THE LOST CONTINENT, ATLANTIS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 22 May 1914, Page 7

THE LOST CONTINENT, ATLANTIS.

Dr. Scharff writes as follows on this interesting subject :

I have investigated the problem from ./a purely faunistio point of view

I have gathered together a good deal of evidence in favour of Atlantis, and published it in my new book "Distribution and Origin of Life in America."

Long studies of the past migrations of animals between the European and American Continents have led me to the conclusion that there was once certainly a great bridge of land right across the Atlantic Ocean between Southern Europe and the West Indies. I believe the greater portion of this land bridge had already subsided when Man appeared upon the scene. Yet it is quite possible, as Professor Hull seems to think, that much of this land still appeared above' the level of the sea as recently, geologically speaking, as 10,000 years ago.

The earliest records of Atlantis are derived from a narrative by ■ Plato. According to it, Solon is said !to have visited Sais, in Egypt, and , there to have heard from priests of j the ancient "Empire of Atlantis" ' and of its overthrow by a convul- ■ sion of nature. This Atlantis was i then spoken of as a vast land lying beyond what we now call the Straits of Gibraltar ; and it is supposed to have been inhabited by a mighty race of people, i Plato's story has called forth quite a flood of literature, not only in ancient times ; even within the last score of years many pamphlets and books have been published dealing with this attractive problem. Humboldt and Sir David Wilson were of opinion that the tale rests on some historic basis. Others have connected the story with theories of a land bridge stretching right across the Atlantic from Europe to America. The Atlantis problem was raised to scientific importance when modern research revealed the fact that the living, as well as the extinct flora and fauna of Europe have quite a number of types in common with North America. The scientific reasoning was that the Atlantic Islands —that is to say, the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands formed part of a land/ connection which stretched across the Atlantic and still preserved some of the plants which invaded our contin- | ent from the new world. The results of my investigations tend to show that Madeira and the Azores are the remains of an ancient tertiary area of land which was joined to Europe, and that it probably became disconnected in Miocene times. Since then this land once more became united with our continent, and may not have been finally severed until the Pleistocene period. United with the West Indies and Central America in early tertiary times, it probably subsided partly during the Oligocene period, and after leaving only a few isolated peaks as islands in the midst of the vast ocean which has since replaced it. |