The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-11-13

darkness.
On the following day, he again looked ou,
for the ship, but again without success. He
therefore redoubled his efforts TO procure fire,
and by dint OF perseverance at length pro-
duced light smoke upon the wood he
then hastily collected some fibres of the CO.
Goa nut, and placed them in contact with the
ignited substance, and al last was rewarded
by a brilliant spark, which presently broke
into blaze. He now got together suffi-
cient quantity to keep the fire in all night,
heaped il with branches and dried leaves,
and watched it with interest until the third
morning broke. Tired out with his exer-
tions, he at length fell asleep, but had not
been asleep long before he was awakened
by a singular noise as if some one was cree
ping towards him. He opened his eyes and
looked wishfully into the obscurity of the
dawn, and presently saw large object steal
ing across the sand.
He grasped his manchete and waited ner-
vously for its near approach. At length he
discovered an enormous turtle coming, ac-
cordng TO the habits of that animal, to lay
its eggs above high water mark. The turtle
always selects situation that catches all the
rays of the sun; they make hole IN the
sand, cover up the eggs, and fifty days after
wards, without fail, their instinct brings them
back TO dsinter them.
At the moment when the layer of sand
which covers them is removed, the young
turtles break their shells and follow their
dams 10 the waters edge, and when they
reach the waves, they make themselves fast
to her belly, and are towed out to sea, TO
qualify them IN time for the feasts of the al
derman.
AS soon as M. Cremasy ascertained who
his early visiter was, he walked sternly tow
ards her, and turning her over, kept guard
over her till daylight come and then des.
patched her. II was task of some difficul-
iy TO cut her mp, but when he had succeeded
he found himself repaid for his trouble. The
turtle was capital. He boiled the meat,
which he thought excellent, and preserved
the fat, disposing of it in small shells, which
he fourd on tie shore, and out of the fbres
of the cocoa nuts he made wicks, in this
manner constructing very notable sort of a
lamp; antique in fashion, and moreover high
ly useful. To season his turtle, he then pro.
cured salt from the evaporation of salt water,
and converted the shell of his visiter into a
cauldron. With these civilized means oi
cooking, he ceased 10 enjoy his cocoa nut
milk, and laid in stock of fresh watar, OBJ.
tanning it by sinking well in the sand.
# soon became necessary to wash his lin
en-, but he could not bring himself to the
resolution of remaining single instant en-
tirely naked; and he therefore would wash
one garment at time, wearing his shirt until
his trowsers were dried, and vies versa.. He
next burned clear space around his hut 10
keep off the rats, ard fortified himself with
in ditch, well fenced against intrusion by
sharp palmetto branches and the stiff leaves
of prickly pears.
IE the course OF his walks he had seen a
number Of pigeons, who allowed him 10 gel
tolerably close TO them he therefore set to
work 10 hunt them down on foot, with pole,
and thus added very agreeable dish to his
repast, for when roasted they proved ex.rem-
ely tender and succulent.
With flesh and FOWL to supply his table, il
was not long before he got a .hird requisite
Of good dinner. On the sonth side of the
island was coral reef, upwards of ten
leagues in length, which the tide when ii
went out left it high and Try. AT low water
the fish hid themselves in the hollows where
the water remained, and our solitary islander
discovered in this fact new source of EN-.
ployment. Every day at low water he wen
out to the reef, sought for the reservoirs
which contained the greatest number fish
and then harpooned them with his boaring
sabre, some of these ne sailed and dried
the rest were Immediately cooked.
But however earnestly NJ Cremasy labor
ed TO improve his position, one thought pre-
dominated over all others-the hope of find.
ing the means of escaping from solitude
When not employed in procuring and prepa.
ring food, he passed his whole time on the
lookout for any vessel that might shape hel
course within sight of Providence. His eyes
were ever turned towards that point of the
compass where his own ship had disappear.
ed, and thousand painful apprehensions
disquieted him-the dread Of its having
been wrecked on some of the sunken rocks
of that dangerous archipelago, being the
most paramount. But he was not one to
give himself up for any time to inactivity
He knew the value of the pIoverb which
tells men to assist themselves if they look
for the aiG of others, and accordingly resol
we'd upon constructing beacon which
should be visible al distances of several
leagues.
1t was no. without difficulty that he sue.
ceeded in collecting sufficient quantity ol
heavy wood TO make pile; he heaped i,
above mass of dry leaves and placed dry
branches in alternate layers, with the trunks
Of the cocoa and palmetto. This accom-.
plished, his eyes wandered over the ocean
to seize favorable moment for lighting up
his beacon, but day followed day, and his
solitude grew more and more dreary. His
only pleasure consisted in watching the frig-
ata bt~da - xto.x -. .o1 Al all.