Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-05-03
MISCELL Al Y
A Curious Story.

-----. -
A Curious Story.
fsmale Robinson Crusoe--A Young Lady res
cusd after Liuing Three Years 4pan Deso-
late and Uninhabited Island an Lake Supers-
or-Sketch of her ShipUreck, her Lys on the
Island and her Rescue.
CHICAGO, Saturday, April 16, 1859.
The Schooner Ozslls, Captain Marvin master,
arrived at Racine, Wisconsin, yesterday morn
ing. from Marquette, Lake Superior, having on
board Young lady, Miss Sophia Richardson,
formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, who TOR the iast
three wears has been living in solitude upon q
desolate and uninhabited Island in Lake SUPERB
or near the British coast, and northwest from
Isle Royal upon which she was cast away ID the
Spring of 1855.
I was in Racine when the schooner arrived,
and CAPTAIN Marvin, who is an old and valued
friend of mine, was kind enough to introduce
me to this young lady, whose adventures nave
been so remarkable, and from whom have oo-
tanned permission to make public the facts when
follow. Miss Richardson is apparently ABOUT ~
wears old. Her countenance without being pos
;tiyely handsome, is pleasing in its expression !;
her air and manner are well bred; and aithongh
when saw her she was arrayed IN garments
that were anything but fashionable and elegant,
and her hands were roughened and Drowned
with exposure and toll, it was impossible not 70
nsrceiye that she was an Intelligent ana ed-
ucated lady. -. =.
Il will be recolleoted that in the month OF
Nav. 1856, the bark Mary, Captain EDWARD
sailed from Cleveland, Ohio, bound Tor 1reen
Bay, with cargo OF provisions, dry goodS anu
hardware The crew consisted OF elg6e men, ~
cluding the captain and mate. Inc ia'Ier, MT.
George Richardson, was the cousin OF the young
lsdv above mentioned, and it was under his
"ha,,a that aha embarked with the intention OF
maating at Green Bay he- athanced husband,
Daniel Ashnell, who had been living at Green
Raw for year, and to whom che was to be mar
r;sS nm her arrival there. Miss Richardson was
tha daughter of q respectable and toleraole veal
tbv family. and she sailed with stock OF clo-
th;no amply sufficient for her requirements Tor
vaar or more. This was a prudent and econom'
;caj measure, when the scarcity and drearlness
| of her destined home is remembered, anu as IL
afterwards proved, was the means OF securing
bar from much suffering and privstion. The
cargo of the bark was made up OF pork, nour'
yrocerie. mining tools, and several bales OF DAD
Sets buffalo robes and heavy clothing.
The commencement of the voyage was pleas
ant and nothing occurred to destroy the anticl'
nations of happiness INDUCED IN by MISS hich'
erdson. until the vessel had passed the Monitou'
line Islands. and was about to enter the straits
of Mackinsw. They passed the Great Manitou.
l;ne iust at dark and Immediately afterward
were assailed by q terrific storm, SURPRISING II
violence ANYTHING Miss Richardson had before
seen. During the morning OF this day tne zap
tain had tapped barrel of whlskey whioh wal
in his cabin, of the contents of which he ana tns
nate had copiously partaken. Contrary to thei
nsnal custom they had both retired to sleep i'm
medistely after supper, leaving the helm IL
charge of a sailor named Dan" Miss Richard
CON "a of the opinion that the whiskey had cir
cuIated among the crew as we'll as the officers
ond tbat thew were all under its influence. a
oil avents the storm continued to increase IN vi
olsnca and the vessel was driven from her course
When at length the Captain and mate were a
ronsed and brought on deck, the former an
nonnced that they had been driven through The
| M;ddje Channel. and were then nearly Opposite
Sanlt Ste Marie. He took the helm, saying h'
conld keep the bark beating about 10 Tequrme
non Bay until morning. Either he was mista
ken in his calculations, or unable to manage tn
vessel. for when the morning broke they discov
cred that they were in the neighborhood OF
large Island, the name of which Miss Richard
son has forgotten, but which the Captain salt
was $50 miles from the Sault. Crhis was prob
ahlv Michipicoten Island) The storm appeared
70 increase in violence and the vessel began tt
feel its effects. Miss Richardson was in grea
alarm and dismay, which were not at all lessenet
when her cousin informed her that the bark wa
Leaking badly, and that she was in imminen
danger of sinking. She does not remember al
that transpired after this, as she was IN grea
distress of both mind and body; but after some
hours she was summoned 10 the deck, anu saw
that the bark must soon strike upon what sh'
was told was an island. The rudder of the yes
sel had become unshipped or broken, the rigging
was torn to tatters, and the Captain said thei
only hope of life was to wait until she struck
then to leap into the water and trust to th'
waves to wash them upon the shore. Th'
yawl had been stove in by heavy sea some
time before The vessel was perhaps mile
from the land, while Immediately in front O
her arose low line of broken and jagged rocks
The only life preserver on board was gwen tt
Miss Richardson, who inflated it and tied 1t be
meath her arms. The bark struck with lmmens'
force upon the rocks, and there appeared to sticl
fast. either upon the sand or between the break
ers. The Captain and the crew lesped over
hoard as she struck, and Miss Richardson ant
her cousin were about to follow when spal
from the broken and shattered mast fell to the
deck striking the mate upon the head and in
stantly killing him. Miss Richardson's courage
forsook her at this awful sight, and she sank in
sensible upoDlthe deck.
From this point give the narrative in hel
own words, copied from the notes which tooh
during our interview.
"How long l remained in this condition can
not ssy, but when regained my senses saw
that the storm was dying away, and the vesse
was still sticking fast where she first struck
At my side laid George, his face covered with
blood, and his eyes staring wide in death. | al
most tainted again at the sight, but with 6
strong effort repressed my feelings and got up
ON my feet. The waves were rolling heavily
but as looked upwards the clouds broke away
and the sun beamed down upon me. / knew
that the water would become more tranquil as
night approached, and l hoped that if the cap
tain aud crew had reached the shore they would
endeavor to rescue me- l 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 appear
ed to be so tightly jammed between the rock:
that she could not sink. The wind blew strong
ly towards the shore, and saw spars and bar
rels thrown upon the land by the waves, and
then washed off again by the returning sea.