The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-12
AFTER A LOST ISLE.
The Peculiar Mission Of the
Vine.
STORY Oh AN OLD CAPTAIN.
lie Discovered an Island Rich in
PhOSphateS.
THE WALLA WALLA TOWING SOUTH.
Sighted Off Point Reyes by the Signal
Observer at Five O'Clock.
Notes.
THE WALLA WALLA TOWING SOUTH.

1--WE are going to search for unknown
lands" said First Officer Small of the
schooner yacht Vine, as he paced the YES
sePs lum -ladened decks and looked
aloit. Then Mr.. Small smiled and added:
The Vine is bound on business ana
pleasure trip combined.
Twill tell you the secret of our voyage?
Yes, have no objection to so doing; but
then must warn you that l do notproDose
to make public the location of certain
lost island that is richer in gusno than the
fertilizing beds of phosphate of Pern-an
island which is worth a fortune to any man
who locates it.
"Were we outbound to search for the
mysterious treasures of CocOs or the sup
posititious mines of the Isles of Marianne
our venture would undoubtedly create
somewhat of a sensation among the sensa-
tionalists. But there are millions in it!
In what ? Well. the gusno that we expect
to find"
The Vine is az section 4 of the seawall.
She did not sail for GuayDas yesterday as
was expected, but she pulled out in the
stream to take on more stores. She will
probably leave tomorrow or Monday.
Few of the fifteen excursi0nists, who eZ-
pect to take passage on her, have yet come
on board, and the ladened condition of the
vessels decks deprlveS her OF anything
like romantic appearance.
But the excursion party, the deckload
for Mexico and the trip to The South Seas
are considerations Of secondary lmpor-
tance to the mission OF Captain Burns,
The owner and skipper Of the pretty craft.
Captain Burns is a sea-fOlOwer who has
accumulated wealth. he has land and
houses and is considered wealthy.
II takes mon6V to make money, accord
ing to the old adage, and Captain Burns
realizes this fact strongly. He says he is
willing TO spend several thousand dollars
in an attempt to locate the valuable lost
gUano deposits.
In 1843 there lived captain named Will
liams. He was a pioneer among the
traders of the South American coast, and
q man who was always ready to undertake
any task requiring good seamsnshIp and
a strong nerve.
Williams was sent on several dangerous
missions 10 the south seas for his owners
and made success of them. On the &C.
casiOR of one trip it is said that his shin
was pursued by buccaneers who forced
him 10 90 nearly a thousand miles out OF
his course to escape being captured.
Williams craft, which is said to have
been a brig, piled on all sail and stood
away for the south After escaping the
enemy she ran into storm. For three
days she was tossed about and on the
fourth day of bad weather an island was
sighted.
Captain Williams approached the place
carefully. He could not locate it on his
chart. so he sent several men off In a
boat 10 make sOundngs. a harbor was
discovered on the south end of the island
and in that haven the brig took shelter.
From descriptions left on a scrap of
paper by Captain Williams. which evil
dence is now in Captain Burns hands, the
island must be one something similar to
Clip9erton Island. II was immensely rich
in Guano.
Captain Williams kept his secret until
he died. which was about ten years ago.
Before death be made known his dIscoV-
cry to Captain Burns.
After leaving Guaymas the Vine will
sal about 1000 miles out of her course.
The island IS not down on any chart, but
Captain Burns and Mate Small insist that
it exists
sllken American flag lies in the
sebO0neT'S bunting lockers ready to be
unfurled over the new and remarkable
possession that is TO be taken in the name
of the United States
Word was telegraphed from Point Arena
yesterday that twO steamers passed the
Point at 10 O'Clock in the morning, one
towing the other. At $3.50 o'clock in the
afternoon the signal observer at Point
Reyes wired that the vessels had passed
south, SIX miles OH shore, and that they
we're undoubtedly the steamers Walla
Walla and Columbia, which had not put
in an appearance up 10 a late hour last
night, though due in the morning at day.
break.
The observer reported that it looked TO
him us If the vessel doing the towing was
the Columbia. The Walla Walla evidently
had lost her rudder or had damaged her
steering-gear.
The noD-arrival of the Columbia from
Portland and Astoria and the Nalla Walla |
from Puget Sound ports caused some
alarm, but when it was learned that they
had been heard from there was a feeling
OF general satisfaction in all quarters.
Hans Nelson, a passenger in the Far
allen for Portland. suecumbed to the |
scheme of bunco man Thursday after |
mon before the vessel sailed and lost 500 |
The sharper worked an old employment
trick on the inn cent Hans, then quickly |
made his escare. No arrests.