The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-07-11
CHAPTER ii.
\ GREAT STEP TAKEN

In the midst of the Antarctic ocean, q little |
of the route from New York to Australia |
| there lies large island named Kcrguclcn's |
Land, or-ns Capt Cook called 1.-THE Island |
| of Desoaton.
1t was discovered Just one hundred years ago, |
| lin 1772,) by the French naval officer whose
name il bears. 1t was uninhabited then, and
| is to-day as deserted as ever.
The smallest schoolboy among our readers
can find it upon his map of the world, about
midway between the south end of Africa and
| Australia, well up toward the South Pole.
1t is hundred miles in length by fifty in
| breadth, and is consequently three or four
| times as large as Rhode Island.
| Its coasts are so wild and dangerous that its
discoverer during the two expeditions that he
made to it, did not once bring his ships to
| anchor in any of its bays and harbors.
Its shape is very irregular, but something
| like that of an hour-glass, it being nearly cut
in two by a couple of large bays; but these
| two divisions are unequal in size the northern
| peninsula being much larger than the southern.
| Its coast line is widely broken and jagged,
its innumerable gulfs being long and narrow,
| and its promontories are correspondngly sharp
and slender, reaching out into the ocean like
| fingers.
| The body of the island indeed resembles that
| of some huge monster of the anteduvan
world, even as its capes and headands re-
semblcs such a monsters unsightly limbs and
| claws
A more terrific solitude than this isle of
Desolation does not exist upon our wretched
planet.
Neither the SHOWS of Himalaya nor the sands
of Sahara can outvic its terrors.
No inhabitant is there, not even q savage
no house, no tree, no shrub, no fence nor road,
no field nor garden, no horse, no dog-not
even a snake or q wolf
Lone, blasted and barren, it looks like the
skeleton of n land that has perished.
| 7 mo ipdand hn hot cplo ic rnlin
the surviving fragment-ofa continent that
went down here countless ages ago, with hosts
of Inhabitants, i'll some vast convulsion of ma
ture.
1t has certainly undergone dreadful vista
tions; been rent by earthquakes, pulverized by
frosts, ashed and wasted by fierce tempests.
Its mountains are only of moderate height,
| but are capped etcrnally with snow.
Its vegetation is limited to n few dwariish
plants, including some MOSES, species OF
} lichen, coarse grass, plant resembling a
small cabbage, and a sort of cress.
Its winds are raw and piercing, it's summers
cold and frosty, its winters those of the Polar
Circles.
The interior of the island is occupied by i'm
mense boggy swamps, where the ground sinks
at every step.
The rains in Desoation are almost inccssant,
l in their season, and the island is accordingly
vcined with numerous torrents of fresh water
some OF which have worn out of the solid rock
}, tremendous cavities and gullies. The only
other season than that of the rains is one of al
S | most constant snow.
. The fogs of that CHASTITY region are well
0 worthy of the rains, being of cloud-likc den
S sty, and lowering almost continually over the
i whole face of the island.
r The sun of Desolation is usually hidden by
canopy of lead-colored clouds, and appears
d on the rare occasions when it is visible, scarce
ly brighter than the moon in other ATTITUDES
d AS to the moon itself, and the stars, the clouds
Il and fogs rarely permit them to betray the
l. existence.
d No fish worthy of note, not even fishes o
4; prey, abound in the adjacent waters, by reason
l. perhaps, oftheir containing poisonous minerals
C or deadly exhalations from the volcanic fire
t. beneath them.
a Yet the dark grim sea inclosing Desolatiol
y has done something to repair the sterility o
the island
l. Penguins, ducks, gulls, cormorants an,
other marine birds are plentiful in some of it
is harbors.
Seals also abound.
= Strange and terrible land!
d Not single human being so far as is known
has ever lived there, save as is now to be rt
l. corded in these pages.
e. Near the middle of'a dull, dismal afternoon
le some eleven weeks later than the date of tn
proceeding events, the good ship Flying Chill
" ers drew near to the island of Desolation, shal
d, ing her course toward its northernmost bay
called by Captain Cook Christmas Harbor.
N A fair breeze was blowing from the nortl
If and the ship was carrying every stitch of hC
a. canvass, including studding-sails.
n Her crew-both watches-were busy abor
~ the deck, and her passengers-a score in nun
s. ber-had gathered in groups, mostly forwar,
o. and were gazing with great interest upon IL
W wild, rugged shores before them, so far as Il
is fog suspended upon those shores pcrmitte
III them to become visible.
lg The ship had come here for water, nearly n
p her water casks having been stove or starte
ut during squall ten days previously, and evci
soul aboard of her having been since that da
til upon short allowance.
Inc Upon the quarterback stood Capt. Lul
Pedder, looking unusually happy, with Wi
at Hawley beside him.
be- al mean to get our water aboard befo
re- dark, Captain Peddcr, and so avoid losing
nd night here" said the young executive, total
re unconscious of the plot to leave him alone {
ad the dcsolatc island, and of the cxtraordina
a adventures which were before him. The stran!
events that happened there, and indeed Il
to whole of this thrilling story, will be four
mt only in the New York Ledger, which is no
ready and for sale at all the bookstores al
re- news-depots. Ask for the number dated Ju
on IL, and in it you will get the continuation
nc the story from the place where it leaves
nd here.