The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-18
WONDERS OF NASSAU.
a PhOsphoresoent Lake That Is Lumln-
Gus at Night.

a RhoauhoEe8cent Lake That - AuAAAn-
Gus at Night.
Having in Remembrance the old
Sampssn Stamp Of Key West, the dis
coverer Of the sea gardens st Nassau,
We took a pilot and saiIboat the follow
ing morning and sailed some four miles
up the channel, says Forest and Stream
There We en- bRrked In row
with a glass bottom. made b. insert
ing therein platea OF thick slasa,
through which the bottom Of the ses
spread out before uB like dry land. A
strange feeling crept over me and IN
Imagination fanoled myself with jules
Verne on the voyage OF Twenty Thou
sand Leagues Under the Sea" We
could see all the little fishes, minnows
one inch long and larger kinds one
foot, two feet and three fest II length,
some white and black and blue, beaids
many angeldsh, all yellow like q canary,
with bright blue ans and tail, swan by
beneath Us. Like the ripe wheat fields
in summer sway to the brsezs &c there
in the submarine currents waved great
punches of fan-leaf coral, purple, vel
low and white The water was clear
as air, and, pointing to some especially
beautiful specimens OF rock and fans,
our little darky dove over. and, like
the fish, We could see him swimming
down until at last, clutching the growth
with two hands and feet firmly braced
against the coral, he gave tug and
away he came to the top. fan in hand
Indeed, God hath wrought marvellous
things in this world of His, but nothing
Of greater bewitching fancy than the
sea gardens of Nassau.
When night came and before the
moon was up a drive OF two miles back
on New Providence island brought az
to most interesting work Of nature
A lake some / 900 feet long and 800 feet
wide lay quiet and black as any other
sheet of water at night might do. But
once in a rowboat and showed off from
shore what a mighty change was
wrought! Two small OUt-swimmers,
the hue Of the surrounding darkness,
accompanied our boat of fire. for such
it seemed. Like two human torches
our darzies swan by our side as in
cloud Of phosphorescent fire. At the
slightest disturbance the whole sur
rounding water lit up like molten sill
yer. Each boys toes and fingers were
as though the sun shone on them, and
fish darted through the quiet water
like sky-rockets, leaving a glittering
trail behind. The light was so vivid
7 could see the time by my watch. and
when a wave was sent upward with the
oar the falling drops were like blue
tinted pearls. The movements of our
boat made enough light to plainly show
the bottom, for the water is from the
ocean and as clear as all that which
nature makes to flow about those lovely
Bahamas Enticed by the waters
warmth and the hot night. my friend
and I went in swimming, but only for
a few minutes. From this swim comes
a story hard to believe, but as true as
gospel That night, as was my custom
before turning in, went to the bath
room. which could easily darken. to
change some photo plates in my hold
ers When about to pull the slides I
noticed the phosphorescence, which
had brought from the lake. shining
from my bare feet and giving so much
white light had to cover them with
towel before dared expose the plates
to what a moment before had been IN
tense darkness.