Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-21

THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH.

capitals:
THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH.
DISCOVERY OF AN IMMENSE sUBTERRASEAs CAVERN
IN SAN DIEGO.
"a prehistoric race found entombed I'm corf1ns
chiseled out OF solid stone. cave OF CRYSTALS un-
der the bed OF the bay"
The description that follows be0oars descrfp-
tlon- AS wen try TO describe the late lamented
douole-headed political convention (of AFRICAN
descent1 held In the unfortunate city OF Wash
M az 10 convey at secondhand even feeble
iSnctioh vi tnat marvellous pen picture. IL pOr-
trayed magnificent constellation OF subterranean
wonders which, an eminent naturalist had recently
no On 1h IeGey under the biggest real estate
ooOl on the Pacifc slope. The mind of the reader
can scarcely grasp che splendors OF theeEormous
cave Win It's stalactits and stalagmites crystal
saieiies anu celllngS Cords upon cords OF Sculp-
tuTed stone collins and tombs. hieroglyphs and
spIeed Lnummies galore. The washington natu-
Ialst made bis explorations stealthily and when
ne came out raked DIRT the hole he went in at
IN order 10 keep the location OF the cave profound
sSeLet Until measures can be taken 10 protect the
place from vandais- And the JOKE Of IL is all this
purports TO be told to the reporter in interview,
ana the name OF the scientist is given.
IL Is zoo bad to spoil good story, but the sequel
appeared In cold type, with names and dates
altached, the scientist had the refined cruelty TO
Nrlte letter for publication in rival journal OF
mat California town. In speaking OF those mar
Vicious wonders discovered sin the bowels OF the
.'The wonders he 1.-THE reporterl describes surpass
oeleI. lie IS altogether TOO generous TO me, and
"lcAedly unjust TO himself In connecting my name
Win MS wonderful ind, for the glory belongs
exclusively to himself; and he deserves ii, for ne
mas demonstrated what remarkable results follow
Ssse iI reporter when ne 9ngentH
nave withheld the publication until the 1st day OF
APRIL when he could have added TO the other won
menagereS"
In South America while hunting on the
EssequioO River, met a native who had with his
OWN eyes seen real, misunderstanding, sure
enough mermaid. He said IL was well known TO
all the fishermen In those parts that these anil
mails live In the ESsequibO, for several persons be-
sides himself had seen them. In that latitude,
however, the great Barnumi9n is known as
.Water-hasS:" And this was the lone fsherman's
account OF MS meeting with the aquatic maiden,
or madam whichever it really was.
Il wuz all alone by myself, sieepin' in my boat,
which was anchored In cove o. deep an still
water, about 40 yards FUN sho'. In de middle Nv
de night, Jls when'st it happen de moon war shin
In putty bright, my boat hit gin TO rockin, an
woke up. Jus as | sor up TO look about me seen
tCO hands reach up ouJen de water and ketch holt
de bow OF my boat, Jlss Den up comes head,
n neck. n Ores and long hsthr, ifs ike won
knOwd IL war a water-haSs. 1t raised itSef up
with 1t two arms mos outen de watah, N leaned
| over de side % my boat an looked in
"N nat Kind or feet did IL have?"
''Hit didn' have no feet but FUN she waist down
she body be like fish, 'ceptin' II don't have no
scales, only jist skin-like, White and shiny"
"What color was her face and body?"
white, sab, clar white as milk, and ha'r long
an plumb black"
''Weli, what did you say to her. or to It. rather"
81 don't say nOtnin' sab: for toe me, sab, 1t wuZ
clarly no time fer observattn. done hear long
befo' a. once a man was sassy TO a water-hass
and IL jest looked he down and Grounded he. sub,
i jeSS adm dur more. Byme-by, she leg-go my
boat, give big splash ana down shs went, plumb
ter Ike bottom. An sub, dis am de proof 90 it all
De next lnawDin' found hang1n Ia5t Ter splinter
on de side av my OF boat Tong black har jis like
q ,ctite iCOBadn's. naore'n 70 feet tongr'
Tine air or religious conviction and earneStneSS
with which this marvellous occurrence was re-
lated, was most convincing, and ever since that
time have enjoyed the luxury OF knowing the
real habitat OF the mermaid.