The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-06-03
A Wonderful Experience.

A Wonderful Experience.
The barque Carrie Long, Of New York,
was on her way from Buenos Ayres, by way
of Matanzas, in the month of February,
1878, and on the eleventh was two hundred
miles off the Brazilian coast, when an OBJ
tect was deserted, which, upon scrutiny, dis
closed itself to be raft, containing single
person.
A boat was Immediately lowered and sent
off to the assistance of the estray, who be-
yond all question was sorely in need Of it.
When he was reached he was found to be
more dead than alive. In fact he could
scarcely move, and for time it looked as if
be would succumb, in spite of the care and
attention shown him. @
However, he was removed to the ship,
where the kindest attention was given him,
and being an unusually powerful and ath-
letic man, he speedily recovered his usual
health and strength.
He was negro, who could speak no Ian
guage besides the Brazilian patois and it was
In this language he told his story.
His name was Manuel francesca, and he
was native of Brazil, though he refused
to tell from what portion of the empire he
came
Two years, previous, he was convicted Of
hpetty theft in Rio Janeiro, and was SEN
fenced to penal servitude of five years on
the island of Fernando de Noronha.
His experience was terrible one. He
was exposed to the flaming rays Of the sun,
and compelled to toll with the chain-gang
from early morning till late at night
When the energies of the poor fellows
tagged, they were prodded into renewed ac-
ivity by the bayonets Of the merciless sol
her-guards.
Nevertheless, Manuel toild5 and laborod
In this purgatory for full year, by which
time his sufferings had driven him to the
point Of desperation, and he resolved to es-
cape OF die in the attempt.
But it was much easier to form the reso-
luton than to carry it out. Like all penal
colonies, every possible precaution is taken
to prevent any of the convicts getting away,
and the case of the miserable wretch would
have been pronounced hopeless by any and
all who knew the safeguards by which he
was environed-
He had never heard of any one getting
away from the island, before serving out his
entire term; but, for all that, he. was goaded
to such a point that he was not to be
appalled, by the overwhelming chances
against him.
He was as obedient and tractable as he
knew how to be, in consequence Of which
he gained the confidence Of the authorities,
and was finally appointed servant in the
household of one of the officers Of the set
Element.
There he stayed another year, during
which he never wavered in his resolution,
and devoted all his spare time to completing
his preparations.
Fernando de Nofonha is one hundred and
twenty five miles from the eastern extremity
of Brazil, and is used expressly as place Of
detention for all criminals tried and sen.
fenced in the province of Pernambuco.
The island itself is some six miles in cir.
conference, and very scant crops of corr
and beans are raised with the greatest diff
Guilty. 1t is under the supervision of the
Brazilian War Department, and the prison.
ers who are sentenced to the galleys are com.
PEELED to do general housework, break stones
and repair the roads.
They are not obliged to carry the ball and
chain, but are, as rule, chained together II
twos, and forced to toll in that fashion.
francesca, having settled in his determi
nation to leave, or at least to make the at
tempt took two companions into his conf
dence, and they wrought and planned to
< gether.
Little by little, they collected together ,
unan store of provisions, few bits Of cord
age and a piece of an old sail
These were conveyed piecemeal and b,
night to one Of the many barren rock,
forming the Fernando de Noronha group
They reached the secret place by swimming
md they succeeded in gathering from the
drift-wood on the beach . quantity of BAN
boo joints, from which they constructed .
very primitive raft, about ten feet squar,
and two feet thick.
A saort mast, fastened at one end, and
broken oar, to answer for steering appar
ltus, completed the vessel upon which the,
bad resolved to risk their lives
Everything being in readiness, the tire,
eonvicts waited for the darkest kind Of ,
night. It was not long in coming, and
stealthily swimming out to their rendez
yous, they noiselessly showed the craft int.