The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-08
CHAPTER XII.
How We Landed on the Wondrous
Shore

A THOUGH our progress in the
~ water laden boat was slow, ii
~ didn't take US long to reach |
the shore which was there |
nothing more than a strip of sand
perhaps Il hundred yards across at the
widest part 1t was as bare of any |
thing as the palm of my hand. /
hauled the boat up on it after we had
disembaried and FASTENED to dis
charge its precious cargo The invai
liable powder and shot had been kept
in cans and TASKS in air tight lockers
forward and aft and We're unchanged
The rest of her lading had been i'll the
water too short Il time to be much
hurt 1t WIS all water soaked, Ot
course. but an hours exposure in the
warm sun OH the dry sand would make
it as good as new. Spreading all out
to dry pulled the plug from the boat
drained the water from her and haul
ed her w welt or to the sand.
A haSty glance assured me that the
cliff was Of coral formation. Jagged
and broken with many Il crevice and
Granny. After We had made every
L
treSS Lucy that we start at once eX
ploring. | proposed that we follow
the course Of the sandy strip and see if
there WIS no: some break in the cliffs
whereby we could get to the top and
learn whit was within the wall And
so refreshing ourselves and taking with
us some provisions. for we might have
to go clear around the island. we pres
emily started out.
fell very easy in my mind regarding
any present peril from the ship. for
knew that no boat she possessed could
run the reef as had done aud even il
she had had another like the dinghy |
was confident that there was no man
aboard her that had the strength and
skill. to say nothing of the courage. to
bring her through. If there were no
natives or wild beasts to be feared we
were ut least safe for the time being.
Think you Master Hampton" said
my little mistress. this is the island OF
which my ancestor wrote"
Il am sure of it." | replied.
He referred TO it. if remember
right. as the island of the Stairs did
he not
Yes" WAS my answer. You remem
Der he indicated a stairway about the
middle of the island
Surely if we are to get to the tOl
of yonder wall it must be by stairs OF
some sort.
1T would not be difficult 10 clint
it." | aSSented. for Il man. that is
save for one thing
And what is that
These pinnacleS of rock are aS sharl
as needles 1t would be like climbin:
to pieces before he had gone half way
Then if we find no stairs we are il
a bad fix she said thoughtfully. eS
amining the towering wall.
There must be stairs" | answered
There must he way. The latitud
and longitude agree with your ances
tors description ard make no douh
wn shall chance upon ihem-
SO we tramped aone. searching tn
shore and sea and finding nothing
After perhaps an hours monotonou
going when we had traverSed aDou
a third of the distance of the i>ianl
we rounded a projection of the eli
and there before us rose the stairs.
What we saw was Il gigantic stal
way, Irregular. but made or mug
blocks of rough hewn stone. not cor;
rock, but harder stone of trmer te'
ture. like granite almost. was h'
familiar with the stone either Thel
was no symmetry about it. some OF II
stones rose perhaps three feet ana OIL
ers not more than as many inches. bt
stairs they certainly were and the
surely had been made by man. and II
stones were most carefully fitted. b
ing laid up without mortar. the 81
faces so close that could scarce thru
knife blade between. The hu:
blocks were of monstrOuS size. 10
much too great in bulk and weight
be handled by any primitive mechaI
cal means | thought | never Cou
conceive how natives or primitive m'
could have shaped them. moved the
and finally laid them up in the for
of stairs
Nor did the stairs alone awaken o
Amusement and quicken our curios1t
They ended in a circling belt OF san
here a little wider than elsewhere.
the bottom on either side. two giga
tic statues or busts of stone had be
erected. Their bases were ourled
the sand. and they rose to quite twl
NV height above and l am good
feet and more tall These stones we