Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-24
No Trace of Mineral Riches
Found by Expeditions Blood
thirsty CannibaIs Fail to Show
Up to Greet Visitors.
RESOURCES or 1IBURON.


Instead of being peopled by canni-
bal Indians the island of Tiburon in
the Gulf of California is populated ex-
clusively by deer, wild pigeons, coyotes,
rattlesnakes in large numbers, taran-
tulas, scorpions and poisonous insects,
according to the report of Dr.. Fayette
a. Jones of this city. who returned
yesterday after conducting an expedi-
ton of Bisbee men into the interior of
the island. There are also humming
birds, butcher birds, large rats in
great numbers and other small life
There were no indications of valua bic
minerals further than some signs OF
pitch blende and obsidian; the island
is barren, of volcanic origin with lit
Tie vegetation aside from giant cactus,
stunted ironwood and scrub mahog-
any.
"The mineral resources of the island
amount to absolutely nothing said
DR.. Jones last night. The Importance
OF the expedition consists almost alone
in that ii has demonstrated that there
is nothing worth mentioning there.
We have exploded the myth of half
century that the island contained
great treasure and was thickly popu-
lated by man eating savages. The ISL
and is some twenty miles wide and
about thirty-five miles long. rugged
and with little vegetation. 1t is
swarming with lower forms of animal
life, however, in addition to large
numbers of deer. which came In handy
for provisions. The most interesting
thing | saw was the vast swarms Of
wild pigeons, bird which is almost
extinct elsewhere, and which forms
delicious eating. The birds apparent
ly come from all points OF the compass
to winter on the island.
The trip. however, is one Of the
hardest, probably, in the world. owing
to the almost absolute inaccessibilty
of the island. due to its steep, rugged
coasts and the fierce rusning tides and
shoals with which it is surrounded.
We found many traces of previous
and came perilously near
going to Davy Jones ourselves twice;
once when we got caught on n shoal
in our little vessel and again when
We lost our rudder on the way back
and were for a time at the mercy of
the rushing currents"
The members of the party had sew
eral narrow escapes from being bitten
by the rattlesnakes. centipedes and
other poisonous reptiles and insects.
I'VE found no Scri Indians on the
island" said DIR. Jones' although the
mud along the shores was covered
with their tracks and they have a
large number of reed and brush huts
on the island. They evidently cross
frequently from the mainland of
western sonora, crossing at low tide
in light canoes where the island is
only about quarter of mile from
the mainland
we collected large number Of in
tcresting relics rude implements and
some toy canoes eighteen and twenty
inches long, exact replicas of the larg
er canoes and real curiosities which
/ shah present to the Smithsonian In
The explorers We're guided by an
old chart made by Admiral George
Dewey i'm 1875 DR.. Jones mapped
the island thoroughly and secured q
large number of splendid photographs
to supplement his other complete
data. DIR. Jones saws the Indians APP
pear to subsist largely on fish and
show no traces OF being cannibals.
While on the island the party was
visited by former Congressman Conn
or Terre Haute, Ind, who was cruis-
ing in that vicinity in his private
yacht Mr.. Conn is reputed to be
OF millionaire and was
amusing himself ny fishing along the
coast of the island. The water supply
on the island is limited, much OF that
which was found being strongly aka
line. Inscriptions we're found proving
the visit 20 the island in 1905 of "A
party in search of the lost Grindell