The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-14
COULDN'T FIND
LAYSAN ISLAND

CContinued from Page One.)
Midway and, also, tor visit all ISLANDS
in the vicinity of either for the purpose
of ascertaining whether or not there
had been any wrecks. The Adm1raFs
instructions were that if any distressed
seamen were discovered they were to
be relieved and if it should happen
that there had been a wreck and there
were more survivors than the Iroquois
could bring back, they were to be left
provisions to last until help could be
sent from here.
1t is calculated that the Iroquois
reaches Laysan Island this morning,
always supposing, of course, that the
desappea rance 4-..of...-t the island is q
dream, and from Laysan the Iroquols
would go to Midway, possibly arriV-
ing Friday. From Midway, as Is usual,
the Iroquoiss will cable Honolulu, re-
porting on her trip so far and if any
thing has really happened to Laysan
Honolulu will have official knowledge
of the fact very soon.
Early yesterday morning the water
front was aware of the fact that the
Luka had returned from a trip of
forty-five days without having once
seen land. At first it was thought
that some joker was passing around a
yarn, but Captain Olsen of the Luka
was seen and he seriously reported
that he had arrived where Laysan Is
land should be by rights" and, 10,
the island was not there.
The Luka reached where Laysan
should be" on July and cruised over
and about and around the locality for
twelve days without getting a glimpse
or even a smell of solid earth.
On July Is the Luka headed for home
and Honolulu, taking 26 days to make
it against constant contrary winds and
succession of squalls that was al
most disheartening.
According to the Japanese crew OF
the Luka there was more than the con-
trary weather to weary and worry
their souls, for they felt that they had
seen ghosts, that they had passed over
the grave of an island. One Jap de-
ciares that OH nearing the supposed To-
cat on Of the island a deep and muf-
fed roar was heard, as of some ter
rife submarine CONFUSION. 1t must
fhave been an echo of the sinking OF
the island, following out the Jap's idea
And, more than that, he noticed thai
the moon rose in a peculiar haze of q
ghostly nature and there were light
ming flashes and blotches streaking and
! daubing the heavens and making awe
some the marinescape. one OF the
three Japs who were being taken tt
I,aysan as Iaborers became mysterl
ous.y sick, though it was observed tha'
he never missed a meal, and he was
morose and preoccupied. as one pos
| sessed by a melancholy spirit full o.
/ evil visions.
NJ. Brown. who represents TIT
Owners of the Luka, OF whom MAJ
Schlemmer of Laysan Island is one
said Yesterday afternoon, smiling, tina
he believed Laysan would be found II
the usual place. He has sufficient con
hdence in the existence of the LITTLE
lguano isle TO remove Olsen from com
Inland of the schooner and replace hin
! by Captain Rosehill of large local fame
who recently resigned the command 0
lack London's famous ketch Shark
Brown announced that, under Rose
Ihurs command, the Luka would sal
tomorrow again for Laysan.
CAPTAIN Olsen thought his chronom
eter might be off somewhat, but al
examination of the instrument yester
day BY Redhouse proved it to be prac
tically all right.
| one of the japanese crew claims L
have seen lights on the island abou
the time the Luka was due to pick !
Iup. The captain headed the schoone
for the lights. but no land was sight
ed. The lights disappeared. The Japa
| nasa believe the island has sunk an
lCaptain Olsen doubts it's existence
/ Another OF the crew says he distinct
lly saw Laysan and then heard the ter
Tribe rumbIing and saw the lightning
! flashes and the island was not ther
when the schooner approached.
Laysan Island is. or was. a thousan
miles northwest of this group.