Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-01-11
LIKE A FAIRY TALE.
The Strange Mystery of Harsen's
Providential Island.

lllS opl cilSo "AySe
Providential Island.
Had il not been for the excitement OF
the first year Of the civil war the queer
adventures of Captain Harsen, OF the
Boston merchantmen American Chlef'
would have rome the rounds and been
much discussed. They were told and
retold in marine circles for many years,
and now and then some newspaper or
magazine has briefly referred to "Har-
sens Romance" The story, as a whole,
is full of interest.
In the spring of 1861, while was sec
ond mate aboard of the English brig
Enchantress, and when three days o OF
Zanzibar. bound for the Gulf of Bengal,
we spoke the American Chief, home
ward bound and loaded with Indian
products. Three days before, in a NO
lent ~souall, Captain Harsen had been
washed overheard, and the ship was now
in charge of the first mate. The ship
was taken home, Captain Harsen report
ed dead. and six years later, when he
had been forgotten by all except his re-
%lations. he suddenly turns up in a way
to dumfound every body.
In August, 1867, l was first mate OF
the Sea King, a small but stanch ship
plying between Cape Town and Mel
bourne. Our ship was a feeder for the
biz India steamers. We took machinery
and other stuff from them at the Cape,
and brought back wool and other prod
vets. We had the width of the Indian
Ocean before us on every voyage, with
never a speck of land for the waters to
fret against until the voyage was fin
ished.
One morning in the month I have
nal.ed, the hour being about eight
o'clock. with wind and sea light, the
lookout reported 4 man in a boat dead
ahead and only half a mile away.
went forward with the glass, and made
him out very plain at once. Indeed, nj
glass was needed. 1t was a rough-look
ing boat, provided with mast and sail
and he had let fly his sheet and wa
rising and falling on the waves to wal
our coming. We were up to him in
few minutes, and when we came to lool
him over many were the exclamation
of establishment. The craft was half raj
and half boat, put together in the rough
est fashion, and constructed OF drift
wood. The sail was a grass mat. Th
man at the steering oar was clothed In
single garment, made OF the same materl;
as the sail. He had made a large mat an
nut his head through an opening in tn
middle and belted 1t at the waist. II
hair fell upon his shoulders and h
whiskers reached to his waist. l.
looked a veritable Rip Van Wrinkle, al
our surprise was SO great that we forg'
past him without extending a han
Nhrn We got him aboard he walked l
to the captsfa G xtended his hand al
said:
Captain, l am Captain Harsen, OF u
Boston ship American CHM"
on ,,n sas,, xne'''' your '%''i'}' s''l'i"
Cant say. / was lost Overheard S
years ago to the north Of this"
''You don't say that you are that c;
tain HarsenP"
but do. My death was no dor
reported in the papers, but here ! a
Let me have a bite and thea I'll tell
all about it."
When Captain Harsen got ready
tell his story he had more surprises
store for us. / will give his adventu
as he related them, but in my own W
The wave which swept his ship and {
ried him overheard took along. q lot
deck raiiie, upon striking out
A4mssndNN got hold of a crate in WI
two kangaroos had made the lourne..
Cane Town. 1t was light enough to I
two men Of his size, and, although
seas used him roughly for several no
he pulled through the danger and fin
found a way To lash himself ana {
get some sleep. He knew that he
driving to the south with the seas,
as to how far he drifted during
thirty hours he was afloat could onl
guessed at. 1t has been generally
ured at five miles an hour. lie
asleep when cast ashore by the tide
he soon discovered that he had la,
on a verdant island about one
square. The verdure was about the
as that of Madagascar, with the
variety Of birds and insect life. !
was a species Of water-rat on the Is
but no other animal, and he nevel
reptile OF any sort.
The island was q little para
There were several springs OF
water, fruits and nuts in abund
and nothing TO make him afraid.
soon as he got rested the captain
to figure on his position, and he +
concluded that he had been cast o
Of the Z Aldabra group, two hu
miles TO the north Of Cape Amber,
apascar. Subsequent develop
proved that he was more than foul
arcd miles out Of his reckoning.
ing that he was correct in his lo
Of the island, Captain Harsen
that he had only TO possess himsel
~natlence and all would be we'll.
t,aatra islands were much visit
fishermen, who caught and prepi
certain fsh-food for the Chinese,
had no other idea than that he w
taken on within two or three
He wisely decided 70 improve the
nj ~ resting up, and for two we
.sert ) good share Of each day 1
s,{shk lie built himself \ shelf
A his hunger With ffuita. I
.1nne sna Och. ~ tssk solia