South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1859-05-13
A RIOUS STORY.

CHICAGO. Saturday, April 1G. 1859.
Tho Schooner OzELLE, Captain Marvin
master, arrived at Racine, Wisconsin, yes
terday morning. from Marquette. Lake Su-
perior, having on board young lady, Miss
Sophia Richardson, formerly of Cleveland,
Ohio. who for the last three years has been
living in solitude upon a desolatc and un-
Inhabited Island in Lake Superior near the
British coast, and northwest from Isle Roy
al upon which she was cast away in the
Spring of 1856.
was in Racine when the schooner ar
rived. and Captain Marvin. who is an old
and valued friend of mine, was kind c.
nough to introduce me to this young lady.
whose adventures have been so remarkable
and from whom I have obtained pcrmis-
sion to make public the facts which follow.
Miss Richardson is. apparently about 222
years old. Her countcnancc without being
positively handsome, is pleasing in its cx-
preston her air and manner are we'll
bred and although when I saw her sho
was nrrayed in garments that were any,
thing but fashionable and elegant and her
hands were roughencd and Drowned with
exposure and toll. it was impossible not to
perceive that she was an Intelligent and
educated lady.
1t will he recollected that in tho month OF
May. 1856, the bark Mary, Captain Ed
ward. sailed from Cleveland, Ohio, bound
for Green Bay, with cargo of provisions,
dry goods and hardware. The crew con-
sisted of eight men, including the captain
and mate. The latter, Mr. George Rich
nrdson, was the cousin Of the young lady
above mentioned, and it was under his
charge that she embarked with the intcn-
tion of meeting at Green Bay her afiianccd
husband, Daniel AshnelI. who had been
living at Green Bay for n year, and to
whom she was to be married on her arri-
val there. Miss Richardson was the daugh-
ter Of respectable and tolcrablc wealthy
family, and she sailed with q stock Of clo-
thing amply sufficient for her requirements
for year or more. This was n prudent
and economical measure, when the scarci-
ty and drcarincss Of her destined home is
remembered. and as it afterwards proved,
was The means of securing her from much
suffering and privation. The cargo of the
bark was made up Of pork. flour. groceries,
mining tools, and several bales of blankets.
buffalo robes and heavy clothing.
The commencement Of the voyage was
Pleasant. and nothing occurred to destroy
the antleipntions of hnPpncss INDUCED in
by Miss Richardson. until the vessel had
passed the Monitonlina I.!ands. md VS.
about to enter the straits Of Mackiuaw.-
They passed the Great Manitouline Just ut
dark and Immediately aftcrward were as
sailed ny terrific storm. surprising in Vi
olcncc anything Miss Richardson had be-
fore seen. During the morning of this day
the Captain had tapped barrel of whisky
which was in his cabin. of the contents Of
which he and the mate had copiously par
taken. Contrary to their usual custom
they had both retired to sleep Immediately
after supper, leaving the helm in charge of
a sailor named Dan" Miss Richardson
IS OF the opinion that the whisky bad cir
culated among the crew az we'll as the Off
GERS. and that they were all under it's in
tluence. at all events the storm continued
to increase in violence, and the vessel was
driven from her course. When at length
the Captain and mate were aroused and
brought on deck, the former announced
that they had been driven through the
Middle Channel. and were then nearly op-
poslte SauIte Ste Marie. He took the
helm, saying he could keep the bark beat
ing about iu Tcqurncnon Bay until morn
Ing. Either he was mistaken in his cal
culations, or unable to manage the vessel,
Tor when the morning broke they discov-
cred that they were in the pcighborhood
OF q large Island, the name of which Miss
Richardson has forgotten, but which the
Captain said was $50 miles from the Sault.
lihls was probably Michipicotcn Island.
The storm appeared to increase in violence
and the vessel began to feel its effects
Miss Richardson was in great alarm and
dlsnay, which wcro not at all lesscned
when her cousin informed her that the bark
was leaking badly, and that she was in
Imminent danger Of sinking. She does not
remember all that transpircd after this, as
she was in great distress of both mind and
body; but after some hours she was sum-
moned to the d eek, and saw that the bark
must soon strike upon what she was told
was an island. The rudder of the vessel
had become unshippcd or broken, the rig
g'ng was toru'to tattcrs. and tho Captain
said their only hope Of life was to wait un-
I'll she struck, then to leap into the water
and trust to the waves to wash them upon
the shore. The yawl had been stove in by
heavy sea some time before The vessel
was perhaps mile from the land, while
Immediately in front of her arose a low
line of broken and jagged rocks The on
" life prcserver on board was given to
Miss Richardson. who inflated it aud tied
1t beneath her arms The bark struck with
immense force upon the rocks, and there
appeared to stick fast either upon the sand
or between the breakers. The captain and
the crew leaped overheard as she struck,
and Miss Richardson and her cousin we're
about to follow when spar from the bro
ken and shattered mast fell to the deck
striking the mate upon the bead and in
stantly killing bin. Miss Richardson's
courage forsook her at this awful sight, aud
she sank inscnsible upon the deck
From this point / give the narrative in
her own words, copied from the notes which
i t00E dr,rtno ;~ta