West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-05-15
Secrets ot the Sea.

Sooner or later the poles and Africa mns
yield up their little mysteries To the organl
Eation and persistence of modern explora
tlan, and then there will be one thing onl,
lett to look for--a spot Of ground larg,
enough to be inhabited ON which humanit,
has not its representatives. The searci
may not be hopeless, hut certainly up {,
TINS date the most eccentric and indefatiya
ble globe-trottcrs have failed To find an,
such place. The man, woman. or child
IN this country of free schools who know,
ot even the existence of the Tristan Ds
'hnha islands can scarcely bc found We,
most maps show them and In some cyclo.
pcdias they are recognizable in the few lines
about Tristan Da Cuuha There are three
Islands I'm the group, which lies in the
south Atlantic ocean, about midway be.
tween Africa and America, aud nearly on n
line drawn from Bucnos Ayers To Capc
Town. IL was ON the largest of the groip.
containing about forty square miles, TINT
the snip Mabel Clark, owned i'm this city.
aud sailing from Liverpoolto Hong Kong,
was driven ashore by stress of weather two
years next May day; and now, Capt. East.
oil her majcHy's ship Comus, has Just re-
ported his delivery OF the presents sent bv
President Hayes To the islanders who sue
cored the crew. They are one hundred In
number, and are chiefly descendants of n
certain Corporal Glass, who was one of n
garrison placed ON the island by England
when Bonaparic was imprisoned ON st
Helena, hitecn hundred miles away. The
oldest inhaOitant is Peter Green, hale.
nearly man, In his 72d year, and the Young
est IL his great grand child, aged few
months. There have only been four deaths
IN thirteen years, and no death i'm infancy
was ever known among them. The per
lccl climate is probably the explanation of
these iacts. The community cultivate
ABOUT twenty acres, potatoes being the chief
crop, and usually get ten or twelve bushels
from one OF seed. They have five hundred
cattle hvc hundred sheep, and any qunn-
tlty OF fowls The little stetc is both or
derry and contcnted, and Peter Green is
looked upon MS the chief, although he dis
claims all prctentiOns to power Doubt
less The Tact that nearly majority of the
population are related To him-hc had six
Teen chlldren-aCCOunts for the estimation
In which he is held Capt East rccom-
mcnded his son, William Green, for the
Albert medal, or the lfe-saving medal of
the Royal Humane society, aud as he
greatly distinguished himself on the Occa-
sion oi the Mabel Clark's wreck the matter
is one for somebody's attention in this
country, also. Some years ago the island
ers begged some cats from ship, which,
Tor some reason, stopped at Tristan Da
Cunha, but the pcrverse animals preferred
rabbits and chickens To exclusive mice and
now they run wild all over the island,
while the mice are greater pests thnn ever
All the islanders want now is IA Clergyman.
The chaplain of the Comus christened five
childred, who, doubtless, could have waited
a year or two longer for the ceremony, but
the case OF cxpectaDt brides and bride
grooms is hard indeed. Contemplativc
persons without inordinate appctitcs for
letters and newspapers, may not find its
picture unaitraclivc, but the genius of the
age IL all for restless competition, and most
people will regard such life as vegetation
rather thnn existence, aud will not cease To
wonder that human beings should, OF their
own free will choose to endure it.