Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-03-11
The Woman Who
Disappeared.

Copyright. 1907 by +. c. Parcells.l
We were bound up the coast to Val
DIVA and Santiago and had run into a
storm that wrecked the brig aloft. We
made shift. however. to work our way
into one of the bays Off Chloe island,
and there we spent two weeks retit
ting The island named is about forty
miles off the coast of Chile. 1t is flf
teen miles in length and from three to
ten miles in breadth, and at the time
write of was not permanently inhab-
tied 1t Is of volcanic formation. but
well wooded.
Just previous to leaving London on
this voyage Captain Bennett had been
married TO young lady whom he had
been counting for over three years.
She was the daughter of Il manufac-
turer, and the marriage had the con
sent and good wishes of her family.
She was u handsome, intelligent girl
OF twenty, much in love with the cap
tain, and this voyage was their bridal
tour. | was the captains nephew and
second mate of the brig.
When we had anchored the brig in u
landlOcked bay and began at the re-
pairs the young wife suggested Il tent
under the trees ashore. \ tent was erect
ed, few necessaries taken ashore, and
there the happy couple spent their
nights and part of the days. During
the daytime. If the captain was not on
board. they wandered over the island
or gathered shells along the beach. If
he was on board we could see her NOV
ing about or sitting under the trees.
We finally had things ready TO proceed,
and the tent and the wife were 10 be
brought aboard next morning. when a
strange thing happened. Captain Ben
nett had been with us all the after
noon, going ashore about & O'Clock in
the evening An hour later we were
notified that the wife was missing
Ii did not seem a thing of much ac-
call l myself had seen the woman as
late as 3 o'clock. She had been eau
toned not to wander too far, but had
been q bit needless | had no doubt
that she would be found within the
hour and that we should all have
good laugh over the incident The only
direction she could take from the tent
was due west, where narrow valley
led inland. The captain had gone a
mile In this direction and shouted her
name and got no reply. We now hnr-
ried along until we had covered dou-
bic that distance, and we shouted at
the top of our voices, but no answer
came to our halls. We followed the
valley, winding and turning. for Il dis
tauce Of two miles and then returned
To- the beach for men and lanterns.
The disappearance was strange
thing The woman could not have lost
her way. She could have gone in olly
one direction. She had only 10 turn in
her tracks 10 come back to the start
ing point We had been there Two
about Eight Of us. provided with lam
terms or torches. divided into four par
ties and began new search. One
party went up the beach. another down.
and the other two followed the valley
TO its end. 1t began or ended in
basin OF about an acre In extent This
basin was shut IN by rocky hills and
pretty well covered with bushes. We
had brought musket along, and for
an hour we shouted and fired by turns.
No reply did we get. Then we returned
to see what luck the others had met
with. There was not much to hope for.
The beaches were short and no one
aboard the ship had seen the missing
woman strolling up or down. When
we reached the tent IL was TO find that
the other searches had been in vain.
Then the captain said: