The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-12-17
rBY JULES VERNE,

about half a mile from the steamer
They were neither pieces of wood, frag-
ments of planl5ing or trunks of trees;
theyswere huge punches of grass, sort
of yellowish gulf weed torn from the
bottom of the sea and drifting along
the main land.
"Well, that's stranger said French,
''hang me if that grass isn't coming
= from the west; yes, from the southwest!
There must be u current which is carry
ing it toward the strait"
That's so," replied Capt. Willis,
land it must be local tElrrent with an
easterly course unless it be the effect of
the tide"
81 don't think so, captain" answered
French, "for recollcct now that early
this morning noticed punches of this
grass drifting in the same direction"
zach, are you certain of it?"
"As certain as am that we shall
find Capt. John some day"
"Well," replied Capt. Willis, "if such
a current exists it may be that that
piece of the wrecked Dreadnaughtcame
from the west following the Australian
coast"
i hdI . CAdStiJ my OpiuiOi, CdpLiiii'
''Then there is but one course for MS
to take. We must continue our search
across Tiinor sea rs far as the west
Australian coast
81 was never more convinced of it,
captain, since beyond all doubt there is
coast current which runs in the di-
rection of Melville island. by assum-
ing that Capt. John was lost in western
| waters, we have now an explanation
how it was possible that a piece OF his
wreck should have been picked up
where it was"
Capt. Willis sent for his mate and
consulted with him as to the expediency
of continuing the expedition towards
the west. The mate was of the opinion
that it now became absolutely necessa.
ry to do SO, at least until the source OF
the current had been reached.
ITO the westward them" cried Capt.
| Willis; 1--WE must not go back to San
Diego with possibilities but with Ger.
tainties-the certainty that if the
Dreadnaught went to pieces on the
| Australian coast there is not plank OF
a spar of her left in existence"
In consequence of this-under the cir
cumstances-very justifiable determine
ton, the Molly's Hope crossed to Ii
NOR island in order to take on provis
ions and fill her coal bunkers, and then
after Il stay of forty-eight hours, re
crossed to Cape Londonderry. Upor
leaving Queens channel, Capt. Wills
determined to follow as closely US pos
sible the outline of the Australian coast
above Turtle point. At this location
the direction OF the current towards tn,
east was very perceptible.
Upon making Cambridge gulf, tn,
waters of which bathe the foot o.
Mount Cockburn. Capt. Willis resolved
not to risk his vessel in this deep fun
mel bristling with reefs, SO he ordered
the steam launch to be lowered and put
in command of Zach French, with or
ders to make u thorough search of the
interior of this gulf.
Evidently" said Capt Willis to Zach
Iii John Allaire and his crew fell into
the hands of the natives of this coast
it would be folly to imagine that sin.
gle soul of them Is still alive. But what
we ore after Is to learn whether there
are any remains of the Dreadnaught il
case the natives should have scut
tied the clipper ship in the Cambridg,
gulf"
1T wouldn't surprise me in the leas
to find out that the villains had done
sol" replied Zach.
French made the tour of the gul
without coming upon any traces of the
lost ship and thereupon returned to tn,
steamer.
Capt. Willis now weighed anchor
rounded Dussejour cape, and headed fo
the northwest double Cape Londonderry
Continuing her now Southwestern,
course, the Molly's Hope crossed Bucca
ueer archipelago and entered Kint
sound, and by the end of January. afte
Il fruitless search in this long arm o
the sea for some trace of the Dread
naught, Capt. Willis determined to en-,
the expedition at this point, to VITA
the eighteenth parallel of south Tat;
tude.
Besides, the coal supply was running
low and hence it was considered al
yisable to sail for Batavia, then, afte
coaling, TO coast along the Sunda ihl
ands, cross 1im0r sea and so get Oh
into the Pacific once more