The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

that it was there once-severai of he
old navigators mention it-but, you
see, these islands are volcanic, an; it
has probably sunk, because no captain
has found it since 1740."
"Ah! entiendo. Each of the cap
itanos who do sail near it do make
the sounding, and when find they do
not, behold, it no longer must there be.
I suppose many the examination must
have made, that los geografos so sure
are that it is now gomez"
SWELL, not very many. The Chal-
lenger didn't get as far east as the
Ladrones. and the American cruiser
Alert is the only one that really made
much of search. You see, the supply
boat only comes out here four times
a year, and the place is not in the
track of any other ships"
...And the capitanos de los vapores de
Ia Compania-yourself also - have
been unsuccessful"
why, personally, I've never looked
for it. You see, there's plenty of
sea room to keep clear of the place,
and I don't see the use of risking my
ship by fooling around where shoal
certainly existed at some time or 9th
er. AS for the other captains who run
out here, doubt if they would bother
about it, either"
ssBut would not you much honra
gain, and una gran recompensa from
la sociedad geografica, if the correct
report of su posicion you did send
tlem?"
ooh, the Royal society is always
glad to get anything of the kind. and
they like to have every captain send
in what information he can; still, a
merchant skipper wouldn't be expect
ed TO go out of his course for such a
search. The warships are supposed
to do most of the surveying, YOU
know, padre"
:'Ah, 81, that do know. of course.
But, as you say, they come not often
to the Ladrones. Well perhaps while
I IL gran narracion de las Islas am
writing, may be able to make un ex-
animation with those native proas you
did speak of. If so, the true posicion
of every roca y isla in the archipelago
I Twill send to you. Then los capitanos
the name of ell Padre Sebastiano will
bless; is it not 500"
'sWhy, padre, if you're really going
to write book on the group, I've no
objection to helping you out all can.
Bound as we are for Guajan, it
wouldn't take us more than a few
hours out of our way to pass the po-
sition of that reef and take a sound
ing or two, if you think it would be
worth while. But you'd have to make
it right with my primero, Mr.. Diaz
He feels pretty sore about having to
overhaul his cargo on account of our
shifting about; you see, Guajan has
always been our last stop, and all the
Agana stuff is in the lower hold. But
ii you can persuade him that there is
chance of glory and thanks in it, he
may feel in better humor. Yougo talk
to Diaz and Moreno; say that it'll give
them five or six hours more to get theil
stuff up, and work it in as favor to
the church. Then if they come to me
and say they'd like to.take whacl
at Santa Rosa, I'll head her quartel
further east in the morning."
"Ah, captain, I have the fear you ar,
IN hereje; you do make the joke upo1
the padres. But you are I'm benevolo
SO Iyou forgive. Ell primero will SCI
and him absolve. Buenas noches."
When Padre Sebastiano was out O
hearing Halstead and looked at eacl
other. His expression must have bee1
reflection of my. own, for it said, a
plainly as words:
''Well, what do you think of that :?
/ shook my head. 1t was little to-
much for me. We smoked in silenc
for several minutes. Then the capital
sauntered out on deck, to be sure Their
was no one near, and carefully close
the door when he returned.
what am trying to figure out,
he said, sis whether that oily, old due
4 is convinced that we are interested i
the reef, or whether his suspicion
have been so completely lulled by tn
accident that he thinks it safe to me6
die with it on his own account"
Your impression is, then, that hi
book on the islands is nothing but
fale?''
"M'-blessed if know what my i'm
preston is. If he were really p1ar
ming such a work, nothing would b
:. more natural than the questions h
asked, or his anxiety to obtain all pos
sible information. These islands hav
never been written up; there ism
even a cyclopedia that deyotes Nor
than a. thousand words to them. most
" relating to their discovery AID moth
ing else; and it would be a natural eS
PLANTATION Of such a trip undertake
by man of his position and learning
On the other hand, every word and &C
tion might easily be construed as in
dications Of a secret purpose connect
ed with that reef. / guess the onl
safe thing is to accept the last srppe
sition and keep him from making any
thing out of it. We fooled him on tn
accident, anyhow"
~H'm-fooled ourselves little, toe
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