Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-07-03
MONDAY, JULY 8, 1926.

Cant Weddell's Narrative of "a Voyage towards
the South Pole. He succeeded in reaching a
considerably higher latitude than Capt. COOK,
or any other preceding navigator; and wnen he
nut hark had before him clear sea, without
land or ice in view, to obstruct an onward
coprse Beiug however on mercantile voyage,
and in very small, and, for the purpose OF dis
covery, unprovided vessel, ne was compelled 10
forepo the honor Of penetrating further The
information ne has impaired will, we doubt
not. lead to Some bette: organized undertaking
for discovery in that region,
Captain Weddell visited the Falkland islands,
the South Shetlands and Terra del 'fuego: oil
the inhabitants of the latter place, and their
Quiet, inofensive manners, he gives an interest
ing account. We have made some extracts
from the work, which will, we think, be found
;n,eresting-among them the following story,
which is new to US, in all its parts.-NeW YORK.
american.
New Island is remarkable for having been,
for two years, the solitary residence OF Capt.
]. Barnard, an American, whose vessel was run
away with in the year 1914, by the crew oil an
English ship, which, on her passage from Port
Jackson. had been wrecked on the south side OF
these islands. met with Captain Barnard IN
1921, al the place of his exile, and his CONVEX
sa,ion naturally turned TO that subject, which
being interesting I" | greedily devoured.
narticular account Of his residence on an unin-
hab;ted island. would not fail of being consider
ed almost as wonderful as the celebrated fiction
OF Robinson Crusoe, since there was great ST.
milarity in their situations. The principal in-
cidents attendant upon this event were as iol-
low:-Ca2t Barnard was at New Island with
his vessel, in the performance OF voyage Tor
seal furs, and when on the south side oil the
island. he met with the crew OF the wrecked
English ship. Their number might be about
co. including several passengers, some oil whom
.yere ladies. He kindly took them to his YES
col and treated them with all the hospitality
which their destitute situation required. Capt.
Bernard was from America, with which Eng
I,nd was then at war, and this circumstance
rrea,pd donhts as TO the sincerity of their friend
=, intentions to one another, though he had
,,romised to land them on his passage home at
some port in the Brazlls.
Owing 10 the additional number OF people,
hunting parties were frequently sent Out to pro-
cnre supplies; and when the captain, with tour
&c his neople, were on an excursion OF this kind,
,he wrecked crew cut the cable, and, In deh-
ance of the Americans who were on board, ran
away with the ship TO Rio Janelro, whence
they proceeded to North America.
IN Cant Barnard's return 10 New Island, he
vas struck with establishment at finding his
chin carried off, as he had never suspected any
Jss;er Of the kind. On reflection, however, he
,oon Guessed the cause, as it was quite appa-
rent tia, the fear Of being taken 10 America,
where they would remain prisoners OF war, had
hesn the motive to the commission OF TINS
.c,;on which was bad return for the asylum
Cant. Barnard had afforded the perpetrators OF
!, His conduct towards them, certainly, did
not Justify their entertaining such suspicion;
but !, seems they chose rather TO act dlshonor'
ably than trust to his protes,atloDs, that he
would land them IN the Brazils.
Nothing in the way OF supplies having been
,er for moor Barnard and his four companions,
or which even the captors OF his ship ought to
have thought, he was forced to consider how
,bev were 10 subsist; and recollecting that he
had planted few potatoes, they directed their
attention to them, and in the course OF the Sc
cond season, obtained serviceable supply
They had a dog which now and then caught
nip. and the eggs of the albalross, which we're
stored at the proper season, with potatoes,
formed substitute for bread; and the skins OF
the seals for clothes. They built house OF
stone; still remaining on the island, which was
strong enough to withstand the storms OF WIN
ter, and they might have been comparatively
happy, but that they were cut off from their re-
lations and friends, without any immediate
nrospect of being removed from the island,
To add TO the misfortunes Of Capt Barnard
in being separated from his wife and children,
lis compan; sons, over whom he exercised no
,u,bori,y, but merely dictated what he corsi-
Jsrsd was for their mutual advantage. became
;,,,,a,ent of even this mild control, took an OPP
n,r,unity to steal the boat, and he was left on
r. Island alone. After being thus entirely "a
handoneJ. he spent the time in preparing clothes
from the skin of the seal, and in collecting
God for winter. Once or twice day he used
- ascend hill, from which there wasa wide
nrospect Of the ocean, to see if any vessel ap,,
proached, Blu, always retired disappointed and
forlorn-no ship was to be observed. nc iouI
sailors, in the meanwhile, having experience,
their o~n inability to provide properly LOT
themselves, returned to him after an absence Oh
four months.
He stiIl found much difficulty in preserving
re,ce among his companions; indeed, one OF
them had planned his death, but fortunately IL
was discovered in time to be prevented lie