The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-07-02

: y I'D I-
pulverized by 'frbsts, lashed aud wasted
by fierce tempests.
Its mountains are only Of moderate
height but are capped eternaly with
Its vegetation is limited to "A few
dwar6sh plants, including some moses, a
species Of lichen, coarse grass, plant
resembling small cabbage, and sort
Of cross.
Its winds are raw and piercing, its
summers cold and frosty, its winters those
Of the Polar Circles.
The interior Of the island is occupied
by immense Doggy swamps, where the
ground sinks at every step.
The rains in Desoation are almost in.
cessant, in their season, and the island is
accordingly veined with numerous tor
rents Of fresh water, some of which have
worn cut of the solid rock tremendous
cavities and gulies. The only season
that of the rains is one Of almost constant
snow.
The fogs Of that CHASTITY region are
well worthy of the rains, being of a cloud
like density, and lowering almost contin-
ually over the whole face Of the island.
The sun of Desolation is usually hid.
den by canopy oflead colorcd clouds,
and appears, on the rare occasions when
it is visible, scarcely brighter than the
moon in other latitudes. As to the moon
itself, and the stars, the clouds and fogs
rarely permit them to betray their exist.
ence.
No fish worthy Of note, not even fishes
of prey, abound in the adjacent waters,
by reason, perhaps, of their containing
poisonous minerals, or deadly exhalations
from the volcanic fires beneath them.
Yet the dark grim sea inclosing Desc.
lation has done something to repair the
sterility 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 single human being, so far as i:
known, has ever lived there, save as now
is to be recorded in these pages.
Near the middle of dull, dismal at
ternoon, some eleven weeks later than tn,
date of the preceding events, the gooc
ship Flying ChilderS drew near to the is
land OF Desolation, shaping her course to
ward its northerumost bay, called b.
Captain Cook Christmas Harbor.
A fair breeze was blowing from tn
north, and the ship was carrying ever.
stitch Of her canvass, including studdinl
sails.
Her crew-both watches-were bus
about the deck, and her passengers,
score in number, had gathered in groups
mostly forward, and were gazing wit
great interest upon the wild, rugge
shores before them, so far as the fog sus
pended upon those shores permitted ther
to become visible.
The ship had come here for water, neal
) ly all her water casks having been stow
or started during squall ten days pre-
. viously, and every soul aboard of be
. having been since that date upon shol
allowance,
| Upon the quarterback stood Captai
? Luke Pedder, looking unusually happ.
t with Will. Hawley beside him.
~ mean to get our water aboard b
q fore dark, Captain Pedder, and SO avoi
losing night here" said the young e.
j ecutive, totally unconscious Of the pl
k to leave him alone on the desolate islam
: and ofthe extraordinary adventures whit
r were before him. The strange even
that happened there, and indeed tt
d whole Of this thrilling story, will be four
/. only in the New York Ledger, which
d now ready ,and for sale at all the boo
d stores and news-depots. Ask for Il
n number dated July l3, and in it you W
;. get the continuation of the story fro
is the place where it leaves of here.