The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-10-06
ADRIG INTHED DESERT
SURPRISING DISCOVERY OF A TEkv,
CiER IN DEATH Valley.

I-Gik Nv N~-Ge
"A Man Constructed and Fitted Up a Vessel
on a Sandy Waste Because Ee Wants to
Be Ready When the Water Rises. Us He
Firmly Believes 1t VIII. =.
Zone Of the queerest and most surpris-
ing sights l ever saw in all my wander
ings over the wilds Of this country"
said E. C. Traver, a we'll known pros
pector and civil engineer, a few days
ago, twas a newly constructed brig ly-
ing on the floor of Death valley. And it
is there yet, so that anybody can see it.
when I first saw it, l was almost
paralyzed. I could not believe my eyes
and thought I must have passed through
some mental lapse and was not in Death
valley at all. But, after gazing at 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, l knew that
everything about me was most realistic
ally real
"It was BY the merest chance that l
ran across the vessel" said MI. Traver,
because had | been q few feet farther
south | would never have seen it. You
see, l had been working on the eastern
side Of the valley for several weeks with
out success and concluded to go to
Mount Darwin, where I would at least
be sure of expenses. | was crossing the
valley at the northern end, which is
quite narrow, but about the lowest spot
on the earth's surface. | am not exactly
certain, but l think that where the YES
sci is it is about 200 feet below sea level.
"After the first surprise had worn off
| began to figure out how the craft came
there. That the vessel was q relic of a
past age never entered my head for a
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 | am
something of q sailor myself, and the
first glance told me that it was tho work
CT solne modern shipbuilder, but thas
only made the mystery greater.
Going close, l made a careful ex-
animation of my strange find. 1t proved
to be @ perfect brig Of about 400 tons,
that had never been in water. Every
thing about it was of the best style Of
workmanship and showed plainly that
the builder had put forth his best eff
forts. The keel was laid fiat on the sand
and the %starboard side placed up against
a small reef of rocks. The port side was
cnpv,orxol -, tho ,,cro1 ,y,,r,,o,,
Climbing onto the deck by a small
rope ladder, l found everything ship
shape. The decks were as clean and
white as aman-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 q thing, however, woald
have been impossible, as the heat wa1
simply unbcarable, and l had to so to
the coo-, gasping for breath, before I
had completed my Investigation. The
more | looked the more nystifed l be-
azne 1t was plain ito brig had been
bailJ where she WAS, but by whom and
for what?
81 spent tie whole afternoon climbing
over the vessel. l went into the rigging
and Looked over the surrounding coun-
tTy, hut could see TX s;gn Of a human
being. When night came or, l conclud-
ed to camp near by, but had no sooner
got fixed comfortably when a voice from
somewhere called Good even;ng!' You
ray he sax I jumped, as my nerves
were feeling a little weak through my
strange afternoons experience.
There was no need to be alarmed,
though. Tor good Hatured looking man,
with gray hair and beard, was smiling
at he. OF course l at once concluded
that he knew something about the brig.
| was right, and in q few moments he
explained the whole thing to me and
, also showed to what ends a foolish idea
will drive a man.
He said that his name was Freder-
lex Evans, that he was a ship builder
by trade and one Of the California pion-
GERS of 40. He had never made a big
strike, but had always kept prospecting,
and when the water rose in Salton lake
q few years ago he was at work in the
mountains around Death valley. It was
then that he got it into his head that
the water wou1d eventually reach that