Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-03


CHAPTER II.
AGREAT srEr TAKEN.
In the midst Of the Antarctic ocean. No.
/ tic off the route from New York Ia Australia
there lies a large island named D,rpuclen's
Land, or--as Capt Cook called 1.-THE Isl.
aud Of Desoation.
IL was discovered Just a hundred wears
/ ago, O772l by the French naval 1lGcer
whose name il beor. II was u,i,d,oGitsd
| then. and is to-day az deserted as ever
I The smallest school-boy among our readers
can find it upon his man of the world nb,nt
midway between the south end Of Africa and
/ Australia. well up toward the South Pole
1t is a hundred miles in lenpth by Hrtv in
breadth. and is consequently three or fur
times as large as Rhode Island
Its COASTS are 30 wild and dangerous that
/ its discovercr. during the two expeditions than
he made to it. did not once brinr his ships IN
anchor in any Of its bays and harbors
Its shape is very irregular, but something
/ like that of an honr.rlass, il being nearly emf
/ in two by couple of larre BAYS. bpt fbes,
two divisions are unequal in size the north.
orn peninsula being much LONGER than ibe
southern
Its coast line is wildly broken and iagyed
its iuuumerable guf being long aud narrow.
and its promontorics are c5rrespondin,ly
sharp and slender. reaching ont into H.
ocean ike fingers.
The body of the island indeed resembles
that Of some huge monster of the autedilu.
Wan world. even ms lis canes and bcndland.
resemble such a monsters unsigbtlv Gmbs
and claws.
A more terrific solitpdo finn, tbis ;l, acI
Desolation docs not exist upon our wrecked
planet.
Neither the SHOWS If Uin,I,v, moi. p,
sands of Sahara can outyie its terrors
No inhabitapt is there not even n s,voeo
no house. no tree, no shrub, no fence nor
road, no field nor garden, no horse, no dor
not even a snake or wolf
Lone, blasted and barren. it looks like the
skeleton Of land that has pc ished
1t may indeed be that Desolation is the
relc-the surviving frapmeut--ofa continen,
that went down here countless ayes AGO. with |
hosts of inhabitants. in some vast CONFUSION
of nature
1t has certainly undergone dreadful vista.
tious been rent by earthquakes, pulverized |
by frosts, dashed aud wasted by fierce TENN |
ests.
Its mountains are only of moderate beioht.
but are capped eternaly with snow.
Its vegetation is limited to few dvar6,b
plants, including some MOSES. speeies of
Iichen, a coarse grass, plant resembling
snail cabbage, aud sor! of cress
It's winds are raw and piercing. its summers
cold aud frosty, its winters those of the Polar
Circles.
The interior Of the Island is occupied bv
immense boggy swamps, whore the ground
sinks at every step
The rains ia Desoation are almost iuces-
SAINT, IN their season. and the island is accord.
ingly veuod with numerous torrents of fresh
water, some Of which have worn out of tbe
solid rock tremendous cavities and pulies.
The only other season than that Of the rain.
is one Of almost constant snow.
The logs Of that ghasty repion are we'll
worthy Of the rains, being of cloud.like
density, and lowering almost continually over
the whole face Of the island.
The sun Of Desoation is usually hidden
by canopy Of lead-coored clouds and an.
pears, on the rare occasions when it is visible.
scarcely brighter than the moon in other lati.
tudss. As to the moon itself and the stars
tray their existence.