The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-14
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pointment. In fact, I felt so bad that 1
believed I should not live long"
So said Captain John E. Burns last
Thursday to a friend in this city. On
Saturday he died
The last ten years of Captain Burns
life contained more romance than is usua-
" accredited TO the hero of a novel. The
captain had spent a fortune and many
wears of time in hunting treasure Islands
and rich guano deposits. but voyages OF
discovery invariably terminated in keen
disappointment.
About two months ago Captain Burns
left San Francisco with his schooner
yacht Vine, to discover an island in
the PaCilC, the exact position OF Wnlcn
he thought he knew. This island was sup
posed to be rich in guano, and Captain
Burns hoped TO make a fortune by It's
discovery. He laid his plans very care
fully and found the spot where the ISL
and should have been There was notnI
ing in sight, and the effect OF TINS maj
disappointment was in reality fatal; me
Vine went to Honolulu ana the UNHAPPY
captain returned on the City or Peklng
TO san Francisco, reaching mere Two
weeks ago. In discussing his ventures
with an Oakland friend Captain Burns
on his return gave the following reasons
for his faith in the lost isla a .,,o oar,-
For over two centuries SAID the cap
tain, islands have been marked on Vari-
Gus charts at the spot over which we
sailed. Upon the latest charts lssqed, pg
the photographic Office OF the DnlIeo
States, the island appears marked II. y,
which means existence doubtful. ON
many other charts and in several atlases
the island is marked as existing between
16 to % degrees north latitude ana 100
to las degrees west longitude AT ulIleT-
ent times during the past fifty years
three different ships have reported nav
ing seen the island, but strangely enouSi
its location has never been oInclally VG IIi.
fed. When we left San francisco on thIs
last voyage it was ostensibly for the pur-
pose of carrying cargo. OF lumpef 10
NV alleged intention was to pick up
this island and determine It's exact ioca-
ton on our way to HaWall. fao we
found it the lumber would have been USED
for building purposes on the island. we
went fully confident that we Should as
cover it, and were prepared TO MOST , Inc
American flag upon II, ana TO eStdpLsn
a business of carrying guano- 80 cerIail Il
was I of finding the place that had
made arrangements to oner II 10 SdplS
company for a station, as it would be OF
vast Importance for this purpose
This island was seen by Captain VII
liams who impaired his information 10
Captain McNear some years ago. D VI
ing the time these two captains were ne
gotiating and preparing TO SEND the yes
sci to work the guano deposits captain
Williams was stricken with apople&y ana
died in Alameda. This was many years
ago. His papers were Kept ny (dP 1'FtiI
three years ago, when he gave them 10
me. McNear, being an old man, despaired
of ever being able to raise the necessary
capital to fit out an expedition ana gave
ali his knowledge TO me, and as soon as
1 was able L started out on a voyage Oh
discovery" .
Captain Burns made his first voyage in
quest of this island eight years ago
About that time he came from Tacoma,
where he had been possessed of consld-
cradle wealth, the Vine costing $780, OO,
and being built entirely for pleasure. But
when misfortune overlook Captain Burns
in the north he had to look to his schoon-
er-ydcnt for an income. he brought ner
TO San Francisco and put her in the lum-
Der trade.
Four years ago he started on his first
trip for this island, but failed to find 1t.
Eighteen months ago a party of Phila-
delphia capitalists came to the coast with
one of the most gauzy tales ever concelV-
ed. The leader of the party had a map of
Cocos Island showing where was buried
several large chests of Spanish gold Over
$40 0OA was invested in this enterprise, and
the Vine was chartered to make the Voy-
age in charge of its owner. Captain
Burns. The voyage to Cocos Island was
made and its owner, August Gissler,
known as the Wild Dutchman, assisted
the party in every way possible to find
the treasure. OF course it was never
found, but the adventures came back to
the coast after having been shown all
over the fruitful island and being well
Informed as to the immense riches which
Gissler was making by growing coffee
and other industries.
Captain Burns formed a very definite
theory regarding the treasure-huntiTrg
VOYAGES which have been made on many
occasions by different parties 10 TINS ISL
and He believed that all the stories
emanated from some source, inspired by
Gissler and that they were nothing more