Show DESERT surprising DISCOVERY OF A TRAVELER IN DEATH VALLEY man and vp beuel oa sandy became lie want to beady whoa tho water firmly 11 it will one of abo queerest and most surprising sights I 1 ever saw in all my wanderings over the wilds of this country said EL well irown prospector and civil engineer a few day ago was a newly constructed brig lying on the floor of death valley and it ia there yet that anybody can see it when I 1 first saw it I 1 was almost paralyzed I 1 could not believe my and thought I 1 must have passed through some mental lapse and was not in death valley at all but after gazing at the strange object a few minutes and then looking around me and seeing tho wastes of burning sands and feeling the hot breath of the desert wind I 1 know that everything about me was most realistically real it was by the merest chance that I 1 ran across the vessel said mr traver because had I 1 been a few feet farther south I 1 would never have seen it you see I 1 had been working on the eastern side of the valley for several weeks without success and concluded to go to mount darwin where I 1 would at least be sure of expenses I 1 was crossing the valley at the northern end which is quite narrow but about the lowest spot on the earths surface I 1 am not exactly certain but I 1 think that where the vessel is it is about feet below sea level after the first surprise had worn off I 1 began to figure out how the craft came thera that the vessel was a relio of a past age never entered my head for a moment because it was constructed on perfectly modem lines and the wood had a yellow appearance indicating that it had not been cut very long I 1 am something of sailor myself and the first glance told me that it was the work of some modern shipbuilder but that only made the mystery greater going close I 1 made a careful examination of my strange find it proved to bo a perfect brig of about tons that had never been in water everything about it was of the best style of workmanship and showed plainly that the builder bad put forth his best efforts the keel was laid flat on the sand and the starboard side placed up against a small reef of rocks the port side was supported ia the usual manner climbing onto the deck by a small ropo ladder I 1 found everything shipshape the decks were as clean and white as a man of wars and every rope was in place entering the cabin I 1 found everything neat and clean and several bunks with bedding ready to adeep in such a thing however would have been impossible as the heat was simply unbearable and I 1 had to go to the door gasping for breath before I 1 had completed my investigation the more I 1 looked the more mystified I 1 became it was plain the brig had been built where dihe was but by whom and for what 1 I spent the whole afternoon climbing over the vessel I 1 went into the rigging and looked over the surrounding country but could see no sign of a human being when night came on I 1 concluded to camp near by but had no sooner got fixed comfortably when a voice from called good evening you be sure I 1 jumped as my nerves were feeling a little weak through my ts afternoons experience there was no need to bo alarmed though for a good natured looking man with gray hair and board was smiling at me of course I 1 at once concluded that he knew something about the brig I 1 was right and in a few moments he explained the whole thing to me and also showed to what ends a foolish idea will drive a man he said that his name was frederick evans that ho was a ship builder by trade and ow of the california pioneers of 49 had never made a big strike but had always kept prospecting vid when the water rose in Salton lake n ew years ago ho was at work in the mo bains around death valley it was then that he got it into his head that the wi would eventually reach that locality ind he was determined to have the first vessel to float in the now sea evans was not a poor man but had money eno agh to hire a couple of men to help him lay the keel of the put in the nialta and do the other heavy work at arst the work was pushed rapidly botwen but wen the water commenced to recede evane took things easily and did all the himself because be thought the water would not come again for a year ho has been disappointed still thinks that every year since but death valley will become a sea and he is ready for it 1 I was well treated by evans said mr travor in concluding ho took me to his abode which WAS a deep cave a few feet from the brig with a delightful temperature t staid with him two days and found him a well educated nan and very interesting but when I 1 left him his last words were when the rater rises I 1 will be ready for it san francisco call |