Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-17
A LOST ISLAND.
Millions In Guano Await the Fortunate
Discoycrer.

D{SCOycrer.
The mysterious island of the Southern
ocean whereon rich deposits of guano are
said to be has not been discovered yet,
though the little schooner Moonlight that
arrived today from Mazatlan searched for
it all seas over in the latitude and longi-
tude where it is believed to exist. Out
of the regular course of sailing and
steam vessels cruised the Moonlight for
days, but nothing occurred to break the
monotony of the Southern ocean save the
wel-known high rock of aforementioned
Clipperton. Treasure island and its
wealth of phosphates still exists merely
as an unknown quantity, for the rough
charts of old Capt. Martin and his ad
venturous associates are either in error
or else some strange seismic phenomenon
caused the lost isle to disappear, years
ago, perhaps, for all that mortal sailor
knows.
The Moonlight sailed from this port on
July is bound for Alfalfa, Mex, with Il
general cargo. The vessel is the proper
ty of j. A. Magee and others, and the
primary object of her, voyage was the
discovery of the island mentioned. Mr..
Magee is one of the company known as
the Oceanic Phosphate company, which
has shown considerable enterprise in
solving the problem of loading vessels at
Clipperton island with phosphates. After
an outlay of capital and frequent trials
the colony established ON Chpperton sue
cceded in securing cargoeS for the craft
sent out by the corporation from San
francisco, and having placed their Clip
perton business on n paying basis num-
Der of members of the company turned
their attention to the accounts of a rich
guano island that mariners of the old
school have declared exists no so many
hundred miles off the Mexican and Gem
trail American coast. The supposed Local
ton is, of course, held a secret by the
promoters of the Moonlight expedition.
Though those who returned today on the
schooner are disappointed at not finding
the place, they still have hope of some
day locating the spot.
The MCKNIGHT after leaving San Fran
cisco, proceeded to Altara, keeping Il lit
tie out of the regular course in SO doing.
and after discharging cruised again and
then put back to Mazatlan, Mex. From
Mazatlan the schooner sailed tifty-two
days ago. She cleared for this port but
ward trip looked the seas over for the
lost island; it could not be found, and
fearing to waste any more time as pro-
visions and water might run short. the
vessel headed for San Francisco.
For number of years the lost island
of the South Pacific has been searched
for by ambitious seamen. The stories
concerning it are various and romantic
and to Il great extent conflicting. though
the narratives all seem to center on the
fact that the place exists somewh here
about 400 or 500 miles southwest of Clip
perton island. and is n low coral atol
which is covered with the richest phos-
,hates. The little unknown also has its
legends of pirates treasures, and ac-
cording to an old volume containing men
ton of Lord Clipperton's voyages, was
once the rendezvous of pirates.
One of the expeditions of recent date
which have been fitted out to look for
the island was the Vine expedition. The
Vines owner. Capt. Burns, according to
the first officer of that craft. secured his
knowledge of the place from an old sea
captain named Martin, who died some
years ago. and who left an old chest
among his belongings which told of n
small island in the South Pacific, not
down on the regular charts. enormously
rich in phosphates. Martin claimed that
his vessel WAS driven out of her regular
the island. which he described. He took
Il note of the latitude and longitude, hop
ing some day to raise enough money to
fit out vessel to proceed TO that spot
and take possession. but death put an
end to his aspirations.
The Moonlight, on leaving Mazatlan.
was in charge of Capt. Spencer and had
Il number of local men on board who
still have faith in the theory that the
island is still above water, and that the
old sea dogs who sighted it in past years
simply made errors in their reckonings
and have caused all subsequent failures
to find the land of fortune.-San Fran
cisco Bulletin.