The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-02-06
ALMOST A SAVAGE.
A WHITE MANS STRANGE LIFE IN
THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

PORTLAND, Me, ., Jan. .30.--The story
| Of the wreck of the Portland bark
Tewksbury l.. Sweat in the South Pa
cifjc, and the strange story Of the rescue
Of her crew, as told by Capt. VIM.
Gooding Of Yarmouth, Me, has
| strange sequel.
The bark sailed from Newcastle, New
South Wales, March 7, 1889, for Hong
Kong, under charter for New York.
She proceeded until the 9th of April fol-
lowing, when in latitude deg. min.
North and longitude 149 deg. II min
East she encountered a gale aud was
driven ashore on Susanne Reef, near Po-
zedt Island, one Of the group Of Caroline
Islands, in the South Pacific
The crew escaped in one OF The ships
boats and managed with great difficulty
to reach n small islet to the NOrthward.
From this islcL after the storm subsidized
they made the leland OF Pozcat, which is
inhabited by a race Of fierce savages. AS
the boat approached tho island a fleet of
canoes put Off to intercept them. There
werc about thirty canoes, with eight or
ten men In each, and all were armed
with knives and spears. Some OF the
savages could not wait for the boat to
come alongside, but jumped overheard
and swan to her, each man carrying a
long wicked-looking knife, held between
his teeth.
The first savages to reach The boat
clambcred in until the boat was nearly
swamped. Then they began TO st ip the
sailors OF their coats and outer garments,
throwing the garments aboard their own
canoes; which by this time were pad.
ding alongside. rhc white men were
soon despoicd of everything but their
understands, these being left TO them,
and the whole fleet drew in toward the
land.
When they got ashore, and while the
shlpwrecked crew were standing sur
rounded by the noisy crowd Of natives
man dressed as all the others. only
with cloth about his hips, pushed his
way through the crowd anu spoke to
them in the English language.
To tho establishment Of Captain Good
lug, to whom the man addressed him
self, the seeming native introduced him
self as Charts Irons, an Englishman, and
offered to render any assistance it was
possible for him 60 give.
Later the captain learned Irons's his
tory. 1t appears that he WAS left at
Pozeat Island by a trading vessel about
lour years ago, his business being to rep
resent the trades in the cocoanut oil
trade, but the vessel had never called for
Irons since leaving him, aud he had
gradually assumed the habits Of the ma
tlvcs and finally became SO much like
them in appearance and manner of life
he was not IN any way to be distinguish
ed from the people among whom he
lived. He had taken to himself seven
wives, and was regarded by the natives
as man Of importance second only to
the chief Of the tlibc.
Irons had been so long among the na-
tives thut he had forgotten many of the
common things of civilization. A dav
or two after landing at Pozeat Captain
Goodlng, who had become in Il degree
uncertain about his reckoning Of time,
not knowing exactly whether the day
was Thursday or Friday in the week,
askcd Irons if he knew what day of the
week 1t was. Irons answered that he
did not, and more that he did not know
what year it was.
Captain Gooding says that the natives
would ncVcr have allowed him and his
crew to leave PoZcat if it had not been
for the good offices Of Irons. Irons in
tcrestcd himself in behalf of the ship.
wrecked men and hired canoe from
the natives with presents Of English cal
ico, from stores IN his possession With
this canoe Captain Gooding, Second
Mate George W. Harrison and one Of
the ships crew set sail ten days after
their arrival at Pozcat, leaving the re-
maindcr Of the ships company and First
Mate Richard Watchman, seven men in
all, at Pozcat.
The captain and his men made their
way IN the canoe by IA roundabout course
from island to island, touching al eight
different ones ana making stops at each
vsrying from two days to months du-
ration, finally arriving at Ruk, where
there Is missionary station.
Hero they were cared for by the mis-
S;Onuries and obtained the use of the
boat belonging to the station. In the
missionary boat they made sail back to
Pozeat direct and taking the members of
the crew they had left there returned TO
the missionary island.
Two months after their return the
missionary vessel, Morning Star, arrived
and took them all to Honolulu, where
they landed November 18. From Homo
lulu Captain Gooding and part of the
crew were brought by the steamer Aus
tratja to San Francisco. arriving there
November 20.
This story, told by Captain Gooding
on his return, WAS published in the New
York IIcrald's London edition, and to-
, day the managing owners Of the wrecked
bark, Chase Lcayitt & Co.. Of this city
| and Captain Gooding OF Yarmouth, arc
IN rcccipL Of letters from London max
ing inquiry in regard to the Irons who
appears to figure as prime minister of
the savage Pozcat.
Both letters are from the same source,
the "Probate and Divorce Registry,
Somerset House, London" and are sign-
ed by Lancelot G. Irons. The writer
| says he has reason to believe the white
man on Pozeat Island is his youngest and
only living brother, and says: 1--WE
last heard Of him IN December, 1878,
when he was trading with the savages Of
New GuiDca in ship that chartered
| from Brisbane" He gives minute dc
| scription Of his brother as he appeared
ut that time, and says bis full name is
| William Charles Frederick Irons.
The letter to Captain Goodng con-
! tainS questions aa to particulars of idrn.