespread use of the colloquial expression
"going bats," which is exactly what happened to the SAGE
radar mechanism and the crew judgment/flight instrumentation of Flight 389. Separately, these sensing devices
lost track of the usual, sequential mode of time duration
and spacial placement. Whether this mutual disorientation
was due to a pocket of altered structural density or the
presence of an alien aircraft using unusual means of propulsion cannot at this time be reliably established.
However. controlled experimentation should be done
to test whether or not psychokinetic concentration can
really alter important electronic characteristics of a continuously-oscillating time standard! such as is utilized in
radar mechanisms. A small instance of this, such as a
psychic concentrating and slightly altering pulse frequency,
might indicate the possibility of larger and more sophisticated effects on molecular structure and/or time perception.

It is a documented fact that certain pilots racing through

the Bermuda Triangle area have experienced unusual
behavior of their stopwatches, which "lost time" in traversing an area where craft often become disoriented .
Possibly the time loss and consistent instances of disorientation in this famous mystery area are due to pockets
of altered structural density, as has been discussed with
reference to Flight 389.
"New Devil's Triangle Mystery." National Enquirer, June 13. 1978.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
on Flight 389:
Gourley, Jay, The Great Lakes Triangle, Fawcett, 1977
on bats:
Griffin, Donald R., Listening in the Dark: The Acoustic Orienta
tion of Bats, Yale University Press, 1958
on radar timing devices:
Chance, Britton, Electronic Time Measurements, Dover. 1966
on molecular electronic density:
Ballhausen, C. J. and Gray, H. B., Molecular Orbital Theory,
W. A. Benjamin, Inc., 1965

HOW TO 'FINGERPRINT' A UFO

AND 'HEAR' ITS LIGHT
by Russ Reardon
available electronic device. a photoA commercially
multiplier, could take us a lot further down the UFO
road by identifying the origination of its light. For example,
when focused on a glowing light bulb, the photomultiplier
not only correctly identifies the source excitation wavelength as tungsten on its meter, but also draws the individual tungsten 'fingerprint' on its pen drop contour plotterrecorder (fig. 2). I should like to know that 24-hour ground
bases would be operational where many UFOs are sighted.
As you know, tungsten and the hundreds of other light
sources each have set wavelengths of light emission (angstroms). So they are easily detected and fingerprinted by
this equipment. Even holograms. Thus when pointed at
a UFO, the source chemical element (or whatever) causing
UFO red. blue. orange, white. or green light, would be
identified, contour mapped, and heard.
Heard? Yes! A photomultiplier can be hooked up to an
audio-amplifier which converts light vibrations-per-second
into sound. And each light source has its own individual
tone on the musical scale. So as a UFO changed colors,
it would literally write its own song! And since we could
then 'hear the light,' that might help us to see the Iightif you get my drift?
I expect the photomultiplier with its moving finger to
paint out a lot of the mystery behind those unknown lights.
Why, it would almost amount to Physical EVidence,
wouldn't it? The only trick would be to 'be there' with
this equipment.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

The photomultiplier is available in the U.S. from EMR

Photoelectric, Princeton, N.J. 08540 (image dissector
detector system Model 658A). Or from Nye Optical Co ..
Spring Valley, Calif. 92077 (spectral range from below
2000 to above 7700A). The photomultiplier with the
pen drop plotter (fig. 1) is an Amino-Bowman Spectrophotofluorometer, Catalogue No. 4-8106. (Both the increment of the excitation wavelength and the scanning
speed of the fluorescence are manually adjustable. In this
way, the entire excitation vs. fluorescence wavelength
domain will be scanned within 10-15 minutes. The photomultiplier will sense the emission intensity level at every
point in the scanned wavelength domain.) Auqioamplifiers
are available from the "Fisher" or the "Edmund's" electronics supply catalogues.
These assemblies with their proven fact-finding potential should be added to our arsenal of motion pictures,
videotapes, still photos, radar scans, computer enhancements, etc., of UFOs. I've described the state of the art of .
identifying the sources of light. Whereas, the present
state of the art of identifying unknown flying objects is dark:
let it be resolved that it won't be too long before one among
us armed with this equipment will show us the right insight in sound and fingerprints of UFO light here on these
pages.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Analytical Chemistry magazine, Vol. 50, No.4, April 1978

113

PEN DROP CONTOUR PlomR DIAGRAM

CJffS[T CONTRCI.

EXCITATION
WAVWNGTH
TRANSMIMI

H-=:-

TO REtORDER 'tXCITATICIN
WAVElfNGTH" AXIS

....._:ro"_IVl
__

r- MANUAL sa

L..._:"'_IVE_I__

HI.._MAN_CCNT_UAL_I:,_-~r-MANUAL sa
R.1IOII.t:5CENCE
WAVEUNGTH
TRANSMIMR

REF

601f1:

TO RECORDER ''FlUORESCOICE
WAVEUNGTH" AXIS

liN
1-~-1 I-INPUT
1'OR1
GAlES

NOTCH filTER

PHOTOMII.TIPLIEI
POWER SUPPLY
PEN SLEW

RETRACE
INHIBIT DELAY

[xCI1ATlON
RETRACE SW

PEN DROP

INHIBIT DElAY

R.UORESCENCE

tON1ACT ClOSURt TO

RElRACE SW

ACTIVAlE RECORDER

PEN LIFT RfLAy

Figure 1- Schematic diagram of the electronics circuit designed to generate the isointensity contour
plot. PMT: photomultiplier; source: excitation light source.

mI

Excitation Wavelength, nm

6
:z:

i .
r---~--~~--~--~----4---~--~.-~--~~.

, ... j

! .,

':.: .. 1..... i ..

.1I

.i

'

J----,...----r---....,...----~---..,---------ff_---~----+_--'-_+'t:_~T_+--_+---+_-

i .." ..~ .

. -;
.~'.,'''~:at
...
I

Figure 2 - A UFO light "fingerprint" would be printed out like this by the photomultipliers' pen
contour plotter.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

114

ULF TREE POTENTIALS AND

GEOMAGNETIC PULSATIONS
by A. C. Fraser-Smith

(Reprinted. by permission. from Nature. Vol. 271.

No. 5645. pp. 641-642. February 16.1978)
Macmillan Journals Ltd .. 1978

measurements of ultra-low-freH IGH-SENSITIVITY

quency (ULF: frequencies less than 5 Hz) geomagnetic pulsations 1 usually require elaborate receiving
antennas ranging from large air-cored coils 2 through multiturn steel, or mumetal-cored solenoids 3. 5 to small superconducting loops immersed in liquid helium 6 . Pairs of
electrodes inserted in the ground have also been used as
antennas 7.8 The need for a large spacing between the
electrodes (varying from hundreds to thousands of metres)
and the difficulty of calibrating the measurements absolutely have resulted in the almost universal use of the
more compact and easily calibrated coil-type antennas in
recent years. I describe here a new method for measuring
ULF geomagnetic pulsations, which requires a minimum
of elaborate equipment. The method is based on the use
of trees, or, more specifically, on the use of pairs of electrodes inserted into trees, as ULF receiving antennas.
There are several reasons that this new method of
measurement may be of interest. The equipment is simple
and thus the method could lead to more Widespread
observations of ULF geomagnetic pulsation phenomena.
The method of measurement also provides new information about tree potentials, that is, it shows that some, and
perhaps all, of the ULF components of these potentials
are induced by ULF geomagnetic field fluctuations and
do not originate in the trees themselves. Finally, although
it is not clear at present what effect induced ULF electric
fields may have on the growth and other vital processes
in a tree, the link between these ULF electric fields and
geomagnetic field fluctuations suggests that some environment-related changes in trees could also be influenced by
changes in geomagnetic activity. These changes may
have a natural origin (for example, the changes that occur
during a solar cycle9) or they may be caused by a variety
of human activities (by modern d.c.-powered mass transit
systems, which can produce large amplitude ULF electromagnetic fields 10) .
The ULF measurements reported here were stimulated
by the work of Burr on relatively steady-state tree potentials 11. Burr recorded these potentials for more than a
decade using a pair of specially-designed non-polarisable
electrodes inserted in the cambium of an unspecified tree
(which was probably a maple). The electrodes were about
a metre apart along the long axis of the tree and Burr
observed diurnal, 27-d, and seasonal variations. as well
as a suggestion of a correlation with sunspot activity, in
their potential difference.
Most of Burr's observations were at frequencies far
PURSUIT Summer 1979

below the frequency range for ULF geomagnetic pulsations.

One series of measurement obtained, however. during
an electrical storm suggested that ULF variations of tree
potentials might occur on occasion. I therefore began a
search for variations with frequencies predominantly in
the Pc 1 geomagnetic pulsation range (0.2-5 Hz). These
frequencies correspond approximately to the delta regime
for human brain waves.
The measurements were made using a large native
- oak, Quercus lobata. that was located near conventional
ULF recording equipment at a site on the Stanford University campus. This latter equipment uses 20.000 turn
steel-cored solenoids as ULF antennas and it operated
continuously throughout the interval during which the
tree measurements were made. Thus, simultaneous
measurements of ULF geomagnetic pulsations using both
conventional loop antennas and a tree 'antenna' were
obtained at one location.
Two steel nails were used as electrodes. Following
Burr's configuration, they were inserted about 0.05 m
into the tree along the long axis. with a spacing of 0.76 m.
The lower electrode was approximately 1 m above the
ground. and the two electrodes faced toward the geomagnetic west. Because the tree was not completely
vertical, a line joining the two electrodes would have
been inclined approximately 20 0 toward the geomagnetic
east. The diameter of the tree midway between the two
electrodes was 0.65 m.
A resistance of about 5 k 0 was typically observed between the electrodes, increasing to about 10 kO if polarisation was allowed to occur. A d.c. potential difference
was also observed that varied from day to day but whose
absolute value was usually in the range 10 to 100 mV,
with the upper electrode positive. The electrodes were
connected to a low-frequency high-gain amplifier through
an RC filter (R = 22 MO. C = 50 y F). The amplifier was
usually set for 50 db gain, and its output was filtered
(0.02 - 7 Hz) before being recorded, generally without
additional amplification. on a chart record and on analog
magnetic tape.
The ULF signals measured by this system were undoubtedly induced in the tree 'antenna' and not in the
shielded cabling between the electrodes and the recording
system; when the electrodes were disconnected from the
tree and connected to an equivalent 5 kO resistor, without any other change in the wiring or configuration of the
system, only a steady low level of white noise (typical resistor thermal noise) was observed.
Similarities between the ULF signals recorded conventionally and with the tree 'antenna' were immediately
apparent on the chart records. More detailed analysis
confirmed that Pc 1 pulsation events recorded by the two
systems were very nearly identical in all their important
characteristics. Figure 1. for example, shows spectrograms of a sequence of four Pc 1 pulsation events that
occurred during the interval 1200 to 1500 UT on 17 January 1976, and which were received by the tree 'antenna'

115
;:: ",. i:

":L. ;.~::;: ";<'.~: ::.::!.: c'; :.:::.:.:);::;;;!

'.

~.:!.

... ~;j\~i;if~:;i{1.~ ,'... :.

1.0-

'.

-I

>.

c
~

C"
~

t1.

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.
'

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.
.I'.
"lr-:"'"
.
~

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'

(a) and the conventional north-south solenoid antenna

(b). With the exception of a lower signal-to-noise ratio for

the tree measurements, the two Pc 1 pulsation records

are closely alike. It will also be noticed that the lower frequency Pc 2/Pc 3 geomagnetic activity (frequencies in
the range 0.02 to 0.2 Hz) is recorded Similarly by both
systems. The amplitude of the ULF pulsations in the tree
potentials is very small. For the Pc 1 pulsations shown in
Fig. 1, the maximum amplitude of the potential fluctuations
was about 0.1 mV.
The nearly identical occurrence and spectral characteristics of ULF events measured by the tree electrodes and
by the conventional ULF equipment indicated that the
tree potentials were largely induced by ULF time variations
of the geomagnetic field. To investigate this possibility,
a portable planar search coil powered by a 1 Hz signal
generator was moved around the tree near the electrodes.
It was found that a 1 Hz oscillation of the potential difference between the tree electrodes was produced only
when the search coil was orientated with its moment vector in the north-south direction. When the two electrodes
were moved to the north face of the tree, a response from
the electrodes could be obtained only when the search
coil moment vector was orientated in the east-west direction. These results, and the observations of natural Pc 1
pulsations, can possibly be best understood by considering
the tree/electrode pair combination to form a collection
of conducting loop antennas in which e.m.fs may be induced by magnetic field fluctuations in the appropriate
direction. The conducting paths are provided by the conducting material of the tree (and the cambium in particular ll), and, for field fluctuations in a particular direction,
the area of the relevant loop antenna is defined by the
intersection of the tree with a vertical plane perpendicular
to the particular field direction and passing through the
two electrodes. Thus, in the measurements reported here,
the Pc 1 pulsation events observed in the tree potentials
were produced by Pc 1 pulsations of the north-south
component of the geomagnetic field.

"

'

... .:.;~:. .
'11'

'. .I

Figure 1
Spectrograms of a series of Pc 1
geomagnetic pulsation events recorded at Stanford, California, using
tree potentials (a) and a conventional solenoid antenna (b). Short
intervals of a 1 Hz calibration signal
appear at the start of each hour.
The vertical lines in the upper spectrogram are c~used either by local
electromagnetic transients or by
natural sferics; similar lines occur
in the lower spectrogram, but they
are not as obvious because the
background noise is comparatively
suppressed.

Further tests showed that the tree potentials could only

be detected in a living tree. Thus, when a tree dies, the
potentials gradually disappear as the wood dries and loses
its conductivity.
In conclusion, measurements with tree electrodes show
that ULF tree potentials are largely produced by ULF
fluctuations of the geomagnetic field (the remaining component of the potentials is probably thermal noise). Presman 12 noted that electromagnetic fields usually have an
adverse effect on living processes. If the ULF geomagnetic
pulsations have any adverse effect on the growth of trees
(and, as we have seen, they must induce electric currents
in the living material) these effects could possibly be observed in tree ring data. Pc 1 geomagnetic pulsation occurrences vary markedly over a solar cycle 9 and thus, if these
particular pulsations affect tree growth, a solar cycle in
tree ring data could occur. LaMarche and Fritts 13 searched
unsuccessfully for a relation between tree ring data and
sunspot numbers. The phase of the Pc 1 pulsation solar
cycle. however, differs by several years from the sunspot
cycle and, assuming the two cycles affect tree ring data,
they may tend to obscure each other's effects. Furthermore, other geomagnetic pulsations and higher-frequency
electromagnetic signals have their own cycles of occurrence, and their effects on tree ring formation, if any,
could add further to the complexity of the tree ring data.
Studies of these possible effects are desirable. because
the tree ring data could provide a unique record of past
ULF and higher-frequency geomagnetic activity.
I thank D. B. Coates for technical assistance. This work
was supported in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the US Department of Defense and in part
by the US Office of Naval Research.
Radioscience Laboratory,
Stanford Electronics Laboratories,
Stanford University,
Stanford, California 94305
PURSUIT Summer 1979

116

REFERENCES
1. Jacobs, J. A. Geomagnetic Micropulsations 15 (Springer,
New York, 1970).
2. Campbell. W. H. Proc. IEEE 51,1337-1342 (1963).
3. Tepley, L. R. J. geophys. Res. 66, 1651-1658 (1961).
4. Lokken, J. E., Shand, J. A. & Wright, C. S. J. geophys.
Res. 68,789-794 (1963).
5. Lokken, J. E. in Natural Electromagnetic Phenomena Below 30 Kc/s (ed. Bleil, D. F.) 373-428 (Plenum, New York 1964).
6. Buxton, J. L. & Fraser-Smith, A. C. IEEE Trans. Geosci.
Elec. GE-12 109-113 (1974).
.
7. Troitskaya, V. A. J. geophys. Res. 66,5-18 (1961).
8. Heacock, R. R. & Hessler. V. P. J. geophys. Res. 67,39853995 (1962).

9. Fraser-Smith, A. C. J. geophys. Res. 75.4735-4745 (1970);

J. geophys. Res. 77. 4209-4220 (1972) .
10. Fraser-Smith, A. C. & Coates, D. B. Radio Sci. (submitted).
11. Burr, H. S. Yale J. Bioi. Med. 17,727-734 (1945): Yale
J. Bioi. Med. 19.311-318 (1947); Science 124, 1204-1205
(1956).
12. Presman, A. S. Electromagnetic Fields and Life (trans!.
Sinclair, F. L.. ed. Brown, F. A. Jr) 155 (Plenum, New York,
1970).
13. laMarche. Jr, V. C. & Fritts, H. C. Tree-Ring Bull. 32, 1933 (1972).

THE WEEKEND EFFECT:

ULF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS,
POWERLINE HARMONICS, AND
AN INTERVIEW WITH
ANTONY C. FRASER-SMITH
field site on the Stanford University campus during
AT aDecember,
1969, continuous recordings of ultralow-frequency (ULF, frequencies less than 5 Hz) were
begun by Stanford geophysicists Antony C. Fraser-Smith
and D. B. Coates.
Although the equipment used was designed specifically for pulsations in the Pc 1 category (0.2 to 5 Hz), it
could also measure activity in the Pc 2 (0.1 to 0.2 Hz)
and Pc 3 (0.022 to 0.1 Hz) frequency bands. Beginning
in 1972, the researchers began observing intermittent
interference in the Pc 2 and Pc 3 bands as well. This interference gradually increased in strength and duration
until, by 1975, it completely dominated activity in the
Pc 2 and Pc 3 bands for some 20 hours of each 24-hour
weekday. Except for a few Saturdays before Christmas,
when typical large-amplitude weekday activity was observed for about 12 hours, the interference was almost
totally absent on weekends.
The unusually regular daily variation of the largeamplitude ULF magnetic signals as well as their distinctive
absence on weekends implied a man-made source. An
initial attempt to reduce the interference by moving the
equipment to another location was unsuccessful, suggesting the interference was not produced in the immediate
vicinity of the Stanford field site. When the equipment
was again moved, this time to a site 14 km from the campus field site, the amplitude of the ULF interference was
only slightly reduced. Finally, the eqUipment was moved
to a site 27 km away from the original one; it was found
that the amplitude of the ULF interference here was even
larger than at the campus site. Furthermore, during the
recording of the signals. D. B. Coates observed the simultaneous occurrence of large-amplitude ULF signals and
the arrival and departure of trains at the nearby Fremont
BART (San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit) station.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

A comparison made between the occurrence of the

ULF interference at the campus site and the BART schedule confirmed that the source of the interference was the
BART system.
In retrospect, the researchers noted that their first observations of large-amplitude ULF interference on the
Stanford campus coincided with BART's preparations for
and the commencement of partial revenue service on
September II, 1972, which involved only 45 km of
double track. Coinciding with the expansion of BART's
service in 1973 and 1974 was the subsequent rapid buildup in intensity of the interference. Full service throughout the 115 km system began September 16. 1974, with
the only major change since that date being the introduction of permanent evening service on January I, 1976.
BART represents the first major transit line constructed
in the United States west of the Mississippi, and its design
involved many innovations. After preliminary tests, a
1000 V dc electric propulsion system was selected, with
the supply voltage to be delivered to the trains by a third
rail conductor located alongside and slightly above the
continuously-welded steel running rails. The BART system was immediately distinguished from other mass transit
systems at the time by the selection of 1000 V dc for traction power. The others typically used ac power (often at a
frequency of 25 Hz) or considerably lower dc voltages
(e.g., 600 V). Although dc electric propulsion systems
with current distribution via a third rail were the first to be
used when railroad electrification was introduced in the
United States, at the time BART was deSigned, the prevailing tendency was to use an ac electric propulsion for
electrified railroad systems. The return to a dc system for
BART and for the new generation of rapid-transit systems
was made possible by improvements in electrical technology.

117

An important feature in regard to ULF generation is

BART's third-rail conductor. The complete third-rail
power distribution system runs about 270 km in length
and is divided into sections which are separated by gaps
that are normally kept closed. The voltage is maintained
by transformer-rectifier substations distributed along the
track at 37 locations, each of which is supplied with 34.5 Kv
ac power by the local electric utility. Contact between the
moving train and the third rail is achieved by means of an
overriding pickup shoe connected to the train. During
acceleration, a loaded 10-car train can draw as much as
7 Mw of power (i.e., a total current in the range 5 to 10 kA).
A typical current path for accelerating trains is as follows: current leaves a transformer-rectifier substation,
passes along the third rail to the train, drives the motors,
passes via the aluminum/steel-rimmed wheels on the
train into the rails, and returns to the substation largely
through the running rails. Since the running rails are only
partially insulated from the ground, some of the current is
also able to flow in the ground back to a grounding screen
at the substation (the screen also connects with the running rails). For a train running at a steady speed or decelerating, the current path is the same as for the accelerating train, but with the current reduced in magnitude.
During deceleration, the current flow reverses due to the
use of dynamic braking, which greatly reduces wear on
the friction brakes. The dynamic braking becomes ineffective and the friction brakes are used to bring the train
to a stop. During this final stage of deceleration, the flow
of current around the current path is comparatively very
small.
Although other possible alternative sources exist for the
BART ULF fields, the strength of the fields observed suggests that it is the current loops associated with each train
which constitute the primary source of the BART ULF
fields. We therefore have the following model for the
generation of the BART ULF fields. First, each train moving
on the tracks produces a time-varying magnetic field (and
therefore also an electric field) because of its associated
system of current loops. Second, the actual ULF fields
measured at a given location at any particular time are
produced by all the trains in operation on the BART tracks
at that time, and they consist of a superposition of contributions from each individual train. Not only is the ULF
characteristics of the BART fields a function of an individual train's motion, it is also therefore a function of the
relative motions of all the trains in operation at any time.
There are several secondary mechanisms which may
also contribute to the BART ULF fields. An extraneous
ULF ripple on the third rail current introduced either at
the substations or through the power supply to the substations, for example, produces its own ULF component
in the fields. ULF modulation of the third-rail current flow
caused by the dc choppers in the train motors may also
occur. Depending on the load, the choppers operate at
frequencies in the range 218 to 230 Hz, and they tend to
change tracks as the load changes. One chopper may
partially or fully lock onto another chopper's frequency,
and in this locked condition beat frequencies in the ULF
range may be produced.
Although the BART trains run according to a schedule,
this ordering has little effect on the electromagnetic fields
produced at a distant point: there may exist as many as
34 independently-varying superimposed contributions to

these fields (a maximum of 34 trains can operate on the

tracks at any time). Should the point of observation be
close to a particular section of the BART tracks, as was
the case when the equipment was moved to a new site,
the electromagnetic fields produced by nearby trains
should consist of a noisy background produced by the
distant trains and would greatly exceed those from distant
trains. Should this be the case, the time variation of the
measured fields should consist of a noiSY background
produced by the distant trains, on which is superimposed
a series of large-amplitude pulses that can be identified
with individual trains on the close section of track. This
variation was also consistent with the scientists' observations.
Since the response of the Stanford equipment used for
the ULF measurements did not extend below 0.03 Hz,
where the BART ULF fields appear to have their largest
amplitudes, the magnetic fluctuations produced by BART
near the center of the system must be very substantial
when compared with the fluctuations produced by natural activity.
One of the major requirements for ULF hydro-magnetic
wave generation in the ionosphere by a ground-based
current array is a large magnetic moment for the array.
As noted, the total ULF magnetic moment of the BART
system must be greatly variable. The track is also located
near sea water, which has a relatively high electrical conductivity. While this would reduce the effectiveness of the
BART system as a generator of ULF hydro-magnetic
waves in the ionosphere, it is still possible that the system
may excite these waves in the lower ionosphere and that
they will propagate over large distances both within the
ionosphere and the magnetosphere. If that were the case,
distance observations of the BART -generated ULF signals may help clarify some of the outstanding questions
about the generation and propagation of natural ULF
signals. Also, the semi-controlled large-amplitude ULF
fields produced in the ground and in the vicinity of the
BART "antenna" could possible be used to probe the
structure of the ground. More speculatively, they could
be used to monitor the electrical characteristics of earthquake faults in the San Francisco Bay area and in other
locations where the fields are still measurable.
For some time, the study of naturally occurring ULF
geomagnetic pulsations has been hindered by the lack of
artifiCial, controlled sources which would make possible
active experiments in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere and thus help distinguish source and propagation
effects. There has been an interest in developing an artificial, controlled source of ULF electromagnetic fields for
this purpose. For this reason, the identification of the
BART system as a powerful and potential completely
specified source of ULF electromagnetic fields is of considerable interest. Its existence could make possible new
experiments on ULF wave generation and propagation
which could aid in explaining some of the properties of
the naturally occurring ULF signals.
Other systems similar to the BART system are planned
in the United States and elsewhere. It appears likely that
all these systems will produce large-amplitude ULF electromagnetic fields. Proliferation of these sources may
pose an interference threat to geomagnetic observatories
that are well removed from the new rapid transit systems.
If ionosopheric propagation of the ULF interference should
PURSUIT Summer 1979

118

be involved, it is possible that geomagnetic observatories

could record ULF interference at distances of 1000 km or
more, depending on the strength of the sources and the
ionospheric conditions.
Attention should also be drawn to other possible sources
of ULF electromagnetic fields. These possible sources, in
addition to other rapid transit systems similar to BART,
include high-voltage dc power transmission lines, electric
railways using dc power, and dc-powered mine haulage
systems. Although there is presently only one high-voltage
dc (HVDC) transmission line in operation in the United
States, more HVDC lines will soon become operational.
It is expected that these lines will become increasingly
more important and Widespread in future years. Since
the HVDC lines are of great length and carry large currents (the existing one-the Pacific Intertie-is about
1300 km long and can carry currents up to 1800 A),
they are potentially powerful sources of ULF electromagnetic fields provided that ULF fluctuations in line current
can occur and that the separation between the cables is
large enough to give a current loop with a substantial
magnetic moment.
In September 1978 SITU representatives traveled to
the Stanford campus to speak with Dr. Fraser-Smith.
We asked him about an overall weekend increase in disturbances of the earth's magnetic field ("geomagnetic
activity") that he has observed, and how his findings relate
to those of another Stanford professor, Robert A. Helliwell,
whose theoretical work done over the last 20 years indicates that a small amount of radiation leaking from the
earth's surface into space can there provoke a disturbance
about one thousand times greater than itself. Some of
Fraser-Smith's data is derived from century-old records,
and he finds the effect persisting from the present until
about 80 years ago. Fraser-Smith's suggestion that the
weekend effect is caused in part by the power lines that
crisscross the United States is corroborated by Helliwell's
more recent research. Describing their work, Dr. FraserSmith clearly indicated the importance of their findings:
"The initial idea for a search for a weekend change in
geomagnetic activity came from our studies of the interference created by BART. Our equipment at Stanford
was getting saturated for about 12 hours or more a day,
except on weekends. At the time we did not know that
BART was the source of the interference, but it seemed
pretty clear that the source had to be man-made-there
is no reason for nature to have a "weekend effect,," as
1 have been calling it. So I began analyzing some data
coming in from remote stations around the world which
should be completely free from man-made effects. When
I analyzed it I found there was a tendency for this activity
to peak up a little bit on weekends. The fact that there
was a weekend effect indicated to me that there was
some man-made contamination. That's how we got into
this weekend effect-thinking of man-made contamination.
"At the same time, Helliwell and his collaborators,
working in parallel with me. were looking into the power
line harmonic radiation in great detail, and they began to
feel that the radiation was not only passing out through
the earth's atmosphere into space, it was actually getting

PURSUIT Summer 1979

out there and modifying the Van Allen radiation belt particles and through them modifying a lot of other thingsin fact modifying many things out there in the radiation
belt region that we had always thought were completely
free of human effects.
'This finding coincided very nicely with my work, because the only possible explanation I could see for the
weekend effect I had been observing was that it was caused
by power line harmonic radiation, the reason being that
there's less power used during weekends from the big
power-producing regions, so the radiation from there is
less. Assuming the power line harmonic radiation suppresses the natural processes that produce geomagnetic
activity, there should be more activity on weekends.
"I guess the feeling that comes out of all our work is
that everything is tied together rather more closely than
we thought in the past. Helliwell was observing effects in
his very-low-frequency (VLF) range, and I was observing
effects in the ultra-low-frequency (ULF) range that were
all produced by the one source: 60 Hz and 50 Hz harmonic radiators on the earth. We are quite sure these
effects are occurring now and that they are really quite
important scientifically.
"The proliferation of sources of electromagnetic fields
in recent years has begun to worry me. My work indicates that there is now no place on earth where geomagnetic activity is unaffected by human activities. And then
there is the huge increase in electromagnetic fields produced in the San Francisco Bay area by BART. Physicists are very well aware of the fact that electric fields add
up. They may also subtract, but if they are in the same
direction they will add up. It doesn't matter what their
frequency is, they always add and subtract.
"Any cell in my body is exposed to the electric fields
from: the student transmitter here at Stanford; the electric fields generated by the BART fluctuations; electric
fields generated by microwave radiation; electric fields
generated by fluorescent lighting; and all these things
have a general tendency to increase the overall level.
'This room. for example, is full of all sorts of electromagnetic radiation. Every cell in my body has a level of
electric and magnetic fields around it, and I know that
once the electric field reaches a certain level it is possible
to disrupt some of the structure within the cell. So it worries
me generally that we are being exposed to an increaSing
total of electromagnetic fields and that people investigating
particular types of radiation may not be fully aware of
other types of radiation and how they may all interact.
'The problem is, we have a situation where there are
so many sources of electromagnetic radiation that there's
no way of minimizing it anymore. The whole world is becoming contaminated. At the moment there's no real
effort being made to minimize it."

.. .

The information in this article has been extracted, by permiSSion.

from an article entitled "Large amplitude ULF electromagnetic
fields from BART," by A. C. FraserSmith and D. B. Coates. in
Radio Science. Vol. 13, No.4. JulyAugust, 1978. pp. 661
668, and from a personal interview with Dr. FraserSmith by
SITU representatives R. Martin Wolf and Steven Mayne in
September. 1978.

119

WHAT TO BELIEVE - OR,

PARING DOWN THE PARADIGM
by Dr. Arlan Keith Andrews, Sr.
It should be reiterated that no statement made by
an individual author in the pages of Pursuit should
be taken to represent the views of the Society as a
whole.
In printing the following article, the editors of
Pursuit feel that Dr. Andrews is making a valid point
(j.e., phenomena must be evaluated by means of a
"reality check, " or in his own words "by comparing
what we observe with what we have previously
classified as 'real' and 'not-real"'). We should point
out, however, that there are inherent dangers in
that approach, and Dr. Andrews perches precariously on the edge of that danger zone. The problem
lies in denying any new possibilities solely because
we have never considered them previously as part
of our reality paradigm. Any consensus of reality
must constantly re-evaluate itself, and new discoveries in all fields of research contribute to the reevaluation of our reality.
Dietrick E. Thomsen, the Senior Editor of Science
News, speaks for a lot of us when, in answer to
a letter to the editor (in Science News, Vol. 115,
No.2, Jan. 13, 1979), he writes: "To insist that the
only reality are phenomena that can be submitted
to the paradigms of classical science is itself a religion."
The editors of Pursuit would only add one word
more to Thomsen's observation: Amen.

HAT do
believe? As a
reader (and preWsumably
a Fortean of sorts) you are exposed to an
you

Pursuit

unending stream of "Damned Facts" -from falling frogs

to Sasquatch, from UFOs to Vile Vortices-all outside
the conventional scientific "paradigm," or basic perceived
order of the Universe. Obviously, Forteans are willing to
accept-or at least speculate upon-a wider range of
occurrences, and thus by definition, have a wider paradigm. We also tend toward rather unusual theories to
account for these unusual events. Perhaps justifiably, we
are somewhat proud of our broader glimpses of the Truth.
But must we believe everything?
The purpose of developing a notion of universal order
is to help to claSSify knowledge, allOWing us to determine
the priorities of actions that should occur as the environment changes. These "events" (i.e., changes in the environment as perceived) are broadly classed as "real" and
"not real." If an event is judged to be "real," such as an
oncoming auto, we initiate action-in this case, jumping
aside. If an event is perceived to be "not-real," such as a
dream, mirage, or optical illusion, usually no physical
action is taken. Thus a reality check occurs by comparing
what we observe with what we have previously classified
as "real" and "not-real." This human instinct of realitychecking is at once an evolutionary survival trait and a
possibly dangerous mental straightjacket.

A primitive paradigm that viewed natural forces as

gods to be placated served Man as spiritual comfort for
thousands of years by explaining the injustices of brutal
life-yet exacted a terrible cost in progress, toil, and human
life.
As technology attenuated the severity of life in the wild,
Man adjusted the paradigms accordingly, until the modern
age evolved with its two antithetical views-nature with
and without God, or Religion versus Science. Although
Science demands more rigorous training for its acolytes
and shows more material gains for their efforts, both sects
are based on faith in unseen forces and each is relatively
intolerant of other views.
As Forteans we have feet in both of these camps and
others as well-with the remaining Pagans and their
natural (i.e., Earth) religions; with parapsychologists who
hover between the Two Powers; and with the scientific
UFOlogists who are beyond them all! And as such, we
must have special requirements for a believable, if not
quite totally knowable, paradigm, against which to perform our own "reality-checks." We must have consistent
rules if we are to convert others to our paradigm.
For example, consider a recent Pursuit article about a
photograph of a Loch Ness creature. When submitted to
photoanalysis the "creature" appeared to be transparent
with background waves showing through! Rather than
merely saying, "Tough luck, lads; please don't bother us
any more with such stuff, we haven't the time," we were
subjected to affidavits as to the veracity of the photographer
and his wonderful personality, and then to suggestions
that the creature must have been "multi-dimensional"
and therefore naturally semi-transparent!
Fellow Forteans, when we submit evidence to conventional scientific evaluation. we implicitly agree to abide by
the rules of the game! If we bring a Geiger detector to a
UFO landing site and detect no radiation, do we then say
that there must be "anti-radiation" and therefore not detectable? If our thermistors in a haunted house fail to
register temperature changes in the "cold spots," do we
reject the negative results and suggest an entire alternate
universe to explain our failure? Of course not. We question the observers, record the known correlations and
then file the data. If such data is "real" it can eventually
be compared to other such events and some pattern or
forms detected. In this way we evolve a paradigm for
Fortean studies. We cannot have a useful means of judging
progress if we do not generate that "reality-check." If we
are forced to believe, or spend our time evangelizing
others to believe, that everything is real, that no hoaxers
exist, that no misinterpretation of natural phenomena
occurs, we are doomed to wander forever in the occult
wasteland. Like the roadside fortunetellers of the last
50,000 years, we would play games with our vast psychic
potential and waste it on superstition and trivia.
As one example, the enormous amount of harm Uri
Geller has foisted upon our field is incalculable. While
performing inane sleight-of-hand tricks on credulous
PURSUIT Summer 1979

120

"scientists," he has caused predictably unproductive research into "key-bending," diverting time and funds from
other PK research. A simple reality-check with James
Zwinge and Yascha Katz (respectively, a magician and
Geller's former manager) would have saved thousands of
man-hours and millions of words in magazines and journals. But the damage is done, and continues. And supposedly, robots from Hoova continue to direct Uri toward
Messiahship ...
"Everything is possible" is a common Fortean statement. Whether it is a true sentiment or not, we do observe that everything is not equally probable. This process of categorizing probabilities gives us our meaning of
'reality." It is much more probable, in my paradigm, that
Adamski's saucers were chicken brooders. than that the
far side of the Moon is inhabited, or that Venus is a nice

place to live. It is much more likely, in my universe, that

the Loch Ness creatures are closely related to all other
forms of Earthly life, than that they exist in more than
three dimensions. Why?
In Adamski's case, we have objective proof that his
celestial bodies don't support life as we know it. In the
Loch Ness case. Nessie reports are consistent with activities of f1esh-and-blood amphibians, and furthermore,
there are no-repeat zero, zilch-cases of a sighting,
capture, carcass, feces, tracks, etc., of any living creature
that is occasionally transparent and that lives in and out of
our dimensions.
If we attempt to create entirely new universes and new
laws to "explain" each anomalous event, we may as well
forget any concept of advancement of our cause or progress toward solutions. And if you perSist, count me out.

THE ONE PHYSICAL EXPERIMENT

IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN
by T. 8. Pawlicki
the end of the Nineteenth Century, the science of
AT physics
was brought to an impasse by paradoxes
created first by the Young Twin-Slit Experiment and finally by the Michelson-Morley Experiment. Albert Einstein
is credited with the greatest stroke of scientific genius of
all time by proposing the equations of the Special Theory
of Relativity as a solution to the Michelson-Morley Experiment. But Einstein's stroke was not of genius; it was a stroke
of the same audacity that inspired Alexander to cut the
Gordian Knot. The Michelson-Morley Experiment proved
by measurement that light always manifests the same
speed relative to every observer regardless of the velocity
of the observer. All Einstein proposed was a contraction
of time and/or space in geometric ratio to speed so that
the product of the two functions remained constant. Relativity explains nothing at all; it is merely a Fisherman's
Rule to make the experimental data conform to the bookkeeping system. Pressed between a similar gap between
inventory and accounts payable, businessmen exercise
conSiderably more mathematical acumen to compress
profits relative to the velocity of cash flow, but commercial
accountants do not regard fiddling the books as indication
of any great genius unless it gets past the auditors from
the IRS; would Relativity pass a tax audit? But no one
cared that Einstein's equations told us nothing about the
way the universe unfolds that was not already known,
as long as it lifted the science of physics over the impasse.
Once past the mental block. no one made any further
attempt to explain the Michelson-Morley Experiment.
and the Young Twin-Slit Experiment was forgotten along
with all the other experiments that threaten the validity of
the prevailing wisdom.
In the Young Experiment, an electron is directed at a
target surface drilled with two microscopic apertures placed
PURSUIT Summer 1979

as close together as technologically feasible. Under observation, the electron passes through one hole or the other,
registering the event as a splat on a sheet of photographic
film directly behind the target screen. The Young Experiment proves that the electron is a particle.
But whEm the same experiment is performed in the dark,
the electron passes through both holes at the same time.
The event registers on the photographic film as a diffraction wave pattern of concentric circles expanding from
each aperture, and a wave interference pattern where the
two intersect. The Young Experiment proves conclusively
that the electron is a structure of waves. This experiment,
producing contradictory data, is called the one fact of
physics impossible to explain, by Nobel prizewinner Richard
Feynman.
Now, phYSiCists have tolerated the wave/particle paradox since at least the time of Newton, so one more experiment is regarded as inconsequential. The Young
Experiment, however, is not merely another paradox to
molder in the scientific closet, but a fatal disaster to the
entire philosophy of science. The foundation of scientific
conception is the axiomatic belief that the universe is an
objective reality that unfolds according to regular laws
regardless of observation. The significance of the Young
Experiment is not another example of the wave/particle
paradox, but the conclusive fact that the action of light
converts a wave structure into a particle structure. This,
in itself, is a momentous discovery which no respectable
professional scientist, with the exception of Tom Bearden,
is willing to countenance. And now that Bearden is calling
attention to the experiment, the profession does not want
to countenance Bearden.
The observation that the action of light can convert
a wave phenomenon into a particle phenomenon is selfevident and superficial, however novel it may be. It takes
no heavy sweat to formulate a set of equations to accommodate the fact and fit the mechanism into the scientific

121

structure of photo-activity, like the effect of light upon

silver halide. Unlike the conversion of silver halide, however, the conversion of wave to particle in the Young
Experiment is not the effect of radiation, of any frequency,
but of light. The only difference between radiation and light
is the perception of the observer. In other words, it is the
act of observation that converts a diffuse and undifferentiated wave structure into a particle structure possessing
mass, instant and location.
You will recognize by now that the paradox resembles
the old problem as to whether a tree falling in a forest
makes a sound if no one is present to hear it. The Young
Experiment goes further to prove that there is no sound,
no tree and no forest unless someone is present to perceive them. Reality is a special kind of solipsism. Now,
Quantum Physics has always accepted the concept that
the mechanical process of perception alters the phenomenon being observed, but scientific belief cannot accommodate the proposition that the act of observation not
only defines but Virtually creates objective reality. This
proof threatens to dissolve science in a sea of magic.
In my previous article, "Mind Over Matter" (Pursuit,
Vol. 11, No. I, Winter, 1978), the Michelson-Morley
Experiment is resolved upon immediate inspection of the
Plate Flutter Model. The wave functions of the Fitzgerald
Contraction are also self-evident in the Model because it
requires merely two dimensions of space to demonstrate
the mechanics. The Young Twin-Slit Experiment can be
proven by the Plate Flutter Model as well, but the mechanics are not in evidence because the operations require
a full extension of space in all six dimensions. It requires
a developed faculty for spacial visualization to project the
coordinates of the Plate Flutter Model from two dimensions
to six, so if you are unable to conceptualize more than
one, two or three extensions of space, you will have to
look at the following geometry without recourse to valid
criticism. I am sorry that I lack the mathematical training
to express these concepts in the conventional language
of algebra, so I am limited to performing my operations
with tangible models. This is not quite so great a handicap
as my critics charge because a tangible working model is
the incontrovertible proof that the calculations are correct;
one cannot be sure that more abstract mathematics possess
anything more than formal propriety until the answers are
tested with a tangible model. For those who believe tangible reality is not quite so real as abstract reality, however,
Tom Bearden has formulated a set of algebraic equations
summing up the propositions of this article; he describes it
as the photonic reaction, and his copyrighted papers are
on file in the United States Defense Department Library.
If iron filings are used to render the lines of force visible
around a small bar magnet, it will be seen that the dynamic
field has the geometric configuration of a torus. The crosssection is shown in figure 1. The length, width and height
are the three axes of extension in space. The lines of force
are a wave pattern, and this wave pattern is the essential
definition of the field torus. Wave length not only establishes the radial extension of the field, but also the energy
level of the field at any given point. Because energy level
is essential to the field, but not included in axial dimensions, the wave length functions as a fourth spacial dimension. There are more cogent proofs establishing frequency
as the fourth dimension of space/time, and I have described
them to some extent in other articles, but the fourth dimen-

sion is not pertinent to the Young Experiment. The Young

Experiment yields its data from the mechanism of phase.
Phase determines where the full spectrum of wavelengths
in a field torus intersect. Phase is the fifth dimension of
space/time, and the Young Experiment proves that
phase is the factor determining where and when a field
will become manifest as particle.
The vectors of white sound manifest no preferred direction. Therefore. each wave flow in one direction must
be balanced by a counterflow in the opposite direction.
If flow and counterflow are equal and opposite, however,
the Plate Flutter Model would have to be an experiment
demonstrating statics, not dynamics. Since we know that
the velOcity of the material powder in the Plate Flutter
Model is a function of phase tuning, it follows that the
very material particles of the powder must themselves be
phase tuned. The lines of force surrounding a magnet are
static standing-waves. This means that the magnetic field
torus must be generated by a flow of essential wave energy
balanced by a counterflow. Yet, electrons and other
charged particles will flow from one pole of the field to
the other. This means that the electrons, and other charged
or polarized particles, must be phase tuned to the frequencies manifest by the magnetic field.
The phenomenon of standing-waves moving in a field
of random vectors can be explained by a geometrical
structure calculated from the equations of Probability.
The field is comprised of three toroids interpenetrating
each other, each torus being constituted of vector flow
and counterflow in equal balance, and the central axis of
each torus is aligned at right angles to the other two, as
shown in figure 2. This is a six-dimensional structure
which cannot be represented clearly in a two-dimensional
diagram. You must possess the faculty for multidimensional spacial visualization to understand its local relationships and internal dynamics. But even if this structure
were presented to you as a full-dimensional model, without the faculty for spacial analysis, you would be incapable of perceiving what you observed, just as philosophers
were incapable of perceiving that all objects fell with the
same acceleration until Galileo showed them how to see.
(For opening the eyes of philosophers, you will remembet,
Galileo got put to the Inquisition. The moral may be to let
sleeping dogs lie.)
Although the field of random vectors is balanced in all
directions on a gross scale, on a Quantum scale, waves
move in one direction and another. The Calculus of The
Drunkard's Walk proves that the result of all the little
movements is a spiral vortex, balanced by a countervortex. We find, then, that a field of random vectors can
be defined as a congregation of infinitesimal wave vortices harmonically integrated to form an ascending scale of
compound vortices until the entire defined field spins as
a single unit. Because the number of vectors is Virtually
infinite, and the number of elementary vortices only
nominally less numerous, every part of the field vortex is
identical to every other part for all practical purposes.
In theory, very fine distinctions can be made throughout
the conformation of the field vortex, and these distinctions
are critical to the way its phenomena unfold. but these
definitions are another story. For most practical purposes,
the field vortex is a perfect hologram.
A hologram is structurally undifferentiated. Anyone
who has played with commercially marketed holograms
PURSUIT Summer 1979

122

- - ---+---

FIGURE
FIELD

TORUS

ILLUSTRATiNG

FLOW VECTORS AND

. knows, however, that when the radiation coming from

a hologram is subjected to the operation of a phase-tuned
filter, a stereo-image becomes manifest. Manufactured
holograms are not structurally undifferentiated: their
waves are biased with the pictorial image. If a perfectly
random hologram is subjected to a regular, phase-tuned
filter, a standing-wave, spherical vortex will become manifest within the field, the dimensions of the material structure
being a function of the frequency of the filter. As a dynamic
field structure, the standing-wave sphere will not only
spin on its own polar axis, but also revolve around the
main axis of its field. The revolutions will also precess
around the other two axes of the field. The Plate Flutter
Model will show the rotation of the standing-wave vortex
and its revolution around the axis of the entire field along
a spiral trajectory. We can infer, therefore, that the particles of powder function as a phase-tuned filter to select
one set of resultants from the undifferentiated hologram.
You will recognize that this model represents an electron
in its atomic field and a planet in its stellar field.
Essentially, the field vbrtex is an undifferentiated and
PURSUIT Summer 1979

1
COUNTERFLOW

infinite wave structure. This is why the electronic field will

pass through both slits at the same time in the Young
Experiment. There, you have the paradox half-explained
already. See how easy it is when you do not give way to
panic at the prospect of intellectual catastrophe?
When the electronic field is phase differentiated, however, the electron becomes manifest as a particle, and this
material sphere can pass through only one slit at a time.
There, you have the other half of the paradox. The impossible did not take a bit longer, did it?
Now, you are going to tell me that I have explained
nothing. What produces the differentiation of phase in
the electronic field? Well, this is so obvious that I did not
think it worthy of further mention. If the electron is manifest as a wave structure in the dark and a particle structure
in the light, there cannot be the slightest question that light
functions as a phase-tuned filter.
The Young Twin-Slit Experiment is proven conclUSively,
but a properly scientific curiosity will not be satisfied with
the information that light functions as a phase tuner,
creating our material reality from the infinite potential

123

FIGURE 2
FIELD VORTEX COMPOSED OF 3 FIELD TORI
realities of the undifferentiated field. The problem, like all
good scientific pursuits, is elevated to a higher level. How
and why does light define our reality? It is at this point
that the solution to the Young Experiment terrifies scientific
philosophy and the Experiment becomes a proper subject
of Fortean enquiry. In my previous article, I presented
evidence showing that frequency of radiant energy determines the state of conscious perception. The frequency
that is consciousness is experienced as light. Therefore,
consciousness is a phase defined space; the current pursuit of consciousness as a phenomenon of purely frequency
is a red herring. It follows that the phase angle to which
a consciousness is tuned creates the physical body of the
perceiver from the matrix of the universal hologram along
with all of the objects of perception. In other words, everything perceived as real is a physical extension of each
person's own mind. The fact that we share a common
reality is due to the fact that we are all tuned to the same
phase. All education is determined to reinforce the reality

AT

RIGHT

ANGLES

of the dominant minds in society by making as certain as

the vicissitudes of biology make possible, that everyone
of us is locked into the same phase of consciousness.
This is what religion is all about, and this is why all religious
philosophies must be essentially totalitarian. Modern
science is the most totalitarian of all religions, according
to its most respected spokespeople.
At this point, my calculations and models differ from
Bearden's. Insofar as I am able to understand his equations,
the Bearden "photonic reaction" is manifest as an abrupt
right-angle rotation of phase when light intersects with an
undifferentiated field. Because my models establish phase
rotation as the definitive measure of energy, I fail to see
how this abrupt rotation can occur without a drastic conversion of energy. I expect the reason for our difference is that we are doing our respective analyses on
different scales, but Bearden is slow to make his datum
points clear to me. On my scale of operation, rotation of
phase is gradual and directly commensurate with spacial
PURSUIT Summer 1979

124

extension. What we recognize as consciousness is defined by phase focussing to such a fine angle of perception that the distinction between form and field can be
seen only as squarely abrupt. Persons experienced in
tuning their heads to alternative states of consciousness
testify to a gradual defocussing of phase with a commensurately gradual loss of definition between form and field.
As phase focussing increases its acceptance angle, the
light spreads into the dark of the field until everything is
lost in its brilliance. This is what the divine light is all about.
All human enterprise is ambiv~lent. The scientific curiosity is as terrified of learning as it is eager to know. It is in
its attempts to serve both passions that science has become
complicated, ritualized and obscurantist. The Young
Twin-Slit Experiment has been put aside as insoluble not
because it is refractory but because its solution is altogether

too clear and immediate to satisfy the human ambivalence.

You see, when you combine the data of the Young
Experiment with the Plate Flutter Model and the research
into brain waves, you will find that the process of tuning
one's consciousness to an extremely fine focus is identical
to the mechanical operation of bringing material bodies
into existence into this life. Conversely, loss of phase
focussing is identical to death and dematerialization.
These simple experiments prove conclUSively that all the
great religions are based on an essential scientific provable
truth, but no ecumenical philosophy is emotionally capable of accepting the truth of its own faith. And science is
the most ecumenical of all philosophies established as an
institution. In other words, scientific problems are refractory mainly because too many scientists are not wholly
scientific.

METRICATION: EVEN PYRAMID POWER

WON'T SAVE THE SACRED INCH
by Robert J. Schadewald
The following article is reprinted with permission from the
August, 1978 issue of TWA Ambassador magazine, copy
righted (first rights only) by Trans World Airlines, Inc., and
from the author, Robert Schadewald.

