Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-05-11

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season wa row over, and there were
already reminders OF those terrible
gales which send 80 many ships 10 the
bottom. Every day the ships boats
searched for creeks and coves into
which the currents might have cast
some bit OF the wreck In all these ex.
cursions the men were well armed. for
II was far different work from the
search for Sir John Franklin which
took place on the uninhabted shores OF
the Arctic regions Most Of these islands
were inhabited. and Capt Willis In.
variably made strenuous efforts 10 es.
tablish friendly relations with the ma
tives, but, In spite Of his overtures, he
sometimes met with hostile Iemoustra-
tions, In which several Of his men were
wounded
II was from this point that Capt
| Willis made his first report TO Mrs
| Allaire. but Us all his labors had pro
duced no results II was resolved TO con.
tinue the search further west
On the second day OF December the
Mollys Hope reached the Philippines
seven hundred miles ~ the westward
OF the Caroline group These islands
were discovered by Magellan in 1921
and are the most important Of the
Malaysian archipelago Capt Willis
did not touch ut any point on the coast
Of Luzon island How could IL be pos.
siblc that the Dreadnaught ever got so
far north In the China sea when she
was sailing for Singapore For this
reason Willis preferred 10 make the
island OF Mindanao the center Of his
operations, which island, lying In the
southern part Of the archipelago, must
necessarily have been passed by Capt
John In order to reach the Java seq.
Molly's steamer was now anchored In
the port Of Iamboanga, the residence
Of the governor. 10 whom and TO whose
subordinatcs Capt Willis FIRST applied
for information Of any vessel wrecked
on the coast Of Mindanao. but so far as
the Spanish authorities were concerned
they reported that no such disaster had
taken place within Eve years
But these reports did not cover the
Independent portionso Of the island in.
habitcd by savages against whom the
charge Of cannibalism had been sub
stuntiatcd and who would naturally
make every effort TO conceal the facts
OF any such disaster on their const
Many of these Malnys follow the avoca.
ton Of corsairs, and arc ready 10 pursue
any lucSlcss merchantmen driven into
their waters 10 escape the gales Whom
they capture they destroy. and whether
such had been the terrible fate Of Capt.
John and his companions was some
thing which would never come To the
ear of the governor. Capt Willis didn't
hesitate TO penetrate into these won.
derful forests Of tamarind, bamboo,
mangrove, ebony, mahogany and iron
wood In order TO reach the interior vii
lagos In the hope OF finding some bit or
shred OF proof that the Drcadnaught
had gone to pieces ON these reefs or
that some one or more of her crew had
fallen into the hands Of these islanders.
The exploration OF the Philippine
archipelago lasted two months and
half, after which Willis made n search
through the Iiassilan group To the
south Of Hambonngn, and then sailed
for the Sooloo archipelago, which he
reached February -. 1850
This is a vcrtable nest Of pirates, and
the junglcs Of the many islands lying
between Mindanaoand Borneo are alive
with savages But one port is ever FREE
quented by vessels crossing the China
sea and Malaysian basins, and that is the
port Of Bovoan Here the Molly's Hope
east anchor Willis scattered presents
with lavish hand among the inhab-
itants of these islands, but nothing that
-, a.
slightest to clear up the mystery OF the
DrcadnaughL Although the steamer
had coaled ut Mindnnao. yet ut the end
OF this cruise her bunkcrs were pretty
well cmptlcd. However. there was up-
parently enough left 10 enable her to
cross the Celebcs sea and make the port
of Banjermassin In the southern part
OF Borneo.
In spite OF the fact that the Celebes
sea Is shut in like lake, IL Is visited by
terrible wind storms. and In the night
of February 2s to 20 gale OF great inn
petuosity overlook the steamer, rolling
up IL violent sea and cmptying hundreds
of tons Of water upon her deck and
flooding her hold, but her compart-
ments resisted the strain and kept the
water from reaching her engine rooms,
u piece Of great good fortune, for her
fires once eXtinguished and screw rem
dcred useless she would have been pow.
erless TO make head against the gale.
Neither captain or crew lost their
self-possession for moment during the
long hours OF this terrible night On
the morning OF March 9 the staunch
steamer, Molly's Hope, sighted the Mar.
atoubas islands of the coast OF Borneo.
A fortnight was devoted 10 ransack.
ing these waters for some proof that
the Drcndnaught had persisted in just
such gale as had ovcrtaken the steam.
or; but although rich presents were dis.
tributed among the chiefs nothing was
forthcoming
ut Is very possible" said Capt Willis
to his mate one day. that the destruc-
ton OF the Dreadnaught was due TO
sudden attack of n number OF piratiCal
craft, and this would account for our
not having been able to discover any
trace Of her These pirates make no
boast Of their exploits, and when yes
sci disappears they have but to lay II TO
the fury of the gale"
You are right, captain" replied the
mate, These waters swarm with
pirates, and we must redouble our Wig.
lance In passing through Macassar
strait"
Very true" answered Willis. but
there's no chance OF their being able to
ovcrtale us Not so u sailing vessel
with irregular and shifting winds a
sailing vessel Is more or less nj their