Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-08-28
DAILY STORY
THE SUNkEN CITY.
[Original.l

[OriginaLl
Was it Il dream? / don't know. l |
don't believe one can dream of Incl |
dents of which he has never heard. |
Was it a vision? | don't know that |
either. 1t occurred exactly 400 years |
after Columbus discovered the islands |
where | was at the time and where l
saw such strange sights. 1t was 200
years exactly since those sights had
been a real occurrence.
On the 9th of June, 1892, sailed into
Port Royal, jamaica There was a stiff
| breeze blowing and a troubled sea.
You should come in here on calm
day" said the captain, beside whom l
was standing. Why" l asked. But
| before he could reply some duty claim
ed his attention, and the question was
not answered. We We're to remain ut
| Port Royal two days, and l went
| ashore to take up my abode at
wrctched little inn of this most wretch
| ed hamlet Afterward | learned that it
| had once been the finest town in the
| West Indies and the richest spot in the
world. l supped and went TO bed.
How long ! slept l don't know, but !
| was awakened by a trembling of my
bed. and it was day-midday, it seemed.
A strange man stood beside my bed.
have never seen anything more villain
Gus than his face His dress l had seen
only in old prints-the dress of a buc
cancer.
Come, mate" he said, III show you
the town. You've arrived just in time.
Git into your toys"
4 With his devilish eye he cast spell
/ over me- l dared not disobey. Putting
on my clothes, l followed him down
and out into the street, where every
thing was swaying. The place seemed
changed. 1t was no longer a little
town, but Il city. The streets were
far narrower than when | had passed
through them the day before. and the
) houses looked old fashioned, but there
were many of them. Within the lin
its was church with Il goodly spire.
But what surprised me most was that
the place now stood on Il tongue OF
land projecting into the sea, whereas
yesterday it had stood on the main
shore.
rs this Port Royal?' 1 asked my
guide
1T is Port Royal, and fine place
for our trade
what is your trade?'
Spanish galleons. We git 'em from
Mexico and Peru loaded with gold.
We don't need to be overcareful TO
hide our jobs, for there's no law
against us here, or, if there is. no
] one respects it, This is n British col
ony with none of British squeamish-
ness. When off duty we drink and
carOuse with the people of the town,
In whom there is no virtue, no shame.
Life here is one long dcbauch. But
i that's ended now. Our day of judg-
. ment has come"
He led the way toward a fort stand
ing back from the sea, passing ter
> rified men, women and children.
: Through besotted look on the faces
of the men their pallor appeared more
> CHASTITY. The women looked aban-
+ doned. The children only appeared in
Il nocent. They were hurrying some
where or standing paralyzed or on
1 their knees praying. Then l felt the
earth heave under me like a wave
of the sea; Il assure opened before me;
many people went down, and it closed
over them.
{ ! uttered an exclamation of horror.
c That's nothing to what you'll see,''
l. said my man. You've heard of Sod
/ ON, haven't you? Well, this is Sod
ON, the wickedest place on the earth.
It's going to be wiped out. Come"
8 And there, while standing on the
Il ramparts of the fort. saw the tongue
of land on which the city stood slide
J. forward into the sea. Can 1 ever for
II get those shrieks? 1t was useless for
W the people to run back. The moving
g area was so large that many of them
If near its center did not know that they
IS were moving. On every side except
n that on which 1 stood a great rolling
st horseshoe wave closed In and took the
l. city under it's embrace
81 This was the last scene in my
IS strange vision. The next thing I knew
g 1 was lying in bed, and the captain OF
s, the ship stood over me-
te Get up" he said. I'VE sail in al
1t hour"
4, Have you shortened the time Of YOU