Joshua dragged his feet around Jericho, and Noah

I Fmeasured
the Ark in inches, why are we adopting the
metric system? Why, indeed?
On December 23, 1975, President Ford signed the
Metric Conversion Act, and the U.S. began inching toward
metrication. The response from the public hasn't exactly
broken the applause meter. Many people seem to think
that the British system of measurements-inches, pounds
and degrees Fahrenheit-is somehow sacred. There's just
a chance they might be right.
Ironically, metrication coincides with a boom in "Pyramid Power." By this time, you must have heard about the
mysterious and beneficial occult energy supposedly generated by the pyramid shape. According to believers, the
pyramid energy helps mummify mummies. If you store
food in a pyramid-shaped container, it won't spoil. Razor
blades kept in a pyramid are sharpened. Meditating in a
pyramid will increase your cosmic awareness, and a pyramid over your bed ....
What exactly does Pyramid Power have to do with the
metric system? Well, back in 19th-century England, the
pyramids, along with Noah and Joshua, were dragged
into a conspiracy to block metrication.
To begin With, the French concocted the metric system
at the close of the 18th century as a replacement for their
archaic system of measurements. Rather than make the
new units purely arbitrary, they made the length of the
meter equal to l/lO,OOO,OOOth of the distance from the
equator to the North Pole. Then a liter is l/lOth of a meter,
cubed, and a kilogram is the weight of a liter of water.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

The metric system has some obvious advantages, and

in 1854, a Decimal Association was organized in England
to promote its adoption. Had England gone metric then,
the U.S. would have followed. But there was broad-based
opposition in England: aristocrats associated the metric
system with the French Revolution; the merchant and
working classes were generally opposed, and so were a
few scientists. The brilliant young Astronomer Royal of
Scotland, Charles Piazzi Smyth, set out to defeat it.
Smyth based his strategy on an obscure book by one
John Taylor, The Great Pyramid: Why Was It Built? And
Who Built It? Though Taylor had never seen the Great
Pyramid of Cheops, he was able to conclude that it wasn't
designed by a heathen Egyptian. Taylor's suspicion that
Noah was the actual architect is discounted by modern
pyramidologists, and even Smyth wasn't convinced. But
Smyth was very impressed by Taylor's proof that the inch
was the basic unit of measurement used on both the Great
Pyramid and the Ark. If the Ark was measured in inches,
it would be a sacrilege to abandon the inch for the centimeter, Smyth reasoned.
Smyth studied everything written about the Great Pyramid and all the measurements made of it. He concluded
that the fundamental unit of measurement was indeed
the "sacred inch," and that said unit varied from the British
inch by only l/lOth of one per cent.
There was more. In a chamber of the Great Pyramid,
there is a hollowed-out block of granite, much like a bathtub. Egyptologists believe it is a sarcophagus intended to
hold the mummy of Cheops. Taylor had suggested that
the capacity of the sarcophagus was precisely equal to the
capacity of the Ark of the Covenant, which Joshua had
carried around Jericho to make the walls come tumbling
down. Smyth's studies of the sarcophagus convinced him
that the Egyptians also used the pint and the pound.
The Great Pyramid turned out to be a storehouse of
knowledge supporting the sacred old British way of mea-

125

suring things. Consider: the base of the pyramid is 9,125

sacred inches long, which, divided by the number of days
in the year, is 25. Twenty-five inches is the sacred cubit,
Smyth figured, exactly l/lO,OOO,OOOth of the earth's
polar radius. Furthermore, the height of the pyramid is a
billionth of the distance to the sun, and its weight is a
quadrillionth of the weight of the earth.
Smyth published his two-volume refutation of the metric
system, Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid, in 1864.
The books were very successful, and the Metric Act,
which passed Parliament that year, did not make the
metric system mandatory, but only allowed its use in certain cases. Even this concession to the metric system was
repealed in 1878.

Smyth's triumph was only temporary. His speculations

about the pyramid had a brief vogue, but Egyptologists
now universally considered his sacred inch and sacred
cubit sheer fantasy. Only a few pyramidologists (privately
referred to by Egyptologists as "pyramidiots") still defend Smyth's ideas. England has gone metric, and the
U.S. is rapidly following. For the ultimate insult, some
occult supply houses now offer "Power Pyramids" in
metric sizes.
Poor Smyth must be rotating beneath his-you guessed
it-pyramid-shaped tombstone.

ORNITHOLOGICAL ERRATICS:
WINTER 1978-1979
by Loren Coleman
OME unusual winter visitors have been Sighted in the
S
United States during 1978-1979, especially as viewed
from my vantage point in the Northeast.
In October and November 1978, most of the focus was
on Rhode Island. There, in a field in South Kingstown on
November 11th, an unidentified hunter shot and killed a
European barnacle goose which was among a flock of
Canada and snow geese. Barnacle geese winter in Scotland and Ireland. Around the same time, a South African
shelduck of a sort which usually travel between Cape
Town and the Transvaal was Sighted in the South Kingstown-Charlestown, Rhode Island area. Most "experts"
felt the shelduck was an aviary escapee. They were not
so certain about the barnacle goose. "It's just an unusual
year," Charles Wood of the Audubon Society of Rhode
Island said. 1
Around the same time, also in Rhode Island, a white
pelican made an appearance, and the speculation was
the pelican was working his way home to the Gulf of
Mexico via Little Compton and Newport. l Perhaps, for in
October-November, 1978, another white pelican was
Sighted on Cape Cod. 2 Or perhaps not; the white pe Iican
sighted in Rhode Island was the first one seen there since
1946. 3
Meanwhile in the Chicago area, on five occasions from
November 19 to December 1, bird-watchers spotted a
Ross's gull. This was only the second time the Ross's gull
had been reported in the continental United States. In the
spring of 1975, an estimated 3,000 people viewed the
bird from a beach near Boston. The gull is a native of the
Arctic and breeds in Siberia. It has been sighted in northern Europe twelve times. Dr. William Beecher, Director
of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, commented on the
recent sightings: "The bird has gotten here and it's rare.
Aside from that we can't hinge any facts on it."4.5
Some Arctic birds tend to be infrequent visitors to the
United States during the colder months of the year, but
the 1978-1979 season appears to be exceptional.

A phenomenal number of Arctic owls have been reported in the northeast since November 1978. Snowy
owls have always been well-known Arctic viSitors, and
Marcia Litchfield, naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, told me usually one or two are reported in
New England every year. But this year, as of the 30th of
January 1979, she noted "conservatively" fifteen snowy
owls have been seen in Massachusetts alone. 2 For example, a snowy owl was observed guarding its prey,
a pigeon, on a building in downtown Pittsfield in November; a snowy owl was seen near runway 4 at Logan Airport
in December; and two snowy owls were viewed near Salisbury in January, all in Massachusetts. 6 .7.8 Snowy owls
were sighted in increased numbers throughout the northern
United States.
Another Arctic owl, the hawk owl, was being reliably
reported from the northern extremes of the northeast.
Four, maybe five, were seen in Maine, and two were
Sighted in New Brunswick during November-December
1978 and January 1979. 2 During the last week of January vague sightings of a hawk owl. near Seabrook, New
Hampshire, and Salisbury, Massachusetts, were recorded
by the Massachusetts Audubon SOciety. 8
Great gray owls, yet another Arctic interloper, were
also seen throughout the northeast. Three were Sighted
in upstate New York, and during mid-January, one was
seen on Long Island. The Long Island incident was viewed
as extremely rare as the great gray owl is hardly ever seen
that far south. 2 During the third week in January, one of
these owls was' frequenting Hancock, New Hampshire,
and in the last week of that month, great gray owls were
seen concurrently at the Audubon SOCiety headquarters
in Falmouth, Maine, and the Ipswich Wildlife Sanctuary
at Topsfield, Massachusetts. 2.8.9 In February, a great gray
owl was Sighted around Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Marcia Litchfield, Audubon SOciety naturalist, felt all the
Arctic owls were being forced southward by the lack of
food, and noted the sheltered nature of the sanctuaries
gave them an oasis for survival. 2
The rarest specimen to be spotted in the invasion of
Arctic owls is the boreal owl seen at Salisbury, Massachusetts, on December 31, 1978. This Arctic owl is a native
PURSUIT Summer 1979

126

of northern Canada and Alaska, and Joan Irish, another

Audubon Society naturalist, felt it may have come south
because of inclement weather in the far north. Heidi
Harrington took a series of excellent photographs of
Salisbury's boreal owl, the first one viewed in New England
in 36 years. The owl was not seen before or after th~ 31st
of December, and thus it was fortunate Heidi got her
snapshots, for I am certain no one would have believed
her. 10
Arctic owls are irregular visitors to the continental United
States but they do seem to have a cyclical pattern of reappearances. This has especially been found to be true of
snowy owls. I have records of snowy owls being found in
central Illinois in January 1967, and January 1971. 11 . 12
In the context of the reports of one of those finds, an
Audubon Society spokesperson is quoted as saying that
every fourth year the birds migrate south from the Arctic
when their food supply runs low. 11 Projecting this pattern from 1967 and 1971, then January 1979 would
appear to fit within this fourth-year pattern for snowy
owls. But why the increase in sightings of other Arctic owls?
Even within the Massachusetts Audubon Society there
appears to be a disagreement. Joan Irish, on the one
hand, feels the weather is to blame, and Marcia litchfield pOints to the food supply. The latter reason would
agree with the theoretical model most ornithologists use
for the basis of the snowy owl's cycle of southward inclusions, but would the snowy owls' food supply decreases
be comparable to the other Arctic owls' respective niches'
declines? The evidence would point to a combination of
factors, which source must logically be meteorological in
nature. A closer examination of the changing patterns in
the winter ranges of birds of prey may give some insight
into an overall gradual shift in the ecosphere, caused by
variables in seasonal weather and small animal survival.

The ornithologically interesting winter of 1978-1979

may have been an enigma, but the chronicling of the
phenomenon of Arctic bird intrusions should be examined
or begun, with an eye to viewing the data on a broader
scale.
Then again, maybe it was "just an unusual year ...

REFERENCES
1. Boston Sunday Globe, 26 November 1978, p. 112
"Three rare birds show up in Rhode Island"
2. Litchfield, Marcia, 30 January 1979
Personal Communications, Massachusetts Audubon
Society. Lincoln, MA
3. New York Times, 26 November 1978, p. 62
"Rhode Island is Baffled as Rare Birds Appear"
4. New York Times, 3 December 1978, p. 26
"Rare Gull Excites Chicago Bird Watchers"
5. New York Times, 17 December 1978. p. 49
"Follow-Up-A Rare Bird"
6. Boston Globe. 17 November 1978, p. 3
"Predator and Prey"
7. Boston Globe, 30 December 1978. p. 13
"Bird Sightings"
8. Boston Globe, 3 February 1979, p. 12
"Bird Sightings"
9. South Middlesex News, 25 January 1979, p. 5A
"Rare Visitor"
to. Boston Globe. 6 January 1979, pp. 3,17
Boreal Owl Drops in on Salisbury"
11. Decatur (lL) Herald, 29 January 1967
"Rare Owl Found Here"
12. WICS-TV, Springfield.lL. 8 January 1971
~
News Program

11 YEARS IN PURSUIT
You'llfind this newly published
INDEX TO VOLUMES 1 - 11
a convenient key to reference reading
and investigative insight.
We are pleased to announce that a comprehensive Pursuit index has been compiled
by member George Eberhart. This index is an exhaustive listing of materials published
in Pursuit from 1967-1978 (Volumes 1-11). So complete is this index that it is 60 pages
long.
We had hoped to publish the index as a special issue free to current members. But
due to skyrocketing postal rates, and in order to cover handling and printing costs, we
are obliged to charge interested members a nominal fee. The price is $1.50. Members
who are interested in obtaining a copy ofthe 60-page index please send $1.50 to: SITU,
P.O. Box 265, Little Silver, NJ 07739.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

127

UFOS DOWN UNDER AND ALL OVER

by Jon Douglas Singer
the end of 1978, a new upsurge in interest
T OWARDS
about UFOs began to appear in the popular press.
Starting with a controversial sighting of a UFO in Central
Park, New York City, according to the New York Post,l
in November, reports began to mushroom around the
globe. Was this a new flap or wave of sightings comparable
to the one at the end of 1977? We shall see in this report.
We shall also examine a couple of spectacular abduction
cases, the more sinister of the so-called CE-III, (Close
Encounters of the Third Kind) phenomena, to borrow
the term developed by Prof. J. Allen Hynek for a meeting
between humans and "aliens" on the ground beside or
inside landed UFOs.
The Central Park case broke on November 2, 1978.
According to a brief anonymous article, "UFO Stops By
The Park," in the New York Post, some 50 or so people,
mostly workers in the Gulf and Western Building at Columbus Circle, saw a silvery circular object floating over
the park on the evening of November l. As New York
City UFO reports are comparatively rare, this report provoked a couple of days' worth of excitement. Channel 11
"Action News," on one of the local independent TV stations, broadcast a report on the object and showed a sketch
of a strange gyroscope-shaped object. The next night,
November 3, Channel 11 reporters from "Action News"
learned that an inventor from New Jersey named Robert
Young (no relation to the actor) had invented a kite with
a transparent string that was similar to the draWing of the
gyroscope-shaped object. It seemed that one mystery
had been shot down.
That was only an hors d'oeuvre. An even more startling
case, which could have been written by the late Rod
Sterling of "Twilight Zone" fame, took place in the tropical
skies over Australia. This event occurred Saturday, October 21, 1978, at about 7:00 p.m. It was dark but skilled
pilot Fred Valentich, age 20, was making a routine f1ighta simple training flight. Flying a Cessna 182 single-engine
plane that was in good condition, his flight plan would
take him from Melbourne to King Island, 130 miles or so
to the south.
Everything went well until Valentich noticed an odd
array of four lights that approached from the east. The
lights seemed to come from a vague elongated shape
which swooped in and maneuvered 1000 feet above him.
Valentich radioed to Melbourne, but the control tower
was unable to locate any nearby aircraft at his 4500 foot
altitude.
Valentich circled the odd object for a better view. and
to his surprise he found the object was also circling him!
According to news reports,2 Valentich's communications
became more panicky as he realized that he was confronting the unknown. The pilot now saw that the object
had two basic colors, a greenish light and a metallic-hued
light (Silvery? - J .S.). The intruder closed in on Valentich

and at 7:12 p.m. his last message described the UFO's

onrushing flight toward his plane .... Then there was a weird
metallic scraping noise followed by silence. 3
A report in FATE Magazine for February, 1979, stated
that search planes combing an area 13 miles north of
King Island found an oil slick, but that officials were certain that it wasn't from Valentich's plane. Also, a report in
the New York Daily Press 4 noted that searchers from the
Australian Department of Transport had found pieces of
metal 50 miles to the north, but that these were probably
not from the Cessna 182 either.
Valentich's father, Guio, insisted that while his son was
interested in UFOs as a hobby, he would not perpetrate
such a hoax. He was certain that his son had been kidnapped. S Australian government officials, after conducting
a thorough search, suggested that Valentich had probably mistaken the reflections of lights from lighthouses on
Cape Otway and King Island for something mysterious,
and added that it is also possible he became confused as
his plane aCcidentally turned upside down. Also, while
Valentich was a good pilot, he had made few night runs
and hadn't been to King Island before, the report noted,
adding that he had only been flying for 18 months and
was still in the process of completing his license requirements. Weather conditions were good. however, and
there is no reason why the pilot would suddenly foul up
and mistake lighthouse reflections for a bizarre UFO, let
alone turn upside down and not know it!
An article in the New York Post of October 27, 1978,6
reported that Valentich's girl friend, Rhonda Rushton, 16,
was certain the pilot was still alive and had landed somewhere in the course of a top secret mission. She also
thought he might be injured. These are only the surmises
of a teenage girl, so we needn't take them too seriously,
although we must sympathize with her. More interestingly,
the Post article noted that the Australian government.was
still stumped by the enigmatic incident, for the search
continued and the case was passed from the Rescue Coordination Center to the Transport Air Safety Investigation
branch of government. The implication, according to the
anonymous author of the story, was that the pilot was still
thought by government officials to be missing but alive.
The Valentich case produced no tangible results and
has now entered the course of ufological history. It was
not an isolated incident. Although no more abductions
were reported, the New York Daily Press revealed that
Ken Williams, spokesman for the Australian Transport
Department, had announced that his office had been receiving many UFO reports after the Valentich story broke.
Williams implied that the reports had been held up by
people who were at first reluctant to make them. Nevertheless, more detailed reports of other Australian UFOs
came from the City News 7 (the New York Daily Press
gave no details), which reported that UFOs had been
seen in two Melbourne suburbs. One area of sightings
occurred around Queenscliff and another sighting occurred
near Geelong, 35 miles southwest of Melbourne. A third
PURSUIT Summer 1979

128

area of sightings occurred near Bass Strait, over which

Valentich had been flying, according to a report in the
New York Daily Press. 8
The City News report stated that one of the witnesses
was a bank manager, Colin Morgan, who with his wife
saw a glowing star-shaped UFO hovering for nearly an
hour over their home town of Geelong. The craft passed
over them as they were driving down a highway. It had
flickering green lights, as did Valentich's craft, but no
shape was described by the man.
The Queenscliff UFO, Sighted by Mrs. Barbara Bishop,
consisted of a spectacular ferris wheel shape with two
concentric rows of lights spinning in an odd position in
the western sky at around 8:40 p.m., an hour or so after
Valentich had disappeared.
The City News also mentioned vague reports of UFOs
in the state of Victoria, and added that 11 reports had
been made to the Royal Australian Air Force. No details
of these other sightings were given, but it appears to me
what we have here is very possibly a "flap," as ufologists
call a wave of sightings at roughly the same time and date.
Interest in UFOs subsided for a while until suddenly,
around Christmas time, a new wave of sightings invaded
the major New York daily newspapers. The usually reserved New York Times was SUitably impressed by UFO
reports from Italy, and a mildly humorous article detailed
the antics over Italy, particularly over Palermo and Milan. 9
The article described in some detail the aerial antics of unknown objects which danced a cosmic tarantella over Italy's
sunny skies. The saucers. called OVNls ("oggetto volante
non identificato"), were doughnut-shaped, a significant
pOint to which I'll return in a moment. Typical craft had
red, green or white lights, and the objects themselves
apparently actually had circular holes in their midst.
The Times also reported that dozens of witnesses in reports from Rome and Salaria to the northwest, were startled
by the appearance of a mobile beam of green light that
wandered over the countryside. That was on Thursday,
December 14. On Tuesday, December 12, bank clerk
Nino Raffagnino actually photographed one of the weird
doughtnut-shaped objects; but unfortunately, while his
photographs were printed in the Italian papers, none was
published in the Times article. Palermo police also photographed UFOs, the resulting photos showing a long streak
of light. The carabinieri, Italy's famed national police force.
received reports of enigmatic aerial objects at Lecce,
where their local officers had Sighted UFOs. Additional
southern Italian sightings were reported from Brindisi.
The Times article notes that the sightings were reported
frantically for weeks, and the Communist paper in Rome.
the Paese Sera, even considered a daily column.
Events took a more sinister turn in the vicinity of the
Adriatic Sea near the city of Pescara. Not far from Pescara
is the fishing village of San Benedetto del Tronto, whose
peace was broken by the startling appearance of the
saucers. One clear night, two fishermen vanished and did
not return. After that, fishermen in the area refused to go
out at night. The Times article ended by referring, with
cryptic brevity, to theories about an "Adriatic Triangle."
where ships and men have. over many years or even
over many generations, vanished.
What is significant about the Times article is that doughnut shaped UFOs have been seen before. The most famous
were the Maury Island UFOs Sighted June 21, 1947, by
PURSUIT Summer 1979

Harold A. Dahl. Maury Island is in the vicinity of Tacoma.

Washington, and Dahl was piloting a harbor patrol boat.
Two crewmen and Dahl's son also saw no less than six
huge doughnut-shaped craft about 2000 feet overhead.
The objects were each about 100 feet in diameter, each
with central holes about 25 feet across. The objects' color,
as seen under daylight conditions, was a mixture of gold
and silver. The saucers made no sound. The case is reported in Brinsley Le Poer Trench's Secret of the Ages. 10
Although Dahl photographed the flying doughnuts, pictures did not come out on the film which was spoiled by
mysterious spots.
What is even more interesting about these doughnutshaped craft, if they are craft, is that another was seen at
a much later date, right over Union Square near 14th
Street in the heart of Manhattan. This particular UFO was
seen by Warren Siegmond and Miss Jeannine Bouillier
of the French Government Tourist Office. They were taking
photographs when, according to Trench (p. 168), Miss
Bouillier noticed that there was a huge circular thing radiating a brilliant light. It was silent, without wings, tail or
markings. The object was photographed and reported on
in the World Telegram, and a wire service photo was sent
around the world.
A third doughnut-shaped craft was described by Trench,
in Secret of the Ages (pp. 168-9). On September 21,
1961, two Boeing 707s, one a BOAC plane and one a
Pan American airliner flying near each other, saw a doughnut-shaped, enigmatic craft as they flew over the Pacific!
The December 17 Italian flap faded from view, and for
a while the New York news media lost interest in UFOs.
Then. on New Year's Day, 1979, the sightings returned,
breaking upon the press like a great wave that had receded and had now rushed back again. Once again it
began in Australia and New Zealand. Three months had
passed since Valentich had vanished when. on January 1,
civilian radar operators at Wellington. New Zealand,
detected mysterious blips of unknown origin. On that
same day, pilot Bill Startup of a Melbourne. Australia,
TV news production unit, was sent with a film crew to
hunt for UFOs over the area of Kaikoura, New Zealand.
where the radar blips clustered like fireflies. Quentin
Fogarty. the chief reporter, spotted a UFO with a bright,
whitish glow at 11:35 p.m .. 10 minutes after the film
crew had left Melbourne. It was doubtful they were observing an optical illusion, since the UFO was suddenly
joined by four or five others. including one that was diskshaped, according to the New York Post. II
The Post also reported that four policemen near Brisbane, Australia. watched a UFO for two and a half hours.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force regarded the reports
so seriously that they even scrambled Sky hawk jet fighters
to search for the UFOs. Civilian air controllers also reported they had tracked dozens of radar blips of enigmatic
origin; and visual sightings had been logged by six pilots
on three planes during a ten-day period as well. hinting
at yet another flap. Incidentally, the photographs of the
UFOs were published in both the Post and the Daily News
January 2,12 and both newspapers published interviews
with the pilot, Bill Startup, who flew the four-engine turboprop plane that was rented by Fogarty's news team. Pilot
Startup said they first Sighted the UFO when it was 20
miles from them, over Kaikoura near Davis Strait adjacent
to South Island, while they were retracing the route taken

129

by mysterious blips first tracked a few days earlier. on

December 21, 1978, near Cook Strait. The plane flew as
close as 10 miles to the UFO. flying above them and then
swooping under them, circling them. The Post went into
more detail, reporting that four or five UFOs, including
an egg-shaped one with white lights moving around it.
and the saucer-shaped UFO mentioned earlier (which
had a dome atop it in the classic style). joined the firSt UFO.
The skeptics had their say as well. The story was reported January 2 on CBS-TV's "Evening News" by anchorman Walter Cronkite, who said an interview with Australian
astronomer David Navin indicated the object seen could
have been Venus. That explanation, however, does not
explain the fact that four or so objects. including the one
with a dome, were seen-but then who can explain why
Venus is so often 'accused' of being the culprit in UFO
sightings, even when it is astronomically impossible!
Similar sceptical opinions were voiced by New Zealand
Air Force pilot Ray Curran, who said that the lights and
blips may have been caused by misidentified night lights
used by Japanese fishermen, whose boats are common
in those waters. 13 Do Japanese fishermen use domed
disks and egg-shaped boats with rotating lights?
As though unsatisfied with their mixed reviews. the
UFOs returned, and a second film was taken of strange
objects maneuvering over the lands down under, this
time on the morning of January 3, 1979. The Australian
reported that six policemen in a town 500 miles distant
from the TV cameras which filmed a UFO had reported
a similar object to the one shown in the film. The new
UFO was described as being shaped like a volcano. It was
triangular, with a notch at the apex, according to the
film crew's sound recorder, Lloyd McFadden. What
appeared on the film, however, was a glowing ball with
a reddish center. The film was taken near the Clarence
River in South Island, near the northern part of that island.
A photograph of the object appeared in the January 2.
1979 New York Post. 14
This new wave of UFO sightings was reinforced by
reports from all over the world as interest in UFOs increased
dramatically. Although it seemed that a world-wide flap
was on, UFO reports coming from a remote area might,
when reported Simultaneously by a number of witnesses,
seem to be part of a pattern to these sightings and suggest
that the UFO appearances are coordinated. We can't
really say that without more proof, of course. The UFOs
might come from several separate sources simultaneously.
For example, while the Australian-New Zealand flap
was under way. the New York Post reported that UFOs
were seen in Ferrara, Italy, on New Year's Eve. However, as the article noted that the witnesses had been
returning from a party, it is perhaps a case of misidentification. The new Italian UFO consisted of a bright oval
which moved slowly and left a dense white tail. Trails left
by UFOs are rather rare and may be clues to their propulsion.
More detailed reports of UFOs have come from Israel,
South Africa. New Jersey. and from near Nashville, Tennessee. These were summarized by the January 5, 1979
New York Post, IS which said that police and civilians had
sighted craft of unknown origin that zoomed and zigzagged
over the skies of Jerusalem and Haifa, Israel. An earlier
Post article, dated January 4, said that the UFOs over
Jerusalem were three in number and were apparently of

diamond-like shape, colored red, blue, and purple. These

were seen in daylight and sparkled, and were reported as
being about the size of "flashlights. "16
From South Africa came a fascinating Close Encountertype case. The event took place outside the city of Johannesburg. Although the exact date of the sighting isn't
given in the New York Post article.17 we can infer that it
occurred some time around the period of January 1-5.
Mrs. Meagan Quezet and her 12-year-old son Andre insisted that they came across a landed grayish, egg-shaped
UFO from which "ufonauts" emerged. The exact number
of the ufonauts isn't given, but Mrs. Meagan said that
they had a leader who not only bowed but was even charismatic! Also, the crew all wore pinkish uniforms. The
leader attempted to speak to Mrs. Meagan, but she was
unable to understand what was being said. The aliens
then re-entered their craft, which left, making a purring
noise as it rose into the starry night.
The cosmic spotlight then seemed to shift toward the
U.S. In Tennessee, near Nashville, Lt. Robert Ezell reported that his colleagues on the local police force had
witnessed alleged UFOs whizzing over the highways.
Those UFOs had white lights on their tops and flashing
red lights in the center of each of the round objects. IS
New Jersey got most of the attention. It seemed that a
minor flap was under way. Sightings seemed to cluster in
southern New Jersey, over Brick Township and Barnegat
Bay.19 Although the objects failed to appear on radar
screens at the Lakehurst Naval Engineering Center and at
McGuire Air Force Base, policemen from Brick Township
saw a balloon-shaped UFO with running lights (color not
given).
The Daily News of Friday, January 5, 1979 reported
that, on Wednesday of that week, Lt. Joseph DeAngelo
saw a white circle of light with blue lights at each end. It
hovered and left.20 (The New York Post of January 4
stated that the UFO appeared around 7:40 p.m.) Joseph
Frank, reported as an animal control officer, along with
his brother Nick and wife Anna, as well as his father,
Joseph Sr .. saw a blimp-sized, rectangular object that
was brightly lit by an unspecified color. The article also
mentioned that SITU's preSident, Bob Warth, categorized
the Barnegat Bay sightings as a Close Encounter of the
Second Kind, which, according to the terminology of
Prof. J. Allen Hynek, represents a prolonged sighting of
a UFO which hovers close to the ground without landing.
On January 4, 1979, at 7:55 p.m., Channeill's "Action News" reported another CE-II which occurred at New
Milford, New Jersey. Rev. Charles Rizzo saw a disk with
red and green lights approach his house before it took off
into the night. "Action News" reported on January 5 that
some of the New Jersey UFOs may have been caused by
misidentified sightings of aircraft of a Farmingdale, Long
Island aircraft company which was conducting night flights
in that region of New Jersey. That plane, however, did
not have blue running lights, so the reports of blue lights
on unknown aerial objects should remain classified as
enigmatic cases that have yet to be explained.
Two other reports originated from Secaucus and from
Jersey City, both New Jersey. The Jersey Journal of Saturday, January 6, 1979 reported that Joan Hubert, a
secretary for the Secaucus Board of Health, was driving
on Central Avenue in Secaucus at about 6:45 p.m. when
she saw a red disk with a serrated rim flying past the Elms
PURSUIT Summer 1979

130
BUilding. Her daughter Kerry also saw it. Although the
article added that a similar object was sighted over Jersey
City, no additional details were given. It appears that in
the New York metropolitan area, the UFOs suddenly
faded from the news as rapidly as they had swept onto
the front pages and screens. The wave, which had rushed
forward from the shadows, once again had receded.
Was the 1978-79 flap over, or had it only subsided for
awhile?
Whatever the truth may be behind the current wave of
UFO sightings, a few points should be brought up which
may present clues to our persistent cosmic mystery.
First, the December-January Flap began only a few
months after Valentich disappeared in a bizarre fashion.
The fact that the wave began in Australia and New Zealand may be of added significance.
Second. the wave of sightings began as NASA's spaceprobes were approaching Jupiter and other probes had
already landed on Venus.
Third, these sightings came almost precisely on the
anniversary of previous UFO sightings in New York State,
Pennsylvania. and New Jersey's shore area which ocurred a year earlier in conjunction with those enigmatic
high-atmosphere booms called "skyquakes." (None of
those anomalous supersonic booms were reported in
conjunction with these UFO sightings, however.)
Fourth, the New York Daily Metro of September 24,
1978 reported that Takeshi Urata, an amateur Japanese
astronomer, had discovered a new asteroid which he
named "Mizuho" after his daughter. 22
Fifth, the New York Times of December 24, 1978,
reported that scientists from Western Washington University had built a device which could carry messages on
previously elusive neutrino beams directly through the
earth, an hitherto difficult task. Dr. Peter Kotzer felt that
the neutrino beams could ultimately be used in a worldwide communication network. He added that he felt extraterrestrial civilizations, if they exist, may have already
used such beams, and that if radio astronomers failed to
detect intelligent radio signals from space, perhaps they
could use the neutrino beams. Indeed, he even suggested
that neutrino beams carrying messages from various extraterrestrial civilizations could already be passing, by chance,
through the earth and that we could eavesdrop on those
conversations. 23
Lastly, it should be pOinted out that Barnegat Bay,
New Jersey, is no stranger to Fortean phenomena. In
their fascinating book, The Jersey DelJil,24 James F. McCloy and Ray Miller, Jr., describe a strange man-sized,
bat-winged, flying creature that supposedly haunts the
remoter regions of New Jersey's rural districts. The creature,
whose existence is as hotly debated by New Jersey savants
as is the UFO enigma, has been Sighted from the early
1700s onward right up to the mid-Twentieth century.
Commodore Stephen Decatur, the great naval hero, is
said to have not only see the creature over Barnegat Bay
but, since he was testing cannon balls at the time, he was
able to fire a few shots at the airborne monstrosity. Decatur

failed to bring down the creature in what might be said

to have been the U.S. Navy's first clash with a flying enemy. It is also said that Captain Kidd, who came to the
area, supposedly saw the creature. Whether there is any
relation between the Jersey Devil and the UFOs recently
sighted in the same area is anybody's guess, but John
Keel has pOinted out in The Mothman Prophecies2~ how
he recorded hundreds of reports of a similar creature
that appeared in West Virginia in 1967 during a wave of
UFO sightings in that state.
Although the present UFO wave represents a story
with a beginning and a middle, we will have to wait and
see if there is to be an ending ....

REFERENCES
1. New York Post. Thursday, November 2, 1978, p. 15, "UFO
Stops By The Park."
2. For an account of the Valentich Incident. see New York
Daily Press, Wednesday, October 25. 1978, p. 4, "Hunt Pilot
Who Called In UFO."
3. Fate Magazine, February, 1979. p. 32, "It isn't an Aircraft,"
by Curtis Fuller.
4. op. cit. p. 4.
5. City News. (New York), Wednesday. October 25, 1978,
p. 2. "Dad Fears UFO Raiders Kidnapped Pilot," p. 2.
6. New York Post, Friday, October 27. 1978. "Swept Away
by UFO? No, Says Flier's Girl."
7. op. cit, p. 2.
8. op. cit, p. 4.
9. New York Times, Sunday, December 17, 1978, Section 1,
p.13.
10. New York, Pinnacle Books, Inc., 1974, pp. 162-7.
11. New York Post, January 2, 1979. p. 5, "New Zealanders
Are in a Spin Over Flying Saucer Sightings."
12. Daily News. January 2, 1979, p. 4, "New Zealand on Alert
Over Reports of a UFO."
13. New York Post. op. cit.
14. New York Post. January 2. 1979, op. cit.
15. New York Post, Friday, January 5, 1979. "UFOs, UFOs,
Everywhere."
16. New York Post, Thursday. January 4, 1979. p. 11. "Jersey
UFO Upstages New Zealand."
17. New York Post, Friday, January 5, 1979, op. cit.
18. ibid.
19. ibid.
20. Daily News, Friday, January 5, 1979, "UFO? Jersey Cop
Saw Circle of Light in Sky."
21. New York Post, January 4. 1979, op. cit.
22. New York Daily Metro. Sunday. September 24. 1978,
"New Asteroid Discovered."
23. New York Times, Sunday, December 24, 1978, Section 1,
p. 1, "Scientists Forecasting Beam Through Earth 10 Transmit
Messages," by Malcolm W. Browne.
24. Wallingford, Pennsylvania, The Middle Atlantic Press, 1976.
25. New York, E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1975.

PLANNING A MOVE SOON? If you expect to change your address please allow at least six weeks for address change to
become effective in our records. Send card showing both old and new address to SITU Membership Services, RFD 5, Gales
Ferry, CT 06335. If new address is an apartment be sure to include apartment number in addition to street address, city, state
and ZIP.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

131

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions
IMPORTANT NOTICE
TO ALL CONCERNED

SITU MEMBERSHIP
DIRECTORY UPDATE

This notice is to the Society's Scientific Advisors

and Honorary Members, as well as members currently involved in significant research projects or
who for some other reason are felt to be capable of
contributing to the Society's goals.
Please send photocopies and/or re-written word
of new developments and research pertinent to the
further growth of SITU. These letters, notes, memos,
and information packets can be added to almost
any part of Pursuit so that new findings and developments will be brought to the immediate attention of our members. We will reprint from other
journals and magazines by permission; print as an
original article if written by the member sending it in
(or as a brief re-written piece); or at the very least
publish the information in our SITUations section
(crediting the member who sends it to us, of course).
If you can, please assist us in this endeavor. It is
the goal of the present editors of Pursuit to produce
a journal of high quality reporting which covers as
many of the numerous and exciting new developments pertinent to the field as we possibly can.
We believe, as Ivan Sanderson did. that science
is truly the pursuit of the unknown.

The SITU Membership Directory Update addenda and

errata are herewith presented. (Interested members not
familiar with the Directory should see Volume 11, Number 4 for coding and instructions).
The next complete listing will be an all-inclusive one
to be updated early in 1980. The service can only be extended to members who have renewed in time to be
included. The cut-off date will be October 1, 1979. A paidup member will not be removed from the directory unless
we are so notified.
All matters pertaining to the directory should be addressed to:
SITU Membership Directory
c/o Martin Wiegler
694 Stuyvesant Avenue
Irvington, NJ 07111
USA
UPDATED CODING OF MEMBERS'
AREAS OF INTEREST
Anthropology ....................................... AH
Falling or phantom animals ............................ FA
Psychiatric makeup of Fortean observers or contactees ..... PS

MEMBERS AND THEIR INTERESTS

PAYMENT FOR PURSUIT ARTICLES
Starting with this issue, Summer, 1979 (Vol. 12, No.3)
Pursuit will pay 1(: per word for all articles published.
Please feel free to submit articles for consideration for
publication. Payment will be forthcoming upon publication
of the article. Also, payment will not be considered for
articles already published elsewhere and reprinted in
Pursuit, or for items used in the journal's SITUations or
Symposium columns. Copyright rights for original articles
published will still be returned to the authors upon publication as we have done in the past.

. ..

PLEA FOR BOOK REVIEWS

SITU needs book reviews! Writers of book reviews will
receive $5 per review published. We'll publish your review
if it's well written and a thoughtful assessment of the book's
worth (assuming the book is worth reviewing in the first
place!).

...

Member number 3153 has his own Bigfoot organization

and would like to hear from interested members. Illinois
BIGFOOT Center, 1660 Prospect Avenue, Lasalle, IL
61301.

(New Entries)

Member
No.
State

ZIP

3039 CA
90503
3078 CO
81037
210 MA
02138
2741 MN
55374
2610 (corr.) MN 56248
2503 NJ
08096
1976 NY
14615
3070 OH
43618
6025 WY
82071
1692 B.C., Canada
2714 England

Interests

U.L
AM, U, AN, E, R, X
G, M, X, FA, PS, AH, Z
AG, C, H, PM, SK
U,T,E
F. L. M, UA, X
AA, AP, AT, C, lA, L, M, H
U,X,L5
D,H,U,V,X,Y
U

G. U, M, F, H, 0,
R (corr.), IT

Current Pursuits: Wanted: Information on erratic zoological specimens (great gray owls to alligators). Also, specific
data on the locations and associated folklore for (1) Fortean places with "devil" names, (2) walled structures such
as Fort Ancient, Ohio, and (3) mounds. Please send
ideas, clippings, references to: Loren Coleman, 115
Chilton Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone 617354-7412. I will appreciate your assistance, and reward
you with a Fortean surprise envelope of news items.
PURSUIT Summer 1979

132

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

You lower the high standards of your journal by publishing so naive a tirade as Dr. Lorenzoni's "The Psychoanalysis Wangle" (Pursuit, Vol. 11, No.4). No educated
person today has the blind faith in Freud's teachings which
Lorenzoni presupposes, nor can an unquestioning adoption
of his belief-system be regarded as one of the initiation
rites required of an aspirant to the scientific establishment.
I personally have a profound distrust of psycho-analysis, and little doubt that Freud was frequently mistaken
in his interpretations. But this does not prevent me from
recognizing him as one of the most fruitful thinkers of the
past hundred years. Indeed I question whether SITU
would exist, or Lorenzoni feel able to write as he does,
had not Freud gone before to clear the way with his bulldozing iconoclasm.
Just forty years.ago, on the occasion of Freud's death,
Auden wrote:
If often he was wrong and at times absurd,
To us he is no more a person
Now, but a whole climate of opinion,
Under whom we conduct our differing lives.
Lorenzoni blames Freud because the mass media have
labeled him 'the discoverer of the unconscious' -but
since when have SITU members relied on the mass media
for their information? Such reasoning is on a level with his
childish name-calling ('squalid individual', 'Freud and his
gang') which is, ironically, characteristic of that classic
father-rejection which Freud himself identified!
With a bravado typical of that Freudian pattern, Lorenzoni claims to have 'demolished' Freud as he formerly
demolished Einstein and Darwin. Setting aside so ludicrous a boast, let us consider his suggestion that such
demolition work is an important part of the true Fortean's
task. As every Fortean knows, the Master's method was
to proceed by constr.uction, not de-. He would propose
a notion such as his Super-Sargasso Sea and use it as
a working hypothesis until a better hypothesis should
replace it. Similarly, Darwin, Einstein and Freud offered
us working hypotheses. Time is already starting to replace them, but that is no reason to belittle their achievement. They may not have attained the heights of ultimate
truth, but it is by standing on their shoulders that we who
follow can hope to scale those heights.
-Hilary Evans
England
This area was about in the center of an unexplained
sonic phenomenon the night of January 8, 1979. That
was a bad night, weather-wise: very cold with a freezing
rain falling, shrouding the countryside in a sheath of ice
that knocked out power lines, broke a myriad tree branches,
etc., so few people were outdoors.
About 9:30, people here, and in dozens of other communities over south-central Kentucky and north-central
Tennessee heard a very loud boom or crash or roar.
Some (most) thought it was a powerful sonic boom created
by an aircraft breaking the sound barrier. However, both
civil and military aeronautic authorities later denied any
such event occurred with any known aircraft.
Other folks figured there had been a huge explosion,
PURSUIT Summer 1979

but none had taken place. A few people, who chanced to

be looking out of their windows at the time of the boom,
saw a brilliant red flare or flash low in the sky. These
folks thought a low-flying aircraft had exploded in a brilliant
blast. However, no aircraft [was reported) missing, and
no trace of any explosion, or wreckage, to be found on
the ground anywhere.
I myself heard the sound, though did not see the flare.
It was a rather unusual noise-a roar and boom and
crash and whine and vibration all combined. As I've mentioned, a heavy ice storm was in progress, and my first
thought was that the ice accumulation had toppled a large
dead tree near my residence (at that time I thought it strictly
local and had no idea it had been audible over such a
huge area), but at dawn I saw the ice-sheathed tree standing.
A similar sound was heard by me, and a few others
locally though I do not know if it was reported elsewhere,
on the night of January 20. I was sitting up late, reading,
and at about 1:30 a.m. I heard this second boom-crashroar-whine-grind-vibration. It was quite loud, and I distinctly felt a slight quiver of the old farmhouse I inhabit.
While no seismograph reported any earth activity in this
portion of the nation on that date, I wonder! About 12
years ago, an earthquake did shake this area, and it was
accompanied by a sound very similar to these latest.
-Member 11380
Scottsville, Kentucky

I am member 755, and you are probably member 34,

697 or 304l.
These numbers, as Ivan once told me, are to protect
our privacy as SITUians.
To those of you who haven't heard, everybody knows
about UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, and Uri Geller.
So who are we protected from by using these dandy
membership numbers? People who most likely wouldn't
even care that we massage a secret hanker for frog falls or
ten-penny nails nestling inside rocks, mainly because
rocks pelting a chicken coop from the Super-Sargasso
Sea and things that go thump in the night are not that
mind-wrenching compared to Von Daniken's speculations.
The professors who should fear for their jobs don't use
the SITU membership number; their names are right out
there on the Pursuit masthead-complete with an address-something that strikes me as a dopey way of preserving their confidentiality. Perhaps prima donnas don't
sweat reprisal. but a 35-year-old math teacher is not so
sure of his paycheck and so wants the lid kept on.
Then does the membership code number help writers?
No. You reach them through their publisher's customer
service desk. Or look them up in the book.
So if the membership number doesn't help people with
reputations to protect, or keep nuisance letters from
writers, it must be to protect all us less distinguished aficionadoes of the Bizarre. The Forteans I know are constantly
making new contacts and meeting on their own. Some
even write in and beg to have their name and address
printed with a request to hear from other SITUians.

133

I do not suggest that Pursuit undertake the mammoth

project of publishing all our names and addresses, no, no.
I merely point out that since the numbers are not used in
the Pursuit articles, and since the numbers are not used
by the academics or writers to preserve their identity as
Closet Forteans, what good is the membership number
system?

Back in '71 Ivan told me he was in British Intelligence

during WWII. He was assigned a number then, but the
War's over.
Spread the word.
Confidentially yours,
Mr. X

aka #755

SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained elJents. Members
are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports they feel should be included here.
Remember, local newspapers often offer the best (or only) information concerning some elJents.
Please be sure to include the source of reference (name of newspaper, periodical, etc.), the date the
article appeared and your membership number (or name, if you prefer to be credited that way).

NEW NESSIE FILMS?

A British TV cameraman, driving along
the Scottish loch with plans to do a film
on forestry, instantly changed his plans
when he found the "monster" instead.
"It had a round head rather like that of
a seal," said the cameraman, Peter Leddy,
who claims to have filmed the fast-moving creature from about a half mile away.
"The head was visible for so long that I
was able to make several lens changes."
The film was sent (so they say) to the
British Broadcasting Corp. for processing.
SOURCE: Philadelphia Inquirer, April 4, 1979
CREDIT: Sabina Sanderson

IGUANA FOUND ON

DESERTED ISLE

CALLED 'LINK' IN
ANIMAL MIGRATION
Dr. John Gibbins, a British scientist,
claims that a newly discovered, 3-footlong iguana he found on a deserted island
in Fiji is the "missing link" indicating how
animals got from South America to the
South Pacific.
Gibbons said that the iguana is similar
to South American species with a crested
back and extraordinary color change
powers. The scientist feels that the find
indicates that iguanas floated to the Fiji
islands on rafts of vegetation washed out
to sea millions of years ago.
SOURCE: The Tennessean
CREDIT: Member #380

MYSTERIOUS RINGS
IN SAUDI ARABIA
BEING STUDIED
Puzzling Circular stone formations are
scattered on remote hilltops and in valleys
throughout Saudi Arabia, reminiscent of
those found in Europe. The "mysterious
rings" are formed by stone walls one to

two feet tall and range from 15 to 100

yards in diameter.
Archaeologists have noted that many
of the rings have "tails," appendages
that stretch out for hundreds of yards
across the wilderness.
Thanks to the Saudis, who opened their
doors to foreign archaeologists, American
and European experts have been conducting general surveys of the country's
potential archaeological sites. The Arabian desert has been Virtually untouched
for centuries.
"This country is a gold mine of archeological treasures," said one archeologist.
"The desert is covered with inscribed
stones and artifacts. All you have to do is
bend over and pick them up."
When viewed from the air, the stone
rings bear a marked Similarity to huge
circles etched into the Nazca Plain in
western Peru.
SOURCE: Euening Journal (Wilmington. Delaware). December 29, 1978
CREDIT: Member "659

AnANTIS-HAVE
THE RUSSIANS FOUND IT?
Dr. Andrei Aksenov, deputy director of
the Soviet Academy's Institute of Oceanography, said that scientists aboard a
survey ship 200-300 miles west of Portugal have taken eight underwater photographs that show a horshoe-shaped
group of flattop mountains and "vestiges
of walls and great stairways."
Aksenov told reporters that Soviet
oceanographers believe it could be the
ruins of Atlantis. "Yes, the Soviet oceanographers believe it could be true, considering ocean-floor tectonics. The geologists think it quite possible that this horseshoe was a rather large archipelago that
submerged as a result of geological unrest," he said.
Aksenov said the photographs would
be made public in Moscow, but that more

investigations would be necessary before

any conclusions could be reached.
The scientist is currently on a second
expedition to the site, and added that
oceanologists have equipment that is a
seH-contained submersible research station.
Researchers in such a "microboat" can
move sideways, up and down and can
examine the underwater landscape.
SOURCES: The Nashuille Tennessean, April 3,
1979; HeraldNews (NJ), March 29, 1979
CREDIT: Fred Wilson and Member #380

MAN WALKED
3 MILLION YEARS AGO
Dr. Mary Leakey, noted anthropologist,
recently discovered, in East Africa, humanlike footprints in hardened volcanic ash.
The footprints are the first concrete proof
that man's ancestors walked upright more
than 3 million years ago!
At a National Geographic SOCiety news
briefing, Dr. Leakey stated that fossil
remains of 22 individuals did not indicate
large heads, there was no evidence of
tools at the site, and therefore the prints
seemed to indicate that walking upright
preceded development of a large brain
and toolmaking. "The finds are of greatest
importance in the picture of human evolution, " she said. "They establish that
man reached bipedal, free-striding gait
(upright walking) much earlier than was
known for certain. "
SOURCE: HeraldNews (NJ), March 22, 1979
CREDIT: Fred Wilson

MYSTERIOUS MARINE
MAMMAL STRANDINGS
During the first week of 1979, fifty-six
sperm whales beached themselves and
died near the Baja California town of
Mulege. The accompanying photo shows
some of the ocean-going mammals as
PURSUIT Summer 1979

134

'!'..

January 8. 1979. Scientists from the United States and Mexico examine some of the 56 sperm whales that beached
themselves and died near the Baja California town of Mulege. Los Angeles Times photo by Bill Varie.
well as some of the scientists from the
U.S. and Mexico who went to examine
the creatures.
The phenomenon is not unique; each
year whales and their smaller relatives the
dolphins are found dead or dying from
strandings on beaches around the world.
The numbers involved, as well as the circumstances involving the beachings,
however, are still confusing to scientists
seeking an explanation for the phenomenon.
A mysterious series of such events
occurred during a two-week period in
July, 1976 in Florida. It began when
residents living near Siesta and Casey
Keys, small barrier islands along the
southwest coast of Florida near the town
of Sarasota, heard strange sounds the
night of July 13. About 10 p.m., residents reported hearing high-pitched
sounds, almost like bird cries. Looking
toward the ocean they saw between fifty
to a hundred dolphins, each about six
feet long and weighing about 150 pounds,
heading for the beach.
All night long the residents, assisted by
officers of the Florida Marine Patrol and
representatives of the National Marine

Fisheries Service, attempted to turn the

animals back to sea. Despite all the efforts
made by hand or motorboat, twenty-five
of the mammals died.
Dr. James Mead, curator of marine
mammals at the Smithsonian Institution,
who has studied over a hundred mass
beachings of whales and dolphins, was
summoned to the scene. He noted that
the dolphins, identified as Stenella longi
rostris, are deep water mammals that
usually stay at least ten miles from shore,
are somewhat different in appearance
and are slightly smaller than the Atlantic
bottlenose dolphin or porpoise. Their
sudden appearance on the Florida gulf
coast beach was a rare event, according
to Dr. Mead. This was the first mass
stranding of this particular species to be
brought to his attention.
Under Dr. Mead's direction, the dead
dolphins were taken to nearby Mote
Marine Laboratory on the southern tip of
Siesta Key. After spending two days performing autopsies on the dead mammals,
the researchers-including Dr. Mead; Ed
Aspar, curator of mammals and birds at
Sea World of Florida, and other researchers from that marine attraction near

Orlando; Dr. Daniel Odell from the Rosenthiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science at the University of Miami; Drs.
Robert Schimpff and Nicholas Hall,
neuroscientists from the University of
Florida, and Carroll Woodard, veterinary
pathologist, also from the University of
Florida-could find no apparent cause
for the beaching.
Earlier work by Dr. Mead had shown
that the pilot whale, a related species,
plays host to a parasitic worm which infests the middle ear sinuses, the brain and
the central nervous system. This causes
extensive damage by impairing the animal's echolocation system and foodfinding capabilities, which sometimes
causes the mammal to become disoriented
and to head for shore, followed by the
others in the group. Although he felt this
might be the case with the dolphin beach
ing on Siesta and Casey Keys, the autop
sies showed no such clear-cut conclu
sion was possible.
According to Ed Aspar, "Mentally those
animals had died. But as far as their necropsies went, those animals looked very,
very good." He was referring to two survivors who were brought to the lab but

PURSUIT Summer 1979

~--------------------------------------.--

__. -

135
were found to have lost their "sonar" capability. As a result, they would swim into
the walls of the natural pen. After being
kept there 24 hours for observation, they
were taken to Sea World for further tests.
They died a short time later. The animals,
although seemingly healthy, were suffering
from what Aspar termed a "stranding
shock syndrome," and they were unable
to recover from it.
Nine days later, July 22, another marine mammal stranding occurred approximately 50 miles further south. Five
whales, at first thought to be pilot whales
and later identified by Ed Aspar as Pseu
dorcus (false killer whales, a porpoiselike mammal 13 to 16 feet long, weighing
1,000 to 2,000 pounds, and very rare on
Florida's gulf coast), had beached themselves on sandbars in Pine Island Sound
near Upper Captiva Island in the Fort
Meyers area. Dr. Odell again performed
an autopsy on one of the whales which
had died. His report indicated there was
no food substance in the stomach or
intestines and that those organs showed
the presence of a type of parasite. Preliminary findings, he indicated, were
similar to those of the Casey Key dolphins. The other four whales were taken
to Sea World for observation, where it
was noted that lung worm infestation was
also present. All four mammals subsequently died.
Just three days later, 24 false killer
whales were found stranded on Loggerhead Key. a small island in the Dry Tortugas, about 65 miles west of Key West.
This time rescue workers managed to
head all but one back to sea and scientists were able to secure the brain of the
dead whale within two hours after death.
Although hundreds of inch-long parasitic worms were found in the ear canals
of the Loggerhead Key casualty, Dr.
Odell, who spoke with SITU representatives in February, 1979, feels there was
not sufficient organic damage to have
caused the whale to become disoriented
enough to head for shore.
No one really knows what causes the
dolphins and their whale cousins to strand
themselves on land. A report issued by
the health center at the University of
Florida in January, 1977, indicates no
evidence of brain disorders or parasitic
infestation in the Casey Key dolphins
which would account for the stranding.
Those findings agree with those of Ed
Aspar, who believes the stranding occurred because the dolphins came too close
to shore, perhaps following food sources
which were depleted in their normal environment. thus causing them to search
in a wider range. The long sloping continental shelf on the gulf coast might have
confused them. by tending to absorb the
sound. "If they don't get a feedback.
there is a good possibility that their im-

pression is that there is deep water ahead."

