Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29
TRAILS THAT CROSSED
Tales of Queer Meetings In Dis
tant Lands.
LIKE "SHIPS THAT PASS"
From an Oregon Camp to Hotel in
Spain.
WkSHINGT0NIAN TELLS STORY
Strange Narrative of Coincidence Fol-
lowed by One Stranger Still by
Noted Globe Trotter.
Ike "SHIPS THAT PASS"
WASHINGToNIAN TELLS STORY

Travellers. or maybe globe trotters is tho
better word, are responsible for that time
honored adage about the world being a
small place after all. and the average
blooming cosmorolite' who has tossed his
pith helmet into corners of Burmese bunga-
lows and his fur cap upon the rack of a
St Petersburg cafe is sure TO have In stock
some personal anecdote in which the coInci-
dence of strange meetings between wander
ers plays the principal role. But It 10 doubt
ful II the long list of such condolences con-
tains stranger happenings than narrated in
the following tales that came under the
direct observation OF one of Washington's
best-known business men. sportsmen and
travellers.
Graduating from Princeton University In
1889 this young man, WHO. for want Of the
right to use his name might be called MIR.
Smith. Joined scientific expedition to the
bad lands of Oregon. There was quite a NUM-
Der in the party. In their travels through the
John Day valley region they encamped
for night at Susanville, where once
there had flourished placer mining indus
try, but which had long faded from the ken
of man and numbered as its sole inhabi-
tants few poverty-stricken Cinnamon. At
the spot where the party encamped were the
ashes of a recent camp fire.
Three years later the young Princetonian
was in Granada. Spain. with his father.
Seated at dinner in the hotel their CONVEX
sation turned on the beautiful view toward
FL Suspiro del Moro. The younger Mr.. Smith
remarked that 1t reminded him of view in
Oregon. AS he mentioned Oregon he noticed
that young Englshman at the opposite
table looked up quickly and appeared to be
listening to the Americans conversation.
With the Engishman were several friends,
n
versation. being absorbed in the discussion
Of the beauties of Oregon at the other table.
Briton Breaches Subject.
After dinner the Englishman sought out
Mr.. Smith, jr., on the veranda and preached
the subject Of Oregon The conversation
brought out the fact that the Englishman
had been travelling in Oregon during the
same months that the American had spent
with the scientific expedition In some man.
ner the Englishman happened to let fall the
name Of Susanvllle.
Were you ever there?" he asked the
American.
Mr.. Smith told Of his having encamped
there, and on being questioned as to the
date remembered that it had been on the
night Of the Fourth Of July. 1t then de-
veloped that the young Engiishman had
spent the night of the Sd of July in the
same spot and that the Americans party
had built their camp fire upon the ashes Of
the campfire Of the English traveller. After
three years two strangers among the few
white men to have visited Susanvilie IN a
decade or more had met in Spain.
few months ago the same Mr.. Smith
was in. the west and spent a week at the
Hotel Ell Tovar at the Grand Canyon OF
he told the story of his strange meeting
with the young Englishman, and they
unanimously voted it one of the strangest
condolences on record. A day or two
at q n
Maclaren, good q Scotchman as his
name would indicate and a fellow Of the
British Royal Colonial Institute, arrived at
the hotel and soon became acquainted with
Mr.. Smith and his party. 1t developed
that DR.. Maclaren had travelled extensively
and he interested his new acquaintances
with collection of photographs that he
had taken in all parts of the globe. One
of the photographs showed what was evil
IDENTIFY a grave, marked by an oval or
white stones with a cross of stones in the
center, and set in the heart of a growth Of
foliage obviously tropical in character.
There is queer story attached to that
photograph" said DR.. Maclaren, land IL
you care to hear it / will tell 1t to you.
There was a spontaneous sliding forward
of chairs, and after pipes. cigars and ciga-
rettes had been attended to- DR.. Maclaren
began his story.
The Scotchman's Story.
"In the summer of 1890 was in charge
Of a party exploring unknown river in
upper Queensland. Australia. One night We
encamped on a spot suggested by a sheep
rancher we had met the day before. l cut
down a large quantity of lemon grass for
my bed and made myself fairly comfortable.
But my sleep was hindered by something
hard and protruding that l could feel under
my blanket and lemon grass. In the morn
ing 1 swept the bedding aside and found
the elliptical row of white stones with the
cross in the center that you see In that
photograph. l knew it was the grave OF
some white man. but although l tried to
learn from the natives in the vicinity some
thing about the lone grave its secret was
buried from me for five years.
''In 1895 l was in camp on river In up
per Burma On the other side OF the river
we found the hut of an Englishman. some-
what of a hermit, a botanist and remark
able photographer. He had travelled all
over the world like myself, but had come
back to Burma to spend the rest of his
life as he wanted to. with his beloved
plants and Photographic paraphernalia One
evening I took over to his bungalow my
collection of photographs. When he came
to this picture of the lonely grave in
Queenstown he started with surprise, and
heard him utter, Poor old Bensinger.'
MY questions brought out the secret of
the grave. 1t seemed that fifteen years or
more before l met him, this Englishman
had travelled up through Queensland with
two white companions, one a man named
Bensinger and the other a German. Ben
singer was the cook and, in fact. practically
servant. In crossing the river In a small
native boat one night the craft was cap
sized and Bensinger drowned. He was bur
led near the camping ground and the Eng
lishman and German continued their Jour-
ney. The German died of fever before they
got back to civilization. 1t remained, there
fore that should come along fifteen years
later and find the grave and five years later
again run across in upper Burma the only
white man in the world who knew the Sec
ret Of the obscure burial ground
Mr.. Smith agreed with the members Of the
party that his story Of coincidence had been
overshadowed by DR.. Maclaren's strange
tale OF fact.
National Training.