The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-21
SEEKING CASTAWAYS.
A BRITISH VESSELS MISSION TO
THE AUCKLAND lSLAkos.

The Forlorn InhAbitauts who Oceupieo
thu Solitary House and Who Refused to
Leave-Provisions Left for shipwrseked
Mariners by the British Government.
One hundred and eighty miles to the south
| OF the most southern point of New Zealand
are the Auckland islands Look on the map
and you will find them easily They are
situated in latitude 81 degs. 80 min. south of
the equator and longitude l6G degs. 10 min.
east of Greenwich
People who live inside of the home circle
all their lives in the populated districts of the
world, and who mingle hourly with their fel-
low beings, can only family understand the
utter desolateness which surrounds this re-
mote little group of islands. 1t is always in
teresting to read the tale Of some poor ship
wrecked mariner, who has been cast away on
some desert isle of the far Pacific, but who
has lived 20 rejoice in his escape from a silent
misery; but when the story comes TO us that
two people were found by British vessel,
living in one of the islands of this far of
group, and absolutely refused to leave,
although their stock of provisions was run
ming very low, it seems almost incredible.
And yet such is the case.
One of the stormiest regions in the world
lies between the South Pacific and the
Antarctic, and SO many wrecks were reported
to have taken place at Enderby island,
which is one of the Auckland group that in
1878 the British government sent vessel to
search for any castaways that might be
found on the islands The ships mission was
also to repenish the stores which have been
placed on the islands for the use of I'M
fortunate navigators. An officer of the YES
sci has sent home report of his voyage, to-
gether with sketches of the islands. The ship
sailed direct from Dunedin, and after a
stormy passage reached 'Sarah's Bosom"
or Port Ross, the northern harbor of the
group.
This harbor is formed by several islands,
of which Enderby is the northern part The
party remained week here, and made ex-
cursions to the adjacent islands, Enderby and
another; but first they visited the cairn, near
which they had anchored; and not
far off they fonnd house, which
at that time was occupied by a
man and his wife. This poor couple
had collected a number Of seal skins. They
had been nine months without being visited
and had eaten most of the provisions placed
on the island for shipwrecked people. They
refused to come away; but on later visit
to the island it was found that they had been
removed by schooner sent to fetch them,
being Hired by gentleman living in New
Zealand, who had some arrangement with
the government about the islands. Their
house, of which a sketch is given, was the
only habitation on these lonely islands, which
are some eight and twenty or thirty miles in
length. The party also saw hut, which
had been built some years ago by ship
wrecked crew, some Of whom had tried, after
a long stay on the island, to get to New
Zealand in an open boat; the people who re-
manned were rescued. There was not tree
on Enderby island, and only scrub and short
grass, with tufts Of wild fax. Tho birds