Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-04-08

Shark" The past was forgotten by
Hestor. who acted as the eager host
OF a party OF gentlemen who should
be delighted with their entertain
ment. Except for brief period of
moroseness-evinced in actions and
not in words-such had been Hes
tors attitude towards his captives
since the" SHARK" rounded Cape Cod.
On the morning whicho opened with
the death of the Sidney
Hammond discovered the saurian
was a. crocodile, and not an alliga-
tor-Hestor was in -jubilant spirits.
During the day he seemed surprised
at certain hints dropped by his I'M
willing guests. His expression was
that of the willing host who finds
his best efforts not fully appreciated,
and who therefore redoubles his at
tempts to please. He was glad that
the voyage had SO happily ended;
glad that all had been favored with
good health, and earnest in his pre-
dictions that his guests would enjoy
themselves.
sit may seem like egotism to call
this 'Hesforia,''' he said, as they
were seated at the breakfast table,
''but I practically discovered the
place, and in common with many.
other explorers gave it my name.
If you gentlemen do not like the
name you can call it Ravens Haven
OF 'Rockwell's Reef or Vincent's
Land or anything you choose. It's
various, typographical features are
as yet not fully explored, and are
unnamed. I am going to suggest
that we honor Mr.. Morton by giy-
ing his name to this beautiful body
of water we are now on. We viii
call it 'Morton's Bay"
''Thank you," said Mr.. Morton. "I
appreciate and accept the honor"
ST have some surprises ia store for
you," said Hestor, when the meal was
finished 1--WE will go ashore directly,
apd look on something more attrac--
diles-as Sidney insists on calling
turned sufficiently to make a land
ing?"
There is now IA foot of water
at the landing" was Capt. Waters
answer. I'VE will have the gang plank
on shore in ten minutes
The panorama unrolled before the
gaze of the voyagers on board the
SHARK" as she slowly headed for a
shelving rock was one of surpass-
ing beauty. Imagine a pear-shaped
lake about a mile at it's greatest
width and mile and half in length,
walled in by rocks and crags whose
rugged slopes were softened by the
splendid foliage of the tropics. Ma
ture, in some fantastic mood, had
created this spot, and then as if APP
palled at her work, had wreathed it
with flowers, and chastened it's out
lines with the harmony of fern, vine
and palm. The narrow inlet leading
to the. ocean was guarded by two
great rocks, which seemed to over
hang and threaten the intrepid sailor
who dared explore and ravish the
beauties which nestled within. These
rocks were fully 400 feet in height,
and unlike those surrounding the
lake, were free from tree or YER
dure. Through the portal thus
formed, the ocean with its deep and
glorious blue, showed in contrast to
the dark background of these crags.
The surge of the sea came yelling
through this gate, but soon lost its
power, and on the further shores of
the lake its ripples came as but
the futter of the deep breathing of
the sea.
The shores were lined with boul-
ders which had tumbled down from
crag and peak. At intervals there
were grassy stretches of meadow,
deep enough to form foreground
to the darker beauties of cliff or ra-
vine. Here and there a brook trickled
from the heights, or found it's tor
tuous way through unknown dells.
And everywhere a lavish profusion
OF flowers. The base of one cliff
was ahame with the red of some
flower, the name of which was I'M
known to any of the party. To add
to this riot of color there were
focks of parrots of many and bril-
liant hues, while of humming and
hooking birds there seemed to be
millions. Overhead an eagle circled
on heavy .pinions, and the waters of
the lake were dotted with flocks of
water fowl.
Abou| a. thousand feet from the
southern shore of this sheet of wa
ter which Hestor had named Nor
tons. Bay''-was a small island. 1t
was a gem of an island. Basaltic
rocks reached up from the liquid
depths of. the bay, and its northern
end was crag, probably 100 feet
above the surface of the lake. To
the west it sloped gradually down,
and at low tide there was sand
bar. 1t was on the inner edge of
this bar that Hestor had sighted the
crocodile. TALL slender cocoa palms,
with their. crowns of graceful leaves,
nodded in the morning breeze. eau
cho, camphor and dragon trees added
their beauty to this tropical bou-