Dennis Wheatley - They Found Atlantis

'Say you were faced with the task of selecting sixteen signs to represent the sixteen principal sounds—for that was the number in the Maya alphabet—the variety of combinations of lines and curves which you might use to denote each are almost inexhaustible. If a hundred men sat down to the job separately it is hardly conceivable that two of them would select the same sign for the same letter. Yet I can prove to you that thirteen signs out of sixteen in the two original phonetic alphabets have a distinct similarity of form.'

The Count took up a pencil and drew rapidly on the paper . 'That is the hieroglyphic for H as given

before him

by De Landa in his Maya alphabet. Simplify it a little as people would do in the course of time if they were in a

hurry and you get

which is the hieroglyphic represent-

, an even

ing the sound CH in the Egyptian or this

nearer form, which appears for H, in the archaic Greek and Hebrew. From that it is but a step to our modern symbol

for the same sound. 'Take the Maya C which was drawn like this

What is the essential characteristic of it which would come to be employed alone in course of time? Obviously the large

single lower tooth

. Well, that is the form in which the

letter C was found by Dr. Schliemann in the inscriptions which he unearthed from the ruins of Troy. The archaic

curved its point so that we use it thus

. Later whei

Greeks shortened one limb and wrote it

the Greeks changed their manner of writing from right to left to our modern method of left to right they turned

round all such signs as were reversible and altered it to

The Romans made it

then time and swifter writing

'Now N which is an even clearer case. That sound in Maya

was drawn

. In early Phoenician we find it

versed their writing it became

and later

. The Greeks wrote it

and when they re

as we use it today.

'The Maya O bears little resemblance to our own at

first sight

, but what is the essential characteristic about

it? Surely the circle within a circle at the bottom,

. Then people began

the inner circle became a mere dot

to say, "Why bother about dotting your O's!"

'One more example which we will approach from a slightly different angle. What, to your mind, does this

represent?

The McKay leaned over. 'A foot or footprint 1 should say.'

whjch was the Phoenician form for that same sound. Later

'Precisely, and the Maya word for footprint or path is pronounced "Be." Now see their hieroglyphic for the letter B. This time we have secured the essential characteristic by working from the opposite direction. It is the foot sign with the toes separated from it as a series of dots. Now behold the Egyptian hieroglyphic for the letter B—It is viewed from a different angle—but again we have a foot.'

The Count leaned back and smiled. 'I could give you many more instances of a similar nature, but I feel that these are enough to prove my point."

'You mean that it would be quite impossible for these two alphabets to have so many things in common and yet to have originated among two completely separate peoples.*

'Exactly. It is utterly inconceivable that these, the only two systems in the world of conveying vocal sounds by written signs, did not spring from the same original source.'

'Well, I'll grant you that.' The McKay's lined face broke into a broad grin. 'But what's all this got to do with Atlantis?'

'Good God I My dear Captain. Think for a moment. If the two had a common origin where was it? Although both sets of hieroglyphics embody ideas which are common to both alphabets, no archaeologists in their diggings from Iceland to Cape Town or the jungles of Assam to the barren rocks of Patagonia have ever discovered the common root from which both must have sprung. Yet it must have taken thousands of years' thought and experiment among a highly civilised people to build up this unique system of vocal signs. Where did they live? Why have we found no single trace of their efforts to perfect this staggering invention when we can find cave drawings which must be of a far earlier date in every continent. They were the people of Atlantis of course, and when their whole country was submerged in some terrible cataclysm all the evidence of their gradual development to this high state of culture perished with them. That is the only possible explanation.'

'It's a very forcible argument,' the McKay admitted, 'but-'

His objection was cut short by Sally who arrived at that 28

m

j

moment with Prince Vladimir behind her, Nicky having now secured Camilla from him.

'Nelson Andy McKay, come and dance with me,' she cried gaily.

'I'm too old for dancing,' he protested, 'you ought to know that by now.'

'You're not too old to dance with me,' she laughed. 'We got on famously the other night. Come along—Admiral's orders.'

'Drat the girl!' he exclaimed pushing back his chair and standing up with mock reluctance. His plea of advancing age was a well-worn pose. Actually he loved dancing and, given a good partner, could put up a very passable performance. With an old-fashioned little bow he offered Sally his arm as he said: 'Well, the results to your feet must be upon your own head, m'dear,' and they passed into the dance-room.

When they returned to the terrace Camilla and Nicky came out with them, and they found that Slinger and Doktor Tisch had joined the Roumanian and Count Axel at the table so the whole party was assembled again.

Camilla now devoted her attention to the Count and, as the other two had basked equally in her favours, the latent jealousy which was ever liable to flame into bitter anger between the three was temporarily at rest. Sally and the McKay had laughed a lot during their two long dances together and the bald-headed Slinger, urbane as ever, was superintending the icing of two fresh magnums of champagne. Camilla's party was undoubtedly proving a great success. Only the little German Doctor remained silent and depressed.

During his stroll with Siinger he had pressed for particulars of the dark business which was to be carried out on the trip, but Slinger had put him off with vague generalities and finally, the abrupt admonition that, once the job was done, he could go ahead with his scientific stuff—all expenses paid for as long as he liked, but if he wanted that, he'd best stay in his cabin and forget that Camilla and her friends even existed once they reached the Azores.

It was eleven years since Doktor Tisch had dug up and deciphered that little cylinder of baked clay at Eridu on the Euphrates which, by bearings on fixed stars, gave the actual position of the great city that had once been the capital of the lost continent. With all the fanaticism of a scientist who lives for his work alone he had slaved ever since on the compilation of vast folios which would prove to an unbelieving world that Atlantis had actually existed in order that he might persuade some millionaire to finance an expedition for its rediscovery. After three years' search he had found Klemo Farquason. All preparations had been completed and then, a month ago, when he was waiting for Farquason to join him in Paris he had received a cable reporting the financier's collapse.

His long-cherished hopes completely shattered by this blow he had poured out his woes to an old friend, who had suggested that the millionaire Duchess might be persuaded to take Farquason's place, and provided him an introduction to her satellite, Slinger. The shrewd confidential secretary had seen, in this projected expedition, just the opportunity he had been seeking for the carrying out of a plan which he had conceived in concert with a certain very powerful person in New York. Long cables had been exchanged in private code. New York approved. Slinger and the Doctor had met again, and the latter, in abject despair at the wrecking of his life work for the mere lack of money had been tempted into agreeing to bring his ship down to Madeira, to which the Duchess was proceeding, and where Slinger promised to persuade her to undertake the enterprise provided that the Doctor was prepared to close his eyes to anything unusual which might happen once she was on board.