Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-03-04
N.iRR3TITE.
FROM A LATE LONDON PAPER.

On the 9Th of May, 1920, the smack
Pr;nc IS Of Wa'es, sailed from Len
tloa fer Prince Edward Island, in
the Indian sea, for the purpose oil
catching seals, which sea they reach
cd on the 18TH Of March, 1921. At
midnight Size struck o. the island CT Geo
<.ette, aud the crew got cat of the long
boat, notwithstanding the proposal OF the
captain, who acquainted with the des
clarion that prevsiled on the island,
thought it woad b. better to 20 down
than to brave Starvation and other mi>e-
ries. Tney reached shore. having sa
we'd nothing from the wreck but a tnder
box, a grldiron, a frying pan, lance,
and a few knives. Before this occurrence
eight of the crew had left the smack in
a baat. with the intent to fish close to
another island, on which they were O.
b,iged to 20 ashore, and each plrtythought
the other lost. Those who ianded on
i land OF Crozette were seven IN number.
'fne night was as dark as pitch, and the
sufferers had 10 other means OF protec-
ton than the boat, which they turned o.
yer themselves as security against the
sea elephants which we're in great album
dance in the neishbprhood. In the morn
ing they saw the vessel on her beam ends,
with large hole in her bottom. and a
heavy sea washing over her With dif-
ficulty on account of the heavy sea they
succeeded. sitter several attempts, in get
ting possession of few chests of spoiled
bread, part of one Of the sails, some
rigging. and at last they got hold of the
mast, which was soon Separated by the
vessel.
For three weeks they lay under the
boat. being prevented from building a
hut bv the inclemencv OF the weather.
They lived upon birds and the tongues
and hasts of the sea elephants The tor.
mer they were enabled to catch with ease;
the latter they killed with the lance
which they saved from the wreck -
I'm the course of month from this pc
riod that raised hut with the materials
saved from the wreck, covered the roof
>yirb the skins of the sea elephants, and
made beds of grass. Their winter, il
consequence of the island being in about
AZ degrees south latitude and IT degrees
east longitude, took place at The period
OF our SUN ner season; but. indeed, So ia
clement was the weather during their
bout there. that the summer may be said
TO be limited to one month. Their
clothes lasted until December, when tha y
were obliged 10 use seal skins, which
they sewed together with the snews e.
the sea elephant, by means Of aa cid
nail. Their whole time was occupied
between eating and laying in wait for the
sea elephants and birds, and reading
bible, which had been saved from the
wreck, and CO operated with the suffer
ings they had undergone in reforming
the most dissolute amongst them.
The month OF December had not en-
sled when they were astonished and de-
lighted at seeing a boat rowed up to the
beach, and their eight shipmates who
they feared had been lost, land upon the
island. Ithappened that the7ery plans
adopted by the one party had been acted
upon by the other. They were dressed
in the same manor, and had lived in the
same way; but those who had lett their
island had not been able to raise hut,
and had ventured again upon the water
IN search OF more comfortable abode,
which they found amongst their friends,
after a search to the distance OF about
Is miles.
The two islands were distant from each
other, upwards of three leagues; and the
inhabitants being thus collected, and
having thus lived together three weeks
the means of living began TO become
lnore slack, and it was agreed upon, thai
five of the number should 90 back to the
island TO live upon the product there
while those who remained where they
were. should b@ild vessel with the me
terials of the huts and the plank. of some
houses which the Americans had iOrmerl,
erected, and were bur,ed in the sand -
After the most dreaded fatigue, they
succeeded IN building stone house, ant
were at the same time preceding with tn
ship, in which. wrctche! as it necessarily
must be, they were detefCine1 IN returi
home. In about five months lrr-er o
Of about twelve tens MAS completed