Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-09
BRIG IN THE DESERT.
Built by 4 Modern Noah Who Expects
Il Flood.

~
| wanderiugS over the wlldS OF this
country" said l.. {. Traver, Il Well
known prospector and civil engineer,
L few days ago. was 4 newly con-
Structed brig lying Oh the floor OF
Death Valley. And il is there yet, 50
that anybody can See it.
When l first saw ii was almost
paralyZed. | could not believe my
eyes. and thought | must have passed
through some mental lapse and was
not i'll Death Valley at all. But, after
gazing ut the strange object a few
minutes, and then looking around me
and seeing the wastes OF burning
sands and feeling the hot breath OF
the desert wind, kneN that every
thing about me WAS most realistically
real.
1t was hS the mereSt chance that
| ran across the vessel, said Mr..
rraver, "b&raEc had l been few
feet further south would never have
seen it, You see, l had been working
on the eastern side OF the valley for
several weeks without success and
concluded to go to Mount Darwin,
where | would Mt least be sure of rx-
penses. | was crossing the valley 1T
the northern end, which is quite mar.
row, but about the lowest SPOT on the
earths surface. am not exactly Ger.
tain, but think that where the vessel
is it is about zoo feet below sea level.
After the first surprise had Worn
off | began 10 figure out how the craft
came there. That the vessel was a
relic of a past age never entered my
head for II mon ent, because ii was
constructed ON perfectly modern lines.
and the wood had yellow appear
ance, indicating that it had not been
cut very long. am something of a
sailor myself. and the first glance told
me that it was the work of some
modern ship-builder; but that only
made the mystery greater
Going close, made a careful eX
animation of my strange find 1t
proved to he Il perfect brig of about
400 tons, that had never been in water
Everything about it was of the best
style of workmanship, and showed
plainly that the builder had put forth
his best efforts. The keel was laid
fiat on the sand and the Starboard side
placed up against q small reef of rocks
| The port side was supported in the
usual manner.
Climbing to the deck by small
rope ladder, | found everything ship.
shape The decks were as clean and
white as II man-of-war'S and every
rope was in place. Entering the cabin,
| found everything neat and clean, and
several hunks with bedding ready to
sleep in. Such Il thing, however,
would have been impossible, as the
heat was simply unbearable aud | had
to 20 to the door, Sasping for breath.
before | had completed my inveStiga-
ton. The more | looked the more
mystitieG | became. 1t was plain the
brig had been built where she was;
but by whom, and for what!
Il spent the whole afternoon climb
ing over the vessel. | went into the
rigging and looked over the surround
ing country, but could see no sign OF a
human being. When night came on
concluded to camp near by, but had
no sooner got fixed comfortably when
q voice from somewhere called. Good
evening You may be sure | jumped,
as my nerves were feeling a little
weak through my strange afternoons
experience.
There was no need to be alarmed,
though, for good-natured looking
man with grey hair and heard was
smiling at me. OF course, | at once
concluded that he knew something
about the brig. | was right, and In a
few moments he explained the whole
thing to me, and also showed to what
ends a foolish idea will drive man.
He said that his name was Freder.
lex Evans, that he was shipbuilder
by trade, and one of the California
pioneers Of 40 He had Fever made
big strike, but had always kept
prospecting, and when the water rose
in Salton Lake a few years ago he
was at work in the mountains around
Death Valley. 1t was then that he got
IL iHID LIS utdu LIldI LlIt hdptl NOuiu
eventually reach that locality, and he
was determined TO have the first YES
sci to float in the new sea, Evans was
not a poor man, but had enough money
to hire a couple Of men to help him
lay the keel of the vessel. put in the
maSts and do the other heavy york.
At first the work was pushed rapidly.
but when the water commenced to
rocede Evans took things easy and did
all the work himself, because he
thought the water would not come
again for a year lie has been dlsap
pointed every year since. but still
thinks that Death Valley vii! become
a sea, and he is ready for IT.
II was well treated by Evans" said
Mr. Traver. in concluding He took
me 10 his abode. which was deep
cave a few feet from the brig. with a
delightful temperature stayed with
him two days and found him well
educated man and very interesting.
but when | left him his last words