Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-05-07
THE HUNT FOR JEFFS
Uncle Sans Attempt to Rescue
Missing American Sailor.
ONLY A FEW TRACES FOUND.

Csstaway Perished Mserably on In
defatiaabIe lsland-Shots, Rockets
and Searohlights Used to Attract
Marooned Sailor.
The United States gunboat Yankton,
tender TO the Atlantic battleship feet,
was sent from Callao to the Galapagos
islands to search for a missing Amer
lean sailor, one Fred Jeffs. The infor-
nation furnished was Of the most mea-
ger description, only that Jeffs was a
member of the crew of the Norwegian
bark Alexandra, wrecked in the Gala
pagos in May, 1907, that he separated
from his companions on Indefatigable
island and that when they were res
cued in October of the same year at a
place called Puerto Aguado, given as
in latitude 4G minutes south, longitude
90 degrees % minutes 80 seconds west,
Jenfs was not with them. He had
therefore been nearly a year on Inde-
fatlgabe island if alive.
The distance to the Galapagos was
covered in four days, and Hood island,
~ =
ed at noon on March 3, says a special
correspondent Of the New York Her
aid on board the Yanbton, writing
from Acapulco. Mexico. Previous to
sighting land great quantities of sea
fife. for which the vicinity of these
islands is noted. and numerous birds
testified to its ucaruess.
In order if possible TO gain informa-
ton ahout the wreck Chatham island.
where there is a settlement was first
visited. Anchoriug in Wreck bay, a
messenger on horseback was found
Whiting ON the beach with the com
plImcnts of the local authority. the
administrator" and a polite INQUIRY
if any assistance could be furnished.
The Inhabitants Of this island mum
bpr about $50 an dependcnts Of a sin
Gle estate and mostly engaged in the
cultivation of sugar. cotton and tobac.
co. The estate lies in the hills and
valleys on the southern slope Of the
island i'm the only place where water
is obtainable. Water is the need of
all this group of islands. and the lack
of ii is the KEYNOTE of their barren
wastes and cactus covered slopes. The
shores of all consist of black volcanic
rocks and cliffs. with here and there
I'm a sheltered spot sandy beach. The
islands. rising in most cases to 5000
or 4 900 feet have their slopes covered
with giant growth of cactus min
Cling with a thorn. which made prog
ress back from the shore impossible
without cutting n way.
Two guides sent by the admiuistra-
dor arrived ON board the Yaubton at
daylight and the course was shaped for
IndefatiCable island. thirtv-fye miles
distant. The story of the wreck as
told by the guides was Interesting
Their information was from n part of
the crew which had landed on Chat
ham island and from the captafu Of
the island schooner. who had heard the
wrecked captains story OF Guaya0ui.
The bark was becalmed near Abe
marie island and swept by the strong
current found in these islands ashore
under Il cliff. where she soon went to
pieces. The crew. escaped in two boats.
one with ten men. the other with the
captain and seven men. During the
night the boats became seDaratei. the
boat with the ten men reaching Hood
island, and then. seeing Chatham island
in the distance. they reached il, found
1t inhabited and told their story. The
administrator forwarded them by the
islands schooner TO Guayaquil with a
letter To the consul.
The captains boat. Of which JenS
was a member. reached uninhabited
Indefatigable island. where it was
smashed on reef while making a
landing. This second disaster securely
locked the party ON Indefaticahle is
land. as there is no kind of wood 10
make a boat on the island
The party, finding only n few springs
of brackish water near the beach. be
gan a search for a better camping
place and. abandoning their first camp
moved to the place called by the ma
tives Puerto ACuado. but not marked
in any way on the chart. 1t was at
this time that the separation from
Jeffs took place.
According TO the message. received
from the consul at Guayaduil. the cap
tain of the wrecked bark said Jeffs
preferred to loaf. and. though they
tried to persuade him to 60 with them.