The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-09-26
The Sunken City.


don nelcNc one can dream OF incl
dents OF which he has never hesrd
Was it vision? I don't know that
cither Il occurred exactly 500 years
after Columbus discovered the islands
where was at the time and where l
saw such strange sights. II was zoo
years exactly since those sights had
been n real occurrence.
On the 9Th OF June. 1892. ! sailed into
Port Royal jamaica. There was a stlr
hrceze blowing and troubled sea
You should come in here on a calm
day" said the captain. beside whom l
was standing. ~Why7'' l asked. But
before he could reply some duty claim
Ell his attention. and the question was
not answered We were to remain at
Port Royal two days. and I went
ashore 70 take up my abode at a
wretched little inn of this most wretch.
ed hamlet. Afterward learned that II
had once been the finest town In the
West Indies and the richest SPOT In the
world supped and went TO bed.
How long l slept don't know. but I
was awakened by a trembling OF my
bed. and IL was day midday. IL seemed.
strange man stood beside my bed.
have never seen anything more villain
GUS than his face. His dress 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"
With his devilish eye be cast spell
over me. 1 dared not disobey. Putting
on my clothes. l followed him down
and out into the street. whore every
thing was swaying The place seemed
changed. II was no longer little
town. but a 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 a church with a goodly spire
But what surprised me most was that
the place now stood on tongue OF
land projecting into the sea. whereas
yesterday Il had stood on the main
shore.
is this Port Royals' I asked my
guide.
1T is Port Royal and fine place
for our trade"
what l. your trader
Spanish galleons We cit 'em from
Mexico and Peru loaded with gold.
We don't need 20 be overcareful 10
hide our jobs. for there's no law
against US here OF. Il there is no
one respects IT, This IS a British col
ony with none Of British squeamish-
ness. When OF duty we drink ana
carouse with the people of the town.
in whom there is no virtue. no shame
Life here is one long debauch Iut
that's ended now. Our day OF judc.
ment has come"
He led the way toward a fort stand
ing back from the sea. passing ter
rihed men. women and children.
Through a hesotted look on the faces
~ the men their pallor appeared more
CHASTITY. The women fooked aban-
doned. The children only appeared IN
noccnt They were hurrying some
whore or standing paralyzod or on
their knees praying Then I felt the
Of the sea; a assure opened before me: !
many people went down. and II closed /
over them.
! uttered an exclamation OF horror
That's nothing 10 what you'll see"
said my man. You've heard Of Sod
ON. haven't youg Well. this Is Sod
ON, the wickedcst place on the earth.
It's going 20 be wiped out Come
And there. while standing on the
ramparts Of the fort, saw the tongue
OF land on which the city stood slide
forward into the sea. Can / ever for
get those shriekss II was useless for
the people 10 run back. The moving
area was SO large that many Of them
near its center did not know that they
were moving. on every side except
thar on which I stood IA great rolling
horseshoe wave closed IN aud took the
city under its embrace.
This was the last scene in my
strange vision. The next thing knew
was lying in bed. and the captain OF |
the ship stood over me
Get up" he said. I'VE sail in an |
hour"
Have you shortened the time Of your |
stay ? | asked absently. still seeing In i
my minds eye that terrible wave.
mo. Two days have passed We I
tried 10 wake you yesterday. but It was 1
no use. The ships doctor tried. and
he couldn't do It. I thought I'd make
q last effort myself"
It was beautiful. tranquil morning
that we sailed ont. and the sea was
Ike glass. went on to the forecastle
and looked over into the transparent
water There. fathoms below. Il
seemed TO me that could trace streets
and houses. the line now sinking into /
shadows to reappear farther on even /
more clearly than NJ first IL was the
city had seen I'm my vision. II had /
doubted It, my doubts would have been 1
dispeiled by passing directly over the |
church l had seen. whose spire was
now but short distance below the
surface. Around II fish swan lazily.
while far below, ut its base. saw
small white objects which I fancled
we're tombstones. Over all this sunken
city was a grim silence.
I've never seen II so distinctly"
said tho captain. coming up behind me
Its the smooth water and the way
the light strikes down into it"
DO you mean 10 tell me that's a 4
real city?' I asked.
at IS. II IS the old Port Royal.
which was sunk by earthquake 200 i
years ago yesterday. June Z. 1902