Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-04-01

/ oOln. IL was 10 be SO, Tor on the third night
| OF the gale, my bark suddenly struck on the
reef surrounding this island Down came nv
masts, and the heavy seas forced my vessel on
| the rocks, washing my men overheard and
| dasnlng everything to pieces that came within
| iCS Jury Ii being dark the privateer, who
was 50 eagerly bent on our destruction, came
plunsing on, struck heavily upon the same
| reet, ABOUT quarter Of mile from the spot
| Where we were fast breaking to pieces
snail never be able to blot from NV memory
the horrors OF that night-the shrieks of dy-
| ing ~retches, and the curses of a set of de.
mons, who, to avoid meeting death manfuIIy.
| deprlFed themselves of their reason with Il
| quor, and jumped like maniacs into eternity
az iengln the morning dawned, and showed
Us our true position, (for both vessels held TO-
sether through the night.) We found onr.
selves on the south side Of the island, about !.
| quarter of mile from the entrarce To tbe Is
| gOon, and so near the shore that If we conIa
| have maintained order in the night many
lives might have been saved and much misery
| avoided. 1t was now no time to be idle, 80
| the boats from both vessels were manned and
stores landed; and by sunset the greater part
OF our provisions landed, for our common ca
lamity had made friends Of Us all. al we
worked together for the general good The
| same cave served as magazine for our pow
der, and our firearms were piled amicablv
side by side IN the same tent. We worked at
II
the spsrs, sails, masts, yards, &c from which
we raised capital tents for US all. Fifteen
from the brig and twelve from my bark lost
| their lives through the night. The night AZ.
ter we had emptied the wrecks of their car
goes and stores, they went to pieces. At fr,t
we telt as though We had lost the only link
| that connected our fate with civilization
In this state, month or two passed avav
and the most industrious Of our Community
| cultivated piece of ground. Potatoes vere
planted, and wheat and barly, used on board
| 10 teed poultry, were sOwn; each man felt
himself the owner Of something; and thus
while the occupation Of sowing and exnectal
ton of reaping occupied their minds. bpt Iit.
tie thought was bestowed on the chance of our
| return to civilization. Although no outward
| act showed 1t still deceit and mistrust was at
work. A half dozen of the privateer's men.
who kept themselves aloof from the rest. and
who were lazy and fond of drink, were con-
| Stantly quarrelling; the mOnotony of their
life was their chief curse, and led to intoxiea
| tion for relief. At last this conduct set the
| example to others, and ultimately the majority
/ o. the privateers, and many of nv SpaniardS
considered grog as their best friend. The
demon Of mischief, however, was the eleven
| cases Of bullion which We had landed amongst
/ the rest OF the cargo, which occasioped a com
| motion between the men. They deemed the
treasure Of no importance, until one morning
our hopes were frightened that there was q
possibility OF our one day being taken off the
Island by seeing ship pass within a few
miles. We shouted, waved flags and fired
muskets, but all to no purpose as the surf
was heavy, the roaring Of it drowned our
feeble voices. Doubtless they thought on board
they had discovered an island, as thew stood
IN close and appeared to examine the rock.
which surrounded the Island, then bore avav
on their course, and we never saw them more.
But this little episode in our existence was
pregnant with momentous results The drunk-
en- part OF the privateer's men saw at once
that in the event of a ship again making the
Island and landing, that party having po.ses-
sion of the bullion would be considered own
ers, snd they demonstrated that the bark and
her rich cargo would have been their prize IL
both vessels had not been wrecked and that
they were therefore still entitled 10 whatever
might remain as spoils of war
A dispute arose between us in consaouencs
of this demand, which ended in fatal affravs.
and in about an hour, the root of all evil
changed owners, and six Of my Spanisrds and
i've of the privateers lost their lives Worse
followed; murder was let loose upon the
Island; my crew looked upon this as an act
of aggression, and they fancied the privateers
might In some moment of passion do them
some injury, and from that day mutual hatred.
suspicion, and desire to have the bullion,
possessed both crews. The Spaniards, too,
thirsted for revenge, and took the drunken
prtVateersmen at disadvantage, when they
were Intoxicated, and ia one night murdered
tnem out Two, VINO escaped to the woods; but
they were discovered the next day and dis
patched without mercy. Now nv crew, re-
duced TO SIX men, and myself, were the sole
survivors of both vessels Ii seemed as though
heaven had Illuminated its vengeance against
them, for one by one, my companions were
sinking into the grave, and the dread of being
the last man was unbearable After the des-
trna ati Of
well for about two years, as supposed, for
We had lost our reckoning, when we were again
glaidened by the sight of another vessel
standing towards the Island This time we
determined not to miss her, and as she neared
the reef that surrounds the Island, nv remain
ing hands manned the now rotten old boat be.
longing to the bark, and at great risk made
a dash through the terrific surf that at all
times breaks on the shore, but il was at the
cost ot their lives that they pot to sea their
return 10 their friends and the world depend.
ed upon it. but their exertions were In vain,
for the boat was incapable of sustaining the
heavy roll of surf, and after a few minutes
struggling, she sunk, and ever soul perished
and the ship weathersd the Island and was
soon out of sight L was now the last one
stood a solitary and deserted wretch, the only
living being within thousands of miles Oh!
the mounful silence that creeps over nature in
the calm of the evening and makes one feel
that man was not made for seclusion; and as
have repeatedly swept the wide horizon with
my glass, in hopes Of a coming vessel I have
felt the cold and dreary misery of utter desc
latiOn. Again and again the same sun set,
and no weasel appeared like some angel Of
light to rescue me from worse than death and
again and again went back to my cave, and
offered up prayer after prayer for help. Ny
prayers have been heard, for they were sim
cere."
The Snaniard was then taken together with
his eleven cases Of bullion, on board the ves-
sell to the crew Of which he had related his
story, and eventually found his way to pert in
South America, where he still resides having
there found the owners of the treasure, to
whom he returned it, and by their bounty is
enabled to pass the latter part of his life in
ease and plenty, relating the adventures Of
his eventful life as he did the above to the
writer.-San Francisco Golden Era