The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-08-27
SEVENTEEN YEARS A SAVAGE.

The London Times publishes the
following extraordinary story from n cor
respondent, who dates his letter screw
steamer Brisbane, Keepel Bay, May 20
On the 11th of April, in the present
year, the John Bell schooner, engaged
in the beche de mer fishery, anchored al
Night Island, a small Island of the north.
east coast of Queensland, in lat. 13 degs.
10 min. south, long. 143 degs. 15 east,
about three miles distant from the main
land, to which boats were dispatched
from the ship in search of water. The
sailors set on this duty encountered in
the bush a party of aboriginal blacks,
with whom they found a white man, who
was, like the blacks, perfectly naked,
and appeared to be completely indenti-
fled with them in language and habits.
On these facts being reported 20 the
master of the John Bell, he determined
to make an effort to rescue the man, and
with this view sent on shore the follow
ing day q large supply OF articles of bar
ter, which it was endeavored to explain
.Cthe natives were intended to be eX-
changed for their guest or captive. The
white savage was induced to enter one
of the ships boats, where he was given
biscuit to eat and told to sit still, mus
kets at the same time pointed at the
natives and fred over their heads to in
duce them to retire, which they were
very unwilling TO do without being ac-
companied with the white man, whom
they begged to return with them. This,
he has since explained, he wished to do,
but was afraid of the guns held by the
sailors, and thought they would shoot
him if he tried to leave the boat, where
he had been hidden to remain.
The John Bell brought her prize to
Somerset, the settlement at Cape York,
where he was clothed and cared for by
the resident magistrate, Mr.. Alpin. For
some days after his arrival he sat the
greater part of the day perched on the
rail fence of paddock, "hke bird,
as an eyewitness describes it, casting
quick, eager, suspicious glances around
him on every side, and at every object
which came within his view, rarely
speaking, and apparently unable to re-
member only few words of his own
language, although he said enough to
show that he was Prenchman, and
wrote down on paper, in stiff, upright
French hand, his own name and few
almost unintelligible sentences, which
were subsequently found to contain a
short account of his history. On the
return to Cape York of Lieut.. Conor,
Royal Navy, who speaks French fluent
ly, good deal more was extracted from
the savage, and it appeared that his name
was Narcisse Pierre Peltier, or Pelletier,
son of Martin Peltier, shoemaker at st.
Giles, Department of Vendee, France.
At the age of II Narcisse Peltier en-
barked as cabin boy on board the st.
Paul, of Bordeaux. This ship sailed
from China for Australia in the year 1858,
having on board some $50 Chinese cool
les. She never, however, reached her
destination, having been wrecked one
dark night on a reef off Roussel Island,
in the Lousiade Archipelago. The Cap
tain and sailors got off in three boats
and made for the main island, while the
Chinese, with whom was Narcisse, walked
along the reef TO n small island situated
upon it. An attack was subsequently
made by the natives upon the Captains
party, which was compelled to retreat
TO the island where the Chinese were,
leaving in the hands of the savages the
second officer, sailor and an appren.
tice. Distrustful of the Chinese, and
totally unprovided with means of con-
veyance for so large number, the Cap
tain and European sailors determined to
abandon them secretly and escape in
their boats, making for the Australian
coast, in the hope of falling in with
some English settlement or European
vessel. This plan they accordingly car
ried out in the night. They had intend
ed also to leave behind the boy Narcisse,
but he had discovered what was oontem-
plated and followed the crew down to
the boats, into which they did not refuse
him admission. How long their voyage
lasted is uncertain. They subsisted on
paste of flour and water, and such sea
birds as they could catch, which were
devoured raw. Two or three days be-
fore they reached the Australian coast
their supply of fresh water failed, and
when at length they made the shore,
which they did at First Red Rock Point,
south of Cape Direction, latitude l3 degs.
min. south, longitude lab degs. 3 min.