The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-02-19
A WONDERFUL STORY.
TIE Remarkable Adventure of Crew
ON the south American COast-Narrow
Escape from a Dreadful Fate.

America. le lies behind two mOunba1nS
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
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
cific with cargo of sperm oil and wal
rus skins, when terrible storm struck
his ship, 800 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 thraw 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 doomed
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 OF, 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 a 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 vision of brightness
broke on the bewildersd mariners.
All around them, tremendous heights
arose, breaking into lofty spires. They
were in mighty amphitheater, and the
only outlet was through the chasm they
had entered. Strange to say, the walls
of this sea chamber were of 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 scere. From ten o'clock in
the morning until three in the afternoon
the sun filed the place with its SPLEEN
dor. The water was frightfulIy deep,
but so transparent that the vessel APP
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 full, and
when il 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 few notes in a
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 moon is full. After 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 peculiar color. Suddenly, in
rounding point, they came ON a small
antique vessel in full sail. Their
Amusement was complete. Had they
found a 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
tAe air. Awe-struek and trembling,
Captain King raised his hand to the
pilots face. Il was cold. It was stone.
&c
struck the deck with his heel. It was
like adamant. Then the truth flashed
upon him. The ship was petrified III
deed the calls and the flags were films
of frosted stone. AS the matches were
open, the sailors entered They en-
tered a cavern, a sepulchre, a tomb
The floor, tbs ceiling, the decorations,
the carpets, and the Iaces of the COM
nlander's cabin were also stone. Even
the iron an the brass work was COW
cred with transparent coating of sill
cate. Magnificent looking men, clad
in the garments of the fifteenth centu-
ry, were found in various parts of the
ship.
In an apartment more elegant than
the others, was a yourg woman, and,
although a marble mummy, her beauty
was enough 10 melt the heart of
Socrates. The rough sailors uncovered
their heads and stood in silent alteration
before her. The vessels papers were
found, but could rot be opened.
Enough, however, was discovered to
show that the ship belonged TO one of
the early Spanish fleets. Her name was
"The EId0rado." The crew had come
to the new world in search of gold.
They evidently had entered the bay in
lair weather, for the sails we've set, and
the pilot was at the wheel. An atmCs-
phere of droWsiness had settled upon
them, and by some phenomenon in ma
ture, they had become petlifed while in
their sleep of death.
Captain King and his men entered
their boat and landed on the shore by
the woods. Hers were fresh marvels.
The trses aud shrubs we're also petrifi9d.
Rare and delicate flowers covered the
ground. But no perfume exhaled from
their blossoms. They were like glass
ard porcelain of every color. ana as
beautiful as the gems Of Aladiin's
palace.
As the explorers we're about entering
the stone forest, peculiar feeling sud
AC4AJ CdLuC ofSE tAJLD, anu lOE bu6 uESJ
lime they observed thai a delicate mist
filled the air.
With cry of terror they rushed to
the boats and Powed back 70 the ship.
Two iife-boats were manned, and some
Instruments and provisions hastily
thrown in. All hands then started for
the entrance, determined to force their
way out.
The storm had subsidized two days be-
fore, bnt the sea was still raging near
the rocks. The spray dashed over them
many times, and once they despaired of
their lives, but after long struggle
with the waves they reached the open
sea, nearly exhausted.
1t was many hours before the awful
roar Of the surf faded from their ears.
The effects of the petrifying mist, which
had filed their lungs in the bay, proved
nearly fatal. Each day they grew
brewster, md at last their limbs would
scarcely move. Fortunately they we're
able t } reach the track of the whaling
vessels, where they we're soon picked
up.
During the voyage, and long after
reaching New Bedford. the unfortunate
sailors could not walF, and until last