The herald., 1897-04-25
THE GRAVE OF THE CHIEF

to future consideration. We therefore
packed our things up the hill. through
the deep sand. moving some of the Chi
naman's things to make room for our
own, and set up housekeeping.
THE FIRST FIND
The first thing to be done was to find
fresh water. So i started out in search
toward the west end. But thick fog
enveloped me, and after walking a
couple of miles through the sand, was
glad enough to return, finding my way
back by following my own footsteps,
as it was impossible to see either the
ocean or the hills. However. we found
a full can of water in the house, which
we used with an inward prayer that it
would not poison us. We sat down to
our first meal on the island with cheer
full hearts and full of enthusiasm for
the object that had brought us. In
the back part of the hut we found a
sort of flooring of narrow planks On
this we spread our blankets, determin-
ing If possible to construct bedstead on
the following day. Before retiring we
fixed up the door with ropes tied to the
uprights, placing our rifle and revolver
within reach, so that anything short
of spirits which once tenanted the nu-
merous skeletons around the house.
would have met with warm reception.
We were not disturbed during the night
by Cinnamon or other animals, and, as
we had arranged with the captain to
make trip over the island, after break
Fast we walked to where the Nellie lay
and waited his coming ashore. We en-
ployed the time in searching over a
mound or burial place and with encour-
aging results. Turning over the sand.
some six inches below the surface we
found full series of shell work. be-
ginning with the plain abalone shell
and ending in the perfect fish hook,
shaped exactly like those we use.
The captain brought all his crew
ashore. so there were six of us who
started up the hills to see what manner
of land we had come into. We ascended
the first bluff by a canyon apparently
cut through the sand by some gigantic
cloudburst A small stream of water
ran down it, but it was not very sweet,
and we were still considerably exer-
cised as to how we should get water for
camp use. Even had this been good
water. it was too far from the hut to
be available. When we reached the top
we found ourselves upon a sort of roll
ing plain of sand, with hardly any veg
citation, and we wondered how any ami
NAL. even a sheep, could exist on such
diet.
We found several Indian mortars.
some of which were very large and per-
rect, one weighing nearly one hundred
pounds. We left them for future ref
erence as we intended making an ex-
tended tour of inspection rather than
relic hunting that day. The fog stiN
hung over the island, and gave a
weird and unnatural appearance to the
mountains and valleys and plains of
sand. We had become so accustomed
to the vast expanse Of the ocean dur
ing our voyage that it seemed as
though we had only changed elements
and were as much at sea as we had
been. If the island were a little larger
we should certainly stand in as much
need OF a compass especially in a
fog.
We passed over this plain, and again
had to climb. We had reached now the
highest point of the island, about 500
feet above the sea. The ocean was lost
sight OF on the north and we were going
ABOUT southeast. On one side of us was
a deep canyon about 300 feet wide with
sloping sides Of driven sand. It was
lilost UNIQUE sight to me, almost un-
canny, out was, In its way, beautiful.
The white sand. unbroken by a shrub or
FOOTPRINT looked just like the driven
snow: But we now began to descend,
ana before we could see 1t through the
rog, we could hear the roar of the ocean
ooo Feet below. as 1t broke on the SOUTH
ern shore with all the unchecked pres
sure OF thousands Of miles of water be-
tween here and China.
we chose a canyon for our descent
which seemed to offer a firmer footing
than the dazzling whiteness of the un-
certain sand. wish could picture in
words the weird splendor of that can
yon. On either side were huge cliffs of
sandstone shaped by the action Of the
wind and water into all sorts of fantas-
tic forms. The soft stone appeared to
nave been attacked wherever 1t was
and monstrous masses Of
rock overhanging the sides OF the can
yon ready we thought. to topple over
into the abyss below. The gulch We
Followed had been the bed Of Z torrsot