Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-05-17


"onD once have ] ever command.
ed a land ship" remarked Captain
Bafnnclc. 'and that wac enough. fos
We were wrecked for from salt water
and had 20 hike about 4 thousand
miles before wo struck the sea coast.
This adventure hofe1 me In south
America, 20 tho southwark OF the
Alna4on river, 4 had been IN COM
nthnd of the brig Cromwell. which
had carried an old German professor
from Liverpool 40 New York. On his
way over he told me about an an
cicnt city IN tho heart Of South
America which was fnll Of gold and
silver and possibly Jewels. anu which
had never been visited BY white men
eave once, and this man had later
died but had first left a chart Of the
country and town. The professor
wanted me to command an expedition
10 IND this old city and get ali the
Vainables.
The fret thing I decided on was
land ship. This was q regular ship
but placed on wheels You know
those vast plains ia South America
extend FOR hundreds % miles with
Out oven a mole hlii 10 Interfere.
Well az Monteyidoo We set up the
land ship and started ouk. 1 had q
crew Of four mon 10 work the ves-
vel and we made splendid time. The
vessel shot over che vast wastes like
lightning. u was easy navigating.
Rnd et the end OF three weeks sail
Ing we camo la hiRht % the old town.
which was built on the side OF
mountain. l sailed right up 10 the
outer walls and then we dlsem-
bafked.
''Woil. sir. there was gold and
Jewels a-plenty. We hoped about
like mad. All OF Us were 10 be mill
lionnlrea We started loading the
vessel az once. and soon had the ship
full OF gold with several chests Of
jewels We cleaned up the place
and We figured that we must have
something like thirty or forty million
dollars worth Of stun, and Il was all
ours. But about this time We spotted
a band OF Indians coming. We saw
az once that they were hostile and
prepared 20 leave at once. sure
enough. as soon as they saw us they
came after us on the dead run. hut
! didn't care much. for there was a
good breeze and 7 knew we could
soon sail away from them.
when the savages-and they were
all enormous big men--got within
about half a mile ] gave the word
10 up anchor. and get under way.
hut here Is the tragic part We had
no sooner started than the forward
axle broke and the ships bow
plunged into the side 81 the hill. Then
the after axle broke also and the
stern went down with a crash. There
was a stin breeze blowing and the
masss went over the side. The sav-
ages were coming fast ana the only
thing to do was TO cut and run for Il.
We grabbed some food and a few
canteens OF water. and away we went,
leaving the ship and her precious
cargo.
The natives didn't follow Us. and
We didn't stop 10 argue. We were
all heartbrokcn. IL took US three
months 20 walk back 10 the coast.
and we arrived there nearly dead
We had lost everything. including the
gold and Jewels. and had even lost
the map showing whore the city was.
20 u was useless 20 try To- find Il
again. What CAUSED our wreck?
Why. nothing but the lack OF axle
grease Yes, sir, that was the trou-
bic We had forgotten 20 take any
along. and the axles had worn out.
That's how the lack OF n can of axle
greasc--worth so cents--caused us to
lose az least thirty millions"