Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-30
A BRIG IN THE DESERT.

AS O"her says He Is All Ready for
the Sandy Waste to Become a Sea.
From the San Francisco Call.
"One OF the queerest and most surpris-
ing sights ever saw in all my wsnderings
over the wilds of this country" said Il. c.
Traver. q well-known prospector and civil
engineer a few days ago. was a newly
constructed brig lying on the floor OF Death
Valley. And it is there yet. 50 that any
body can see 1t.
when I first saw II was almost para
lyzed. I could not believe my eyes. and
thought must have passed through some
mental lapse and was not in Death Valley
at all But. after gazing at the strange OBJ
1ect . 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 everything about
me was most realistically real.
1T was by the merest chance that I ran
across the vessel" said Mr.. Travsr. "be-
cause had bean q few feet further south
I would nevsr have seen 1t. You see. I had
been working on the eastern side OF the
valley for several weeks without success
and concluded to go to Mount Darwin.
WI would at least be sure Of expenses.
i was crossing the valley at TIE northern
end. which IL quite narrow, but about the
not exactly, certain, but think that where
the vessel II 1t u about 200 feet below sea
level ~
began to- figure out how the craft came
there. That the vessel was relic Of q past
age never entered my head for q moment
because itsNAs constructed on perfectly
modern hnets and the wood had q yellow
appearances Indicating that II had not been
cut very long. I am something Of q sailor
myself. and the first glance told me that II
was the work OF some modern shipbuilderi
but that only made the mystery greater.
Going close. made . careful examina-
ton OF my strange find. II proved TO be 9
perfect brig Of about 400 tons, that had
never been In water. Everything about II
was Of the best style Of workmanship. and
showed plainly that the builder had pu,
forth his best efforts. The keel was laid
placed up against . small reef OF rocks
The port side was supported In the usual
manner.
climbing on to the deck by q small rope
ladder, I found everything ship-shape. The
decks were as clean and white as . man-of-
wars. and every rope was in place. Enter.
Ing the cabin. I found everything neat and
clean. and several hunks with bedding
ready to sleep in. Such . thing, however.
would have been impossible. as the heat
was simply unbearable. and I had to 60 10
the door. gasping for breath. before I had
completed my Investigation. The more
plain the brig had been built where she
was; but by whom. and for what?
Il spent the whole afternoon climbing over
the vessel went into the rigging and look.
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 even
Ing You may be sure jumped. as my
nerves were feeling q little weak through
| my strange afternoons experience
There was no need to be alarmed
though. for a good-natured looking man
with gray hair and beard was smiling a,
| 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 tc
what ends q foolish idea will drive a man
He said that his name was Frederick
Evans. that he was a shipbuilder by trade
| and one Of the California pioneers Of '4s
He had never made a big strike, but had
always kept prospecting, and when the
| water ross In Salton Lake q few years age
| he was ~ work In the mountains around
Death Valley. It was then that he got 4,
| into his head that the water would eventu
| ally reach that locality. and he was deter
mined to have the first vessel 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
work. AT first the work was pushed rapid
| ly, but when the water commenced to re
cede Evans took things easy and did al
| the work himself. because he thought tn,
water would not come again for a year
He has been disappointed every year since
but still thinks that Death Valley will be
come a sea and he Is ready for It,
Il was well treated by Evans" said Mr.
| Traver. In concluding He took me TO hi
abode. which was a deep cave a few fee
from the brig with a delightful tempera
| ture. / stayed with him two days ant
| found him a well-educated man and YER
interesting, but when I left him his las
words were. When the water rises I vii
| be ready Tor it"