The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-07-11

Tho body Of the island indeed resembles that
If some huge monster Of the nntcdiluyian world
even M its capcs aud hcsdlands resemble such
n monsters unsigltly limbs and claws.
A more terrific solitude than this isle OF Desc
,NtiOn does not oXist upon our wrecke lplanet.
Neither the SHOWS Of Himalaya nor the sands
VI Sahara can Outyio its teTr0rs.
No inhNbitant is there, not oven a sayage-no
house, no tree, no shrub, no fence nor road, no
licld nor garden, no horse, no dog-not even u
snake or a wolf.
Lone, blasted aud barren, it looks like the
skeleton Of land that has persisted.
1t may indeed be that Dcsolation is tho relic
the surviving fragment-of q continent that
went down here ages ago, with hosts OF inhabi-
tants, in some vast CONFUSION OF nature.
1t has certainly undergone dreadful vista
tons been ront by earthquakes, pulvcrized by
trusta, dashed and wasted by fierce tcmpcsts.
It's mountains are only OF moderate height,
but are capped o~tcrnally with snow.
Its vegetation il limited to q few dwarfish
plants, including some moses, a species oil
liChCn, u coarse grass, q plant rCscmDlllB q
small cabbage, and a sort OF crcss.
Its winds are raw and piercing, 1t summers
cold and frosty, its winters those OF the Polar
Circles.
The interior OF tho island is occupied by i'm
mense Doggy swamps, where tho ground sinks
at every step.
The rains in Desolation are almost incesBant,
in their season, and the island ID accordingly
voined with numerous torrents OF fresh water,
some OF which have worn out OF the solid rock
tremendous cavities and gullics. Tho only
other season than that Of the rains il ono OF
almost constant snow.
The fogs OF that CHASTITY region are well
worthy OF. the rains, being of q cloud-like dom
slty, and lowering almost continually over tho
whole face OF the island.
The sun al DesolatiOn IL usually hidden by
o canopy Of lead-ColOrcd clouds, and appears,
on the rare occahons when it IL visible, scarce
ly brighter than tho moon IN other attitudes.
As to the moon itself, and the stars, tho clouds
and fogs rarely permit them to betray their
existence.
No fish worthy of note, not even fishes of
prey, 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 i~nclosing Desolation
has done something to repair the sterility OF
the island.
Peguins, ducks, gulls, cormorants and other
marine birds are plentiful in some Of its har-
bors.
Seals also abound.
Strange and terrible landl
Not q single human being, so far Us is known,
has ever lived there, save az Is now TO be re-
corded III these pages.
Near the middle VI u dull, dismal afternoon,
some eleven weeks later than the date OF the
preceding events, the good ship Flying UhlderS
drew near to tho island of Desolation, shaping
hor course toward its northorpmost bay, called
by Captain Cook, Christmas HarbOg.
A fair breeze was blowing from the North,
and tho ship was carrying every stitch OF her
canvas, including studding-sails.
Her ~crow-bOth watchcs-wcre busy about
the deck, and her passengcrs-a score in mum
bor-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 n squat ten days previously, and every
soul aboard of her having been since that date
upon short allowance.
Upon tho quarterback stood Capt. Luke
Peddor, looking unusually happy, With WI,
Hawley beside him.
81 mean to get our water aboard before
dark, Captain Peddcr, and so avoid losing D
night here" said the young executive, totally
unconscious of the plot to leave him alone on
the dcsOlate island, and OF the extraordinary
adventures which were before him. The
strange events that happened there, and indeed
the whole Of this thrilling story, will be found
only III the Now York Ledger, which is now
ready and for sale at all the bookstores and
nows-dcpots. Ask for the number dated July
IL, and in it you will get the continuation of the
story from the place whore it leaves OIL here.