The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-07-23

shall call st. Paul, where seals are to be
met with in abundance-whilst at the other
1 during the whole fourteen months, Paine
and Proudfoot were only able to obtain sew.
en-. 1t IS certain that they thought them
selves on the island Of st Paul, for they
kept continually looking to the north il
search OF Amsterdam, the islands being in
sight OF each other on clear day, and
wondered WY it could not he seen. It was
IN other respects, a great misfortune tc
them; for there are hot springs on the
other island, OF temperature enough to boil
fish, which are to be caught with the great.
est facility in lagoon, or basin close by.
10 keep an account of time, Paine and
Proudfoot notched the stave of cask every
morning but they had committed an error
| OF two days., their calculation bringing the
date up to the I'd of November, instead o.
the 4th, when the Palmira arrived at the
island.
Destitute, in remarkable degree, of the
means of assisting hemselves-without tool
or MISUNDERSTANDING, after short time,
contributed a little to their aid. They
found on the rocks, at different times, a
needle, an old knife, and spike nail; with
the latter they made hook, and piece of
col-rope supplied them with line. With
this they contrived to catch fish but there
being no barb at the point of the hook, they
often had the misfortune to lose their prey.
The only kind of fish they could obtain, was
what the sailors call the trumpeter, and the
only shell-6sh, hmpets. They were fire.
quently much distressed for want of fresh
water. The rocky surface not being COW
cred with more than two or three feet of
earth, digging for spring was out of the
question, even, if they had been furnished
with the means. They had, therefore, to
search for pools of rain water, and some
times they had to go several miles for a
draught to quench their thirst. The island
was we'll furnished with wild hogs, but all
the time they were on it they could not
manage to catch above FIVE. These they
ran down, and felled with stick, torn from
a stunted tree, only two OF three inches in
diameter. "You must have run very fast
for your dinner" said the Captain. Seer
talnty, we ran fast for dinner" was the
reply; but the pig had to run for his life ="
The flesh of the Amsterdam wild hog was
very dry and hard, without an atom of fat.
Once they caught few young ones, which
could not, in running away, keep up with
the old sow. These, OF course, afforded
the two Robinson Crusoes a sumptuous
banquet.
Soon after their arrival, they were under
the necessity of clearing the ground, by
setting fire to the impenetrable tuft of tu-
sack and long grass which INSTRUCTED their
proceedings, and the conhagration, spread
ing over the greater part of the island, it is
said to have lasted several months.
To improve their resources, they attempt
ed to make a bow and arrows but the
branches Of underwood, and the shoots of
stnnted trees, were found too brittle fer the
purpose. They could only subsist, indeed,
from hand to mouth, as the salt failed them
which prevented their laying up a stock OF
fish and for many months they were ac-
customed to eat their casually procured
yictuals without any salt at all. On more
occasions than one, they were three days
without an opportunity Of obtaining NOR
sci of food.
They had finder box when they landed
but the finder was soon expended and
there was nothing to be found, of vegeta-
BILE nature, dry enough to supply its place
Keeping up the fire in the hut, therefore
during the latter part of their residence
became a subject of most painful anxiety
especially in the night, for, if it happened
to go out, there was no chance of lighting il
again; and the preservation of the "vesta
fame" seems to have been the only, at least
the chiefcause ofany quarreling or difference
between them. The younger was heavy
sleeper, SO that upon Proudfoot more fire.
quently fen the imperative and indlspensa
BILE duty of watching. And if they wen
together any distance from the hut, it wal
usual with them to keep the fire with pea
and moss; and sometimes, for better secu
rity, they carried piece of ignited pea
along with them.
In Horshurg, the island is said to be abou
IL miles in circumference but they reckon
it much more, having been whole day il
4 going round it, and they therefore think
cannot be less than twenty. One day the
succeeded in ascending the highest peak
where they discovered the crater of vol
cano, more than ahundred yardsin diameter
and so deep, that no bottom could be seen
The island produces nothing edible, excep
parsley, which is found in great quantity
it is covered with thick underwood and tn
sack, and dried grass was the only thinl
that they had 70 keep them in any degree
warm during the night,
No snow fell in the winter months, bu
hail and sleet continually, and it was ex
tremely cold at that season of the year.
Their health continued good without inter
ruption; and the only accident that occur
red was a fall which Proudtoot experiences
from precipice, and which confined hin
with violent sprain in his shoulder for fou
months.
The only birds they could get hold o
were the snoioy pettereA, and these the,
caught in Notes.-The flesh, of course, dr.,
and ishy-but the eggs were good. Th'
aIbatrosses laid their eggs, and continues
themselves in the most precipitous and in
accessible parts Of the rocks, deiying tn
exertions of man to disturb their repose.