Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-30

been their home, and most excAeHs
marine outlook it has, situated ike
lofty cathedral window in the CHI.
high above the waves. The concaVe
back of the Grotto is most admirably
constructed for sending the Sirenic
voice far across the waters, In TACT
the place is ideal for the very purpose
! which legend assigns to it. Curiousiy
enough mems bones have been FOUND
I here, ingeniously fractured, and think
III shall do some further excavat1ng
along the floor of this cavern. VINO
knows but l may come on num-
unified Siren? What a find that would
be!
Since writing to you last 1 nave
had an amazing experience, one that
would have frightened these super
stitious islanders out of their wits, had
i they known of It, Instead of a mum
mified Siren seem like to discover
one as "a going concern. i haG been
/ taking some measurements in the Fern
Grotto, when heard family the sound
of very sweet singing that seemed to
come from above rather than from
the inhabited plain below me. OF course
sound is somewhat difficult to trace
10 its source, If the position of that
] source is unknown. This song seemed
to come to me round the cliffs, that
are all but unscalable.
4 II worked my way round the race
Of the rock in position of some dam
/ ger, and with every yard MADE, the
subtle tune became more distinct. ap-
! bearing to float above and beyond me.
The southern sea was empty except
for one boat, that was coming rapidly
in, flung forward by four oars, for there
& was no wind. This coming Craft
heightened the illusion as II these
lsturdy mariners-fishermen no douDt-
were being lured inward by the Siren
4 song. 1 raised shout, and the melody
instantly ceased. The Siren had heard
me altho the boatmen could not. After
a moments pause the Siren began
lagain; but this time In high pene-
ltrating key; still sweet; thrilling lay
that would carry far In the breatn-
LESS air. Indeed the distant boatmen
now appeared to hear It, for their
blades hung motionless In the water.
AT some peril to my precarious FOOT
Ling. pressing close against the Cliff, l
4 unslung my binocularS and examined
the craft. 1t was just as Suspected
the four rowers stood stock still. A nfth
i man. with his foot on the prov, bent
forward with hand to his ear. The
highly pitched tones continued. but
4 they had not the ancient effect OF en-
Iticing the mariners ashore. The man
at the prov turned, appeared to give
an order to his men, who drew in their
/ oars and began to fish. And now the
! singing had ceased and could not be
revived by shouting of mine, or any
limitations / attempted to give OF the
weird melody. So scrambled PACK as d.
well as could.
"The siren evidently disdains compe-
4 tition, and well she may, for never
heard anything so enhancing and un-
Icanny as her mid-air song. l shall
make further research tomorrow, but 1t
4 will be from the top of the clin tninK.
another day of disappointment, ana
vet not altogether SO, for got the end
| of a Tilt from the siren. After tnat,
however. she could not be induced 10
afayor me. I did not go to the top OF the
lscliff as / purposed yesterday, but re-
solved to examine the rocks with my
class from the sea, so / went instead to
the little port-the Piccalo Marina they
i call it-and engaged boat
"There was some delay about the ne
gotiations, for the boatman insisted on
i accompanying me. which would not
hermit. as did not wish to let any
/ rossiping native into the secret OF the
j sing. These Capri people can not UNI
derstand why a foreigner should wish
to undergo either the exertion OF row.
ing or walking.
"Hbwever, at last got the boat. I
could hear the song floating family In
4 the air, and there was another boat. a
4 smaller craft than the one of yesterday
making In towards the rocks where
there is no landing. This gave further
yerisimilitude to the song of the siren.
Iand I resolved to intercept the lone
boatman for the purpose of making IN
quiries. He was too expert Tor me.
E, find these Capri boats and oars very
clumsy when compared with our skins
on the Cam. The lone boatman seemed
to go into the Red Grotto, and labor
4 iously followed him, but he was no.
where to be seen. He could easily have
ended me IL he had wanted to do so. put
/ why should he want to? He could have
gone thru the Turks Grotto which has
two entrances, and which gets Its name
from the fact that some Capri fisher
men gave the Turks the slip by doing
the very same thing this man seems to
have done. AS before, the sirens song
4 changed from its plaintive tone to the
sIshriller pitch before 1t ended, ana Ior
lall could tell, she got her man TINS
4 time.
"The notes floated from some spot
4 mid way UP the cliffs. altho. what is
more probable, the song may have peen
SING by some one lying in the grass at
the dizzy summit. From the BOAT
4 examined the cliff with my glass most
infinitely, but could discern no restlhg
Mace even for an eagle along that
4 sheer wall. Unfortunately she stopped
A singing at the very moment when !
wanted her to go on, hoping the souno
would he some sort of guide to my
scrutiny of the cliff. Perhaps she was
c,nnching her victim. Anyhow she oil
/ fers from her sisters of old In remain
4 ing invisible shall take to the BOAT
i again tomorrow, If the weather IS 1alr'
po further out, and come slowly iA'
4 honing for a song all to myself.
4 yesterdays resolution was annullea
nv a fierce sirocco, which mace poaelht !,
II On the southern side Impossible.
therefore went to the top of the Gins
hut without result. There was grand
view over whitened sea, but no ooa.s
were visible, so my siren proves herseil
true sister to the ancients by wastihs
4 no music on an empty sea. must get
these cllIS