Page:Miller - Flying saucers, fact or fiction.pdf/7



Leslie, a young Briton, has broached such unconventional fields as the purported history of Atlantis and the occult sciences with interesting results. For example, in the year 1290 A.D., according to an account related in an antiquated manuscript found at Ampleforth Abbey, England, in early 1953, "a large round silver thing like a disk flew slowly over" the town of Byland Abbey, Yorkshire.

In the pre-Christian era, one curious re port was recorded in the Royal Annals of Thuthmosis III ( circa 1504-1450 B.C. ) of ancient Egypt. The datum was discovered by Boris de Rachewiltz among the papers of the late Professor Alberto Tulli, formerly of the Vatican Museum.

The objects in this case — be what they may — were described as "a circle of fire that was coming in the sky ... had no head ... It had no voice." Several days thereafter, the Annals continued, "they were more numerous than anything. They were shining in the sky ... to the limits of ... heaven ... After supper ... they went up higher directed towards the South."

When does a conventional topic become unconventional? Or when does an unconventional subject become conventional? The author does not know, nor does he know where to divide the borderline which separates the strictly objective from the subjective. This largely applies to the so-called legends of old.

An undying controversy has raged over the reality or fancy of Plato's Atlantis. But it is, admittedly, difficult for a legend to persist for some thousands of years with out having been drowned by the waters of truth and enlightenment. Such is the case for the ancient real or mythical lands of Atlantis and Lemuria. The Story of Atlantis, written in 1895 by W. Scott Elliott, is one of a number of older books which purportedly describes aerial vehicles — called vimanas resembling the UFO's of today. These "vimanas," according to Elliott, were "apparently seamless and perfectly smooth, and they shone in the dark as if coated with luminous paint ."

This phenomenon of luminosity has been closely allied to reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, many of which are contained in the files of Air Technical Intelligence Center, Ohio.

The Ramayana, classic of ancient India, describes another type of fabled aerial de vice — the "Car Celestial," or Puspaka.

"The Puspaka Car," relates the Ramayana, "that resembles the sun and belongs to my brother, was brought by the powerful Ravan; that aerial and excellent car, going everywhere at will, is ready for thee (Rama). That car, resembling a bright cloud in the sky, is in the city of Lanka."

The ancient classic continues:

"'Beholding the car coming by force of will Rama attained to excess of astonishment. And the king got in, and the excellent car, at the command of Raghira, rose up into the higher atmosphere. And in that car, coursing at will, Rama greatly delighted." "Protap Chandra Roy's Maha-Bharata (of 1889) contains "descriptions" of such heavenly wonders, during the legendary time of Atlantis, as "The beautiful car — celestial possessed the radiance of fire ...

"Blazing with a mighty radiance, like a fame on a summer night ...