Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-15
THE CALIFORNIANS,
By JULES VERNE.
Copyright 1891 by the Authors Alliance.

January, Feoruary, Marcn nao gone by, and it began to look as if 1882 would slip away without bringing any change in the situation, when something hap pened which really seemed likely to throw light upon the mysterious disap- pearance of the clipper ship. On March P the steamer Golden Gate, on which Zach French had shipped as Q common seaman, entered the bay of San Fran cisco after a cruise of several years in European waters. The moment Mrs. Allaire heard of this arrival she wrote to Zach French, who had been pro noted to boatswain, requesting him to call upon her at San Diego. As French was contemplating trip to his native town for the purpose of enjoying few months rest, he replied that he would start for San Diego as soon as he could procure leave and would upon reaching that city at once present himself at Prospect cottage. It would possibly be a matter of several days.
 In the meantime, a rumor became current, which, should 1t meet with confirmation, was qualified to create a sensation throughout the length and breadth of the land. It was alleged that the Golden Gate had picked up bit of wreck which in all likelihood be- longed to the ill-fated Dreadnaught. A San Francisco paper reported that the Golden Gate had come upon this frag- ment to the north of Australia in lati- tudcs lying between the Timor sea and the sea of Arafoora off the island of Melville to the west of Torres strait.
 The moment this news had been re- u@11 T Capt. Willis, whom it had reached by telegraph, hastened to Prospect cot tage. At the first mention of the sub ject, Mrs. Allaire turned very pale, but she recovered herself in moment.
 "Now, that we have come upon this trace," she cried out, in a tone of abso- lute conviction, i've shall find the Dreadnaught, and after the ship has been found we shall find John and his companions"
 The truth is the finding of this bit of the wreck was matter of great inn portance. It was the first time that a fragment of the lost vessel had come to light. Now, when Mrs. Allaire betook herself to the region in which the disaster had been located, she would have in her possession a ring ot that chain which held the past bound to the present.
 A map of Oceanica was at once sent for, and Mir. Hollister and Capt. Willis were requested to enter upon the con- sideration of new route to be followed by the Molly's Hope on her next cruise
 "Then you incline to think, captain, said MT. Hollister, "that the Dread naught did not endeavor to reach Singa pore by crossing the Philippines and Malaysia?"
 q do," replied Willis; ''to my mind it's improbable; yes, impossible"
 But assuming that she did take that route," pursued Hollister, "how comes it that this piece of the wreck should have been found in the Arafoora sea tc the north of Melville island?"
 "I can't understand it. I can't ex- plain it," answered Willis. "All that can say is that the Dreadnaught was seen off the southwest coast of Celebes island, after she had passed the strait | of Macassar. Now, if she entered this strait she did so from the north and not from the east, and hence could not have come in through Torres strait" This question was discussed at con ACllS uLANA AO ChSAC1A III OAAC SJC l ceptance of Capt. Willis views.
 Mrs. Allaire had listened in silence tc this discussion; but her knitted brow! indicated with what tenacity, wha- l persistency she chung to her belief tha John and his companions were stil among the living. No; she was deter mined to stand steadfast until actua l proofs of their death should be fur nished her,
 "I agree with you, my dear Willis, cried Andrew Hollister, "that tn, Dreadnaught on her way to Singapor crossed the Java sea-"
 "Part of the way at least, MT. Hollis ter, for it was between Singapore ant Celebes island that the vessel wa wrecked"
 That's so, but still how was it possi ble for this piece of the wreck to drif as far as the Australian coast if tn Dreadnaught went to pieces on som reef in the Java sea?'
 "There is only one way to explain it, replied Capt. Willis, land that is by as suming that this fragment of the shi was drawn through Lomboll or som other one of the straits which connec | the Timor and Arafoora seas"
 "Do the currents set in that way?"
 "Yes, Mir. Hollister, and I would g so far as to say that the Dreadnaugh after having been dismantled in tol nado may have been sucked into one C these straits and finally been cast O some reef north of the Australia coast."s
 You're right, my dear Willis,' erie
 Andrew Hollister, tits the only reaso1
 able hypothesis, and the conclusion
 irresistible that if a fragment of tn F wreck has been picked up to the mort ) of Melville island six years after tn
 disaster it must have been recently d,
 tached from the reefs on which the eli per ship went to pieces"
 This explanation was qualified to carr = conviction to the mind of any intell
 gent seaman.
 ''Since it is more than likely" adde
 Mir. Allaire, whose gaze still remaine ] riveted upon the map unrolled befol