CHAPTER IX.

THE SUNKEN CITY.

The diving-suits were a very clever invention. They were superior to the old style for the fact that the diver had free use of his limbs and was hampered by no life-line or tube.

Frank gave instruction to Barney and Pomp to remain aboard the Diver and keep a good watch of the two divers all the while. Then he helped Wade to don his suit and put on his own.

They were now ready to leave the boat.

This was accomplished in an ingenious manner. Of course, it would be impossible to merely open a door and step out.

Water would rush in and flood the cabin.

But Frank had provided a vestibule with two doors, one opening into the cabin and the other out on deck.

He had merely to enter the vestibule and close the cabin door. Then, by turning a valve, the vestibule would fill with water. It was easy then to open the outer door and walk out.

The return was accomplished much the same, though the pressure of a lever set the force-pump at work and cleared the water from the vestibule in quick time.

Frank and Wade entered the vestibule, and a few moments later were out on the vessel’s deck.

They clambered down the side and stood upon the pavement of the sunken city.

It was a strange sensation.

Probably no other men living could boast of the same experience. Down the street of the sunken city they walked.

It required Wade some little time to get used to the pressure, he being inexperienced.

But soon he had overcome the unpleasant sensation and was quite himself again. Together they strolled along the thoroughfare.

There was no conversation, for one could not have heard the other speak at that depth. Moreover, the helmets deadened the sound.

But conversation could be carried on by placing the two helmets close together and shouting. This was only resorted to in case of necessity.

The buildings of the sunken city were of two stories only and not at all pretentious—like the ruins of Palenque.

But there was one higher-arched structure, just back from the street, which claimed their attention.

There was a quantity of curious carving and scroll-work in its front. Frank concluded that it must be either a palace or a temple.

He was determined to ascertain.

Motioning to Wade he entered the place. The scientist was not slow to follow him.

Each wore upon his helmet a small electric globe. This made objects plain in the place.

As they passed through the great portico it was easy to see at once what sort of a place it was. For a moment they were spellbound.

It was unquestionably a temple.

In front of them was a broad dais of stone. Upon this there rested a gigantic and grotesque image. It was plainly an idol.

The ancient inhabitants of the sunken city were then idolators. This fact was settled.

The idol was fully fifteen feet in height, and in shape was a cross between a sphynx and satyr. Its eyes were of some brilliant stone.

Around the temple were other idols of various sizes. Each had its dais, and there were the worn hollows in the stone made by the knees of kneeling thousands.

Frank placed his helmet close to Wade’s and shouted:

“Is this discovery of value to you?”

“Much!” replied the scientist; “it establishes the fact of idolatry, and also that these people were much like the Aztecs and worshiped the same gods. There are the idols Quetzal and Quetzalcoatl. They are Aztec gods.”

“That is certainly a great point,” replied Frank. “Yonder I can see some hieroglyphics on a stone. Is it possible to read them?”

“I am not familiar enough with Aztec cryptography,” said Wade. “I shall not attempt it.”

But another discovery was made.

Before the large idol was a broad and richly carved altar. Below it was a pit for the reception of the blood of the victims.

The two explorers gazed upon this gruesome object with a thrill.

“Many a poor wretch has gone to his doom on that stony surface,” declared Frank. “What barbarity!”

“True,” agreed Wade; “the ancient ideas of sacrifice were something simply savage.”

No small object of any kind of metal could be found. Every vestige of any material but stone had been absorbed by time and the water.

So Wade could find no other specimen to take with him but a small idol, which he placed in his pocket.

“I shall keep this for a talisman,” he declared. “Perhaps it will bring me good luck!”

“I believe I will do the same,” said Frank; “so here goes.”

He also took one of the idols. Then they left the temple.

Once out upon the street again they began to look for another object of interest.

This soon turned up.

Passing through a sort of peristyle they came out into a large court, in the center of which was a large basin. Here no doubt a fountain had once played.

This court had no doubt once been the scene of magnificence. There was every indication of it.

Statues of the nude adorned its circle. These were hardly to be compared with Grecian sculpture, but they represented a very good knowledge of the art.

Instinctively both men pictured the place as it might once have been.

Flowering trees and shrubs, noble palms and trailing vines had once made the spot beautiful.

The sunlight had once glinted in upon these alabaster walls, with their setting of beautiful green. It had given light to a gay assemblage of dark-skinned people, and fell upon the state throne of the king.

For this stood at one end of the court just as it must have stood in those old days. It was a great chair of carven stone, with a canopy over it, or at least the frame where the canopy had once been.

But nothing was left of all this magnificence but the bare walls. These alone were imperishable.

Only their marble sides and columns remained. All else was dust.

Time and the action of the water had worn them away.

“This is probably the king’s palace,” said Frank; “don’t you think so?”

“Yes,” agreed Wade. “I tell you these were no ordinary people.”

“I believe you.”

But they did not conduct their research much further.

There were chambers beyond the whole interior of the sunken palace, but the two explorers had seen enough.

Frank began to wonder if all was well aboard the Diver, and as for Wade, his head ached to bursting.

So Frank said:

“Have you gone far enough, Wade?”

The scientist nodded his head.

“Yes,” he said, “I am satisfied. Let us go back.”

Frank was glad to lead the way out again into the street. They then turned their footsteps toward the submarine boat.

Barney and Pomp were waiting for them. Straight to the gangway they came.

In a few moments they were safe in the cabin once more. The trip had been a success.

But Wade was still looking ahead, and was anxious to continue on his way along the isthmus.

So the Diver arose and headed for awhile over the sunken city. Then it left it behind.

The presence of the sunken city settled a number of facts. It was true beyond peradventure that there had once been an isthmus between Capes San Antonio and Catoche.

It was also certain that there had once dwelt upon it a race of people of great intelligence. That the sea had wiped all out of existence was certain.

Wade studied the matter thoroughly and most scientifically. So he said to Frank:

“I have seen enough; let us go along.”

“All right,” agreed Frank. “A due west course is sure to bring us to Yucatan.”

“Very true,” agreed Wade, “but above all things go well armed and prepared for trouble. I feel sure that we have not seen the last of that schooner!”

The young inventor could not help a laugh at Wade’s earnestness.

“That is your bugbear,” he said. “How are they going to injure us at this depth of the sea? They have only the very crudest of diving-suits.”

“I don’t know,” replied Wade, “but I cannot help a feeling of that sort. I believe we have not seen the last of Poole.”

“It is a little curious that we have not as yet come to the sunken isle,” said Frank. “That I must regard as only a small part of the isthmus which did not sink in the first earthquake.”

“Beyond a doubt,” agreed Wade. “In that case we shall certainly come across it.”

“We will keep a lookout. It should be in about this latitude.”

The course they were pursuing was along the northern shore of the isthmus. It was easy to follow its conformation.

As Frank had declared, they could not be far from the sunken Isle of Mona. And, indeed, a few hours later they came upon precipitous bluffs and forests of decaying trees.

The island was beneath them. There was no doubt of this. The voyagers were alive with the keenest of interest.

Ordinarily there would have been but a scant desire to search for the buried treasure. But their experience with Poole had aroused their interest.

Frank had a strong inclination to visit the scene of the treasure hunt. So he held the Diver closely along the island and shore.

It was remembered that Poole had described the gold cave as upon the northern shore. When attacked by the Caribs he and his companions had escaped in their boat, so it could not have been far from the surf to the cave.

It should, therefore, be easy to find. Barney and Pomp were especially on the lookout.