The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-01-30
OCEAN EgELEEIS.

ErNE4-Z ~ II T. =
The following is q sketch by gen
tIeman on board the British survey
ingship Challenger, reiatingto hervoy-
ape from Bahia 10 the Cape OF GOOD
Hope:
ION our passage across It w@s IN
tended to call 1T Tristan d@cuhha
but as we approached that g:>Ip OF
Islands the wind persisted in keeping
G, ,,,rc5 10 the southward that when
we arrived in sight we found our
selves fifty miles to the northward.-
Luckily, it then fell calm, and every
one was much rcjoiced when, after
obtaining q deep sounding, the cap
tain decided to steam toward the IS
land
"On the morning of the l4th Of Oc-
toher we found ourselves close to the
s ttIcment, and held communicates
with the small band, cOntented to exist
ON that desolate rock. An excellent
description Of them and their island
home is Given in the Voyages OI the
G,Iatea. which ship communicated
with the island in 1864. The pOpUIa-
tion at present numbers ei@hty-iour,
end consists Of about twenty families,
living in fifteen houses. Several girls
are in service 1T the Cape, but ar re-
ported as wishing to return. There IS
now only one adult unmarried girl on
the island. Most of the young men
mentioned in the Galatea's account IS
having left the island TO try their for
tunes elsewhere have returned, having
learnt the lesson that there IS little to
lie obtained elsewhere without hard
work The property Of the islanders
consists Of about 500 head Of fine cat
tie and about the same number Of
sheep, who feed on the low ground ct
the foot Of the nearly prCcipitoUs hills
200 feet high There are also large
potato gardens and a plCu:itHl supply
of poultry and pigs. The island is
totally dependent on passing ships for
a market; very few having called late
" the last seasons crop of potatoes is
still undisposed Of and will ultimately
have to be given to the pigs. As fresh
provisions are always welcome, u Is
4 wonder that more vessels don't take
the opportunity ofoJtaining a supply.
Perhaps if the tariff was fixed ut
lower rate, a greater number would
call. The ders-aithOugh report
ell by the clergyman who lived with
them for Eve years as being totally
without sin-are not above makiT.g
good bargain when possible and the
ship is in 4 hurry to push on.
Owe learnt that two Germans had
been living at the well named Inac-
cessible island, thirty miles further
south, who had voluntarily exiled
themselves with the hope Of obtaining
seal skins, but as their provisions were
well known to have been long eXpend-
o.l, and as, from their smoke signals
having been discontinued for the last
two months, they were supposed to
have Derished, the captain declined to
so and look after them; so during the
night the ship was steamed quietly
across the channel At daylight the
following morning the land was closed:
hut as nothing could be seen but the
poor fellows grass hut, there were
many speculations and anxiety on
board as TO their fate. The captain,
commander and paymaster landed, and
rs they ncared the shore our minds
were much relieved to see the two
would-be Robinson Crusoes running
at their utmost speed toward tie boat
Soon afterwards they arrived on board,
in time for breakfast when they enjoy
cl hearty feast. The rejoic;ngs Of
the poor fellows at their release from
captivity may well be imagined. They
had been landed on the island nearly
two years before, and during the first
year had several opportunities to es-
Clpe by crossing to Tristan d'Acunha,
Int each time hoping to obtian seal,
they resolved to remain. For the last
ten months they had seen no one, and
had been totally without external re
sources, and wholly dependent on the
few vegetables they had been able to
raise, the wild pigs on the top Of the
i-iand-the ascent to which was so
steep rs to be a question of life or
death ON each attempt-and the pen
guin eggs, which birds frcquented the
islands in great number during the
breeding season. The poor fellows
were taken on board and afterwards
landed at the cape
a NEWARK On. j. husband brought
homo n huply Of ,o, ,laee,. o.,,1,- En-