Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-26
Colorado Yarn.

The Leadvifle Chronicle publishes an
account OF the most marvellous discGv-
cry yet made by mortal man, provided
that it is true, which Is more than doubt
full. Two miners, while sinking q shaft
near Red Cliff, are represented to- have
found deep subterranean chamber
without apparent communication with
the open air. What they claim to have
seen is thus described:
The cave at first seemed empty, but as
their eyes gradually became accustomed
to the deep gloom, the men saw in the
further extremity a huge black object,
which, not without some trepidation, they
approached. As they neared it, to their
unbounded amazement, they made out
the lines OF some sort of sailing craft. It
was, as nearly as they could Judge, about
sixty feet long by some thirty feet wide,
and lay tilted forward at an angle of
about fifteen degrees over rough pile of
stone. The body of the craft was built of
short legths OF some dark and very porous
wood, resembling our black walnut if it
could be imagined with the grain pulled
apart like q sponge or piece of bread,
and ma ic perfectly square. Both ends
Qt was evidently intended for sailing
either way), were turned abruptly up
like the toe of a peaked Moorish slipper.
The planking was apparently double
rivetted on with nails of extremely hard
copper, only slightly rust eaten, and with
the heads cut or filed IN an octagonal
shape, while along the upper edge of
the ship eleven large rings of the same
metal, and evidently for the securing of
rigging, were counted. At the bottom
edges of the craft, and running its entire
length, were two keels some tour and a
half feet deep and six inches thick. hung
on metallic hinges, and at the ends were
fastened rough copper rods, extending
upward and bent over 50 as to attach to
two masts rising from the upper edges.
If the cross of an inverted V be conceiv-
ed to represent the deck lines, the two
stems are at about the angle and position
of the masts. These were upward of
twenty feet long; and, as evidence that
sail was at one time stretched across,
some ragged remnants of what appeared
to be cerding were found cllnging to
the inner edges. The ends of the masts
were secured in pivots, and it was evil
dent that in lacking one could be
moved forward and the other back,
thus bringing the sail at an angle with
the body OF the ship-an idea which
it might not lie bad for our modern navi-
gators to initiate. This, 1t is believed, al
so explains the copper rods which moved
the keels so as to reciprocate the position
of the masts. While the whole ship was
intact, the wood crumbcd like dust be
meath the finger touch, and fearful of trap
Falls the two prospectors did not venture
to explore the interior. Lying On the
ground near by, however, was discovered
a gold instrument bearing rude resem-
Dlance to the seXtant of the present day,
and POSSIBLY used to calculate their longi-
tude. No trace of any writing was found
save at one end OF the ship, where about
midway on the bow of the ship, inclosed
in metal ring, were twenty-six copper
characters rlveted to the wood and bear
ing much resemblance to the Chinese
hieroglyphics of the present day No
human remains of any sort were found,
although it is possible that search in
the hold will reveal something Of this
sort.
Without pushing their Investigations
further, the two miners, lost in wonder
ment, retraced their steps to the upper
air, leaving the gashtly ship once more
in gloom and silence.
By this time it had grown quite dark
above, and with that tacit understanding
existing among men who had seen that
which borders upon the supernatural,
they spoke but little between themselves
of the discovery, but sought rest by their
kndling camp fire. In the morning the
whole thing seemed so much like "a
dream that Trey were seriously inclined
to regard it as some morbid phantasy,
some disordered vision of the brain alone,
having no substance in reality, and
eagerly, yet with a strange dread, they
descended the rope again. AS
surfing themselves by a short survey
of the facts they had learned the night
before, the prospectors hurriedly as
cended the shaft and spent the rest Of
the day in concealing,as well as possible,
the traces of their excavation. This
done, they went to the cabin of well-to-
do miner living some thirty miles down
the gulch, and to him first told their ex.
traordinary story. The gentleman is
perfectly reliable, and, together with a
well known mining expert resicing in
this City, has seen and examined the
ship, and will take steps to preserve the
wonderful discovery to the world in all
its possibly great historical value. The
minute particulars as to locality are at
present withheld for very obvious real
son-they would attract horde of wanda
sights eers who would soon destroy the
mouldenng dust beyond hope of restor-
alton, and until the proper authorities
can be sent for they will not be published.
The discover Of the iunk-like shin