The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-19

n1d gone down long since. Ohe ny onc
those of the ships company and passen-
gers who remained came on deck and
stared about them. Were they on n
desert island?
A number of square objects, curiously
symmetrical in shape, and distributed
with an appearance Of regularity, be-
came visible in the immediate neighbor-
hood Of the steamer. They were all OF |
nearly the same height, though in their
other dimensions they varied consider !
ably; their sides were whitish, the tops |
darker. In front of the vessel, as she
lay. the land rose upwards in gentle |
slope. and these rectangular objects |
showed themselves thickly in that direc-
ton.
They don't look unlike houses re-
marked the quartermaster, peering earn
estly through the gloom. Il don't know
any coast hereabouts that has rocks like
that"
IF they were houses said the second
officer. who stood near. with his arm
broken. eve should be in the midst of a
town. and no small town either"
"IIark. what's that:
All listened There was the sound OF
a halloo, clearly repeated, and in mo-
mcnt il was answered from further
distance. Then in several directions.
near and far. were heard calls. cries and
lamentations. The listeners uttered muir
murs of surprise and perplexity.
Just then a great mass of cloud in the
east broke away, and the full moon
shone forth with surprising brilliance,
shedding over the scene a light which,
in comparison with the previous dark
ness seemed as bright as day. IL re.
realcd an extraordinary spectacle.
Beyond the stem Of the steamer ex-
tended the tossing waters of large bay,
strewn with wreckage and an indescrib-
able medley Of floating objects In front
and ON either side were the streets and
houses Of a half destroyed town. The
steamer had been carried over the sea
wall and lay beyond the wharves, be
tween the ruins OF hotel and large
warehouse. 4 little way off was what had
been % public pleasure garden or casino
IL looked as if a gigantic roller had been
passed over il. In terrace higher up a
heavy iron gun stuck out like a half
driven bolt: il had been whipped out Of
a vessel in the bay and borne nearly half
a mile. passing completely through a
house ON the way. Nearly every house
left standing was unroofed many were
corn from their foundations and thrown
topsv turvy. The iron shaft Of a street
lamp was bent over and twisted like a
corkscrew. In the center Of a small fort
20 the west of the town was brig, with
one mast still standing. a floating wharf
lust outside the sea wall was sunk; q
steamer was on top of IL, and on top OF
the steamer, lying crosswise, were the
remains of three masted merchant ship
\ lrge provision store had been blown
20 pieces and the storss whirled about in
all directions over the town and ad
accent lands. In the bay, now rap
idly becoming calmer, appeared the
masts OF q score Of sunken vessels
sticking up like reeds in swamp
, Among them hoated casks, blocks
spars. boxes, quantities Of oranges
md cocoanuts. fragments Of trees, th'
fsfters and beams Of houses; and bobbint
about everywhere were the drowned an(
uutilated corpses Of hundreds Of mel
p and women. But these were not to re
p niain long visible. Ever and anon Their
would be a swirl in the water, jerk an'
] d splash. and a shark would glide ava,
b with human arm or leg In his jaws
e.. The banquet was an unusually rich one
} and the banqueters were assembling u
4 thousands.
!. We'll, said the quartermaster, as hi
b ewes rapidly traversed the scene, Nv
f heard Of miracles, but this is tho neares
G % one that ever l saw. OF all the thing
p that might have happened, this Is tn
|. unlikeliost; we get caught in hurricane
/. and blown north and south, we don
d q where, Ior whether we were unde
IS water or above il; and here at last W
I tnd ourselves high and dry, III the pOi
v.. were bound for, and within a dozel
rods of the very wharf we should hav
. IIlN IIf go. his ~ al Nh'NA "'''''
y What place do you say this l@ IN
=, puircd one of the passengers, drawinl
p. lnir
= This is St. Thomas, sir-what there l
hn OF it-and no other place in IN
. world. Oh, is that you, Mr.. Martin
J, rm glad TO see YOU safe and sound ca
Il n.ct "a good half Of US will never spea
~ a.a.n Where is your friend, sirf'
=, -l don't know" replied the other;
:. have been looking for him. | haven
= seen him since the wind first stoppe
,. blowing out at sea.
!, 1T was that big wave that cam
- - aboard us. most likely" said the qua
N t.rvlster. gloomily. That carried o
~ line captain and many good man wit
i, him. You MAY sail the seas till you
ID ,. old man. sir. and never see the Ink
al OF that storm again.
IN But his interlocutor had moved ava,
re and was beginning a search through u
70 Shin in the forlorn hope Of finding
80 least the body Of his friend.