La teoria della terra cava...
Quando si parla di viaggio al centro della terra non possono non venire in mente la Divina Commedia di Dante ed il forse altrettanto famoso libro di Verne.
Eppure pochi sanno che la letteratura sui viaggi nel sottosuolo è sterminata e molti meno che Verne non si è inventato quasi nulla di sua fantasia ma ha attinto piuttosto a tutto un mondo di teorie circolanti nel mondo scientifico dell'epoca legate alla fantastica ed esoterica teoria della terra cava.
Chissà per esempio cosa troverà Niels Klim's il protagonista di un viaggio nel sottosuolo scritto nel 1741 una volta entrato nella grotta di Bergen...
Le sorprese non mancano e di sicuro c'è solo che ieri come oggi bisogna stare molto attenti a dove si fissa la propria corda mentre si scende in un pozzo profondo....
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Niels Klim's - Journey Under the ground. 1741 Ludwig Holberg THE AUTHOR'S DESCENT TO THE ABYSS. "In the year 1664, after graduating at the Academy of Copenhagen, in Theology and Philosophy, I prepared to return to my father-land, and took passage in a ship bound for the city of Bergen, in Norway. I had been furnished with brilliant testimonials from both faculties, and wanted only money; a fate common to Norwegian students, who generally return home with empty purses from the Temple of the Muses. We had a good wind, and in three days arrived at my native town, Bergen. I occupied myself now, in expanding my knowledge of natural philosophy, and for practice, geologically examined the neighboring mountains. On the top of the most interesting of these mountains, (interesting I mean to a student,) was a remarkable cave, which the inhabitants of the town called Florien. From its mouth, a mild and not unpleasant air issues at certain periods, as though the cave inhaled the breeze and gently sighed it forth again. The learned in Bergen, especially the celebrated Abelin and Edward, had longed to examine it; but these latter, from their great age, being unable to perform so arduous a feat, used every occasion to induce the young and adventurous to attempt the exploration. Instigated, I say, not less by the encouragement of these great men than by my own inclination, I determined to descend into the cave. The longer I thought of the matter, the firmer I became. I prepared every thing needful for the expedition, and on a Thursday, at the morning twilight, departed from the city. I started thus early, because I desired to finish my labors before dark, and make a report the same evening. How little did I then dream that like another Phaeton, I should be driven headlong through the air and precipitated to another globe, there to ramble for the space of ten years, before I should see my friends and native land again. The expedition took place in the year 1665. Accompanied by four men to carry the necessary implements, and assist in letting me down, I ascended the mountain. v Arrived at the top, near the fatal cave, we sat down to breakfast. Now, for the first time, my heart began to faint, -as though it foreboded my coming misfortune; but, in a moment, my half extinguished courage blazed again. I fixed a rope around my body, stood on the edge of the cave, and commended my soul to God. Ordering the men to veer the rope steadily, and to hold when I cried out, I took a boat-hook in my right hand, and glided into the abyss. Aided by the pole, I was enabled to keep clear of the jutting points of rock that would have impeded my progress, as well as have wounded me. I was somewhat anxious about the rope, for it rubbed hard against the rocks at the top; and, in fact, I had scarcely descended twenty to thirty feet, when it gave way, and I tumbled with strange quickness down the abyss, armed like Pluto, with a boat-hook, however, in place of a sceptre. Enveloped by thick darkness, I had been falling about a quarter of an hour, when I observed a faint light...
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