The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-10-20

ohell ISL CllilSlnp 10 IOem. w hat then
was before them but starvation? What
hope of being suddenly provided with
food on those barren rocks?
In this awful extremity, they were one
night sitting around their gloomy camp
| fires, glaring at each other and thinking
who might be the first victim, when, as
IT Heaven had specially destined to try
them so far and save them at the last mo.
ment, flock of sea-fowlS came dashino
into the flames, like moth in a lighted
candle, and large numbers of them were
easily knocked down and secured. This
happened on several successive nights,
and may be classed as their second won
derful preservation.
At last the birds ceased coming, and
soon after their last morsel of food was
eaten. What now remained, except death
by famine still How could they hope
to be again supplied in a miraculous NAM
ner? Two days now passed without
food, and they were suffering the pargs
of bodily hunger and mental despair,
when suddenly there appeared over the
island dense cloud of penguins, which
had come hiiher, as if directed by the
hand of Providence, to lay their eggs in
the sand. They remained on the island
for several days, and then took flight,
leaving thousands of eggs behind them, on
which our unfortunate voyagers subsisted
for several weeks This was their third
wonderful preservation.
At last their eggs were exhausted, and
for the third time gaunt famine stared
them in the face. What hope of another
miracle? And yet it came While
again suffering the pangs of hunger, and
in the last stages of despair, one of the
crew, who had gone to the summit of the
highest rock, TO take one more survey of
the ocean, and perhaps precipitate himself
into the boiling gull, rather than wait for
death in a slower and more painful form,
suddenly came running into camp, per-
fectly wild with excitement, shouting -
I'VE are saved again! we are saved
again God has saved US againi"
Away, over the rocks, rushed the
whole crew, with wild cries, like so many
madmen ). and when they came in sight
of the wafer, and found their companion
had told the truth, several of them drop
ped down on their knees and gave thanks
TO God. The sea cows, or munatees, had
been washed ashore in immense numbers,
and the re;reating waters had left thous-
ands, if not indeed millions of them.
among the rocks and sands of ibe little
cave where our unhappy voyagers had
effected their landing. The new supply
of food lasted them several weeks longer.
ard may truly be called their fourth won
derful preservation.
About this time an attempt was made
to open communication with the island
Of Tristan d Acunha. The carpenter and
his men had construed boat of the ma
terials Of The wreck, and four sailors now
dared TO put off in her through the roar
ing surf Days of anxious expectation
passed, The crew each morning going TO
the highest points of the island and strain
ing their eyes over the ocean, hoping to
catch some sign of its success. But they
looked in vain. The boat never returned,
nor was the poor fellows who ventured Ia
her ever heard of any more.
Almost despairing of ultimate salvation,
and yet working with energy to save their
lives, the same party built and launched
another boat, in which few daring adj
venturers put off from the rocky shore.
This time Heaven favored their design
After many hair breadth escapes and much
labor, they finally reached the island of
Tristan d Acunha, on which Scotch
man, named Glass, and some two or three
other families, were residing. their iuter
course with the great world being through
now and then an English trader, which
touched there on her way to and from
India. The poor fellows were hospitality
received by the little community; and
on hearing their tale of suffering and won
derful preservation the chief parsonage
resolved TO save their comrades, even at
the risk of his own life.
And it was indeed at the risk of his
own life, and the lives of all concerned,
that he put off in his own boat to the
island and brought away his shipwrecked
countrymen, few at time, till the last
party was safely landed where there was
no more fear of starvation, and from
whence they could and did obtain pas
sage TO their native land.
Taken altogether, as we have said, we
can call 10 mind no other record of ship
wrecked voyagers having so many mirdc-
ulous escapes from impending death.
A Curious CUsToM.-It was the Gus
tom in Babylon, five hundred years before
the Christian era, TO have an annual auc~