The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-11
HIDDEN TREASURE
Victorians Fail to Find
CoCos' Gold.
BIGGEST OF FISH STORIES.
Strange Trip of Two Life-Buoys.
Death of Captain Pike of the
Peary Expedition.

Captain Van Brahmar of Victoria. who
IN company with several fortune-seeking
adventures sailed about ten months ago
in small schooner for Cocos Island in
search of buried treasures. has returned TO
his home empty handed.
lie writes to a friend in this city that
the island Is honeycombed with tunnels
and mines. and estimated that fully
100000 has been spent by searchers in
moking these excavations.
The captains party started three tun-
nels. north, south and east of the little bay
at the northern extremity of the island,
and worked steadily at them for several
months.
The island was once covered with vege-
tation, tall trees abounded. but of late
years visitors have made such inrOads on
timber growth that very little is left for
fuel or shade.
There is plenty OF water there. but even
the supply of this is diminishing.
The captain does not mention having
seen the party which started for the island
from Stockton abOnt one year ago.
A story comes from Victoria that the
sealing schooner Mermaid is at Yokohama
being repaired for damages caused by
collision with n whale. This is considered.
in shipping circles, the biggest fish story
of the season.
Captain j. C. Dodd of the ship Man
che ter, who rescued b0atload Of excur-
siOnlsts in the bay, during last Sundays
squali, says that the two life-buOys, with
seventy fathoms of line attached, which
he lost while aiding the craft mention ed,
were recovered yesterday in very peculiar
manner. After drifting about the bay for
forty hours the buoys and line floated TO
within a few yards of the Manchester.
CAPTAIN Dodd quickly lowered boat and
secured his lost property. The remark
able trip of the ships Iife-saying gear
illustrates the set OF the tides, the ebb cur
rant returning in the same track as The
food
CAPTAIN DOdd Will have no hesitation
hereafter in casting his bread upon the
waters, feeling convinced that It Will re-
turn TO him after many days.
a dispatch of Yesterday notifies OF the
death Of Captain Richard Pike, master of
the sealing schooner Kite, which carried
the Peary expedition north. He died at
st. Johns, Newfoundland. from cancer.
Captain Pike was 80 years old, and Tor
the past thirty years has been one OF the
best-known navigators Of North America.
1t was he who conveyed the Greedy party
TO Lady Franklin Bay. and went there
later with the Greedy relief expedition.
A London cable reports the arrival of
the ship Lady Lawrence AT Falmouth, 2l0
DAYS from Tacoma, with wheat Fears
had been entertained regarding her safety.
The ship Servia. which sailed from this
city In ballast on January %. made the run
TO New ork in ninety-seYen days, a very
fast trip, which beats all recent records.
The sail tonnage arrivals at San Fran
cisco for April from domestic Atlantic
ports was -. 331 for six vessels; from for
eign ports fifty-5iX vessels of IS. CSC total
tonnage.
The steamer Australia sailed yesterday
morning for Honolulu with a smaller pas
senger list than usual, and the Munowai is
expected to-day with full list of travellers.
A man giving the name of Rudolph
Brown ATTEMPTED to ship at the nOn-un ION
Office yesterday morning. but was rec9g-
MED as a deserter from Battery B. u. s.
a, and placed under arrest. Brown es-
capped from the Presidio few days ago.
Captain Whiting of the L. S 5. Alliance
Is rapidly recovering from his illness at
the Marine Hospital, and will be able to
join his vessel, which will sail from here
on the 10Th under sealed orders. pre-
sumably for Nicaragua.
The American ship Thomas Knox
arrived from New YORK Yesterday morn
ing. Captain Libby of the Knox is ae-
companied by his five daughters.
The barkentine Discovery has gone In
the Merchants drydock.
The U. S. S. Corwln sailed yesterd ay for
the Berng SEA-.