The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-07-12

Its coast line is widely broken and jagged,
ito innnmerable CULTS being long and narrow,
and it's promontories arc c~orrespondingiy sharp
and slender, reaching out into the ocean hke
fingers.
that of some huge monster of the antediluvian
world. even as its capes and hcadlands re.
semble such a monsters %unsightiy limbs and
A more terrible solitude than this isle Of
Desolation does not exist upon our wrecked
planet. -,
Neither the SHOWS of Himalaya nor the sands
| of Sahara can outvie its terrors.
No inhabitant is there, not even . savage
no house, no tree, no shrub, no fence nor
| road, no field nor garden, no horse, no dog
| not even q snake or o wolf. -
Lone, blasted and barren, it looks like the
| skeleton of q land that has persisted.
II NAV indeed be that Dissolution is the relic
the surviving fragment-of . continent that
went down here countless ages ago, with hosts
of inhabitants, in some vast convulsion OF
| nature.
II has certainly undergone dreadful visita-
| tons; been rent by earthquakes, pulverlzeo
BY frosts, dashed and wasted by fierce tempests.
Its mountains are only OF moderate heignt'
| but are capped eternally with snow.
Its vegetation is limited to q few dwarhsn
| plants. including some mosses, q species Oh
| fichen, a coarse grass, . plant resembling .
small cabbage, and q sort OF cress.
1t winds are raw and piercing. its summers
cold and frosty, its winters those OF the Poiar
Circles.
The interior of the island is occupied by
immense DOGGY swamps, where tine ground
SINKS at every step.
in their season, and the island 10 accordingly
yeined with numerous torrents OF fresh water,
some of which have worn out OF the SOHO rock
tremendous cavities and gulies. The only
other season than that Of the rains Is one OIL
almost constant snow.
The fogs Of that CHASTITY region are well
worthy Of the rains, being Of q cloud-ike
density, and lowering almost continually over
the whole face of the island.
The sun of Desolation is usually hidden by
a canopy of lead-colored clouds. and appears,
on the rare occasions when it is visible, scarcely
brighter than the moon in other attitudes. AS
to the moon itself, and the stars, the clouds
and fogs rarely permit them to betray then
No fishes worthy Of note, not even fishes OF
prev, abound in the adjacent waters, by rea-
son, perhaps, of their containing poisonous
minerals, or deadly exhalatIons from the vol
canic fires beneath them.
Yet the dark grim sea incloslng DESIGNATION
has done something to repair the ~sterlity OF
the island.
Penguins, ducks, gulls, cormorants and
other marine birds are plentiful IN some OF its
harbors.
Seals also abound.
Strange and terrible land!
Not asingle human being, so far as is known,
has ever lived there, save as is now to be re-
corded in these pages.
Near the middle Of q dull, dismal afternoon,
some eleven weeks later than the date Of the
preceding events, the good thip Flying ChiIder'
drew near to tho island of Desolation. shaping
her course toward its northernmost bay, called
by Capt. COOK Christmas Harbor.
A fair breeze was blowing from the north
and the ship was carrying every stitch OF heI
canvas, including studding-sails.
Her ~crew-both watches-were busy about
the deck, and her passengers-a score IN num-
bcr-had gathered in groups, mostly forward
and were gazing with great interest upon the
wild, rugged shores before them, so far as the
fog suspended upon those shores permitted
them to become visible. -.
The ship had come here for water, nearly all
her water casks having been stove or started
during a squall ten days previously, and every
soul aboard Of her having been since that date
upon short allowance.
Upon the quarterback stood Capt. Luke
Fodder, looking unusually happy, with Will
Hawley beside hin.
81 mean to get our water aboard before
dark, Capt. Pedder, and so avoid losing anighf
here" said the young executive, totally uncon-
scious of the plot to leave him alone on the
desolate island. and Of the extraordinary al
ventures which were before him. II strange
events that happened there. and indeed the
whole of this thrilling story, Will be found only
in the New York Ledger, which " now ready
and for sale at all the bookstores and news
de pots. Ask for the number dated July IL,
and in it you will get the continuation of the
story from the place whereit leaves OIL here: