Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-24
Another Pitcairn's Island.


Capt. Gibson, whose narrative of his unjust i'm
prisonment by the Dutch authorities Of Java has
been recently published, gives an interesting ac-
count of the very curious island Of Tristan d'Ac-
unha, mere rock, in the great Southern Ocean,
which Capt G. discovered:
This Island is situated about midway between
the Cane of Good Hope and Cape Horn. In the
wear 1911 the British frigate Pandora struck on a
ledge of rocks near this island, on her return home
from Bengal, laden with troops. One Of their
number. Sergeant Glass, while the troops wsre
being landed, preparatory to getting the ship vi
the rocks, took advantage of the confusion attend
ant thereon, and secreted himself on the island,
and the ship sailed without him.. Glass remained
here three years. subsisting in the meantime on
the flesh of goats, which here aooand, and also on
shell fish and roots BY the expiration of this time
he succeeded in constructing boat from drift tim
Der and other materials, and proceeded with car
90 of goat skins to the Cape of Good Hope, some
600 miles distant The time which he selected
for his departure was during the prevalence of the
westerly winds. He accomplished his perilous
voyage in safety.
After a short residence at Cape Town he mar
ried the widow of soldier who had died at the
Cape and with his wife and negro man return
ed to his solitary island again, taking with him va
rious implements, seeds, arms and ammunition, to-
gether with other necesSares, which were literally
furnished him by the merchants of Cape Town.
Here the good couple carried out the Injunction
"increase and multiply" The result of their
marriage was seven daughters, who, in the course
of time, were married to men from American
whalers who occasionally touched at the island.
These sons-in-law of the old man, in compliance
with law that he had made that "no con n-in-law
of his should leave the island" settled down and
proved as prolific as did the original couple, so
that the population now amounts TO eighty -four
children, grandchildren and greatgran6 children
The old Patriarch, Glass, is now 81 years of age,
and as hale and strong as youth of ~ indeed he
says he means to live for 80 years longer, and SO
far as personal appearance would warrant the judg
ment, he will keep his word.
A remarkable fact should here be mentioned,
that since the island has first been settled by Glass
death has never visited one Of its inhabitants.
The amount of land at present available for cul-
tivation on the Island is mere strip of about 25O
acres, which is entirely devoted to the cultivation
of potatoes and other esculents Bot, as the spade
is used and every attention paid to enriching the
land it is even now capable Of furnishing support
to about 500 persons; and there is no doubt but
that in the course of few years large tracts OF
other land on the side of the mountain will be
brought into productive state.
The island is an extinct volcano, rising almost
100 feet above the level of the sea. The edges
of the crater of this volcanic mountain are eternal
y covered with snow. Within the Crater is a
magnificent lake of pure fresh water, about one |
third of a mile in diameter. This lake is fed by |
the melted SHOWS, and it overfows in several tor
rents and cascades down the sides of the noun !
tain, supplying the inhabitants of the island and
ships which sometimes touch there with excellent
water. The lake sometimes abounds with very |
peculiar kind of fish, Of excellent flavor, and to-
tally unlike any other species found in the sur
rounding ocean, so that their origin is an interest
ing subject for the investigation of the ichthyolo
gist.
Capt Gibson staid at this island for three days,
and only left it and its interesting inhabitants
er than he wished from compusion, as danger !
Gus storm was brewing, and the coast afforded no
safe anchorage. The grand-daughters ofold Glass
are described as remarkable for their health and
beauty, and it would not be strange ifmany more
adventurous Yankees should be inclined TO settle
and marry into this patriarchaI fraternity. The
women are equally expert with the men in the use
Of the rifle, fishing rod, and oar and find no diff
Guilty in obtaining husbands, for whom they make
excellent wives With the men of the original
stock, however, fhe case is different ,as women are
not in the habit of going 'a-whaling;" therefore
no women come to the island. We are Informed
that there are now about nineteen young men who
would feel Under great obligations to some chari-
table Mrs. Farnham.
One of the young men took his fathers boat,
and with two of his cousins proceeded to the coast
of Africa, and made bold to introduce himself to an
interesting young Caffre woman, who, not being
affected with any Of the punctos Of civilized life
readily accompanied him home. BY her he has
three interesting children. and she makes him an
excellent wife. SHE is described as of a bright
brown complexion, thin-lipped, with fine straight
nose, most interesting cast of countenance, and
slender, agile figure. She has readily acquired
the English language, and speaks it with remark
able fuency.