The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-05-07
SECRETS OF THE SEA.
Discovery or a Singular Little Settlement
in the south Atlantic.
From the New York Times


Sooner or later the poles and Africa
must yield up their little mysteries TO
The Organization 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 its representa-
tiyes. The search may be hopeless, but
certainly up to this date the most eccen-
trio and indefatigable globe-trotters have
failed 10 find any such place The man,
woman or child, in this country of free
schools, who knows even the existence
Of the Tristan Da Cunha Islands can
scarcely be found, yet most maps show
them, and in some cyclopedias they are
recognizable in the few lines about iris.
tan Da Cunha There are three islands
in the group, which lies IN the South
Atlantic Ocean, about midway between
Africa and America, and on line
drawn from Beunos Ayres to Cape
Town. 1t was on the largest Of the
group, containing about forty square
miles, that the ship Mabel Clark, owned
in this city, and sailing from Liverpool
to Hong Kong, was driven ashore by
stress of weather two years ago ns.1t
May day; and now, Captain East, of her
Majesty's ship Comus, has just report
ed his delivery of the presents sent by
President Hayes to the islanders who
succored the crew. They are one hun
dred in number, and are chiefly de-
scendants of certain Corporal Glass,
who was one of a garrison placed on the
island by England when Bonaparte was
imprisoned on st. Helena, 1900 miles
away. The Oldest inhabitant is Peter
Green, hale; hearty man, in his seven
| ty-second year, and the youngest Is his
| great grand child, aged few months.
| There have only been four deaths IN
| thirteen wears, and no deaths in infancy
was ever known among them. The per
feet climate is probably the explanation
| of these facts. The community cult
vate about twenty acres, potatoes being
the chief crop, and usually get ten OF
| twelve bushels from one of seed. They
have 500 cattle, 500 sheep, and any guam
! tity of fowls. The little state is both
orderly and contented, and Petel
! Green is looked upon as the
chief although he disclaims al
pretensiOns TO power Doubtless
the fact that nearly a majority of thu
population are related TO him-he haC
| sixteen children-accounts for the esti
nation in which he is held. Captain
East recommended his son, William
Green, for the Albert medal, or the lif'
saving medal of the Royal Humane so
ciety, as he greatly distinguished him
self on the occasion of the Mabel Clark
wreck, the matter is one for somebody
attention IN this country, also. Som
years ago the islanders begged some cat
from a ship, which for reason, stoppe'
at Tristan Da Cunha, but the peryers
animals preferred rabbits and chicken
to exclude mice, and now they run wii'
all over the island, while the mice ar
greater pests than ever. All the islander
want now, is clergyman. The chap
lain of the Comus, christened five Chi
dren, who, doubtless, could have waite'
year or two longer for the ceremony
but the case of eXpeCtant brides an
bridegrooms is hard indeed. Contem
plative persons without inordinate al
petites Tor letters and newspapers, ma
not find its picture unattractive, but tn
genius of the age is all for restless con
petition, and most people will regar
such a life as vegetation rather than e!
istence, and will not cease to wonde
that human beings should, of their ow
? free will, choose TO endure it.