The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-17
4 CITY In TEE SEA.
/, ,ruFDRAL SPIRE AND BUILD
IyGS MAY BE DISCERNED.


=, Dis.oIute Metropolis, Now Forms
the Bottom of Kingston HarbOr.
poneath the blue waters of the harbor
! tbe quaint old town of Kingston, ia
,oica lies buried the city which was
o,oo the seat of wealth and prohigacy
and all their attendant train of evils.
n one awful moment the earth CAPPED,
che seas opened to receive the palaces of
! licontiousness and closed above them
and 5000 luckless mortals Today,
when the waters of the bay are still and
shining in the tropical sun, the sailors
NAV lean over the sides of their skiffs
and peering down through the azure
deDths see the fishes swimming in and
ont of the old cathedral, the sharks
moving lazily among the great palaces
and the sea moss twining around the
windows through which the music and
song of the jewellers were drifting when
the fearful visitation came and wiped
the city from the face of the earth. Two
hundred years have passed since that
June day when Port Royal disappeared
\ rom the sea- Three other cities builded
upon its site have been destroyed by fire
and earthquake and hurricane. The
Fenging power which descended upon
the stricken city seemed to pursue it
even after is thousands had found wa
Atery graves in the bay, which now SHIN
hers so pacidly except when the fearful
kphoons sweep over it and lash its wa
hTS to mad revels.
1t was June 7, 1892. Port Royal lay
sTelterng under the heat of tropical
summer. BuIlded upon a tongue OF
h1d extended into the ocean, it was
2vept by breezes which brought with
Them little relief from tue direct rays of
she sun, The harbor was filled with
shipping from every port in the world.
Port Royal was place of wealth and
aEurF Great Britain's men-of-war la,
3 in the citing with their sails f1rled and
their nen reyeled ashore in the city.
Spanish buccaneers, laden to the guards
\ Tth stolen wealth, silks, Jewels and
.god, the spoil of Mexico and Central
america, swung at anchor, and their
llark-browed crews slept or lounged lazl-
! y about the decks while their masters
Roned the festivities ashore. In the
AouSeS and palaces of the city there was
gevelry and feasung and drinking, for
Fhe pirates Of the Spanish main spent
Freely wha. they secured so easily. Gold
"as as common as copper is today. The
Eoddlers in the streets, when they held
put baby hands for aims to the passers-
Oy Were rewarded with a gid piece or
two.
Women a,,ired in silks and laces
Tnlch cost human bl cd in the making
lna the stealing loungel on luxurious
I''Vans close TO the open windows of the
houses and drank deep draughts with
snelf paramours. License ran riot.
mere was no virtue. For years every
'ne IN the place had been growing richer,
Fno with the wealth came the desire for
"'7 ana pleasure which saps peoples
length No Que worked, for money
p"S brought to every one on the pirate
ups which roamed the seas only to
'pVure cargo sufficient to purchase a
=" weeks Of pleasure and feasting and
Fnnkenness at Port Royal.
VI mat fated day when the vengeance
n"C overlook Sodom and Gomorrah de-
O0noeo upon Port Royal the revelry
% aC It's height Wien there came a
.Ooao like the great crack of doom. the
r. y Irembled, the half-drunken jewellers
''"0u from their houses in dismay. The
LAT cathedral rocked and its tower
S"oleu a moment, and, while the pee
- we're asking one another white-lipped
'srrlhed what manner of things was
apponlng' the earth gaped open like
guy Jaw and closed again with thou.
AUS IN Its nav, catching MANY half
~ Ia the frightful opening and hold
rs men, crushed and broken, with
''r helpless arms stretched toward
i heaven they had so long forgotten
'cagoe had this occurred when with =
't5 5gty roar the whole city began to
'Nae into the ocean.
y "a vain the affrighted people began to
n ~ 'ne high land beyond the civ
10y were caught and engulfed before
icy mad taken score of stens Hnn
! ,h were overtaksa by the rising food
a ne Al