Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-28
CHAPTER II.


In the midst of the Antarctic ocean,
little off the route from New York to Aus
trala, there lies a large island named
Kerguelen's Land, or-as Capt. Cook call
ed 1.-THE Island Of DesoaIion.
It was discovered just hundred years
ago, in 1772,) by the French naval officer
whose name IL bears. II was unnhabited
then, and is to-day doecrtcd 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, well up tow
ard the South Pole.
1t is hundred miles in length by fifty
in breadth, and is consequently three or
four times rs large as Rhode Island.
Its coasts are so wild and dangerous that
its dscoverer during the two expeditions
that he made to it, did not once bring his
ships to anchor in any of its bays and har-
bors.
Its shape Is very irregular, but some
thing like that of an hour-glass, it being
nearly cut in twoby 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 wildly broken and jag
ged, lis innumerabe CULTS being long and
narr ow, and its promontories arc cores
pondngly sharp and slender reaching
out into the ocean like fingers.
The body of the island indeed resembles
Wan world, even as its capes and headland
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 terrors.
Noinhabtantist there, not even savage
no house, no tree, no shrub, no fence nor
road, no field nor garden no horse, no dog
not even snake or a wolf
Lone, blasted and barren, ii looks like
the skeleton of land that has persisted.
1t may indeed be that Desolation is the
relic--the surviving fragmcnt-of a CONT
nent that went down here countless ages
| ago, with hosts of inhabitants, in some vast
| CONFUSION of nature.
1t has certainly undergone dreadful wish
| tations been rent by earthquakes. pulver-
lied by frosts, dashed and wasted by fierce
| tempests.
Its mountains are only of m ,lerhte hight,
but are capped eternally with snow.
Its vegetation is limited to a few dwarfsh
| plants, including some MOSES, a species of
| lichen, coarse grass, plant resembling II
| small cabbage, and sort of cress.
It's winds are raw and piercing, its SUM-
mers 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 Desolation are almost inces-
SAINT, in their season, and the island is ac-
cordingly veined with numerous torrents
| OF fresh water, some of which have worn
| out of the solid rock tremendous cavities
and gulles. The only other season than
| that of the rains is one of almost constant
| snow.
The fogs of that CHASTITY region are well
| worthy of the rains, being of cloud-likc
density, and lowering almost continually
| over the whole face of the island.
The sun of Desolatlon is usually hidden
| by a canopy of lead-colored clouds, and APP
pears, on the rare occasions when ii is Wis
ible, scarcely brighter than the moon in
| other ATTITUDES. AS TO tie moon itself, and
the stars, the clouds and fogs rarely permit
them to bctray their existence.
No fish worthy of note, not even fishes OF
prey, abound in the adjacent waters, by
reason, perhaps, of their containing poison
Gus minerals, or deadly exhalat ons from
| the volcanic fires beneath them.
Yet the dark grim sea enclosing Desola-
ton has done something TO repair the ster-
| ility of the island.
Penguns, ducks, gulls. cormorants and
other marine birds are plentiful in some OF
| its harbors.
Seals also abound.
Strange and terrible land
| Not single human bein-, so far rs is
| known, has ever lived there, save as is now
| to be recorded in these pages.
Near the middle of dull, dismal after
noon, some eleven weeks later than the
date of the preceding events, the good shir
| Flying Chiiders drew near 10 the island OF
Desolation, shaping her course towards its
northermost bay, called by Captain Cook
| Christmas Harbor.
A fair breeze was blowing from the nor tn
and the ship was carrying every stitch OF
her canvas including studding-sails.
| Her crew-both watches-were busy
about the deck, and her passengers-a score
| in number-had gathered in groups, most
| ly forward and were gazing with great in
terest 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, near
| ly all her water casks having been stove OF
started during a squat ten days previous
ly, and every soul aboard of her having
been since that date upon short allowance.
Upon the quarter deck stood Capt Luke
Pedder, looking unusually happy, with
VIII. Hawley beside him.
81 mean to get our water aboard before
dark, Capt. Pedder and so avoid losing Q
night here" said the Young executive, to-
tally unconscious Of the plot to leave him
alone on the desolate island. and of the ex'
| traordlnary adventures which were before
him. The strange events that happened
there. and indeed the whole of this thrill
ing story, will be found only in the New
York Ledger, which is now ready and fol
sale at all the book stores and news-depots
Ask for the number dated July 10, and il
ii you Will get the continuation of the story
from the place where 1t leaves Off here.
THE TANNER AND THE CoBRLER.-Thi