Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-03-10

Inc volcano Is active" was his on
~ comment, but 1t explained the rag
ged cloud.
"You say there's harbor7" inquired
Captain Selover.
at should be on the west end" said
Dr. Schermerhorn.
Captain seloyer drew me one side
He, too, was little aroused.
Nov, wouldn't that get your" he
squeaked. Doctor runs up against a
Norwegian bum who tells him about
volcanic island and gives Its bear.
ings. The island amt on the map al
all. Doctor believes it and makes me
lay my course for those bearings. And
here's the islandl So the bum's story
was true. I'd like to know what the
rest of 1t was" His eyes were shin.
ing.
"Do we anchor or stand of and on p
I asked.
Captain Selover turned to grip me
by the shoulder.
II have orders from Darrow to get
to good berth, to land. to build shore
quarters and to snug down for stay
Of year at least.''
We stared at each other.
Joyous prospect" I muttered. "Hope
there's something to do there"
The morning wore, and we rapidly
approached the island. 1t proved to
be utterly precipitous. The high
rounded hills sloped easily to within
hundred feet or so Of the water and
then fell away abruptly. Where the
earth ended was fantastic filigree
border, like the fancy paper with
which our mothers used to line the
pantry shelves. Below the white
surges flung themselves against the
cliffs with wild abandon. Thousands
of sea birds wheeled In the eddies of
the wind. thousands OF ravens perch
ed on the slopes. With .our glasses
we could make out the heads az seals
fishing outside the surf and q ragged
belt Of kelp.
When within mile we put the helm
up and ran for the west end. A bold
point we avoided far out lest there
should be outlying lodges. Then we
came in sight Of a broad beach and
pounding surf.
was ordered to take surf boat
and Investigate for landing and an
anchorage. The swell was running
high. We rowed back and forth, puz
zled as to how to get ashore with ali
the freight 1t would be necessary tc
land. The ship would lie we'll enough
for the only open exposure was bro
ken by long reef over which we
could make out the seas tumbling
But inshore the great waves rolled
smoothly, swiftly, then suddenly fell
forward as over ledge and spread
with roar across the yellow sands
The fresh winds blew the spume back
to US. We conversed in shouts.
I'VE can surf the boat" yelled
Thrackles. "but we can't land load
That was my opinion. We rowed
slowly along, parallel to the shore and
just outside the line of Neakers.
don't know exactly how to tell you
the manner in which we became aware
Of the cove. 1t was as nearly the In
stantaneous as can be imagined. One
minute looked ahead on q cliff as
unbroken as the side Of cabin; the
very next peered down the length OF
a cove fifty fathoms long by about ter
wide, at the end Of which was gray.
Ell beach. I cried out sharply to the
men. They were quite as much aston
ished as I. We backed water, watch.
ing closely. At given point the cove
and all trace Of Its entrance disap
peared. We could only just make out
the line where the headlands dissolved
into the background Of the cliffs and
that merely because we knew of Its
existence. The blending was perfect.
We rowed In. The water was still
A faint ebb and flow whispered
against the tiny gravel beach at the
end. noted practicable way from
1t to the top Of the cliff and from the
clin down again to the sand beach
Everything was perfect. The water
was beautiful light green, like semi
opaque glass, and from the indlstinct
ness Of It's depths waved and beck
oned, rose and disappeared with indie
scribable grace and deliberation long
feathery sea growths. In moment
the bottom abruptly Swallowed. The
motion of the boat toward the beach
permitted us to catch hasty glimpse
of little fish darting, Of big fish turn
Ing, of yellow sand and some vivid
color. Then came the CRATE of grave
and the scraping Of the boats bottom
on the beach.
We jumped ashore eagerly. 1 left
the men very reluctant and ascendet
natural trail to high aloping down
over which blew the great trades
Grass sprung knee high. A low hill
rose at the back. From below the fall
Of the cliff came the pounding Of surf
! walked to the edge. Various Lodges
sloping toward me ran down to the
sea. Against one of them was a wrecl
not so very old, bend on. her afterworkt
gone. recognized the name Colder
Horn and was vastly astonished Il
find her here against this unknown
island. Far up the coast could see
with tho surges dashing UP like thu
h1nlosznn II RhNlla md the cliAea apf