Aspar noted.
Aspar also related that in attempting to
get the whales off the beach and into the
water at Loggerhead Key, all efforts aimed
at selecting the five largest bull whales
and st~rting them out in deep water one
at a time failed, until all five were headed
out. As long as even one of their group
remained the others stayed in the area.
Dr. Perry W. Gilbert. director of the
Mote Marine Laboratory, feels that this
theory was disproved during a prior pilot
whale beaching on Boca Grande on
August 20, 1971. "In that stranding the
large bull whales remained offshore while
the smaller members of the herd beached
themselves." he said.
While parasitic infestations and other
organic causes may have contributed to
the whale strandings, and whether all the
whales were affected or only a few with
the rest following along will probably
never be known; and the question is still
open as to why or how the Casey Key
dolphins, which showed no such organic
illness to account for the stranding there,
became disoriented due to finding themselves in shallow waters.
We have learned a lot about dolphins
and their marine cousins over the years.
We know, for example, that more than
30 species of dolphins can be identified
as belonging to the suborder Odontoceti,
or toothed whales. of the suborder Ceta
cea. They evolved over 50 million years.
ago from land mammals that may have
resembled the even-toed ungulates of
today such as cattle, pigs and buffalo.
Ocean species sometimes congregate in
groups of several thousand, reminiscent
of buffalo herds in North America. Kenneth S. Norris and Thomas P. Dohl of the
University of California at Santa Cruz
have suggested that dolphins may form
close groups while they are resting in
order to utilize the combined sensory
abilities of all the individuals in the group
to scan the environment for potential
danger. (Dolphins, like bats. emit highfrequency sounds in short pulses. The
sounds bounce off objects and the echoes
return information concerning the size,
shape, distance and even the texture of
the objects.) In a closely organized school,
each individual can hear the echo-location
sounds made by other members of the
group. Even though an individual member might not make many sounds, much
information about the environment would
nevertheless be rapidly and efficiently disseminated to all members.
It is also possible that a resting group
swims close to shore in order to be in
shallow water not frequented by deep
water sharks.
As to why marine mammals should
choose to strand themselves upon the
beaches of our world, however. we know

very little. Whether the mystery occurs in

Baja California or southwest Florida, we
have come no closer to solVing it than
Aristotle, who wrote concerning marine
mammals over 2300 years ago: "It is not
known for what reason they run themselves aground on dry land; at all events,
it is said they do so at times, and for no
obvious reason. "
SOURCE: The information included above
has been extracted from an article in Museum.
Vol. 9. No.7, February 1978 (published by
the Museum of Science. Inc . Miami. Florida)
entitled "Mystery of the Beached Mammals;"
by Thomas M. Leahy;and from an article entitled "Dolphins," by Bernard Wiirsig. in Sci
entific American. Vol. 24, No.3. March, 1979.

DUST STORM RAINS

DOWN ON SOVIET GEORGIA
According to the press agency Tass, widespread heavy dust fell like rain over Soviet Georgia during the first week of April,
1979. According to the experts, hot air
currents over Iran, Turkey and North
Africa swept up tens of thousands of tons
of dust into the atmosphere and deposited
it as a dust storm over the Transcaucuses.
SOURCE: The New York TImes, April 8, 1979
CREDIT: Steve Mayne

MONSTER LIVING IN
SIBERIAN LAKE
Geologists. hunters and Siberian natives
have all reported sightings of a snakeheaded. animal-eating creature, said to
inhabit the frigid waters of Lake Labinkir
in the Siberian province of Yakutia, 250
miles north of the Soviet eastern coast.
The creature, well-known to local residents, has enjoyed wider attention, thanks
to a best-selling book about Siberia, "The
Oymyakonsky Meridian," by Soviet journalist Anatoly Pankov. Pankov said the
first trustworthy sighting of the creature
came in the 1950s when a group of geologists saw, rising from the surface of the
lake. a long-necked creature with a snakelike head. The creature glided about and
made a sound "like a child's cry" before
it disappeared into the 150-foot-deep
waters.
Other geologists, while walking on ice
over the lake, claimed to have seen a long,
grayish. unidentified animal under the
surface.
Another incident involved a group of
reindeer herders who claimed they saw
"a giant pair of jaws" emerge from the
water and "snap up" a bird flying along
the lake's surface.
But, according to Pankov, the most
spectacular sighting occurred when a
hunter sent his dog into the lake to retriev~ a goose he had shot. Suddenly a
creature rose and caught the goose and
PURSUIT Summer 1979

136
the dog. Undaunted, the hunter made
a fire, placed some fiery coals atop a
buoyant animal skin and shoved the
'offering' into the lake. The creature rose
above the surface, snatched the prey in its
mouth and submerged. Shortly thereafter
it reappeared, making terrible noises and
thrashing around wildly.
So far, the creature has eluded scientific explorers. Many expeditions have
traveled to the lake since the 1960s, but
all have failed to come up with any concrete evidence proving the 'monster's'
existence.
SOURCE: The Star Ledger (Newark. NJ).
April 9. 1979
CREDIT: Bill Wirtis

BLACK. GLASSY SPHERE:

UfO FRAGMENT?
The accompanying photograph shows
Edward Lunguy holding a 13-pound
black, glassy sphere which Lunguy now
keeps locked in a vault because he thinks
it might be a fragment of a liFO. Formerly of Barberton. Ohio, Lunguy is
convinced he saw a UFO one July night
in 1972. He was backing his car out of
the driveway when an orange ball appeared in the sky.
"It just sat there. Then it started moving
real slow in a northeast direction. It started
to gain some altitude, then all of a sudden,
it blew up," said Lunguy.
Three weeks later, Lunguy was mowing the lawn when he came across the
glassy black object tinged with amber.
Although the object was kept and Lunguy's children played with it, it was two
years later that Lunguy's wife Suzanne
insisted he submit it for testing.
"There's no other explanation for it,"
said Robert Oldrieve, an investigator at
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lewis Research Center in
Cleveland.
"This is the best UFO case I have come
across. This is the only one that has a
chance of having an artifact left behind,
something tangible that can be analyzed,"
said Oldrieve who tested the object independent of his work with NASA.
Oldrieve reconstructed the event witnessed by Lunguy in 1972: "It was a big,
hollow gossamer Christmas ornament
sitting in the sky. Then it shrank, turned
red and sprayed debris around."
Still, Oldrieve will not flatly agree that
the sphere might be part of that debris.
"It would be an excellent example of a
UFO if it were not for the fact that he
(Lunguy) did not see it fall and strike the
ground and run over and pick it up,"
he said.
Oldrieve had determined the object's
hardness at about seven on a scale of ten,
as measured by a diamond, he said. He
also said the substance was insoluble in
PURSUIT Summer 1979

Edward Lunguy holds the glassy object he thinks may be a remnant from
a UFO. A steel tool used to chip away samples for testing was itself chipped
in the process.

acids and had the characteristics of the

type of glass researched for NASA for use
as rocket liners or heat shield.
"It's an artificial glass ... Its composition
appears to be unique. [t melts at a very
high temperature, such as glass used for
re-entry on a space-ship," Oldrieve noted.
"We have such things, but there's no way
a 13pound chunk of it is going to come
down in a farm field in Ohio," he said.
A specialist on UFOs from Northwestern University in Illinois recently
arranged to study the object. and Oldrieve
said he would submit any findings to
NASA's Washington office.

"If [ could verify its composition, we

would be very excited about it," he said.
SOURCE: Evening Journal. Wilmington, Delaware, December 21. 1978
CREDIT: H. Hollander

TWO-fOOT-HIGH'DWARfS'
REPORTED FROM fiJI
(Although this report is from 1975, we
consider it an oldie but goldie -ed.J
According to students from Lautoka
Methodist Mission School, about 8 mysterious little figures two feet in height and

137
covered with black hair have been seen
near the school. The figures, believed to
be dwarfs, hastily moved away into nearby bushes when the children began to
approach them. As the news spread,
scores of neighbors rushed to the scene.
The "dwarfs" could not be found upon
further investigation, and seemed to have
jumped inside a pit near a bush.
Since the first sighting, dozens of people
have gathered near the pit in the hopes of
seeing the dwarfs. Some sat there for
hours with sticks and torches, in the event
the 'little men' might be harmful.
The head teacher of the Methodist
School, Mr. Narayan, said he threatened
the children with punishment for madeup stories. "but they remain firm in whatever they have said about the mysterious
figures."
Apparently six different students. ranging in age from 10 to 14, actually saw the
figures while returning home from school.
One student said: "I saw his white gleaming eyes and black hair. I was frightened."
"One showed me his teeth and then
ran away," claimed another student.
David, a student who apparently saw
eight of the little people, wanted to speak
to them but as he approached them,
"the little ones ran away."
Mr. Peniasi Tora, a long-time villager
who went to the scene after hearing the
news, mentioned that when his forefathers first came to Fiji, they saw little
men already living here.
SOURCE: Fiji TImes, July 19,1975
CREDIT: Malcolm Smith. Australia

HOG DEATHS:
ONE UP, ONE OVER
At 8 p.m. December 6, 1978 a 21-yearold Norway, South Carolina farmer, his
wife and two companions saw a circle of
white light, approximately 10 feet in
diameter, hovering atop the trees over a
hog pen.
The farmer, Richard Fanning, later
said of the incident: "I have no doubt
at all. I'll tell anyone. I was scared and
I'm not scared of many things .... Never
seen anything like it. It's the weirdest
thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm an
outdoorsman and I wouldn't have said
nothing unless the other three people saw
it too."
According to the four witnesses, after
arriving at the scene they saw the large
hovering light. and below it were two
pairs of green and red lights each the size
of a car headlight. The lights were accompanied by no noise whatever.
Fanning said, "That doesn't look right.
Let's leave." As he began the drive homeward, he said, the light followed at the
height of the car. keeping about 50 yards
distant as the green and red lights moved
alongside.

"I was going to the house to get my

gun when all of a sudden the big white
light made a U-turn behind my car and
went back above the hog pen. Then the
red and green Iights"turned around and
started back. We watched, and after three
or four minutes, all the lights went out."
Fanning said neither he nor his companions were under the influence of
alcohol, drugs or any other substance.
Fearing a repetition of the incident, Fanning and his wife spent the next two
nights with relatives and returned on the
third morning to feed the hogs.
Upon his return, Fanning said. he
found one hog "standing up dead. I kicked
him and he fell over."
A second dead hog was lying on its
side, Fanning reported. Though apparently uninjured, closer inspection revealed that the entire jawbone had been
removed "and the body was sort of like
a sponge, with all the weight gone, kind
of like jelly." (Fanning noted that the hog,
alive, weighed about 200 pounds. but as
remains, weighed about 50 pounds.)
None of the several hundred other
hogs appeared to have been injured.
To Fanning, the sighting incident and
subsequent events remain unexplained.
SOURCE: The Times and Democrat. Orange
burg. SC. Dec. 13, 1978. CREDIT: William J.

Herrmann

CHESSIE UPDATE30 YEARS AGO

Those witnesses who saw the Potomac
monster (nicknamed Chessie) last summer are not alone. Thirty years ago Lewis
Bray was discing his field with a small
tractor when a rust-colored serpent, 10
feet long and 7 inches in diameter, emerged from a pond and moved across the
field where Bray was plowing. Bray said
the creature moved by undulating vertically like a caterpillar, instead of sideways
like a snake. "I wanted to kill it to show
someone," Bray said. "I figured I was up
on that tractor, and it couldn't hurt me."
He then drove over the creature three
times, and although the tractor weighed
4000 pounds and was equipped with
discs. "I didn't even slow it down. It just
kept crawling on," he said. As he was
about to run over it a fourth time, it reared
up "like it was going to fight the tractor,
darting its tongue in and out," Bray added.
Bray became frightened and went
home to tell friends and his family. "Everybody just laughed," recalls Bray. although
several other area residents reported that
they. too, had seen a large serpent in the
area.
One farm worker, named Cockrell, reported seeing a large serpent-like creature
at the time of Bray's sighting. Cockrell,
who lives near a swamp that drains into

a creek a mile from the Potomac, heard

and saw the creature moving through the
forest. Sticks cracked as it came through
the woods, Cockrell recalled, and it scared
him so badly that he just ran from it.
SOURCE: Richmond TImesDispatch, August
18. 1979
CREDIT: #659

HISTORICAL MIBs
Here are a couple of Men-In-Black cases
from folklore, one from Norway and one
from Monterey, California.
On page 310 of the AMS Press, Inc.,
reprint of Peter Munch's book. Norse
Mythology (New York, 1970), the author
describes a kind of goblin known as vettir
in Telemark, Norway. They are no bigger
than a child of ten, and they wear gray
clothing with black hats. Note well, they
have herds of cattle called huddekroeter
(Huldre cattle). A Huldre is a type of goblin. They also have certain types of dogs
called huddebikkjer (Huldre curs).
Another, weirder case comes to us from
Randall A. Reinstedt's Ghostly Tales and
Mysterious Happenings of Old Monterey
(Ghost Town Publications, Carmel, California, 1977). On pages 47-49, Reinstedt
mentions the mysterious Dark Watchers
of the Santa Lucia Mountains of Monterey
County, California. The Dark Watchers
have been reported since before the
1930s. The author claims that famous
writers such as John Steinbec;k knew of
the Dark Watchers and that that author
described them briefly in his story, "Right."
The Dark Watchers appear as solitary
male human-appearing beings who dress
in antique clothing, sort of like Zarro.
They wear black hats, black clothes, black
boots and either black capes or long black
coats. One case of a Dark Watcher was
reported as recently as the mid-1960s by
a respected retired high school principal
on a hunting trip. Interestingly enough,
the Dark Watcher vanished like a ghost
when the startled hunter turned to point
the being out to his companions.
CREDIT: Jon Douglas Singer

BEARLY POSSIBLE
The two frightened foresters in Phillips,
Wisconsin, were treed for two hours, but
it was the black bear that put them there
that wound up with the red face. The
250-pound animal sprayed itself in the
face with a paint sprayer the men were
using to mark timber. Roy Gilge and David
Bentley were working in Flambeau State
Forest when the bear appeared and sent
them scrambling up a couple of trees.
The bear rummaged through their backpacks and managed to set off the sprayer
loaded with red paint, then wandered off.
SOURCE: Herald-News (NJ) June 3, 1979
CREDIT: Fred Wilson
PURSUIT Summer 1979

138

BOOK REVIEWS
PATHWAYS TO THE GODS: THE MYST~RY OF
THE ANDES LINES by Tony Morrison and incor-

porating the work of Gerald S. Hawkins, Harper

& Row, New York, 1979, 208 pages, $12.95.
After Paul Kosok's discovery of the 'Nasca Lines' of
Peru in 1941. Maria Reiche spent more than 3 decades
studying those curious desert lines and designs. Now,
Tony Morrison. a zoologist who has spent nearly two
decades doing documentary work in remote regions of
South America, has written a book about the Andes lines
in cooperation with Gerald S. Hawkins, author of Stonehenge Decoded.
The book contains well over 150 black and white photos,
maps and drawings pertinent to Mr. Morrison's theory as
to the origin and intended purpose of the lines and figures.
Some readers may disagree with certain conclusions that
Mr. Morrison expresses but the evidence, as it is presented, must be reckoned with.
While Maria Reiche has spent half of her adult life calculating and measuring the many configurations. Morrison
and Hawkins have used computerized data to assist them
in their conclusions. Unlike Hawkins' findings with Stonehenge, Morrison concludes after consulting with Reiche
and others that the creation of the lines, some as long as
twenty miles, were not of astronomical or calendric significance.
Mr. Morrison gives a different aspect to the possible
purpose of the lines, making this a significant book in the
study of the mystery. An index and an excellent bibliography are included.

THE ANDREASSON AFFAIR by Raymond E.

Fowler, Prentice-Hall. Inc., Englewood CIiRs,

New Jersey, 1979,239 pages, 58.95.
Since the reported experience of Betty and Barney
Hill with occupants of a UFO in 1961, serious investigation of UFO contactee and abduction cases has been
steadily gathering momentum. The Andreasson Affair
will surely help to attract attention to these events. In fact,
this reviewer has been approached by two individuals
wishing to make known their experience with "humanoids" after having learned of the publication of this book.
Raymond Fowler, the author of UFOs: Interplanetary
Visitors, has carefully recounted the experience of Betty
Andreasson as told to an investigative team from MUFON
(Mutual UFO Network) and details the conversation that
was taped while Mrs. Andreasson was in a hypnotic trance.
Luckily for the narration, Betty Andreasson has artistic
talent and was able to sketch many of the scenes inside
the UFO and beyond as she saw them.
To help extend credibility. to the Andreasson story,
Raymond Fowler has given us examples of similar or
related UFO experiences and comparison reports by such
earlier-reporting abductees as Betty and Barney Hill,
Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker.
Lengthy transcripts of dialogue between the investigators
PURSUIT Summer 1979

by Robert C. Warth

and the Andreassons. and some of the debriefing sessions,

seem tedious in places but are necessary to the intended
broad view ofthe "affair" by the author.
In all, The Andreasson Affair is a stepping stone to our
understanding of the UFO phenomenon. Several appendices, a bibliography and an index are included.
THE SEARCH FOR LOST AMERICA: THE MYSTERIES OF THE STONE RUINS by Salvatore

Michael Trento, Contemporary Books, Inc., Chicago, 1978,284 pages, 59.95.

We are proud that Salvatore Michael Trento is a member
of SITU, for he has done an excellent job in reporting his
investigations and collecting data on some of the thousands of pre-Columbian stone structures in North America.
These archaeological curiosities collectively are only
now receiving the attention they deserve as clues about
our country's former inhabitants. The Search for Lost
America is a stimulating study of Trento's findings. mostly
in the U.S. Northeast.
Mr. Trento is director of the Middletown Archaeological
Research Center in New York. He is being assisted by
many volunteers who usually can get to a newly discovered location within 24 hours to check it out. This
voluntary cooperation is spreading through his efforts
with this book and in various radio shows. He has devoted eight pages to acknowledgments of appreciation
for the help he has received.
Mr. Trento gives us explanations as to what he feels
many of the archaeological finds really are. Some of
these are exciting and contradict accepted explanations
that, in some instances. go back to the early English colonists.
This book is generously illustrated with photographs,
drawings and maps. Appendices (including a 19-page
listing of stone structures in various locations and a site
fill-in information sheet, for those wishing to help in the
search), notes and an index all help to make this an interesting and valuable tool toward -our understanding of
those who walked here before us.
THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT: PROJECT
INVISIBILITY by William L. Moore in consultation
with Charles Berlitz, Grosset & Dunlap, New York,

1979, 177 pages, 510.00.

SITU members Bill Moore with Charles Berlitz have
written a fascinating account of an alleged U.S. Navy
experiment that caused the destroyer U.S.S. Eldridge to
become invisible and possibly to teleport from one harbor
to another and back, in the fall of 1943.
Bill Moore gives us some new and rather significant
data that demands the attention of all who have heard
rumors about this World War II "experiment." The names
of a number of prominent scientists and witnesses such as
Dr. Albert Einstein, Morris K. Jessup, Carl M. Allen and

139

our own Ivan T. Sanderson are mentioned; they were involved in the intrigue of this now legendary event, the
author reports.
Mr. Moore will surely receive some criticism for the
numerous assumptions or speculations he presents in the
absence of hard facts, but he freely admits that much
information may still remain unissued. There is no doubt
that as the circulation of this book increases, new reports
will come forth to tie together the answers to a number of
questions yet unanswered.

There appears to have been more research done in

writing this book than we have seen heretofore on the
subject. Moore and Berlitz have done a commendable job
in making this book intellecutally stimulating. It leaves the
reader curious as to how much has been discovered that
is still untold by our government, ostensibly for the sake
of national security.

THE NOTES OF CHARLES FORT

Deciphered by Carl J. Pabst
ABBREVIATIONS
These abbreviations pertain to the Fort Notes which follow. Abbreviations used
in the Notes which are not found here have been printed in the two previous

issues o/Pursuit (Vol. 12, No.1 Winter and No.2 Spring).

Acad
An Reg
A.U.S.
BD
BEagl
Bib. Brit
Calif.
chars
Conn.
(Cut)
Disap
E. Haddam
European Mag.
InfConj
Intro
Jour Soc
Ibs
L. An. Sci

Academy
Annual Register
Archives of Universal Science
The Book of the Damned
Brooklyn Eagle
Bibliographie British?
California
characters
Connecticut
Illustrated
Disappearance
East Haddam
European Magazine
Inferior Conjunction
Introduction
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research
Pounds
L 'Annee Scienti/ique
(M)
[?)
Magnitude
mag
.
Mems. Boston Soc Nat Hist Memoirs 0/ the Boston Society 0/ Natural History
n.w.
Northwest
Obj
Object
phe
Phenomenon
Ph.M.
Philosophical Magazine
Q. Jour Roy Inst
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Institute
Ref.
Reference
Religio-Phil Jour.
ReligioPhiiosophical Journal
S.
South
SI. Bart
[?)
vol
Volume

1805
Aug.27

Aug 11

/ E. Haddam. Conn. / 4 p.m., tho

storm /7 p.m., q. / BA 54.
Aug. 11 / 2 explosilons) / "Moodus"
sounds / E. Haddam. Conn /
(M) / Am. J. Sci 39/339.
Aug 12 / Vesuvius / violent eruption /
Sept. 18 9:30 p.m. / Scots Magazine 1805
946/ Good see 1806329./
IReverse side) L. T. 272b /
282d / Sept 32b.

(LTJ. 2b / 282d / Sept. 32b /

63a / 123a / q. violent-Naples.
Oct 13
/ Italy / I / (Light quake /
BA 1911).
Oct 14
/ Fireball 1 Shrewsbury 1 BA 60.
Oct 15
1 Vesuvius 1 BA '54.
Ocl. 21 1 Fireball 1 Sweden 1 BA '60.
Oct 22,231 Meteor 1 York / Symons Mel.
34.
Oct 23
1 Germany 1 Fireball 1 BA '60.

Charles Fort, c. 1920

Nov
Dec. 12
Dec 30

/ (F) / near CalVi, Corsica.

ilL TJ. 3d / q (?).

/ "Moodus" sound lone
explosion 1 Am J. Sci 39/339.

1806

**

winter
Jan 2-3

1 Larvae 1 Silesia 1 (0-93).

1 China 1 II 1 (Medium quake 1

Jan 20

1 12:15 a.m. 1 (19th) / (Fr) 1

Orgon (BouchesduRhOne) 1 q's

BA 1911).

and sounds like of cannon / BA 54.

Jan 23241 Fr 1 Poitiers / 2 qs and sounds /
BA54.
Feb II/Fireball / Stockholm 1 BA '60.
Feb. 12 / Small q. 1 Emilia, Italy 1
BA'I1
Feb. 12 1 EmUia, Italy / I 1 (Small earthquake / BA 1911).
Feb 12
1 (It) / Milan / Flashes 1 sui
phurous odor 1 q 1 See for ref.
1805.
March 14 1 Inferior conjunction VenusSun 1
(A 1).

March 15 1 (Fr) / Alais 1 (D 74) 1 (metite) 1

Clay / (See Sept., 1814.) /
[Reverse side) and Valence
(Drome) 1 Bib. Univ 18/82 / Bib
Brit 37/284.
March 15 1 5:30 p.m. 1 Metite 1 Alais 1
The substance dissolved in water. 1
PURSUIT Summer 1979

140
[Reverse side) Retrospect of Discoveries 1806/357.
Feb. 24- midnight, Santa Barbara, Calif.
25
Small earthquake. BA 1911.
[Kiesewetter / / Feb. 24-25 - (Should be
March 24-25).)
Mar 25 / Mexico / great q / [BA) '11.
Ap.3
March 30 Great earthquake in Peru. BA
1911-46.
[Kiesewetter / / March 30
(The great
quake described in Peru occurred March
30,1828, not 1806).)
Ap.9-1O / Calabria, Italy / I / [Small
quake / BA 1911).
/ Volc / Lemongang / Java /
May
C.R. 70-878/ N.M.
May 17 / Metile? / Basingstoke, Hants /
BA'60.
May 17 / See Aug., 1806. / Glastonbury,
Somerset / stone 21/2 Ibs / Phil
Mag 4/8/459.
May 19 / At meeting of French Acad,
Ap. 16, 1838 (C.R. 6-514), M.
Daussy gave data for thinking that
there was a submarine volcano off
Cape Verde about 0.20' S., and
22 W. (west of Paris?). If so,
[Reverse side) abo 20 west of
Greenwich. Reported by a sea
captain, a column of smoke, 12 or
15 miles in N.W., he at 2.43'S.
and 22.55' W. / Next-see
Ap 12, 1831.
/ Ship shocks / See Nov 8-9.
Mayor
Ap19
1868./
[Reverse side) Feb 5. 1842 / Ap.
12, 1831 / Feb 20, 1861 / Sept.
10, 1868/ Oct. 13. 1878.
May 29ab./ Vesuvius / BA 54.
June 19, / Italy / I / [Small earthquake /
21
BA 1911).
July 17 /8 p.m. / broad daylight / Great
met / 1/4 diameter of moon, over
London / European Magazine
50-74 / BA '60.
[Reverse side) BA '60.
July 26 / Ball lightning down chimney and
out by door / An Reg 1806/43.
Aug 8
/ Krasnojarsk, Siberia / Tremendous shock. Violent storm. A
mountain replaced by
[Reverse side) a lake. "The country
was covered with volcanic ashes." /
BA 1854 / BA ' 11 = III [Violent
earthquake).
Aug 26- / Severest q in Rome since 1703 /
~A54.
30
Sept.23 / Stonefall at Weimar, according to
Baumhauer's Catalog but
[Reverse side) questioned in
BA'60.
Oct. 6
/ (q) / Gerace, Calabria /
BA '54/64.
Oct 14
/ Swansea, etc. / Met, great light /
BA'60.
Nov 1
/ Spain and San Salvador / great
q / [BA) '11.
Dec 17 / Ulm / q / BA '54/65.
Nov-Dec / China / I [Small quakes /
BA 1911).
PURSUIT Summer 1979

Dec 1
Dec 22

/ Lima, Peru / I i [Small quake /

BA 1911).
/ Fireball / England / BA 60.

1807
Jan 14-15/ Pau / (q) / BA 54/65.
Jan 22
/ China / I / [Small quake / BA
1911).
March 4 / Op. Mars / (A 1).
March 6 /9:45 p.m. / Metero / "immense
ball of fire" / Glasgow / Scots'
Magazine 1807-235.
March 6 / Geneva / Fireball / BA '60.
March 13 / Ichnow (Smolensko) / Metite /
A.U.S.3126.
March 25 / [Meteor)ite / Timochin,
Smolensk, Russia / F /
[Reverse side) See Bib. Brit.
35/362.
March 30 / France / I / [Small quake /
BA 1911).
/ Nurenberg / Fireball / BA 60.
Aug 9
/ Shore at Brighton and all the
Aug?
watering places on S. coast of
England covered with ladybirds. /
[Reverse side) Sci Gos. 2/ 169.
Sept. 6 / Vole / Goentoes / Java / N.M. /
C.R. 70-878.
Sept 30 / Comet / appeared 1st near sun /
London / comet like star 1st mag i
set nearly due west about 8 p.m. /
European Mag., 52-319 / In
France seen first. on 26th ( p.
437).
[Reverse side) See Venus, Oct 15.
/ [London Times), 3-d / Obj neat
Oct 27
sun / 29-2-a / [Nov.) 2-2-c /
7-2-d / 14-3-d / 31-2-b / Dec.
28-2-d / at Orkney / Comet.
Oct. 15 / Inferior conjunction Venus-Sun /
(AI).

Oct 23
Nov. 10
Nov 18
Dec. 14

Dec. 22

Dec. 22

/ [London Times), 3-c / Met /

Manchester.
/ Italy / I / [Small quake / BA
1911).
I Algiers / II / [Medium quake /
BA 1911).
/ Sound / over Weston, Conn /
3 distinct, violent explosions and
stones fell. / Am. J. Sci.,
2/28/303/
[Reverse side) See full details
2/47/1-8. / or Dec 22?
/ (F) = this date? / Weston.
Conn. / Listed in BA 54 as a q.
accompanied by a meteor.
/ 3 a.m. / Dusseldorf! q. preceded by a rumbling sound / BA 54.
/ Silesia / Polt ! Jour Soc 9/ 26.

1808
1808 and
1802
/ See Feb. 27, 1828.
[BCF, p. 409 / See 1802//.)
/ all year / / Pignerol, etc.
/ At Carniola, Germany. red snow
fell to a depth of over 5 feet. /
B Eagl, 1891, Oct 25-14-6.
Feb
/ Mexico / II [Medium earthquake! BA 1911).

Feb 8

/ (Cut) / Brioude (Haute-Loire) /

several shocks / "The first shock
was accompanied by a disturbance
of the air - like that
[Reverse side) caused by a cannon
shot. / Rept B.A. 54/66.
March 5-6/ night / Red snow / Switzerland
and Italy (vast) / Q. Jour Roy
Inst 7/189.
April 2
/ Turin, Italy / III /[Violent quake /
BA 1911).
April 2
/ Quakes in many places in France,
centering around Pignerol - but it
was preceded by a loud sound in
the air. /
[Reverse side) Ciel et Terre
16/463/ BA'l1.
Ap 8
/ 40 shocks had been counted
by the 8th at Pignerol. / Sounds
like explosions of
[Reverse side) cannon at Barga but
no shocks felt. / Rept [BA) 54/70.
April 12 / In Piedmont, centering around
Pignerol. In Rept B.A. 54/6 said
[Reverse side) that [note cut
off)ough at 5:30 p.m-.. luminous
meteors were seen. That in several
of the communes of the Alps.
shocks preceded by aerial sounds
as of innumerable stones colliding.
Ap.13
/ q / Calcutta / I [Small) / BA'l1.
Ap 14 and/ France and Switzerland / qs. /
16
B.A. '11.
.
April 16 / Quake / Again at Barga and at
La Tour, two detonations heard
and a luminous meteor observed.
/ one p.m. / Great number of
Ap.19
metiles fell in the commune of
Pievedi Casignano.
[Reverse side) in the Dept. of Taro
(formerly the duchies of Parma and
Placentia). / Archives of Universal
Science 3-26.
/ Borgo San Donino, Parma,
Ap.19
Italy / Metite / (F) / and Ph.M.
4/8/459.
[Reverse side) 40 miles east of
Piedmont / Rept BA 1860.
/ qs in the affected area / 22nd,
Ap.20
8 p. m., a waterspout passed over
Marenyas / at Barga, called a th.
storm /
[Reverse side) BA 54.
April 20 / Etna / Scots' Magazine 1808-789
says that the day before people in
Messina were much
[Reverse side) surprised to see the
streets covered with ashes. Says the
ashes had been driven by a strong
south wind from the top of the
mountain 60 miles away.
I Vole / Azores / BA 54.
May 1June 5
May 13 / Shocks. rumbling sounds reported almost every day before
13th / a red cloud was seen
[Reverse side) over the country
lying along the river Pelice / other
occasional shocks rest of year.
May 17 / Italy / I /[Small quake / BA
1911).
May 18 / See April 2.

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THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OFTHE UNEXPLAINED

VOL. 12 No.4 WHOLE No. 45

FALL 1979

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'SCIENCE IS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNEXPLAINED'

VOL. 12, No.4

FALL,1979

Publisher
Robert C. Warth
Managing Editor
R. Martin Wolf
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Steven N. Mayne
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PURSUIT.
THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED
FOUNDED BY IVAN T. SANDERSON

Devoted to the Investigation of "Things" that are Customarily Discounted

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Cover drawing
by Brill Wilkie

CONTENTS
Page
Setting the Record Straight on the
'Gabun Orangutan'
by Michael K. Diamond ............................................. 142
S(I)aved by the Experts
by Robert Barrow: ................................................. 145
The Tomb of Khufu:
Mysteries of the Great Pyramid (Part I)
by Norman Gholson ............................................... 148
Are UFOs Psychic Phenomena?
by Ivor Grattan-Guiness ............................................ 152
What is Our Northern Wetiko?
by Kamil Pecher ......... , ......................................... 156
Some Reflections on Astro-Anthropology
by Dr. Stuart W. Greenwood ........................................ 160
Prediction of Fortean Event Reports from
Population and Earthquake Numbers
by Michael A. PerSinger, Ph.D ....................................... 162
An Appendix to "The One Physical Experiment
Science Cannot Explain"
by T. B. Pawlicki .................................................. 114
Was Einstein a Berkeleian?
by Harry E. Mongold ............................................... 175
Your Very Own Energy Line Grid
by Allan Grise ..................................................... 177
The Quest for Norumbega (Part III):
The Secret of the Sun Gods
by Jon Douglas Singer .............................................. 179
Symposium ............................................................ 187
Book Reviews ........................................................... 189
SITUations ............................................................. 192
The SOCiety for the Investigation of The Unexplained

142

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

ON THE 'GABUN ORANGUTAN'
by Michael K. Diamond

ONEin literature
of the more intriguing passages that may be found
dealing with unknown hominoids occurs
on page 186 of Ivan Sanderson's Abominable'Snowmen:
Legend Come To Life! in the chapter dealing with African
mysteries. It is so brief that I can do no better than to reproduce it below.
Then in 1955, a professional American animal-collector brought back parts of a preserved specimen of
a smaIl kind of ape from the Gabun that is now lodged
in the museum in Zurich, Switzerland. He also had
photographs of the animal when alive, and it was
certainly the oddest-looking creature; like a tiny
orangutan, with a high-domed forehead and quite
unchimplike face, clothed in black hair, but minus
thumbs! The collector insisted that the local natives
know these animals well; that they are not chimps;
and unlike chimps, they are completely arboreal,
travel in parties of about 40, and never come to the
ground. This specimen has been tentatively put
down as an extremely abnormal baby chimp but it
has a complete set of adult teeth!
It is immediately apparent that this report is very specific
on some pOints and disturbingly vague on others. On the
one hand Sanderson gives us details of the ape's appearance, mentions the existence of physical, photographic,
and anecdotal evidence, and even contributes a line on
the results of a scientific inquiry. On the other hand he fails
to identify the museum where the specimen is housed
and omits the name of the "American animal-collector."
He also fails to provide any references.
The nebulous quality of this report seems to have rendered it suspect in the eyes of other researchers since a
citation of it has never-as far as I know-appeared elsewhere in the ABSM literature.
It was because this tantalizing tidbit pOinted to the possible existence of concrete evidence for a novel species of
pongid-this in the midst of 500 pages of hearsay and
'soft' evidence-that I decided to initiate a follow-up
investigation to see for myself if there was any substance
behind Sanderson's account.
For most of its duration my quest produced only negative
results. Bob Warth graciously contributed some of his
time and enlisted the aid of Sabina Sanderson, but the
two were unable to trace the origins of the report. 2 Dr.
Bernard Heuvelmans was Similarly tapped out; he in fact
considered the story of the tiny ape a complete fabrication. 3 FinalIy, my sporadic library searches released an
unrelenting stream of irrelevance.
Just when my hopes for resolving the mystery were
dimming, the entire affair was solved at one stroke artPURSUIT Fall 1979

fully applied by another correspondent, Dr. C. Claude,

curator of mammals at the Zoological Museum of the
University of Zurich.
I had written to the Zoological Museum because it
seemed like the logical repository for colIected animal
specimens. In his initial reply to my letter of inquiry, Dr.
Claude stated that his museum had no record of ever
having received such a specimen as was described by
Sanderson in the time period indicated, but that he would
forward my letter to the Anthropological Institute of the
University of Zurich which houses a large primate colIection.
Well, Dr. Claude's colleagues at the Institute not only
located a specimen which is almost a dead ringer for our
mystery ape but also provided a copy of a paper which
constitutes the detailed examination of the cadaver (henceforth to be referred to by its catalog number, A.I.Z. 6624).
This paper was moreover authored by the late Adolf H.
Schultz, former director of the Institute and one of the
greatest primatologists of the 20th century. Dr. Claude
transmitted this copy to me, and to him and the staff at
the Anthropological Institute I am indebted.
The rest of this paper will be a summary of Schultz's
findings and a comparison with what simply appears to
be Sanderson's badly distorted version of them.
The circumstances surrounding the capture and delivery
of A.I.Z. 6624 were recounted by Schultz: 4
The chimpanzee to be discussed was obtained in
August 1957 by Mr. PhilIip J. Carroll of Yaounde,
French Cameroon, who kindly sent the preserved
body to the writer together with the following information: "I send you an embalmed body of a rare
chimpanzee which I believe is a new species; he
weighs 6 lb., has a full second set of teeth, has no
thumbs and no big toes; I have seen about 100 of
these in a group high in the trees, this one fell about
15 m. from a tree and was badly injured, died 3 weeks
later." A snapshot-photograph of this little animal,
also sent by Mr. Carroll, bears an inscription claiming
that the entire large group of chimpanzees seems to
have been composed of "very similar midgets, the
largest not exceeding 40 lb." This is mentioned merely
because the particular specimen to be described is
actually very small for its age, even though it is a
mere infant and has as yet no permanent teeth.
(Reprinted from "Acrocephalo-Oligodactylism in a
Wild Chimpanzee" by Adolf H. Schultz Journal of
Anatomy 92 (4):568 79 by permission of Cambridge
University Press Anatomical Society of Great Britain
and Ireland 1958.)

Manifestly visible is the fact that Sanderson got both the

year of capture and the country of origin wrong. He inserted Carroll's unqualified and erroneous assessment of
the presence of "a full second set of teeth." He gave authority to Carroll's equally unqualified assertion that A.I.Z.

143
6624 is a representative of a new species by claiming knowledge of a corpus of native knowledge attesting to the
same truth. Nothing of the kind is mentioned in Schultz's
paper and I doubt that anything similar exists in the ethnographic or folklorist literature of the Cameroon region or
in travelers' tales. Uncharacteristically-because he was
never one to understate-Sanderson failed to take note
of ALZ. 6624's lack of big toes and reduced the size of
the troop Carroll saw from 100 animals to a modest 40.
It is the last point especially which makes me believe
that Sanderson did not seek to intentionally deceive his
readers. A reasonable scenario is that in the late 1950s
Sanderson somehow got wind of the existence of Schultz's
paper but did not record the details or context of his information. Then when he was writing Abominable Snowmen
he relied on a faulty memory to reconstruct the facts and
what came out was a garbled, sensationalized version.
Notwithstanding its recognized status as a specimen of
the common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), ALZ. 6624
is a unique and valuable item, as Schultz himself attests to.
At first glance ALZ. 6624 strikes one with its humanlike appearance, attributable to its high hairless forehead,
small face, and relatively narrow nose. The protuberant
eyes, noticeable in the photographs, highlight a somewhat
comical appearance.
A.LZ. 6624 is clothed in a typically black coat of hair
and possesses the white tuft of anal hair which characterizes
infant chimpanzees.
Where ALZ. 6624 departs from the usual chimpanzee
condition is in its skin pigmentation. The cadaver has
dark gray-brown skin on the face, ears, back, and lateral
surfaces of the limbs. It is a lighter brown on the palms
and soles, on the medial surface of the limbs, and on the
ventral portion of the trunk. Throughout life, all common
chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) possess white skin on the
body. Although the skin on the head darkens with age in
many individuals-this being most apparent in the subspecies of chimpanzee that occurs in the Cameroon area,
P. t. uerus-all infant P. troglodytes have white skin on
the face and ears. The dark butterfly-shaped patch of skin
around the eyes of P. t. uerus infants is not homologous
to the coloration of ALZ. 6624. Pygmy chimpanzees
(Pan paniscus) , a species which exists in an enclave south
of the Zaire River, several hundred miles southeast of
Cameroon, are uniformly black-skinned from birth except
for some white areas around the lips and anus which
mark the infant.!>
A.LZ. 6624 is estimated to be about twenty months
old; this determined from the presence of a full set of deciduous teeth. For its age it is extremely small and weighs
only 2.87 kg. This is well below the observed range of a
mixed male-female sample (n = 20) of equivalent age
that Schultz used for comparison. In keeping with its
small scale, almost all raw measurements of the body and
bones are absolutely smaller than those of sample specimens.
Our diminutive ape has normal body proportions in
some areas but exhibits unusual proportions in the head,
hands, and feet which are merely reflections of abnormalities present in the skeleton.
Upon dissection, Schultz found an abundance of unusual or unique features.

2 --\;,.---

__.1_---'f'"----'~
..

em.

Fig. 1. View from below of the right hand (left) and the right
foot (right) of A.I.Z. 6624. Traced from Xray photographs.
(Reprinted from "AcrocephaloOligodactylism in a Wild
Chimpanzee" by Adolf H. Schultz Journal of Anatomy
92(4):568 79 by permission of Cambridge University Press
Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1958.)

Measurements of the defleshed hands and feet reveal

that these are unusually small in relation to the rest of the
body although they are attached to normally proportioned
arms and legs. As we focus in upon these extremities, we
see that the hands not only lack the two thumb bones but
the entire first metacarpal as well. In the other primates
which habitually lack the thumb, the spider monkeys
(Ateles sp.) and the colobus monkeys (Co/obus sp.), the
first metacarpal is always present. 4.6 Thus we are witness
to an undoubtedly abnormal condition.
The feet of ALZ. 6624 lack big toes but here we see
a vestigial remnant of the first metatarsal (Fig. 1) which in
the undissected specimen resulted in a bulge on the medial
side of each foot. There is no primate which normally
lacks the big toe. The closest approach to this condition
is seen in the orangutan which in 60% of collected specimens has only a reduced proximal phalanx. 6
As aberrant as these omissions of digits are, it is nothing
compared to the deformities which are exhibited in the
skull.
The frontal bone of the cranium has retained the metopic suture long after it should have been obliterated (Fig. 2).
This has resulted in additional lateral bone growth producing a broad forehead, Widely placed eye orbits, a fused
pair of unusually broad nasal bones, and a large minimum frontal (postorbital) breadth.
The broad, manlike forehead surmounts a relatively
small face. The orbits, though widely separated, are small
and shallow (producing the bulging eyes): upper facial
PURSUIT Fall 1979

144

Fig. 2 Side and front view of the skull of A.I.Z. 6624 (top) and that of a normal chimp of corresponding age (bottom). Hoth are
drawn to the same scale. (Reprinted from "Acrocephalo-Oligodactylism in a Wild Chimpanzee" by Adolf H. Schultz Journal of
Anatomy 92(4}:568-79 by permission of Cambridge University Press Anatomical SOciety of Great Britain and Ireland 1958.)

height and facial breadth are disproportionately undersized; small too is the size of the upper and lower jaws
and this has created crowding of the normal-sized teeth.
Elsewhere on the skull vault we see that the coronal
suture has been obliterated on its lateral margins. This has
prevented bone growth in an antero-posterior direction
and so the skull is short front to back. In order to accommodate a normal-sized brain, the cranial bones have had
to grow vertically and it is this compensatory growth which
has resulted in the elevated forehead and the great height
of the cranium as a whole.
Other noteworthy features of the A.I.Z. 6624 cranium
are the total facial prognathism, the projecting nasal bones,
the presence of a nasal spine at the lower border of the
nasal aperture, a bilateral extension of the intermaxillary
suture past the lower border of the nasal opening, a uniquely situated foramen acting as the termination point of
each extenSion, and finally the absence of the ethmoid
bone in the medial orbital wall.
In reviewing all he has written on the case I must agree
with Schultz and pronounce my astonishment at the fact
that this youngster, so sorely afflicted with a multitude of
deformities, was able to survive as long as it did in the
wild.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

There are some questions remaining in this affair and

all are raised in Carroll's short notes to Schultz. The collector made two observations which are difficult to square
with known facts of chimpanzee behavior and morphology.
Carroll said that he saw a group of about 100 animals high
in the trees. Schultz is quite right when he says he "cannot believe that anywhere near such numbers of chimpanzees travel in groups_" The common chimpanzee
(P. troglodytes) moves in bands containing no more than
thirty individuals and as may be expected such congregations are exceedingly rare_ 7 The pygmy chimpanzee
(P. paniscus) is said by natives to travel in bands of from
15 to 40 individuals8 and if recent observations by fieldworkers are to be trusted, the numbers are much less
than that. 9
Carroll estimates that the largest individual in the troop
of 100 weighed no more than 40 Ibs (18.2 kg). As we
ponder this estimate we must recognize the fact that guesses
about size and weight and numbers of individuals are
difficult to make when observer and object are separated
by both substantial vertical distance and a barrier of leaves
and branches. As it stands, Carroll's appraisal falls below
the observed range for either species of chimpanzee.
P_ troglodytes adults vary from 25 to 60 kg with an aver-

145
age of about 42 kg and with males slightly heavier than
females. P. paniscus adults vary from 25 to 48 kg with an
average of 35.5 kg and again with males somewhat heavier
than females. 10.11
Once again we are back to the question, is A.I.Z. 6624
a representative of a new species? The specimen itself is
useless for determining taxonomic status because it is
both deformed and infantile. Carroll's comments must be
placed in the suspense account since there is no corroborative evidence and we know nothing of the collector's
character. One more thing: what do you think the probability is that the very first specimen of a new species

would turn out to be a magnificently misshapen baby? All

things considered, I must take the prudent course and
agree with the designation for A.I.Z. 6624 of Pan troglodytes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank Cambridge University Press for allOWing
me to reprint selected passages and line drawings from
Schultz's article. To Dr. C. Claude and his colleagues at
the University of Zurich lowe a great debt, for without
their aid this paper would not have been possible.

REFERENCES
1. Sanderson, Ivan T. (1961) Abominable Snowmen: Legend
Come To Life Chilton Book Co.
2. pers. comm.
3. pers. comm.
4. Schultz, Adolph H. (1958) "Acrocephalo-Oligodactylism
in a Wild Chimpanzee" Journal of Anatomy 92(4) :568-79.
5. Napier, J and P. Napier (1967) Handbook of Living Primates
pgs. 139-145 Academic Press
6. Schultz, Adolf H. (1973) "The Recent Hominoid Primates"
in The Origin and Evolution of Man ed. by Ashley Montague
Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
7. Reynolds, V. and F. Reynolds (1965) "Chimpanzees of
the Budongo Forest" in Primate Behavior: Field Studies of

Monkeys and Apes ed. by Irven DeVore Holt, Rinehart, and

Winston.
8. Nishida. T. (1972) "Preliminary Information of the Pygmy
Chimpanzee (Pan paniscus) of the Congo Basin" Primates
13(4) :415-25.
9. Badrian. A. and N. Badrian (1977) "Pygmy Chimpanzees"
Oryx 13(5) :463-68.

10. Zihlman, A. et at. (1978) "Pygmy Chimpanzee as a Possible Prototype for the Common Ancestor of Humans, Chimpanzees and Gorillas' Nature 275:744-46.
11. Zihlman, A. and D. Cramer (1978) "Skeletal Differences
Between Pygmy (Pan paniscus) and Common Chimpanzees
(Pan troglodytes)'" Folia Primatologica 29(2):86-94.

S(L)AVED BY THE EXPERTS

by Robert Barrow
Forteans who heard the cry a few months
SEASONED
ago should instantly have recognized its urgency as
music to their ears.
The place was Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, and
the "cry," of course, was the oft-repeated scream of area
and national people who, fearful of becoming contaminated
by radiation from a damaged nuclear plant, shouted
"Where are the experts? How could the experts let this
happen?"
One might expect, logically, that the next step would
be for the outraged and angered of our population to
come to their long-suppressed senses and realize that
there aren't any experts, and there never were. Instead,
the definitive meaning of this grand experience-the ultimate evidence that nobody knows what the hell they're
dOing-melted down and seeped away into the usual
bureaucratic "investigations," thoroughly absorbed and
made as bland as yesterday's ... oops ... today's newspaper.
And, actually, there's no "win or lose" aspect to the
Three Mile Island frolics because, for every "expert" whose
competency is questioned, several other experts have
and will come forward to explain what really went wrong,
thus making themselves and the Mystic Cult of the Experts look good and, once again, blameless in the process.
Superman lives, in theory anyway, and it's abundantly
easier to put our faith in experts than to take responsibility
for our own lives.

