Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-05-29
CAST AWAYON 4 TURTLE.

Captain John .. Holmcs, who recently ar
rived 10 this city from Valparaiso, is respouSl-
H., for the following strlklng- narrative, which
bn VOWS is as "true as steel: :" The captain
haJ been cruising among the Society Isaods,
v,,.n, putting into small cove Que day t,r
water, uumbcr Of natives, as usual, came on
hoard TO trade. Am,ug them Was u stout,
c,u,..y madcn OF elguteen, 10 whom the mate
tn ( a great taucy. She was the daughter Of
a chief aud reciprocatiog the mates affection
tbr ,walu were married, grand feast honoriug
th, OCCASION Wi-wi was the name of the bride,
,iruiyug ia the language of her country, Big
Fish, OF to interpret more particularly, "Great
Swimmer" she having 40 extended nCtorlety
as an expert iu the art of swimming. Having
married the mate she took up her quarters on
the ship, much to the dislike Of the captain,
who, sailor like, felt the unscemlIness OF hav.
luy woman aboard However, the vessel left
the island aud stood for Tahiti, where she load
ed with oranges and bore thence tor Falpar.
also. On the voyage this incident occurred !:
Wi wi, the mates vile, was one evening per-
forming her ablulions pear the bows. There
was moderate sea running; not, however,
enough to iucommode the turtles, which could
be seen floating all round the ship. Some Of
these were OF very large size and We're known as
the green turtle. 1t happened, while the fair
islander was SO engaged, that the ship toppled
her bow uuder aud picked up sea, which pass
ing over, carried Wl-Wi with II far to leeward.
The crew we're at supper, but the man at the
wheel saw Wi-Wl as she went over, aud
shouted "man overheard" AT this cry, SO
terrible on shipboard, the crew rushed on
deck; the ship was brought to. aud whale.
boat lowered BY this time WiWl had dritted
some distance 70 lecward, AMI nghttail made
the task OF reScuing her Que of extreme dltl !.
Guilty. But the mate was in the boat, aud
though f-crazcd at the mishap which had
betallen hi, du>ky wife, resolved to make
every effrt to save her. SO he urged his men
with telling earucstue<s. They, too, shared
his spirit aud pulled away on their dangerous
venture.
But night fell and no sign of the uufortunate
Wi Wi was seen The men gave her up as lost,
but the mate was still hopeful. "WlWi is a
fish" said he, "aud one night at sea will not
burt her. We will lay by I'LL morning" So
they lay 10 ,he boat that night shouting, tut
hearing no rcspone. In the morning the mate
saw dark object on the top of surge lone
way off, There is something over there,
said he; 'give way for II. . It's only tur-
tIe,' answered the men. Never mind, re-
piled the mate, give way" They gave way,
and after hard pull, the sea having risen,
reached the object 1t was an immense lur-
tie, and 90 the back thereof sat Wi-Wi. She
bailed the boats crew with cry OF Joy, aDd
plugging iD,o the sea, swan to the boat. The
turtle was then secured and towed 10 the ship,
where Wi-W was received with three cheers
aud tiger A glass Of brandy stimulated her
and made her loquacious. She told the story
oil her going overheard, how, oelng bruised by
striking against the rail, she could not reach
the ship by swimming, but. fioatiog at the
mercy Of the sea, was at length thrown on the
back of the turtle, which Was complacenty os'
cllatpg 90 the surface of he water but for
this singular assistance, said the captain,
"Wi-Wi must have perlshed, and it is to be
regreted,' he added iu u choking voice, that
the creature which had so provldentally saved
the life of human being should have subSe
oueu,ly been utilized in the form of turtle
soup. - San Francisco Bulletin.