The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-25

Twentv-three hundred miles out IN
the Pacific, far beyond the tracks OF
any vessels and wholly isolated from
the rest of the world, is an island that
has for years been one Of the greatest
ocaan mysteries known to the scientific
world It's location does not appear
unon the map, and it is known to geo
eranhical students simply as DaWson's
island. after the only white man who
ever set foot upon it's shores. He was
4he captain of Pacific coast trading
vessel.
No attempt was ever made to find
the island until some months ago, Wnen
Prof. Frederick Alleson, Of the Ber-
lin Geographical society, who has Tor
years been making a study OF that vast
region comprising the Central Paclllc
ocean, with a party of scientists set
out to look for it. Prof. Alleson says:
Dawson's island is no longer a myth
] have been there, and it is one OIL the
most wonderful places ever visited by
man From one end 10 the other the
whole island is streWn with marvellous
ruins. and on every hand is abundant
evidence that it was once lnhaplteu NY
a highly civilized people. The lsIano
Is nurelv of volcanic origin, and IS
about ten miles long by four TO IVe
miles wide, with high cliffs forming lts
extremity on three sides and presenting
9. most forbidding appearance. On the
remaining or eastern side the lana
rlones down onto a little beach, and
from here access into the interior is
Easily made.
As nearly as we could judge, the
island lies in latitude 26 degrees ana
longitude 109 degrees, or somewhere
between 1000 and $500 miles from the
South American coast, and IN almost
direct line south from the extreme end
of Lower California.
As we approached it from the north
Its rocky sides rose abruptly out Oh the
sea TO the height of some l,20O rect,
and hevond these we could see the
neaks of what appeared to be great
isolated mountains. These we AFTER
ward discovered to be volcanoes They
tower I'D for thousands of feet, ana
stand out in bold relief against the
civ forming a most wonderful and I'M
posing picture.
We steamed round the island looking
for nlace to land and were struck
nv the awful desolation of the place
It seemed to be wholly uninhabited. NO
smoke rose against the horizon, and
+bera was nothing whatever to indicate
that life existed upon the tops OF those
mighty cliffs. Finally, as we rounded
the rocks we came in view OIL the
eastern side. and in a twikling the
whole scene was changed. Before our
ewes stretched a little beach, up which
the waves rolled in silver-topped break
faint outlines of distant hills and mere
and there patches of green.
MEETING THE NATIVES.
AS we drew near a number of the
natives came down to meet US. stop
ming about fifty yards off shore, we
ballooed to them in several difrefeht
languages, but without avail. linen we
fried Malaysian, and instantly we saw
they recognized 1t. ,, -,
Thav snrang into queer looking ca
noes made of bark, with Immense slde
sweeps. = number of which we had
noticed living along the beach as we
came M. and quickly padded out 10
where we lay. In few moments they
were alongside and then Tor the iilsl
time we got a good look at them. 1hey
were a fairly good LOOKING lol VI & %
ages of a yelloWish brown compleAloi
ond medium stature Their hair was
thick and black, and they bore =
striking. resemblance to the natives u.
some portions of the Indian ArchlpSla-
go What little clothing they wore ap-
neared to be made OF woven grasses
This we afterWard found out 10 pe tlle
case. These grasses, and also inc lDI "
of the cocoanut husk are woven by the
tTo1,1e,, on crude hand looms into sort
of coarse cloth, which is atterWaid q
Fashioned into various patterns ol
clothing They do not wear mach' loi
+ha +emDerature is very warm there'
averaging 80 degrees and over.
We were very closely scrutlnlzeu pg
those on the shore, but they e%hlplteo
no evidences Of hostility. In 1act' we
tr,sre ,U struck with their exceeding mild
ness They seemed to feaf us d Sle"'
deal more than we did them
As soon as our boats were pulled uE
on the beach our guides proceeded tC
escort us across the plain to the noun
tains beyond, where, they gave US u
understand. their dwelling places were
located. and from which point they nae
been watching US as we roundeo 'he
island in search of landing place.
AMID THE RUINS.
Presently we arrived at the base OF
the mountain and began the ascent VI
It's steep sides. The vegetation that we
had noticed on the plain was now gone
pnd in its place we were climbing over
io-1ay after laver of hard volcanic rock
In the mountain we went for dls-
lance of almost a thousand feet, climb
inc from ledge to ledge in zlgZae
fashion and following as closely after
nur guides as the steep ascent WoulC
allow. Finally we reached the top ano
then a most wonderful sight proKe
upon our gaze. ,,,z
II a
table land probably three miles in eX-
fent and utterly devoid of vegetation
For the most part it was as smoott
and fat as if levelled by the hand OF
man. and upon it were streWn masses
of wonderful ruins in all stages OF
decay. Here We're the remains q
hl,iIdings that had probably once beer
Vel formed structures, and the last
crumbling remains of walls of WhlcE
only a few feet now remained stand
inp Far in the distance rose huge
nile that crowned the extreme edge o1
the plateau. and looked majesticall!
out over a deep volcanic raVlne tha'
extended for hundreds of feet below
Around this, on all sides, could be seer
the ruins of structures in the las1
crumbling stages of decay.
The edge of the table land all arounC
Terminated in series Of abrupt precl-
pices. and, clinging to the base OF
these. many feet below where we
stood. we could make out the remains
of still other. buildings similar to those
on the top, although not so large.
Far in the distance, and standing out
distinctly against the sky, we could
see the sharp outlines of a number OF
great mountain peaks, and what in
stantIy struck US as being most re-
markable was that they seemed to be
entirely independent of each other
some reared their lofty peaks fully