The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-10-02
A WONDERFUL ISLAND.
The Curiositics to BE Seen on Queen
CharlottcS Island.

Probably no other group in tho wide
world carries moro curiositios, natural
and artificial, than Queen Charlotte
Island; few, think, have as many in
the Same cxtontof country. Tho gool-
ogist, the minoralogist. tho botanist,
the artist, and tho agriculturalist may
each of them find wide field for re-
search, while tho antiquarian, tho the
ologist, and others of thatilk would be
highly Interested.
In their strange. and wonderful sea
margins, in their not less wonderful
caverns, i'll which NATURES mark in
long past ages is. written as plainly as
on the pages of q book; in thor rocks,
whose volcanic contortions smito the
beholdcr with amazomcnt; in their
shells, which as fossils arc found deep
down in tho seams of its anthracite
coal, while near Capo Ball tho same
sort are found alive in tho sands of tho
seashore; of thcso tho gcologist can
write volumes.
ln>thcir quartz lodges, which have
been traced from shore to shore, in
which gold is plainly visible in coal
measures and other materials, wido
field may yet be found for the mineral
| ogist.
Tho various kinds of plants belong
| ing to these islands, tho tiny 1lowors in
their natural beauty poeping out from
behind the melting snow-drift on the
lonely mountains, the modest lupins
and the luscious Strawberries, natures 8
gift TO men, and even tho broad-leaVed
bush graSs-all these, rs they follow in
the wake of the rccUding waters of
Queen Charlottc'S stormy seas, would
yield an ample store for tho botanist.
Among the snow-clad mountains, by
the wild torrent and tho gentle river,
10y tho lights and shades reflected by
their sunset hills in autumn's shorten
ing days, u boundlcss range is offered
for the pencils magic skill, while the
broad acres of rich alluvial bottoms
and the unlimited extent of lands
whose nutritious grasses, waving in
the breeze, would lead the farmer to
say: "Oh. if these lands were mine, and
my ilocks and herds ranged over the
plenty they atford!" To the antiquari-
an, the cthnologist, and other scien-
lists, tho rich carvings on the columns,
and the quaint old legends they depict,
and the legendary lore of the people,
would afford Il vast unlroddcn field.
10 tho piscatorial disciples of Izaak
Walton an unlimited amount of sport
is furnished by the streams In them
they can find the silver salmon and the
dainty little trout of tho mountain rill.
If tired of these and, wishing larger
sport, let them go to tho greater depths
of the ocean, down to where tho stormy
depths of winter arc never felt, to
where, deep in oceans caves, he will
find myriad throng of those dcnizcns
of the deep-the black cod.
On these islands even tho moralist
will find something in his line. Let
him sock tho deserted villages and lin
ger in their ruined halls and study tho
works now crumbling to ruin, left bo-
hind by their ancient inhabitants. The
tall, carved column, pointing heaven
wards. with its mystical hieroglyphics
from bottom to top. Here is one whose
elaborate carving bears the image of n
man on top wearing 4 storicd head
dress. IT is three circles in height, and
each circle is twelve inches above tho
other. These circles show the ruins
to have been the dwelling of q chief.
Having reached the house let him de-
sccnd the half-rottcn stair down into
tho body of the house among the intru-
sivc elder bushes, and note what nc
sees. Piled in one corner is a heap of
iron, the remains of one unfortunate
ship. What arc those boxes, widowed
and moss covered, piled in tho cornorp
These arc family boxes. Some held
tho oil and others the food they used,
while others held their clothes. These
he will lind, but where arc the pcoplcp
Where arc the women whom Captain
Dixon writes of rs fair, when they are
washed, us English milkmaids? Where
are they or their dcscendantsP Call
them and echo, through their deserted
halls, i'll wailful, mournful numbers,
replies: GAIL arc gone" Ask those
mortuary columns on every hand, and
the answer is still the same: "All arc
gone" Ask the Indians who may be
along with you, and their answer is:
"All are dead" Look among the emp
ty bottles scattered in largo numbers
all over the floors of the deserted
houses, among tho long grass. and to
tho boxes on posts among the green
bushes, and you will find tho mummi-
hod romans of all that is left of the
people. Victoria (B. c. Chronicle.
-------------sl- -e-Sa----