The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-09
COLONEL ETIENNE BAZIN

| tontuSed as the statement seemed, IL
wa, wa SO circumsiantial that ii bore the
stamp OF truth and | took II down care :
| tuuN, got the best chart obtanable and
ehdeaNored 10 plan out the matter. If
! hda mad something OF greater interest
| 10 me at the time / would not have
| needed old Joe's talk more than 10 grant
| his request 10 return him TO his native
| lsIahd. but peace was on us in Ecuador
ana every one with whom ! talked con :
cerning the Polyuesisn and Melanegian
! islands had some vague. interesting story
TO zen me: so that on The first of the
year l got together my outiit and Joe and
took steamer TO San Francisco, then
Ia Honolulu.
Arrived at tho Fills.
After a long wait we reached Suava
on VII Levu OF the Fijis Up to this
point the one island OF the three con-
cerned In Joe's story which ! had been
able to locate positively was Kusaie. but
when We reached the Fills the old man
WaS at home at once Like many of the
Islanders. he had visited nearly all of the
aTchipelasoeS. He was very insiStcnt
about not taking any other white men
into the quest. and showed n strange fear
or allowing any ISLANDERS 10 suspect the
purpose OF our journey
however, so ! bought a small schooner
reputed 10 have belonged TO the pira teal
desperado. Oomtchee BIZ. and. taking
crew OF four Friendlies. we set out for
kusaie. There Joe hoped to be able TO
get further Informal lion 10 the loca-
tlon OF the Island with the deserted city
and 10 learn the fate Of hs wife.
Imagine his feelings wheb he found that
his wIIc was dead many years. but
three of his sons were grown men. of fine
character and appearance. and each with
several children. Two OF them were away
on copra work. but the third was over
joyed 10 find his father again after the
long separation; Three nights Joe spent
away among his old associates and the
norninr tho third said that hS
was ready To set sail. BUt VIC must leave
the men OF the crew behind-the three OF
US. nc, his son and myself, could work
the schooner.
We SGT sail AT dsybreak tho following
morning and the second day thereafter
made beautiful volcanic and coral
island. some forty miles In circumference.
l should Judge. We came TO anchor In
harbor called Jamestown Harbor,
named for the visit Of a British frigate
many years; ago. on shore was a mis-
sion station.
Joe took means to go among the
islanders seeking knowledge Of the lost
bad found a great amount OF fear among
them There were houses Of evil spirits
on the other side OF the island. but they
did no, want 10 talk about them. From
that there were some peculiar stone
structures in tho vicinity OF a little open
ing in the grand reef OF coral called VIC
Mothalancum Farbor. Thlther we sailed.
Finding the Ancient City
II was an aIl-day journey, due TO an
unfavorable wind, and we anchored until
morning ~ daybresk | was on deck
scanning the shore. and was amazed 10
note that where countless low lying
islets. Iuts and uecEs Of coral reef rose
bove the water, the water iront Was
.c1,horJ,nd with great regularity with
Stone. Taking the schooner inside ana
inding a secure anchorage. "e lowered
the dingy and set out 10 explore the chan-
nels.