Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-03-28

would be found to have persisted h a..
time help arrived. The Britisi. cynsu, J.
once chartered schooner to 20 To ,bs
assistance Of the cas'evays, cut bgfo-s
the schooner could reach the island ~.
captain of the Mariposa, mail steama'
bound from New Zealand to San Franc.
co happened to hear OF the disaster 49,
very kindly determines TO visit tbs -
land, which lay some thirty miles cnt ..
his course, in order TO see what had H.
come of the refugees, whom he was "a,
innate enough TO be able to rcscae.
On the Mariposa caring inc neiohbo.
hood of the island, officers were station
at the masthead, the captain was on ~
bridge, and every available field glass ans
telescope was in use BIZ the passenger to
catch the first appearance of land. "AtS
O'Clock" writes passenger, 1.-THE mata
from the masthead, called out. Ian5
ahead J and about an hour afterward Wa
could make ont the island quite distipot-
~, aud the excitement became intense
when the captain said he could see pso-
pie on the beach endeayorlpg to launch
boat. Before long the engines stopped
and we lay to about two miles off tbs
reefs, over which a heavy surf was break
ing. We coald nov see the cas.ayavs
dragging their boat along between tbs
reef and the island, where, it being low
water, the boat would not float. The
boat was, after a mile OF this work (dur-
ing which the men got their feet cut yerv
badly through walking barefoot oy.r
the coral), got into deeper water. Sail
was set, the shore skirted for some dis
lance further until az opening in the reef
was reached, the breakers we're safely
negotiated, and the boat Was headed fo,
our ship. In the meantime, a boat
manned by the chief mate and crew Of
four, had put off from the Mariposa, and
meeting the boat from the shore trans.
shipped part of the shipwrecked crew.
and in this manner the whole of the cast
aways we're safely rescued. Three ring
ing cheers greeted the arri-al Of eseh
boat load (three trips in all we're made,
and the appearance of the one contain
ing the women ga,5 rise to increased
excitement. One of the sailors, whose
only covering consisted of very ragged
pa of trousers, was Suffering from large
open sores on his back, caused by The
sun and hot water, but With this e1cep-
ton, and one or two cases of dysentery
the men aud children we're fairly well.
The ladies, of whom there were two, ap-
peared to have suffered the most, and
The mother of the four children, who
shortly expects an increase in her fanily,
was very much overcome with excite
mem aud weakness. Contributions of
clothing, etc, were soon forthcoming
and in a very short time the sufferers
We're as comfortable as it was possible to
make them.
The survivors had an interesting story
TO tell. Palmyra island is about eight
miles long by two OF three miles wide,
and is surrounded by numerous small is
lands and coral reefs. The captain Of
the Henry James writes: eve found on
the island the remains of six huts, also
quantity Of tirew3od, which had been cot
aud piled by some previous shipwrecked
crew. During cur six weeks stay on the
island, with the exception of attacks of
dysentery, all hands enjoyed fairly good
health. We found water on a small is
land OF 200 Yards diameter about two
miles off, in an excavation dug about IL
inches deep. CJcORnut5 we're in abund-
ance, also cells, birds, land crabs and pep
per grass. We also found plenty Of eggs,
but decided after a few days not to take
any more lest the birds might become
scarce. The leeches were very trouble
some on the island, making their appear
ance in hundreds after every shower OF
rain and fastening on the bodies of the
I'D people; indeed, ore was
taken off the ships dog the day after the
rescue. II was after the lapse % fort
night that water was found.