The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-02-19
A WONDERFUL STORY.


America. It lies behind two mountains |
where the sea dashes its tremendous |
columns against the rocks. Few sailors |
would dream of approaching such q |
dangerous locality. In fact, it has al |
WAYS been considered absolutely mac |
cessible either by land or sea until the |
late adventures of Capt. King, whO was |
formerly of Norwalk. Connecticut.
He was returning from the North Pa
cifc with a cargo of sperm oil and wal
rus skins, when terrible storm struck
his ship. 1, 500 miles west OF the Straits
of Magellan. For three days and nights
the sea was dashed in foam. The wind
in its madness swept away the masts
and canvass, and drove the ship help
less before it. In their wild despera-
ton the crew threw overheard five hun
dred casks of oil, which lightened the
vessel and soothed the waters. This
probably kept them from going to the
bottom On the morning of the fifth
day line OF precipitous rocks loOmed
up directly before them, and destruc-
ton seemed inevitable. The CHASTITY
v hiteness of the foam, the roar OF the
sea, and the appalling spectacle at the
foot of the rocks, utterly paralyzed the
crew. Swiftly and unerringly she ship
sped on, but at the moment of supreme
despair an opening appeared IN the
cliff Into the mouth of this hungry
CANYON the wreck was driven with the
| speed of the wind. For few minutes
nothing could be seen but darkness,
and nothing heard but the thunder of
the sea. Suddenly the hulk shot into
| quiet waters, and a vision of brightness
| broke on the bswildered mariners.
All around them, tremendous heights
| int, TOfA
were in a mighty amphitheater, and the
only outlet was through the chasm they
| had entered. Strange to say, the walls
| of this sea chamber were of a creamy
white, and the pinnacles were like ala
| baster. They were so high that the
sky seemed to rest on them like dome
of pearl. Capt. King says that no
mortal man could describe the grandeur
of that scene. From ten o'clock in
the morning until three in the afternoon
the sun filed the place with its splen-
dor. The water was frightfully deep.
but so transparent that the vessel APP
peared to be floating in mid-air. Far
down in the depths were curious fOrma-
tions, and shadowy columns of coral,
and trees, with all kinds of strange
fishes playing among their branches.
The moon happened to be full, and
when it reached the tops of the cliffs so
as to illumine the water, hundreds of
these fishes came to the surface, and
some of them sang q few notes in q
minor key. This may seem fabulous,
but there are standard works on pisci-
culture in the Aston Library that cite
the best authorities on this subject, and
they affirm that fishes do sing in the
tropics. The old Greek and Roman
historians give minute accounts of eZ-
periments with different kinds Of fishes,
and they not only prove that they sing,
but that they whistle on nights when
the moon is full. After a few days of
rest, Capt. King and crew took a small
boat and set out to explore the farther
shore of this enchanting bay.
After rowing rapidly for an hour, they
came to place where the walls receded,
leaving a strip of land covered with
trees of a peculiar color. Suddenly, in
rounding q point, they came on a small
antique vessel in full sail. Their
amszement was complete. Had they
found city, their surprise could not
have been greater.
} Approaching, they sang out. Pro
} lOnged and fantastic echoes were the
} only reply. Then they boarded her.
GhOstly looking sailors were seen, but
: they neither moved nor spoke. The
man at the helm looked vacantly into
the air. Awe-struck and trembling,
Captain King raised his hand TO the
pilots face. It was cold. Tt was stone
/ His garments were stone. The captain
, struck the deck with his heel. 1t was
, like adamant. Then the truth flashed
upon him. The ship was petrihed in
deed the sails and the flags were films
of frosted stone. AS the matches were
tered cavern, q sepUIchre, q tomb
The floor, the ceiling, the decorations
: the carpets, and the Iaces of the com
mander'G cabin were also stone Ever
the iron ana the brass work was GOV
cred with transparent coating of sill
, cate. Magnificent looking men, claC
/ in the garments of the fifteenth centu
r ry, were found in various parts of the
, ship.
In an apartment more elegant thar
the others, was a young woman, and,
! although a marble mummy, her beauty
was enough to melt the heart O.
Socrates. The rough sailors uncovered
their heads and stood in silent Alteration
/ before her. The vessels papers were
: found, but could rot be opened
t Enough, however, was discovered Il
show that the ship belonged to one O.
the early DDdnlSn ub6BSs hSr name wal
{ ''The Eldorado." The crew had come
9 to the new world in search of gold
q They evidently had entered the bay il
g fair weather, for the sails were set, an(
/. the pilot was at the wheel. An atmos
y phere of drowsiness had settled upol
I them, and by some phenomenon in ma
ture, they had become petrifed while il
their sleep of death.
Captain King and his men re-enteret
their boat and landed on the shore b,
the woods. Here were fresh marvels
= The trees and shrubs were also petrifed
= Rare and delicate flowers covered tn
ground. But no perfume exhaled fror
: their blossoms. They were like glas
u ard porcelain of every color, and a
e beautiful as the gems of Aladdin
l. palace.
e AS the explorers were about enterin
e the stone forest, a peculiar feeling SUD
denly came over them, and for the frs
q time they observed that delicate mis-
e filed the air.
, With a cry of terror they rushed
t the boats and rowed back 10 the SHY
e Two life boats were manned, and som
Instruments and provisions hastil
e thrown in. All hands then started 70