The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-01
A BRIG IN THE DESERT.
It's Owner Says he Is All Ready for
the Sandy Waste to Become a Sea.


From the San Francisco Call.
zone of the queerest and most sur
prising sights ever saw in all my wan
behring's over the wilds of this country"
said E. C. Traver, a well-known prospec-
tor and civil engineer, a few days ago,
was a newly constructed brig living on
the floor of Death valley. And it is there
yet, so that anybody can see it.
when | first saw it was almost para
lyzed. l could not believe my eyes, and
thought l must have passed through some
mental Lapse and was not in Death valley
at all But after gazing at the strange
object few minutes, and then looking
around me and seeing the wastes of burn
ing sands and feeling the hot breath
of the desert wind, knew that every
thing about me was most realistically
real.
1T was by the merest chance that ran
across the vessel, - said Mr. Traver, "be-
cause had | 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 sue
cess, and concluded to so to Mount Oar
win, where | would at least be sure of ex-
penses. | was crossing the valley at the
northern end, which is quite narrow, but
/ about the lowest spot on the earths sur
face. | am not exactly certain. but l
think that where the vessel is it is about
200 feet below sea level.
After the first surprise had worn off I
began to figure out how the craft came
there. That the vessel was relic of past
age never entered my head for moment,
| because it was constructed on perfectly
modern lines and the wood had a yellow
appearance, indicating that it had not
been cut very long. l am something of a
sailor myself. and the first glance told
me that it was the work Of some modern
shipbuilder, but that only made the mys-
terry greater
Going close, I made a careful examina-
tion of my strange find. 1t proved to be
a perfect brig of about 400 tons, that had
never been in water. Everything about
it was the best style of workmanship, and
showed plainly that the builder has put
forth his best efforts. The kneel was laid
fiat on the sand and. the starboard side
placed up against a small reef of rocks
The port side was supported in the usual
manner.
Climbing onto the deck by a small rope
ladder, l found everything ship shape.
The decks were as clean and white as a
man-Ofwar S, and every rope was in
place Entering the cabin, I found
everything neat and clean, and several
hunks with bedding ready to sleep in
EOuCu d blluS, uOW6NtT, NOulu nave DoeQ
impossible, as the heat was simply I'M
/ bearable, and / had to go to the door
gasping for breath before had completed
my investigation. The more l looked the
more mystified l became 1t was
plain the brig had been built where she
was, and by whom and for WHAT
81 spent the whole afternoon climbing
over the vessel. | went into the rigging
and looked over the surrounding country,
h11 &C no G1C Of h hi,
When night came on l concluded TO camp
near by, but had no sooner got fixed com
fortably when voice from somewhere
cal ed Good evening" You may be sure
jumped, as my nerves were feeling a
little weak through my strange after
Moons experience.
There was no need to be alarmed,
though, for good natured looking man
with gray hair and beard was smiling at
me. OF course, l at once concluded that
he knew something about the brig. Twas
right and in few moments he explained
the whole thing to me, and also showed TO
what ends foolish idea will drive man
HE said that his name was Frederick
Evans, that he was shlpbuilder by
trade, and one of the California pioneers
of 40 He had never 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 it in,o his head that the
water would eventually reach that To-
cality, and he was determined to have
the first vessel to float in the new sea.
Evans was not poor man, but had enough
money 10 hire a couple of men to help
him lay the keel of the vessel put in
the masts and do the other heavy work
At first the WORK was pushed rapidly,
but when the water commenced TO re-
cede Evans took things easy and did all
the work himself, because he thought the
water would not come again for year.
He has been disappointed every year
since, but still thinks that Death valley
will become a sea, and he is ready for it,
Il was well treated by Evans, said
Mr. Traver in concluding. He took me
to his abode, which was a deep cave
few feet from tle brig, with delightful
temperature. l stayed with him two days
ana found HIM a welleducated man very
interesting, but when | left him his last
words were: When the water rises
will be ready for it. "
He-If were poor man you would never
have married me, would YOU;
She-Certainly not love you the way you
| are. and If you had been poor you would have
| been unlike your present self that l
| couldn have loved you. You see. my dear,
| it isn the money, it's the combination.-De-