The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-02

than six expeditions are being fitted ouo.
The gold yarn is about an island of gold
| in the South Pacific Ocean. 1t lies in the
belt of gold islands, west of Panama. But
this one is so much larger than the others,
so much richer and so much more easily
worked that it is the magnet that is draw
ing all the gold parties toward it,
When Cecil Rhodes said he wus going
to corner the diamond market OF the VIC rid
by getting possession of the entire South
Africa mines, spectators laughed at him,
and investors wanted to imDrison him
and Barnato and Belt as crazy natives
who were trying to get rid of the money
intrusted to them.
But Belt, Burnato and Rhodes knew
where the corner" was located and they
found it.
The hunters for the new gold field are
talking about CORNERS" They say that
gold lies so plentifully in this new region
that to own it practically corners the gold
of the world. From nowhere else can it
be mined so cheaply or plentifully, and
that fact alone insures Il corner.
The gold fell toward which the six
winter expeditions are pointing is in the
warmest part of the Pacific. 1t consists
of an island, with sandy beach and two
mountains, which rise like horns at the
opposite ends of the island The beach is
rich with ore, even the pebbles bearing
that dark rusty look that means gold
But the richest layers are i'll the noun
tans, where there is a whole ledge of
soft rock that is more than half gold
The ledge reaches along one side of the
island, which is II quarter of mile in
width, and rises in great height, rich in
gold.
The discovery of this island dates back
twenty years, and for that length of time
expeditions have been getting ready to
sail for it But all have met with some
calamity before starting. Meanwhile the
secret has been kept.
The story is something like this: Tween
ty years ago n Maine carpenter started
by ship from California back home, going
by way of Panama. When nearly III port
the ship stopped ut an island for repair,
and the carpenter took Il day to enjoy
himself. At the public house-for the
island was small settlcment-he met
two sailors who had with them u bag of
ore. Hearing he had been miner, they
asked him to test the mineral. He did so,
finding it nearly pure gold. The sailors
said they had obtained it from an island
one days sailing North.
The sailors proposed that all go back to
the island and get IL ships load of gold.
They would start in a vessel purchased
with the carpenters money. The car
penter agreed and back they went. Near
the island Ii severe storm came up, wreck
ing them. The carpenter and one sailor
were cast ashore, but the crew persisted
Next day they-the carpenter and the
sailor-eXplored the island and were de.
lighted to find it rich in gold They
gathered such Of the mineral as they
could, and that day were providentially
| picked up by vessel happening along.
| They hailed her and were taken aboard.
| Returning to his home in Maine he mar
| ried, intending next year to return to his
island of gold. His wife objected, how
| ever, to the voyage. and so the years
passed. Last year the carpenter died
| but on his death bed he told his son how
he and the sailor had shovelled up pebbles
that were more than half gold.
But the son was less adventurous than
his father. Like his mother, he was in
| credulous and told the story to friends
rs an evening tale. The first friend who
| heard it after the old mans death sprang
to his feet, 'If your father told that
| story" said he, lit Is true, and am 20.
! ing to fit out in expedition to lock up
4, that island
| 4 party was speedily formed and in a
| few days it will sail from Maine to look
| for the gold island III the Southern Pa
cific.
| Meanwhile, however, the news spread
and parties in Boston took it mp and be.
gan fitting out Il ship of their own. The
| location of the island is such-for the
bearings were found in the eifrcts of the
| old carpenter that it might easily exist
and be loaded with gold, for it is in the
richest gold belt known
Such an island might easily have been
| thousands start out every year, but for
one fact. There is IA certain latitude OF
the South Pacitic where the greatest guam
| THY ofposonous reptiles live. The islands
| are alive with them, and so yenomous
| and fierce are they that mariners do not
| land at these islands, nor does living
| sbul touch them from year to year. MAJ
| rncrs courses lie as far away from them
as possible, and this island lies in the
very midst of this Snake Belt"
The exploring party would be obliged
TO rid the island at once of reptiles. They
would first assure themselves that they
had found the island so rich in gold and
then the snakes could be driven out by
poisous and by planting herbs that are
repulsive to them. In six months II small
| island could be cleared of reptiles, the eX-
| plorers taking the utmost precautions
| while at work.
Gold expeditions are starting all the
| time from places along the coast. South
| ern California sends out several every
year and places least suspected of harbor.
| ing souls with the GOLD fever have ships
lying i'll harbor bound for some southern
| port, hut carrying in their passenger list
enthusiastic prospectors for gold.
The probability of gold island in the
Pacific is readily conceded by mariners.
They say that sailors are very ready to
find a ship i'll need of repairs near these
islands, and for this reason the sea Off
Panama is marked dangerous" on the
mariners charts, on account of the num-