At the Mountains of Madness | Page 9

years ago to Comanchian times
without more than moderate morphological changes and decrease in average size.
Comanchian prints apparently more primitive or decadent, if anything, than older ones.
Emphasize importance of discovery in press. Will mean to biology what Einstein has
meant to mathematics and physics. Joins up with my previous work and amplifies
conclusions. Appears to indicate, as I suspected, that earth has seen whole cycle or cycles
of organic life before known one that begins with Archaeozoic cells. Was evolved and
specialized not later than a thousand million years ago, when planet was young and
recently uninhabitable for any life forms or normal protoplasmic structure. Question
arises when, where, and how development took place."
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"Later. Examining certain skeletal fragments of large land and marine saurians and
primitive mammals, find singular local wounds or injuries to bony structure not
attributable to any known predatory or carnivorous animal of any period, of two sorts -
straight, penetrant bores, and apparently hacking incisions. One or two cases of cleanly
severed bones. Not many specimens affected. Am sending to camp for electric torches.
Will extend search area underground by hacking away stalactites."
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"Still later. Have found peculiar soapstone fragment about six inches across and an inch
and a half thick, wholly unlike any visible local formation - greenish, but no evidences to
place its period. Has curious smoothness and regularity. Shaped like five-pointed star
with tips broken off, and signs of other cleavage at inward angles and in center of surface.
Small, smooth depression in center of unbroken surface. Arouses much curiosity as to
source and weathering. Probably some freak of water action. Carroll, with magnifier,
thinks he can make out additional markings of geologic significance. Groups of tiny dots
in regular patterns. Dogs growing uneasy as we work, and seem to hate this soapstone.
Must see if it has any peculiar odor. Will report again when Mills gets back with light and
we start on underground area."
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"10:15 P.M. Important discovery. Orrendorf and Watkins, working underground at 9:45
with light, found monstrous barrel-shaped fossil of wholly unknown nature; probably
vegetable unless overgrown specimen of unknown marine radiata. Tissue evidently

preserved by mineral salts. Tough as leather, but astonishing flexibility retained in places.
Marks of broken-off parts at ends and around sides. Six feet end to end, three and
five-tenths feet central diameter, tapering to one foot at each end. Like a barrel with five
bulging ridges in place of staves. Lateral breakages, as of thinnish stalks, are at equator in
middle of these ridges. In furrows between ridges are curious growths - combs or wings
that fold up and spread out like fans. All greatly damaged but one, which gives almost
seven-foot wing spread. Arrangement reminds one of certain monsters of primal myth,
especially fabled Elder Things in Necronomicon. These wings seem to be membraneous,
stretched on frame work of glandular tubing. Apparent minute orifices in frame tubing at
wing tips. Ends of body shriveled, giving no clue to interior or to what has been broken
off there. Must dissect when we get back to camp. Can't decide whether vegetable or
animal. Many features obviously of almost incredible primitiveness. Have set all hands
cutting stalactites and looking for further specimens. Additional scarred bones found, but
these must wait. Having trouble with dogs. They can't endure the new specimen, and
would probably tear it to pieces if we didn't keep it at a distance from them."
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"11:30 P.M. Attention, Dyer, Pabodie, Douglas. Matter of highest - I might say
transcendent - importance. Arkham must relay to Kingsport Head Station at once. Strange
barrel growth is the Archaean thing that left prints in rocks. Mills, Boudreau, and Fowler
discover cluster of thirteen more at underground point forty feet from aperture. Mixed
with curiously rounded and configured soapstone fragments smaller than one previously
found - star-shaped, but no marks of breakage except at some of the points. Of organic
spevcimens, eight apparently perfect, with all appendages. Have brought all to surface,
leading off dogs to distance. They cannot stand the things. Give close attention to
description and repeat back for accuracy Papers must get this right.
"Objects are eight feet long all over. Six-foot, five-ridged barrel torso three and
five-tenths feet central diameter, one foot end diameters. Dark gray, flexible, and
infinitely tough. Seven-foot membranous wings of same color, found folded, spread out
of furrows between ridges. Wing framework tubular or glandular, of lighter gray, with
orifices at wing tips. Spread wings have serrated edge. Around equator, one at central
apex of each of the five vertical, stave-like ridges are five systems of light gray flexible
arms or tentacles found tightly folded to torso but expansible to maximum length of over
three feet. Like arms of primitive crinoid. Single stalks three