The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-04-11
For the REPORTER:
In The Tropics.

Leaving Alden our course was almost
due east for 1000 miles to Colombo; the
only points Of interest, during the six
days steaming, being "Ormuz', opposite
Cape Masandin, marking the narrowest
passage Into the Persian Gulf, Cape
Guardafui, Soeotra, $50 miles east, and a
single coral island. some 400 miles west
of Colombo.
\ prevailing notion regarding the
wealth and power once possessed by
Ormuz of the ancients held at the CON-
mencement of the l7th century Is
limited at by Milton in his Paradise
Lost. Book II.
High on throne of royal state, which far
Ontshone the wealth OF Ormuz aud of Ind
Or where the gorgeous East with richest
Showers on her kings barbaric. pearl and
gold,
satan exalted sat-
Ormuz seems to have been coupled with
India, "a region typical of vast wealth
There are no present indications how
ever, in the sgualid modern village, that
it WAS once one of 1.-THE greatest seats in
the east, for splendor and luxury.
Cape Guardafui, is a precipitous rocky
cape. 300 feet high, the most eastern
point of Africa, rounding which, we en-
ter the Indian Ocean, and shape our
course direct for Colombo. In the chan-
mel between Socotra, Arab SHOWS with
their curiously shaped sails, are fire.
quentlY seen. reminding one of The days
when the cruel slave traffic was carried
on So largely by the people, before the
interference. by England, which led to
the suppress sioHs of the nefarous traffic.
SocOtra was famous In the days Of
Marco Polo. or rather infamous, for its
enclHntcrS. who, he writes, could make
the winds blow as they desired and pro
duce great tempests aud disasters.
There j. Il tradition, that below this sea.
lies another buried continent, in which,
"a IN Atlantis. have been localized
the four rivers of Eden. Compared with
Atlantis, however. the legends concern
ing "Lemuria' are few aud uncertain.
and the extent of this lost continent Is
even less defined.
On the mountain of Sakya Mum, in
Ceylon. the aneen Scilan, is the tradi-
tional tomb Of Adam. Expelled from
Ellen, he found resting place from
which. stretching away towards the
western sun. he could see the beautiful
land, to which he might never return.
There says a traveller of the lfth cen
fury. us the dwelling place of Adam,
which he built with bis own hands; it is
OF oblOng shape, like tomb. made OF
great slabs OF marble, laid one upon
another A. the print of Adams foot
remains in the solid rock of the noun
tain. there can of course be no doubt, as
to the truth of this story.
This being the season of the \. L.
monsoon. we have most delightful
weather from Alden to Colombo the
hottest days are made comfortable by a
gentle breeze. increased by the forward
motion of our vessel, while the nights
are AS cool as September or October in
\. +. This applies to the deck AS below
it is hot ami stutly so that many Of the
passengers sleep on deck, instead of in
their state-rooms below. How different
is the passage through these seas now,
from what il used to be in the old sail
ing days when light tropical airs OF
calms Of many days duration frequently
prevailed when the weary voyager, eager
to reach his journeys end, yet found hi,
bark