If you're old enough and geek enough, you might appreciate this, and if you're like me, will think it's so cool it's ridiculous...


Found by some chaps over at the most well known online Call of Cthulhu community.

Source


DISCOVERY OF A REMARKABLE CAVE.

To the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald.

SIR, - Permit me to send you the following account of a cave, recently discovered in the district of Dabee, or Ryalstone, which, if not of interest to the public generally, is likely to prove interesting at least to the curious. Should you deem it worthy a place in your columns, its publication may tend, I am inclined to believe, to further inquiries and discoveries, such, as might throw some light on the history and early condition of the aborigines of this country.

The cave, referred to, was accidentally found out three or four months since by some boys, who, I understand, were seeking for shelter from rain under a rock. Several parties subsequently visited it, and were all struck with its appearance, as something remarkable and mysterious. On one of my visits to Ryalstone, a short time since, I was induced by curiosity to inspect this cave, and went in company with Dr Gygax and others. We all felt convinced that there had been some human ingenuity at work here, in all probability centuries ago, and, whilst we were led to various conjectures, Dr. Gygax informed us that he had seen and heard of similar things in other parts of the world. As Dr. Gygax (lately settled in Ryalstone as medical practitioner) has travelled extensively, and is acquainted with geological science, I considered he was best able to furnish an account of the said cave, and applied to him for that purpose,


To a brief description he sent me, I am partly indebted for the following account:-

The remarkable eave, near Mr. Tailby's, is a small vault-llke chamber or grotto, formed in a large detached rook of white sandstone, and contains, on the sides and arch about eighty impressions of human hands, of men, women, and children, in natural size, all of them well formed, and the greater part very distinctly seen. The hands of the men are following one another, lengthways in a line, some with the fore finger half cut off. Two female hands cross each other, whilst some stand apart, and the hands of the children appear in a group. It would seem, as if these figures were originally done in relief, or stuccoed, which having worn off in the course or time, left the present impression. There is still round these hands a slight tinge of red, as if the whole had originally been painted with something like oxide of iron. The bottom or floor of the cave is paved with stones evidently brought there ; this is indicated both by their position and the fact that they are a different description of stone. At present it is covered more or less with rubbish and loose sand. It is, however, difficult to give an exact description of the whole, without a drawing. The entrance into the cave is rather low but wide, sufficient to admit daylight to discern the objects within.

Dr. Gygax deemed it premature to venture an opinion as to the origin and signification of these figures, but says : "I recollect having seen similar figures in Ceylon, at Maha Ellia, and on the Idalghassixi Pase. There, the people ascribe them to the Yakes - the Gias and Ghouls of the Cingalese ; these were, however, found there, according to the opinion of a learned Bhuda priest, by the Cingalese, when they first carne to Ceylon from India. I have also heard of similar figures having been found on the Naga Hills, and in Assam, as also in some of the South Sea Island." Dr. Gygax further informs me : " The cave I visited with you, it appears, it not the only relic of either some extinct people, or the ancestors of the present race of blacks. Another cave has been found in this neighbourhood, containing an impression of one hand only. I also, on my late visit to the Nulla mountains, found on a flat rock, on Cox's Creek, two curious figures, and discerned others, at the height of about 80 feet, on a hollow rock, which, however, I could not closely examine." To this statement of Dr. Gygax's, I would add, that I have made lately some inquiries of one of the most intelligent of the aborigines of the Mudgee district, to ascertain whether they (the blacks) were aware of any such cave or eaves ; and he assured me, that they knew several, both about Dabee and Dirrigirri ( on the road from here to Maitland), and that they were sure these figures must have been there a long time ago, but they could not tell what they ware intended for. They supposed, they had been made by some people living here before them, and different from them. He has promised to show me ere long several such caves.

From my own acquaintance with the aborigines I would remark, that I have long had the impression that their ancestors, when first coming to this country, were probably not quite so ignorant and devoid of all traces of civilisation as the present race; and, I have some reason to suppose that they had, at least, some sort of religious ceremonies. But being so widely and thinly scattered, they naturally sunk into their present low and degraded condition.

