The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-05-21
SECRETS OF THE SEA.
Discovery of a Singular Little Settle
naent in the South AtlaEtic.
n. Y. Times.


Sooner or later the poles and Africa must
yield their little mysteries to the organizs-
tion and persistence Of modern exploration,
and then there will be one thing only to
look fora spot Of ground large enough to
be Inhabited on which humanity has not
It's representatives. The search may be
hopeless, but certainly up to this date the
most eccentric and indefatigable globe
trotters have failed to find any such place.
Tue man, woman or child, in this country
OF free schools, who knows even the exist
ence of the Tristan Da Cunha Islands can
scarcely be found, yet most maps show
them, and in some cyclopedlas they are
recognizable in the few lines about Tristan
Da Cunha. There are three islands in the
group, which lies in the South Atlantic
Ocean, about midway between Africa and
America, and nearly on line drawn from
Buenos Ayres to Cape Town. 1t was on
the largest of the group, containing about
40 square miles, that the ship Mabel Clark
owned in this city, and sailing from Liver.
pool to Hong Kong, was driven ashore by
stress of weather two years ago this May
day; and now, Capt. East, of Her Majesty 3
ship Comus, has just reported his delivery
of the presents sent by President Hayes to
the islanders who succored the crew. They
are 100 ir number, and are chiefly de-
scendants of certain Corpora! Glass, who
was one OF q garrison placed on the island
by England when Bonaparte was imprison-
ed on St. Helena. 1850 miles away. The
oldest inhabitant is Peter Green, hale,
hearty man, in his 72d year. and the young
est ID his great grandchild, aged few
months. There have only been four death !,
in l3 years, aud no death in infancy was
ever known among them. The perfect
climate is probably the explanation of these
facts. The community cultivate about 20
acres, potatoes being the chief crop, and
usually get 10 to l2 bushels from one Of
seed. They have 500 hundred cattle, 500
sheep, and any quantity of fowls. The
little State is both orderly and contented,
aud Peter Green is looked upon as the
chief, although he disclaims all pretension
to power. Doubtless the fact that nearly
0 majority of the people are related to
him-he had 16 children-accounts for the
estimation in which he is held. Captain
East recommended his son. William Green,
for the Albert medal, or the lfe.saving
medal of the Royal Humane Society, a. he
greatly distinguished himself on the occa-
sion of the Mabel Clark's wreck. The mat
ter is one for somebody's attention in this
country, also. Some years ago the island
ers begged some cat, from ship, which,
for some reason, stopped at Tristan Da
Cunha, but the perverse animals preferred
rabbits and chickens to exclusive mice, aud
now the run wild all ever the island, while
the mice are greater pests than ever. All
the islanders want now is clergyman.
The chaplain OF the Comus chrisrened five
children, who, doubtless could have waited
year or two m ere for the ceremony, but
the case of expectant brides and bride.
grooms is hard indeed. Cont smplative
persons without inordiaate appetites for
letters and newspapers may not find its
picture unattractive, but the genus of the
age is all for restless competition, and most
people will regard such life as vegeta-
tion rather than existence. and will not
cease to wonder that human beings should,
Of their own free will, choose to thus en-
dure it.