The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-02-18
A 0 R
The Remarkable adventure Of n Crew
on the south American Marrow
kscuue from n Dreadful Fate,


The Remarkable Adventure Of n Crew
on the south American COast-Snrrow
Escape from n Dreadful Fate.
Oae Of the most singular spots in all
geography is n rock.bound bay recently
discovered on the western coast Of South
America. II lies behind two mountains
where the sea dashes its tremendous
columns against the rocks. Few sailors
would dream of approaching such a
dangerous locality. In fact, it has al
ways been considered absolutely mac
eessiblc either byland or sea until the
late adventures Of Capt. King, who was
formerly Of Norwalk, Connecticut.
He was returning from the North Pa
ciic with a cargo OF sperm oil aud wal
rus skins, when q terrible storm struck
his ship, 1900 miles west Of the Straits
Of Magellan. For three days and nights
the sea was lashed in FOAM. The wiod
in its madness swept away3the masts
and canvass, and drove the ship help
less before II. In their wild despera.
ton the crew threw overheard five hun.
bred casks Of oil, which lightened the
vessel and soothed tho waters. This
probably kept them from going to the
bottom. On the morning OF the fifth
day a line OF precipitous rocks loomed
mp directly before them, and destruc'
ton seemed inevitable. The CHASTITY
Wilderness OF the foam, the roar OF the
sea, aud the appalling SPECTACLE at the
foot Of the rocks, utterly psralyzed the
crew. Swiftly and %unerrlngly she ship
sped on, but at the moment OF supreme
despair an opening appeared in the
oliff. Into the mouth Of this hungry
canyon the wreck was driSen with the
speed OF the wind. For q 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 bawildered mariners.
All around them, tremendous heights
arose, breaking into lofty spires. They
were in a mighty amphitheater, and the
only outlet was through the chasm'tho 70
had entered. Strange to say, the walls
Of this sea chamber were of a creamy
white, and the pinnacles were like ala.
buster. They were SO high that the
sky seemed to rest on them like a dome
of pearl. Capt. King says that no
mortal man could describe the grandeur
of that scepe. 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 mp
peared to be floating in mid.air. Far
down in the depths were curious forma-
tons, and shadowy columns OF coral,
and trees, with all kinds of strange
fishes playing among their branches.
The moon happened to be fullrand
when it reached tho tops Of the cliffs 80
az to illumine tho water, hundreds Of
these fishes came TO the surface, and
some of them sang a few notes ina
minor key. This, may seem fabulous,
but there are standard works on pisci-
culture in the Astor 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 ex-
periments with different kinds of fishes,
ard they not only prove that they sing,
but that they whistle on nights when
The moo 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 on hour, they
came to a place where the walls receded,
leaving II strip of land covered with
trees of q peculiar color. Suddenly, in
rounding n point, they came on a small
antique vessel in full sail. Their
amazement was complete. Had they
found Il 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 alr. Awe-struck and trembling,
Captain King raised his hand to the
face. 1t was cold. 1t 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 petrifed; in
deed the sails and tho flags were films
Of frosted stone. AS the matches were
open, the, sailors entered. They en-
tered a cavern, al 6epulchre. a tomb |
The floor, the ceiling, the decorations,
the carpets, and the laces of the com
mandcr's cabin were also stone. Even
the iron an the brass work was GOV.
cred with a transparent coating of sill
cate. Magnificent looking men, clad
in the garments of the fifteenth centu-
s sSip were '0"n" III various p'''' OF inc
In an apartment more elegant than
the others, was n young woman, and,
although a marble mummy, her beauty
was enough to melt athe heart of
Socrates. The rough sailors uncovered
their heads and stood in silent alteration
before her. The vessels papers we're
but could rot be opened.
Enough, however, was discovered to
show that the ship belonged to n of
the early Spanish fleets. Her name was
"The Eldorado." The crew had come
to the new world in search of gold.
They evidently had entered the bay in
fair weather, for the sails were set. and
the pilot was at the wheel. An atmos-
phere of drowsiness had settled upon
them, and by some phenomenon in ma
ture, they had become petrifed while in
their sleep of death.
Captain King and his men re.entered
their boat and landed ON the shore by
the woods. Here were fresh marvels.
The trees and shrubs were also petritied.