Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-04-08
Robinson Crusoes.

Robinson Crusoes.
The adventures of the crew of the bark
Trinity, Of New London, lost in the South m
dian Ocean in the fall Of 1880, are almost as
interesting as those of that well known ma
rner Robson Crusoe. The Trinity left New
London, Conn. in June, $780, for Hcard's
Island in the Southern Sea, for elephant oil.
The second officer thus describes the voyarc
to the Island
she was bound for Cape de Verde Islands
Wherc she arrived altera passage of twenty
live days and shipped nineteen negroes to
assist In hunting the elephants. She sailed
again the same day for Hcards Island, in
the South Sea- On the 10Th of October,
there appeared every indication of Il very
heavy storm. The appearance of the hori-
zon, heavy swell from the northeast and a
light breeze nortllward told us that heavy
weather was at hand At four a. m. the
storm increased to Il hurricane and we reev-
Ell out all the cable on both anchors, and the
snip began to drag toward the reef At sev-
cl Il. ~ she was in six tathoms of water; she
leaked badly and the pumps were put to
work. At half past six she had dragged in
to four iathoms of water, while the heavy
gale from thcnorthcast continued The cap
tain called ii counsel ofal hands in the cabin
TO KNOW What was best to be done to save
our lives. The general verdict was to slip
the cables and run the ship on shore
The captain thought it was our only chance.
At nine II. III. the southeast point was three
and Il half miles distant, AL half past nine
We slipped the cables and made sail, know
ing the ship would not clear the land on any
tack.
The position of the unfortunate crew was
I. thrilling enough then. There was wild
waste OF waters on one side. IL rocky, ice
bound coast on another, iccbound clilS and
lccbcrSs ahead and II line of toaming break
clS astern. The only question was to find
/ the soicst possible spot of beach on which to
lay the Trinitys timbers In II short time
| the ship ran aground about fifty yards from
the beach. The sea made Il clean breach
over her with every urch. Volunteers soon
appeared and several of them Jumped into
the waves with lines and swan ashore.
Others soon followed. being drawn i'm hythe
ropes. Then the vessel wheeled around
broadsde TO the beach and boat was low
cred, in which all hands escaped Casks of
provisions were towed ashore.
1T WAS very cold all the time. the ther-
momcter being below the freezing point.
Seven of the colored crew were frostbitten.
The landing all effected and the storm still
continuing, an effort was made to erect a
sort OF shelter with piece of tarpaulin.
| One of the crew wandered inland little
and soon came running back with the aston
ishing announcement that he had found a
house. The house proved to be little
wooden shanty-one of five erected wears
before doubtless by some ships company on
the island. One Of these shanties was larger
than tho others, and in that the crew took
shelter. A fire was built, the clothes dried
rs much as possible, and then the exhausted
men lay down and slept soundly, with the
bowling of the storm and moaning of the
waters as a lullaby. About midnight the
second mate and two seamen got up and
went out to look at the ship, for upon her
lasting long enough for them to get provis-
ions depended, as they thought, their
chances for existence. The three men walk
ed down the sands opposite where the ship
was lying, still broadside on The tide had
been rising. While they were looking at her
and specuating as to the chances of her
lasting until morning she gave weather
roll and foated off as erect and buoyant as
ever. Straight off to sea went the Trinity,
carrying with her the provisions and equip
ment. The men, with staring eyes, watched
her until she disappeared in the storm and
mst-to rcappear again possibly as the Fly
ing Yankee to traders in the South Sea-and
I then ran back to tell the wonderful story to
! their comrades
AN investigation of the resources of the
island proved there were provisions enough
ola certain sort. Wild cabbage abounded.
1t was something like our cabbage, but very
strong in odor and taste. It was only by a
most thorough boiling that it became palat-
able Hungry men, and castaways at that,
might do worse than eat wild cabbage, and
t the Trinity's crew boiled and ate with an
appetite and an honest thankfulness. The
sen elephants that they had come to hunt
were found in great numbers, and sea leop-
ards, an animal about eight times as large as
Il seal, were also caught occasionally. 4
! cooking committee superintended the prep
! aration ofthese viands, and so admirably did
they succeed that the'bill of fare was often
times Il surprising novelty to those not in the
secret. There was some difficulty at first
about the game, but the penguin, bird
! with enormous wings and enormous dignity
that prevented its flying, fell an easy victim
! to the fleet footed hunters.
'!As the months grew apace it was found
necessary to devise means of amusement
for the men, whose patience as might well
] be imagined, began to give out The
weather was almost constantly stormy and
there were few days when any outdoor
work could be accomplished always except:
ing the daily hunt for food that was Of course
necessary. 1t was always cold. and the
great glaciers of the volcanic mountain were
I masses Office from thepeak, 5000 feet above
to the level of the sea The men were tolI