A Sunken City.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3131, 1 March 1879, Page 2

A Sunken City.

An extraordinary story-comes from Switzerland, which, if corroborated, will draw to the banks of Lake Leman arobn* ologists from all parts of the world. .Recently a small boat, containing aa American gentleman, was capsifecl on the lake, just opposite the village of St. Pregts, the gentleman reoeiring nolhanai, but his valise going to the bottom. The portmanteau contained certain articles of ralue, so its owner called to his aid two divers, who speedily brought to terra JitUta the American'! luggage, and with it a superb 1 vase of antique make, an enormous piece of white marble, and several petrefactions. These were examined with' interest, but , this was not the most singular part of the affair. The divers recounted that when at the bottom of the lake they were conscious of treading upon a surface so equal that several time 3 they were nearly losing their equilibrium. From what they observed they gave it as their opinion that the inequality of the surface, was due to the fact that they had been walking upon the roofs of houses, and; this being communi* cated to the authorities at Morges and St. Pergts, several of the notabilities went in a boat to the spot indicated, and caused a quantity of oil to be thrown upon the surface of the lake, which, as is well known, has the property of rendering water transparent. Gazing down into the depths below, the investigators clearly distinguished a town of appii»ntlj considerable extent in the bedoTthe lake— streets detached from houses, and larger buildings being distinctly visible. The town, which it is stated consists of upward of 200 houses, has at its extremity a largo square .tovrer, which was not, properly speaking, unknown to boatmen, since, in calmer weather, its summit was visible at about-ten metres below the surface of the * lake, but until the recent discovery it was commonly supposed to be a rock. The Swiss authorities,: anxious to,investigate * the subject more thoroughly, have Voted a sum of money for the construction of a vast jetty, which will enclose the underwater town, and communicate with the banks of the lake. This done,, nothing, we are told, will be, easier than to draw off the water, and restore to the light of day a town that has bee.n buried for an incalculable number of years.

Warm HospiTAtiTT.—lt is reported that the volcano Tongariro is in active eruption, distributing a drop of the "crater" ell round.—Saturday Advertiser.

What a blessing to the household is a merry, cheerful woman—one whose spirits are not affected by wet days and little disappointments, and whose milk of human kindness does not sour in the sunshine of human prosperity. . •

Miles Behind Him.-A prisoner who escaped from a county goal lately was seen ami pursued by a deputy.keeper named Miles^who, after a long ch!w across the fieldi. overtook and captured beh I*h **'* ghhe WM'lway' 'MUst