DHAKA: The earth, where we live, is abounded with thousands of strange, unbelievable, terrific and romantic events.
Indeed, a romantic and thrilling incident attacks us as soon as we hear the word ‘danger or fear’. In our society, someone fears of ghosts, someone fears of snakes, reptiles like crocodiles or wild animals like tiger, lion, hyenas or even merely dogs.
But, have you ever heard the name of a terrific (fearful) and life-seizing cave? Yes. It is a ‘Man-Eating Cave’. Though it is incredible, its existence is noticed in the world. It used to kill the victims-man or any living being within a few seconds by making it bloody.
Now, let us see what matter lies behind it: According to the Greek geologist called Strabo, there was an ancient city in Greece. It was called Apollo, the Temple of God. Its name was ‘Mysterious Temple’ in that era. Just beside the Temple there was a cave. It had very splendid characteristics. It was so terrific that if any living animal or man would enter into the cave, they could not return to their past place alive but the priests only.
Though they could come out taking their life only from the cave, their faces swelled up (bulged up) dangerously with bloody wounds. The secrets of the priests’ return from the cave were not disclosed for many ages.
It was believed that the priests had some supernatural qualities to fight the mysterious power. They also believed that there lies another powerful world behind the cave where the devil spirits (souls) ruled over the said estate. Whenever any living being stepped into it, the devil spirits attacked him and killed him within a short time.
Strabo, a Greek, passed this opinion about two thousand years ago. But the modern world does not have any belief in ‘ghosts’ or ‘spirits’. So, a question arises: Who killed the men or animals in the cave? Wasn’t it a man-eating cave? Giving the reference of Strabo, an American, the professor of New York College named Sheldon, declared new information about the mystery of the cave.
He passed his opinion that naturally a huge quantity of carbondioxide gas was evolved in the cave.
Indeed, no living creature can inhale this gas. In case of inhaling (breathing) it, there makes a huge outer pressure of the air on the body of the victims. As a result of this, blood comes out from the weaken organs of the body like ear, nose, eyes and mouth.
To tell the truth that oxygen is the only gas which we can inhale. But, why didn’t priests die in the cave? Sheldon placed an argument that the priests understood that it was possible for them to enter the cave for a little time only by stopping their breath. Though they stayed inside the cave for a certain period controlling their breath, their full face swelled up and became bloody.
Do you know where this mysterious ancient city is at present? It is in Pajukkal, the western zone of Turkey near a temple called Apollo Temple. After expedition and many Man-Eating Cave experimental steps, the scientist unveiled (opened) the secrets of the said facts.
They came to know that a number of fountains are connected with the cave. The walls of these fountains are naturally made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). This compound always keeps the cave acidic form even now.
By mixing acid and Calcium Carbonate, a strong chemical reaction took place during then. This reaction evolved a huge carbondioxide gas (CO2). This CO2 oozed out through the numerous fissures (long deep crack in the rock or earth) and covered the whole cave. Indeed, carbondioxide is a life-seizing gas. It is neither combustible (to make fire) nor support to the combustion.
Some years ago, a heart breaking tragedy happened in the cave. A team of Australian inquisitive (who wants to know the unknown very eagerly) students entered into the cave at a time. But alas! None of them could come back from the jaws of death. After this tragic incident, the Turkish government sealed up the mouth of the cave with very strong iron-sheets for ever so that none can enter the cave again to lose their lives for eternal rest.
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The writer Md. Monirul Islam, BSc; MA (Eng) and BEd, is an Assistant Headmaster & Former Acting Headmaster, Khulna Bidyut Kendra Secondary School, PDB, Goalpara, Khulna; Former Assistant Headmaster, Ghorasal PDB High School, Polash, Norshindi and Head Examiner in English, BISE Jessore.
BDST: 2140 HRS, JAN 24, 2016
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** Atlantis the Lost City
