The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-02-20
2Hiscellaneous.
Il Startling Discovery in South
america.

| n StUfJCtHV DtSCOCeFU az SCUM
america.
Correspondence of the Danbury News.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, Jan. 10, 1875.
One of the most singular spots in all geogra
ply is rock bound bay recently discovered
on the western coast of South America IL lies
behind two mountains where the sea dashes It's
tremendous columns against the rocks. Few
sailors would dream OF approaching such dan
gerous locality. In fact, it has always been
considered absolutely inaccessible either by
land or sea until the late adventures OF Capt.
King, who was formerly of Norwalk, Conn.
He was returning from the North Pacific
with cargo of sperm oil and walrus skins
when a terrible storm struck his ship, 900
miles north hwest of the Straits OF Magellan. Fol-
three days and nights the sea was lashed IL
foam. The wind in its madness swept away
the masts and canvas, and drove the ship help
less before il. In their wild desperation the
| crew threw overheard FIVE hundred 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
| a line of preciptous rocks loomed up directly
| before them, and destruction seemed inevitable
The CHASTITY whiteness of the foam, the roar oi
the sea. and the appalling spectacle at the foot
of the rocks, utterly paralyzed the crew.
Swiftly and unerringly the ship sped on. but
at the moment of supreme despair ar opening
appeared in the cliffs. Into the mouth of this
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 vision of bright
ness broke on the bewildered mariners.
All around them, tremendous heights arose,
breaking into lofty spires. They were in a
| mighty amphitheatre, 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 al
abaster. They were so high that the sky SEEM
ed 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 filled the place with its splendor. The wa
ter was frightfully deep, but so transparent
that the vessel appeared to be floating in mid
air. Far down in the depths were curious
| formations, 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 1t
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
minor key. This may seem fabulous, but
there are standard works on pisciculture 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 his
torians give minute accounts of experiments
ly 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 small
boat and set out to explore the farther shore o.
this enchanting bay.
After rowing rapidly for an hour they came
to place where the walls receded, leaving a
strip of land covered with tress of peculiar
color. Suddenly, in rounding point, they
came on a small, antique vessel in full SAIL
Their amazement was complete. Had they
found city their surprise could not have beer
greater
Approaching, they sang out. Prolonged 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, Capt. KING
raised his hand to the pilots face. 1t was cold
1t was stone. His garments were stone. The
| CAPTAIN struck the deck with his heel. 1t wa:
like adamant Then the truth flashed upor
him. The ship was petrifed; indeed the sails
and the flags were films of frosted stone. A!
the matches were open, the sailors entered
They entered cavern, a sepulchre, a tomb
The floor, the ceiling, the decorations, the car
pets, and the laces Of the commanders cabr
were also stone. Even the iron and brass worl
was covered with transparent coating OF Sill
cate Magnificent looking men, clad in the
garments of the fifteenth century, were found
| in various parts of the ship.
In an apartment more elegant than thu
others, was q young woman, and although
marble mummy, her beauty was enough t.
melt the heart Of Socrates The rough sailors
, uncovered their heads and stood in silent ador
alton before her. The vessels papers wer'
found, but could not be opened. Enough, how
ever was discovered to show that the ship be
longed to one of the early Spanish fleets. He
name was "The Eldorado." The crew hat
come to the new world in search of gold. The,
| w had hp weather
for the sails were set, and the pilot was at tn
wheel. An atmosphere of drowsiness had set
tied on them and by some phenomenon in ma
ture, they had become petrifed while in thell
sleep of death.
Capt. King and his men re entered thei
boat and landed on the shore by the woods
Here were fresh marvels. The trees and shrubs
were also petrifed. Rare and delicate flower!
covered the ground. But no perfume exhaleC
from their blossoms, They were like glass ant
porcelain of every color, and as beautiful as tn
gems of Aladdins palace.
As the explorers were about entering tn
stone forest, peculiar feeling suddenly cam
over them, and for the first time they observes
that delicate mist filled the air.
With cry of terror they rushed to the boat
and rowed back to the ship. Two life boat
were manned, and some instruments and pro
visions hastily thrown in. All hands the
started for the entrance, determined to lore
their way out.
The storm had subsided two days before, bu
the sea was still raging near the rocks. III
spray dashed over them many times, and ono
they despaired of their lives, but after lont
struggle with the waves they reached the ope
O sea, nearly exhausted.
1t was many hours before the awful roar {
the surf faded from their ears. The effects
!, the petriiying mist which had filled their lung
in the bay proved nearly fatal. Each day the
grew brewster, and at last their limbs woul
scarcely move. Fortunately they were able t
reach the track of the whaling vessels, wher
they were soon picked up.
> During the voyage, and long after reachln
New Bedford, the unfortunate sailors could n'
walk, and until last month they complaine
of stiffness in their joints
1t is probable that their narrative woul
never have been believed, had not Capt. Kin
i. wisely brought away one Of the lady's arm
and the ships papers.
If any doubt existed on beholding the forme
the recent experiments of Professor Haddox,
:. New Haven, have convinced the most skept
cal of the truth of the Captains story.
s Two months ago the Professor began seri'
of experiments, and after many discouragin
failures, he finally discovered process
which petrifactons could be reduced to liqui'
Then he immersed the ships papers in chen
icsl solution, and marvellous to relate, the ston
coating was dissolved in a single night. III
next day the documents were copied and tran
lated by Spanish expert.
= Space alone prevents transcript OF the lo
u from appearing in these columns; but the cur
' Gus will be pleased to learn that the name
/ the unfortunate commander was Don Ferd
nand Gonzales, and that the lady, who was
j. betrothed, bore the name of Isabella Maria
Garcia They were bound for the coast OF Per
when they entered the fatal bay for fresh waite
AS soon as Capt. King heard of Prof Hat
dox's success with his experiments, it eccurre
to him that the liquid might benent MS me %
have found new life, while the Captain say
that be has recovered all the buoyancy OF b
J. youth