Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1894-07-06
A BRIG IN DEATH VALLEY.

surprising sights ever saw in al
my wanderipgs over this country,
said h. G. Trayer, well-know
prcspector and civil engineer,
few days ago, "was a newly con
structed brig lying on the aoor O
Death Valley And it is there We
SO that anybody can see it.
when first saw it l was al
most paralyzed. I could not be
'isve my eyes, and thought l mus
have passed through some menta
lapse and was not in Death VALLEY
at all. But, after gazing at thu
strange object few minutes ant
then looking around me and seeine
the wastes Of burning sands and
feeling the hot breath of the desert
wind, / knew that everything
| about nae was most realistically
real.
ut gas by the merest chance
that / ran across the vessel" said
Mr.. Traver, "because had / been
o 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
60 to Mount Darwin, where l
would at least be sure of expenses.
| was crossing the valley at the
northern end, which is quite mar
row, but abont the lowest spot on
the earth's surface. ! am not ex-
actly certain, but / think that
where the vessel is located is
about 200 feet below sea level,
after the first surprise had
worn of I began 10 figure out how
the craft came there. That the
vessel was relic OF past age
never entered my head for a mo-
ment, because 1t was constructed
on perfectly modern lines and the
wood had q yellow appearance
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 shipbuilder; but that
only made the mystery greater.
"Going close, 1 made a careful
examination OF my strange find.
1t proved TO be o perfect brig of
about 400 tons, that had never
been in water. Everything about
it was of the best style OF work
and showed plainly that
the bailder had put forth his best
efforts. The keel was laid fiat on
the sand. and the starboard side
placed up against small reef Of
rocks. The port side was sup
ported in the usual manner.
climbing onto the deck by a
small rope ladder. | found every
hing in ship-shape. The decks
we're as clean and white as q man.
,f-war's, and every rope was in
place. Entering the cabin, l
found everything neat and clean,
md several bunks ready to sleep
n. Such a thing, however, would
,aye been impossible, as the heet
vas simply unbearable. and / had
o go to the door, gasping for
breath, before had completed my
nvestIgation. The more / looked
he more interested and mystified
became. 1t was plain the brig
lad been built where she was; but
" whom, and for what ?
IL spent the whole afternoon
over the vessel | went
nto the rigging and looked over
be surrounding country, but
ould see no sign Of a human be-
ng. When night came on I con-
luded to camp near by, but had
10 sooner got fixed comfortably
Ehen voice from somewhere
allied Good evening You may
% sure jumped, as my nerves
Eers feeling a little weak through /;
ny strange afternoons experience.
"There was no need TO be Il
larmed though, for g6od-natured
boxing man with gray hair and ]
card Was smiling at me OF