Evening journal., 1907-09-26
The Sunken City.
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N@o ~ u NAcAoA4 AVA hhoW Audl
either. Il occurred exactly 400 years
after Columbus discovered the islands
where was at the time and where I
saw such strange sights. It was 200
years exactly since those sights had
been 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 n calm
day." said the captain. beside whom
was standing. 'WhyT / asked But
before he could reply some duty claim
ed his attention, and the question was
not answered. We were TO remain at
Port Royal two days, and went
ashore to take up my abode at a
wretched 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 supped and went to bed.
How long / slept 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. I
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 ''I'll show you
the town. You've arrived just in time
Git into your toys"
With his devilish eye he cast a spell
over me- I dared not disobey. Putting
on my clothes. 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 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 a tongue OF
land projecting into the sea, whereas
yesterday It had stood on the main
shore.
as this Port RoyalY" / asked my
guide.
1T is Port Royal, and a fine place
for our trade"
"What Is your trader
Spanish galleons. We git 'em from
Mexico aud Peru loaded with gold.
We don't need TO be overcareful to
hide our jobs, for there's no law
against US here. or. II there is. no
one respects 1t. This Is a British col
ony with none Of British squeamish-
ness. When OF duty we drink and
carouse with the people OF the town.
in whom there Is no virtue. no shame.
Life here Is one long debnuch. But
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
rifed men. women and children.
Through a besotted look on the faces
Of the men their pallor appeared more
CHASTITY. The women looked ahan-
doned. The children only appeared In
nocent They were hurrying some
where OF standing paralyzed OF on
their knees praying Then felt the
earth heave under me like a wave
Of the sea- fissure opened before me;
many people went down, and It closed
over them.
uttered an exclamation OF horror.
That's nothing TO what you'll see. "
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 10 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 l ever for
get those shrieks? II was useless for
the people TO 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
that on which l stood a great rolling
horseshoe wave closed In and took tho
city under fits embrace.
This was the last scene In my
strange vision. The next thing knew
l was lying in bed. and the captain Of
the ship stood over me.
sect up" he said. 1--WE sail IN an
hour"
"Have you shortened the time OF your
stay?" l asked absently. still seeing in
my minds eye that terrible wave.
mo. Two days have passed. We
tried to wake you yesterday, but it was
no use. The ships doctor tried. and
he couldn't do It, l thought I'd make
a last effort myself"
1t was a beautiful, tranquil morning
that we sailed out. and the sea was
like 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 at first. It was the
city had seen In my vision. If had
doubted it. my doubts would have been
dispelled by passing directly over the
church / had seen, whose spire was
now but q short distance below the
surface. Around It fish swan lazily
while far below, at its base, / saw
small white objects which / fancied
were tombstones. over all this sunken
city was a grim silence.
"I've never seen it so distinctly"
said the captain. coming up behind me
"Its the smooth water and the way
the light strikes down into It,"
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