The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-08

The body Of the island indeed resembles lhaI
n some hugo monster Of the antediu'an MoIIl
yer AZ n oapes aud hcadlands resemble sueh
monsters unsightly limbs and clAAs'
A more terrific solitude tian this isit OF poeo'
alton does not c1ist upon our wrecked llanuiI'
Neither tie SHOWS vi llimalaya nor lhsHAhue
d Sahara can outYe is tufrOfs.
No iDbAlitant Il there, n0teyon ra'age,ho
hor-o, no tree, 10 shrub, no fence nor ROAD, no
icld nor garden, no horse, no dJS-no' oven
make OF Wolf, ,,. Az,
acetun OF land that hl- pcushei, ID, ~.
IL nav indeed b. that Dt4latun II the relic
the surviving iragmont-oi continent that
wont down here ages ago, with hosta OF inhapi'
tanls, In some vast cOnyulsiOn OF nature,
II has certainly undergone dreadful vista
tons been rent by earthquakes, puiVeriZcd by
irosts, lashcd aud wasted by tIoiee iemPests,
its mountains are only Of moderate height,
but arc capped ctCrnally with snow.
Its vegetation IL limited to few dWariish
plants, including some mOsscs, species OF
Iichon, coarse grass, plant resembling a
email cabbage, and sort u cios5.
It's winds are raw and piercing, II trmmers
cold and frosty, Ito winters thogc OF tho Polar
Circles.
The interior OF the island ia occupied by i'm.
uINbN AhFky AWAAAfuf WANAN NAAN bANAAisN tAAaAN
al every step.
The rains in Desolation are almost IncOssant,
In their season, and the island IL accordingly
Veined with numerous torrents OF fresh water,
some Of which have worn ont Of the solid rock
tremendous cavities and gullies. The only
other season than that Of tho rains 10 ono Of
almost constant snow.
Tho fogs OF that ghastly region arc we'll
worthy oil the rains, being Of eloud'like dem
sity. and lowering almost continually over the
whole face Of the island.
The sun Of DesolntiOn IL usually hidden by
q canopy Of lead.colOrcd clouds, and appears,
on the rare occasions when Il is visible, scarce
" brighter than tho moon In other attitudes.
As to the moon Itself, and the stars, the clouds
and fogs rarely permit them to bOtray their
eGistouce,
No fish worthy Of note, not even fishes Of
prey, abound In tho adjacent waters, by rcA-
son, perhaps, Of their containing poisonous
minerals, or deadly exhalations from the vol.
cAnIc fires beneath them.
Yet the dark grim sea inclosing Desolation
has done something to repair the stcrility Of
the island.
Peguins, ducks, gulls, cormorants and other
marine birds arc plentiful in some Of It's har-
bors.
Seals also abound.
Strange and terrible landl
Not single human being, 30 far as Is known,
has ever lived there, save az Is now to DO 70.
corded IN these pages.
Near tho middle Of dull, dismal afternoon,
some eleven weeks later than the date OF the
preceding events, the good ship Flying ChiititrS
drew near 10 the island OF DeSOlation, shaping
her course toward Its northGrnmost bay, called
by Captain Cook, Christmas HarbOr.
A fair breeze was blowing from the North,
and tho ship was carrying every stitch Of her
canvas, including studding-sllls.
Her eTew-bOih watchos-Werc busy about
the deck, and her paksengors-A score In NUM-
ber-hAd gathered IN groups, mostly forward,
and were gazing with great interest upon tue
wild, rugged shores before them, 10 far as the
fog suspended upon those shores permitted
them to become visible.
The ship had come hero for water, nearly all
her water casks having boon sloyO or started
during o squat ten days previously, and every
soul aboard Of her having bosn since that date
upoG short allowance,
Upon the quarterback stood Capt. Luke
pedder, looking unusually happy, with Viii.
Hawloy beside him.
al mean to get our water aboard before
dark, Captain Fodder, and SO avoid losing a
night here" said the young executive, totally
unconscious Of the plot to leave him alone on
the dcsolato island, and Of the extraordinary
adventures which were before him. Tho
strange events that happened there, and indeed
tho whole Of this thrilling story, wiz DO found
only In the New York Ledger, which Is now
ready and for sale at all the bookstores and
news-depots. Ask for tho number dated July
10, and In II you will get the continuation OF tho
story from the place where II leaves Of here.