In conclusion, I may notice that the cave above described is situate about 40 miles from Mudgee, and 10 or 11 miles from Ryalstone, in an easterly direction, towards the head of the Gudgegong, on the foot of a hill forming part of the outskirts of the Nulla mountains, barely two miles from Mr. Tailby's residence. From the map it will be seen that the locality described, in a straight line, can scarcely be above 70 miles from Broken Bay, and, consequently, not so far inland as might be supposed.

I am, Sir, yours, &o.,

JAMES GUNTHER. Parsonage, Mudgee. 16th November
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Further to the above, another mention of this Dr Gygax in "Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History, Antiquities and Productions" (James Emerson Tennent, 1860) - Source.

In one place to the east of Pettigalle-Kanda, the rocks have been broken up in such confusion as to resemble the effect of volcanic action—huge masses overhang each other like suddenly-cooled lava; and Dr. Gygax, a Swiss mineralogist, who was employed by the Government in 1847 to examine and report on the mineral resources of the district, stated, on his return, that having seen the volcanoes of the Azores, he found a "strange similarity at this spot to one of the semi-craters round the trachytic ridge of Seticidadas, in the island of St. Michael."
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The good doctor meets his (untimely?) end...

DONATIONS TO THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM, DURING SEPTEMBER 1859.

Eight geological specimens, from Carwell, New South Wales. The late Dr Gygax (Sydney Morning Herald, 10 October 1859, p. 7).

SUDDEN DEATH.-A Swiss gentleman named Gygax was found dead in bed at his residence, Jamison Street, yesterday morning. He had been receiving medical treatment for some time previous, but his sudden decease was quite unexpected. When discovered lying dead in his bed, life appeared to have been extinct several hours. An inquest on the body will be held at nine o'clock this morning. (Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 1859, p. 4).



CORONER'S INQUESTS. - The City Coroner held two inquests yesterday. One at No. 1, College-buildings, Jamison-street, on the body of a Swiss gentleman named John Rudolph Gygax, aged fifty years. The deceased was a man of scientific pursuits, and was employed in Calcutta some years ago, as a geologist, by the Government. He came down from Ryalstone, where he had been residing as a medical practitioner for several years in April last, and since that time, he had been living in the house in which he died ; he came to Sydney principally for the benefit of his health, and soon after arrival here he applied to a medical gentleman, when, on examination, it was found he was suffering from tabes dorsalis, which resulted from low living, and hardships in different climates from this disease he had partially recovered, and had been enabled to do some work at the Sydney Museum; he purposed leaving shortly for New Caledonia, where he was to have been employed as Government geologist ; at about one o'clock on Monday, a person went up to his room to call him for luncheon, when he was found lying on his right side with his arms folded across his chest, dead, the body being cold, showing that death had taken place several hours previous. The medical gentleman who had attended on him, was of opinion that paralysis was the immediate cause of death. Verdict, natural causes (Sydney Morning Herald, 5 October 1859, p. 5).


FUNERAL-The Friends of the late Dr. GYGAX are requested to attend his FUNERAL, which will move from his residence, College buildings, Jamison-street, THIS AFTERNOON, at three o'clock precisely. R STEWART Undertaker, Pitt Street (Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 1859, p. 8).


On SATURDAY, 14th instant, at 11 o’clock
In the Intestate Estates of the late Dr Gygax
and Mr Henry Lewis
recently deceased.
By order of the Official Assignee, H A Mackechnie, Esq.
MR ROBERT MURIEL will sell by public auction, at his Rooms, Wynyard Street, on SATURDAY, the 14th instant, at 11 o’clock.

The personal and other effects of the late Dr Gygax, and Mr Henry Lewis, consisting of wearing apparel, concertina, first class revolver, double barrel gun, &c., &c., &c.
Terms cash (Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 1859, p 7).