Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-04-15

l.
was thrilling enough then. There was
a wild waste OF waters on one side, a
rocky, ice-bound coast on another, zee
bound cliffs and icebergs ahead and q
| line of foaming breakers astern. The
only question was to ind the so.test
possible spot of beach on which to lay
the Trinity timhers IN n short time
the ship ran aground abo1t fifty yards
from the beach. The sea made clean
breach over her with every lurch. Vol
unteers soon appeared, and several Of
! th m jumped into the waves with lines
and swan q l9rc. Others soon fol-
! lowed, being drawn in by the ropes.
/ Then the vessel wheeled around broad
/ side to the beach and q boat was low
cred, in which all hands escaped. Casks
of provisions were towed ashore.
CAST ON HEARDs ISLAND.
! II was very cold all this time, the
+ thermometer being below the freezing
/ point. Seven of the colored crew were
lrosthittep. The landing all effected
and the storm still continuing, an effort
vas made TO erect sort of shelter with
Il piece of tarpanlin. One of the crew
wandered inland little and soon came
running back with the astonishing an
nouncement that he had found house.
| The house proved 10 be little wooden
! shanty-one Of five erected years be-
! fore doubtless by some ships company
on the island. One of these shanties
was larger than the others, and in that
the crew took shelter. \ fire was built,
the clothes dried as 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 lullaby. About midnight the sec
ond mate and two seamen got up and
went ont to look at the ship, for upon
her lasting long enough for them to get
/ provisions depended, as they thought,
their chances for existance.
The three men walked down the sands
opposite where the ship was lying, still
broadside on. The tide had been rising.
While they were looking at her and
specializing as to the chances of her
lasting until morning she gave
"wea' her roll" and floated off as erect
and buoyant as ever. Straight off to
sea went the Trinity, carrying with her
the provisions and equipment. The
men, with staring eyes, watched her
until she disappeared in the storm and
mist-to reappear again possibly as the
Flying Yankee to traders in the South
Sea-and then ran back to tell the Won
derful story to their comrades.
The situation when the next morning
broke was most distressing to the men,
The ship was gone and with her their
hope of subsistence. 1t Is true that
they had few casks of provisions ON
land, but these seemed very insignificant
when the captain announced that their
stay on the island would be of one years
duration under the best circumstances.
The island lies in latitude 53 south by
49, east. 1t is thirty five miles long by
about four niles wide. On one end of
it, at Clinton Bay, about eighteen miles
from their comrades, were the four men
that had been put ashore there as the
Trinity came down the coast.
The first thought of Captain Williams
was to reach these men, but huge
volcanic mountain covered with icy
sleeps and dented with narrow ravines
hundreds of feet deep blocked the way.
An investigation of the resources of tue
islands proved that there were provis-
ions OF certain sort. Wild cabbage
abounded. 1t was something like our
own cabbage, but very strong iii odor
aud taste. 1t was only by most
thorough boiling that it became palata-
BILE. Hungry men and castaways at
that, however, might do worse than eat
wild cabbage, and tie Trinity's crew
boiled and are with an appetite and an
honest thankfulness.
! The sea elephants that they had come
there to hunt were found i'll great num-
bers, and sea leopards, an animal about
| eight times as large as seal, were also
| caught occasionally. 4 cooking COM
mittee superintended the preparation of
| the viGnds, AMI so admirably did they
succeed that the bill Of fare was often
times surprising novelty TO those not
in the secret. There was some difficulty
Of first about the game, but the pea
/ guin, Il bird with enormous wings and
enormous dignity, that prevented its
footed hunters.
LIFE on TIE ISLAND.
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 3ew
days when any outdoor work could be
accomplished, always excepting the
daily hunt for food that was of course,
necessary It was always cold and the
great glaciers of the volcanic mountain
were masses of ice from the peak, 5000
feet above, to the level of the sea. The
men were told off to the four cabins and
the fifth was used as a lookout On 1t
was hoisted piece of sailcloth, which
in time was substituted by piece OF
fur.
The mems clothes gave ont piece by
piece, naturally enough, but the skins
Of the elephant and leopard made re-
cephble garments. Tue blankets were
elso reinforced with furs, aud beds and
pillows were manufactured with feath-
ers OF the birds captured. Their great
est want Was tobacco, end all sorts oi
I substitutes were devised. but unsuccase-
\ fully. 4 sun dial was put up. but was
Nj hitle use, as the sun seemed to have
Atndraa its light from them. The
daN a nnths were kept by notches
ou wood ad III fact. the men dressed.
SLEPT ate auo probably talked rs Crusoe
might nave done. The discipline was
perfect. and the necessary work was al.
ways "a eerfuliy done. Several partie.
, pat1olod as beaches daily in search Of
+ emf and w nere one narty foiled an