Darned skeptical of these experts, I am. I felt that way

as a teenage UFO researcher, and became overwhelmed
with skepticism after spending four years in the Air Force
during the Vietnam war. Oh, I never actually went to Nam,
but one didn't have to go there ... its influence was everywhere.
In the military, and as a civilian, I worked for several
years in physical therapy, serving in modern, beautifully
equipped hospitals. Usually, I preferred to treat patients
with my hands, but it was often so much more convenient
to use machines. There was, for instance, something
called a diathermy, a deep-heating machine which projected, depending on the model, either microwave or
shortwave energy far into a patient's muscle tissues, creating heat where surface thermotherapeutic methods could
not reach.
The problem with diathermy is that it penetrates so far
into tissues that the patient's surface nerve endings don't
usually feel more than minimal heat, and invariably the
patient will complain, "Hey, is this thing working right?
I don't feel anything ... " However, it was easy enough to
convince them of the diathermy's potency; alii had to do
was hold a common fluorescent light bulb near the machine
and the energy field surrounding the device would immediately cause the bulb to glow just as though it were
attached to electricity (which, of course, it was).
Some patients thought this was the neatest "trick" they
had ever seen, while others would quickly dress and leave
my clinic in fear. Frankly, I sometimes believe the latter
group had more sense, preferring not to trust their health
PURSUIT Fall 1979

146

with machines built by experts. Then, of course, there

were the exquisitely dressed salesmen from the wealthy
drug companies-the "pushers" -who regularly paraded
in and out of the hospitals, selling every "wonder drug"
they could to the pharmacies, pills expertly designed to
relieve every ill and, who knows, maybe even kill patients,
ultimately ...
But ... skeptical UFO experts-they're among my
favorites. Oh, you know the feeling; having spent considerable time reviewing evidence that supports the theory
that UFOs, whatever they are, are real, you're about to
believe there exists an actual, legitimate phenomenon in
need of solid research.
Suddenly, however, you have an encounter with an
article by some skeptic who vehemently denounces UFOs
with all the weight his scientific credentials can summon.
Well, you consider, this person really has an impressive
background-top degrees, years in his field, honors galore.
This person, telling us the UFO subject is unworthy of
serious attention, is a real expert. He must know what
he's talking about. A familiar predicament.
Now, let's spend some time attempting to cure ourselves of any, even the smallest remnants, of expertosiswhich is not in any dictionary, but if it were, would mean
"the condition of being impressed with, afflicted with, or
favorably affected by alleged statements or figures of
authority." Certain people may know a good deal about
their chosen subjects, but none of them knows elJerything
of importance-though certain experts would have us
believe their word is final on issues essential to everybody.
Me? I'm no expert. Nope, not even a UFO expert.
After all, were I a UFO expert, I guess I'd know what the
"damned" things are, wouldn't I? Now, to begin emergency treatment against further outbreaks of expertosis ...
A few years ago, slowly pushing my way through crowds
of people, I directed myself toward a spacious, though
jammed, lecture hall. The reason for this exercise in swarming humanity was the appearance of a man who was to
lecture on UFOs. But not just any man, this-no, indeed,
for the speaker was a high-ranking aeronautical engineer,
employed by and holding a key position in an international
corporation which handles a fair amount of defense contracts for Uncle Sam.
But I had doubts. Advance checking with an out-of-state
UFO researcher served to warn me that the speaker,
originally very open about UFOs, was now a skeptic,
perhaps at the urging of his corporation, which would be
only too eager to please the U.S. government and keep
those cherished defense contracts by downplaying UFOs,
much to the government's delight. Further, the speaker
was supposedly willing to dismiss UFO investigators as
readily as the UFOs. The warnings were particularly unsettling because my contact knew the engineer personally.
The speaker arrived and stepped to the podium, his
appearance impeccable and his speech qualities polished
to perfection. He started with a brief slide show, describing
the history of UFOs. Only after the slides did rumor become fact.
The open mind, the objectivity so prevalent during the
slides, vaporized. The engineer criticized civilian UFO
agencies with a vengeance, and high on his mind was the
former director of the National Investigations Committee
PURSUIT Fall 1979

on Aerial Phenomena, Maj. Donald Keyhoe (USMC, ret.).

He referred to Keyhoe as "just a writer," though he should
have been aware of Keyhoe's solid background in military
aviation and his past position as chief of information for
the Civil Aeronautics Branch of" the U.S. Department of
Commerce. He also incorrectly criticized the major's UFO
articles.
In reference to a case from the early sixties, where Keyhoe related how radar tracking a Polaris missile automatically locked on to both the missile and a large UFO
apparently in close pursuit of the flaming projectile, the
lecturer dismissed the incident. "This just didn't happen,"
he shrugged.
Unfortunately for the audience in the packed hall, they
had no way to know that, indeed, the Polaris incident
was real, and that a copy of the Cape Canaveral tracking
log of January 10, 1961, detailing the event, was on file
atNICAP.
This "expert" lecturer spent most of the evening discussing crackpot cases and far-fetched sightings; during
a short question-and-answer session, he wasted his time
on screwball questions. And if this authority was as eminently familiar with UFO literature as he should have
been, he wouldn't have misquoted the title of the late
Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt's (a former Air Force Project
Blue Book chief) book, The Report on Unidentified flying
Objects as The Report on Unidentified Flying Saucers.
He also mistitled the well-known book by the late Frank
Edwards, Flying Saucers: Serious BUSiness, as Flying
Saucers are Serious.

On and on this expert continued with fictional accounts

of the truth, enchanting his unsuspecting audience with
his own version of UFO research.
Ironically, a part of the engineer's speech admonished
those who would set themselves up as self-proclaimed
UFO authorities!
Finally, the meeting ended, the engineer received
generous and undeserved applause, and I left in disgust.
What the man had said didn't bother me half as much as
the knowledge that a good share of his listeners-many
of them scientists-were now convinced the UFO topic
was laughable. This fiasco occurred about 12 years ago,
and taught me one of my earliest lessons about the Myth
ofthe Expert.
Other examples pointing out the incompetency of
authorities are as close as the files of the defunct USAF
UFO investigation. Unlike the NBC-TV series, "Project
UFO," which portrayed Project Blue Book's work as
intricately scientific and thorough, the real project was
a disaster, privately and publicly. We can be especially
certain of this now that several researchers and even the
National Archives, drawing upon declassified USAF files,
are providirig clues to Blue Book's sad lack of scientific
inquiry.
The government's overwhelming desire to authoritatively explain away UFOs as fast as possible was evidenced
to me during a warm July in the early sixties. The fun
began when four teenage boys in New York State decided to take advantage of ideal weather and sleep out
overnight in a back yard. Still awake and gazing skyward
at about 2:30 a.m., the four suddenly observed three
objects overhead. Described as being "very high," the

147
things "zigzagged and circled around." Each object possessed a single red light.
The boys immediately phoned their local police, who
referred their call to a nearby Air Force installation. Speaking with a colonel whose name they did not recall, the
teenagers gave him the details.
Later in the morning, just in time to face anxious newsmen, the Air Force declared it had checked and discovered
there was indeed a flying object in the sky: " ... one of the
numerous satellites still orbiting the earth." I couldn't believe it. The press bought the explanation without hesitation, despite the discrepancies. Unanswered were: How
did the Air Force ponder three objects and come up with
one satellite? Which satellite (not identified) did the bc~'s
see? How does the Air Force account for the single red light
seen on each of the objects? What is the name of the
colonel to whom the boys spoke?
I contacted the Air Force unit concerned, only to be
denied any information whatsoever. The base public information officer quoted AF regulations to me, including
the section in the now-deleted AFR 200-2, which states
that information about a UFO sighting may be released
"to the press or the general public only after positive identification of the sighting as a familiar or known object."
The officer's refusal to answer my questions struck me as
odd because the Air Force had explained the boys' sighting
as a "familiar or known object." So what was the problem?
Apparently, there was a big problem, somewhere, for, in
its haste to quench public curiosity about the incident, the
USAF blew its expert analysis image but good.
Where are the experts, then? Another time, I talked
with people who, one summer's night, watched a high,
star-like thing traverse the skies from north to south, then
south to north, and this continued, back and forth, for
four hours.
The Air Force, jumping right on the annoying case,
explained it in a flash. What a number of witnesses had
observed, said the USAF, was probably a satellite! Of
course, the officials cautioned that they weren't sure which
satellite. Obviously, it pushes one to the brink of outrage
to realize that no satellite stays in one area of the sky for
four hours, and they certainly 'don't make to-and-fro
motions.
How do we refute the experts? How do we tell skeptical,
credential-laden UFO experts that their degrees and
background are irrelevant to their anti-UFO pronouncements? Simple. Match them with other experts whose
brilliant revelations proved to be in great error. Fortean
literature, and the "normal" stuff, of course, abounds
with examples.
Perhaps the most widely quoted example of an expert
who didn't know what he was talking about was Lord
Kelvin, the famous 19th century physicist. Kelvin deplored
the theory that the sun's energy was capable of altering
the earth's magnetic field, but he was wrong. 1 He saw
only limited use for the newly invented radiO; and when
X-rays were discovered, Kelvin laughed off the announcement as a hoax. In 1896, this expert stated he "had not
the slightest faith in aerial navigation other than balloons."2
The late, renowned astronomer, Dr. Harlow Shapeley,
who long refused to believe in the existence of interplan-

etary dust around all the galaXies, had a stubborn attitude

that helped perpetuate our ignorance of the universe's
great expanse. 3 More recently, Thomas Gold, director of
the Greenwich Observatory, said in 1956, ..... observational research has proved that a layer of dust up to 6,000
feet thick covers the moon. The moon dust is so loosely
packed that no traveler would be able to walk on it."41f
this is so, NASA must have lost a good many astronauts
up there that they aren't talking about!
The English poet, William Cowper, said something
back in 1789 that seems to reflect the disgust that UFO
skeptics have towards researchers who accept UFO reality,
although he was referring to flight: "Were I an absolute
legislator, I would make it the death penalty for anyone
convicted of f1ying-a bullet sent through his head or his
carriage would not be murder."5
George Simon Ohm, developer of the theory of electricity, found his 1827 book, The Galvanic Chain, Mathematically Worked Out, termed "a web of naked fancies"
by experts who knew Ohm must be wrong. One detractor
wrote, ..... he who looks on the world with the eye of
reverence must turn aside from this book as the result of
an incurable delUSion, whose sole effort is to detract from
the dignity of nature. "
"A physicist who professed such hereSies," advised the
German minister of education in agreement, "was unworthy to teach science."6
The experts are no different a century and a half later.
Dr. J. Allen Hynek recalls a 1968 astronomers' conference featuring several hundred scientists. At one point
during the evening's proceedings, the meeting was interrupted by reports that strange Iights-UFOs-were visible
in the sky outside. Hundreds of scientists immediately responded with laughter and ridicule, Hynek states, but
"not one astronomer ventured outside in the summer
night to see for himself."7 Science at work? Hopefully
not ... and scientists are supposed to be experts, mind you.
Early in the 1940s, President Truman's chief of staff
was Admiral William Leahy, and in response to inquiries
about the untested atom bomb, Leahy pronounced,
"The A-bomb is the biggest fool thing we have ever donethe bomb will never go off.
"And 1 speak as an expert on explosives."8 Famous
last words?
In 1945, Vannevar Bush, World War II scientific advisor
to the PreSident, announced, "There has been a great
deal said about a 3,000 mile high-angle rocket. In my
opinion, such a thing is not possible for many years ... it
will not be done for a very long period of time to come."9
Soon afterward, the ICBM became a reality. If a 1945
presidential advisor can be this far off the track on issues
dealing with defense, we may be sure that more recent
advisors have the potential to be equally short-sighted.
In 1926, a Professor A. W. Bickerton, who undoubtedly
prided himself on doing his homework, projected his
expertise towards the absurd idea that man could visit the
moon: "This foolish idea of shooting at the moon is an example of the absurd length to which vicious specialization
will carry scientists.
"To escape the earth's gravitation," Bickerton continued, "a projectile needs velocity of seven miles per
PURSUIT Fall 1979

148
second. The thermal energy at this speed is 15,180 calories. Hence, the proposition appears to be basically
impossible."'o
Equally, we can assume that on the subject of UFOs
and other Forteana, the skeptical experts are stumbling
over their own words.
Dr. F. R. Moulton, 1935-a statement on space flight:
"There flit through the imaginations of these individuals
vague visions of airships or rocket cars capable of making
journies through interplanetary space. To every suggestion of difficulties, they make reply that the seemingly
impossible has often been accomplished.
"Yet, in all fairness to those who by training are not
prepared to evaluate the fundamental difficulties of going
from one planet to another, or even from the earth to the
moon, it must be stated that there is not the slightest possibility of such journeys ... "t 1
With similar fervor, Simon Newcomb declared in 1906
that the impossibility of being able to produce a machine
to fly long distances through the air "seems to the writer
as complete as it is possible for the demonstration of any
physical fact to be."12
No less an expert than Dr. Lee DeForest, the father of
electronics and inventor of the vacuum tube, said in 1957,

"To place a man in a multistage rocket and project him

into the controlling gravitational field of the moon, where
the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps
land alive, and then return to earth-all that constitutes
a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne.
"I am bold enough to say that such man-made voyages will never occur regardless of all future scientific
advances."'3
The next time somebody suggests UFOs and other
Fortean phenomena can't exist because an impressive
expert says they can't, keep these examples in mind. The
complexity of the various enigmas we study dwarfs the
experts even more than they confound the rest of us.
Isn't it "Clarke's Law" that states, "When a distingUished ...
scientist states that something is possible, he is almost
certainly right. When he states that something is impossible,
he is very possibly wrong."14
What the heck. In this day and age, an expert is usually
just somebody who paid a lot more money for his education than the rest of us ... and, unfortunately for all of us,
tended to believe everything the sheepskin did for his ego.
So, come back down to earth, fellows and ladies. You're
just like us. Wondering what it's all about... ~

REFERENCES
1. Fate Magazine, Nov., 1976, p. 8
2. Quoted by NICAP, UFO Investigator, Feb-Mar, 1969, p. 2
3. Fate, p. 8
4. Quoted by Stanton T. Friedman in his paper. "UFOs: Myth
and Mystery," 1971, p. 4
5. Quoted in Thesis-Antithesis, the proceedings of the 1975
joint symposium offered by the Los Angeles and Orange County
Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics,
and the L.A. section ofthe World Future SOCiety, p. 5

6. Thesis-Antithesis, p. 21
7. The UFO Experience, by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, 1972, Regnery

8. NICAP. p. 2
9. NICAP. p. 2
10.
11.
12.
13.

ThesisAntithesis, p. 142
ThesisAntithesis, p. 142
ThesisAntithesis, p. 142
Friedman, p. 4

14. NICAP, p. 2

THE TOMB OF KHUFU:

MYSTERIES OF THE GREAT PYRAMID
PART I
by Norman Gholson
VEN though years of research and adventure have
E
not given us the final truth about Egypt's greatest
mystery-the purpose of the Great Pyramid of Giza-there
is still a possibility that further research will discover the
key to this most perplexing enigma.
Regardless of the centuries of explorers who have
searched this pyramid for the fabulous treasure of King
Khufu, there may still be chance that the mummy of the
pyramid's building, Khufu, remains hidden somewhere
in or very near this pyramid's structure. It is a well-known
fact that the Egyptian pharoahs furnished their tombs
laVishly with food, jewelry, weapons, and statuettes of
There is still a sizable doubt as to whether Khufu was really the builder
of the Great Pyramid. Erich von Diiniken. for instance. suggests that
the cartouches of Khufu found at several places on the Great Pyramid
may have been graffiti on a much earlier pyramid by a later king. This
speculation, however, falls through when we discover that the car

PURSUIT Fall 1979

servants-thought by the Egyptians to serve the king in

an afterlife. The many objects in the tomb of Tutankhamon
are a good example. Tut, however, was only a minor
king. If an insignificant pharoah was buried with such
splendor and wealth, the great Khufu's tomb must have
contained treasures of unimaginable value.
The Great Pyramid, largely because of size, has inspired enough speculation to fill volumes. This pyramid
covers thirteen acres, is 481 feet high, and is 755 wide at
the base. During its construction it is estimated that workers
transported around 2,300,000 granite and limestone
blocks weighing about 2112 tons each from quarries up to
700 miles away. A number of recent speculators on this
mystery are assuming the Egyptians could not possibly
touches of Khufu were found in a place which could not possibly have
been visited by a later pharoah-the construction cham~rs above the
King's Chamber-where the hieroglyphs are upside down-thus indicating that these hieroglyphs were painted on the blocks at the stone
quarry.

149
have built the Great Pyramid without help from alien
visitors from outer space. To this writer, it seems that
these people are underestimating the abilities of the ancients, and overestimating the chances that Earth was
once visited by aliens. Much of such speculation stems
from the huge amount of labor required in bUilding the
Great Pyramid, as well as several curious facts about its
dimensions. One such fact is that the pyramid's meridian
line divides the surface of the earth in two equal halvesas do all the other pyramids of Egypt. Then, there are the
facts that the area of its base divided by twice its height
gives the figure pi; and its height multiplied by a billion
gives the distance of the earth from the sun.
These figures are only approximate but still close enough
to challenge explanation. Are these facts merely coincidental to the principles of orientation and proportion as
consciously applied by the Egyptians? This writer believes
that they are -largely because when dealing with such a
structure as large as the Great Pyramid, where many
figures are involved, it is only a matter of probability that
a few coincidences will appear. Rather than contribute to
vain speculations leading nowhere for need of specifics,
this writer proposes that a more fruitful approach consists in better analysis and interpretation of tangible data,
and that is the intent of this article.

THE GREAT PYRAMID

The outside of the Great Pyramid is presently crumbling,
eroded, and worn down by time. When erected 4500 years
ago, it was sheathed in polished limestone which might still
cover the pyramid today had the Arabs not removed it as a
bUilding material for Cairo. Then this pyramid's locality was
once used as a quarry, and nearly all the casing stones were
miSSing except those at its foot. These stones were later
found when removing rubble at the pyramid's base. Also,
the temples and the causeway, which were once a part of
this pyramid's complex, have long since vanished from the
site. Only the core masonry of the causeway remains, and
the pavement around the pyramid and related structures
has all but disappeared. Originally this pyramid had a capstone, but this, too, was probably removed as building stone
or perhaps wore away by erosion.
While the outside of the Great Pyramid has changed
markedly from its ancient appearance, the inside has remained Virtually intact. The only damage to the passageways and chambers is that done by treasure-hunters and
archaeologists and the stone chippings from the coffer of the
King's Chamber (and several other places) by tourists as
souvenirs.
There are many passages in the Great Pyramid, and it
would have taken considerable time to excavate them.
One of these passages, the Grand Gallery, stands out
among all others. Unlike the cramped size of the other
galleries, the Grand Gallery has a ceiling that towers above
one's head. Several passages branch from this gallery,
one leading to the King's Chamber and another to the
Queen's Chamber. The entrance area of the Grand Gallery contains an opening to a mysterious Well Shaft. The
only finished chambers in the pyramid, the King's Chamber
and the Queen's, were found empty and (presumably)

undisturbed by the first Arab explorations of 820 A.D. In

the King's Chamber lies the "coffer" -a solitary granite
sarcophagus. When these first Arab explorers entered
the King's Chamber, they found the coffer-but no lid
and no trace of a mummy. There are grooves where the
lid should be, but no lid was ever found. A comer of the
sarcoDhagus has now been chipped off by centuries of
tourists searching for souvenirs. Archaeologists tend to believe this is where King Khufu was buried.
The Queen's Chamber was likewise found deserted,
but a suspicious looking niche on one of the walls attracted
the Arab explorers' attention. When they dug into the
wall behind the niche, however, the wall proved to be
solid.
The King's Chamber is connected to the outside of the
Great Pyramid by two airshafts. These shafts are far too
small for a man to crawl through, and so didn't serve as
passageways. Their purpose, whether for ventilation,
religious Significance, or perhaps even for communication
with the outside world from the King's Chamber, is not
known.
The Great Pyramid has only one entrance and from
this, deep into the heart of the underlying bedrock, sinks
the Descending Passage. This passage ends 600 feet below
the summit of the pyramid (120 feet into the ground) and
terminates in a subterranean chamber which was also found
empty.
Other chambers have been discovered above the King's
Chamber. These are of very low construction and apparently built to protect the ceiling of the King's Chamber
from the extreme pressure of the many blocks above it.
The Ascending Passage (leading from the Descending
Passage to the Grand Gallery) had been blocked with
granite plugs at the time of the pyramid's construction
to keep people from entering the King and Queen Chambers. There is much controversy over the method used
for sliding these plugs into place. Some researchers think
the granite plugs were built inside the pyramid, while
others speculate that the plugs were lowered by some
unknown means from the Grand Gallery. The Arabs cut
around these plugs to enter the Ascending Passage and
gain access to the King and Queen Chambers.

KING KHUFU'S TOMB

Assuming that the Great Pyramid was actually "empty"
as recorded when the Arabs explored it in 820 A.D., there
are three possibilities regarding the enigma of Khufu's
burial:
1) That Khufu was never buried in the Great Pyramid
(in other words, that the pyramid was never used as
a tomb).
2) That Khufu's mummy and treasure had been preViously found and looted.
3) That Khufu and his treasure still remain hidden
somewhere in the Great Pyramid today.
Considering that both the King and Queen Chambers
were found empty, one could conclude that this pyramid
was never intended to be used as a tomb, but there is no
good evidence that it was ever used for some other purpose. Even so, there exist various speculations as to other
PURSUIT Fall 1979

150
possible uses. Some Egyptologists and other speculators
have presented interesting theories, but unfortunately,
there has never been enough evidence to establish absolute
proof. The most popular theories as to other uses include: a library in stone of ancient Egypt's knowledge,
an astronomical observatory, Joseph's graneries, and a
temple for secret initiations (which seems unlikely, since
if the Great Pyramid was intended to be visited there
would have been no need for granitl;! plugs), and finallyper recent speculation-that it was constructed as a space
base for ancient astronauts.
If Khufu was never buried here, there is little likelihood
that sufficient evidence will ever be found to prove that,
considering the difficulty of proving a negative. Many
scientists think that Khufu was originally buried in this
pyramid but that his entire treasure, along with his mummy,
were stolen sometime prior to the Arab explorations.
If true, this looting probably occurred before the Persians
conquered Egypt in 525 B.C. The reason for this assumption is that from the time of the Persians to 820 A.D., the
upper galleries are believed to have been unknown. (This
is. where most archaeologists think the mummy and treasure lay before the violation of Khufu's tomb.) Certainly
the first Arab explorers could not have stolen anything
since they found these upper galleries empty. Thereafter,
no one could have robbed the tomb because there was
nothing there to rob. As to looting, there are no known
records of it over the entire 4,500 years during which
this pyramid has stood.
If no one desecrated the burial chamber from the Persian domination of Egypt to the present, could the ancient
Egyptians themselves have done it? Perhaps the most
knowledgeable of the builders pillaged the tomb because
they knew what it was designed to conceal. Such persons,
however, would probably have been executed at Khufu's
death because of their secret knowledge. Then, if the
Great Pyramid was pillaged in the times of the ancient
Egyptians, the entrance would certainly have remained
open when Herodotus, the famous Greek historian,
visited the Giza site sometime around 450 B.C. For these
various reasons it appears that the Great Pyramid may
never have been robbed.

LOST CHAMBERS OF
THE GREAT PYRAMID
If the mummy of Khufu was originally buried in the
Great Pyramid and never stolen, where is it today? Is it
possible that the mummy and treasure are still hidden
within? Explorers have searched everywhere in the hope
of finding a secret burial chamber, but they have found
nothing.
Strangely, even the use of modern day electronic technology has produced confusing results. A team of scientists recently tried bombarding the pyramid of Khafra'
(Chephren) with high energy radiation in a way designed
to reflect variations in structural content. When their data
were computer processed, the results were so conflicting
as to be virtually useless. Perhaps we may lightly con Khafra was believed to have reigned either directly after Khufu or at
the death of Khufu's son. Dedefre.

PURSUIT Fall 1979

jecture that these odd results were caused by pyramid

power-which is also allegedly capable of preserving
dead animals as well as sharpening dull razor blades.
Although all attempts to find lost chambers within the
Great Pyramid have thus far been futile, there is one
location that deserves much more attention. This location
is the subterranean chamber which is carved deep into
the bedrock underneath the pyramid and at the end of
the Descending Passage. The subterranean chamber is
only roughly cut from the surrounding rock and the walls
show slabs of rock protruding at different places. The
floor of this chamber is cut in three or four rough levels,
but the ceiling is smooth. Surprisingly, this chamber is the
largest one in the entire pyramid, and the maximum ceiling height is over eleven feet.
Extending out from the south wall of this chamber,
there is a small passageway that terminates at a blind wall
53 feet away. The center of the chamber floor contains
a cutout of a roughly rectangular pit. This pit is also cut in
several levels like the chamber floor. In 1838, this pit
measured twelve feet deep, but it was later deepened by
explorer Howard-Vyse in his search for a lost chamber in
the pyramid. After this explorer's futile search, it was
immediately assumed that the pit held nothing of value.
This conclusion, however, may have been overly presumptuous. The layers of refuse and stone that HowardVyse did not excavate could possibly conceal granite
plugs blocking the entrance to another chamber-and
possibly the true burial chamber of Khufu. Putting a huge
stone slab over an entrance from above and filling the
passage to the plug with rubble was a common Egyptian
method of disguising tombs.
Archaeologists have entertained several reasons for
not investigating the pit further, but careful analysis shows
that these reasons are not infallible. For example, one of
the most poignant reasons is the rough appearance of the
subterranean chamber which would be the ante-chamber
of Khufu's tomb if this writer's theory is correct. Because
this chamber is so roughly cut, it suggests that excavations for it were never really completed, that it was deserted in the middle of building operations for another
chamber such as the King's Chamber. That conclusion
is not necessarily warranted, because the rough cut of this
chamber may have been intentional. Khufu's true burial
chamber may be concealed by this "unfinished" antechamber above it. This ploy would mislead the tombrobbers into believing the chamber was only a blind. Khufu
could also have directed that rubble be dumped into the
shaft leading to his tomb.
One of the most important pieces of evidence in favor
of lost chambers beneath the Great Pyramid comes from
the ancient works of the Greek historian Herodotus. He
wrote nine books of history covering Virtually all the nations
known to the Greeks in ancient times. In gathering material
for his accounts of certain countries, Herodotus often
traveled to these countries himself. Egypt, then under the
rule of the Persians, was among the countries he visited.
We are indebted to him for knowledge of Egyptian culture
including his account of the mummification process.
Among his many topics, he wrote the most detailed and
best account of the pyramids of all that has survived from
classical times. The famous Library of Alexandria (thought

151

to contain some 700,000 works) probably contained much

valuable data on the pyramids, but the library was burned
by religious fanatics in the 4th century A.D.
Herodotus mentions underground chambers beneath the
Great Pyramid at three different places in his account.
Could it be that he was referring to chambers that may
exist beneath the pit in the subterranean chamber? The
three passages that mention subterranean chambers are
contained in Book II of The History, as translated by
Harry Carter.
After describing the building of a causeway from the
Nile to the pyramids' sites, for the transport of stone building blocks, Herodotus writes:
"Ten years, they say, were taken by this work (on
the causeway) and the making of underground
chambers for the king's burial in the hill on which the
pyramids stand which he turned into an island by
cutting a canal from the Nile."
And again, when figuring how much labor was expended
on the Great Pyramid, Herodotus remarks that:
These passages are quoted from The Histories 0/ Herodotus trans
lated by Harry Carter, Heritage Press. New York, 1958.

" ... the digging of the underground works took no

little time."
Then once more, when Herodotus is comparing the pyramid of Khafra with that of Khufu, he remarks:
"There are no underground chambers beneath it
[Khafra's pyramid], nor has it any inflow of water
from the Nile as the other [the Great Pyramid] has,
where the water is led in through a passage in the
building and surrounds an island in which, they say,
Cheops lies."
If Herodotus was not fantasizing, we may have found
valuable clues that the answer to the Khufu mystery lies
beneath the subterranean chamber. However, Herodotus's passing mention of such chambers was long ago
dismissed from serious consideration after it was once
labeled as a "tall tale," and largely forgotten. The experts reasoned that the tale was probably pushed off on
the unwitting Greeks by one of the priests Herodotus used
as asource of information. In judging whether to accept
this explanation, why not reconsider these passages both
alone and in context with the rest of Herodotus's writings
on the pyramids of Giza?
- To be continued
PURSUIT Fall 1979

152

ARE UFOS PSYCHIC PHENOMENA?

by Ivor Grattan-Guiness

INTRODUCTION

shall not spend any time on arguing for the occurrence

of UFO phenomena, although I shall refer to examples
on occasion. Rather than deal with the view of those
critics that all phenomena can be explained in terms of
either some natural phenomena or an unethical claim by
the witnesses, I shall ignore it. For me there is a significant
residue of evidence which cannot be so explained away,
and this is not the place to argue about particular cases.
When I use phrases such as "UFO sighting" below, I refer only to this significant residue. .
Description of particular cases is the principal preoccupation of the literature, especially the journals. Among
the best journals in this field is the British Flying Saucer
Review. I shall confine my journal references to it when
mentioning particular sightings. 1 I shall also refer to some
of the more worthwhile books and articles in the field,
especially those which discuss the general questions about
the field, which are my chief concern here.

UfOLOGY: ITS RECENT HISTORY

AND CURRENT STATE
Ironically, the best known event of 1978 connected
with UFOs is not a sighting but the film "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind." This unlikely title is taken over from
the classification of UFO sightings in J. A. Hynek's The
UFO Experience. and covers cases where "the presence
of 'occupants' in or about the UFO is reported."2 Sometimes contact with these "occupants" is claimed, as happens in the film.
Since the film has been commercially successful, it is
certain to have a successor. Often such films have uninspiring titles in the form "Son of ___" or "___ 2" ,
but in this case both the title of a successor and its contents
are obvious. I do not wish to provide free ideas for the
dollar-laden servants of the film industry, but since the
appearance of Hynek's book in 1972 the category of
"Close encounters of the fourth kind" has been introduced by some students of the field. They are alleged
abduction cases, whose details are apparently retrievable only by regression hypnosis. These cases proVide
some of the strangest data in this field,3 and their cinematic
possibilities are obvious.
Cases of this kind are among the reasons for a strong
change in recent years away from orthodoxally technological explanations of UFOs as machines to an acceptance
that UFO sightings, or at least a significant proportion of
them, are not of objects in the normal sense of that term,
but are psychic experiences of some kind. Hence the
question in my title, which we shall explore in the sections
below. Firstly, however, I must say more about the history
of the "technological" period of explanations of UFO
phenomena, for it has left its mark on the current state of
the field in many ways.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

Although sightings have been recorded apparently

back into antiquity, the modern interest in the field started
just after the last World War. At the time the authorities
of both East and West were discovering the extent of the
Germans' military war-time technology, and rapidly
"acquiring" as many of the relevant personnel as possible.
Then these reports of "flying saucers" (the vogue term of
the time) were publicized in profUSion, especially in the
United States. Were people seeing the latest products of
the talents of our/their/someone else's Germans? It is
not impossible for a machine of that shape to be designed
according to our technological principles, although the
technical difficulties are immense, especially to achieve
the sudden and large changes of speed and/or direction
which are often reported by witnesses. 4
Characteristically of this field, the question of whether
or not witnesses were obserVing post-Nazi technology
cannot be answered definitively. On the one hand, there
are claims that the Germans tried to develop such a machine. For example, in an article under H. Oberth's name
in an early issue of Flying Saucer Review there is information on the V7, a helicopter powered by circumferentially
mounted engines. Apparently it was developed at the research centers in Prague and Vienna, although the technical difficulties were enormous and the -project was not
continued at Peenemunde. 5 Again, a friend of mine,
himself not interested in UFOs, told me that a report on
the Germans' achievements was written at the end of the
war by a close acquaintance of his in British Military Intelligence. On the other hand, I have not been able to see
any documents on the matter: the custodians of the relevant British, American and German archives deny that they
possess such material, and authorities such as R. V. Jones
have no knowledge of such developments. 6
In recent years the social climate has eased. The Americans have released much of their information collected
by their Air Force,1 and some good television programs
have been made there. s Again, the French Ministry of
Defense admits that its ministry studies the phenomena. 9
By contrast, Britain remains the land of timidity in the
face of anything that is possibly novel: the BBC programs
on UFOs are usually rubbish, for example,IO but "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind" may help awaken the British.
The Daily Express collected much information from a
request for readers' letters,11 and a UFO Investigation
Network is now working well, nationwide, under the
efficient organization of Jenny Randles 12 and reporting
regularly in Flying Saucer Review.
I shall not say more on this situation and its history, but
I do wish to point out the kind of atmosphere that has
surrounded the subject, and still does. The military implications of UFOs, I am sure, have governed the desire of
officialdom to disparage the subject. Hynek's The UFO
Experience describes many cases of the most extraordinary
carelessness with the evidence by his colleagues on various
investigative committees; indeed, it was these attitudes
that aroused his deeper curiosity.13 D. M. Jacobs's excellent social history of The UFO Controversy in America

153
shows how widespread was the generation of controversy by fanatics on both sides. 14 This is our historical heritage, and we must attend carefully to it even if it evolved
in the context of the assertion and rejection of technological
explanations which now are not widely advocated.

SOME SIMILARITIES BETWEEN UFO

. AND PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA
The move away from technological to psychical explanations has occurred largely in the 1970s.l~ The causes
include the continuing failure to produce convincing technological theories of craft design and motion, and the
gradual realization that psychic phenomena are sometimes associated with, or follow, a UFO sighting (I give
some examples below). C. G. Jung was a pioneer in this
direction in as much as in his Flying Saucers of 1959 he
regarded UFOs as God-images rather than machines, 16
although just before his death he thought that they were
space-ships. I 7
I shall now address myself to the question posed in my
title: are UFOs psychic phenomena? In the rest of this
section I shall briefly survey nine respects in which UFOs
and psychic phenomena display similarities. I cover not
only the phenomena themselves but also theories about
them and the attitudes that are held about both the phenomena and their study.
1. Phenomena. UFOs would appear (literally) to be
most similar to apparitions and ghosts; but this similarity
is less marked than it would seem. But UFOs can leave
much more physical evidence behind, and more frequently,
than is normal with apparitions or ghosts: broken branches,
damaged crops, circular marks on the ground, and so
on 18 In addition, ectoplasm hardly ever seems to occur at
UFO sightings. The behavior of animals is often similar in
both areas: dogs and cats run away with the same enthusiasm from UFOs as they do from various kinds of psychical
phenomena. Animal deaths have also been discovered
after UFO sightings. 19 Among specific cases where connections between UFO and psychic phenomena may be
involved, I may mention Geller's claim of UFO contacts
(the degree of your belief in them will depend on your belief in Geller); 20 the UFO sighting of 'Dr. X' in France
which involved psychic healing and (later) levitation; 21
the sightings of Stella LanSing, who seems also to have
the "thoughtographic" ability to cause images to appear
on film in addition to those captured by the camera;22 and
the close encounter of the fourth kind experienced by
Betty Hill, who has had other psychic experiences. 23
However, despite these many points of similarity between the two areas, there is no obvious pattern of connection between them: one witness's "other things" might
be poltergeists, another's thoughtography, and so on.
This situation strengthens the general thesis of connections
between UFOs and psychic phenomena, but makes the
development of theories asserting specific connections
very difficult.
2. Repeatability. Both areas face great difficulties in
this respect. For UFOs the most interesting case so far is
perhaps Stella LanSing, who seems to see UFOs, and
photograph them, at will. In addition, other people can
see them with her: I myself have done SO.24

3. Residual categories. Both UFOs and psychical phenomena are defined as residual categories of phenomena,
those which are not in Respectable Category A, nor in
Respectable B, nor ... This has three important consequences. Firstly, to say that UFO phenomena are psychical
phenomena really says very little: since both areas are
so disparate, it is not surprising that some of one will correlate with some of the other. This leads to my second
point. Both UFO and psychic phenomena need classification, need a taxonomy; to search for the "nature" of
either is a mistake. Thirdly, connections between two
areas might in fact help the construction of classifications
in both ofthem.
4. The situation ouer rationality. Both UFO and psychic phenomena strain rationality by their apparent contradiction with established science. To me, however, the
conclusion is: so much the worse for established science.
My own work in the history of science (a topic about
which scientists normally know nothing significant) has
shown me very clearly that scientific progress over time
affects the conception of rationality itself, especially the
assessment of the legitimacy or otherwise for scientific
study of a class of phenomena: yesterday's magic mutates
into today's feasible problem, and tomorrow it will be
demanding research posts and specialist journals. No argument for the eventual acceptability of either UFO or psychic phenomena thereby follows, but the more infantile
forms of their rejection can be strongly criticized, especially
when one brings in the historical fact that fringe sciences
of a period help to mold the rationality of science as a
whole.
The reason why such wholesale rejection of both these
fields occurs is as follows. Scientists think that the cautious
approach to strange phenomena is to reject their occurrence. But they are twice mistaken: firstly, in regarding
science as a wholly cautious activity (Popper has demolished this view with regard to theory construction); and
secondly, in thinking that rejection is the cautious approach
anyway. On the contrary, the cautious view is to accept
the phenomena, since no commitment to any particular
kind of explanation is made, but the possibility of exploring various explanations is allowed. The "caution" of
rejection is often a reckless and unthinking conservatism.
A. Michel quotes Jean Cocteau as having once said to
him: "What would be unbelievable is that they should
NOT exist."2~
In recent years science itself has become less "authoritarian" in its self-image: in particular, physics is no longer
its queen. As an example, meetings between scientists
and ufologists take place every now and then 26 and
serious journals are attempted. 27
5. The polarity of attitudes. As I have intimated before,
attitudes concerning UFO phenomena and their studies
are often strongly in favor or against; hence another similarity with psychical phenomena leaps to the eye. I am
sure that the polarity itself is worthy of study. Both areas
seem to tap a deep-seated source of fear: fear for some
that these phenomena actually occur fear for others that
they may actually be orthodoxally explicable. In this connection the asymmetry of publicity of the views of critics
and of protagonists applies. Students of psychical research know well that critics are automatically sold as
I

PURSUIT Fall 1979

154
experts, while well-argued defenses are ignored. 28 The
same happens in ufology. For example, all the British
newspapers were full recently of the story that Adamski's
photographs of UFOs must in fact have been of the cover
of a bottle cooler; but the report of its inventor that he had
been inspired to his design by seeing Adamski's photographs was less widely circulated. 29 By such moves is the
philosophy of reckless "caution" fortified.
6. Minds, bodies and universes. Both UFO and psychical phenomena have many consequences for the
distinction between mind and body. The current situation
over this distinction is in a curious state; most scientists
(and also Popper) support some form of interacting dualism
between mind and body, while philosophers think that
they have reduced mental events to states of language
behavior. UFO and psychic phenomena seem to speak
against dualism to some extent, but in addition attempted
linguistic reductions of mental events are irrelevant. In a
thoughtful article on "The mind-matter interface," J.
Eisenbud has made the pleasant suggestion that we regard
a UFO as "an into-the-body experience," as a converse
to psychical out-of-the-body experiences. 30 Perhaps we
can go further and wonder if a UFO is an object at all,
and if "it" is actually flying.
A related matter is the question of the space-time in
which bodies exist. Part of the psychic explanation of
UFOs is that they come from parallel universes, but I do
not see what help this unfalsifiable hypothesis provides.
In addition, it has no specific connection with UFO or
psychic phenomena anyway. I can postulate the existence
of as many parallel universes as I like around me without
any difficulty, since their presence will be detected only
when physical interaction with my universe occurs. How
such interaction may occur is a good question, of course,
and maybe some aspect of ufology or psychical research
will be illuminated by an answer to it.
7. Use of hypnosiS. Originally a psychical phenomenon
itself, hypnosis is now a widely used technique in psychologyand (sometimes) medicine; even though it is still
not well understood theoretically, it is increasingly used in
ufology, especially for close encounters of the fourth kind.
However, the UFO experience itself does not normally
appear to have any hypnotic or hallUCinatory component
to it; the UFO seems to enter the witness's experience in
his normal state of consciousness and does not affect it,
although it may well cause physiological effects (burns,
eye-strain, headaches, and so on) and even death. 31
8. Use of statistics. There is now enough data for statistical analysis of UFO sightings to be attempted. 32 The
most detailed so far is in progress under Dr. D. Saunders,
a member of Hynek's Center for UFO Studies in America,
who has tens of thousands of sightings in his computer
program. He told me some time ago that there seemed
to be some kind of correlation emerging between the frequency of sightings and the sidereal time of their occurrence, with different distributions for different kinds of
UFO encounter. Perhaps when more statistical work has
been done, psychical researchers can find here some
uses for statistics in their own work. However, the drawing
of conclusions in these areas is even more perilous than
in more orthodox fields. For example, I. Brand expresses
the hope that the frequency distribution of UFO data will

PURsurr Fall 1979

show whether UFO phenomena are physical or psychical

phenomena,33 though I cannot see how statistics alone
could provide a suitable criterion.
9. Use of photographs and films. By and large the
same problems of interpretation of photographs apply to
both areas: UFO photographs seem to be rather easier to
fake. Fortunately, there are many photographic experts
in both fields who apply very rigorous tests and controls
on photographic evidence. A UFO sighting of particular
photographic interest was a sighting in 1967 over San
Jose de Valderas in Spain, of a white saucer-shaped
object with a black mark, rather like the Russian character
called "zh," on its lower surface. There were several witnesses, including two who took clear photographs of the
object from different positions. 34 I have already mentioned
the case of Stella LanSing, which has photographic as
well as ufological aspects.

SOME CONCLUSIONS
From the considerations above I shall proceed towards
some conclusions.
Are UFOs psychic phenomena? The question is too
simple. The two categories are too incoherent and disparate for the question to be worth asking in this form.
We need to ask a series of questions of the form: "In which
ways (if any) do UFO experiences of type X match up
with psychic phenomena of type Y?" Although many
individual connections have been noticed, no clear-cut
pattern of connections has yet emerged. If UFOs do come
under the umbrella of psychic phenomena, then they
may well be among the most curious, and thus among
the most difficult to study.
One reason for the lack of success may be that psychical
explorations of UFO phenomena have only recently become fashionable, and ufologists have not yet become
conversant with the details of psychical research. For example, J. Vallee has recently published UFOs: The Psychic.Solution, but I must confess that I do not learn from it
what the psychic solution actually is.3s
Much information may be being lost because ufologists
are not asking UFO witnesses relevant questions, or carrying out appropriate procedures. For example, the possibility of pre-cognition of UFO sightings is not usually
explored. Again, the interview of witnesses is regarded
only as a search for information and opinions: no attempt
is made to recreate the possible psychic state of mind of
the witness. Further, the location of the UFO sighting is
carefully mapped; but it is usually correlated only with
man-made artifacts such as power lines, and not with
natural effects such as magnetic fault lines. (A. Michel's
Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery is something of an exception,36 and the frequency of occurrence
of sightings near mountains and/or lakes is Widely noted.)
Finally, the time of duration of the sighting is determined
as accurately as possible, but the witnesses' astrological
charts (both the birth and the progressed charts) are not
prepared, to see if any tendencies or patterns are to be
found from them.
I am inclined to wonder whether explanations of both
UFO and psychic phenomena may have to draw on occult

155
doctrines. The most interesting essay published so far on
possible occult aspects of UFO sightings is David Tansley's
Omens of Awareness. 37 The stimulus for him to write the
book came when "A sudden and inexplicably deep interest
in UFOs occurred in January 1976 accompanied by
peculiar synchronistic events." He read some of the technological explanations of UFOs, 38 but in a counterview he
related UFOs to the "expanding consciousness of man"
and to ancient Mystery Teachings about the world. For
him UFOs are connected with spirit forces called "allies,"
which can appear in human and animal form, and perhaps even as UFOs. The colors in which UFOs sometimes
appear are similar to those found in (alleged) manifesta-

tions of pranic energy. UFOs are appearing in order to

make us realize the existence of the universal creative
forces of nature, and to encourage us to control them.
Tansley's book is dedicated to Brother Philip, of the Monastery of the Seven Rays in South America, the continent
in which (for some reason) many of the best UFO sightings
occur. 39 Brother Philip's Secret of the Andes is not a UFO
book, but some of its message relates to UFOs in the way
thatTansleyoutlines. 4o
We are obviously entering deep water here; but the
shallower streams of technological and psychical explanations have so far been disappointing. And after all, why
should fringe subjects not embrace their own fringes?

REFERENCES
I give the first publication of each book cited: most of them
have been reprinted since in paperback.
1. Flying Saucer Review, 1955- , six parts per volume. Now
published from West Mailing, Maidstone, Kent. In later footnotes I cite articles from it in the following way. "FSR 20/3"
refers to volume 20, issue 3; "FSR CH 9" cites the 9th issue of
its supplementary series Case Histories (now suspended); and
FSR SI4 mentions the 4th year of its occasional series of 'Special
issues.' I give the year of publication also; but as the issues are
only around 36 pages each. I omit the page numbers of the
articles. Book selections of some of its articles have been published as The Humanoids, London, 1969 (an expanded version
of SI1); and Encounter Cases from Flying Saucer Review, New
York,1977.
2. Hynek, J. A., The UFO Experience. A Scientific Enquiry,
New York, 1972, p. 47.
3. For some recent cases. see Collins, A., "The Aveley Abduction," FSR 23/6 (1978), 24/1 (1978); and Randles, J.,
and Wetnall, P .. "Entity Encounter at Risley," FSR 24/2 (1978).
4. See McCampbell, J. M., Ufology. New Insights from Science
and Common Sense, Belmont, California. 1973; and Winder.
R. H. B., "Design for a Flying Saucer," FSR 12/6 (1966),
13/1-3 (1967).
5. Oberth, H .. "They come from outer space," FSR 1/2 (1955).
6. Jones, R. V., "The natural philosophy of flying saucers,"
Physics bull., 19 (1968), 225-230. See also Lusar, R., German
Secret Weapons of the Second World War, New York and
London, 1959.
7. The best available study of this information is Hynek, J. A.,
The Hynek Report, New York, 1977. There is also Steiger, B.
(ed.), Project Blue Book, New York, 1976.
8. A book was published based on one film; see Emenegger, R.,
UFOs Past, Present and Future, New York, 1974.
9. See "French Minister Speaks on UFOs," FSR 20/2 (1974).
On the official admission of interest in Spain, see Creighton, G.,
"Important Statement by Spanish Air Force chief," FSR 22/3
(1976).
10. See C. Bowen's editorials in FSR 20/2 (1974) and 23/3
(1977). A somewhat better effort by the BBC was reported by
Bowen in 14/4 (1968).
11. See C. Bowen's editorial in FSR 23/6 (1978).
12. See C. Bowen's editorial in FSR 23/2 (1977).
13. Hynek, J. A., The Hynek UFO Report, New York, 1977.
14. Jacobs, b. M., The UFO Controversy in America, Bloomington, Indiana, and London, 1975.
15. FSR has tended towards this type of explanation for a long
time; see. for example, Bowen, C .. "UFOs and Psychic Phenomena," FSR 15/4 (1969).

16. Jung, C. G., Flying Saucers . .. , New York, 1959. (First

published in German in 1958.)
17. Schwarz, B. E., "UFOs: Delusion or Dilemma," Medical
Times, 96 (1968). 967-981.
18. Among many examples, see Michel, A. and Bowen, C.,
"A Visit to Valensole," FSR 14/1 (1968); Crump, L G., "The
Whippingham Ground Effects," FSR 14/3 (1968); Liljegren, A.
"Mariannelund UFO and Occupants," FSR 16/6 (1970); Bowen,
C., "Landings and Humanoids Reported in Cape Province ... ,"
FSR 19(1 (1973); and Phillips, T., "Landing Report from
Delphos." FSR CH 9 (1972). On the well-known Socorro case,
see Stanford. R.. Socorro Saucer, New York, 1978 (first published in 1976 as Socorro Saucer in a Pentagon Pantry). Stanford's book contains stories that UFOs have crashed on occasion,
and that these machines and their dead occupants are preserved
at U.S.A. aircraft bases. Similar stories are claimed in Stringfield, L H., Situation Red, New York, 1977. If true, such stories
are of great importance to our subject: but the evidence is so
controversial, and the attempts to prise information out of the
American authorities are in such a fluid state at present, that I have
not discussed the consequences in this paper. Actually. the
discovery that there are "real" machines containing "intelligent"
beings would not disprove the thesis that UFOs are psychic
phenomena.
19. For catalogue of animal cases in FSR, see especially Creighton, G., "A New FSR Catalogue," 16/1-6 (1970),17/1-2 (1971);
and Lamarche, S. R., "UFOs and Mysterious Deaths of Animals,"
22/5-6 (1976).
20. Puharich, A., Uri, London, 1974.
21. Michel, A., "The Strange Case of Dr. 'X'," FSR S13 (1969),
17/6 (1971).
22. See Schwarz, B. E., "Stella Lansing's UFO Motion Pictures," FSR 18/1 (1972); "Stella Lansing's Movies: Four Entities
and a Possible UFO," FSR SI5 (1973); and "Stella Lansing's
Clocklike Patterns of UFO Shapes," FSR 20/4-6 (1974), 21/1
(1975). The locus classicus on thoughtography is Eisenbud, J.,
The World 0/ Ted Serios, New York, 1967. The effect was
possible for Serios even if no camera was used.
23. See Schwarz, B. E., "Talks with Betty Hill," FSR, 23/2-4
(1977).
24. See my "A Note on the Significance of Stella LanSing,"
FSR 21/2 (1975); and Schwarz, B. E., "UFO Contactee Stella
Lansing . . . ," J. American Soc. Psychosom. Dent. Med., 23
(1976). 60-73.
25. Michel, A., "In Defence of the 'E.T.H.'," FSR 15/6 (1969).
26. For an example, see Hynek, J.A., "Commentary on the
AAAS Symposium," FSR 16/2 (1970).
27. In addition, various scientific aspects of ufology are discussed in Brand, I. (ed.), Ungewohnliche Gravitations-PhOno
mene, n.p., 1975.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

156
28. Fuller, C., "Dr. Jule Eisenbud vs. the Amazing Randi."
Fate, (1974), 65-74.

