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A New Mare Internum

           AmongstthesestreamsIrecognisedourfaithfultravellingcompanion,theHansbach,comingtoloseitslittlevolumequietlyinthemightysea,justasifithaddonenothingelsesincethebeginningoftheworld.

           "Weshallseeitnomore,"Isaid,withasigh.

           "Whatmatters,"repliedthephilosopher,"whetherthisoranotherservestoguideus?"

           Ithoughthimratherungrateful.

           Butatthatmomentmyattentionwasdrawntoanunexpectedsight.Atadistanceoffivehundredpaces,attheturnofahighpromontory,appearedahigh,tufted,denseforest.Itwascomposedoftreesofmoderateheight,formedlikeumbrellas,withexactgeometricaloutlines.Thecurrentsofwindseemedtohavehadnoeffectupontheirshape,andinthemidstofthewindyblaststheystoodunmovedandfirm,justlikeaclumpofpetrifiedcedars.

           Ihastenedforward.Icouldnotgiveanynametothesesingularcreations.Weretheysomeofthetwohundredthousandspeciesofvegetablesknownhitherto,anddidtheyclaimaplaceoftheirowninthelacustrineflora?No;whenwearrivedundertheirshademysurpriseturnedintoadmiration.Therestoodbeforemeproductionsofearth,butofgiganticstature,whichmyuncleimmediatelynamed.

           "Itisonlyaforestofmushrooms,"saidhe.

           Andhewasright.Imaginethelargedevelopmentattainedbytheseplants,whichpreferawarm,moistclimate.IknewthattheLycopodongiganteumattains,accordingtoBulliard,acircumferenceofeightorninefeet;butherewerepalemushrooms,thirtytofortyfeethigh,andcrownedwithacapofequaldiameter.

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Roboto Lora
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