West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-04-14


remarkable discovery. lie says that
when about 200 miles to the west
ward OF Madeira has attention was
called to the singular appearance Of
the sea. The wa,er had lmk
muddy look, aud WAS covered with
dead Iish es Tar AZ the eye could see,
They were Of several species, among
them being noticed mullel, bass aud
cod. Soon aztec ep,oring this field
Of dead fish ne ohssryel faint smoke
on the horizon nearly ahead, on the
course Of the vesseL Erly next
inorn ny the Captain was awekoued
by he second officer, and Informed
that laud had been sighted in the
course OF the steamer lie was
greatly surprised At This 10 ormation,
knowing tha, there was no land in
this part OF the Atlantic Upon go
,ug on deck, however, be found that
tie report was correct The dim
outlines OF en island, broken by
mountain peets, We're vis,blc even
without The uFe o, the glass Above
1t hung a cloud OF smoke. The wa.
ter was more ;urb.d than on the me
vious day, and lha ahos, OF dead G. eh
thicker Captain Robson deemed 1t
advisable to take souudiugs, uotex-
pecuug, however 10 get bottom, as
Che charts show depth OF from
1000 TO 5000 lalhoms IN that por-
tion Of the Atlantic. For come ,ime
the sounding was without result, but
suddealy the line brought bottom at
dny hthoma. When about four
leagues disiar from the island The
Jesmond came TO anchor in seven
lathoms ol water. The island was
located 90 40 west, % north Cap
tain Robson determined to make I'm
examination OF he strange land, aud
the yawl was lowered and the Cap
tain aud one Of his officers we've row
edto the lslaad. 4 landing was ef-
iected on the low coast OF the western
border, where convenient hatbor was
found for the yswl. The Captain aud
several Of the crew, with some FL
Guilty ascendgd he decliyily.
The promontoIy seemed several
miles in ieng land joined sn ex-
teLsve tableau which sloped gently
back TO cham Of mountains at
great distance of, from which rose
hight columns OF smoke. The sur
face Of the groupd was covered with
pumice stone aud vo!cqaic debrs,
and entirely destitute OF vegetation.
1t was desolale scsue, where not a
single living thing was TO be per-
ceived. The Captain aud his com.
panions Ctarted on a tour inland, bat
soon found their progress impeJed
by yswDIug chasms. 1t was there.
fore determined to return to thu
beach and inspect the island from
shat SIDE. While examining the
base Of the cliff where the r5ck was
fractured and twisted as If by some
tremendous coaYulNon, and disclosed
bed OF breccia, a surprising die
covery was made By Que Of the SAL
ore. On thrusting the prong Of
boathook into the looeened mass Of
gravel, he di9lodeel a stope arroE
head. Excited by ihis incident, the
search was continued, and ether ar
ticIes Of stone were discovered. a
large excavation was made, and it
was aacersained that The opening lei
between the crumJliog remains Of
what must have been massive walls.
A number Of articles were cxbumtd,
such as bronze swords, rings, ham
msrs, carvinq1 Of ea9s and figures
Oirds and animals, and two vases
or jars with fragments Of bone, and
one craniUm almost entire. The
most singular thing brought to view
was what appeared 10 be mummy,
contained in a stone cas5. IL was 20
iugrustad wth volcanic depoHt8 as
to be scarcely d.stingushabIe from
The rock itseL Much difficulty was
experienced 10 diHodgng ,be sar-'
oophagu5 which was finally taken
out whole and, with the fosHIs, trans.
ported TO the steamer
Captain Robson would have con.
uuusl THE ioyesugsuoo, bat as the
aspect Of the weather became lees
favorable, and he could not sford TO
spend more time st Tho island hs
"a Jed lorNse Oueans lie oonsiIera
that tus 1ev island gaa raised from
tasfss by volcanic action, and tb,t
tbs Cob were killed by The poisonous
gases from lhs volcano. TIE gsp,sir
t...... I..r tE. nan, T.,r