New-York tribune., 1876-02-26
LOBIN 1DiIR.
stamp on.

ALETTlR FROM CAPTAIN CHANDLER
rnr swAIA"A's VOYAGE 10 InE ArckIA>D IolANps
AZ I>,ipENr or CHRISTMAS Eva.
To the EdttOr of me Trt6"He
SIR: Duiiuc hr late yuyagcOl the Swatlra on the
Transit of Ncuu- Expedition, the par's she carried
were mo,il, at wors ia tasmania ana New-I land
consequently the ship some time at Hobart
Town. one day IN December 1874, Was reading
a Melbourne newspaper. and suddenly drew thr Al
tcntion Of those near me tO a paragraph. which
then read: 81 hc German Consul has fears ior tlc
safety Of the German party of observation who
started some three months since T. 20 {" the AncN-
Land slaud and establish 4 station" b. love-
said "here we are. ENJOY Ing peace and comfort, and
those poor fellows may be starving. VIII 20
for Them" The Auckland Islands are about 400
miles south of Ncw-Zcaland. in about 30 south
Latitude and lG21 east longitude. aud have mover
been properly surveyed. IT there that the ship
Gen. Grant was wrccAol. She ran into an immense
cave and was ground 10 pieces and n like accident
"a. thought. might have happened To the German
plrty. so the Swatara was c0acd and pui IN rrnd-
ncss In the mean time tclcgrams were exchanged
b,tvccn myself and the German Consul, aud
the newspaper article WIS confirmed by the Con
snl In those far southern latitndcs the Wllh
blows hard and generally from the West ahh soon
tie swatara was b0uDdng of at rapid rate. In
four DAYS the island seen, and on the ddS pcloro
Christmas the ship cautiously approached u ana
entered the harbor its officers Watching ana LOOKING
for signs oi lifr but for time without success
The hay i, some SIX miles deep. and hope was almost
giving away t. fear that misfortune had beillieh
those poor fellows in search OF scientific facts, when
on passing small island in the bay circular OBJ
srryatorv was seen standing ont IN bold relief. ana
over il noa.cd the German flag On getting nearer
three cheers were waited over the water, and an
answer was given that came from the heart. Soon
a boat was sent shore, and the whole German
partv. nine ia all came on board. looking fat and
hearty with no signs Of having been IN starving
condition on a dcsolatc island. There were hand
sbokinqs and congratulations and mutual EXPLAIN
tions. We learned that the vessel tnat brought
them was detained 80 that the crew could help put
nm tbe observatories and did not return 10 New
Zealand as was arranged before starting.
IL being Christmas eve. of course they were
ali kent on board TO dinner the Swa-
tara was only four days from Tasmania
and the officers had kept good fare for Christmas
diuner There were the first astronomers and photo
l,rnpher, of Germany, two German naval Officers,
and assistant astronomers and photographers sitting
at the Christmas dinner on board an American man
oC-var anchored in the harbor Of deSolae island;
and 10 a lOokcT-on the friendly forlmg dIspla,ed
nnuid lead one 10 think that separated band OF
hrothcrs had been reunited. Toast and song went
! rouud aud az the Swatara had piano on board. he
Ionpiup 10 one of the lirutenants, the songs were
,rco,ulanird 10y music Groups were here aud there
scattered about the ward room, when tho chief pho-
tnpfapher Of the Germa1S raised LIS hand To ltiTac
tu atientioh Of al. Streak, ot gray were mingled
with his black hair, aud lis t,ce impressed ono ~
once. and indicated that it belonged 10 a noble
man. All eyes were turned toward him, ami
when silence rcigned. he drew his mouth down 40
that one corner foried sHiaii round %. aud ~ me-
/ lodiuus eentle siraus BEGAN 10 .wlustle " kobln
Affair." As bar after bar rolled ont mnsral, soft,
and sweet iuvoluntarlly all were drawn towalh tne
heard could ave suoh expression 10 tune as di'l
ths. whistler. Voices were hnshed, and those wnn
had Iansic in their souls wer" eniraicrti, an
U,itrn The tune was hniohch II was Just midnight.
! OR German u n.ils soJu lett, and ! VIII warrant
! flat many dreams of old " Il I'm Adair' hoatod
through the Swasara that Christmas morning,
way down at the ehe"rle.s dcsolate Auck land
| Isllpais. IL. CHANDLER, CAptiih' u. - w.
| IostIa Feb. 20. 1910.