Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Thereisasharpslopewheretheshaftbegins,andgreatboulders,rolledalongbymanywillinghands,werethrustdownituntiltheGapwasabsolutelysealed.Soendstheepisodewhichhascausedsuchexcitementthroughoutthecountry.Localopinionisfiercelydivideduponthesubject.OntheonehandarethosewhopointtoDr.Hardcastle’simpairedhealth,andtothepossibilityofcerebrallesionsoftubercularorigingivingrisetostrangehallucinations.Someideefixe,accordingtothesegentlemen,causedthedoctortowanderdownthetunnel,andafallamongtherockswassufficienttoaccountforhisinjuries.Ontheotherhand,alegendofastrangecreatureintheGaphasexistedforsomemonthsback,andthefarmerslookuponDr.Hardcastle’snarrativeandhispersonalinjuriesasafinalcorroboration.Sothematterstands,andsothematterwillcontinuetostand,fornodefinitesolutionseemstoustobenowpossible.Ittranscendshumanwittogiveanyscientificexplanationwhichcouldcovertheallegedfacts."
PerhapsbeforetheCourierpublishedthesewordstheywouldhavebeenwisetosendtheirrepresentativetome.Ihavethoughtthematterout,asnooneelsehasoccasiontodo,anditispossiblethatImighthaveremovedsomeofthemoreobviousdifficultiesofthenarrativeandbroughtitonedegreenearertoscientificacceptance.LetmethenwritedowntheonlyexplanationwhichseemstometoelucidatewhatIknowtomycosttohavebeenaseriesoffacts.Mytheorymayseemtobewildlyimprobable,butatleastnoonecanventuretosaythatitisimpossible.
