Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-04

StOAAl1S, nllCA IIONS bAlSIu fl-lIESuS VI
miles out of their course, dismasted and
damaged the ship, and left her little better
than wreck. For days together the Off
GERS were unable to take an observation
Before jury-masts could be rugged and
damages made good, they drifted into the
fog, from which they emerged only to
strike on the Painted Rocks. Fortunate
", however. the shipwa jammed between
two reefs, and impaled on a third in such
a way that she could neither sink nor make
much water.
This happened in the night, and the JOY
OF the harassed and weary sailors may be
imagined when at day-break they saw be-
fore them land of waving forests and
running waters. As the island was not
marked on any of their charts, they had no
means of knowing whether it was the pos
session of European power or inhabited
only by savages. But as the boats (Which
were at once got out) approached the shore,
they were met by multitude of canoes,
crowded with copper-colored aborigines,
whose demeanor showed that they had
never before beheld men with white skins
and hairy faces. They brought fruit and
other offerings, and made overtures of
friendship which the English sailors were
only too glad to reciprocate, since it was
evident that, whatever else happened,
they would have to remain on the island
for a considerable time; and being too few
to conquer a whole people, their only
chance was to make friends of them.
The natives, as Commander Fame thought
were Carlos, of the same race as the unfor-
Inmates who inhabited the Bahamas when
Columbus discovered America, and who
were afterward so completely wiped out By
the Spanish Conquistadores They were
gentle and hospitable, and looking upon
their visitors as superior beings, treated
them with great Difference and respect.
Though for the most part hunters and fish
ermen, the Caribs of the island were not
wholly uncivilized. They dwelt in vii
lagos; their houses were something more
than mere shelter-huts; they had rudi-
mentary knowledge of gardening and ag-
riculture; the make of their flint and bone
tools and weapons showed considerable
skill; their ornaments were deftly wrought;
and they contrived, in rude way, to spin
and weave, fashion into clothing, and even
to dye, the indigenous cotton of the island.
Physically well made, with senses Won
derfully acute, they had a ready wit and
dignitied manners. and Commander Fame
was not long in coming to the conclusion
that the islanders might easily be con-
verified into Christian and civilized people.
The first idea of the castaways was to
build a boat big enough to carry them to
England or the Bahamas; to which end
they lost no time in taking out OF the
Santa Anna" everything likely to be use
full to them, and that was pretty nearly
all she contained-ropes. spars sails, tools,
arms, ammunition, and the rest. They
even broke up and took some of the plank
ing, and stripped as much of the copper
sheathing as they could get at. The treas
ure was also removed and safely stored.
All this occupied two months or more,
and it was barely completed when the
Santa Anna" which had been terribly
buffeted in storm, went to pieces.
So far the men had worked willingly and
well, obeying their officers without hesita-
ton; but when it became a question of
building boat and "affronting new dam
gers" Ito use Commander Fane's own
words), they began to murmur. Why, they
said, should they take perilous voyage in
a frail craft-a voyage of at least two
thousand miles Chat being the distance to
the nearest British possession)-with the
almost certainty Gf they should escape
shipwreck second time) of falling into
the hands of the Spaniards and being i'm
INJURED for years in some horrible prison,
possibly tortured and put to death by the
Inquisition? Why not stay where they
were? The country was fertile and beau
tiful, the climate genial, the people kindly.
What could they do better than make the
Fair Island "a name conferred on the
country by the sailors because of its sup
posed resemblance to the Isle of Wight,
which in the last century was generally
known as the "Fair Island'O their home,
and let the world wags
Whether this idea had already occurred
to Fame does not appear, but before the
suggestion could be considered an event
occurred which seems to have helped him
to decision. He and his men were living
in tents and huts near the present site Of
Fairhaven, when one morning several of
the native chiefs made their appearance,
and gave them to understand that they
were threatened with grave danger; and
taking the commandant round the noun
tain, pointed to the west, where there was
breach in the barrier of rocks, and where
the mist occasionally lifted.
Looking through his glass, Fame saw
that the sea was simply black with canoes,
which were rapidly approaching the coast.
1t was flotilla of invaders, and the Carib
chiefs, who seemed greatly alarmed, inn
plored him by signs to join his forces to
theirs and help them to repulse the foe.
Fame, who wanted nothing better, ordered
his plan of campaign on the spot. 1t
would be impossible to reach the west
coast before the invaders (whom for want
of a better name, the sailors christened
"Cariberoes'0 disembarked, the more es-
pecially as the country was thickly wooded
and destitute of roads. But the creek that
lies below Fairhaven joins stream which
sweeps round the foot of the mountain,
and flows halfway across the island in a
westerly direction. 1t was on the banks
of this stream (navigable for small boats)
that the English Officer resolved to inter
cept the Cariberoes and give them battle.
His mea were summoned forthwith, and
embarked on the four boats which had
once belonged to the Santa Anna" The
crews were, of course, well armed, and the
long, boat carried small carronade in her
bows. A few hours sufficed to organize
the expedition, which included a hundred
canoes, carrying about thousand natives,
armed with bows and arrows and spears,
the whole under Mr. Fane's command.
The spot he selected for making stand
was at ford near an opening in the forest
that the invaders must needs traverse IN
order to reach the eastern or Fairhaven
side Of the island, which was assumed to
be their objective point, as thereabouts
were the principle Carib villages.
By great exertion Fame and his men sue
ceeded in reaching the ford three or four
hours before the enemy put in an appear
ance. Keeping his blue-jacketsin reserve,
he sent the greater part of the CARDS to