The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-17
fSaa Francisco Ana, November 81

tsaa Francisco Alta. November 0.l
The ship st. CLAIR, Of Thomaston. Me-.
sailed from New York on December IL,
1852. She was commanded by Captain
Rives and bad company Of twenty souls.
including her first and second officers and
the crew OF sixteen men. She carried an
assorted cargo and was bound for Nagasa-
III, Japan. On the 1st o! May she struck
on the shoaling shores Of one OF the Sunda
Islands and became total wreck. The
weather was stormy, and the waves. which
were running very high, rendered futile
all possible efforts to save anything.
A ship cannot with safety go nearer
than two or three miles TO the shores
Of those islands, because Of the. shall
iownfss and rocky nature OF the bottom,
on which, II she should strike, she would
be almost certainly lost. The captain,
knowing that the island upon which he
was wrecked was unInhabited, and only
visited by japanese fishermen ut certain
season, determined to endoavor TO reach
another island, and so did not go on shore
on the nearest land at all. The steward.
named Felix A. Wahl, OF German nation
atty, determined to land, rs he saw that
the boats were leaky and had TO be baiIed
out with yigor, aud he, moreover, doubted
~
they had lain aboard OF the ship unused
for a long time. The captain consented TO
let him take very small boat and land, as
he wished, and two boys, one French and
the other Portuguese, agreed to accompany
him.
This they did. but on touching the shore
and seeing its dcsolafe and uninviting sp-
pearance they changed their minds, and
hurried TO oyertake the larger boats. which
they could still see on their course for the
more distant isand-somet twenty-five miles
away-which the captain wished to reach
on account OF its being adapted to furnish
his people with the means Of living until
they might chance TO be rescued. From
his place on the shore the steward watched
the little boat as it chased after the larger
boats as long as they remained visible, and
II had not vet oyertaktn them when they
all passed out OF sight behind the mighty
waves which the angry sea rolled inces-
sanity toward the shores. or the fate Of
those boats Wahl ia yet ignorant, al
though he has heard that the cap
tain had arrived at Anglers, and
had been reported in Europe, but as
to the fate OF the two boys, or in
deed OF any OF his ship companions, he has
no knowledge. 1t Is, however, probable
u.
ing himself alone upon this island he was
compelled to exert bis wits TO contrive
WAYS for sustaining life. He had saved
nothing except the clothing upon his per-
son, and had not even brought dry matches
ashore With him, owing to the splash
ing and ducking he received in getting
from the boat to dry land. With Hints and
old dry rags, which he found, he succeeded
In striking some sparks and getting fire
kindlcd, which, when il had once got TO
burning. he was careful never again TO let
go entirely out so long rs he remained
upon the island. There was wood to be
p cked up along the shore, aud some small
trees and bushes grew upon tao island. 40
that he had no great trouble in getting a
supply OF fuel.
AS 10 shelter, he found this already pro-
vided for him, as there were some sheds
used by the fishermen who make periodi-
cal visits to the place for the purpose OF
catching and curing fish. These fish were
q species OF mackerel, which they cure by
splitting them, as Is customary with Yankee
fishers. and then laying them upon the dry
ground TO cure. In addition to the mack
erel Is kind Of shark. which is very fat,
and is taken and melted down for the oil,
The bones being saved and made an article
, OF traffic and used in manufactures. The
large iron kettles used in this business
were sitting in their positions just as
left ut the end OF the previous FISH,
ing season, and 10y putting some sea-
water In one OF them and drying it out
again by means OF fire Mr.. VAIL secured
q supply OF salt. lie found plenty OF good
oysters at low tide, and in basins among
the rocks many fish were left in a condition
!. IL, tol
danger OF absolute starvation. Being thus
thrust into this utter solitude, species OF
lethargy or torpor seemed TO seize upon
the steward which almost bereft him OF the
use OF bis faculties for some eight or ten
days. but it gradually wore away and he
found himself again possessed OF his nor
nal mental activity and physical yig0r
He soon found that for him the supreme
virtue was patience, since to attempt to
escape by any effort OF his own making
was quite out OF the question.
lie saw that II he lived his rescue was a
mere matter OF time, rs the people VINO
were in the habit OF visiting the island
would certainly return. At least he had
the best OF reasons for expecting them TO
do so, since they had left property there
and the place afforded them profit. He
soon became tired OF his fish diet and
looked about for some means Of varying it.
The island is some twenty miles in extent
in one direction. and is destitute of any
game. There were, however, some small
landlords sometimes 70 be seen, but with
out q gun he could not secure them.
After enduring this sort of life for
some fifteen weeks the japanese boats
arrived, and the steward rushed to meet
them. Although unable TO speak an intel
liglble word to these people. he grasped
one by the hand and found ii more well
come even than that OF brother in a
foreign land" In short. these people were
kind TO the stranger, and did all that they
could TO make him comfortable, and i'm q
few days the first boat started for Teobe.
and he went with il, and thence to Yoko-
hama. Reaching that city, he was pro-
tected by the American Consul and sent by
that official to this city, where he arrived a
few days ago. Wahl is very well-in-
formed man, and repeats the story OF his
adventure in very entertaining manner,
despite his foreign accent and impcr-
feet command OF the English language.
lie has two motherless children living
near San Francisco. and be has set
about the business OF gaining a support
Tor them by commencing again rs stew
ard on board one of tue northern coast
colllers, with the captain OF which he has
been long acquainted. The story, as told
by its hero, does not equal the famous pie
ture Of Robinson Crusoe, as painted by the
brilliant pen OF De'oe, but in the very i'm.
portant particular Of reliability it far sur
passes 1t, being, as the reader may rest as.
sured, entirely true. The genius which
changed Sekirk into Crusoe removed an
island TO the opposite side OF continent.
and magnihed lonely life OF four wears IA
term OF two decades, and called tribes O,
warlike cannibals tn enoas,a a, dista,,. a., !,