Evening star., 1896-12-14
A LOST ISLAND.
Millions In GuanO Await the FOrta.
nate DiscOvcrer.

Millions in GuanO Await the FOrta.
nate DiscOvcrer.
From the San Francisco Bullein
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
II all seas over in the latitude and lonei-
tude where 1t 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 monot-
ony of the placid Southern ocean save the
well-known high rock Of much-mentioned
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 adventurous ass0-
cIates 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 49, bound for Altata, Mexico. with a
general cargo The vessel Is the property
object Of Ter voyage was the discovery of
the island mentioned. Mr.. Magee Is one of
the company known as the Oceanic Phos-
phate Company. which has shown consid
cradle 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
Clipperton succeeded in securing cargoes
for the craft sent out by the corporation
from San Francisco, and having placed
their Ciipperton business on a paying basis
a number of members of the company turn
ed thefr attention to the accounts of a
rich guano island that mariners of the old
school have declared exists not so many
hundred miles Off the Mexican and Cen
tral American coast. The supposed loca tion
is. OF course, held a secret by the pro-
mot q of fha I;-~l,x
those who returned today on the schooner
are disappointed at not finding the place,
they still have hope Of some day locating
the spot.
cisco. proceeded to Altata keeping a little
out of the regular course in so doing, and
after discharging cruised again and then
put back to Mazatlan. Mexico From Ma
zatlan the schooner sailed fifty-two days
ago. She cleared for this port but before
Strengthening out on her northward trip
looked the seas over for the lost island. 1t
could not be found, and fearing to waste
any more time as provisions 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 a great
extent conflicting. though the narratives
all seem to center on the fact that the
place exists somewhere about 400 or 500
Is low coral atol which Is covered with
the richest phosphates. The little unknown
also has Its legends of pirates treasures,
and according to an old volume containing
mention 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 a 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 course by head winds, and
came across the island, which he described.
He took note of the latitude and Iongi-
tude, hoping 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 q
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 1t in past years simply made
errors In their reckonings and have caused
all subsequent failures to find the land of
fortune.