Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-23
2xilg 4iraiaiall.
csrrsspoadeuce of the New York Times.
= "A CURIOUS STORY.

A Hssale Rpbsason Crmsee--4 Toaag Lady Res
es.ed effer Lie;.e Tire Tears wpoa Deso,ate
and EninAabifcd Esland IN Lake superior
SkskcA Of her Ship~rcek, her Life on tie Island
and her Rescte
CHICAGO, Saturday, April l6. 1852
The schoones 0zsile. Captain Marvin, master
arrived at Racine. Wisconsin, yesterday morning;
from Marquette, Lake Superior. having on board
a young lady, Miss Sophia Richardson, formerly
ofClsveland, Ohio who for the last three years has
been living in solitude upon dcsolate and unin-
hahited island In Lake Superior near the British
Coast and northwest from Isle Royal upon which
she was cast away in the spring Of 1856.
was in Racine when tho schooner arrived and
Oaptain Marvin who is an old aud valued friend
of mine was kind enough to introduce me to this
Young lady, whose adventures have been so remar-
kable, and from whom have obtained permission
to make public the facts which follow. Miss Rich
ardson ia apparently about % wears old Her
countenance. without being positively handsome.
is pleasing in its exprcssion her air and manner
are well Bred and, and. although when saw her
she was arrayed in garments that were anything
but fashionable and elegant aud her hands were
roughened and Drowned with exposure aud toll, 1t
was impossible not to perceive that she was an ed
ucated and intelligent lady.
1t will DO recollected that in tho month ct May,
1856, the bark Mary, Captain Edward, sailed from
Cleveland, Ohio, bound for Green Day, with car
20 of provisions dry goods and hardware. Tie
crew consisted Of eight men, including the captain
and mate. The latter. Mr.. George Richardson,
was the COUSIN Of the young lady above mention
ed, and it was under his charge that she embark
cd with the intention of meeting Mt Green Bay her
afianced husband Daniel Ashnell, who had been
living at Green Bay for year, and to whom she
was 10 be married on her arrival there. Miss
Richardson was the daughter ot n respectable and
to.erably wealthy family. and she sailed with
stock Of clothing amply sufficient for her require
ments for year OF more. This was prudent
and economical measure. when the scarcity and
dearness Of her destined home is remembered, and
as it afterwards proved. was the means II secur-
ing her from much suffering AMI prisation Tho
cargo Of the bark was made upof pork, flour, gro
ceries mining tools, and several bales Of blankets,
buffalo robes and heavy clothing
The com mencement oi the VOYAGE was pleasant
and nothing occurred To destroy the antirpat"ns
Of happiness INDUCED in by Mis- Ricn,RnsoN. un-
I'll the vessel had passed the Montoulnc Islands
and was about to enter the Straits Of Mackinaw
They passed the Great Mantonnc Just at dark
and Immediately afterwards were assalci by n
terrific storm, surprising IN violence ANYTHING
which Miss RICHARDSON hadb fore seen. During
the morning Of this DAY The Captain had tapped
a barrel of whiskcy which was in his cabin, Of
the contents Of which he and tbs na,c had co.
piously partakcn. Contrary to their usual custom
they had both retired To- sleep immediately after
supper leaving the holm in charge of u sailor
named "D.N." Miss RlcnaRpso> is of the opin.
ion that the whisky had cireu a,cd among the
well as the officers. and that they
all under its influence. At all events the storm
continued 10 increase in violence, aud the vessel
was driven from her course. When at lcrgth
the Captain aud mate WIRE aroused and brought
on deck, the former announced TINT they had been
driven through the Middle Channel. ND were
then nearly opposite Sault Sic Marie. lie took
the helm, saying he would keep The hrk beating
al, ". a.
er he was mistaken in his calculations. or was
unable to manage his vessel. for when tn morn
ing broke they discovered they were in tie neigh
borhood Of n large island. tho name of which Miss
RICHARDSON has forgotten, but which the Captain
said was $50 miles from the Snult, This was
probably Michipicoten Island The storm mp
peared TO increase in violence and the vessel he
gan to feel its effects Miss RICHARDSON WINS in
great alarm aud dismay. which were not nll less
ened when her cousin informed her that the bark
was leaking bndly, and that she WAS in imminent
danger of sinking. She does not remember NIL
that TRANSFERRED after this, rs she in great dis
tress both Of mind and body; but after some hours
had passed she WIS summoned To the deck and
saw that the bark must strike upon what
she was told was an island The rud1er of the
vessel had become unshipped or broken. her rig
ging was torn 10 tatters, and the tnptain said
their only hope OF life to whit until she struck
then to leap into the water and trust to the waves
to wash them upon the shore. The yawl had
had been stove in by n heavy sea some time be-
fore. The vessel was, perhaps mile from the
land, while Immediately in front of her arosoa
low line OF broken and Jagged rocks. Tho only
hfe-preseryer on board was given to Miss Rlcm-
ARDsoN, who inflated it and tied it beneath her
arms. The bark struck with immense force upon
the rocks and there appeared to stick fast either
upon the sand between the breakers The
Captain and the crew leapcd overheard rs she
struck. and Miss RICHARDSON and her cousin
were about to follow, when spar from the bro
ken and shattered mast fell to the deck, striking
the mate upon the head and instantly killing him.
Miss RICHARDSON'S courage forsook her at this
awful sight, and she sank insensbe upon the
deck.
From this point give the narrative in her own
words copie1 from the notes which / took during
our interview
How long remained in this condition cannot
say, but when regained my senses saw that the
storm was dying away, and the vessel was still
sticking fast where she first struck At my side
laid George, his fnce covered with blood. and his
eyes staring wide in death almost fainte1 again
at the sight. but with strong effort repressel
my feelings and got upon my feet. The waves
were yet rolling heavily, but as | looked upwards
the clouds broke away, and the sun beained down
upon me, knew that the water would become
more tranquil as night approached, and | hoped
that II the captain aud cies had cached the shore
my "ouo ohueaNor W rescue me. went INTO the
hold and observed that the leak did not increase.
The seams Of the vessel were open, and her tim
bers were strained and broken but she appeared
&c be 80 tightly jammed between the rocks that
she could not sink. The wind blew strongly TO.
wards the shore, and saw spars & barrels thr own
upon the land by the waves, and then washed Off
again by the returning sea.
Hours passed by and saw and heard nothing
OF the captain or the crew. was alone with the
dead The thought became unbearabc, and re.
solved to leave the wreck and endcavor to reach
the land. drought up my trunks from the cabin