Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-25

had cleared it SO that there would be nj
difficulty in putting to sea when the breeze
that was to carry US sprang up, for the calm
still continued
'Where are wei" asked Ned
"Can't say, sir" answered Capt. Jack
''teetotally lost my reckonin' in that there
storm an can't make no observation by the
moon. We're off some big island or other
judgin' from them mountains, but what, is
more'n / can tell"
"Were we in the neighborhood of any land
when you last took your reckoningr asked
Nearest place was the coast of Portugal
an we can't be there, COS that was to the
BASTARD of us an we've been druv wes' mos.
o. the time"
s'What was the nearest land to the west OF
our position theng' queried Ned
ss1'he Azores was wes'-sow-wes',n said Capt
Jack, sam if we're there, which l bet my
bottom dollar we amt, then we've done
about the fastest bit of travelin' / ever heard
tell Of The seven league boots was a infant
to it,"
"Well, suppose we row ashore and find
OUT said Ned.
"It'll be tough pull through all that there
sea weed" said the captain, "but if you want
10 go LII Try H. iuuSo say l IL q VIZ Sol 1Ooa
about it myself"
Shortly after we were laboriously working
passage through the mass of sea weed lying
upon the water and after half an hour of
hard work succeeded in reaching rocky
point that jutted into the water.
Leaving the men in charge of the boat
Ned, Capt Jack and I proceeded upon our
trip of exploration, fully expecting to come
upon some fisherman's hut at every step, but
the place was deserted
Not living thing appeared besides our
selves, either human or of the brute creation.
The island, or whatever it was, appeared
to be Of rocky formation. and it was COW
cred in all directions with a thick carpet OF
tangled sea weed, but we saw no vegetation
of any kind.
Huge pools Of water impeded our progress,
and the land ITSELF where it was not OF bed
rock, seemed to be one mass Of oozy mud.
Here and there we observed dead fish upon
the ground, and live ones swimming in the
larger pools Of water.
We walked some distance along the shore
without observing anything worthy of note.
Just before us rose cliff, shutting out the
curve of the coast from our view.
hoping to find some clew to our whereabouts
upon the other side.
Not far from the cliff we discovered stone
pier, solidly built, with large iron or bronze
rings for mooring vessels to, but no sign of a
ship or man. Rounding the point which i'm
peded our view, we were struck dumb with
establishment at the sight which met our eyes.
Some five hundred yards above us, on q
gently rising slope, lay the ruins of an
ancient city, bathed in moonlight and backed
by the dark slopes Of rugged mountain,
range.
Here again we saw the inexplicahle masses
of sea weed, not only upon the ground, but
everywhere, even upon the ruins themselves,
hanging in festoons from pillar to pillar,
forming in places roof instead of the one
which had long since gone to decay, or max
ing curtains for doorways through which NO
human foot had passed for centuries.
The scene was weird to the extreme; drops
of moisture upon the sea weed reflected the
moonlight here and there, giving the ruins
the effect of being illuminated by millions of
fairy lamps. 1t was grand, it was sublime, it
was beyond description.
When the sight first met our eyes we stood
awestruck.
"Do You know the placer asked Ned of the
captain.
II never see it before, was the response;
and without further questioning we proceeded
to approach the majestic city of the dead
Ned was badly frightened on the way by a
large porpoise, lying partly submerged in q
shallow pool, that jumped and tapped about
as he was passing, thereby treating him to q
l. 40 ell. hofh
We tried to think of some reason why this
huge fish was SO far from its native element
and in position which it was clearly unable
to reach by itself, but gave up the problem
and pushed on through mud and slime to the
mysterious city. The way seemed very long
until by good fortune we came upon a broad
road, leading to the very gate, which was
comparatively clear.
The architecture, to my inexperienced eye
at least, seemed to be Egyptian. A high and
massive wall, fully twenty feet thick, sur
rounded the city, and the gate before us was
cut through it.
Over the gate was statue, and we hazarded
guess that it was intended for Neptune, but
it was almost impossible to tell with any de
gree of certainty, since the sea weed so COW
cred it, like everything else, that not more
than half the figure was visible.
Upon the arch of the gate was rude cary
ing, in relief, which undoubtedly represented
tho sun, and on either side were five stars
Some odd looking ships or galleys, with
queerly shaped sails, completed the design
which was executed with no mean skill.
Entering, we saw row on row of pillars
and walls in various states Of preservation
with seaweed dangling from them in every
conceivable way. Walking along, we came
to large open space of an oval shape, paved
carefully throughout, as we observed by
scraping away the mud and debris that Gov
cred it.
At one end were the remains of q huge
stand, overlooking the entire space, which
led MS to believe it might have once formed a
race course 1t could not have been ar
arena, since there was nothing to keep wild
beasts from leaping among the spectators OF
running into the city itself.
We wandered about among the ruins
searching for traces of the past, and, were il
not for the thick cloak Of seaweed covering
everything, we would doubtless have sue.
ceeded in unearthing many interesting OBJ
iects; but as it was, our search was fruitless
nothing was to be seen but that endless
monotony of ruins with its glittering drap-
| cries, coiling and clinging about the stones
like serpentS Once we saw something move
between two fallen pillars, but on approach
ing it was only too glad to retreat again, for
we discovered a hideous devilfsh, or octo.
pus, in hiding there. and / narrowly escaped
the embrace of one of his long arms
Tired with our exertions and covered from
head to foot with slime, we sat down to rest
in circle of pillars more massively con-
structed than the rest. While there Ned be
gan kicking protuberant bit of mud until
he wore away part of it and exposed some
thing white to view. With considerable ex.