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


As this island lay very little out of his
course, Capt. Willis determined to coast
around it, but without any intention of
making Il stop. An hour later the Mol
ly's Hope had run up to within u mile
of Browse island.
There was rather heavy sea run
ming and dashirg noisily against the
northeast point of the island. which it
kept envelopcd in the mist of.thc break
ers. Nor was it possible to form close
estimate of the size of the islanG. as
Capt. Willis had no; come full upon it,
but enough could be seen of it's con-
formation to show it to be an undulat-
ing plateau without any considerable
rise of ground. But as he had no~time
to lose Capt. Willis was about to give
the order to go ahead again full speed,
| which had been somewhat slackened
down when Zach French called his at
tention to something on the point of the
island
Look, captain" said he, isn't that
n mast standing on that point?"
The boatswain indicated the direc-
ton of the cape which jutted out to the
northwest and terminated in rocky
| crest with perpendicular face.
/ "a mast? No; it only seems to b. -
trunk of tree;'' answered Willis
then reaching for his glass he toL,
closer look at the object designated by
| French.
You're right, Zach, it is mast and
think ! can see scrap of q flag torn by
the wind. Yes, it must be a signal"
SIN that case we would do well to
bear in with the point"
81 think SO, too" replied Capt. Will
lis, and he gave the order to bear for
the island at half speed. This was done
at once and the Molly's Hope began to
approach the reefs, which encircled the
island about three hundred feet out. A
violent sea was beating against them,
caused not only by the high wind
blowing but also by the force of the
current which was driving the swell in
that direction.
The character of the coast soon be-
came plainly visible. 1t was wild, bar
ren and desolate, with no trace of ver-
dure. One this side of the island, how
ever, there were no signs of pieces of a
wrecked vessel, no shreds of rigging,
no fragments of the hull. The stafl
erected on the extreme end of the
oromontory might be made of piece
of q bowsprit. As to the shreds OF
bunting which the wind was blowing
out, it was impossible to discern theil
color.
There are castaways thcrel' cried
Zach French.
"Or there have been" replied the
mate.
"There is no doubt that some vesse
has run on this island" said Capt. Viii
lis.
Yes, added the mate, land that the
crew of some wrecked vessel have tal<er
refuge there, as testified by that sigma
yonder. And it may be they have no
been able to get away, for it's rare tina
vessels bound for Australia or for th'
InCies pass within sight of Browse isl
and"
II suppose you intend to go ashore
captain" asked Zach French.
Certainly, Zach," replied Willis
'but up to this moment | haven't oh
served any point where landing would
be possible. Let MS coast around be
fore we decide. If the island contain
any castaways they will be sure to SCI
us and hoist signals"
And if you don't see anyone" asle,
Zach, ."whnt-will You do then?"
1--WE shall attempt to make landin,
as quickly as possible" replied Willis
''even If it turns out to be desert isl
and; yet we may find some evidence o
a wreck, and that's n very importan
matter for us"
'And who knows but" began Zach
"You mean, Zach, that it's possibl
that the Dreadnaught may have rul
upon this island, quite off tie rout
which she was to follow2"
"Why not, captain?"
while it's extremely improbable,
answered Capt. Willis, that's NJ
reason why we should not try I,
make landing and get at the truth o
the matter"
Browse island is about six or sever
miles in circumference, us was shown
when the Molly's Hope had made tou
of It, but ut no point. on it's shores wa
! there anything like a harbor or ever
an inlet in which the steamer coul,
|, take shelter for few hours. 1t wa
soon discovered that it would be neces
sary to lower away some of the steam
: er's boats. and even then they had no
as yet come upon any safe landing
place.
: While searching the beach with hi
!. glass Capt. Willis finally discovered
: break in this precipitous shore line,
sort of cut followed ont of the mali
body of the island, through which
creek reached the sea. After taking
look at the place himself Zach Frencl
: ventured the opinion that he coult
make landing there. The coast SCENE,
: to be less PERCEPTIONS and it's outline We
broken at rather sharp angle. Their
: was also narrow opening in the linz
of reefs evidenced by the absence o
breakers.
In a short half hour the steam launcl
was lowered away. Capt. Willis himsel
being in command of it. With hin
were Zach French and others necessar,
to man the launch. Out of caution
two rifles, two hatchets and several re
volvers were taken along During tn
captains absence. the mate was to keel
the Molly's Hope in position in tn
open roadstcad and reply to any signal
which might be made.
AT half past one the steam launch pu
off and headed for the shore, distan
about n mile. AS she entered the mar
row passage. countless sea fowls fille'
the air with shrill cries. In few min
} utes the launch struck gently on
sandy beach pierced here and ther
with pointed rocks. Capt. Willis will
Zach and the two seamen landed n
once, leaving the boat in charge of tn
engineer and tiremen with orders I,
keep steam up. Passing through tn
georgetown which the stream reaches
the sea, the four men soon found them
selves upon the island ledge. Som
hundred or more yards away there wa
a rocky elevation commanding viev
of the beach.
! Willis and his men at once set out fo
\ | chic Ynipf anl ca,1ol -