Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-07-19
sU~- TALE OF A WRECK.
sSnth Pacific Savages Capture an El
 glish BarQue's Crew.

TALE OF WhcChs
 SSuth Pacific savages Capture an Enr
 glish BarQue's Crew.
 Full particulars of a remarkable tale of shtpwreck in the southern seas have reached Queenstown. Captain William Gooding was the commander of the barqus Tewksbury Sweet lost in the South Pacific last spring, and has just arrived at Yarmouth. He and his crew had been given up for dead, and the first intelligence that they were still alive was received about two weeks ago. The vessel sailed from Newcastle, New South Wales, on March IT last. for Hongkong. On April she encountered a gale, and was driven ashore on Susanne Reef near Pozeat Island, one of the Carolines A very high wind was blowing at the time, and the surf was running high. The vessel began to go to pieces soon after she struck. Nothing was saved from the vessel but one chronometer The crew escaped in one of the ships boats, and managed with great difficulty to reach small islet to the northward From this islet, after the storm subsided, they made the island of Pozeat, which is inhabited by fierce savages. As the boat approached the island fleet of canoes put of from the shore. There were about thirty canoes, with eight or ten men in each, and all were armed with knives and spears. Some of the sav- ages in their eagerness jumped over board and swan to the boat, each with Q long knife held between his teeth. The first savages to reach the boat clambered in, until the boat was nearly swamped. Then they began to strip the sailors of their coats and outer gar ments, throwing the garments aboard their own canoes The men were soon despoiled of every thing but their un, dershirts. This done, the whole feet drew in toward the land. Tho savages all this time kept up tremendous din of shouting and singing, and the crowd of women and children on the shore were dancing and jumping about with shouts and cries. The sailors expected no better treatment than to be killed and eaten, but, as they learnt after. wards, the natives of this island are not
 
 crew were standing surrounded by the noisy crowd man dressed as all the others, with only cloth about his hips. came forward and spoke to them is English. He gave his name as Charles Irons, an Englishman by birth, and offered to tender any assistance possible. It seems that he was left al Pozeat by trading vessel about fepl years ago, his business being to repre- sent traders in Cocoanut Island, but the vessel never called for Irons since leav- lag him, and be had gradually assumed the habits of the natives. Finally he became more or less like them in appear snce and manner. He had taken to himself seven wives, and was regarded by the natives as man of importance, second only to the chief of the tribe. Irons had even forgotten many of tho common details of civilization, but he Uas of good service to the Captain, and no doubt saved the lives of him and his crew. A day or two after landing at Pc zeat, Captain Gooding, who had become uncertain about his reckoning of time. and not knowing exactly whether the day was Thursday or Friday. asked Irons if he knew what day of the week 1t was. Irons answered that he did not, and, more than that, he did not know what year 1t was. He interested him. self on behalf of the shipwrecked men, and hired a canoe from the natives. Captain 0ooding, the second mate, George W. Harrison, and one of the ships crew set sail ten days after their arrival, leaving the rest of the men and the first mate, Richard Wstchman, seven men in all, at Pozeat. The Captain and his men made their way from island tc island, touching at eight different points, and making stops at each vary. ing from two days to a month. They finally arrived at Ruk, where there is station. Here they were cared for by the missionaries and ob- tained the use of the boat belonging to the station. In the missionary boat, stanch center-boarder, the Captain made sail to Pozeat, and then returned with his crew to the missionary island. Two later the missionary vessel Star arrived, aha took them all to Honolulu, where they arrived on No IS. Captain Gooding estimates that his voyage in canoe and boat around by way of the island of Ruk and | thence return to Pozeat and back to Ruk | was about 1000 mtles.-Londoh Times. |