29. See C. Bowen's editorial in the double issue FSR 21/3-4

(1975).
30. Eisenbud, J., "The Mind-Matter Interface." J. American
Soc. Psych. Res., 69 (1976)' 115-126.
31. For a remarkable case of death see Carrion, F. M., "The
terrible Death of Joao Prestes at Aracariguama," FSR 19/2
(1973). It is difficult to relate neurophysiology to ufology, by the
very nature of a UFO sighting; but speculation is aired in Rifat. C.,
'Is the Locus Coeruleus ... involved in the Most Bizarre Aspects
of UFO Reports? .. .', UFO Phenomena, 2 (1977), 93-120.
32. Night-of-theweek," FSR 17/3 (1971). Various statistical
articles have been published in UFO Phenomena (footnote 27).
33. Brand, I., "Das UFO-Sichtungsspektrum," Ztsch. Parapsych.
Grenzgeb. Psych .. 17 (1975) , 89-124.
34. See Ribera, A., "The San Jose de Valderas Photographs,"
FSR 15/5 (1969). Another interesting photographic case is

described in Vance, A., "The Oregon Photo . . . ," FSR

19/2 (1937).
35. Vallee, J., UFOs: the Psychic Solution, St. Albans, 1977.
(First published in 1975 under the title The lnuisible College.)
See also his and Hynek's The Edge of Reality, Chicago, 1975.
36. Michel, A., Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery,
New York, 1958. (First published in French in 1957.)
37. Tansley, D., Omens of Awareness, London, 1977. The
passages referred to in this paragraph come from the dust-jacket,
and pp. 94-96. 128-129, 185 and 305. A bandwagon of rubbishy
occultist UFO writing may now be on the road; see for example,
Baker, D., The occult Significance of UFOs. London. 1978.
38. Especially that given in Blumrich, J. F., The Spaceships of
Ezekiel. New York, 1974. (First Pllblished in German in 1973.)
39. Many such cases are described in the CH issues of FSR.'
40. [Reihl), Brother P., Secret of the Andes, London, 1961;
see especially pp. 56, 102.

WHAT IS OUR NORTHERN WETIKO?

The following article was sent to us by one of SITU's dearest and oldest friends shortly before his death
in April of this year. We are printing it here, by kind permission of his widow, as a tribute to our friend.

by Kamil Pecher

ETIKO stories are quite common among the northern

Algonquin Indians, and there have been many
attempts made to explain them.
I got involved in this special anthropological problem in
a quite roundabout way. It started on my solo kayak trip
when I ran into a puzzling creature I couldn't identify at alluntil I read about Sasquatch. My encounter on the Churchill River l not only scared me witless, but it also became
a great challenge. I tried to prove to myself that other
people had also seen such a creature in Saskatchewan or
elsewhere. Much has been written about this puzzling
enigma as can be seen in any public library, but except for
Mr. Besborotko's encounter there wasn't much in Saskatchewan.
The q).lestion remained-were there any other en"
counters known on the Churchill River, and if not, why
me? Was it because I was alone?
Whites rarely venture to the north alone; if they take
fishing or hunting vacations, they usually travel with a party,
often with noisy outboards or planes, shouting and talking along the way. I found you could see more wildlife
when traveling alone. The old-time solitary trappers no
longer roam the northern regions and except for a few
Indian families, the Saskatchewan bush is more lonely
now than in the previous century. Who is there to report
a strange and shy creature that is supposed to be as intelligent as a human?
The obvious source for Sasquatch stories should be the
Indians. Indeed, I read about a band of Hobbema Indians,
from Alberta, who had left their reserve south of Edmonton to live in the wilderness in the "old way"; they reported
seeing a Sasquatch at their campsite on the North Saskatchewan River west of Nordegg, and even told about
PURSUIT Fall 1979

their familiarity with the giant from their previous encounters on the Kootenay Plains. 3
So I had asked many Cree friends to tell me any story
about a giant resembling a monkey, but I didn't have
much success. Oh, they told me funny stories about
Wisagetchak the Trickster all right, but once we got into
their legends that are considered sacred, they clammed up.
The problem seemed to be also in the name. The word
Sasquatch is a distillation of several Indian names-Seeahtik, Wauk-Wauk. Te Samiel Soquwiam, Saskahevisattributed to the hairy giant and commonly used by the
Chehalis (or Salish) Indians of British Columbia's Frazer
Valley, particularly around the area of the villages of
Harrison and Agassiz.4 The names are supposed to mean
something like "Wild Man of the Woods."
If I could only find the equivalent Cree name for the
creature, I reasoned, I might learn more of what they
know about it-but I had no luck.
Then, reading by sheer coincidence a small red booklet
entitled "The World of Wetiko,"S I got my clue wordWetiko!
Why didn't I think of that before! I knew several Wetiko
stories, but had never thought of them in connection with
Sasquatch. I began to read again all the Wetiko stories with
extra attention to details.
Wetiko stories are a rather complex matter. I made my
way through many, and eventually I gained the impression
that the name "Wetiko" covers events of several different
individuals or entities. Sometimes they were merely descriptions of cases of human starvation that caused cannibalism, and for northern Indians cannibalism was a horrifying,
strictly enforced taboo-one punishable by death. Hence
some scientists try to explain the Wetiko stories as descriptions of nutritional deficiencies-and some even suggest
a cure with megavitamin dose treatments. 6

157
In other cases, the Wetiko ~tories describe mentally sick
people, 7 which again gave material for a score of anthropologists and psychologists to try to explain or psychoanalyze the Wetiko phenomenon as a sort of psychosis. 8
Lastly, I also received a private explanation from the
Cree mythology: of ghosts, soul-possessing spirits and
other supernatural matters. 9 Needless to say, most stories
contained the last.
But in spite of all the theories, none of the explanations
could fully explain every Wetiko story, even though each
one could find a certain number of stories to support it.
After analyzing the stories, I dare say one of the sources
for the Wetiko stories represent encounters with the "wild
man" we tentatively call "Sasquatch." To explain why
Indians apply one word for several different things is difficult. When you keep in mind that the stories are passed
down from generation to generation. from band to band.
you can understand changes. Also, people tend to explain any unusual event by their previous experience.
Sasquatch is a puzzling phenomenon even for modern
researchers, who also begin to consider the supernatural
or parapsychological features of the creature. IO The fact
remains, that after twenty years of hunting, nobody has
ever caught a Sasquatch, although our culture first encountered the phenomenon more than a hundred years
ago.
The first written record of Sasquatch was supposed
to be by a Spaniard, Joseph Mariano Mozino, in 1792, \I
followed by the well-known fur trader and explorer, David
Thompson, in 1811,12 and then by artist Paul Kane. \3
Since that time other encounters with a Sasquatch occurred, as recorded by modern researchers-from Alaska
to the tip of South America. 14 Up to the year 1972, over
300 eyewitness reports are known to exist,15 and every
year new ones are made. And although the monster
seems to be seen mostly in the area of the West Coast,
there are reports from many inland sites as well. 16
Keeping in mind that some Wetiko stories are remarkably similar to the modern reports on Sasquatch, I found
many quotes to support my assumption; some of which
deserve mention here.
The fur trader Kemp says, in his Northern Trader: 17
"I have heard it [the Wetiko] described ... as having
the face of a man and the jaws of a wolf. The only
Indian I ever found who had any acquaintance with
the creature claimed that the Weetigo had no mouth
at all. That, for a beast supposed to have cannibalistic
instincts, struck me as somewhat peculiar."
At another point, Kemp mentions how
" ... I knew a white man and an Indian woman, who
being somewhat less handsome, earned the nickname of Weetigo."
I will return to the problem of the mouth later.
Another writer who describes Wetiko is P. G. Downes
in his Sleeping Island. \8 I was unable to find a biography
of the author, but the book indicates that Mr. Downes
was an American teacher who traveled several times in
Saskatchewan around 1940, and that he was on friendly

terms with some Cree families in the area of Pelican Narrows. He seems to be well informed even about sacred
matters that the Cree don't readily reveal to whites, and
so his narrative is probably as close as possible to what the
Cree thought: [emphasis by K. Pecher]
"The Reindeer is known as a particularly favoured
route for weetigos, and in fact there is a great possibility that weetigosare still there.
The weetigo is the Cree embodiment of all the fear,
all the horror, all the starvation and misery and terrible
cold of the North. The weetigo is a man, yes, but
a man who is a cannibal. He is a man who has eaten
human flesh and thus has taken unto himself not
only the flesh of another being but also his spirit power,
and thus has become supernatural. ..
Descriptions by those who have seen weetigos
differ only in minor detail. Certain features are always
more or less evident. The weetigo is a man. He is
usually naked. His face is more often than not almost
black with frostbite. His eyes are glaring and staring,
protruberant, and of ghoulish ferocity. He has long,
fang-like teeth, and occasionally his lips are entirely
eaten away. With the changing of summer to winter
the weetigo gradually begins to assert his true character. By middle winter, weetigos are haunting the
forest looking for human victims to devour.
Tradition has it that a weetigo lived on Reindeer
River. In the summer he would appear with several
children. He came from the east and usually late in
the season ...
Though a number of people affirm either that they
have seen a weetigo, or preferably that some friend
of theirs has seen one, it is impossible to find anyone
who has had much actual contact with these creatures. Obviously the only thing to do is hide or run
away when anything like a weetigo appears.
Some years ago, a Cree at Reindeer Lake found
that some other Indians were camping a little too close
to his own trapping grounds. During the night he
went barefoot in the snow and made a series of flying
leaps. The next morning the Indians discovering
huge barefoot footprints around their camp, hastily
moved off to a less weetigo-infested area. . .
MyoId companion Solomon (Cree), had a harrowing experience when he went out to civilization for
an appendectomy. For the first time in his life he
travelled on a train, and he mistook the negro chef
for a weetigo. Fortunately his attempts to leap from
the train were unsuccessful, but the shock of the experience was frightful. "
From this description, anybody can summarize a nice
report for a Sasquatch file, which would fit exactly with
other records: Wetiko is a man, who runs naked, has
black skin, glaring and staring eyes with a ghoulish ferocity. Has long, fang-like teeth Oaws of a wolf? /Kemp) lips
are eaten away (mouth missing? /Kemp). It lived on the
Reindeer River, would appear in summer with several
children, coming from the east. In the winter it haunts the
bush looking for human victims to devour. It goes barePURSUIT Fall 1979

158

SA.5K1\'TtHEWAN

SIlSPECTEO
SASQ.U",TCH AAiA

...... SASQ.\l.ATCH SIGrI-lTINGrS

5 II 5"'"TOOJI-

L.5"'\N~

foot in the snow, making huge footprints which are evidently far apart (could be faked by a series of flying leaps).
There is a great possibility that they are still there.
I can bear witness to the last sentence with my own encounterl at the Grand Rapids portage, which is only some
thirty-five miles from Reindeer River.
The point that it has black skin cannot be stressed more
in the story. The interesting fact is that there are other
reports concerning the same feature. In 1969, a man near
Oroville, California, described a Sasquatch: "the face was
like that of a Negro, the skin almost black."19 In RUSSia,
Boris Porshnev recorded a captured Alma, a wild woman
of the Caucasus, who had "dark skin covered with reddishbrown hair," who eVidently had children by her captor.
Her children and grandchildren also had dark skin and
"slightly negroid" features. 20
The staring and glaring eyes were also described in
many reports, 21 and even explained. 22
The missing mouth and fang-like teeth puzzle can be
explained in the light of other reports: " ... it had fangs,
two coming down from the top jaw and two coming up
from the bottom. Its nose was flat like negroid. . ."23 in
other reports, " ... the mouth appeared to be little more
than a slit. "24 Probably what the Cree eyewitnesses wanted
to say was that the creature didn't have full lips ("lips are
entirely eaten away") like a normal human but more like
a monkey?
Other features, such as big barefoot prints, are so typical
that they need no comment.
Another important source on Sasquatch in Saskatchewan is The World of Wetiko,S which is, by coincidence,
about the same area as the previous book. The stories
were narrated in Cree by the translator's grandmother,
Mrs. Marie Merasty, a member of the Peter BalIentyne
band which lives in Prince Albert, from her own recollections.
Some of the Wetiko stories are so typical of Sasquatch
PURSUIT Fall 1979

SCALE 1'lSO,OOO APPP..OJ(..

103"00

behavior that I'll quote from them. For example, "The

Blind Woman's Stand" (p. 7)
"Not so long ago, when Isabel and Nancy were children, they were leU in the care of their blind grandmother at a place calIed Piskwatsewapasek (Stump
Narrows). Their mother was known as Petheses (Bird).
One day while the little girls were playing by the river,
they noticed someone swimming across towards
them, holding something in front of himself to act as
camouflage. They ran up to their grandmother and
told her what they had just seen.
'Get into the house!' she ordered as she took hold
of an axe. 'I used to think that when I saw one of
them, I would not allow it to make me back down,
that perhaps I'd kill it. I guess it must be a Wetiko
who is coming, someone insane. A sane person
would not be crossing the river holding reeds in front
of him and in such cold water.' There was still some
ice floating in the river.
So the old lady started towards the shoreline and
the moment the Wetiko saw her-just as it was about
to wade ashore-back it went into the river in the
direction from which it had come. It retreated, thrashing the water with such energy that the wake looked
like a rapids behind it. The old woman stood ready,
and the children watched, as the Wetiko, upon reaching the opposite bank, seemed to slip under the
brush and out of view."

159
I can only add that Sasquatch is often known to swim
in winter across the river 25.26 and also is often observed
while watching children. 27
The next story, "A Race for Life," describes how a man
called Wetsoonesaw was chased by a Wetiko, and how
he and his wife escaped with their canoe on a lake. Typically, the Wetiko, as well as Sasquatch, can run so fast
that people are amazed. In the words of the storyteller
(p. 9), "It was as if the things along the path of the Wetiko
were being tossed, it was rushing so fast." A couple of
policemen were amazed at the speed of Sasquatch at
Cold Springs. 28
In "A Double Victory," two Wetikos, interested in small
Cree boys, have their heads chopped off with an axe.
A strange death for a spirit!
Another Wetiko is disposed of in the same way in "The
Hunters Hunted," after chasing two hunters into camp.
An interesting point is that one hunter, and almost all the
women in the camp as well, fainted. The translator even
added (p. 14) an explanation (in italics) that "most people
were rendered helpless just by sighting it" -which is confirmed by white Sasquatch hunters.29 Some even think
that Sasquatch might possess hypnotic capabilities,30
which could explain many mythical events.
In "A Narrow Victory," two more Wetikos are dispatched
by Wapaskookimow, or Whitebear Chief, who had supernatural help but who nevertheless was also injured in the
fight. "The place where the Wetiko's hand had scratched
him discolored and turned blue." (p. 23)
An interesting point is that in the above legends we do
not hear about an anonymous ancestor lost in the far
away past; all the heroes here have names and are known
by the Cree in the area-or in some cases, even by whites.
For example, Whitebear Chief mentioned above was
a well-known personality. Father Thiboutot, O.M.I., the
missionary at Sandy Bay for the last thirty years, said:
"In Sandy Bay, there are several families with the surname 'Bear.' Their ancestor is Wapaskookimow (Whitebear Chief) whose father was Apakooses (Mouse) ...
Whitebear Chief had five wives. He used to stay here at
Sandy Bay during the winter. He had his camp where
Jim Ripley's store stands now, down by the point. What
we know about him is that he practiced a lot of sorcery ... "
(p.27-28)
Another story, called "Wetiko," describes (p. 28) in fact
three separate encounters "that was not very long ago."
In one, the narrator, Mrs. Marie Merasty and her brotherin-law, Thomas, were camped at Atekonstawak or Reindeer Junction. All one evening and the folloWing night
their dogs behaved very strangely (another feature comparable to modern accounts).31 At about the same time,
Korees and Mrs. Merasty's brother, Baptiste, were at
Kanesustikweyak or Two Rivers, and they somehow
became separated.

"Korees heard someone coming. He was glad because

he thought it was his companion. 'He came toward me,'
he related, 'with nothing where the lips were supposed to
be . . .' [Here the narrator added the explanation that the
lips were eaten away, to fit the mythological requirements,
but evidently Korees didn't say that.] 'I felt as if my whole
face had been seized by cramps,' he said, 'and as if I were
slipping into unconsciousness.' [And that is again comparable to accounts in Slate's book. 30]
"Korees and Baptiste came across each other and fled
downstream in their boat. Korees didn't seem to be well,
as if he were not totally sane after having been so badly
frightened by the sight of that man." (p. 30)
.
The third encounter (which is probably not complete)
is about two men, Etsits and Etienne who went upstream
to Ookawisepi (Pickerel Creek), where something badly
scared them:
"I don't know if they actually saw something or someone that passed nearby, but likely they did, though not
clearly. Whatever happened caused them to break camp
and sneak home under what cover they could make use of.
Instead of portaging, they risked their lives shooting the
rapids, and finally reached Athekisekipitsikewinek (Frog
Portage) across from where Pickerel Creek empties into
the lake!" (p. 30)
At the Cold Springs encounter, 28 both policemen "were
scared to death ... " My own 1972 encounter at Grand
Rapids portage I ended in the same way, and had there
been any rapids, I would not have hesitated to run them.
Probably I should stress that Grand Rapids is only twelve
miles from Pickerel Creek...
The translator's footnote (p. 28) crowns the stories:
"In the early decades of the twentieth century, Wetiko
experiences still occurred. Philip McCallum of Sandy
Bay used to tell about the time he was invited to see
the skeleton of a Wetiko which his uncle had killed."
What all Sasquatch hunters are missing so far is a body
or skeleton to prove the existence of Sasquatch. I believe
the above quotation may send them rushing to Sandy Bay
to try to get that skeleton.
Diligent Sasquatch researchers could certainly find
more in the Indian stories and legends. Any "Wetiko"
story should be checked, and any places named Wetiko
(and because the spelling of the name varies considerably,
all lakes named Wetiko, Wintego, Wichtigo, etc.) may
represent a potential location for Sasquatch encounters.
As one old Salish Indian said to a Sasquatch hunter,
"so the white man has finally got around to that, has he."32
Unfortunately, until Sasquatch is caught and brought
in for the scientific community to examine, no orthodox
anthropologist will consider my Wetiko explanation seriously.

REFERENCES
1. Pecher, K., "Sasquatch at Grand Rapids," Fish and Game
Sportsman Magazine, Summer, 1978, p. 35
2. "Sasquatch in Saskatchewan," Fish and Game Sportsman
Magazine. Winter 1977, p. 40
3. Hunter, D.. Sasquatch (1973, McClelland and Stewart,

Toronto), p. 142-143

4. Ibid, p. 34
5. The World of Wetiko. Tales from the Woodland Crees, as
Told by Marie Merasty (1974, the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural
College. Saskatoon)
6. Rohl, V. J., "A Nutritional Factor in Windigo Psychosis,"
Amereican Anthropologist 72,1970, p. 97-101
PURSUIT Fall 1979

160
7. Cooper. J. M.. "The Cree Witiko Psychosis." reprint in
Every Man His Way. by A. Dundes. ed. 1968
8. Parker, S .. "The Witiko Psychosis." American Anthropologist, 62, 1960. p. 602-623
9. Pecher, K., Lonely Voyage (1978, Western Producer Prairie

Books, Saskatoon)
10. Slate, A., Berry, A.. Bigfoot (1976, Bantam Books Inc ..
New York), p. 68-139
11. Mozino, J. M., Noticias De Nutka (Spanish 1792, English
translation 1970, University of Washington Press, Seattle and
London)
12. Thompson, D., Narrative (Jan. 5 and Jan. 7, 1811)
13. Kane. Paul, The Wanderings of an Artist (March 26, 1847.
published 1925)
14. Grumley, M., There are Giants (1974. Doubleday, Garden
City). p. 23-38
15. Napier, J., Bigfoot (1972, Jonathan Cape. London),
p.87
16. Ibid, p. 99
17. Kemp, H. S. M., Northern Trader(1956, Ryerson, Toronto),
p.40

18. Downes, P. G., Sleeping Island (1943. Coward-McCann,

New York), p. 53-55
19. Hunter, D., Sasquatch, p. 138
20. Ibid. p. 104
21. Guenette, R., The Mysterious Monsters (1975. Sun Classic
Pict. Los Angeles), p. 129
22. Napier, J., Bigfoot. p. 169
23. Slate, A., Bigfoot, p. 62
24. Hunter, D., Sasquatch. p. 99
25. Ibid, p. 149-150
26. Guenette. R., The Mysterious Monsters .. p. 127
27. Slate, A .. Bigfoot, p. 132
28. Ibid, p. 5-6
29. Guenette, R .. The Mysterious Monsters. p. 73
30. Slate, A., Bigfoot. p. 67
31. Ibid, p. 57-60
32. Hunter, D.. Sasquatch, p. 9

SOME REFLECTIONS ON ASTRO-ANTHROPOLOGY

by Dr. Stuart W. Greenwood
1979 Stuart W. Greenwood
All Rights Reserved

WHITHER the Ancient Astronaut movement? It is

now a little more than ten years since Erich von
Daniken jolted both popular and scholarly thought with
his startling and provoking book on extraterrestrial contact in prehistoric and early historic times: Chariots of the
Gods? While it was not the first work of its kind, it must
be rated one of the most significant texts of our times, for
it acted as catalyst for extensive media activity and has
indeed led to the formation of a society for study and research in the field-the Ancient Astronaut SOciety.
Charles Fort liked to tweak the noses of the scientific
establishment of his day, and in his 1919 publication,
The Book of the Damned, offered the tongue-in-cheek
opinion: "I think we're property." If we are (or were), it
seems that the world of scholarship has paid remarkably
little attention to the fact. While the Ancient Astronaut
SOCiety and various Fortean and UFO type journals continue to publish fresh material on extraterrestrial contact
to augment the steady output of books on the subject,
scholars appear to be satisfied with occasional (and usually
only partly informed) attacks on individuals or on the
concept itself. There are at least six books on the market
devoted largely to criticisms of Chariots of the Gods? and
its author.
A present danger is that interest in the subject may
become polarized, and that supporters will be transformed
into "believers," and opponents into "non-believers."
The address and telephone ~umber is:
Dr. Gene M. Phillips.
Founder. Ancient Astronaut Society,
1921 St. Johns Avenue,
Highland Park,
Illinois 60035
Tel: (312) 432-6230.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

Perhaps the time is ripe for recognition that we are here

considering a hypothesis-a proposition calling for further
inquiry and study. Since academics in particular (and I have
been one) like terms that can be applied to a "discipline,"
I hereby offer them one. Astronautics is the science of
space flight, and Anthropology is the science of the origins and customs of humankind. Let us combine the two,
and come up with Astro-anthropology, the science of
prior extraterrestrial contact. One can almost visualize the
associated course offerings: "Astro-anthropology I,"
"Selected Topics in Astro-anthropology," "Astro-anthropology and its Impact on SOCiology," etc. It might even
attract more students. a hard prospect to resist at the
administrative level. Other Fortean topics have become
respectable, so why not this one?
Astro-anthropology presents to us a fresh way of looking
at things in the past. It may help us understand a great
deal, or very little, or nothing of any consequence. We
shall not find out until we try. For generations, the concept
that we are a special creation held sway, to be partly
superseded by the concept of evolution. We seem to be
suspended in a rather murky mental and spiritual state in
which it is possible to live out our lives while adopting our
own amalgam of beliefs, selecting something of everything that suits our taste. Any concept offering at least the
appearance of substance deserves our attention. Astroanthropology requires us to consider the implications of
ancient myths, artifacts, rock carvings, and other art work
in the context of extraterrestrial contact. Of course it may
lead us in other directions than we at first anticipated.
That is the nature of science as it should be pursued.
Let me give you an example. The French explorer
Henri Lhote gave the name "The Great Martian God"
to a giant eighteen foot high figure discovered on the
Tassili Plateau in the Sahara Desert. The Soviet physicist
Agrest was intrigued by this rock painting, and included it
in his speculations regarding evidence of extraterrestrial

161
contact. It has been widely reproduced elsewhere, and is
interpreted by some as an ancient astronaut in a space suit.
It is arresting in that it has a double oval, or "eye," in the
middle of the face, and what appears to be a smaller eye
to one side and set lower in the face. The figure has Ushaped loops on top of the head where one would expect
to see a representation of hair. It is noteworthy that another
of the Tassili paintings, "The Great God with Praying
Women," shows women with a single central eye and the
U-shaped loops in the hair region. There does appear to
be an intention to distinguish these creatures from others
represented in the paintings. But is there another explanation to the extraterrestrial one?
One is reminded immediately of the legend of the
cyclopes. According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica for
1972, the cyclopes, according to Homer, were "one-eyed
cannibal giants living a rude pastoral life in a distant land
(traditionally identified with Sicily) having no social unit
larger than the family. " Lhote studied the probable routes
taken by Roman Legions that are known to have penetrated deep into the Sahara, and suggests a chariot track
once existed between the Tassili Plateau and present-day
Tripoli. Tripoli lies immediately across the Mediterranean
from Sicily. "The Great Martian God" may have been an
artist's rendition of a cyclops. Lhote had science fiction,
not Astro-anthropology, in mind when he dubbed his
painting, but the truth may have been almost as strange
as his fantasy.
Now we will consider a way in which our burgeoning
technology may be catching up with the past. Among his
prolific contributions to interpretation of the strange, Ivan T.
Sanderson gripped the attention of readers with his
speculations on gold castings from Colombia, South
America that he called "Little Gold Airplanes." Dating
from about 400-1200 A.D., these artifacts seem even more
recognizable today. While many of them do indeed appear
similar in many respects to high speed aircraft, those with
particularly blunt noses are more suggestive of space
shuttles. The apparent absence of a recognizable propulsion system to propel the craft into orbit may indicate that
they were one-way vehicles intended only to land on our
planet. Shades of Pizzaro, who burned his ships so that
his crews would have to take root where they arrived and
forget about turning back for a while. These artifacts are
viewed daily in our great museums of anthropology, but
who stops to consider their meaning?
Carelessness with source data has been a familiar criticism of many opponents of the concept of the Bermuda
Triangle, but that hardly alters the fact that there are mysteries there as everywhere else. The great minds in science
have always been attracted to the mysterious. We can
confidently aver that the frontiers of true knowledge will
continually recede. I started to develop an interest in the
Triangle when I noted that water depths just to the east of
Florida were around 500 fathoms. The speculations triggered by this appreciation may turn out to be pure froth,
or they may have staggering implications for our understanding of our place in nature. Either way, I'll be satisfied
that I tried.
The pressure in sea water at such depths corresponds
to that at the surface of the planet Venus, as measured by
Soviet and American space probes in recent years. This

correlation is actually remarked on, in reverse, in a current

advertisement by the Hughes Aircraft Company, who
worked with NASA on the American probes to Venus.
But is anyone exploring whether the two items are connected? To contemplate the almost inconceivable, could
there be bases operated by extraterrestrials from Venus in
the depths off the Eastern coast of Florida?
I was wondering if there was anything about the area
that could possibly tie in with the mythology of extraterrestrial contact, when I recalled the interest shown by
many writers on the Ancient astronaut theme with Quetzalcoatl, the "Winged Serpent" of Central America.
Quetzalcoatl was a culture-bearer who brought many arts
and skills to the peoples of ancient Mexico, and he was
associated with Venus. In fact, Venus occupies a prominent position in the calendrical system of early MexiCO,
and was a factor in the design and alignment of many of
its temple features. So we have a Venus connection, and
will now reinforce it with the physical significance of the
name Quetzalcoatl! If you were approaching the region
to the east of Florida from the west, to take advantage of
the spin of our planet in the west-east direction, during
the descent from space and while over Florida you would
see the land below as having the appearance of the head
of a serpent. Lake Okeechobee would form the eye of
the serpent, and the Keys would form the tongue and
fangs. To your left, the spreading coastline of parts of the
southeastern United States, together with the cut-off at
the horizon, would have the appearance of wings. You
would be looking at a "Winged Serpent." The implications are potentially awesome.
Let me anticipate the critics, and assure them that I am
aware that the atmosphere of Venus is appallingly hot
and consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide. There is
a lot of sulfur and sulfuric acid about, too, and I'm in no
hurry to visit. What the correlations above have to do
with a mythological culture-bearer is beyond my capacity
to resolve at this stage. But I'm going to stay with it, as the
coincidences are highly suggestive and I don't find the
explanations of anthropologists regarding the meaning of
"Winged Serpent" particularly persuasive.
NASA has been trying steadily for some years to get
more than minimal funding for its program on SET! (Search
for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). The idea is that there
may be intelligences in space that are sending out signals
for others to pick up. The reasoning is that we should
construct arrays of radio-telescopes in an attempt to intercept such signals, in the interests of science. That is fine
with me, and good luck to them. As they say, the equipment can always be used for other work if the signals are
not found. But why stop there?
Our own space exploration program is strongly vehiclebased. We want to go places and do things there. Why
do our scientists resist the idea of extraterrestrial contact
with our own planet so fiercely? It seems as though some
kind of taboo may be operating. One of the limitations
may be that no equipment is involved other than an inquiring mind and the desire to discover new insights. Or
maybe we have become too vain to contemplate any
help we once received from outside. Perhaps that is the
real nature of original sin, a state we have gratUitously
inflicted on the serpent. ~
PURSUIT Fall 1979

162

PREDICTION OF FORTEAN EVENT REPORTS

FROM POPULATION AND EARTHQUAKE NUMBERS
by Michael A. Persinger, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION
of odd events, generally classified under the
REPORTS
vague label of Fortean Phenomena, remain a challenge to science. Are they consequences of: (1) artifacts
of human language, (2) the normal memory modifications
for odd events (of which most people are not familiar),
(3) poor observation, (4) the statistical refuse of otherwise
orderly natural principles, (5) routine principles with anisotropic geometries of application, or (6) the sporadic
occurrence of phenomena that are symptomatic of other
principles not yet measured or understood?
One or more of these solutions have been discussed by
various writers with different levels of analytical prowess.
The majority of pro- and con-Fortean enthusiasts have
used logical arguments or suave semantics in order to
demonstrate their point. Since the language used is primarily a nominal scale, composed of 0,1 conditions
(something is either true or not true, without intermediate
conditions), solutions appear as simple and clear demonstrations.
Unfortunately qualitative conclusions from clever arguments can elicit an illusionary sensation of resolution.
One walks away with a simple explanation and with the
anxiety of uncertainty removed, only to be frustrated by
the next barrage of contradictory and frustrating facts.
After a few trials, one begins to suspect the limits of simple
language.
Quantitative analyses, whereby numbers rather than
words are used, contain almost unlimited degrees of freedom. Whereas with a scale like: true or not true, one
would be forced to partial all of the different and unrelated
events in the universe into two over-inclusive categories,
numerical scales allow the precise (within measurement
limits) discrimination of the potentially unlimited events.
Using numerical scales. one can seriously predict and
understand complex phenomena.
Quantitative analyses require the experimenter to be
more than just a verbal acrobat. Clear understanding of
methodology becomes more important than mind-blowing
metaphors, such as "magnetic windows" or "elastic time."
One is faced with a different set of questions that often
alters the complexion of the phenomena.
The present study is the first systematic statistical evaluation of Fortean events as a numerical population. Three
speCific questions were considered as basic themes: (1) How
much does population contribute to the numbers of Fortean reports, (2) How much does earthquake history
contribute to Fortean reports, and (3) Do different Fortean
categories relate in different quantitative ways to these
variables?
The first question is critical since human beings are the
primary observers (measurement devices) and reporters
PURSUIT Fa111979

of odd events. If one can accommodate the majority of

the variability in odd-event numbers by population alone,
then one is not left with much "numerical room" in which
to test various theoretical assumptions. Statements like
population contributes a little "or a lot" are not sufficient
here. We must know how much of the phenomena is due
to population alone.
The second question is a test of a general theory developed earlier. I In fact, if one conducts a content analysis of Charles Fort's writing,2 the semantic connection
between earthquakes and odd events is conspicuous.
The magnitude of the contribution of earthquake numbers
to odd events (if at all) is critical information to test any
mechanism involved.
The quantitative solution of the third question is essential for both the methodology and mentality of odd events.
If all categories of odd events are predictable in the same
manner from known variables and display the same numerical characteristics. then the possibility of any differentiation between possible mechanisms is reduced. As a
singular inseparable source of variability, the entire population of Fortean events is reduced to an amorphous
mass-smarting significantly of measurement artifact or
random error.
The validity of Fortean events cannot be demonstrated
with the data sets now available to the researcher. One
can only determine reliabilities within limits. In the present
analyses, the events, like any probationary phenomena,
are considered as verbal reports. They should be considered
populations of numbers. Neither the acceptance nor the
rejection of the phenomena can be based upon a single
case or group of cases.
In an area plagued by measurement problems and by
the human emotions of theoretical commitment, phenomena can be rejected completely or accepted without
question. Some events may be accepted as statistically
significant when they are chance, while other events may
be rejected as chance when they are reliable. Long and
systematic evaluation decreases this likelihood.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data Sources
A total of 1, 153 odd events reported between the years
1850 and 1973 within the 31 states bordering and east of
the Mississippi river were used as data. These events
were sorted from a larger file of more than 6,000 events
that had been the source for Space-time Transients and
Unusual Events. I Approximately 97% of the 385 events
reported between 1850 and 1945 were taken directly
from the works of Charles Fort. 2 Approximately 98% of
the 768 events reported between 1945 and 1974 were
collected from Fate magazine. The remaining data were
collected from various historical publications.
These 31 states were selected since their population

163
values have changed systematically over the years with
the exception of Florida. States to the west are characterized by longer histories of few human observers and by
larger areas. Data from Fort and Fate were selected in order
to compare the reliability of odd event types. Analyses
on two separate populations allow internal checks for:
(1) the consistency of any effect isolated and (2) the reliability of classification categories, i.e., whether events
recorded as "luminous lights" in the Fort data are similar
to the events recorded as "luminous lights" in the Fate data.
To reduce sampling or biasing errors, all of the events
reported (even those with missing values) in the Fort and
Fate data sources were used. They had been classified
and placed on computer cards according to time (hour,
day, month, year), space (city/town, state/province,
country and continent), category codes, a short verbal
description and source. The use of all events reported in
the sources reduces exclusion/inclusion artifacts from ad
hoc or a priori conclusions about "which phenomena are
real or not real." Obviously, this does not reduce the initial
selection bias of either Charles Fort or of the editors of
Fate magazine.
Since unusual events tend to cluster within one-month
periods but display inter-event-intervals of up to several
years, simple addition of all events was considered misleading. For example, UFO (unidentified flying object)
reports may be reported in several places within a state
several times during one week. To obviate this potential
artifactual inflation of cases within categories and states,
all events from a given category within a state occurring
within one month were given no more than a value of 1
(no matter how many redundancies).
Although summary lists for each state" were available
from information collected for Space-time Transients and
Unusual Events, a new printout was produced. Events
were counted by this experimenter, using the one-month
criteria for selection. Only general UFO reports (lights in
the sky), feline-like animals and odd glass events (phantoms, snipers, window crosses), displayed any difference
from the original data compilation. This difference was
minimal. Correlations (for states) between the present
and previous analyses were greater than 0.96.

Categories
The data had been coded according to 9 major categories
each containing 9 subcategories. The 9 categories were
unusual: Falls (F ALT), sounds {SO UN) , electrical events
(ELEC), UFO-related phenomena (UFOT), human occurrences (HUMA), animal sightings (ANIT), "forces" (TELE),
geological displays (GEOP), and archeological finds
(ARCH). The rationale has been discussed elsewhere. I
For this analyses, 4 to 5 or all subcategories of each
category were combined. The advantage of this operation is the increased number of events within each category. Many of the subcategories contained 0 or 1 event
for more than 25% of the 31 states. Although such nominal
data can be accommodated with some statistical methods,
a single report (even by a group) is suspect when pattern
analyses are involved. Larger sample sizes reduce the
anisotropic contribution of an aberrant case to the pop~
lation, assuming the population approaches some regular
function.

The disadvantage of collapsing subcategories involves

the arbitrary pooling of possibly different phenomena
and mechanism!:! (even though they had been classified
under the same gross category). If the 9 subcategories
reflected 9 mutually exclusive mechanisms with different
numerical properties, then any unique aspect of each
subcategory could be masked. The problem is similar to
assuming that all phenomena labeled as UFOs are from
a singular source merely because they share the same
crude (and over-inclusive) verbal label. 3.4
The categories or clusters of subcategories used for this
analyses (and sample event types for each) were:
FA LA: reported falls of rocks, ice, and unusual rains
from the sky or inferred falls from immediate proximal
observation.
FALB: reported falls of organic materials, including
live or dead animals (predominately reptiles/amphibians).
FALT: the combination of FALA and FALB.
ELEC: aurora-like events, mirages of cities and ghostlights or related events (luminosities occurring in the same
area, i.e., 100 m) over at least one decade but not associated with classic haunts.
SOUN: odd sounds: two major sources; first, involving
groans, bumps, and related low frequency sounds; second, involving voices with no apparent origins but not
related to haunt situations.
UFOA: lights in the sky, including the reports of an odd
comet or an odd meteor from Fort's rubric.
UFOB: more complicated and discriminative luminous
displays, including phantom, angels, people in the sky
and "UFOnauts."
UFOT: the combination of UFOA and UFOB.
HUMA: odd human reports, centered around human
loci, such as stigmata, spontaneous human combustion.
ANIA: odd or unusual creatures including feline-like
humanoid, reptilian (sea monster) and flying (large birds)
types.
ANIB: odd behavior of animals or appearance of
known animals such as massive movements, sudden
appearances.
ANIT: the combination of ANIA and ANIB.
TELE: odd force-related events, including phantom
sniper events, bleeding statues, odd glass etchings following a discrete event (e.g., a storm).
GEOL: unusual geological reports, such as sudden
appearance of rocks in fields, large holes (follOWing unknown explosions) in fields, moving rocks, and alleged
gravity-magnetic anomalies.
ARCH: unusual, unclassified or noncommensurate
(with current theory) archeological findings such as 12
feet tall skeletons, ancient European coins, odd potsherds
of "non-existent" cultures. For more details, see (1). All
consequent statistical analyses were conducted on a
DECSYSTEM 20 computer using SPSS software; sample
results were checked manually.

Comparison of Populations
The means and standard errors of the mean (S.E.M.)
of each category for the Fort and Fate populations are
presented in Table 1. For comparison, means and S.E.M.s
for the percent contributions of each category to the total
number of events for each population are shown as well.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

164

Except for the FALT categories in

the Fort data and the ANIT and UFOT
TABLE 1
categories in the Fate data, the percent
Means (X) and standard errors of the mean (S.E.M.) for the members of odd
distribution of the other categories is
events
in different categories and for the relative contribution (in percent) of each
relatively similar for both populations.
category
to the total population. for both Fate and Fort data (n = 31 states).
In fact, the distortion appears to be
primarily a consequence of the heavy
Percent of Total
Raw Data
loading from the general UFO (UFOA)
FATE
FORT
FORT
FATE
category in the Fate data. If one excludes this category only from both
8.6 1.3
FA LA
1.7 0.3
18.9 3.9
2.2 0.4
populations of data, the discrepancies
1.8 1.2
FALB

3.0
1.1

0.3
9.2
0.5

0.2
are reduced almost to zero except for
10.4
1.4
FALT
4.5
28.1

2.8

0.4
2.7

0.5
the FALT and ANITreports.
4.2 1.0
ELEC
5.11.4
0.6 0.1
1.0 0.2
The correlation coefficients (Pear2.0 0.9
SOUN
2.0 0.8
0.3 0.1
0.40.1
son's r) between categories within Fort
29.9
2.5
UFOA

1.6
10.7
1.5

0.3
7.9

1.2
and Fate data are shown in Table 2
7.0 1.2
8.5 2.6
UFOB
0.9 0.2
1.4 0.2
while coefficients between Fort and
36.9 2.8
19.2 2.7
UFOT
2.4 0.5
9.4 1.3
Fate populations for the different cat8.5 1.6
HUMA
3.4
14.2

2.10.7
2.1

0.4
egories are shown in Table 3. Scatter9.3 1.6
ANIA
6.0

1.2
0.9

0.2
2.3

0.5
grams were printed for all correlations
5.2 1.8
1.8 1.2
4.3 0.7
ANIB
0.3 0.2
and inspected visually for non-linear
14.5 2.0
7.8 1.3
ANIT
1.2 0.3
3.6::t 0.7
relationships and extreme values.
14.4 2.1
13.9

2.3
0.5
3.4

TELE
1.8

0.3
Since 4 of the states displayed values
5.0 1.0
4.2

1.8
0.4

0.1
1.3

0.2
GEOP
that were beyond the major cluster,
4.1 0.9
5.6 1.8
0.9 0.2
0.7 0.2
ARCH
coefficients were calculated for all of
3.5
24.8

ALL
12.4

2.0
the states and 27 states (without the
4 larger values) .
The n = 31 and n = 27 analyses
were used throughout the study in order to reduce the
a routine chance occurrence. A correlation coefficient
possible artifacts or distortions from one or two extreme
that is significant beyond the .01 level would occur by
values. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the total
chance alone lout of 100 times: or, one would expect
population and for the remaining population after extreme
that lout of every 100 correlation coefficients to be significant by chance alone at this level.
(large) values had been deleted follOWing visual inspection
The magnitude of the correlation coefficient required
of scattergrams. Such operations are important for any
for statistical significance varies with sample size. For 31
analyses since only 1 value that is 10 times greater on both
cases (states), a correlation value must be 0.46 or greater
the Y and X values in a random cluster, can produce
correlation coefficients of 0.5.
to be significant at the .01 level. For 27 states, the corStatistical significance levels are given for different correlation coefficient must be 0.49 or greater. (Both values
relation coefficients for the different methods used. Here
assume a two-tailed test considering the nature of the
data.)
p < .01 is taken as a criterion that the relationship is not

TABLE 2
Correlation coefficients (r) betweel1 categories in the Fort population (above the diagonal) and in the Fate population
(below the diagonal).
FALT
FALT
ELEC
SOUN
UFOB
HUMA
ANIT
TELE
GEOP
ARCH

ELEC

UFOB

HUMA

ANIT

TELE

GEOP

ARCH

l0o--_..Q.43
0.08
0.45
0.48
0.22
0.45
0.02
0.24
0.~--_1JJO"'-_.Q..06
0.46
0.30
0.34
0.13
0.21
0.28
0.(j]"--..J.<Rr---.;;.~04
0.25
0.14' -0.18
-0.15
0.08
0.12
-01)3'"-_..1.00--...0.07
0.04
0.09
-0.02
0.19
0.30
0.22
0.50'
0.36
0.19
01'o----t]o---..Q.59
0.34
0.14
0.50'
0.60'
0.41
0.17
0.30
o"'1'i--J.O(j'"--.Q.54
0.38
0.54'
0.60'
0.36
0.09
0.33
0.65'
OAS"--J.OO---_Q..12
0.29
0.43
0.37
0.43
0.58'
0.40
0.22
05G"---.Lon--_Ll..11
0.54' -0.02
-0.05
0.43
0.26
0.25
0.30
O.~--lJRJ

r ~ 0.49, p ~ 0.1, two-tailed

PURSUIT Fall 1979

SO UN

165
One should realize that practical significance and statistical
significance are two separate issues. A correlation coefficient that is significant statistically may in actual fact "explain" or account for only a trivial amount of the total
variability in the data. For example, a r of 0.50 between
variable X and Y appears relatively impressive. However,
such arelationship accounts for only 25% (r 2 = (0.50)2)
of the variability of the data.
In other words. one can explain or account for only
25% of the variability in X by knowing Y or vice versa.
The remaining 75% of the variability in the data is associated with some unspecified source. Even a correlation
of 0.90 between X and Y indicates that 20% of the variability cannot be accounted for by the other variable.

