The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-11-11
Correspondence Of the New York Times.
A New Robinson Crusoe.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. s, 1858.

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to-day, is Capt. ]. M. Knowles, of the
clipper ship Wild Wave, which ha,
been missing for several months, and
long since given up as lost, with all or
board. As the Captains story is very
interesting one, / have obtained tht
particulars from him for your readers
The ship left New York in Septembel
last, for San Francisco, where she ar
rived on the 14th January, leaving
again in ballast on the eth Februar,
last for Valparaiso.
The strong easterly winds which
prevailed for some time after starting
forced the vessel considerably to the
westward of the usual track of vessels
bound for the South American ports
All went well, however, until the night
of the 4th of March. Capt. Knowles
had taken fair observation daily, and
on the night in question, supposed him
self at least sixteen or eighteen miles
from any land. An hour after mid
night he discovered breakers upon the
lee bow. The helm was put hard
down, but the ship miss-stayed, and
while wearing, struck upon a sunken
coral reef, and soon fell over on her
side and bilged. A heavy surf broke
over the ship, and it became evident al
once that she must be lost. Her top
inasts were cut away, to ease her as
much as possible, but all efforts to re-
lieve her materially, failed.
Daylight at last revealed their posi-
ton, and showed that the vessel had
struck the reef surrounding Ocona, a
very low lagoon island, mile and a
half or two miles in circumference, the
reef extending in some places two
miles from the shore. Soon after day.
light, the boats were get out and all
hands landed. I'm the course of the
day the Captain succeeded in getting
his nautical instruments and a supply
of provisions ashore. During the ten
days following they were unable to get
to the wreck more than twice, in con-
sequence of the surf. While upon the
island Capt. Knowles made very care
ful observations, from which he ascer.
tanned that Ocona lies l6 miles east OF
the position ascribed to it on the latest
English charts, by which he had navi-
gated the ship. To this error of the
which Capt. Knowles is conf
dent will be also exposed by the officers
of the sloop-of-war Vandalia, soon
the loss of the Wild Wave is attribu-
ted
Upon the l4th of March, started in
his life-boat, with his first mate, Mr..
James f. Bartlett, of Binghampton, N.
Y, and five men, for Pitcairn's Island,
IS miles to the southwark, expecting to
find relief there, not to be had at Ocona.
which is out Of the usual track of YES
sells in any trade. When he left, the
ship had not broken up, and the Capt.
got out his specie and carried it down
with him. Pitcairn's Island, it will be
remembered, is fertile and pleasant
island, only four miles in circumference,
which was settled, many years ago, by
the mutineers Of the British naval brig
Bounty. 1t has long been a favorite
stopping place for whalers, and the
Captain went there in hopes of meet
ing some one of them who would carry
himself and his men to the Sandwich
Islands.
Arriving at the Island in forty-eight
hours, he found it uninhabited, the set
tiers having been removed to Norfolk
Island. In landing, the life boat was
slowed and ruined. Of course the un-
fortunate men were now without a boat
of any description, and had no tools
with which to construct one. There
seemed to be nothing for them to do
but possess themselves in patience un-
til next February or March, when they
might hope for succor by the whaling
feet bound up the Pacific. The island
abounds in tropical fruits which, with
goats and chickens left by the settlers,
promised abundant support meantime.
So the captain fitted up a deserted
tenement, and made himself as COM
Portable as possible. An old gun-bar-
rel picked up on the island was mounted
upon a rude stock, so that one man
could fire it with a match while aimed
by another. In this dual fashion the
goats were brought down for meat.
In walking about the deserted set
tlemcnt one day, they found old rusty
tools, consisting of few axes, planes
and augurs. With these the Captain
determined to build boat to get away
with, and the party proceeded at once
to carry the plan into execution. Of
course it was no small undertaking, for
they had no saws, nor rigging, nor
iron. work for fastenings. They went
into the woods, however, with their
axes, hewed single plank out of each
tree, until the whole was ready to put
together. In the meantime they found
a few nails, and burned couple of
houses to get more. With these and
wooden pins, they fastened the vessel,
and in about three days had it ready
to lannch, trim-looking, though frail
schooner, thirty feet in length. From
a quantity of condemned ropes picked
up on the island, they made oaknm to
canlk the seams as well as rigging for
the schooner. The sail Of the life-boat.
and some old sail cloth, also picked up
at Pitcairn's, furnished sails for the
John, Adams as the new craft was
christened. From bucket of tar,
and several pounds of resin, found in
a deserted tenement, the bottom seams
We're paid, and the rest were painted
with some refuse white lead from the
same source. The hold was eight feet
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