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


OF her child, this was not no In the case
Of her husband Might not John and
his companions have survived the wrecl,
OF their ship and have taken refuge on
one OF the numerous islands OF the
Philippine, the Celebcs or the Java
seas7 Could II not be possible that they
had been restrained OF their liberty by
ONE native tribe and were without any
means OF cscape2 This was the hope 10
which Mrs Allnirc WINS henceforth 10
cling with n tenncity so extraordinary
as 10 bring about In San Diego and else
where a change OF opinion as regards
the Drcadnaught
There were frequent consultations Mt
Prospect cottage, which, rich rs she
now WINS, Molly hnd not been willing
TO leave. Capt John had left her there
on sailing away-he should find her
there on his return. She resolved 10
make not the least change In her mode
OF life until her husband was once more
back In San Diego. She was determined
that the same simplicity should charac-
terize her style Of living; that she would
spend nothing additional except as
called for by her expeditions and her
charities
The important task 10 which Hollis
ter and Capt Willis FIRST turned their
attention when In consultation with
Mrs Allaire was TO tx upon the course
which had been followed by the Dread
naught. II was necessary 10 establish
this with the greatest exactitude posi-.
BILE. The house OF Hollistcr & Co had
shipped goods by this vessel 10 the
Indies with instructions 10 touch ut
Singapore, for which port she also cur
ried n consignment OF merchandise.
Now after getting away from the Amer.
lean coast the probabilities were that
Capt John had passed In the ncighbor-
hood Of the llawaiin archipelago OF
Sandwich islands After leaving the
Anson archipelago the Drcadnaught
had no doubt taken the direction Of the
Mariana and the Philippine islands,
thence through Celcbes sea and Macas-
sar strait To the Java sea, which Ia
bounded ON the south by the Sunda
islands, In order 10 reach Singapore.
The strait Of Molucca. which Ia formed
by the Malay peninsula and the island
of'Sumatra, opens on the west into the
bay Of Bengal, In which, outside Of the
Andaman and Nicobar islands, there
was no place where the wrecked crew
could have found refuge. Beyond all
doubt, John Allairc had not reached
the bay Of Bengal, for inasmuch as he
had not touched ut Singapore, and this
was now known to be the case, II must
DO that he had been unable 10 get be-
yond the limits OF the Java sea and
the Sunda islands
As for supposinR that tho Dread.
naught instead Of following the May
lasian route had attempted To reach
Calcutta by threading her way through
the difficult passes OF Torres strait
along the north coast of the Australian
continent, no good seaman would have
dreamed of such II thing. Capt Willis
Insisted that Capt. John would never
have taken such rash and uncnllcd for
step rs TO expose his ship 10 the dan.
gers Of this route The idea was not 10
DO INDUCED for II moment, and II was
resolved to coniinc the search solely to
the route already marked out ms the one
most likely followed by Allnire.
The fact Is that the Caroline, Celebes
and Java seas are filled with thousands
OF islands OF all sizes, and there Il was
that tho crew OF the Dreadnaught, II
they had survived the wreck OF their
vessel, might be living on some desert
Isle or be held In bondage by some
tribe. Having agreed upon these points,
II was resolved TO send an expedition 10
hA lulu 10.
made proposition which TO her mind
was of greatest Importance. She asked
Capt Willis II he were inclined 10 take
command OF the expedition.
As the Flying Cloud had been laid up
by Hollister a. Co., Willis was on the
waiting list, and therefore, although
taken unawares by this proposition OF
Mrs. Allaire, he didn't hesitate 10
place himself at her disposal, condi-
toned upon the consent Of Mr. Hollis.
ter, who gladly accorded II, and
thanked Willis for accepting.
I'm only doing my duty" replied
Willis, land everything In my power to
find the survivors Of the Dreadnaught
shall be done. II Capt John Is alive"
John Is alive" exclaimed Mrs. Al
lnire, in q tono positive enough TO 81.
lence the most incrcdulous.
Capt Willis now began the discussion
OF several points calling for settlement.
To ship crew worthy OF this expedi.
ton would not be difficult matter.
But there was the question Of n vessel.
OF course for such an expedition as this
the Flying Cloud was In no wise suited.
1t was not n sailing vessel which wise
navigator would choose in order TO UNI
dertake such task, but n steamer.
At that moment there were lying In
the bay Of San Diego several steamers
suitable for such an enterprise. Mrs.
Allaire commissioned Capt. Willis To ac-
quire title to the swiftest one Of tho
lot and placed the necessary funds ut
his disposal. A few days suiiiced for
this transaction. Mrs. John Allaire be-
came the owner Of the Davitt, the name
Of which was at once changed 10 the
Molly's Hope, most appropriate name
under the circumstances and one of
good augury.
II was screw steamer OF nine hun.
dred tons burden and constructed with
very commodious coal bunkers, which
would enable her TO run long distances
without recalling Rugged like three.
masted brig and carrying large spread
Of canvas, her twelve-hundred. horse.
power engines would easily enable her
TO attain a speed Of Afteen knots an
hour, Under these conditions Of speed
and tonnage the Molly's Hope, which
was a good sailer and easily handled,
answered all the requirements of pas
sage through confined seas, Oiled with