Washington telegraph., 1850-09-25
A MODERN ROBINSON CRUSOE.

A MODERN ROBINSON CRUSOE
That pious feeling amongst sailors,
which is SO frequently awakened by the
yicissitudes of their lives, has caused the
name of "Providence" to be given to
more than one coral reef and desolate
island in the Indian Seas Rarely, per-
haps, has it been more appro priately be-
slowed than on small rocky inlet, which
lies to the northward of the Mozambique
Channel, a few days sail from the Isle of
Bourbon. This was shown in notable
instance which occurred here about thirty
years ago. The story is scarcely known
even to the mariners of the nation to
which the hero of it belonged; and there
fore, to make it familiar to our readers,
may not be thought undesirable.
In the year 1920, M. Cremasy, the
captain of Bourbon trading vessel, re-
solved to visit the little island of Provi-
,dence,-n order to obtain a cargo OF cocoa
'IIu. germs for planting iA the colony to
which he belonged The appliances for
navigating the eastern coast of Africa,
were at that time very rude. Chain
cables were unknown; and The only kind
in use were made from the ibres of the
palm, similar to those which are called
:gounae1etou in the Celebos, cOar on the
Spanish main. The cables were very
liable to be cut by the sharp reefs and
coral bottom which abound so pleutifully
in the Indian Ocean; and in order to spare
the anchors, wooden frame filled with
stones, called pegase, was the frequent
substitute.
Immediately OH his anchoring in this
manner, off Providence, NJ. Cremasy
went on shore and sent back his boat with
her crew to the ship, while he explored
the island. He had been thus occupied
for some time, when the cable Of the
pegase broke, and the vessel was carried
out to sea by one of the violent currents
which set off these shores. The mate
made sail as speedily as he could to regain
the anchorage; but he was unable to head
the current and night fell ia while he was
eudeavoring to do SO. The captain, left
ashore by this accident, had Oh at the
time, nothing but jacket and pair of
white trousers and his sole weapon
mancjtette, kind of short sabre used In
boarding. When he found himself COM
PEELED to pass the night On this desert
island, his first care was to construct a
place of shelter; and with the broad leaves
of the cocoa tree, he built up an aJ0upa,
or hut, and made his supper of cocoa
nuts, eating the fruit and drinking the
milk. He did not sleep over soundly,
tor he was tormented by vague appre-
hension concerning his vessel; the sense
OF Loneliness oppressed hiIn, and he was
somewhat in fear of rats and other noxl-
Gus animals. At day-break he was on
the shore, anxiously looking out to dis
cover sail on the horizon; but nothing
was visible through the misty morning
ar. The sun rose and dispelled the mist,
nut his rays fell only on wide expanse
Oh azure sea, unbrOken.by any vessel.
tie sat down on rock, and began to
mediate profoundly upon his future des-
uny. There was but one course open to
hm-to bestir himself for the supply of
his daily wants. With his manchette in
Ills hand, he set out once more to explore
Tie territory of which he was the unwill-
ing sovereign. He got nothing but a
eocoa-nut for breakfast, and dined also
upon the same fruit-a luxury to school
boy, but not held in equal estimation by
hungry sailor, though he thought him
sell lucky that the island produced any
'ning eatable. By dint of prosecuting MS
researches. M. Cremasy succeeded in dis
covering an addition to his vegetable diet'
III the shape of some wild cucumbers; but
ne was unwilling to eat them raw, ana
mad no means of cooking them with tlre.
A native, if the island had been peopled,
would would have lit one by the friction OF Two
oits OF wood. He emembered the me'hou
oi the savage; and procured light sol'
VI wood, made whole i'll it with ano.hei
piece of harder kind, which he fash1on'