Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-05
familp GirtIe.
A Female Robinson Crusoe.

states was cast away in a shipwreck on a
desolate island in Lake Superior three
years ago. and has Just been rescued and
taken to Racine, Wisconsin. The nara
tive has an air Of improbability, but may
nevertheless be true. The young lady is
a Miss Richardson, aged %. "Her
countenance without being positively
handsome, is pleasing in its expression !;
her air and manner are well bred and,
although when | saw her she was array
ed in garments that were anything but
fashionable and elegant, and her hands
we're roughened and Drowned with expo.
sure and toll, it was impossible not to
perceive that she was an educated and
intelligent young lady"
The story is that Miss R. sailed in
May, 1856, in the bark Mary from Cleve
land. Ohio, to Green Bay, in order to be
married there to,Daniel Ashwell. Near
the Straits Of Mackinaw a storm came
up, and the Captain and crew having in.
dulged a little too much in liquor, the
vessel was not well managed, and the
next morning struck on a reef about a
mile from an IslandS The only life per-
server on board was given to Miss r.,
and the yawl having been stove. All
hands except the mate. who was Miss Rs
cousin leaped overboard to swim ashore,
but were never afterwards seen. Just as
the cousin and Miss r. were about to
follow, a spar fell, striking the former
dead. Miss r then tainted away and
after reviving FUND that the vessel was
so wedged between the rocks that it
could rot sink. She then continues her
narrative as follows:
Hours passed by and I saw and heard
nothing of the captain or the crew. 1
was alone with the dead. The thought
became unbeaflble, and | resolved TO
leave the wreck and endeavor to reach
the land. l bought up my trunks from
the cabin, and ashed one to each end Of
the spar whichhad killed poor George.
Then with initiate labor | got them over
the side and into the water, which had
now become comparatively calm. Sum
moning up allmy<resolution, | lowered
myself into the waves. The life preser.
yer Supported me admirably, and I man
aged to reach the spar to which nay trunks
we're tied. Thewind carried US slowly to
ward the breakers. There w,re pas ages
between the rocks and fortunately we were
aoated through one Of these and finally
thrown upon the shore. | was terribly
laceratee and exhausted, but managed
to crawl up on the sand out of the reach of
the waves and then laid down with a full
and greatful heart. After resting for per
haps half an hour, | united my trunks, roll
ed tie n up the bank. The shore was Gov
cred with casks and boxes, and | succeed
ed in securing some of them. This fatig-
ued me excessively, as | was then unused
to hard labor, and was not so robust as
| now am.
Miss Il. found among the goods a bale
of buffalo robes, with which she made a
bed, and the next morning breakfasted
sardincs. The wreck had disap-
peared. The rest Of her narrative is as
follows /:
The next day I occupied in collecting
together the goods which | had saved
l found that had eight barrels of pork,
two kegs of lard, twelve barrels of -four,
two of sugar, several boxes Of candy,
candles, %raisins. and dried behring's. one
box of sardines, another bale Of buffalo
robes, a box of dry goods. needles, pins,
thread, yarn, etc. a box of mining hatch,
cts, a box of heavy clothing, and a bale
of blankets.
On the third day I explored my island.
| found it to be entirely uninhabited, as
far as | could then judge, and I after
wards ascertained this to be true. The
shore las sandy and barren. Half a
mile from the lake there were short and
scrubby trees, which grew larger and
thicker as you advanced. On this day,
also, the wayes threw upon the shore the
dead and bruised bodies Of several Of the
sailors, among them that Of my cousin
In his pocket | found a metal box filed
with friction matches, which were after
wards of the greatest service to me. |
dug a shallow grave in the sand and
buried them as we'll as / could. 1t was
a sad and awful duty, and lett me very
melancholy and depressed.
For several weeks, I was certain that
a vessel would arrive and rescue me-
But when six weeks had passed and | bad
seen no sail, nor heard not the voice of
any human being, | began to give way to
the most poignlnt agony and fear. | was
enabled finally to overcome this, and as
Autumn approached l had become. in a
measure. at least, reconciled to my fate.
knew / had provisions sufficient for
three or four years. / had already
learned to catch fish and TO cook my pork
and flour without The aid Of dishes or
stoves. With heterogeneous of the wreck,
and some of my empty barrels and boxes,
l made a low hut, which / covered with
sand to the depth Of a foot. One end Of
this was closed, the other was fitted with
a door made from the lids Of my two
trunks over my barrels and boxes of
goods l stretched a sail, fastening it down
by means of stakes. As the Winter APP
preached | fabricated from my buffalo
robes a dress which l fancied would be
impervious to the cold. Ny shoes. gloves
and hat were made Of the same material.
The forest supplied me with fuel, and |
soon learned to dhop it with ease. Du
ring the early part Of the first Winter l
suffered terribly, but | managed to live
through it, and the next season | was in
ured to hardship.
In this manner | passed three long and
lonely years. kept a journal during
4 L---- --aL