Correlations Among Event Categories,

Population and Earthquakes
Previous analyses of the data indicated that the three
variables: odd events, population and earthquake history
of the 31 states were inter-correlated. The relationship
between population numbers and event numbers is expected since human beings are the primary measure. 5
The relationship between population numbers and
earthquake numbers is more obscure. However, recent
unpublished data indicate a possible explanation for this
correlation. States with higher seismic history, within the
population analyzed, tend to cluster along the "valley"
regions and river basins of the primary mountain ranges
and have displayed large areas of fertile regions. Not surprisingly, these areas were settled first and have expanded
proportionally.
Based upon previous data. one can offer a probationary
explanation for these interrelationships. Whereas population is correlated with event numbers due to the requirement of human observers, earthquakes and populations
are interrelated due to a shared third variable: some geological-geographical condition. No doubt the relationship,
if any, between odd events and seismic activity will be
confounded pervasively by this third variable.
For the present analyses, odd event categories from
the Fort data were correlated with population values for
the year 1900 (the median value for the Fort printout)
and with earthquake numbers between 1700 and 1945
(FQTOT). The Fate data were correlated with population
values for the year 1960 and for earthquake numbers
between 1945 and 1974. The earthquake data were
collected from Coffman and von Hake 6 while the population data were taken from U.S. vital statistics.
In order to check the regularity of the correlations between population numbers for different years, correlations
were completed between population values for every 10year interval between 1880 and 1960. All years after
1900 were intercorrelated by more than 0.96. Only 1880
and 1890 showed correlations below 0.90 with the later
periods.
Tables 4 and 5 show the correlation coefficients (Pearson's r) between: (1) total numbers of earthquakes and of
odd events in different categories and (2) population
numbers and odd event numbers, for the Fate and Fort
data using the total population (n = 31) and the limited
population (n = 27). As expected, most of the categories
for both populations are correlated significantly with pop-

TABLE 3
Correlation coefficients (r) for different categories
between the Fort and Fate data for the different categories and subcategories. Coefficients for all 31
states and without the extreme states (n = 27)
are shown.
n

FALA
FALB
FALT
ELEC
SOUN
UFOA
UFOB
UFOT
HUMA
ANIA
ANIB
ANIT
TELE
GEOP
ARCH
POP
QUAKESL
QUAKESH
p

= 31
0.16
0.41
0.49'
0.57"
0.04
0.42
0.18
0.36
0.59'
0.22
0.14
0.22
0.56'
0.32
0.26
0.93'
0.56'
0.61"

= 27

0.18
0.35
0.46
0.44
-0.02
0.13
0.00
0.10
0.42
0.22
0.00
0.16
0.40
0.21
0.27
0.72'
0.47
0.57"

< .01

ulation number. The persistence of these relationships in

both n = 31 and n = 27 data indicate these correlations
are not due to a few values. This statement is verified by
inspection of scattergrams.
The primary difference between the Fort and Fate
data is the number of significant correlations between odd
events and seismic activity. None of the event categories
within the Fate data are correlated significantly with the
earthquake numbers during that period. On the other
hand, depending upon the n = 31 or n = 27 population,
several event categories from the Fort data are correlated
with the earthquake activity.
If indeed earthquakes are correlated to some or all odd
event categories, then some "period-dependence" should
be evident. In other words, odd events during a particular
interval should be most correlated with earthquake numbers during that period. This statement assumes, of course,
that long-term lags-in the order of decades-do not
exist between the odd events and quake numbers.
As a check for this possibility, total numbers of earthquakes recorded before 1874, between 1875 and 1909
and between 1910 and 1945 were correlated with the different categories in the Fort data; these three intervals
were called QT1874, QT1909 and QT1945 , respectively.
The greatest changes for the three intervals, respectively,
were for FALT (0.46, 0.44, and 0.26), UFOT (0.57,
0.62, and 0.13), HUMA (0.72, 0.36. and 0.02), and
ARCH (0.62, 0.46, and 0.28).
The correlation coefficients between the individual
intervals displayed a large range. Quake numbers for the
PURSUIT Fall 1979

166
variability is a central operation. separate factor analyses were completed
TABLE 4
on the n = 31 and n = 27 population
Correlation coefficients (r) between different event categories and population (in
for each population of data. Extreme
the year 1900) and total earthquake numbers (1700 to 1945) for the data collected
values have been known to grossly
from Fort for both n = 31 and n = 27 state analyses.
distort factor isolations.
The main 9 categories were factor
n = 27
n = 31
analyzed. Major analyses included:
FQTOT
FQTOT
P1900
P1900
ELEC. FALT. SOUN. UFOT,
HUMA, ANIT, TELE, GEOP. ARCH.
0.52'
0.04
FALA
0.64'
0.38
In
most instances, total categories
0.68'
0.44
FALB
0.55'
0.39
were substituted by one of their major
0.50'
0.63'
0.61'
FALT
0.71'
divisions. UFOT was replaced by
0.32
0.23
ELEC
0.42
0.34
UFOB, FALT was replaced by FALA
0.09
-0.10
SOUN
0.07
0.17
and ANIT was replaced by ANIA.
0.38
0.42
0.56'
0.57"
UFOA
These replacements involved the
0.47
0.15
0.53'
0.23
UFOB
"most strange" of these categories.
0.56'
0.38
0.60'
UFOT
0.51'
For a given category (variable) to be
0.48
0.53'
0.55'
HUMA
0.70'
significantly loaded upon a factor,
0.31
0.48
0.74'
ANIA
0.43
a correlation coefficient of greater
0.37
0.25
0.09
0.53'
ANIB
than 0.4 on that factor was required.
0.35
0.39
0.51'
0.66'
ANIT
Results of the factor analyses for
0.31
0.48'
0.49'
0.64'
TELE
the Fort and Fate data are shown in
0.03
0.40
0.28
0.08
GEOP
Table 6. The loading of each variable
0.59'
0.61'
0.33
0.54'
ARCH
on the factors are shown in parenP1900:FQTOT = 0.51'
theses. Both eigen values and the
P1900:FQTOT = 0.35
percent of the total variability of all
p~.Ol
the categories accommodated by each
factor are shown in parentheses beside
the factor numbers. Eigen values are measures of relative
QT1874 interval correlated 0.60 with total quake numbers
importance of the factor. (Eigen values of 1.00 or less
and less than 0.40 with any of the other intervals. The
indicate that the factor explains no more than that exother three intervals correlated between 0.75 and 0.83
plained by a single variable.)
with total quake numbers. Correlation coefficients between
Two to three factors emerged from the n = 31 and
the low (Mercalli IV and V) and total quakes for the QT1874,
n = 27 populations for both the Fort and the Fate data.
QT1909, QT1945, and QT1973 intervals were 0.91,
The cumulative variability that can be accommodated by
0.83,0.94. and 0.98, respectively. On the bases of these
these factors ranged from 64% to 73%. Despite the varidata, one would expect little difference between total and
able loadings on some factors, some persistent patterns
IV-V magnitude correlations with odd event categories.
are evident. For example, the variables UFOB, FALT
Factor AnalysiS
and ELEC appear on the same factors for both Fate and
The persistent correlation between the different oddFort data and for both n = 27 and n = 31 analyses.
event categories and population, and for that matter, the
Similarly. some variables, such as TELE, FALT and UFOB
inter-correlation between categories, suggested that factor
are loaded on more than one factor significantly. All four
analysis was in order. Given an array of correlation coanalyses also show the persistence of a cluster composed
efficients for a set of variables, factor analyses allow the
ofFALT. HUMA, ANIT, TELE.
To determine how population and earthquake numexperimenter to determine whether some underlying
bers might load on these factors, FQTOT and P1900
pattern of relationship exists. If this relationship exists,
were added to the Fort data while QT1973 and Pl960
then the data could be "rearranged" or reduced to a smaller
were added to the Fate list. The results were dear and
set of factors.
persistent for the Fort data. Whereas the TELE, FALT,
Although the single most distinctive characteristic of
HUMA, ANIT cluster was loaded heavily by population
factor analysis is its data-reduction capability, the isolation
(0.72) and lightly by earthquakes (0.41), the factor conof factors allows potential isolation of the source variables.
taining UFOB, FALT and ELEC was loaded heavily by
Using factor analysis, one can find groups of variables
earthquakes (0.70) but not by population (O.38). The
that display shared properties of variability. If completed
third factor was loaded by earthquakes (O.45) but only
carefully and systematically, sometimes one can isolate
with the n = 31 analyses. Substitution of QT1909 (1875the mechanism associated with the shared source of
1909) did not alter the contribution of the quake variable.
variability.
The Fate data were different with respect to population
Factor analyses involve alarge number of different proand to quake loadings. For these data, population was
cedures. In this study, the most accepted method: PA 2
loaded heavily on Factors 1 (0.70) and 3 (0.40) for both
is used. 7 All factor loadings were determined from the
analyses and also on Factor 2 for the n = 27 analyses.
varimax solution, which gives the clearest resolution
Earthquakes during the Fate data period were loaded in
(enhances high or low loadings on a factor). Again, since
PURSUIT Fall 1979

167
a negative wayan Factor 3 only for
the n = 27 ( - .5) and n = 31 (- .60)
TABLES
analyses. The addition of the populaCorrelation coefficients (r) between different event categories and populations
tion and quake data produced a third
(1960) and total earthquake numbers (1945-1974) for the data collected from Fate
factor for the n = 31 analyses only.
magazine for both n = 31 and n = 27 state analyses.
Interestingly, Factor 3 in the Fate data
contains very high positive loadings
n = 31
n = 27
of the UFOB and ELEC categories.
The addition of UFOA did not alter
QT973
QT973
P1960
Pl960
the factor pattern for either data pools.
0.19
0.61"
0.69"
0.27
FALA
To determine whether some of the
0.44
0.26
0.39
0.17
FALS
categories from both the Fort and
0.70"
0.31
0.63"
0.21
FALT
Fate data may fall on the same factors,
-0.30
0.66"
0.01
0.54"
ELEC
all major categories of the two data
0.25
0.38
0.20
0.36
SOUN
pools were factor analyzed together.
0.81"
0.11
0.76"
-0.11
UFOA
The existence of 18 variables rather
0.64"
0.02
0.10
0.13
UFOS
than 9 variables is expected to inflate
0.82"
0.10
0.74"
-0.15
UFOT
the number of factors discriminated.
0.67"
0.62"
0.06
0.22
HUMA
However, with careful interpretation,
0.48"
0.10
0.47
0.03
ANIA
artifacts can be reduced.
-0.03
-0.24
0.60"
0.48
ANIS
The results of these analyses are
-0.12
0.59"
0.65"
0.06
ANIT
shown in Table 7. The six factors that
0.71"
0.28
0.65"
0.11
TELE
emerged can account for 75% to
0.59"
0.23
0.59"
0.16
GEOP
78% of the variability. Again, the first
0.15
0.42
0.14
0.32
ARCH
factor tended to be weighted by the
HUMA, TELE, FALT, and ANIA
P1960:QT973 = 0.01
P1960:QT973 = 0.30
categories (Is indicate Fort data, 2s
p < .01
indicate Fate data). Note that Factor 4
again emerged with ELEC1, UFOB1,
and FALT 1.
EVER = (ALL - UFOA)
The difference between the n = 27 and n = 31 analyALL = (All 9 total categories)
ses are quite evident as well. The former results show
The inter-correlations for some of these between Fort and
little sharing of categories from both Fort and Fate data
Fate data are shown in Table 8.
on the same factors. A given factor is predominated by
These computations have both positive and negative
either Is (Fort) or 2s (Fate). However, the n = 31 analyses
aspects. One could argue that the different variables (catshow a clear clustering effect whereby both Is and 2s
egories) by themselves do not reflect an "integrated"
appear on a single factor such as Factor 1.
phenomenon, whatever it is, since they are artificial fragAs a preliminary identification of these factors, earthmentations due to labeling systems. The computation
quake histories for the Fort and for the Fate data and
presents the data as an integrated pool. On the other
populations for the two periods were added to the analyhand, one could argue that adding similar source data
ses. Only the first factor was loaded by population: P1900
merely amplified any effect artifactually. Such limits should
(0.83) and P1960 (0.77). Fortean period earthquakes
be realized.
were loaded slightly on Factor 1 (0.44). Factor 4 was
loaded by Fortean period earthquakes (0.67) but not by
Partial Correlation
population. Since P1900 and P1960 were so highly interInspections of the data demonstrated the association of
correlated, the same analyses were conducted with only
population numbers, earthquake numbers, odd event
one popula~ion value (P1900 or P1960); the basic pattern
numbers, and, implicitly total areas (per state). Partial
did not change. The clustering of Fortean period quakes
correlation
provides the researcher with a single measure
on UFOBl. FALT1 and ELEC1 remained persistent.
of association describing the relationship between two
On the basis of these results, some new variables were
variables while adjusting for the effects (on variability)
computed for further analyses in order to determine the
from
one or more other variables. 7
contribution of population and earthquake history (if any)
Partial correlation can be a helpful tool to unmask spurto their occurrence. Categories that appeared on the
ious correlations. A spurious correlation is defined as a
same factors were computed (added) and given new
relationship between two variables X and Y in which
labels. These computed categories (for Fort and Fate
X's correlation with Y is purely a consequence of X varyseparately) were:
ing with some other variable Z, where Z is the true predictor
PIEZ = (UFOB + FALT + ELEC)
of Y. If the effects of Z were controlled (partialled out),
LUMO :::;: (UFOB + ELEC)
the X would no longer vary with Y.
MIND = (HUMA + TELE)
To use an example critical of Fortean phenomena in
EART = (FALA + ELEC + SOUN + GEOP)
general, assume the relationship between odd events and
FORC = (FALA + TEL E)
earthquakes is due to the contribution of population to
ODDS = (UFOT + ANIA + ARCH)
PURSUIT Fall 1979

168
the n = 31 data, respectively. The results of correlating
PIEZI with quakes and controlling for population, on the
other hand, produced correlations of 0.49 and 0.55, respectively. One can conclude that the controlling variables
for PIEZI in this situation would be primarily earthquake
numbers during the Fortean period and secondarily population numbers.
PIEZ1, LUM01, ODDS1, ALLOI and EVERl, all displayed some correlation with earthquakes even when
controlled for population. This was evident to some extent
when the data from the Fort period were correlated with
earthquakes for the Fate period. On the other hand,
none of the Fate period computed categories were significantly correlated with quakes from either period.
Population was the primary control variable.
These data support in general the results of the factor

odd events. If the contribution of population was held

constant, then the correlation between earthquakes and
odd events would no longer be statistically significant or
as large. In this situation, the original correlation between
odd events and earthquakes would be considered spurious.
Table 9 shows the first order partial correlation coefficients for the Fort and Fate data according to events,
population and quake numbers, for different computed
categories. The results of using all states (n = 31) and
states within the major cluster (as inspected by scattergram) are shown as well. Partials for both Fortean period
(QFORT) quakes (1874 to 1945) and Fate period (QFATE)
quakes (1945 to 1974) are shown to compare populations.
Taking PIEZI for example, the partial correlations witn
population numbers but controlling for quake numbers
show a correlation of 0.38 and 0.40 for the n = 27 and

TABLE 6
Major factors and relative loadings of categories (in parentheses) for n

= 31 and n = 27 state analyses for both Fate and Fort data.

FORT
n

Factor 1 (3.14,35%)

FALT
ELEC
UFOB

,(0.62)
(0.67)
(0.71)

Factor 2 (1.44, 16%)

FALT
ANIT
TELE

n
Factor 1 (3.66.41 %)

FALT
HUMA
ANIT
TELE
ARCH

(0.48)
(0.88)
(0.96)
(0.47)
(0.42)

= 27
(0.48)
(0.38)
(0.88)

AN IT
GEOP

(0.83)
(0.46)

= 31

Factor 2 (1.13. 14%)

FALT
ELEC
UFOB
TELE

Factor 3 (1.16, 13%)

(0.71)
(0.59)
(0.42)
(0.42)

Factor 3 (1.04, 12%)

TELE
ARCH

(0.76)
(0.41)

FATE
n = 27

Factor 1 (4.26.47%)

FALT
ELEC
UFOB
HUMA
ANIT
TELE

(0.44)
(0.53)
(0.63)
(0.72)
(0.78)
(0.55)

Factor 2 (1.26, 14%)

FALT
UFOB
TELE
ARCH

Factor 1 (4.90.55%)

FALT
UFOB
HUMA
TELE
GEOP

PURSUIT Fall 1979

(0.61)
(0.69)

(0.77)
(0.88)
(0.48)

(0.72)
(0.43)
(0.40)

(0.71)

= 31

Factor 2 (1.22. 14%)

FALT
ELEC
UFOB
ANIT
GEOP
ARCH

(0.48)
(0.72)
(0.65)
(0.71)
(0.47)

(0.80)

Factor 3 (1.04.12%)

SOUN
UFOB
TELE
GEOP

(0.40)
(0.40)
(0.40)

(0.94)

169

TABLE 7
Major factors and relative loadings of categories (in parentheses) for n
combined (n = 18 variables).
n

Factor 1 (5.18, 29%)

ELEC
TELE
HUMA
FALT
ANIT

1
2
2
2
2

(0.52)
(0.51)
(0.74)
(0.65)
(0.92)

Factor 4 (1.48, 8%)

ELEC ) (0.75)
UFOB 1 (0.71)
FALT 1 (0.52)

= 27

Factor 2 (2.49, 13%)

TELE 1
HUMA 1
ARCH 1
ANIT 1

(0.67)
(0.60)
(0.57)

(0.84)

Factor 5 (1.34, 7%)

ELEC
GEOP
ARCH
FALT
n

Factor 1 (6.67.37%)

= 31 and n = 27 analyses for Fort and Fate data

2
1
2
1

(- 0.44)
(- 0.50)
( 0.67)
( 0.44)

SOUN
UFOB
HUMA
GEOP

1
2
1
2

(- 0.48)
( 0.79)
( - 0.49)
( 0.54)

Factor 6 (1.21. 7%)

SOUN 2 (0.69)
GEOP 2 (0.60)

= 31

Factor 2 (2.37.13%)

Factor 3 (1.43. 8%)

( 0.40)
( 0.46)
(- 0.44)
(- 0.64)
( 0.58)
( - 0.55)
( 0.50)

UFOB 2 (- 0.43)
GEOP 1 ( 0.70)
ARCH 1 ( 0.53)

Factor 4 (1.38, 8%)

Factor 5 (1.18. 7%)

Factor 6 (1.12, 6%)

ELEC 1 (0.46)
UFOB 1 (0.52)

UFOB 1 (0.51)

SOUN 2 ( 0.41)
UFOB 2 (-0.40)

ELEC
ELEC
UFOB
TELE
TELE
FALT
FALT
ANIT
AN IT
HUMA
HUMA
GEOP
ARCH
ARCH

1
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
2

(0.60)
(0.64)
(0.64)
(0.67)
(0.77)
(0.70)
(0.73)
(0.72)
(0.67)
(0.65)
(0.72)
(0.66)
(0.49)
(0.53)

ELEC
ELEC
UFOB
HUMA
ARCH
ANIT
ANIT

Factor 3 (1. 93, 11 %)

analyses. Some of the categories of the Fort data are

clearly correlated with earthquake and population histories
of the states. Other categories are almost totally loaded
on the population factor, an observation that suggests
a different source for some of the odd events. However,
all the categories from the Fate data appear to be controlled (predicted) by only population data.
The areas of the states are not randomly distributed.
Consequently, the possibility exists that some artifact of
area could be contributing in a negative or a positive
manner to the patterns. Dividing the different event category, population and earthquake numbers by total area
of each state, reduces these values to a common unit of
area. In addition, this operation introduces a qualitatively
different type of relationship: density.

1
2
2
1
2
1
2

Although a common operation by many scientists, the

division by a common factor can be a source of spurious
correlation too. If three uncorrelated populations of data
Xl, X2 and X3 are involved and a person divided X 1 by
X2 to obtain 11 and divided X3 by X2 to obtain 12, then
the correlation between 11 and 12 can approach 0.5. B
By dividing through by a common source, even a random population, the total amount of random distribution
is reduced. For populations that are inter-correlated, the
solution becomes less determinant, i.e., the division may
enhance or cancel the effect.
If completed appropriately, this procedure can enhance the relationship and remove confounding factors
that could be masking any effect. Consequently, first
order partial correlations were calculated for events/total
PURSUIT Fall 1979

170

TABLES
Correlations between Fort and Fate data as a function of different data transformations for sample computed categories (following factor analyses), earthquake
and population numbers.

Event

Total Numbers
n=31
n=27

Events/ Area
n=27
n=31

Events/Population
n=26
n=31

PIEZ
EART
FORC
MIND
ODDS
ALLO
QUAKE
POP

0.41
0.48'
0.60'
0.67'
0.44
0.61'
0.61'
0.93'

0.48'
0.63'
0.66'
0.79'
0.50'
0.73'
0.71'
0.96'

0.20
0.42
0.11
0.38
-0.11
0.46'
0.69'

0.23
0.56'
0.44
0.39'
0.25
0.41
0.57"
0.72'

0.39
0.23
0.63'
0.68'
0.38
0.53'
0.47
0.94'

0.23
0.44
0.30
0.50'
0.30
0.48
0.41

area (of each state) as a function of

population/total area and earthquakes/area, and (2) events/population as a function of earthquakes/
population and area/population, for
each of the computed categories.
Except for the significant contribution
of seismic activity to the FORet
(0.58), the basic pattern following
division by area did not change from
Table 9.
Not surprisingly, the division by
population drastically altered the pattern of significant first order partial
correlations. Significant partials for
quakes (controlling for area/popula-

TABLE 9
First order partial correlation coeffiCients for sample computed categories for Fort (1s) and Fate data (2s) in order
to determine the relative contribution of population (1900 for Fort and 1960 for Fate) or earthquakes to variability
in the categories. For comparison. seismic data for both the Fort (Fort Q) and the Fate (Fate Q) periods are used
for each set of categories.
n = 27
Variable

NG

PIEZ
PIEZ
EART
EART
FORC
FORC
MIND
MIND
ODDS
ODDS
ALL
ALL
EVER
EVER

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

PIEZ
PIEZ
EART
EART
FORC
FORC
MIND
MIND
ODDS
ODDS
ALL
ALL
EVER
EVER

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

PURSUIT Fall 1979

n = 31

Partial r

Partial r

Partial r

Partial r

With Controlling
for
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P

Fort Q

FateQ

Fort Q

FateQ

0.38
0.49'
0.48'
0.02
0.04
0.55'
0.56'
0.16
0.37
0.57"
0.57"
0.56'
0.60'
0.5.9'

0.28
0.26
0.60'
0.19
0.24
0.67"
0.63'
0.50'
0.41
0.40
0.67"
0.52'
0.64'
0.50'

0.40
0.55'
0.52'
0.21
0.21
0.64'
0.68'
0.26
0.54'
0.61'
0.68'
0.63'
0.68'
0.56'

0.49'
0.25
0.68'
0.10
0.19
0.76'
0.79'
0.42
0.66'
0.40
0.47'
0.79'
0.81
0.50'

Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P

0.80'
-0.12
0.79'
-0.08
0.73'
0.25
0.69'
-0.20
0.76'
0.07
0.82'
-0.00
0.85'
-0.07

0.80'
-0.23
0.80'
0.24
0.67"
0.24
0.71'
0.15
0.76'
-0.14
0.60
-0.03
0.86'
0.26

0.83'
-0.18
0.78'
-0.25
0.78'
0.03
0.68'
0.14
0.76'
0.05
0.84'
-0.09
0.82'
0.00

0.85'
-0.25
0.76'
0.04
0.80'
0.16
0.72'
0.10
0.81'
-0.19
0.85'
-0.11
0.86'
-0.10

P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q
P
Q

171
tion) appeared for PIEZI (0.75), EARTl (0.58), EVERI
and ALLOI (0.66) and for FORC2 (0.50) and for ALL02
and EVER2 (0.62). All other correlations were not significant and predominately negative. Similar patterns held
for both n = 31 and n = 27 analyses.
Multiple Regression
Ultimately, we would like to predict the various categories of unusual events from known and measurable
variables. Sometimes simple correlations between two
variables do not involve all of the necessary variance
required to explain or to predict one of the variables. In
these instances. one can use multiple regression whereby
more than one variable is used to predict a given dependent variable. 7
Multiple regression allows the calculation of a multiple
r value that is the consequence of combining the different
variables in the equation. Like the simple r, r2 is the amount
of variability in the dependent variable that can be accommodated by the others. For example, if the r2 for Y is
0.80 with two variables X and Z in the equation, then
(0.80)2 or 64% of the variance in Y can be explained by
the combination of X and Z.
The relative contribution of each variable in the equation to the prediction of Y is also calculable. Sometimes
all of the major variability can be accounted for by one of
the two (or more) variables. Other times, depending upon
the phenomenon, each variable may add similar amounts
of predictability to the total. Although separately, the two
or more variables in the equations may only marginally
correlate with Y, together, they may produce substantial
multiple correlations.
A primary limit of multiple regression occurs when two
or more variables in the equation are themselves highly
inter-correlated. "Highly inter-correlated" is an arbitrary
term but is usually applied to r values greater than 0.90.
In this situation, the high inter-correlation between X and
Z themselves, may artifactually inflate the multiple r value
forY.
Using multiple correlation, we can predict how much
of the variability in the odd events can be accounted for
by the two variables in question: population and seismic
activity. If one can obtain multiple rs of 0.90 or greater
then one can predict safely that 81 % of the variance in
the odd events can be predicted by knowing population
and earthquake measures. Only 20% of the variability in
odd events would be due to some other source/sources.
With other data in the social sciences, this variability is
related usually to measurement error or scaling "noise."
Table 10 displays multiple rs for sample Fort and sample
Fate populations. The two most populated single categories: UFOT and HUMA are presented for comparison.
As can be seen, the multiple rs range from 0.64 to 0.87
for the Fort data and from 0.67 to 0.87 for the Fate data.
Translated into predictability, however, one can predict
only between 40% to 76% of the variability in different
categories as a consequence of knowing population and
earthquake history.
The two populations: Fort and Fate, differ blatantly
with respect to the relative contribution of earthquake
numbers and population to the total variability of the categories. In some of the Fort categories, earthquakes contrib-

TABLE 10
Multiple regression results demonstrating multiple r values
and the relative contribution (r2) of either population or
earthquake numbers during the appropriate periods for
different categories in the Fort and Fate data.

FATE

FORT
FortQ

FateQ

FortQ

FateQ

PIEZ
MR
Qr 2
Pr 2

0.80
53%
10%

0.68
30%
16%

0.84
9%
62%

0.83
0%
68%

LUMO
MR
Qr 2
Pr 2

0.60
35%
1%

0.34
4%
8%

0.81
2%
64%

0.80
5%
59%

FORe
MR
Q r2
Pr 2

0.74
24%
30%

0.73
53%
0%

0.81
16%
51%

0.81
11%
56%

UFOT
MR
Qr 2
Pr 2

0.70
45%
4%

0.56
16%
15%

0.83
5%
68%

0.84
2%
68%

HUMA
MR
Qr2
Pr 2

0.74
30%
24%

0.70
20%
32%

0.67
1%
45%

0.67
1%
45%

EVER
MR
Qr 2
Pr 2

0.87
51%
26%

0.83
26%
43%

0.86
0%
75%

0.87
0%
75%

ute, as shown by their r2 values, most of the explained

variance. Population appears trivial. Again, in the Fate
data, all of the variance is due to population.
From the point of view of prediction (even with possible spurious correlations not totally excluded), the multiple regressions completed with events/area as a function
of population/area and earthquakes/area show much
greater potency. As seen in Table 11. a multiple r of 0.98
is found with the Fate data. In other words, 96% of the
variability for all basic categories (with the exception of
UFOA) when combined can be predicted from population/
area and earthquake/area. Whereas population by itself
has an r of 0.93 with the EVER category, the earthquakes
add an extra 0.05. This is the difference between explaining 86 % of the variance and 96 % of the variance.
In order to enhance the prediction of the Fort data in
particular, since the multiple rs were smaller than the Fate
categories, various substitutions were made in population
and quake variables. Since the Fort data were scattered
over a longer period of time than the Fate data, one might
argue that the use of population for 1900 or the large
PURSUIT Fal11979

172

TABLEtt
Multiple rs and relative wntribution of either population or earthquake numbers for sample computed event categories for both n = 31 and n = 27 analyses. F refers to F-values.
FORT
n =31
-rv
F
EVER/A
MR
Q/A r2
PIA r2

FATE
n

= 27

rv

rv

27
8
5

0.98
9%
86%

= 31

'F

= 27

rv

295
56
112

0.98
9%
88%

305
54
108

0.83
62%
7%

31
7

0.83
63%
6%

PIA r2

0.78
57
3%

18
23
2

0.77
58%
2%

21
27
2

0.95
13%
76%

118
34
198

0.96
13%
80%

154
43
257

LUMO/A
MR
Q/A r2
PIA r2

0.48
16%
7%

4
8
2

0.48
16%
7%

4
7
2

0.40
6%
10%

3
2
5

0.38
10%
5%

2
1
4

FORC/A
MR
Q/A r2
PIA r2

0.52
13%
15%

5
1
6

0.53
13%
15%

5
1
5

0.90
43%
37%

60
1
57

0.91
44%
39%

57
1
54

MIDWD/A
MR
Q/A r2
PIA r2

0.91
46%
39%

71
1
63

0.93
48%
38%

75
1
7

0.93
8%
78%

83
15
33

0.93
6%
81%

77

PIEZ/A
MR

Q/A r2

11

quake interval FQTOT would not display sufficient resolution_ However. the use of population figures for the
years 1880, 1890, or 1910 did not alter the multiple rs.
The specific use of QT1909 also did not alter the prediction potency.
Neither the use of VI or more quakes, quakes of IV or
V, total epicenters, or grand total quake numbers enhanced the Fort or Fate predictions. In most cases, the
multiple rs were less. The use of these values in the Fate
data reduced the high multiple rs to within the 0.7 to 0.8
range. Reduction of data to events/population as a function
of quakes/population and area/population did not allow
greater multiple r values.

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

Several repeatable patterns have emerged in the different Fortean event categories analyzed in this study.
Simple correlations, partial correlations, factor analyses
and multiple regressions all demonstrate the inter-correlation of Fortean phenomena with population. Although all
these methods do share similar assumptions of internal
PURSUIT Fal11979

11
32

operation, the replicable nature of the data patterns increases the general application of the results.
The interrelationship between different odd event categories within either the Fort or Fate data as well as between the Fort and Fate data are relatively small. Not
more than 50% (average 15%) of the variability in any
category within the same data pool can be predicted or
accounted for by another category in the same pool.
Similarly, a given category in the Fort data can account
for not more than 50% of the variability in the Fate data.
The average explained variability between the Fort and
Fate data was about 20%
Since the population numbers in the Fort data can
account for up to 86% of the variability of population
numbers in the Fate data (or vice versa), one might conclude that the low inter-correlations between odd event
categories imply a minimum contribution from population.
However, this conclusion is inappropriate for a number
of reasons.
First, the variability around the means of each category
for each state in the Fort or the Fate data is more commensurate for the population data. Whereas the population measures actually involve milIions of counts (and

173
the entire population, statistically speaking), the odd
event numbers for each state are only samples. Presumably,
all the odd events, by nature of their space-time transient
characteristics, have not been counted.
Since the magnitude of the correlation and the amount
of variability accounted for by a predictor are a function of
the shared patterns of variability, less random variation
occurs in the population data due to the sample size.
When the population data are correlated with the odd
events, the extra sources of random fluctuation from the
odd event sampling, decreases the shared variability
patterns.
Second, the more complicated analyses all demonstrate
that population can account for almost all the variability
contributing to the correlations with earthquakes in most
categories, especially for the Fate data. Since one is more
likely to conclude that population numbers are predictors
of odd events rather than the odd events are predictors of
numbers of people, the population factor appears to
account for most of the variability in all odd event categories. Even in categories (within the Fort data) where
earthquakes can account for some of the variability, population is still a contributor.
Certainly, one expects population to correlate with the
numbers of events since the human being is the primary
measurement. It is now clear, for the Fate data at least,
that the relative sums of all Fate events can be accounted
for almost entirely by population variability. When converted to events/area and population/area, in fact, almost
all the variability in the odd events can be accounted for
by population. Without this transformation, more than
75% of the variability is explained.
For the Fate data, at least, one can see that population
is the control variable. One would be arguing on very
precarious ground if explanations of Fortean events were
couched in some environmental or theoretical variable.
Such a variable would have to almost perfectly match the
variabiliW patterns of population to remain hidden.
Statistically, we l:annot proceed any further on the
population question. The reduction of Fortean phenomena
to purely population causes-in a mechanistic sensedoes not follow totally although it is implied. At present,
we cannot resolve whether the data imply persistent artifacts in the human population or whether odd events are
occurring almost homogeneously over that space and the
population merely reflects the statistical observation.
The differential contribution of earthquake numbers to
the categories within the Fort data strongly suggest that
some of the categories may involve different sources of
variability (and perhaps mechanism). Specifically, PIEZ
and ODDS (and EVER, since it contains these subsets)
showed very clear association with the earthquake history
of the Fort period.
The association with earthquake numbers is not artifactual to the period, since even the Fate quake numbers
correlated with the Fortean categories. Any contribution
was expected to be lower, (it involves a different time
period) but still evident (since Fort and Fate period quakes
are correlated). In short, one could conclude that the
composite of UFOB, FALT, ELEC, and ARCH are influenced by earthquake history.
A more conservative interpretation would be that the

earthquake contribution is trivial and perhaps artifactual.

Suspiciously, similar categories for both Fate and Fort
data show similar multiple rs when both quakes and population are in the equation, even though they may contribute to various degrees. One must ask why should the
variability explained by quakes in the Fortean data be
replaced by a population component in the Fate data?
This pattern could be explained as a consequence of
just sampling problems. With large samples (and Fate
contained twice as many cases as Fort data), the errors of
sampling are decreased. As one approaches the entire
population and the number of cases increase, the discrepancy of sampling error is decreased. One would
expect, even predict, the obvious. The EVER category
should show the greatest prediction and correlation with
population since it contains the greatest number of samples.
In short, variability in population can account for most
of the distribution in the different odd-event categories.
No doubt, one could argue that the composite nature of
the analyses removed individual cases and potential
phenomena. However, the smaller the sample size, especially in this area, the more one is dependent upon the
consequences of random variation, error and worst of all:
anecdotal reasoning.
At a probabilistic level, one can consider the human
being or the entire population of human beings as a series
of responses. Statistically, one expects reports of something odd within and throughout the population. Verification attempts, from photographs to multiple reporting by
"reliable witnesses," does not alter the mechanisms of
statistical occurrence.
The occurrence of these events would be random;
their pursual would be comparable to playing dice. Every
so often, the enthusiast would "guess" the next number.
Although due to chance, the potent reinforcement would
maintain the fragments of some theory. With each roll or
each event, the theory, by necessity, must become more
and more far-fetched. Except for word games, there is no
pattern in randomicity.
Although the analyses by spatial (states) increments
were confounded by population variables, the isolation of
some environmental contributor to Fortean phenomena
may still be possible. The use of temporal increments
would allow the inclusion of variability associated with
dynamic processes. Time lagged correlations for Fortean
categories could discriminate any sequential relationships
in the data. This procedure has been used successfully
with recent UFO reports. 9
A solution to the Fortean problem, like other dilemmas
in the history of science, will require repeated numerical
analyses and the generation of specific hypotheses~ that
can be tested with numbers. "Time-pumps," "magnetic
windows," and "Supersargasso Seas" are hypnogogic
diversions. They do not solve the problem.
REFERENCES
1. Michael A. Persinger and Gyslaine F. Lafreniere, Space
time Transients and Unusual Euents (Chicago: Nelson-Hall,
1977).
2. Charles Fort, The Complete Books 0/ Charles Fort (New
York: Dover, 1974).
PURSUIT Fal/1979

174
3. M. A. Persinger, limitations of human verbal behavior in
context of UFO related stimuli, in R. F. Haines (Ed.), UFO
Phenomena and the Behavioral Scientist (Metuchen, New
Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1979).
4. M. A. Persinger. The problems of human verbal behavior:
the final reference for measuring ostensible psi phenomena. The
Journal of Research in Psi Phenomena, 1976, 1,72-79.
5. M. A. Persinger. Possible geophysical sources of close UFO
encounters: expected physical and behavioral-biological effects.
In R. F. Haines (Ed.), UFO Phenomena and the Behavioral
Scientist (Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow, 1979).
6. J. L. Coffman and C. A. von Hake (Eds.), Earthquake

History of the United States. (Publication 41-1; Revised Edition

thoroughly 1970, Government Printing Office. Washington,
1973).
7. Norman H. Nie, C. H. Hull, J. G. Jenkins. K. Steinbrenner
and D. H. Bent. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sci
ences), (New York: McGraw-HiII, 1975, 2nd edition).
8. G. U. Yule and M. G. Kendall, The Theory of Statistics.
(London: Charles Griffin and Co., 1965, 14th edition), pp.
330331.
9. M. A. Persinger. Earthquake activity and antecedent UFO
report numbers (in submission). ~
.

AN APPENDIX TO
"THE ONE PHYSICAL EXPERIMENT SCIENCE
CANNOT EXPLAIN"
(Printed in Pursuit, Vol. 12, No.3, Summer 1979)

by T. B. Pawlicki
the innumerable speculators who have
AMONG
formulated a holographic model to explain
universal mechanics, Tom Bearden is best known
to me for analyzing the holographic structure mathematically. Our theories are virtually identical except
that Bearden has calculated an abrupt, right-angle,
orthorotation at the point where radiant energy is
transformed into a standing-wave vortex; Bearden
calculates one orthorotation on each of the three
axes of field spin; an orthorotation on one axis transforms radiant energy into the mental signals of
words and music; orthorotation on two axes transforms radiant energy into visual, photonic images;
the structure of the spherical standing-wave becomes
manifest with orthorotation on all three field axes.
In contrast, my models demonstrate a gradual rotation of field energy into the standing-wave phase
and back to the radiant phases, although radiation
is stopped on each of the three axes to bring words,
music and mental images into manifestation. It is
difficult to gainsay a sound mathematical calculation,
but it is perhaps more difficult to deny the validity of
constructed models. Paradoxes of this kind usually
provoke critics into assuming that one or both theo-

ries must be wrong because both cannot be right.

But paradoxes of this kind, including the wave/particle dichotomy, arise simply because mutually exclusive mechanics are both right. The problem is to
perceive the larger perspective in which both views
become synthetic instead of contrary. 1 you take
the time to study waves upon the surface of a sizable
body of water, you will see a natural physical model
demonstrating the mechanics described by both
Tom Bearden and myself. As a tent is an involute
of a bubble, each wave and wavelet on the surface
of water is an involute of the standing-wave vortices
in a Plate Flutter Experiment tuned to white sound.
The wave always rises at right angles to the veolcity
of radiant energy on its proper scale. The rise is
always abrupt upon encountering an opposing velocity on the same axis. A wave-front is formed by
opposition on two axes; the third axis cannot be
observed on a plane surface of water. There is the
phenomenon corresponding to Bearden's calculation
of orthorotation, while the standing-wave phase of
the field progresses gradually throughout the full
circle or rotation.
(These models have defined the universal hologram almost sufficiently to design an analogue time
transport simple enough for home experimenters to
construct. like the Vortex Drive prototype.)

Do yourself a favor. Member George Eberhart did his co-SITUians

a real favor by compiling a 60-page comprehensive index of Pursuit's
contents, from the inception of our journal through 1978. This index is
available to members only; the nominal price of $1.50 barely covers
reproduction and postage costs. Do yourself a favor and get your very
own copy by sending check or money order for $1.50 to: SITU,
P.O. Box 265, Little Silver, NJ 07739.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

175

WAS EINSTEIN A BERKELEIAN?

by Harry E. Mongold
writes that "reality of the exILSEternalRosenthal-Schneider
world" is something Einstein "does not discuss."
([4], p. 137) Perhaps more important than any discussion

Einstein might have offered is the implication of his special

theory of relativity. It is possible to deduce that he in practice regularly conceived no reality except sense-experience.
In "Relativity, the Special and General Theory," Einstein
speaks of a metre-rod in system K' moving in the direction of its length relative to system K. He gives the measurement that must be made of the rod by an observer in K and
declares as follows:

our considerations on the Galileian transformation

we should not have obtained a contraction of the rod
as a consequence of its motion." ([11. ibid)
The first sentence is ambiguous. Which behavior of
rods and clocks is referred to, shortening and slOWing or
measuring? He says the magnitudes are measurements
as though there are none other than measurements, and
adds that a different formula brings out a different measurement (calculation?). His reconciliation of the ostenSibly
opposed concepts, apparent and real, may be that these
have the same meaning.
The parallel situation of the slOWing clock is presented
Similarly:

"The rigid rod is thus shorter when in motion than

when at rest, and the more quickly it is moving, the
shorter is the rod. For the velocity v =c we should have
-./1 - V 2 /C 2 = 0, and for still greater velocities the
square-root becomes imaginary. From this we conclude that in the theory of relativity the velOcity c
plays the part of a limiting velocity, which can neither
be reached nor exceeded by any real body." ([1],
pp.35-6)

"As judged from K, the clock is moving with the

velOcity v; as judged from this reference-body,
the time which elapses between two strokes of the
[seconds-} clock is not one second, but ,;::==,I==rr"i

The implication here is that the speeding rod has actually shortened relative to its former length. The velocity of
light c can be considered a limiting one only if the rod becomes nonexistent at that speed. It should be noted, incidentally, that the shortening of a space ship could not be
measured on shipboard, because everything there shortens
in the direction of motion, including those who measure.
Einstein adds:

A velocity that is "unattainable" because all clocks stop

and lengths vanish from reality is not the result of appearances that leave reality untouched. However, the concept
that some appearances are eqUivalent to reality is obViously not the same as the concept that all are. The case
for inferring Einstein's Berkeleianism-in-practice is that he
deduces reality from appearances with no other expressed
warrant. It is evident that for him the fact that a speeding
metre-rod is measured shorter than before is the same as
the reality that it is shorter. Each frame of reference-K
and K' -measures the other shorter (indicating appearance) and if they were moving fast enough relative to
each other they would both be non-existent (indicating
a real effect). Since there would then be nothing to move,
c is the limit for velocities. It is his easy unmentioned
assumption that appearance must mean reality that suggests that he uses the assumption as a general rule. If he
had thought it exceptional he would have had some reason
other than the predicted measurement to give us for
thinking c a limiting velocity. He sees no possibility of
reality that is not a measurement.

"If, on the contrary, we had considered a metre-rod

at rest in the x-axis with respect to K, then we should
have found that the length of the rod as judged from
K' would have been ..J 1 - v2 ; this is quite in accordc2
ance with the principle of relativity which forms the
basis of our considerations." ([11. p. 36)
Since the metre-rod in this illustration represents any
sort of body, eVidently each of two moving observers
(that is, moving in the same "x-axis") must measure the
other as having shortened, as compared with himself. It is
clear that now we are speaking of appearances. How can
we reconcile this with the implication that the shortening
is real?
Einstein's comment.is not clear:
"A priori it is quite clear that we must be able to learn
something about the physical behaviour of measuringrods and clocks from the equations of transformation,
for the magnitudes x, y, z, t, are nothing more nor
less than the results of measurements obtainable by
means of measuring-rods and clocks. If we had based

...h -

V 2/C 2

seconds, i.e., a somewhat larger time. As a consequence of its motion the clock goes more slowly than
when at rest. Here also the velOcity c plays the part
of an unattainable limiting velOcity." ([11. p. 37)

Can the idea that appearance is reality be found expressed anywhere in the writings of those presenting the
special theory? There is much variation on this point,
some writers speaking only of appearances and others
speaking of reality. Perhaps the closest to a blanket assertion that all reality is but appearance is Martin Gardner's
explanation: "Length and time are relative concepts.
They have no meaning apart from the relation of an object
to an observer." ([3], p. 49) If lengths and time (four
"dimensions") fail to cover all that is believed of reality,
PURSUIT Fall 1979

176

mass can be added, as he says it too is relative. He specifies further in a way that at first reading seems to qualify
the meaning:
"There is no question of one set of measurements
being 'true,' another set 'false.' Each is true relative
to the observer making the measurements; relative
to his frame of reference. There is no way that measurements can be any truer. In no sense are they
optical illusions, to be explained by a psychologist.
They can be recorded on instruments. They do not
require a living observer." ([3], ibid)
The reference to instruments does not actually moderate the implicit idealism. Conceivably, instruments are
themselves only sense-impressions. Since they consist of
lengths in a time, they must "have no meaning apart
from the relation" to other instruments, and to human
observers. The train of thought leads back to us. We always
assume that we exist, as a starting pOint, and we tend to
include all other people. Inanimate objects can be more
easily regarded as only sense-impressions.
Gardner's position thus seems to be that all is measurement, all is observation. This, however, is less clear when
the above quotation is compared to a paragraph two
pages earlier:
"How is it possible, you ask, for each ship to be shorter
than the other? You ask an improper question. The
theory does not say that each ship is shorter than the
other. It says that astronauts on each ship measure
the other ship as shorter. This is a quite different
matter. If two people stand on opposite sides of a huge
concave lens, each sees the other as smaller; but that
is not the same as saying that each is smaller."
This common-sense paragraph does not square with
the paragraph printed just before it:
"Lorentz and fitzGerald still thought of moving objects
as having absolute 'rest lengths.'"When objects contracted, they were no longer their 'true' lengths.
Einstein, by giving up the ether, made the concept of
absolute length meaningless. What remained was
length as measured, and this turned out to vary with
the relative speed of object and observer."
If there is only "length as measured," there is no distinction between a ship that is shorter and one that an
astronaut measures as shorter. More important, a differentiation between measurement and what is measured
could never require the deduction that c is the limiting
velOcity for moving objects, if the only evidence is that
movement appears to cause a shortening.
In the 1937 book, "The Philosophy of ~elativity,"
Ushenko defends relative simultaneity by explaining that
even if two rocket trips were agreed to have lasted the
same number of seconds (over a period of years), "it may
be no less true that while the journey was in progress the
duration was not the same." He continues:
PURSUIT Fal11979

"Two telegraph poles if brought together to the same

place would be the same in length, but as they stood
apart in the street they were at once larger and smaller
than one another as witnessed by two observers of
whom each was standing by one of the poles. Being
used to relatiVity of length, we easily understand that
it is incorrect to say that the poles are really equal in
length even while distant from one another, and we
recognize that both observers were right. It is the
same kind of understanding that is required of the
opponent of the Theory of Relativity in order to have
him converted." ([5], pp. 55-6)
Ushenko denies that a view of two objects together is
preferable to any other arrangement as far as allowing
true measurement is concerned. If all observers are right
regardless of distance, what we have called "mere appearance" must be accepted as all there is. RelatiVity theory
concerns objects in motion. Ushenko here extends the
justification of various views to observations of standing
objects, and it seems a logical extension.
His next paragraph (a long one) begins as follows:
"The source of reluctance to be converted into a relativist is the belief that there is an essential distinction
between the measure of a duration and the duration
as it is in itself. And in a sense there is, but not in the
sense which is constitutive of an objective non-relative
order of events in time, since a duration in itself is an
act of self-experience which, being the private aspect
of an event, is incommensurable with any other
event. In so far as events can be compared in duration or put in an order of simultaneity and succession, this must be done from the station-point of an
outSider-percipient ... who supplies the standards of
comparison and arrangement. Or, to put it in other
words, as long as an event is taken as having a definite
size in space and time, its size is equivalent to its
measures of space and time. Those who oppose the
identification of duration with its measure are likely
to be misled by a belief in the reality of time as a uniform flow of moments which is different from the
succession of events."
Although the statement that duration is the "private
aspect of an event" is rather startling, baSically he has
here said nothing not standard to the theory, since simultaneity (or succession) is considered relative to the observer. The order in which events occur and the speed
with which they follow one another-these vital aspects
of reality are said to depend on observation.
It is sometimes argued by the theorists that they are not
saying that objects exist because perceived, but only that
they have the size, duration, mass, etc., that are perceived
as different by different observers. This may seem a valid
defense against charges of idealism until one recalls that
Einstein declares that each of two speeding systems is
shorter than it was even to the point of each finding that
the other no longer exists. The latter velOcity is accepted
as therefore the limit of possible motion-and not simply
the limit of relative velocities in which movers can still see
each other.

177

Without length, duration, and mass, a body does not

exist. They are essential characteristics. Both these essentials and their measures change with motion, according
to Einstein, to the limit of zero, or of infinity, as applicable.
There are, it is claimed, no distinctions between magnitudes
and their measures. It follows that relativity theory assumes
no physical reality in the sense that the ordinary person
does (although some could exist that is never contacted)
but only measurements, and all machine measurements
(which are ordinarily assumed to be reality apart from
anyone to read them) are only what a human being observes them to be. This is only one step from solipsism,
the position that Einstein said he avoided by preserving
a distinction between "sense-impressions" and "mere
ideas," and between two types of the former-"as conditioned by an 'objective' and by a 'subjective' factor."
([2], p. 673) Those words sound like an attempt to reserve a place for physical reality, and he went on to say,
"The above mentioned 'objective factor' is the totality of

such concepts and conceptual relations as are thought of

as independent of experience, viz., of perceptions." ([2],
pp. 673-4) What is independent of perceptions, however,
can hardly be physical reality if they are concepts and
conceptual relations. Bishop Berkeley offered the explanation that they are the "thoughts of God," and Albert
Einstein's theory accords well with this.
REFERENCES
1. Einstein, Albert, Relativity, the Special and General Theory,
Crown. 1961 (1916, 1952)
2. Einstein, A., Albert Einstein. Philosopher. SCientist (Paul A.
Schilpp, ed.), Tudor. 1951
3. Gardner, Martin, Relativity for the Million, Macmillan, 1962
4. Rosenthal-Schneider, lise, Albert Einstein, PhilosopherScientist (Paul A. Schilpp, ed.J. Tudor, 1951
5. Ushenko, Andrew P., The Philosophy of Relativity, George
Allen & Unwin. 1937

~
-

YOUR VERY OWN

ENERGY LINE GRID
by Allan Grise
a reader of Pursuit is a stranger to Fortean brouN ARY
haha such as a report of a yeti passing himself off as
a Fuller Brush salesman in downtown Pittsburgh. Neither
are SITUians bent out of shape by first-hand accounts of
polkadot slush raining down from the inside of some poor
slob's VW bus.
But, lamentably, very few Earth people, to say nothing
of Forteans, have even a nodding acquaintance with the
network of energy lines that literally criss-cross our planet.
In the following paragraphs, I will share with you some
speculations regarding the nature of these lines, as well as
give detailed instruction on how to locate the Earth Energy
line grid you are sitting in as you read this.
By referring to Figure 1, you will discover the width
and spacing of these Earth Energy Lines (hereinafter
"EEls"), and note that the rectangle formed by these lines
is oriented to magnetic north.
I have yet to find a backyard or parking lot where there
is not a regularly recurring pattern of EELs. I hear the
same from others who are thousands of miles away, and
so I can only conclude these EELs are planetary in scope.
Exactly what EELs are, and what they are doing aU
over the place is anybody's guess. One fact that helps our
guessing is EELs appear to be similar to Ley Lines.
"Ley Line" was invented by Alfred Watkins, a man
who was "shown" these straight paths back in the twenties.
One fine spring morning, Alfred found himself trotting up
a hill in his native England only to be treated to something
that sounds very much like a vision.
He glimpsed in one extraordinary moment a pattern of
lines that covered the countryside, as far as the eye could

see. Ribbons of thin luminescence swept in from the horizon

from all directions. connecting hilltops and church steeples,
much like other-dimensional spokes on a wheel. Alfred's
eyes beheld a network of Leys that was stunning.
Mr. Watkins was so stunned that he jotted down his
innermost conviction, that the Powers That Be had singled
him out to make the existence of Ley Lines known to a
tardy world. A gripping revelation. What to do?
From that day forward, Watkins' life consisted of drawing straight lines on maps. and shouting "A-ha!" and
"Eureka!" at odd hours of the night. He also spent countless hours in the field, trekking through meadowlands,
backyards, garbage dumps and cemeteries; sometimes
standing on roofs and climbing trees in village squares to
get a better look at how things lined up.
While he was doing all that, he kept exhaustive and
painstakingly accurate notes of all those alignments, and
later published all of them in his now-classic text, The Old
Straight Track.
Credit is due Watkins for the manner in which he handled
his mind. He could have invented a cult, or at least chocked
up his book with new words to define Ley Lines. He did
not. Watkins apparently let the task of defining Leys (the
undefined) in terms of gravity and magnetism (more undefineds) to the Pillars of the Scientific Community.
Watkins was concerned with what to him was a factthat Ley Lines were merely visible markings of a system
of naturally occurring energy paths. The points at which
these paths crossed, by the way, were sacred to Druids
and Celts. They healed and worked magic at these pOints.
Later, churches were erected at those sites.
Leys are marked, but EELs aren't even talked about
except in contemporary UFO-contactee literature.
Grids of a navigational sort are featured in Bruce Cathie's
PURSUIT Fall 1979

178
18 inches

Figure 1. Lines of undetermined energy intersecting to form

a "grid." Size is typical of grids at 34 degrees north latitude.

Harmonic 695. This book romps through such favorites

as the nature of time and space, gives an equation on antigravity, and takes a left-handed swing at the planetary
navigational grid as Cathie perceives it.
Some overwhelmingly fuzzy organization described as
"them" is having great fun, says Cathie, stealthing around
the planet stuffing navigational beacons and other gizmos
into the dirt.
Cathie and I use the same words, "planetary grid system," but the similarity ends right there.
It is also likely that Ley Lines and EELs are similar in
function to the meridians central to acupuncture philosophy and practice. These meridians, according to Chinese
theory, are channels for the distribution of a life energy
named "Chi." Makes me wonder if Leys and EELs supply
Mother Earth with Vitality of some sort.
It is also possible EELs have something to do with holding
our version of reality together. If space-time has fabric, are
EELs the threads of that fabric?
Enough speculation. Now it is time to tell you how to
locate these Earth Energy Lines.
You do it by dowsing for them with bent pieces of wire
known as L rods-dandy devices that can be whipped up
in a few minutes by sacrificing a few wire coat hangers.
Here's how to make L rods: Cut through a wire coat
hanger at one end of the bottom, then take another cut
through the side that is continuous with the bottom, making
the cut about where the hook begins.
Next, bend the legs to as near ninety degrees as possible. You have just made an L rod.
After you have made two L rods, hold them by the
PURSUIT Fall 1979

small leg of the L so they are parallel and horizontal to the

ground, and about a foot apart.
Holding your hands in a fist, touch the inside of your
wrists to your body. This gives stability.
Make sure the large leg of the L rod is an inch or so
above the top of your fist. If it is not, then it will rub and
tend to interfere and limit the response of the L rod when
you walk over an EEL.
Another hint: Make a hole in your fists, so as to hold
onto the L rod very, very loosely-the looser the better.
Yet another hint: In case you cannot get the L rods to
stay put and they are wiggling all over the place, tilt them
down as this will tend to stabilize them.
When you are confident you are holding them correctly,
take the L rods, a compass, and markers (pebbles, a deck
of cards) to some place where you can walk in a straight
line for at least twenty feet.
Walk in any direction, but slowly, at about 2 mph.
Walking slow gives the L rods time to respond to the
EELs. When you walk over an EEL, the rods will cross in
front of you. Don't worry about missing this crossing, as it
is a gross, physical phenomenon.
After you walk over an EEL, the rods will uncross, and
return to their normal parallel position. When you find
the rods cross, mark the spot. After the second crossing,
step a few feet to the side, and go back in a path that is
roughly parallel to the path you first took. Naturally, you
will mark the points of L rod crossing, and repeat the
process until you have enough markers to see lines.
If you repeat the process, this time walking parallel to
the lines you have just marked, you will find the other
sides to the rectangle. Check your very first Earth Energy
Line pattern with the compass to ascertain that it is aligned
to magnetic north.
You have seen for yourself after you actually do what
I have just detailed that there are lines of some force.
If you actually earn the right to further knowledge by
acting, you will then know as I do that there are EEL
patterns all over.
At 10,000 feet, in holes, canyons, in upstairs apartments. All over.
I would be naive and forfeit my Fort Card if I were not
to mention the obvious: EELs may be a source of power
that is universal in scope. Whatever the EELs are, they
are worthy of serious investigation.
To that end, I ask that the Board of Directors of SITU
define and inaugurate a two-phase program of investigation
of Earth Energy Lines and Grids, where
Phase One would be a coordinated effort to gather
information that EELs do in fact exist on a planetary scope;
and that
Phase Two would be a call for papers whose subject
would be an explanation of the origin and probable use of
the Earth Energy Lines to humankind.
It is further likely that in the spirit of Good Office the
appropriate SITU principals could encourage participation
by sweetening the pot, so to speak, by offering: a) a lifetime subscription to PurSUit; b) the very first Charles Hoy
Fort Award for Actual Thinking; or, failing that, c) a twoweek all expenses paid vacation in Lapland. ~

179

THE QUEST FOR NORUMBEGA

PART III: THE SECRET OF THE SUN GODS
by Jon Douglas Singer
the previous section of this series we saw how the
INdiscovery
of carbon-14 dating and archaeoastronomy
revolutionized scientific thinking regarding the ancient
history of Europe. We saw how the study of ancient British
sites such as Stonehenge showed archaeologists that
ancient western Europeans were not just skin-wearing
savages but the possessors of a strange but advanced
civilization of their own. Thus, it became clear that ancient
Europeans could indeed have been fully capable of extending their domains over vast distances and of even
crossing the Atlantic. We showed that the discovery of
similar stone structures in eastern America revolutionized
ideas held by historians, more of whom began to accept
the hypothesis that anCient seafarers had come from the
land of Stonehenge to New England. We saw that they
went on beyond the work of Goodwin, the discoverer of
the New England sites, and that they revised his theories
to fit in with developments in old world archaeological
speculation. In short, the work of Old World archaeologists
complemented and paralleled the work of New World
archaeologists.
Although New World archaeologists and amateur historians observing the Mystery Hill problem were often
ridiculed as fringe members, as the years went on they
found more and more evidence with which to buttress
their arguments. Again and again, the strange stone structures found by Goodwin popped up elsewhere as their
analogues were found by his successors in areas where
he himself had either never looked or where he had only
visited briefly. New kinds of evidence, namely allegedly
ancient inscriptions, began to appear. Although Goodwin
had found two inscribed stones at Leominster, Massachusetts,63 he was unable to decipher the weird pictographs.
Prof. Barry Fell's work, mentioned in the previous chapter,
allowed the old moss-lined stones to speak. Ghostly voices
told stories of ancient mariners from ancient cities: Cadiz,
the Gadeira of the Phoenicians,64 was the name of a port
of Origin written on one stone. On another, the famed ships
of the Iberian city of Tarshish were named. 6S The riddle of
the lost builders of Mystery Hill was close to a solution.
Yet we still haven't found the location of long-dead
Norumbega. In the last chapter I showed that Mystery
Hill was not unique. Goodwin had at first thought that it
was Norumbega, but after studying thousands of withering
maps and crumbling texts coated with the dust of ages,
he concluded that Mystery Hill was probably not Norumbega, even though it bore the closest resemblance to the
many-towered metropolis of the Renaissance maps.66
But as he and his successors found other stone-walled
complexes up and down New England, and even in the
Middle Atlantic states where Goodwin had never ventured,
the location of Norumbega became even more elusive.

