Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1900-07-14

49,
lar correspondent.
On the afternoon OF June "a. the
sssamship Nome City was struggling
against Wind and waves In the north
facidc, 10 latitude 81, longitude 1853,
80 minutes, 1905 miles from Astoria.
She had crossed The great submarine
mountain range reaching northward
from Honolulu, and was passing out
over that part Of the sea where the
ocean bed slopes on in great far reach
Ing terraces 10 where the depth Of the
water Is given By the deep sea survey
At 29lOO feet, or 1--we and one-haf miles.
The sea had been rough for three days
and with head winds to retard her
speed. and side swells from tornadoes
70 the southwark to roll the vessel on
her side, the passengers were very,
very weary OF the journey, and many
lay in their berths and sighed for the
green lanes and strawberry beds they
left in Texas or Maine or Florida or
Washington.
The minister had been too i'll to con-
duct services that day and some of the
passengers we're sorry and some we're
glad. Gladys had been too i'll TO sing
any Of her theatrical parts that morn
ing and some were glad, but Gladys
was not glad. When one Of the 'Tin-
horns' tried to sing Rocked in the.
Cradle of the Deep" many had turned
away and said: behold, his voice be-
trays his occupation and they refused
TO listen.
Some went out and stood on the decks
and watched the whales blow; and sud-
denly there came up out Of the sea
nymph, with q jeweled robe drawn
about her 6sh-like form, and foated to
the pilot house and summoned all the
passengers to gather on the decks and
listen, and in silvery voice that every
one heard she said (:
sYou modern argonauts of America
who are going into the icy north in
search OF the "Golden Fleece" as did
the argonauts of old in the Black sea,
listen to me: II is wealth you seek
but the feat Of fate has fixed that of the
1872 who embarked on this vessel: One
shall die of delirium tremens in the
strait OF Unimak loo ne mauk), two shall
be left at the hospital at Dutch Harbor,
one shall die of consumption and be
lowered over the railing in Behring
sea, "a shall die OF pneumonia, % of ty-
phoid fever, 10 of scuryy. and 70 Of mis-
cellaneous diseases, and only LAT shall
return to their homes in health and
strength with enough money to start a
bank account"
Some Of the passengers looked sick,
and felt worse than they looked: but I'll
looked sober. Then the nymph con-
tinued
but have an offer to make you-I
come from the Empire of Mermaids'
In the Aleutian Deep clothed with
powers plenipotentiary. and can make
you all immensely rich but one, ant
can do it in day; but that one must b.
y sacrifice. Tomorrow morning yo,
will be passing over our empire who's,
sands are literally covered with sap
phires and nuggets OF gold, and we car
load your ship and never miss them.
Here gentleman wearing big fu
coat and chocolate shoes said:
Explain. Miss Nymph, about the sac
rifice.' Whereupou she drew from tn,
folds OF her robe tiny flask and said
Zone OF you must drink this blu,
liquid, it will turn his blood to biojum
biolum touching sea water starts
wet combustion that evaporates 1t YER,
rapidly and is contagious. Immersins
that person in the sea will evaporat,
the water over great expanse OF ocear
and the upward draught will hold tn,
sea back for day and your ship viii
settle into the sands while you load /
with treasure to its full capacity, ant
then the water closing in gradually viii
float it, and you are ready to return I,
Portland, all save one, and he or sh,
must remain petrifed In our empire
Now good people this is Sunday even
Ing, go 70 your rooms and mediate ant
ut nine o'clock tom orrow morning
will stand here TO receive your sacrific
and administer the lotion OF death;
and the nymph faded into mist and tn
people looked at one another and tbel
about half Of them looked ut the minis
ter. He looked depressed, and the,
turned and looked at his wife, and sal,
appealing: ''Dear?'
Mrs. Lindsay looked up and said. a
II In answer to request 'svery dear.
What all these quiet demonstration
meant can only be conjectured, but tina
evening the Purser strolled about tn
steamer trying to find some one willin,
TO be sacrificed. Finally he apbroache,
waiter in the steerage kitchen AN,
said: Jack. it might as we'll be yo
az anyone; you haven't much left +
live for, and you already have nj,