Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-02

was rocky elevation commanding view
of the beach.
Willis and his men at once set out for this
point and having scaled it with some diff
Guilty were thus enabled to get complete
| view of the island. In conformation It re-
sembled the she'll of q huge tortoise, the
jutting point representing the animals tail
In spots there. were slight layers of soil
covering this body of the island From the
top Of this high point Captain Willis and
his men bent their gaze in every direction.
No smoke went curling upward, no human
being showed himself The conclusion was
that if Browse Island had been in
habited and there could be no doubt Of
| that, it was very unlikely that it continued
to be-so.
"This is sorry place for castawaya" re-
marked Willis, "if they were forced to stay
here for any length OF time the mystery is
what they lived on"
Eyes" answered French, sits nothing
but bare table of rock, with small elump
Of trees here and there, and only q thin
layer Of soil in places. But after all cast
aways have no right to be hard to please.
A bit of ground nnder your feet is better
than hole in the deep sea-"
"At the start, yes, replied Willis, "but
later on -"
Besides" added zack, ats quite possi-
DA0 tnat VIC ctSIdHdy5 HHO sOuSub EcIug6
sS,ta on this o island were were promptly taken off by
"As it is also quite possible that they all
persisted from hunger and exposure"
"What makes you think so, Captain7''
because when they discovered that il
was in their power to get away from this
island they would have taken down that sig-
nal 1t looks to me as if these unfortunates
must have died before relief came. Anyway,
let US go and examine that sigma, ,it's barely
possible that we may come upon some eyi-
dence of the nationality Of the ship which
went ashore here"
Captain Willis and his men made their
way down from the elevation, and set out
for the promontory which jutted out from
the northward. But hardly had they taken
half q dozen steps when one Of the men
stopped to pick up something which had
struck against his foot.
Hold on, what's this?" said ha
"Let's seel" replied French.
1t was the blade of knife, such as sailors
carry in their belts in leather sheath.
Broken off even with the handle and full Of
hicks, the blade had doubtless been thrown
away as useless.
"Well, Zach?" asked Willis
T'm looking for some mark to show where
Il was manufactured" answered the boats.
vain.
1t was natural to suppose that it would
bear some makers mark, but 1t had become
so rusted that until somewhat cleaned of
nothing could be discerned. Having done
this, French succeeded in deciphering the
words stamped upon the blade. They were:
sheffield, England" Captain Willis and
his companions continued their way toward
the promontory. 1t was q hard tramp
through this wild region. Admitting that
1o1 .&n1
able time must have elapsed since then, as
it was impossible to discover any traces Of
footprints After they had proceeded for
about two miles Captain Willis halted near
3 clump of cocoa trees, stunted and scrubby,
the nuts Of which, long since fallen to the
ground, were completely decayed
Up to this moment the party had come
upon no additional evidence, but at the few
feet from this clump of trees, on the slope Of
! slight hollow, there were undoubted traces
of planting in the upturned soil now thinly
,vergrown with underbrush. The vines Of
sweet potatoes and yams run wild were
By merest chance one Of the
'eamen came upon q pick hidden under
1riars. The tool had been deeply corroded
,y rust, but from the manner in which the
handle was fitted to it there was no doubt Of
Is being American make.
"whst do you think Of 1t, Captain?"
.sked French.
81 don't think we're called upon to pass
Judgment now, answered Willis.
'9Then let's push on ahead, !" said French,
s he motioned to the seamen to follow him.
Having made their way down the sloping
ides OF the main ledge, they reached level
pot from which the rocky headland jutted
,oldly out to the northward. At this point
hey came upon q narrow cleft in the rock
through which they vere enabled vithout
ny difficulty to reach Estretch of sandy