Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-08-02

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we're the scattered bones of human aksl-
obop, ~ W lnaanmast foot ooilsd . huGo
Hthhn, who lastly lifted his horrid ihsad,
twisted fhis folds aud darted 4 red and
forblddln6 tongue at the horror. stricken
sailors. The weather beaten sides Of tho
vessel had long lost al trace Of paint. No
sign OF her name, origin or destination
could be seen. She was . dereliot, all that
SemAinsd Of her crew being the few bones
scattered about tho dock. ,..,,....4, Srss.a. Ink.
. The crew OF the Narka laughed, CURSED,
swore and shed hot tears Of disappOint-
Ment and rage Imprisoned like them
selves, tho big ship driftod away and was
lost to sight, Then the crew saw what
seemed. to b. land, Again hope, sprang
up In their hearts. But, alas, the land
Was merely.a floating island, - undxed
and untenahle - their own vessel. Yer
duro, vines and trees covered the island.
Countless birds of bright pluInage, ma
tive Of climes remote from their island
home, fluttered In and out. Mermets
chattcred and scrambled about in tho
boughs. Snakes orawled about in tho
trees or lay baking on logs which hoatod
In the same listless manner. It was Ill q
dream seemingly, for no human could
obtain foothold on that land, and none
could survive the attacks of deadly rep
tiles II a landing could be effected.
Three months from tho day the ship
entered the dense mass tho first mate re-
ported the startling news that the heavy
weed olinRing 80 closely to the hull was
Slowly but certainly dragging 1t down to
. watory grave. Thus o new and still
moro frightful peril was added to the hor-
rors Of that floating prison. Explosives
were aboard, and tho captain determined
TO utilize them to blast away the tendrils
which, like the tentacles of the devilfsh,
were destroying their only hope Of escape.
Rude shells were rugged up, fuses at
taohed, ignited and sealed and the missiles
tossed overheard to work their will on the
closely packed weed. Explosion after ex-
plosion followed, and the mass separated
and idly foated away from the ship. But
It was soon soon that what was cast of
vas speedily replaced by other masses and
tho peril renewed, with the ship weakened
from the shocks, But the vessel was eased
k hor weight and thereafter ut regular in
tervals the captain rceorted to his explo-
lives to relieve them from tho haunting
fear Of boing dragged to the bottom.
Ono day two Of tho IA mon, tn their
oagerness to observe the effect Of large
sholl that Ind been used, leaned too far
over the ships aldo. The sholl exploded
with terrific force, driving tho ship back
ward and toppling tho two sailors over
board into the sea. Instantly, before the
mortified eyes of their shipmates, the I'M
fortunate R,on woro clasTed by tho tendrils
and engulfed. Swimmers could mako no
progress In the dense mass. No human
strength was sufficient to release them.
Down thcy went to ths bottom, two NOR,
victims OF tho Sargasso.
Five months passed away Hundreds Of
vessels were seen far and near. All were
abandoned, tcnantloss excepting for tho
creatures, mans natural enemies. Island
after island was passed. Birds In myriads
futterod about, ut times settling on tho
ship. Monkeys, bon constructors, pythons
and smaller snakes aboundetl, seemingly
being added that tho picture Of inferno
might bo complete. Horrid rs was their
nature seemed to have outdono
herself III providing horrid objects that
mind might go with failing vigor. Food
was growing scarce, but tho awful mo-
nOtOny Of tho fare prevented as rapid OK
hnustion AZ would have boon the case 9TH
erwise.
Explosives wcrc almost exhausted when
tho captain determined to make ono last
effort to Escape from that prison. He do.
terminc<l to add tho Narka to tho list Of
derclicts, and with tho yawl mako u dos
perate effort to break out into tho open
sca. Carefully the yawl was loaded with
provisions and water. Tho remainder of
the explosives was placed aboard and
then, with q prayer for guidance to safety,
tho survivors dropped into the little boat.
Tho Narkn was left to her fate.
BY dint If terrific cxortion, tho uso OF
explosives and tho guiding hand Of Provi-
denco that little craft lnhtlo hor way out
of tho scawood sea in tho blue depths be-
yond. Lustily the mon rowed her, the
captain setting his course for the West In
dies, hoping either to mako some port or
run across q vessel which would pick
them up. But the dangers were not all
over yet for tho little band Of mariners.
Seven days and nights they tossed about
on tho s.as in an open boat, heavily loaded
with food and crew much too largo for
her. She must DO lightened II oil were to
be saved, SO u portion Of tho food was
tossed overheard. Throatenings Of storm
showed them ono moro danger. 1t seemed
a. II thoy had left a prison to find death.
But tho Nero fact that their own efforts
were aiding them to reach port of safety
hcnrtenod tho almost despairing men.
Shifts were arranged ut tho oars, and not a
moment Of rest was INDUCED In. Hun
drcds of miles intervencd between them
and the nearest land, and 1t behooved
them to spare no effort, but 1t was kill
Ing work after tho months Of privation
and horror, and their progress was slow.
But help was not far away. On tho morn
Ing of the seventh day sail was sighted,
and the crew was picked up finally and
carried to Porto Rico.
STOPPING DEATHS DOOR.