For example, as experts such as John Williams, a high

school teacher in Danbury, Connecticut, or Salvatore
Trento, an archaeologist from Middletown, New York,
looked at the problem, it appeared that not only were
there individual sites, but clusters of sites as well in certain
specific areas. Were these site-clusters, as I choose to call
them, an illusion based only on the fact that certain researchers in particular regions staked their claim, so to
speak, and simply found local varieties of stone structures
at random in a given area? Or was there really a pattern
of stone ruins in certain areas and not in others because
that is where the ancient settlers chose to live as one region
or another met their requirements? If we could find the
largest of these clusters we might find the origin of the
Norumbega legend, and perhaps the settlements.
So far, only the temples and presumed burial places,
the stone beehives which Goodwin called monastic Irish
sweathouses or chapels, and the standing stones (which
Goodwin hadn't found as far as I know) have been discovered. No one has yet uncovered the settlements which
may be buried under the streets of modern New England
towns and cities. It would be interesting to know if Boston
construction workers have come across remnants of massive, crumbling stone walls beneath demolished Colonial
or nineteenth century tenements, for instance.
Although no towns of the suppositional pre-Columbian
megalith builders have been found, what might very well
be the farms of the ancient settlers have been found in the
past three years or so. I first heard of the remarkable discovery of what appear to be ancient field patterns of nonIndian, pre-Colonial origin while reading Francis Hitching's
fascinating book, Earth Magic. 67 Ms. Noel Ring, instructor
of geography at Norwich University's Earth Sciences Department at Northfield, Vermont, found odd keyholeshaped field patterns while studying NASA U-2 photographs taken at 65,000 feet. The hexagonal patterns
recurred at several sites across Vermont underlying more
typical Colonial, Indian, and nineteenth century farms.
This was the first clue to the possible location of the putative ancient settlements since the Celts, at least certain
Celtic tribes, and their unnamed megalithic predecessors
were agricultural. 68 I will return to the field pattern mystery
later in this chapter.
Even as Ms. Ring was locating allegedly ancient fields,
Barry Fell and his associates, John Williams and James
Whittall, were locating site-clusters in a 20-mile region in
central Vermont near the Connecticut River. Betty Sincerbaux, a Vermont resident of that particular region,
gUided the researchers to several standing stones, stone
chambers, and the calendar sites.
Aided by Byron Dix and the Sincerbaux family, Fell
and Whittall soon located a number of stones inscribed
with the controversial ancient American variety of Ogam
script. One of the most important finds was a stone with
what appeared to be an actual place-name on it. On page
PURSUIT Fall 1979

180
239 of America B.C., Fell describes a stone which called
the region "The Precincts of the Gods of largalon." The
language was Celtic and the writing was Ogam, yet the
name largalon did not occur in known Celtic mythology.
However, other stones found with the peculiar American
version of Ogam script did have the name largalon on
them, so Fell assumed that this was the ancient Celtic
name for America. For example, a stone found originally
in 1913 on St. Vincent Island in the West Indies had on it
an Ogam-like inscription which Fell translated as referring
to a Celtiberian captain named Mabo who discovered the
island, which was called largh innis or Western Island by
Mabo, another form of the name largalon. Fell dated the
inscription to 800 B.C. by the style of the language and
writing.69
Another great cluster of sites was discovered (by NEARA,
ESRS, and Epigraphic Society researchers as well as by
Salvatore Trento's MARC researchers from the Middletown Archeological Research Center) in western Massachusetts north of Springfield, in a region extending from
the Berkshires to the Thames and Connecticut Rivers,
both of which reach down to the Atlantic.
The work in this region was begun by Goodwin, who
found a remarkable stone chamber in that general vicinity,
yet he only illustrated it with a sketch and failed to describe
it in great detail. 70
The stone chamber is of the beehive type, with a beautiful stone staircase leading up to a door which opens into
a cavern 8 by 12 by 6 feet. I heard of this site a few years
ago. A friend, Ms. Kathy Kenn of New London, Connecticut, told me that her friend, Mr. Patrick CaIIahan of
Northampton, Massachusetts, had visited these stone
chambers and had found that there were several, arranged
in a circle around the town. Each was within a day's walk
of the next one. Ms. Kenn's friend added that the structures
were locally known as Monks' Caves or Druids' Caves,
but it isn't clear to me at this point whether they were given
this name by Goodwin, or if the name resulted from local
speculation. It is even possible that that name might be
derived from an authentic local tradition.
Another chamber in the same area was investigated by
Prof. Vincent Fagan of Notre Dame University in 1946,
according to James Whittall.7I Whittall had a sketch of a
stone beehive chamber on a hillside. The square chamber
was 5 '2" in height and width. Its entrance was quite small,
1'8". The structure was 10 feet above a local road and may
have been a tomb or storage structure.
Mentioning briefly the Berkshires Standing Stones Site
(which I discussed more fully in the last chapter), I might
include the fact that around it are several other curious
stone remains which have been found by NEARA contacts and members. One example is a cluster of sites.
O~ page 20 of the NEARA Newsletter of March, 1973,
is :an article describing some of the nearby sites. 72 For
eX,ample, NEARA member F. Newton Miller found two
standing stones on a farm 11/2 miles southwest of the
stone circle. One of the monoliths is shown in a photograph in the article. Also near the site are smaII stone
circles (one is shown in a photograph as a cluster of small
stones). The NEARA people believe that the small circle
and others like it in the vicinity are probably bases for
now-vanished monoliths.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

Close to the ston.e ring is a curious three-sided stone

chamber a half mile to the north with an entrance facing
east. The chamber was built into a hillside, and the stone
walls are 10 feet long and 5 feet high. Apparently, there
was neither a water-source nor any cellar holes from abandoned Colonial or nineteenth century farms found in the
vicinity. 73
Moving west, one comes to the mysteriOUS stone tunnels at Goshen, Massachusetts. There are other sites of
stone chambers around Boston and in the Berkshires, but
they will be dealt with later. The Goshen Tunnels are impressive works, as they consist of several shafts and tunnels.
One tunnel is approached by climbing down a shaft 15 feet
deep and 31/2 feet wide. At the bottom are two tunnels
running in opposite directions. One of them is 2x21/2 feet
and at least 90 feet long. Horror fiction fans will be delighted to learn that it goes east toward a cemetery, but
stops just before reaching it. (The tunnel is not unlike the
one which leads towards a cemetery in the film, Horror
Hotel, which was set in Massachusetts.) The second tunnel
is 70 feet long and goes toward a farm. 74
Both tunnels are lined by stone blocks 2 to 10 inches
thick, which Godfrey said came from a local ledge 200 feet
away. Godfrey also wrote that there was no evidence to
support the idea that the site was a well, nor was it a site
of the Underground Railroad or local counterfeiters, after
whom the site is sometimes called "Counterfeiters' Den"
because they were caught there. No evidence at the site
supports such assertions. I don't know if anyone has yet
tried to get C-14 dates from the tunnels.
Let us leave Massachusetts for a moment and move
south to lower New York State and the Connecticut border.
Here many interesting sites have been found, in a possible
cluster extending around North Salem, New Yorkwhere are found, COincidentally, supposed pre-Columbian
settlements just like those in North Salem, New Hampshire!
The sites at North Salem, New York, have a history at
least as old as the site at Mystery Hill. Also, long before
Goodwin wrote about Pattee's Caves, scholars were engaged in a great controversy as to whether a large granite
boulder weighing some 90 tons, and seemingly set into
place on short stubby stone legs, was a man-made monument of the druids or simply a natural feature deposited
there by the glaciers.
Stan Blomfield, a historian of the North Salem (N.Y.)
Historical Society, wrote that as early as 1856, John Nilson,
a British writer, published a book in London which suggested that the Great Boulder of North Salem was a druidical monument erected by ancient Celtic settlers.75 In 1875,
John Jay 2nd made a speech in which he referred to the
Great Boulder, suggesting that it was of Viking origin,
according to Blomfield.
However, when I visited the Great Boulder two years
ago, I saw that there was a plaque erected at the site (which
is on the main road where anybody can view the tourist
attraction without charge) to identify the stone as a natural
glacial phenomenon, a rock left by the melting glaCiers of
11,000 years ago. Professor Fell revived the Celtic hypotheSiS, although it was not the Celts, but rather the mysterious nameless pre-CeltiC megalithic people who erected
dolmens. I first read of the North Salem Great Boulder in
America B.C., where a photograph of the object is shown

181
on pages 130-1. Fell, by the way, showed a definitely
man-made dolmen at Westport, Massachusetts which
resembles a crude stone table, also at Westport, Massachusetts, and a large boulder-shaped dolmen at Bartlett, New Hampshire. According to NEARA, the latter
may really be a man-raised structure and not just a gladally
deposited "balanced rock."76
Salvatore Trento, of the Middletown Archaeological
Research Center of Middletown, New York, sent a photograph to NEARA of drcular field patterns underlying
fields of recent date. These were about P/2 miles from
the Great Boulder. The photographs were taken from a
plane at 800 feet. What is even more fascinating is that
those patterns were adjacent to probably modern stone
walls which contained stones with markings similar to the
New England Ogam inscriptions. 77 Also, stone chambers
were found in the same vicinity. Some of these were studied
by James Whittall in September of 1976.
Whittall, with John Williams, the Epigraphic SOciety
researcher mentioned previously, studied a weird stone
chamber with two rooms, a type unknown in New England.
(Whittalliater found two similar chambers 20 miles to the
south, according to his report in the December, 1976
Work Report of the ESRS.) The chamber was already
standing when a barn was built in 1710, according to local
tradition. 78
Another interesting site in southern New York yields
more clues to the riddle of ancient voyagers to America.
A standing stone, like the ones found in Vermont by
Betty Sincerbaux or Byron Dix, was known to local residents of the area for years before NEARA member Ralph
Robinson of Middletown, New York, along with NEARA
member Mead Stapler, brought it to the attention of New
Jersey archaeologist Edward J. Lenik, NEARA's archaeological chairman. 79
The stone was formerly thought to be 9 feet tall, but in
recent times construction workers piled up an extra 3 feet
or so of dirt at the stone's base, making it 5 feet 8 inches
in height. Salvatore Trento, in his book The Search for
Lost America, 80 wrote that the owner's grandfather found
that the stone is actually 18 feet long, since 9 feet of it are
buried underground for support. Trento felt that the stone,
leaning at a 76 degree angle, seemed to be pointing to
the highest hill in the area.
Other sites were found in New York by Warren Broderick of NEARA and by Trento's MARC researchers. One
such site was found at Plattekill, New York, where in
August, 1976, Trento and MARC researcher Neil Novesky
found a huge stone wall in a forest. The wall, 150 yards
long, 16 feet wide at the base and 4 feet across at the top,
had a height of 8 to 10 feet. 81
Other sites found in southern New York by MARC
members were located in the Putnam Valley region. Three
huge stone walls were found within a few miles of each
other. The first, near a swamp, was found to be a rectangular enclosure covering 500 square yards. Nearby are
two stone flat-roofed chambers of unequal size. One of
the walls of the enclosure is 67 feet long and the other is
50 feet. The walls' height is 6 feet. The width extends
from 14 feet at the base to 8 feet at the top.
A second stone wall complex in the same vicinity has
walls 6 to 8 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet high. Nearby are

the remnants of ancient mining activity; and Dutch pottery

as well as nineteenth century garbage can be found at the
site. Trento added that stone-roofed chambers facing in
the direction of the equinox are in the neighborhood, but
he gave no measurements of these structures. The site
seems to be a mixture of Colonial remains mixed with
some older material.
A third complex is a stone enclosure in Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park. There are stone chambers (no
measurements given), and the enclosure's walls are the
largest yet described, being no less than 20 feet in height!
All these stone walls are near swamps, by the way, which
mayor may not be coincidental.
The next site of importance is a stone wall complex at
Ramapo, New York, in the Ramapo Mountains on the
border of New York and New Jersey. In the Fall, 1974 issue
of the NEARA Newsletter, Edward J. Lenik described
a joint research project by the North Jersey Highlands
Historical SOciety and NEARA which began, in 1969,
to investigate the local folktales about stone mounds and
weird stone walls in the Ramapo Mountains. 82
The walls were already well-known in 1845, when
a map was drawn locating them on a now-unidentifiable
farm called the Wrightman Place. Lenik says that the
map, in the possession of a worker for the Ramapo Land
Company, actually bore the caption, "Supposed Prehistoric Walls in the Wrightman Fields, Ramapo, New
York." Lenik also noted prehistoric Indian rock shelters,
a Tuscarora Indian settlement (now no longer in existence),
and eighteenth century iron works, as well as forts in the
area.
The Ramapo site proper consists of some 200 acres of
stone walls and sixteen conical round stone mounds of
large size. Interestingly, there is also a swamp here. There
is also a small brook that heads off towards the Ramapo
River, into which it flows.
Two small rock shelters are located nearby, but they
weren't excavated by Lenik's people, who dug at the site
during the years 1969-1973. Some of the stone walls at
the site are 6 to 10 feet in width and 1 to 4 feet in height,
according to Lenik. He also said that the walls are sometimes interrupted by gates, or gaps, 8 feet wide.
Another group of walls on the western side of the site
are on a cliff edge and, neatly built, are of a different type
of workmanship from the main site. The walls here are
2 to 41f2 feet in width and 1 to 3 1/2 feet in height. Neither
group of walls forms a recognizable pattern, although
there is one diamond-shaped enclosure.
Lenik suggested several theories for the walls' purpose
and origin: that the Indians constructed them; that an unknown prehistoric non-Indian colony built them as a
temple; or that farmers of the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries compiled them in land-clearing operations,
when fieldstones were cleared and simply dumped in
wall-like patterns.
The New Jersey archaeologist and his assistants excavated the site for answers. Digging at a stone fireplace
on the site, they found carbonized material (which was
not dated), but no artifacts. A stone-filled depression
nearby was excavated also, and yielded two .22 caliber
brass cartridges. The researchers noted that the depression
was not natural, but rather a man-made pit, and not a well.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

182
Next, a stone mound 45 feet wide and 3 feet high was
excavated. It had two pits in its top, pits which could not
be explained. Near the bottom of the mound, a shotgun
shell was found. Lenik was unable to find any clues as to
who built the stone structure or why, except that perhaps,
because of the shell, the mound was recent.
Lenik concluded that while there was no evidence for
the walls being pre-Columbian and non-Indian in origin,
neither was there any evidence that they were built as
property boundary lines. Also, while it is possible that the
walls were built by farmers clearing land, the land is nevertheless unsuitable for farming, and no farm buildings
were present in the area. Lenik concluded his argument
in favor of the farm theory because the stone walls could
have been the base of a wooden stockade, while records
indicated that even if the site was not a farm, it was in an
area that had been farmed extensively during the eighteenth
century.
Lately, new evidence for the prehistoric theory has
been revived by new researchers. Salvatore Trento pOInted
out in The Search for Lost America that the Ramapo site
resembled stone mound sites in the Midwest and in the
South. 8J Lenik referred to these sites also, but insisted
that after a detailed study the resemblance was superficial
and coincidental only.
Another researcher has found more evidence that may
support the pre-Columbian theory of the Ramapo site's
origin. Epigraphic Society member John H. Bradner of
Warwick, New York, has found an incredible cluster of
sites in the Ramapo Mountains. In an article in the April,
1979 issue of the Epigraphic Society's journal, OPES,
Child described no less than 38 sites consisting of, among
other things, obelisks (some 10 feet tall), carved stones
containing what appeared to be Barry Fell's controversial
New England variant of Ogam, aligned rocks, a broken
megalith which may have stood upright at one time (and
which was 25 feet long), stone thrones like the ones found
by Goodwin in Ontario, Canada, and a new wall complex
with ruined stone huts. 84
A link between the Ramapo sites and the New England
sites was suggested by Epigraphic Society member William
P. Child of Sparta, New Jersey.8S Mr. Child suggested
that the sites in Connecticut were linked by straight lines
(mathematical alignments) to other sites such as Mystery
Hill in New Hampshire and the sites found by Dix and
Sincerbaux in Vermont. The lines drawn between the site
clusters formed a zigzag path, and the zigzag lines themselves seemed to form angles whose degrees were identical, whether the lines were in New Jersey or hundreds
of miles to the north, in the cold forests of New England.
For example, a cluster of sites at central Jersey yielded 55
and 50 degree angles, as did a cluster of sites with lines
drawn through its midst at Ramapo. Again, one also finds
50 and 55 degree angles at the Vermont site clusters.
Now that we have examined a number of sites of odd
stonework and allegedly ancient inscriptions which are
located up and down the eastern coast of North America,
we can begin to add up the clues which will help us solve
the mystery of Norumbega. It is interesting to note that
the enigmatic sites of stonework and inscriptions have all
been found within the areas that scholars have identified
with Norumbega's territory. These scholars have located
PURSUIT Fall 1979

Norumbega at three different localities: somewhere on

the rivers of Maine (either the Penobscot or the Kennebec),
further south around Boston, or in Rhode Island. 86
According to. Ramsay, the name Norumbega first
appeared in 1529, when two cartographers, Girolamo da
Verrazano, the brother of the explorer, and his colleague,
Majollo, drew a map based on the former's famous brother's
expedition of 1524. In 1526 an earlier map shOWing a
Norman villa in the New England region was published
by Girolamo. Other maps of the sixteenth and early seventeenth century soon began to show the location as a matter
of course. Ramsay noted that Norumbega first appeared
as a city on Mercator's map of 1569. It was located inland,
up a river, in places now identified as ranging from Cape
Cod to Cape Sable. 87
It should be noted that all the great explorers of northeast Canada and the New England coast failed to find the
towered city of Norumbega, although some found capes
and rivers which they honored by giving those features
that strange name. For example, among those who sought
Norumbega and failed to find it was Jacques Cartier in
1541-2. (He named a cape and river Norumbega; these
Ramsay identified with Cape Cod and the Narragansett
River.) Others who failed to find Norumbega were the
Englishman Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, and Champlain,
in 1603, 1604, and 1607. Champlain's expedition chronicler, Marc Lescarbot wrote, in 1607, that Norumbega
was a land of barbarians, with no trace of towered cities.
However, before we totally abandon Maine as a site for
Norumbega, I should note that Goodwin wrote, in The
Ruins of Great Ireland in New England (page 157), that
he had heard reports of stone beehive shaped ruins in
forests. Although he was unable to locate them, he indicated that they were double beehives, meaning two such
structures connected to each other. Goodwin also showed
(page 408) a photograph of European-type carving,
possibly Celtic and possibly non-Indian in style, found on
the Kennebec River in Maine. In December, 1975, archaeologist James Whittall wrote that it was probably Celtic of
c. 1000 A.D.88
On Manana Island, opposite Monhegan Island, off
Maine's storm-swept coast, a curious group of markings
has created controversy for over a hundred years. In
Weird America, Jim Brandon summarized the arguments
about it.89 He wrote that as early as 1856, an antiquarian
named G. H. Stone dismissed the markings as freak erosion, not true writing. The opposite viewpoint was taken
by Prof. Olaf Strandwold, who said that they were Norse,
carved by one Veigle, who left his name just as Kilroy
later did on World War II battlefields. A third opinion was
advanced by Prof. Barry Fell, who said that the markings
were in Ogam script and referred to a Phoenician landing
quay that had once been on the island. I am, however,
sceptical of that translation because, on page 122 of
America B. C., Fell writes that the word meaning "Phoenicia" is written F-N-K and that the Phoenicians called
themselves Canaanites. Phoenician was a Greek word, a
nickname meaning purple from the purple dye they traded.
However, as Greeks settled in Spain at Ampurias, this
anomaly could be explained since there were also Phoenician colonies in Spain, at Cadiz. Fell also suggested that

183
the F-N-K could be derived from the Feni, an ancient
kingdom of pagan Ireland.
Another find of note was reported by James WhittalI in
an article in the ESRS Bulletin, Vol. 5, 1977,90 and that
article has been republished in WilIiam R. Corliss' sourcebook, Ancient Man. 91 This find was made in 1971 by
Norman Bakeman of Castine, Maine. who while scuba
diving came across two submerged ceramic vessels. The
pots were brought to the University of Maine and a faculty
member, Dr. Sentiel Rommel, notified Prof. Barry Fell
and James Whittall of the find. The pots were identified
as being possibly Mediterranean in origin, of the anforeta
or smalI amphora type storage jar, of the kind used in
Portugal from Phoenician times through the Roman and
Byzantine periods. The height of one anforeta was .31
meters and its greatest width was .202 meters. The other
measured .33 by .18 meters. To my knowledge, they
have not yet been dated by the thermoluminescent dating
method.
The last find from Maine is a copper spear point. It was
excavated by local archaeologist Ronald Stanley, and is
described in the December, 1975, Work Report of the
ESRS. 92 The point was excavated from a depth of 1.2
meters, and was found with stone tools and bone (swordfish) fragments. The University of Maine dated (by C-14)
the site to c. 1800 B.C., and Whittall noted that he had
seen Iberian copper spear points of that date of similar
appearance.
Having eliminated Maine, we can now move on to the
next possible location for Norumbega-the Massachusetts
coastline. The peninsula of Cape Cod and Boston's vicinity are usuaIly the most favored locations, according to
the arguments of several antiquarians. Jean Alfonce,
Cartier's navigator, located the Cape of Norumbegue at
what is now Cape Cod and placed the River of Norumbegue 75 miles to the west, according to Ramsay (page
146). That river was identified with the Narragansett by
Ramsay. It is interesting to note that several stone chamber sites have been found in the Boston area, including
the great Pearson chamber in the suburbs to the southwest. On the northern shore of Boston Bay is a chamber
called the Witch House Cave, on private property. 93
This is a large stone chamber 8 feet wide and 5 feet high.
Its interior is 18 feet long, and is covered by huge rectangular capstones, each measuring 4 by 2 feet, and 10 inches
thick. The tunnel runs under a gazebo and there is a theory
that it leads to a now-blocked-up room under that structure.
Boland, on page 170 of They All Discovered America,
wrote that in the nineteenth century a Bostonian chemist
of note, named Eben Norton Horsford, located Norumbega at Boston and built a memorial tower at his own
expense. Apparently nobody has taken his identification
seriously since that time.
The third area in which Norumbega has been traditionaIly
located is Rhode Island, specificaIly Narragansett Bay.
I have already mentioned the identification of the River of
Norumbega with the Narragansett River. Ramsay noted
that the great tower at Newport, known as either the
Viking Tower or the Old Stone Mill, has been cited by
many authors as being evidence of a pre-Columbian,
non-Indian city of presumably Norse colonizers. 94
The Newport Tower is 24lj2 feet high and about 18 feet

in circumference, approximately (measurements vary

slightly according to the various authors who have studied
the problem). This site is so complex that it merits an
article on its own. It should be sufficient here to say that
there are those such as Philip Means95 and Charles Boland 96
who insist that the Tower is Norse because of its style and
measurements, which are based on the medieval measurements of Germans and Norsemen. Others, such as Birgitta
WalIace, the runic expert mentioned previously, say
emphaticaIly that the Tower is only Governor Arnold's
stone mill. A previous study of the Tower had failed to
uncover any Norse artifacts, and the town government
has since passed an ordinance preventing further excavation for fear of ruining the park, and also for safety reasons.
Hence, the controversy has not yet been settled. 97 Most
recently, NEARA member Dr. Clyde Keeler found what
appear to be runic and Latin inscriptions in the Newport Tower, which aIlegedly refer to Henricus, the Greenland archbishop known as Eric Gnupsson in the sagas,
who supposedly sailed to Vinland to convert the Skraelings
(Indians) in 1116 A. D. 98
There are two more areas left on the list of possible
sites of the fabled Norumbega. William Goodwin, in an
earlier book entitled The Truth about Leif Ericsson, 99
suggested that the Norumbega River was in the lower
Hudson River valIey. He came to the conclusion that the
city of Norumbega itself was probably in the vicinity of
Connecticut, or perhaps near Cape Cod.
Goodwin studied hundreds of old maps and texts, and
finaIly concluded that Norumbega was simply the Renaissance world's name for the Vinland settlement caIled
Leif's Booths in the sagas. Indeed, he added that he had
actually found a map dated 1584 which was in the Atlante
Grande coIlection of Vittorio EmmanueIl's library. It had
a finger-shaped cape caIled, Nova Norbega, that is, New
Norway.
On page 282 of The Ruins of Great Ireland in New
England, Goodwin states he had studied thousands of
maps shOWing Norumbega because he had thought that
the ruins of North Salem might be that ancient city, discovered at last after centuries of fabulous tales. However,
he ultimately came to the conclusion that North Salem's
stone chambers and odd walls were not the ruins of Norumbega.
The next person to link Mystery Hill to Norumbega was
Charles Boland in They All Discovered America. On
page 169, he discussed early maps shOWing Norumbega.
One, Gerhardus Mercator's of 1541, placed it near the
Hudson River, while others placed it at Cape Breton or
between the St. Lawrence and Penobscot Rivers.
Boland, however, dismissed the early vague notions of
Norumbega's location and placed it squarely at Mystery
Hill. He believed that it was a sort of cosmopolitan temple
center. He concluded that Norumbega was simply another
name for the country called Hvitramannaland (White
Man's Land) by the Norsemen, which was one of their
names for the suppositious Irish colony in America, a country called Albania (White Land) in Latin on early maps.
Boland thought that Norumbega was a name derived
from a word meaning Norsemen, or a place visited by the
Norsemen. He cited as eVidence several alleged runestones found at Bourne, near the Cape Cod Canal.
PURSUIT Fal11979

184
Boland's conclusion was forgotten, however, and the
mystery was still unresolved for many years. In a letter
dated June 12, 1978, NEARA editor Andrew E. Rothovius
called to my attention his theory that Norumbega might
be Mystery Hill, since he found a description of an expedition led to America in 1580 by John Walker, who had
been part of a convoy led by a Captain Sharpam, and
who had been sent to the New England coast. Also in
1580, one Walsingham sent a Portuguese pilot serving
the English to Norumbega, whence he returned in three
months. The English expedition reached the River of
Norumbega and sailed up a river for nine leagues to a hill
on the north shore. There, traces of habitation were found
which do not appear to resemble what is known of historicallndian tribal cultures of that area, namely, a silver
mine. loo
Walker's expedition also discovered a house that contained no less than 300 hides, each 18 square feet, which
Rothovius identified as moose hides. There were also
other houses, round in shape. This was seven miles from
the river's north shore. Rothovius said that there is a hill
called Mine Pit Hill in Dracut, which is on the north side
of the Merrimac River. The site with the round house is
near Mystery Hill, which is seven miles north of Dracut.
Unfortunately, it is not stated whether the round houses
were of stone, because then they could indeed have been
the odd beehive structures of the lost settlement of Mystery Hill. A reference to the 1580 expedition was reprinted by Rothovius in the Winter, 1978 issue of the
NEARA Journal,IOI but the identification of Norumbega
with Mystery Hill seems to have not received much publicity outside NEARA's readership.
I, too, thought that Norumbega was possibly Mystery
Hill and sent off a query to Egerton Sykes, the British
expert on Atlantis and an advocate of Phoenician, Egyptian and Celtic pre-Columbian voyages to America long
before Prof. Barry Fell. Sykes, a Fellow of the Royal
Geographic Society and editor of New World Antiquity,
concluded that Mystery Hill was Norumbega. 102
Egerton Sykes reasoned that where one has an archaeological site without a known ancient name, and an hitherto unidentified ancient place-name such as Norumbega
without an archaeological site, then one can assume that
the site and name are identical. Hence, Mystery Hill (the
site) equals Norumbega (the odd name in New England).
The problem is that no inscription bearing the name
Norumbega in an ancient script such as Ogam or Egyptian has been found at Mystery Hill, so for the moment
I cannot equate Mystery Hill with Norumbega. One must
remember the other, nameless stone wall complexes found
in New York state by Trento.
One clue to the ancient name of Mystery Hill was described in 1975 by Robert Stone, the owner of Mystery
Hill and chief founder of NEARA. In the Summer-Fall
issue of the NEARA Journal, Stone wrote how, several
years prior to 1975, he had been exploring the site with
Dr. Charles Hapgood, the famous author of Maps of the
Ancient Sea Kings, who was then of the Keene Teachers
College of the University of New Hampshire. They came
across a peculiarly marked stone which they removed for
inspection. Unfortunately, the year of the discovery isn't
PURSUIT Fall 1979

given, nor is the exact location of the stone at Mystery Hill

noted. IOJ
Later. Robert Stone showed a photograph of the artifact
to Prof. Fell who suggested a reading, "Nawa-Aunun,"
or "Administrative Capital." This would be the ancient
name of Mystery Hill, in the Iberian language, and could
tell us the precise identity of the builders and one of the
purposes for which the site was built. It would also be one
of the oldest non-Indian place-names in the New World.
However, Stone said that the reading could not be relied
upon as being accurate because the markings were so
poorly preserved. Also, the validity of the inscription itself
was questioned by Mr. Stone. I would like to point out
a vague resemblance in sound between the first half of
the odd name, Nawa, to the Nor sound of Norumbega,
even though that might, perhaps, be stretching the hypothesis a bit.
We are left with derivations of Norumbega from Norse
and Indian names. Raymond H. Ramsay suggested that
three Indian words have been mentioned as possible origins
for the name. The first is Abnaki, namely, Aranmbegk
("At the Water's Head"). Next, there is nolumbeka, and
the third is nalambigik. both being Abnaki words having
to do with pools of water. 104
It is clear to me that Ramsay was fishing in the dark for
an answer, so we may have to turn to one more solution.
The most popular derivation of the name Norumbega is
that from the Norse. Ramsay said that the Norse solution
was suggested to many because of the element Nor.
Such an idea seems too simple and too easy, but it remains
the only one left unless one can find an ancient Egyptian
or Celtic word that sounds like Norumbega. Indeed, he
suggested that the form of the name was derived, according to writers such as Frederick Pohl and Hjalmar Holand,
from an original form, Nordhman Bygd, Northman Settlement. However, I don't know if that name occurs in the
sagas although it could be that the name Norman Villa on
Majollo's 1526 map is the Latin form of Nordhman Bygd.
But Ramsay dismissed the whole idea of Norumbega, the
lost city, as a legend, perhaps based on dim recollections of the Norse discoveries. lOS He preferred, instead,
to see it as a European misinterpretation of an Indian
word, as he concludes on page 156.
Before leaving Ramsay's study, I must point out that in
an appendix, on page 211, he mentions the story of the
Venetian Zeno brothers who allegedly reached America
in 1398. One country in the controversial Zeno Narrative
is Estotiland, a land that, according to Ramsay, is occaSionally linked with the Irish colonies in America because
of its resemblance to a hypothetical form Escotiland.
The Zenos found a city of stone houses inhabited by an
otherwise unknown European people. If the tale is true,
then this could be the last known reference to a stili-thriving
pre-Columbian settlement, which Ramsay suggested
could have been North Salem. However, he says that
although an archaeologist named Roland Robbins found
only Colonial objects there, Geoffrey Ashe suggested that
the site could be Bronze Age.
It thus appears that Norumbega is not a specific place,
but more likely a regional name. It could be the Latinized
form of an ancient name for eastern America in either an

185
Indian language or in a now-unidentifiable but possibly
Scandinavian language. The tale of the great stone city
may indeed be based upon the discovery, by parties of
explorers or pioneers or fur traders, of the stone ruins later
rediscovered by Goodwin and others.
There are still mostly sceptics who say that there is no
evidence for pre-Norse visitors to America and that, other
than the Scandinavian seafarers, only the Indians came
here. For example, in the book Ancient Vermont, a compendium of papers on the stone ruins of New England,l06
Vermont State Archaeologist Giovanna Neudorfer reported
on a study she conducted of stone chambers for the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation and for the National
Parks Service. She concluded that the chambers were
most likely Colonial.
However, her study didn't take into account similar
chambers found elsewhere by NEARA, ESRS, and MARC.
Indeed, Neudorfer's conclusion may now be disputed by
the fact that James Whittall has just found, after careful
excavation, that a chamber near Putney, Vermont, is
from 545 A.D., a date based on material carbon-dated by
the highly respected Geochron Laboratories of Massachusetts. l07 We await with interest further developments.
A study made by Salvatore Trento showed that it is
possible that some stone chambers were oriented to the
sun's position and that others could have been tombs.
Some could have been solar temples oriented to the position of the winter sun, such as those western Connecticut
and New York chambers that had been unknown to
Goodwin. lOB
A last objection to Neudorfer's Colonial theory is the
work of Noel Ring, to which I referred earlier. If we are
ever going to find the settlements of these putative colonists, then the field patterns may be the clue to their location. Perhaps we may even find the stone foundations or
the postholes of houses within the long-fallen walls of
fabled Norumbega. Ms. Ring found that certain field patterns that underlie Colonial or more recent fields were not
Indian in form but rather they took, usually, one of two
basic forms. These were labeled keyhole shapes and
indented wedge shapes, because of the shape of the fields.
Also of interest is that on two of the indented wedge field
sites, walls of an archaic character were found that had
1070 angles at adjoining corners. These fit no Colonial
field patterns known to Ring, according to extensive research by her and her student assistants at Norwich University.l09

vanced civilization than what had preViously been supposed, so it was then thought that such peoples were
capable of long sea voyages. The latter assumption is
made since the megalithic sites are spread over hundreds
of miles, and the same types of sites recurred at distant
localities, from Malta to Ireland.
However, much more research must be done before
we can conclUSively state that there were widespread
colonization activities going on in America long before
both the time of Columbus and of the Norsemen. It is
clear there are clues in the archaeoastronomical problem,
namely: certain megalithic sites along the European coast
appear to have astronomical features such as calendars
and star-position locating stones set up at points within
a given site, and so do certain North and Meso-American
sites. Many of the European and North American megalithic archaeoastronomical sites appear to be contemporary
with each other, and a few even contain similar symbols.
The question is, are these resemblances only coincidental
or are a few due to pre-Columbian contacts between the
various cultures?
The riddle of Norumbega is, then, the riddle of the
strange ruins and symbols that suddenly leap out at us
from the darkness of prehistory. If we look at the stone
ruins of New England in detail, perhaps we will find the
solution to the Norumbega problem. Barry Fell claims to
have translated stones' inscriptions bearing the names of
Phoenicians and Libyans. Perhaps one will yield the name
of Norumbega, just as one yielded the equally legendary
name of Tarshish, the lost city of ancient Spain.
We must also look at the less well-known people of
remote American regions. The Takhelne tribe of Canada
might have clues to the fate of the elusive colonists. Professor Fell wrote that that Indian tribe, in British Columbia
near the Frazer River, speaks a language heavily influenced
by ancient Celtiberians. He and others even found apparent Ogam inscriptions in that locality! His theory is that
the Takhelne are descendants of the New England Celtiberians who migrated, for reasons unknown, to the remote Canadian wilderness and intermarried with the
local Indians. 110
The saga of Norumbega therefore has not yet concluded.
The ghosts of the old Celtiberians are still steering their
coracles into the sunset ....

It is now time to end our quest for Norumbega. In the

course of our journey we looked at an old legend about
a mysterious stone city that was located by various writers
at numerous points along the northeastern American seaboard. We found a number of clues from old Renaissance
and seventeenth-century maps and texts that pOinted
towards the same region where curious ruins of stone
were found since the 1930s and on to the present time.
Archaeologists at first didn't think that these structures
were ancient northern European settlements, as the discoverers had supposed.
Later, research at Stonehenge and other northwest
European sites had revealed that the ancient non-Greek
and non-Egyptian "barbarians" actually had a more ad-

As I was finishing this report, I received the May, 1979

issue of the Newsletter of the Early Sites Research SOCiety.
It reports that William Nisbet, secretary and treasurer of
ESRS, has found a dramatic serpent effigy of stone, with
two stone chambers nearby, in eastern Connecticut on
a military reserve. One of the chambers is the beehive
variety. The other measures 4.1 meters by 2.1 meters.
The serpent effigy is a stone circle 5 meters across with
a tail about 30 meters long. The tail is wavy, with two
"humps." Research there is continuing.
Another point worth noting: In a letter I received dated
April 23, 1979, Andrew E. Rothovius wrote that Jenks,
the discoverer (according to Charles Berlitz, in Mysteries
from Forgotten Worlds, pp. 96-97) of a sunken tower in

POSTSCRIPT

PURSUIT Fall 1979

186
1958, was apparently telling a tall tale to friends. The
story was only a New England "Yankee yarn" which
leaked out and was spread around. Berlitz also mentions
the discovery, in 1935, of a mound 40 feet under water.
The mound contained walls and masonry, and was found

by a Navy diver. Later, in the 1960s, a fishing party allegedly found a sunken archway in the same area. In a letter
dated May 7, 1979, Rothovius wrote to me that these
tales are also probably mythical and are items from folklore Irather than archaeology.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

63. Goodwin, William, The Ruins of Great Ireland in New
England, Boston, Meador, 1946, p. 111 and p. 112.
64. Fell, Barry, America B.C., New York. Quadrangle/The
New York Times Book Co., 1976, p. 98. A dramatic photograph of an inscription on the Paraguay River in Paraguay, South
America, mentions the city of Gedeth, an early form of the
name Cadiz.
65. Ibid, p. 99. A stone carved on Mount Hope, Rhode Island,
was found in 1780 and translated by Fell recently. after Malcolm
Pearson had photographed it in the 1940s. It actually says that
sailors of Tarshish were at that point-if it is authentic, that is.
66. Goodwin, op. cit., p. 282.
67. William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1977,
pp.121-2.
68. In England, the Celts had squarish fields 400 by 260 feet
or smaller, according to T.G.E. Powell, The Celts, New York,
Frederick A. Praeger, 1960, pp. 89-90.
69. Fell, op. cit., p. 239; see p. 114 for largh-Innis.
70. GoodWin, op. cit., p. 409.
71. Sean Cloiche de an Nua Shasana, 1977, ESRS.
72. "Sites Adjacent to the Western Massachusetts Standing
Stones Grouping," photographs by F. Newton Miller.
73. Ibid.
74. "The Goshen Stone Mystery," by Andrew E. Rothovius, in
NEARA Newsletter, 7:52, 1977, summarized from Leland H.
Godfrey, Yankee magazine, Nov., 1971, reproduced in William
R. Corliss, Ancient Man, Glen Arm, Maryland, 1978 (privately
published by the Sourcebook Project) , p. 332-3.
75. Blomfield, Stan, "The Great Boulder," Spring, 1977 issue
of the Bulletin of the North Salem (N.Y.) Historical SOciety.
This article was copied for me by staff of the North Salem Public
Library.
.
76. Personal communication, Andrew E. Rothovius, June 12.
1978.
77. "Circular Soil Patterns in Southeast New York State, near
Stonework Sites," NEARA Journal, Summer, 1977.
78. Whittall, James P., "Stone Chamber-North Salem, N.Y.,"
December, 1976, Work Reports, ESRS, Vol. III, No. 30.
79. "A Standing Stone in Poughkeepsie, New York," NEARA
Journal, Winter, 1977, p. 40.
BO. The Search for Lost America, Contemporary Books, Inc.,
Chicago, 1978, p. 106.
81. Ibid., p. 103.
82. Lenik, Edward J., "The Riddle of the Prehistoric Walls of
Ramapo, N.Y.," NEARA Newsletter, Fall, 1974, pp. 42-54.
83. Trento, op. cit., p. 117.
84. Child, William P., "Exploring Northern New Jersey,"
OPES, April, 1979, Vol. 7, part II, No. 155, p. 138.
85. Bradner, John H., "A Possible Megalithic Calendar Site,"
OPES, Vol. 7, No. 175, April, 1979.
86. Ramsay, Raymond H., No Longer On the Map, Ballantine
Books, New York, 1972, pp. 143-156.
87. Ibid., p. 148.
PURSUIT Fall 1979

88. Whittall, James P., "A Celtic Effigy in Maine," ESRS Work
Reports, Vol. I. No.3, December, 1975.
89. New York, E. P. Dutton, 1978, pp. 99-100.
90. "Anforetas Recovered in Maine," Whittall, James, ESRS
Bulletin, Vol. 5,1977.
91. Ibid., in Corliss, op. cit., pp. 408-9 also.
92. Whittall, James P., "Monhegan Copper Point" ESRS
Work Reports, Dec., 1975, Vol. I, No.5.
93. "The 'Witch House' Cave Site at Nahant, Mass." NEARA
Newsletter, December, 1970, p. 83.
94. Ramsay, op. cit., p. 154.
95. The Newport Tower, New York, Henry Holt, 1942.
96. Ibid.
97. Boland, Charles Michael, They All Discovered America,
New York, Pocket Books, 1961.
98. Keeler, Dr. Clyde, in Fate magazine, June, 1977, Vol. 30,
No.6.
99. Boston, Meador, p. 290.
100. "The Newport Tower: Sir Humphrey Gilbert Proposes
Annoying the King of Spayne," by Horace F. Silliman, NEARA
Newsletter, June, 1969, pp. 46-7.
101. "Archaeological Finds at Newburyport in 1977," NEARA
Journal, Winter, by Elizabeth J. Harris (p. 43 has an extra commentary by Andrew E. Rothovius about the new NorumbegaMystery Hill theory and Sir Humphrey Gilbert.)
102. "A Possible Solution to the Norumbega Problem," by
Egerton Sykes, F.R.G.S., in New World Antiquity, January/February 1978, p. 3.
103. Stone, Robert, "Mystery Hill and NEARA Research, ProgressReport-1975,"pp.7-8.
104. Ramsay, op. cit., p. 144.
105. Ibid, p. 154.
106. Edited by Warren L. Cook, Ph.D., Castleton, Vermont,
Castleton State College, 1978, "A Preliminary Analysis of Vermont's Stone Chambers," pp. 9-13.
107. OPES, Vol. 7, part 2, No. 142, "An Important Carbon
Date-Supposed 'Colonial Root Cellar'," by James P. Whittall.
108. Trento, op. cit., pp. 121-29.
109. Ring, Noel, "Bygone Blueprints: The Atlantic Trace Settlement DeSign," NEARAFall Meeting, Nov. 11, 1978.
110. Fell, Prof. Barry, "Takhelne, A North American Celtic
Language, Pt. 2," Vol. 7, Pt. 1, OPES, April, 1979, p. 22. No
photographs of the British Columbian Ogam, in the Frazer River
Valley area are given. A similar type inscription is at Spuzzum,
B.C., as is 'shown on pages 93-100 of the same volume, "Inscribed Rock near Spuzzum, British Columbia," by Bruce A. MacDonald. The latter hasn't been translated yet, as far as I know,
In the first part of the Takhelne article, in Vol. 4 of OPES, Fell
suggested that the Takhelne were the descendants of the New
England Celtiberians who had abandoned, for unknown reasons,
their homeland in New Hampshire and elsewhere in order to
migrate westward to British Columbia, where they intermarried
with the local Indians.

187

SYMPOSIUM
Comments and Opinions

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1133, Magnolia Park Station, Burbank, CA 91507.
Fortean Times is expanding. Editor Robert JM Rickard
has informed us that they will be going to a larger format
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look forward to the continued quality of this indispensable
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9-12 St Annes Court, London WI, Great Britain.

region, but didn't specifically own the site itself. Feldman

said the site was granted in 1641 by the Colony to the
Rev. Nathanial Ward. Lastly, Rothovius wrote that a seven. teenth century map shows the Leverett House near the
site but not necessarily exactly on it.
In addition, there was a small error in the references to
Part I. In number 6, the name Kelly, A. R., should be
replaced by Smith, Philip E. Although Kelly did some of
the investigations, it was Smith who wrote them up.
There was also an error in Curt Sutherly's article, "Count
St. Germain: Where Are You?" (Vol. 12, No.2, Spring
1979), where he lists the "Nights of Templar" (p. 83, col. 1,
lines 20-21). Eugenia Macer-Story has pOinted out that
this should be the "Knights Templar," which was a mystical
organization of Crusaders who became so influential and
wealthy (probably spending many an interesting night)
that they were excommunicated and their leaders burnt
at the stake in France in the 13th century. Her source for
the correction is The Modern Temp/ar (Macoy Publishing
and Masonic Supply Co., 1932), by Sir Knight Chalmers
Lowell Pancoast.

. ..

...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CORRIGENDA

IN many areas of the world today, natives claim no know-

Jon Douglas Singer has sent in the following corrections

to his article, "The Quest for Norumbega."
In Part I of the article (Pursuit, Vol. 12, No. I, Winter
1979), Mr. Singer writes (p. 14, column 2, last 5 Hnes of
last paragraph), "Vescelius excavated for a short time
and found 8,000 artifacts, most either from Pattee's time
or of native Indian origin from the Point Peninsula culture
of 1000 B.C. He concluded that the site was, at the earliest, Colonial." The error was not Singer's, but his source's,
Birgitta Wallace's article entitled "Some Points of Controversy," in G. Ashe's The Quest for America (Praeger,
New York, 1971), p. 172. In a note to Jon Singer dated
May 7, 1979, Andrew E. Rothovius says that Wallace
had mixed up her facts. He points out that Vescelius did
not find Point Peninsula pottery at Mystery Hill, and no
sherds of it have been found there. Osborn Stone found
some at a rock shelter in the cliff (which Vescelius hadn't
investigated) .
Another error in Mr. Singer's sources concerns Goodwin's purchase of Pattee's Caves. Mark Feldman wrote
(The Mystery Hill Story, Derry, New Hampshire, 1977)
that Goodwin bought the caves in 1933. This error is
repeated in Singer's article also (Part I, Vol. 12, No.1,
p. 14, column 1, line 36), but should be corrected. Andrew
Rothovius, in his letter of April 23, also writes that Goodwin
purchased the caves in 1937. He adds that the Massachusetts Bay Colony claimed the land all around the

ledge of older races, but I wonder! No doubt most of

them are ignorant of their predecessors, but unless the
race was completely exterminated, I'll bet there are still
people somewhere who have retained at least a fragmentary although perhaps garbled knowledge of their longsince ancestors. Unless a people are completely destroyed,
it's almost impossible to completely wipe out every vestige of their ancient culture or religion.
Did you ever hear of "shin-talk"? When I was a kid,
about 10 or 12, an old man moved into my neighborhood; he was impressive looking, a big old gent with a
magnificent spread of gray whiskers. A grandson about
my own age lived with him. They rented an old log house
on my family's farm, and I frequently visited the kid's
house. When I would sometimes arrive unexpectedly,
I would occasionally find the man and boy seated, facing
each other, legs crossed, and wiggling their fingers on the
upheld leg, below the knee. Finally, I asked the boy why
they sat like that, not talking, just wagging their fingers on
their leg.
He said it was "shin-talk," a sort of sign language like
deaf and dumb people use, only different. His gran daddy
was teaching him because the skill had been handed down
from generation to generation in his family. Even his
gran daddy didn't know when it started or why, but each
male head of the family had always taught his son, and
since the boy's father had died young, his grandfather
PURSUlTFall1979

188
was teaching him. He said his grandfather claimed it would
be very bad luck if the teaching was not carried on from
one to another. .
That's the gist of what the child told me, although our
juvenile vocabularies no doubt phrased it somewhat differently, and in terms I don't remember now. And it meant
nothing to me then, but the boy must have told Grandad
about my questions, for I never saw them at a lesson again.
They moved on in a year or so, and I forgot all about
them or their finger-waving until about 30 years later,
when I ran across a book describing that same languagesystem. It seems the system was utilized for secret conversations by some of the Celtic cults, as a sort of priestly
knowledge, but died out maybe 700-800 years ago.
A written version, using the same system of shinbone or
vertical long line, with crossed fingers or crossed lines,
was developed and when written it was called "Ogam."
Some surviving samples written on bark or wood remain
in museums in Ireland, or perhaps Scotland. The point is,
this art, supposedly extinct since the priests finished Christianizing the Celtic pagans nigh onto a millenium ago,
still eXisted, though in the possession of an otherwise
barely literate and rather ignorant old man who didn't
know quite what he knew, or why, or where it originated,
or why it still was to be passed on from generation to generation, or even why it was to be kept secret.
-Member #380, Kentucky

CAN there be a more productive search for extra-terrestrial intelligence than limiting it to the twenty-year-old
lack of success on the 21 centimeter wavelength (1,420
Mc/s) of neutral hydrogen? I think there can be on the
following heretofore untried wavelengthBrain wave frequencies, particularly beta, range from
about 14 to 21 cycles per second. Beta is the frequency
of brain positively correlated with using the five senses.
Beta is the "typical world of Time and Space categories
known to philosophy and science."
Since a brain operates on about 25 watts of electrical
power, which causes a voltage to appear detectable by
EEG pen-drop plotters, would it not be logical for intelligent life to communicate on the wavelength that gives
human life its common basis? Interstellar transmitting
stations manned by living brains need only the right wavelength to join them. I believe the beta range, from about
14 to 21 cycles per second, would communicate with, or
receive signals from, the seat or organ of mind function,
universally.
-Russ Reardon, South Carolina
I'M sure that it has come to the attention of many researchers besides myself that "Fortean phenomena"
is a cumbersome term to wield. We now have ufology,
parapsychology, pyramidology, etc.; what we really need
is a simple, all-inclusive term that covers the entire spectrum. I humbly propose xenology, being the scientific
study of the strange and the unexplained, as the solution.
What do you, my fellow xenologists, think?
-Kim L. Neidigh, San Antonio, Texas
PURSUIT Fall 1979

YOUR Spring, 1979 Pursuit (Vol. 12, No.2) has an

article entitled "The Time Pump," by E. Macer-Story.
The author makes an unforgivable error when she says
a regular tetrahedron has five sides. A tetrahedron, by
definition, is a four-sided polyhedron. This mistake is
typical of the mathematical knowledge of your authors.
Harry Mongold's "What is Time" is another example.
His understanding of the real number line is shown by his
questioning the fact that no two points can be next to
each other.
Let him answer this: What number is less than and next
to I? If he answers x, then x + 1 - x

= x + 1 is also less
2

than 1 and closer to 1 than X is. Thus, there is no number

next to 1.
These authors would benefit greatly by a good college
algebra course, and if they could handle that, perhaps
some calculus.
-Dennis Hamlin, Minneapolis, Minnesota

E: "What is Time" by Mr. Mongold:

7he concept of "discontinuous motion" is a good one,
and it fits the nature of pre-atomic energy ("orgone", as
per Wilhelm Reich) very well. Life energy has been observed to move in pulses-not so strange for beings with
hearts and lungs! This has been discovered and verified
many times, and so is more concrete than it would be if it
remained solely on the level of a philosophical or scientific concept (like Bergson's elan vital, or Freud's libido,
and so on).
Extension, however, does imply divisibility, at least
mathematically speaking. That there are actual atoms (in
the Greek sense of ultimate non-divisible somethings) is
obvious nevertheless. Otherwise, I think you agree, nothing else would be (that is, there is no macrocosmos without
an ultimate microcosmos). So how to deal with this apparent paradox (extension = divisibility; there are atoms which
are non-divisible, yet such atoms must be extended)?
Thusly:
.
Such atoms are actually undivided, though, like everything else extended, mathematically divisible. They function, in other words, as non-divisible extensions, although
theoretically they are divisible. This simply expresses one
aspect of what many have come to see in time: mathematics does not replicate reality in every respect.
Your "postulate" requires this kind of addition for it to
be acceptable simply because diehards need never agree
with your position on extension, that it does not imply
diVisibility. You give no good reason for taking such a
position except for the conclusion, namely, that there
must be such real things as extended, non-divisible, atoms.
You are correct, of course.
My addition is not simply another fiat, but involves a new
type of logic, namely, functional logic (introduced by
Wilhelm Reich in Ether, God, and Devil and other works).
Living energy, the pulse of living motion and that of
orgone energy in its unbounded (non-membranous) state
is not usually jerky. Healthy, unimpeded motion is pulsationally flowing as opposed to jerky.
.I.

