The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-06-29

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sea again.
elm two weeks more, Ruth? We shall
be Oft in six or eight days. The cargo is
fairly tumbling aboard the Flying CAilders,
to say nothing of fair list of passengers.
The honeymoon of our loving doves will be
abridged to six short days more, you may
be certain.
CHAPTER II.
A GREAT STEP TAKEN.
In the midst Of the Antarctic ocean, a
little off the route from New York to Aus
traiia, there lies large island named Ker-
Suelen's Land, or-as Capt. Cook called it
the Island of Desolatien.
1t was discovered Just hundred wears
ago, lin 1712,) by the French naval officer
whose name it bears. 1t was uninhabited
then, and is to-day as deserted as ever.
| The smallest school-boy among our
readers can find it upon his map of the
world, about midway between the south
end of Africa and Australia, we'll up to-
ward 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 some
thing like that of an hour-glass, it being
nearly cut in two by 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 wildly broken and Jag
hi
narrow, and its promontories are CORES
pondingly sharp and slender, reaching out
into the ocean like fingers.
The body of the island indeed resembles
that of some huge monster of the antedilu-
Wan world, even as its capes and headlands
resemble such monsters unsightly limbs
and claws.
A more terrific solitude than this isle of
Desolation does not exist upon our wreck
ed planet.
Neither the SHOWS of Himalaya nor the
sands of Sahara can outvie its terrers,
No inhabitant is there, not even a say
age-no house, NO tree, no shrub no fence
nor road, no field nor garden, no horse, no
dog-not even a snake or wolf
Lone, blasted and barren, it looks like
the skeleton of a land that has persisted.
1t may indeed be that Desolatien is the
surviving fragment-of a CONT
nent that went down here countless ages
ago. with hosts of inhabitants, in some
vast convulsion Of nature.
1t has certainly undergone dreadful WIS.,
tations; been rent by earthquakes, pulver-
zed by frostS, dashed and wasted by fierce
empests.
Its mountains are only of moderate
leight but are capped eternally with
now.
Its vegetation is limited to few dwarf
sh plants. including some moses, q spe-
les OF hchen, coarse grass, plant re-
embling small cabbage, and sort of
ress.
Its winds are raw and piercing, its sum-
lerS cold and frosty, its winters these of
he Polar Circles.
The interior of the island is occupied by
immense Doggy swamps, where the ground
INKS at every step.
The rains in Desolation are almost inces-
INT, in their season, and the island is
veined with numerous torrents
fresh water, some of which have worn
1T of the solid rock tremendous cavities
nd gullies. The only other season than
lat OF the rains is one of almost constant
VOW.
The fogs of that CHASTITY region are we'll
orthy of the rains, being of a cloud-like
,nsity, and lowering almost continually
'er the whole face of the island.
The sun of Desolation is usually hidden
, canopy Of lead colored clouds, and
'pears, on the rare occasions when it is
sibie, scarcely brighter than the moon in
her ATTITUDES. AS to the moon ITSELF and
e stars the clouds and fogs rarely permit
en- to betray their existence.
No fish worthy of note, not even fishes of
ey, abound in the adjacent waters, by rea-
II, perhaps, of their containing poisonous
nerals, or deadly exhalations from the
lcanic fires beneath them.
Yet the dark grim sea inclosing Desela-
n has done something to repair the ster-
Y of the island.
fenguins, ducks, gulls, cormorants and
Ter marine birds are plentiful in some of
harbors.
Seals also abound.
strange and terrible land,
Not single human being, so far as is
own, has e> i lived there, save as is now
be recorded IN these pages.
Near the middle Of 4 dull, dismal after
IN, some eleven weeks later than the
ceding events, the good ship FIviRq
lGders drew near to the island of Desoa-
n, shaping her course toward its moth
most bay, called by Captain Cook
ristmas Harbor.
fair breeze was blowing from the
tn, and the ship was carrying every
oh Of her canvas, including studding-
Ter crew-both watches-were busy
ut the deck, and her passengers-a
re in number-had gathered in groups,
silly forward, and were gazing with
at interest upon the wild, rugged shores
ore them, so far as the fog suspended
N those shores permitted them to
ONE visible.
he ship had come here for water, near
IL her water casks having been stove or
ted during squall ten days previously,
every soul aboard of her having been
c that date upon short allowance.
pom the quarter deck stood Capt. Luke
der, looking unusually happy, with
Hawley beside him.
l mean to get our water aboad before
(, Captain Pedder and so avoid losing
ght here" said the young executive,
lily unconscious of the plot to leave him
e on the desolate island, and of the
aordinary adventures which were
re him. The strange events that hap
ID there, and indeed the whole of this
ling story, will be found only in the
York Ledger, which is now ready
for sale at all the bookstores and
s-depots. Ask for the number dated
10, and in it you will get the continual
of the story from the place where it
IS off here.
An old bachelor, picking up book,
aimed, upon seeing wood cut, repre-
ng man kneeling at the feet ola
an:
Before l would kneel to woman,
d encircle my neck with rope and
CHI it,"