Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-12-22

cept the fact as conclusive evidence
against its present existence. 1t is
difficult matter to fix the position Of
any ship exactly on a chart. Compass
deviation, or trihing errors in the ad-
justment of a sextant, may easily make
a difference of several miles. Then.
again, these islands are probably the
most unfrequented portion of the
earth's surface. l don't know of spot
so seldom visited as the Ladrones; the
government itself only communicates
with them four times a year. Now.
that galleon would have been APP
preaching from almost due east, MAX
ing for Guaian-Port San Luis d. Apra.
The prevailing winds, being no'theas'
10 cas-, would drift the coral frag-
ments over to west'ard. forming a shoal
lagoon and breaking an entrance to
it on the lee side. In that case, a ship
under fair Roadway would either drive
firmly on to the first bold ledge or
shove herself over the ridge into the
lagoon. So that, reasoning from pure
theory, the chances are against her
having sunk along the more precipit-
GUS face, which may go straight down
thousand fathoms or more. The same
prevailing no'thcasterly wind and
waves which break and scatter the
coral grit to leeward would have a
tendency TO crumble the deposit on a
hulk in the same direction. leaving one
side, or one end. more or less exposed.
IL Nuestra Sonora de Sevilla was head
ing about west when she struck, with
the intention of just clearing Oocos
reef ar the south end of Qua jan. and il
she lodged firmly in that position When
she sank. her for'ard part would be
pretty we'll sealed in with coral. but
the high poop, where most of the specie
was carried, might not have more
than an inch or two OF incrustation.
theoretically, the possibilities of re-
covering any of that money amount to
this: If the Santa Rosa reef exists to-
day as it did in 1909, if that galIeon
drove upon il q l have been figuring
out, If n man were provided with div
ing apparatus which would enable him
TO make a careful and protracted ex-
animation of the ledge under water,
also pick and cartridges 10 work with
and i il were possible to preserve alb
sclute secrecy as TO his operations. or
10 transport the stuff without exciting
suspicion. there's just about one chance
~ a thousand that he might get as far
as a civilized country with it. As for
taking any Of the natives into his con-
fidence-weIl. the old uavirators
named them Iadrores when the
islands were discovered. That means
thieves IN English, and from my ex-
rerienee there lastyoyage should saw
the hereditary faint is NOT yet extinct.
They're q peaceable lot generally. but
You can't depend upon them In lSsS
and 1890 the kanakas al zap murdered
every Spaniard ID the place. lust after
that affair in which She German war
ship ntis tried 70 grab the Carolines
for the kaiser
That's a pretty formidable lot Of
IFS | should say. How many people
do yol suppose know anything about
this particular wreck?"
THAT depends how often Padre
Julian has talked Of it in his cups.
When he found that he must have said
| something to me about the affair dur
ing one of his irresponsible periods. he
attempted TO pass il off as a yarn; then
he shut up on the subject like a clam.
doubt his having an idea that ii would
be possible to recover anything from
the galleon, or that he thinks the mat
ter anything more than a church Sc
eret which his regulations would for
bid him 10 reveal. In that case, posi-
by two other priests es 'des himself
may know of the Ia Aof X isn't
likely that they have Gtstu. bed the old