189
The apparent time leaps you report may be the result
of moving into one of the streams of orgone energy which
move in the atmosphere (see Cosmic Superimposition by
W. Reich).
-David Brahinsky, New Jersey
Following are my replies to the preceding letters:
1. Dennis Hamlin supposes there are such things as
numbers in the physical world. Actually, animate beings
who can count have memories of counting abstracted
from the objects counted. A psychology course is my
counter-recommendation to the college algebra he assumes
I am unfamiliar with.
x + 1., in his example, utilizes half an assumed distance
2
between an assumed fraction almost the "size of one" and
one itself, but the question should arise, one what? If he
is counting molecules in a melon or a glass he will find
that they cannot be divided without changing them. I still
think my reasoning indicates that even if he can count
neutrinos, there are points of space that cannot be divided.
I question whether he has tried to follow my reasoning
but has substituted recall of a dogma.
2. To David Brahinsky: If the word 'extension' must
be defined to imply divisibility, then it is not the word
I should have used. I meant to say that not every space
or moment can be divided, and that the basic characteristic of space or time exists in the smallest bits of them.
If space can be divided endlessly, and discontinuously
moving particles can settle in only certain places out of an
"infinite" number of possibilities (as Brahinsky implies),
then the nature of space is both impossible to conceive
and unnecessary to define in that regard. That is, the
concept of infinity in the small is useless for our explanations, at best.
I would say that the very concept of boundaries requires discontinuous space. The edge of a proton has to
lie somewhere, and (like Zeno's arrow) if it has an infinity
of alternatives for position, how can the proton lie in its
"certain place"?
-Harry Mongold, Manhattan. Illinois
IN PurSUit, Vol. 11, No.3 (Summer 1978) you published a letter of mine which outlined the need for ufology
to insure that its literature is preserved for future generations of researchers. Since that time, I have located several
university libraries that seem willing to collect and preserve UFO material. They have facilities that can store the
material in an environmentally controlled and limitedaccess manner and are willing to treat it as the rare and
special resource that it is. Now that the libraries have been
identified, we need to locate sources for them to collect
from.
Special help is required now. I need your assistance to
reach those private individuals who have the UFO materials
that those libraries need. What will be needed soon is for
Pursuit to print periodic announcements requesting that
donations be made to those libraries. In this way, a few
responsive collectors may be reached.
-William E. Jones, Columbus, Ohio

I SAW an item of interest in the NEARA Journal (Spring

1978), p. 75. The article contains a list of archaeological
mysteries compiled by Ron G. Dobbins, an Arizona researcher, who found an article in the New York Times.
stating that Gov. Scrugham of Nevada had found New
York financiers who would help him finance the uncovering of a vast ruined city 8 to 10 miles long and 7000 years
old. There was also an underground cavern with thousands of carvings.
Is this a hoax, a misidentified Anasazi or Hohokam site,
or something bizarre like Niven's legendary buried cities?
The Anasazi and the Hohokam don't go back to much
older than the time of Christ. There were no cities in
America 7000 years ago. The Anasazi didn't build cities
10 miles in length. The Hohokam had long canals but no
stone buildings, only adobe huts.
-Jon Douglas Singer, New York City
I have a curious addition to the Syracuse UFO sightings
of 1978 (see "The Central New York UFO Wave,"
Pursuit, Vol. 12, No.1, Winter 1979).
The first UFO was Sighted March 29, 1978, on a Wednesday. That Saturday, the television show, "Project UFO,"
was on as always. But the next week the TV Guide, published about Tuesday, listed "Project UFO cancelled in
Syracuse only, and not regionally." This listing is confirmed by the newspapers for that week. The next saucer
sighting I am aware of was Wednesday, April 6. Now,
cancelling "Project UFO" would be a logical move if the
local authorities wished to prevent hoaxes, panic, etc., in
an upcoming UFO wave. But the problem is that no one
knew it was a wave until two days after that TV Guide
was printed. Or at least so the order of news stories released would lead us to believe. The funny thing is, Syracuse is a noted test area for lots of new products. Two
teenagers were caught making "UFOs" in an eastern
suburb.
Maybe someone was testing us-someone who the
authorities could know about but couldn't stop? Maybe
the CIA? Notice that theory explains all the shady goingson, too.
-Kenneth Behrens, Syracuse, New York

BOOK REVIEWS
EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE AND UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS: A SELECTED,
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. publication No. 7635 SP, Congressional Research Service, Library of
Congress. Washington. D.C., 1976.45 pages, free.
THE UFO ENIGMA, publication No. 76-52, same
publisher as above. 1976. 124 pages, free.
At first glance, you might think Pursuit is getting senile,
carrying a review of two Widely publicized booklets born
in ancient 1976. Actually, this doesn't concern the publications as much as it concerns the government's promotion
of them among members of Congress. Thinking back for
a moment...
Extraterrestrial Intelligence and UFOs, you may recall,
proVided a generally fair and comprehensive list of books,
PURSUIT Fall 1979

190
magazines and journals devoted to information on both
UFOs and other-worldly life. Most entries were accompanied by brief descriptions of their contents.
Less than a month after the booklet saw print, The
UFO Enigma appeared as a companion document. The
treatise served to provide a condensed introduction to the
history and status of the UFO subject. It was a respectable
effort, though the booklet did tend to dwell on the skeptical
aspect of UFOs a bit. Nevertheless, the introduction to
Enigma points out that "After 28 years of concentrated
interest in this country alone, experts cannot agree on
what inhabits our skies."
The research and writing of the two widely distributed
publications was handled by Marcia S. Smith, Analyst in
Science & Technology for the Science Policy Research
Division of CRS. At their inception, each report could be
obtained free from one's Congressman. Whether or not
that is still true is not certain, but they have been offered
for sale now and then by private distributors.
But, the point here is that, even if you missed the booklets, you shouldn't miss the form letter that accompanied
them. Members of Congress who requested copies routinely received a copy of the letter reproduced here, though,
unfortunately, the letter itself rarely seems to have gone
along to constituents who asked their representatives
to order copies for them.
While the letter appears brief, pay particular attention
to the second paragraph: "The study of UFOs is particularly popular today, especially in the United States, because the existence of UFOs may suggest the presence of
extraterrestrial intelligence." (Emphasis added.) Only the

government could get away with making a remarkable

suggestion of that nature appear relatively insignificant in
a form letter!
Whoever wrote the letter for the Library of Congress
apparently decided to be even more definitive about the
UFO phenomenon than the booklets the letter accompanies. And, while there is virtually no reason to associate
the statement with bureaucratic mystery and intrigue,
we probably can assume that certain people working
within the Congressional Research Service-and you
can't become much more governmental than that-are
quite open-minded on the UFO subject. At the very least,
they seem familiar with supporting evidence. Now ... if
only our CIA or god-knows-what agencies would come
across with UFO information in a similarly matter-of-fact
fashion! Err ... paranoiacally speaking, of course.
- Robert Barrow
THE UFO ENIGMA: THE DEFINITIVE SOLUTION
OF THE UFO PHENOMENON by Donald H. Menzel
& Ernest H. Taves (Doubleday. Garden City. New
York; 297 pages. iIlus . index & appendix, $8.95).
The late Dr. Donald H. Menzel was more than a grouchy
old man who didn't believe in flying saucers/UFOs. If
you are really interested in learning about the man who
was an internationally respected astronomer, a true giant
in that field, and a man of many diverse interests and
skills (UFO skepticism was only a very small part of his
life), then read the tribute to him in Sky & Telescope
magazine for April 1977.

'THE LlBRAR Y OF CONGRESS

.
1 Research Scrvicc
COflgrcsslOfla

W ASHINt.1"ON. D.C.

10'40

'TERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE
UFOs AND EXTRA
b
n use some 25 years,
.
.
b ect) has only een 1
"
, 0" (unidentified flymg 0 J
.
The term "UFO
Although the term' U: been observed throughout recorded hl~tO:~diatelY recognized
the phenomenon it describes. as.
anything seen in the sky and not 1m
h t misleadmg, smce
is actually somew a
.all . the United States, because
pec1
is included.
.
icu1arly popular today, es
. y. m . nce.
The study of UFOs IS part t the presence of extraterrestrial mtelbge Enclosed is information
f UFOs may sugges
meroUS requests.
.
the existence 0
.
h materials in response to n u .
. 1 can be located by usmg
We have compiled t ese..
. ence. Current magazme artlC es
.
ervice Bulletin"
" the "Public Affairs Informa~lOn S I e publiC
b th UFOs and extraterrestrial m~ell1g
on 0 ad s' Guide to Periodical LIterature,
d " which are available m most arg
.
d Technology In ex,
the "Re er
(PAIS), and "APplied SCIence an
libraries.
. . f
tion will be helpful.
We hope thIS m orma

. at Reference Division
CongresSl0n

191
In this, his third and last UFO book, Menzel waspishly
sinks barbs into the hide of just about everyone connected
with the saucer scene. Convinced that he had the answer
to each and every UFO sighting that came along, Menzel
clearly believed that only stupidity, stubborness, and/or
greed prevented folks from accepting his solutions.
To give him his due, he does make a compelling case
in some instances: I share his skepticism about the Pascagoula 'kidnap,' the 'psychic' abilities of Uri Geller, von
Daniken's 'gods' and others of like ilk, but I draw the line
on some of his explanations. (This, as it happens, puts
me into the USAF camp since, according to Menzel,
"his advice and suggestions [to the USAF) were usually
strongly discounted.") But let us press on.
In the opening chapters, Menzel gives us a once-over
lightly tour of the UFO scene and even 'confesses' how
he was twice deceived by misperceptions of common
objects seen under unusual circumstances.
He then surveys UFO history from biblical times up to
the present, with stops along the way during the Middle
Ages and the late 1890s. In passing, he 'solves' a variety
of biblical miracles including the Parting of the Red Sea,
Jesus Walking on Water, Jacob's Ladder, and Ezekiel's
Wheels. All, says Menzel, were the results of witness misperceptions of various mirage and other atmospheric
optical effects. 'Swamp Gas' and 'St. Elmo's Fire' are also
among the explanations advanced by Menzel for saucer
sightings both new and old.
Menzel also spends a fair amount of time reviewing,
and proposing solutions to, the many cases left 'unexplained' by the Condon Report. Clearly he must have
been of two minds about the report and its personnelhe defends it and them against the charges of the UFO
'believers,' but he also chastises Condon's staff for their
failure to solve nearly 40% of the cases they studied.
Next, with some aid from his collaborator, Dr. Ernest
Taves, a respected psychoanalyst who has done research
in parapsychology and visual perception, he tackles such
UFO-related fields as photography, the news media,
psychological optics, the upper atmosphere, radar, meteors, and the like. There is a certain Similarity here with
the ideas of Phil Klass, but where Klass has gone into the
field and actuaUy researched cases in great detail, including

CONFIDENTIAL

witness interrogation, Menzel preferred to sit at home,

digesting reports of saucer sightings (he admits to having
been a saucer newsclip service subscriber) and formulating
theories about what the witness really saw. ConSidering
his obvious low opinion of the news media for its handhng
of saucer reports, I find it difficult to accept solutions he
has contrived that are based, in large part, on information
imparted to him by that same media. There seems a certain inconsistency in his actions as he accepts those parts
of news media reports that suit his theorizing while rejecting as nonsense those reports which do not fit his ideas.
But for all its flaws, and it is flawed in more ways than
I have space to tell you about, you would do well to read
The UFO Enigma carefully. Menzel has proposed solutions
to some sightings that seem to remove them from the list
of 'unknowns' and he has imparted information that can
help all of us to be better investigators. You may not agree,
but I count his death as a loss to the UFO field.
-George W. Earley

WHERE IS NOAH'S ARK? by Lloyd R. Bailey,

Abingdon, Nashville, Tennessee, 1978, 128 pages,
Sl.9S.
A brief-yet concise-as well as critical examination
of the scientific evidence put forth for the Ark's existence.
It definitely makes a constructive contribution to the continuing debate and should be found in the library of any
would-be or dyed-in-the-wool ark-eologist.
"Certain other questions have deliberately been set
aside in this inquiry, not because I find them uninteresting
but because I find them unnecessary and because I suspect
that they would be divisive ... As far as the present volume
is concerned, the reader may believe or not believe the
literal historicity of the Genesis account, according to
preference. The issue is, instead, simply this: either the
reported sightings and photographs are creditable evidence
or they are not; either the wood offered in evidence is of
sufficient age to meet the specifications of a literal biblical
chronology for the flood, or it is not" (p. 11).
Somewhat technical, but don't let that bother you.
Highly recommended for your pursuit of knowledge.
-Kr. Kristiansen, Denmark

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SITUATIONS
This section of our journal is dedicated to the reporting of curious and unexplained euents. Members
are encouraged to send in newsclippings and responsible reports they feel should be included here.
Remember, local newspapers often offer the best (or only) information concerning some euents.
Please be sure to include the source of reference (name of newspaper, periodical. etc.). the date the
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A NEW PRIME NUMBER

DISCOVERED
The apparently endless search by mathematicians for new prime numbers has uncovered one far larger than the number
of all the atomic particles in the universe.
A prime number is one which can be
divided evenly only by itseH or the number
one. They do not occur at fixed intervals
in the sequence of numbers, and although
there is a standard method by which a
computer can search for new prime
numbers, there is no simple formula for
calculating new primes.
The sequence of prime numbers begins
3,5,7, 11, 13 and 17. It is easy to test
small numbers for their primeness, but as
the numbers become bigger the test becomes increasingly difficult, even for a
very powerful computer.
The discovery of the new prime number
was the work of Harry Nelson and David
Slowinski, computer scientists at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory of the University of California. The number found by
their computer search has 13,395 digitsa number larger by far than needed to
describe anything in the universe.
By comparison. scientists figure the
number of fundamental atomic particles
in the universe to be a number of only
about 80 digits; the diameter of the universe measured in units the size of an
atomic nucleus to be a number with 40
digits; and the number of stars in the universe to be a number with 20 digits.
A previous record-size prime number
was discovered in 1978 by Curt Knoll,
a student at Hayward College. California.
Although large prime numbers are not
thought useful for measuring anything
real, increasing attention is being given by
cryptologists and computer experts in
using such numbers as the keys to very
complex codes designed to protect the
secrecy of data banks.
SOURCE: The New York Times, June 5.
1979. CREDIT: Donaco VOjta.

.. .

HAIRY CREATURE OUTRUNS

SHERIFFS DEPUTIES
At about 11 p.m. Wednesday. August 30,
1978, three "quite excited" residents of
Byron, Michigan, called the Byron police
PURSUIT Fal11979

department about seeing a creature near

their apartment building.
Sheriffs deputies Phil Cooley and
Bill Bowman, from the Shiawassee County
sheriffs department, reported chaSing a
"large, upright ... furry animal about eight
feet tall" until it splashed into a shallow
stream close to the Shiawassee River and
ran upstream, after receiving a call for aid
from Byron Police Chief Joe Thomas.
Undergrowth in the area was too dense to
permit them to pursue the creature from
shore, the deputies said.
But, said the deputies, they found
ample evidence that something big "had
blazed a hasty trail through the brush to
the stream."
SOURCE: The State Journal (Lansing, Michigan). August 31. 1979. CREDIT: Member
#1843.

...

THE MOUNT VERNON

MONSTER: GEORGE
WASHINGTON OR BIGFOOT?
In May of this year, newspapers around
the country reported that for some nine
months a strange wailing or screaming
was heard nightly a mile from the ancestral
home of George Washington near Mount
Vernon.
Residents occupying the $150,000
homes surrounding the haunted patch of
woods from which the sound comes,
have described the sound as something
like: a wild boar, really loud frogs, some
guy blowing in a wine bottle, a barred (or
hoot) owl, a broken microphone on a CB
outfit, a parrot. a mouse with an amplifier,
a strangled dog. a prankster with a bullhorn, the ghost of George Washington
and the ghost of George Washington's
pigs.
Whatever it is (and the sounds have
been captured on tape), the creature is
elusive. One resident. Thelma Crisp,
says she spotted the monster. She described it as about six feet tall and walking
upright .
Game warden Ralph Stickman and
other county animal agents, suspecting a
hoax, for several months combed the
swampy woods that lie between the subdivisions. On several occasions. they sat
in the woods and listened. After shining

their flashlights into almost every tree and

bush, looking for loudspeakers, they
have come up with nothing.
"The thing seems to know when you
leave the woods. Then it will holler. I don't
know what it is, to be frank," said Stickman.
Responding to angry, sleepless residents, the county police at one point
stationed men in the woods, assembled
two infrared cameras and called in the
U.S. Park Police helicopter.
"We hoped that by flying over it, when
it started to yell, we could see something,"
said Maj. Harry S. Sommers. who was
contacted at police headquarters in Fairfax County after Mount Vernon area
police refused to comment. Sommers
said'the "thing" didn't yell and the helicopter finally cut short its search.
"I'm not really sure it is a police problem anyway," Sommers said, somewhat
disconsolately. Although several residents
have reported that it eats food placed in
the woods, the screamer has not harmed
anyone.
And at the headquarters of the Fish
and Wildlife Service in Washington, about
15 miles away, a spokesman had this to
say: "If it's Bigfoot, and there's proof,
we'd protect it."
SOURCES: The Washington Post, May 12,
1979 and Daily News (Bowling Green. Kentucky), May 20, 1979. CREDIT: Harold
Holland, Fred Packard, J. Darsie.

...

TUNGUSKA EXPLOSION
THE RESULT OF A COMET?
Although no scientist reached the Tunguska region in Siberia until 19 years after
the largest explosion ever recorded on
earth occurred there June 3D, 1908, few
historical phenomena have evoked so
much scientific speculation as that blast
which blew down trees for 20-30 miles in
all directions. knocked horses off their feet
400 miles away, and rendered unconscious and burned residents of a trading
station 40 miles away. Theories have
ranged from spontaneous nuclear explosions to extraterrestrial craft explosions to
falling comet heads.
L. Kresak of the Slovak Academy of
Scientists in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia,

193
has recently offered a suggestion which
supports the comet-head theory. He suggests that the explosion occurred when a
huge "boulder" shed by Comet Encke blew
up in the atmosphere. Kresak noticed that
the June 30 date coincided with the peak
of an annual meteor shower, which originates in Taurus and is attributed to debris
from Encke. Meteor showers occur when
the earth passes through debris left by a
comet that has been partially torn apart
during repeated close passages of the sun.
Encke, the comet that returns most often,
orbits the sun every 3.3 years.
Kresak believes the volatile components
of comet fragments that make comets
and their tails glow are gradually boiled
away from the solar heat, leaving only
cometary "boulders" which, according to
his report in the Bulletin of the Astronomicallnstitute of Czechoslovakia, constitute
probably "an overwhelming majority" of
interplanetary objects one to a hundred
yards in diameter.
According to Kresak's hypothesis, such
an object would become so hot during its
fall through the earth's atmosphere that
it would explode in a catastrophic manner.
When large meteorites hit. they generate
explosions sufficient to gouge out large
craters; because no such crater was formed
by the Siberian blast, the "boulder" may
not have been large enough to do so.
SOURCE: San Antonio News (Texas). January 3D, 1979. CREDIT: Tom Adams.

TWIN DAUGHTERS BORN

TO 10-YEAR-OLD
A lO-year-old girl in Indianapolis may
have made medical history by giving birth
to twins. Doctors who helped in the premature delivery of twin baby girls at Indiana University Medical Center called the
births "extremely unusual." The American
Medical Association went a step further,
saying it was an unheard-of occurrence.
AMA science and news editor Frank
Chappell in Chicago said, "I've never
heard of anything like it before.
"There have been births to girls so
young, girls as young as six years old in
some Indian tribes, so a 10-year-old girl
giving birth is unusual, but it has happened
before.
"But twins-our records just don't
show anything like it before."
SOURCE: The Pittsburgh Press (Pennsylvania),
June 3, 1979. CREDIT: O. Oltcher.

TWIN SONS BORN TO

14-YEAR-OLD: AND THE
40-YEAR AFTERMATH
A 14-year-old unwed mother gave birth
to twin boys in Piqua, Ohio on August 19,

1939. A few weeks later, the boys were

put up for adoption and were taken in by
different families-the Jess Lewis family
in Lima, Ohio and the Ernest Springer
family in Piqua, 45 miles away.
Through bureaucratic miSinformation,
however. neither family knew at the time
that their'adopted son had a twin brother.
About a year later, through final adoption papers, the Lewises discovered that
their adopted son had a twin, but they
couldn't find out who his adopted parents
were.
The Lewis twin kept searching for his
look-alike over the years that followed.
Finally, after nearly 40 years, he found
the probate court records this year that
led him to his brother, now living in Dayton, Ohio. When the twins got together,
they discovered some unexplained coincidences about their separate lives.
The Springer family had named their
adopted twin Jim. The Lewis family had
also named their adopted son Jim.
Both boys had had pet dogs, and both
had named their dogs "Toy."
After finishing their schooling, both had
taken law enforcement training, and both
enjoyed similar hobbies: blueprinting,
drafting and carpentry.
Jim Springer had been married twice,
Jim Lewis three times. Both their first
wives were named Linda. Both their second wives were named Betty. Both named
their first sons James Allen.
University of Minnesota researchers
who specialize in studying twins examined
the twins for a week to study similarities
and differences in twins who had grown
up separately. Needless to say, similarities were the rule.
"The results of all the tests we took,"
Springer said, "looked like one person
had taken the same tests twice."
SOURCE: The Pittsburgh Press (Pennsylvania),
May 18,1979. CREDIT: O. Oltcher.

600-YEAR-OLD BUTTER
A VALUABLE MEDICINE?
According to the Soviet News Agency
Tass, a container of 600-year-old butter
has been unearthed in Razdan, Soviet
Armenia. Scientists say the butter, "hopelessly rancid," may prove to be a valuable
medicine. It is not mouldy because it is
filled with dead bacteria which have turned
the jar of butter into an "anti-microbe"
agent "which suppresses the causative
agents of serious diseases affecting man,"
Tass said.
"Its capacity to kill off harmful bacteria
may be used in medical practices," Tass
said, without elaborating further.
SOURCE: The Tennessean rrennessee). April
23,1979. CREDIT: Harold Holland.

ORANGE RAIN IN
THE CRIMEA
Orange rain recently fell on the Crimean
city of Yalta. according to the Soviet
newspaper Trud. Soviet scientists have
speculated that the clouds contained dust
picked up in Turkey and carried across
the Black Sea, leaving a thick layer of rustcolored dust in the wake of about a half
inch ofrain.
SOURCE: New York Times, April 24, 1979.
CREDIT: Jon Douglas Singer.

BULLDOZERS VS.
THE STONE AGE
In Norton, Massachusetts, bulldozers excavating for an interstate highway have
unearthed the remains of a civilization of
wandering Stone Age people who may
have lived in the area 8,000 years ago.
A team of archaeologists from the
Brown University Archaeology Laboratory
is looking into 34 sites uncovered by the
bulldozers. So far, the archaeologiSts have
discovered arrowheads, stone tools,
chunks of burned rocks. tiny shards of
pottery and bits of stone flaked off during
tool-making. These finds offer clues into
the lives of the "Paleo-Indians," who,
according to Peter Thorbahn, the principal investigator, moved into New England
after the glaCiers receded perhaps 10,000
years ago.
For most of the prehistoric period,
Thorbahn indicated, the Indians were
hunters, fishermen and food-gatherers;
only later did they develop farming.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Works refused to disclose the exact
location of the sites, fearing they would
be ransacked or damaged, and the scientists working at the sites are trying to dig
up the remains as soon as possible to
make room for the -highway. Field work
at the sites is expected to end by fall.
SOURCE: New York Daily News, May 7,
1979. CREDIT: Jon Douglas Singer.

GIANT RATS ATTACK

City health officials, notified of reports that
foot-long rats were running amok and
attacking people just a block from City
Hall in New York, were prompted to build
a giant rat trap to corral the brazen rodents.
"We have the rats trapped," was the
triumphant announcement made by Deputy City Health Commissioner Jean Cropper, who supervised the roundup at the
L-shaped excavation site on the edge of
New York's financial district. The excavation was of a building housing a bar
and grill until nine years ago, when it was
leveled by an explosion which killed nine
people and injured an additional 40.
Scores of the giant rodents were seen
PURSUIT Fall 1979

194
in the excavation that fronts on both Park
Rowand Ann Street. Police who rushed
to the scene Thursday night, May 10,
after receiving a report that a woman was
attacked by several rats as she walked on
Ann Street, spotted "numerous rodents,"
but no victim.
The next morning, police were again
called to the scene as the rats ventured
out into the middle of Ann Street.
Cropper said the rats apparently have
been in the big hole created by the explosion since it occurred nine years ago,
adding:
"For some reason they have gotten
more brazen in the last several days. "
Work crews from the Health Department's Bureau of Pest Control began
cleaning the site, spreading poison bait
and rigging a mesh fence to keep the rats
from escaping.
"We will trap some of them alive so we
can comb them out and see what they
have that is different from other rats in
various parts of the city," Cropper said,
adding that the department will "tighten
up the area" and perform a building-tobuilding search to make sure the rodents
don't relocate elsewhere ....
SOURCE: The Miami Herald (Florida), May
12, 1979. CREDIT: Member #466.

RADIATION RULED OUT

FOR COW DEATHS
After the Three Mile Island incident,
which caused low-level radiation to be released March 28, officials were called in
to explain the death of 19 cows on a Lancaster County farm.
"Radiation had nothing to do with it,"
said Dr. David Ingraham, director of the
Bureau of Animal Industry, concerning
the deaths of seven cows and 12 calves
on the Bainbridge farm of Clair Hoover.
Ingraham's statement followed a report
from Agriculture Secretary Penrose Hallowell that tests indicated no relation between the deaths and low-level radiation
released during the Three Mile Island
incident.
Hallowell said tests on blood feed
milk, grass and water from the fa;m had
shown no evidence of radiation contributing to the cow deaths. He also said a
survey of farms within a five-mile radius
of the nuclear plant, and large dairy farms
outside the five-mile radius, had discovered
no reports of unusual or unexpected animal illnesses or deaths.
Hallowell also said he did not consider
the Hoover farm deaths unusual considering most of the deaths involved cows
that were having calves.
SOURCE: The Pittsburgh Press (Pennsylvania),
May 25,1979. CREDIT: O. Oltcher.

PURSUIT Fal/1979

RADIATION RULED IN
FOR SHEEP DEATHS
A study by Harold Knapp, a former
Atomic Energy Commission scientist, has
concluded thousands of sheep were killed
by two nuclear tests in Nevada in 1953.
Knapp, a commission scientist during the
testing period, did the study at the request
of the House Subcommittee on oversight
and investigations.
Rep. K. Gunn McKay (D-Utah) said
the findings provide the first hard evidence
to SCientifically support McKay's contention
that the government must accept liability
for the sheep deaths. McKay has introduced a bill which would do just that.
Attorney Dan S. Bushnell, who represents the sheep owners, was elated by
Knapp's report.
"It is my hope that in view of all this
evidence that the government would negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement to
the sheep owners who have suffered this
damage these many years," Bushnell said.
"If the government is not willing to make
such a settlement, then we will proceed
with our legal proceedings," he said.
In the early summer of 1953, several
thousand sheep died after being trailed
through the desert east of the Nevada Test
Site during a period when two atmospheric
nuclear tests dropped heavy fallout on
the area.
SOURCE: Ithaca Journal (New York), June
19,1979. CREDIT: R. M. Wolf.

BACTERIA FOUND
TO ORIENT THEMSELVES
TO EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD
In Washington, D.C., the National Science
Foundation has announced a discovery
which could have major implications in
research on the homing mechanisms of
other organisms and animals.
Some bacteria appear to synthesize
iron compasses within themselves that
orient them to the earth's magnetic field.
Drs. Richard B. Frankel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
Richard P. Blakemore of the University
of New Hampshire have discovered that
the bacterial compass is made of magnetite, a naturally occurring material
composed of iron and oxygen-commonly
called lodestone.
"Our finding is especially important be
cause it is the first time that the orientation of an organism in the earth's magnetic field has been shown to occur via an
internal compass made of a permanent
magnetic material," Frankel said.
Although it isn't known whether higher
animals use a similar mechanism, Frankel
said that within the past year other researchers have found magnetitie in the

heads of pigeons and the abdomens of

bees.
"This is the beginning of some very exciting work-a whole new direction in
research," Frankel said. Although scientists
have long suspected some animals use
the earth's magnetic field to orient themselves, how this is done remains a mystery,
he added.
Blakemore discovered the magnetic
bacteria in 1975 off the coast of Massachusetts. Since then, several varieties have
been found in other areas of North America. Until now, however, no one knew
why they were magnetic.
"Blakemore was just surveying sediments and noticed that bacteria in one
sample collected on one side of a dish "
Frankel said. "When he moved the dish
they kept swimming to one side-the north
side. Using a small magnet. he found that
he could make the bacteria swim back
and forth."
As to why the bacteria swim north
Frankel said the magnetic field is felt both
horizontally and vertically through the
earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, that
means "north" is also "down."
Since bacteria in water are too small to
distinguish up from down on the basis of
gravity alone, Frankel said, the compass
might be advantageous for the organisms
in getting to the muddy bottom sediments
they prefer.
He said a chemical analysis shows the
bacteria contain 10 times more iron than
is usually found in such organisms. The
metal is present as magnetic bits synthesized from iron atoms in the environment
and strung on a line. The north-seeking
pole of this bar magnet is at the opposite
end of the organism from the whip-like
strands that propel it, explaining why it
swims north.
Frankel indicated there may be magnetic
bacteria in the Southern Hemisphere that
would tend to swim toward the South
Pole. He expects to get sediment samples
soon with which to test for such organisms
from South America.
SOURCE: The Tennesseean (Tennessee).
May 10,1979. CREDIT: Harold Holland.

BONES FROM
A MYSTERIOUS WHALE?
When Wayne Dibean discovered a strange
set of bones lying near a river in the Lansing, Michigan area, he at first thought it
was a joke. Because he works at a plastics
plant, he thought maybe his fellow workers had made a plastic replica. Since the
bones still had some of the meat on them
however, and since his fellow worker~
were able to convince Dibean the bones
were no joke, he rushed the strange find
over to the Michigan State University

195
horses, cows," Baker said. "We need them
to identify pieces that come in. We don't
have many whales coming through. "
"How did it get here?" he mused.
"Obviously it didn't swim in on the Red
Cedar."
The bones, found along the Grand
River (into which flows the Red Cedar),
remain unidentified excepf as possibly the
caudal section of a whale. When SITU
spoke with Dr. Baker June 26, he told us
that the bones were taken back to Ren
Plastics after being photographed for the
local 'newspaper (see accompanying
photo). He hopes that they will eventually
be returned for identification purposes by
the Field Museum or the Smithsonian,
although caudal bones do not provide the
best identification. Earbones would be
better, he said.

Museum as soon as his shift ended at

8a.m.
What creature produced the bones?
Museum director Dr. Rollin Baker said
the bones were probably the caudal
section of a whale ... "but how it got by
Ren Plastics I don't know."
Baker calls it "The Mystery of the Lost
Vertebrae" or "The Case of the Lansing
Monster."
"The mystery is from whence did it
come," Baker said. "We don't have any
large bodies of water nearby, and it isn't
Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster.
"The only theory we have is that someone may have had it on a flatcar where
they had people look at it for 10 cents. If
that someone went broke while in the
Lansing area, he may have dumped it."
Baker guessed whale since the vertebrae are larger than an elephant's. He

also ruled out dinosaurs, since these bones

still have meat-more like jerky nowclinging to them. A dinosaur's meat would
have long since been replaced by mineral
matter, Baker explained.
"It certainly hasn't been out there for
very many years." he said.
He estimated the creature was 40 to 50
feet long when it came to its mysterious
end.
"Though it was a huge varmint. it was
probably not fully mature because the
central part of the vertebrae hadn't fully
grown together," Baker said.

Dearth of whales in Michigan

One of Baker's problems in identification
is that there are no whale skeletons in the
MSU Museum to compare Dibean's find
with.
"We have full skeletons of beavers,

The IO-cent look

He does feel. however, the bones are
definitely cetacean. He pOinted out that
in the covered wagon days, whale bones
were picked up in the Midwest, and these
were probably remnants of bones originally brought in as conversation pieces
from coastal regions, then abandoned or
lost. Also, during the 1930s, whale bones
were sometimes loaded onto flatcars and
taken inland; these were exhibited at
10 cents a look to those who would pay
to see the bones. Eventually, the bones
would be discarded.
According to Dr. Baker, a short paper
concerning the finding of whale and walrus bones from a much earlier period
around the upper Great Lakes has been
written by Dr. Charles Handley, Jr. of the
Department of Mammalogy at the Smithsonian (in the Journal 0/ Mammalogy.
published by the American Society of
Mammalogists). So cetaceans were once
there.
The question left unresolved is how
realtively fresh whale bones appeared
along the banks of the Grand River in
1979 ....
SOURCE: The Slale Journal (lansing. Michigan), May 9, 1979 and a telephone conversation with Dr. Baker June 26. 1979. CREDIT:
W. l. Nielsen.

MARINE MAMMALS
IN MICHIGAN
PLEISTOCENE BEACHES
(Reprinted. by permission, from the author
and the American SOCiety of Mammal
ogists' Journal 0/ Mammalogy. Vol. 34,
No.2, May 1953)

A number of bones of marine mammals

have been found in the Pleistocene lake
beaches of Michigan. Most of these have
come from the lower peninsula, from
beaches ranging in age from Arkona to
PURSUIT Fall 1979

196
Nipissing. Obscure mention has been
made of several of the finds in literature,
but they are not generally known to
mammalogists.
Uncertainty of the true origin of the
bones has led to an understandable reticence to give them serious consideration.
It is well known that whale bones are
commonly carried to inland localities by
curio-collecting human beings. This was
possibly as true of the Indians in preColumbian times as it is of whites today.
Most inland records of whale remains can'
be assigned without hesitation to this:
agency. However, some of the Michigan
finds are unique. They were not picked,
up on the surface or located in marine:
sediments, but were found buried, some:
at considerable depths, in Pleistocene lake'
beaches. The question raised is: Did these '
marine mammals reach the Michigan
beaches naturally or by human transport? '
I shall be the first to concede that very
considerable obstacles stand in the way of
imagining a Pleistocene marine fauna in
the Great Lakes, but I do not want to
argue that point here. The purpose in
writing this note is to put the facts on
record, with the hope that they may
hasten a conclusive answer to the question
that is here raised.
Winchell (First Biennial Rept. Geol.
Surv. Michigan, 1861: 133) is apparently
the first to have made mention of Michigan whales, but his reference is vague'
and may have related to a surface find: ,
~'. . . a large vertebra was discovered in
the western part of the state which was
recognized at the time as the caudal vertebra of a whale, by Prof. Sager, then:
State Zoologist." According to E. C. Case,
former Director, Museum of Paleontology', '
University of Michigan, this specimen was:
subsequently lost, and has never been i
relocated.
I
Hinsdale (Univ. Mus., Univ. Michigan, :
Mich. Handbook Series, 1: PI. 37, Fig. 2, I
1925) figured a walrus (Odobenus) bacu- '
lum with cultural objects from Standish, :
Michigan. Correct data for this specimen
indicates that it was discovered in Otsego '
County by Ezra Smith, who wrote: "I
found the bone when hauling gravel out
of a pit 7 miles NW of Gaylord, Michigan
in 1914. Other pieces of bone were mixed
with the gravel but they did not attract
particular attention." This specimen,
bearing no. 400, is preserved in the
Museum of Anthropology and Archeology
of the University of Michigan.
In 1930, Hussey (Sci. [N.S.), 72 '
[18711: xiv) reported briefly on three sets
of whale bones which had come into the
possession of the University of Michigan
Museum of Paleontology. I have recently
examined these specimens. They are well
preserved and show no evidence of
human mutilation:

PURSUIT Fall 1979

No. 14101, a single rib of a fin whale,

Balaenoptera, was found during excavation of a cellar on the property of William
Hummell on Genessee Road, 10 miles
NE of Mt. Morris (near Thedford Center,
just south of the county line), Genessee
County. It was standing vertically in loose
sand of a beach of Arkona age.
No. 14102 consists of a lumbar vertebra
and two ribs of a sperm whale, Physeter,
taken from a swamp in the NE corner of
Lewaunee County in 1928. Beach deposits of this area are of Whittlesey age,
but since this specimen was not accompanied by detailed notes, its age may be
questioned.
No. 11008, a single rib, is probably of
a bowhead whale, Baleana. It was discovered in 1928 during excavation at the
SW corner of the schoolhouse at Oscoda,
losco County. The rib was five feet below
the surface in sands of the Nipissing beach.
Identity of this bone is not certain, for it
was not compared directly with Balaena.
However, it closely resembles Eubalaena,
with which it was compared, and agrees
with descriptions and figures of Baleana
in literature.
Another find, not previously reported,
is the anterior portion of a walrus skull,
which is preserved in the Old Fort Makinac
Museum. R. C. Hussey of the Department of Geology, University of Michigan,
was told that the skull had been found
many years ago in a beach deposit (Algonquin or Nipissing) on Mackinac Island.
The original data was lost in a fire. The
tusks are missing, but have probably been
removed since the discovery of the skull,
for their alveoli are well preserved. Of
interest in this specimen is a series of short
parallel grooves on the antero-Iateral face
of the rostrum. They may be the result of
human carving, but there is no way to
determine whether they came onto the
bone or subsequent to its recent discovery.
Other references which have a bearing
on this problem are a paper by Cameron
(Ann. Rept. Nat. Mus. Canada, 19491950, Bul. 123: 116-119, 1951) recording
a Balaena from a Pleistocene deposit on
the south shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and a paper by Sternberg (ibid.:
259-261, 1951) recording Delphinapterus.
Phocoena, and Phoca groenlandica from
the Pleistocene of the Ottawa Valley of
OntariO. Closer scrutiny of Michigan's
Pleistocene beaches for vertebrate fossils
may prove fruitfuL-Charles O. Handley, Jr., U.S. National Museum, Washington, D.C. Received May 15,1952.

MOVING? If you expect to change your

address please allow six or more weeks for
address change to become effective in our
records. Send card showing both old and
new address to SITU Membership Services,
RFD 5, Gales Ferry, CT 06335.

ANIMALS AND EARTHQUAKES

A special investigating team from the
U.S. Geological Survey and the Stanford
Research Institute was sent to Willits, in
Mendicino County, California, to test
whether strange animal behavior is a clue
to earthquake prediction. Willits, a small
Northern California community, was hit
November 22, 1977, by a tremor registering 5.0 on the Richter Scale. (The Richter
Scale measures ground motion as recorded on seismographs. Every increase
of a number means a tenfold increase in
magnitude.)
According to Jack PfJuke, a researcher
at the agency's offices in Menlo Park, the
team found "an abnormal amount of
animal misbehavior at the epicenter, and
within a lO-kilometer radiUS."
Willits is about 125 miles north of San
Francisco and is well north of California's
active earthquake zone. The quake there
took scientists by surprise.
Monday, May 7, 1979, shaken San
Francisco residents reported house pets
acted strangely before a quake that regis
etered 4.8 on the Richter Scale. One resident claimed his parakeet began screeching
wildly before the tremor. A dog owner said
his pet "went bananas beginning about two
hours before it hit," growling and running
around the apartment.
"Dogs usually act plain scared," said
Pfluke, "much like they do during a thunderstorm. Cats are more independentthey'll run away for a day or two and then
return."
Pfluke believes the animals' senses respond to an electrical change in the environment that "occurs just minutes before
or as much as two days before a quake."
"The animals are much more alert in
their senses-this is really survival to
them-and, of course, they don't drink
or smoke," he said.
Dr. William Kautz, a Stanford Research
Institute investigator. said: "Common
house pets are hundreds to thousands of
times more sensitive to certain physical
stimuli than our most sophisticated machines."
And according to the institute's Dr. Leon
Otis, the Chinese have successfully predicted as many as 11 earthquakes, although there have been a number of failures as well.
We wonder: Were there any reports of
earth tremors in or around Decatur,
Illinois or Little Rock, Arkansas during
the elephant rebellions there? We wouldn't
dare ask the same question about New
York's rat-infested (to say nothing of the
bulls and bears) finanCial district, where
earth-shaking events occur daily ....
SOURCES: The Tennessean (Tennessee),
May 9, 1979, and the HeraldNews (New
Jersey), May 20, 1979.
CREDITS: Harold Holland and Fred Wilson.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UNEXPLAINED

GOVERNING BOARD
President (and Trustee)
Vice President (and Trustee) and Director
Secretary (and Trustee)
Treasurer (and Trustee)
Trustee
Trustee

Robert C. Warth
R. Martin Wolf
Susan Malone
Greg Arend
Steven Mayne
Albena E. Zwerver

DEPARTMENTS
PURSUIT
INVESTIGATIONS
MASS MEDIA
RESEARCH
FUND RAISING

Managing Editor - R. Martin Wolf

Assistant Editor - Steven Mayne
Distribution - Martin Wiegler
Robert C. Warth - R. Martin Wolf - Steven Mayne
R. Martin Wolf - Susan Malone
Canadian Media Consultant - Michael Bradley
Robert C. Warth - Steven Mayne
Prehistoric Archaeology and Oceanography Consultant - Charles Berlitz
Gregory Arend - Steven Mayne

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. George A. Agogino Chairman, Department of Anthropology, and Director, Paleo-Indian
Institute, Eastern New Mexico University. (Archaeology)
Dr. Carl H. Delacato Director, The Institute for the Rehabilitation ofthe Brain Injured,
.
Morton, Pa. (Meidalogy)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek Director, Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center,
Northwestern University. (Astronomy)
Dr. George C. Kennedy Professor of Geology,lnstitute of Geophysics, U.C.L.A.
(Geomorphology and Geophysics)
Dr. Martin Kruskal Program in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University.
(Mathematics)
Dr. Samuel B. McDowell Professor of Biology, Rutgers University, Newark, N.J.
(General Biology)
Dr. Vladimir Markotic Professor of Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, University
of Alberta, Canada. (Ethnosociology and Ethnology)
Dr. John R. Napier Unit of Primate Biology, Queen Elizabeth College, University
of London. (Physical Anthropology)
Dr. Michael A. Persinger Department of Psychology, Environmental Psychophysiological
Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont., Canada. (Psychology)
Dr. Frank B. Salisbury Plant Science Department, College of Agriculture,
Utah State University. (Plant Physiology)
Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz Consultant (Brain Wave Laboratory), Essex County Medical Center,
Cedar Grove, N.J. (Mental Sciences)
Dr. Roger W. Wescott Professor and Chairman, Department of Anthropology, Drew University,
Madison, N.J. (Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics)
Dr. A. Joseph Wraight Chief Geographer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
(Geography and Oceanography)
Dr. Robert K. Zuck Professor and Chairman, Department of Botany, Drew UniverSity,
Madison, N.J. (Botany)

Known and the Unknown, The, 80

PURSUIT

1979

INDEX

Andrews, Dr. Arlan Keith, Sr., 119

Appendix to "The One Physical Experiment Science
Cannot Explain," An, 174
Are UFOs Psychic Phenomena?, 152
Barrow, Robert, 10, 145
Between the Plastic Eagle, Between the Mezuzah and
the Crucifix, an Article of Faith, 96
Black 'Mountain Lions' in California?" 61
BOOK REVIEWS
Andreasson Affair, The, Raymond E. Fowler, 138
Advances in Parapsychological Research-Vol. I,
edited by Stanley Krippner, 45
Catastrophist Geology, 89
Congratulations: The UFO Reality, Eugenia
Macer-Story, 90
Encounters With UFOs, Clifford Wilson, 90
Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Unidentified
Flying Objf!cts: A Selected, Annotated
Bibliography, 189
Our UFO Visiitors, John Magor, 45
Handbook of Parapsychology, edited by Benjamin
Wolman, 45
Pathways to the Gods: The Mystery of the Andes Lines,
Tony Morri:son, 138
Philadelphia ]Experiment, The: Project Invisibility, William
Moore in cClnsultation with Charles Berlitz, 138
Reliving Past Lives: The Evidence Under Hypnosis,
Helen Wambach, 90
Search for Lo:st America, The: The Mysteries of the Stone
Ruins, Salvatore Michael Trento, 138
UFO Enigma., The, 189
UFO Enigma, The: The Definitive Solution of
the UFO Phenomenon, Donald H. Menzel &
Ernest H. T.aves, 190
Where is Noah's Ark?, Uoyd R. Bailey, 191
Bratton, Susan Power, 58
Bundy, Mark, 35
Central New York UFO Wave, The, 35
Coleman, LoreL1, 61, 125
CountSaint-GE!rmain: Where Are You?, 83
Diamond, Michael K.,

Exegesis: Unexplained Data Related to United

Flight 389, 110

Gholson, Norman, 148

Grattan-Guiness,lvor, 152
Greenwood, Dr. Stuart W., 160
Grise, Allan, lI77

Incredible Admi.ssion, An: What Did the Air Force

Mean?, 10
Is the Panther Making a Comeback?, 58
Jordison, Barbalra,

20, 94, 95

Macer-Story, Eugenia, 75, 110

Mangiacopra, Gary S., 50
Mayne, Steven, 80
Metrication: Even Pyramid Power Won't Save
the Sacred Inch, 124
Mongold, Harry E., 67, 175
More on Extant Dinosaurs, 105
Mutilations: The Elsberry Enigma, 26
Neodinosaurs,

100

Ornithological Erratics: Winter 1978-1979,

125

Pabst, Carl J., 46,92,139

Pawlicki, T. B., 85,120,174
Pecher, Kamil, 156
Persinger, Michael A., 162
Pevely Mystery Toxin, The, 21
Prediction of Fortean Event Reports from Population
and Earthquake Numbers, 162
Quest for Norumbega, The,

13, 63, 179

Reardon, Russ, 112

Rodeghier, M. J., 2
Sanderson, Ivan T., 100
Schadewald, Robert J., 124
Setting the Record Straight on the 'Gabun
Orangutan', 142
Singer, Jon Douglas, 13,63, 127, 179
SITUations, 40,88,133,192
S(l)aved by the Experts, 145
Some Reflections on Astro-Anthropology, 160
Statistical Analysis of UFO Electromagnetic
Interference Events, A, 2
Sutherly, Curt, 83
Symposium, 43,91,131,187
Synchro Channel, The, 94

UFOs Down Under and All Over, 127

ULF Tree Potentials and Geomagnetic Pulsations,
Undapresha, Grace, 96

46, 92, 139

Haas, Joseph S., Jr., 56

How to "FingeI')Jrint" a UFO and "Hear" Its Light,

95

Tomb of Khufu, The: Mysteries ofthe Great Pyramid

(Part I), 148
Town That Wasn't Zapped by UFOs, The, 20
Time Pump, The, or Speculations on the A-Spacial
Energies of Chronicity, 75
Time Travel, 85

142

Fort, Charles, The Notes of,

Fraser-Smith, A. C., 114

Lake Monsters, 56
Let's Test the Communication Hypothesis,
Lorenzoni, Dr. Silvano, 105

112

114

Was Einstein a Berkeleian?, 175

Water Monsters ofthe Midwestern Lakes, 50
Weekend Effect, The: ULF Electromagnetic Fields,
Powerline Harmonics, and an Interview with
Antony C. Fraser-Smith, 116
What is Our Northern Wetiko?, 156
What is Time?, 67
What to Believe-Or, Paring Down the Paradigm, 119
Wolf, R. Martin & Mayne, S. N., 26
Your Very Own Energy Line Grid,
Zeiser, William,

21

177