The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-02-21
LOST IN The SOUTH SEA.
The Perils Encountered by Ships Crew
Among Savages.

The Perils Encountered by Ships Crew
Among SavaGes.
A tale of shipwreck in the southern
seas of Save Islanders and the romance
of modern Robinson Crusoe is what
Capt. William Gooding tells. He was
the commander of the Portland bark
Tewksbury Sweet, lost in the South Pa
cific last spring, and has just arrived in
this city on his way to his home at Var
mouth. 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. Their escape from
death by the wreck and from the savages
makes an interesting story.
The stanch American bark sailed from
New Castle, New South Wales, on March
II for Hong Kong. On April she en-
countered gale and was carried ashore
on Susanne reef, near Poseat Island, one
OF the Carolinas. A very high wind was
blowing at the time and the surf was
running high. The vessel commenced to
go to pieces soon after she struck. Moth
ing was saved from the vessel but one
chronometer The crew escaped in one
OF one of the ships boats, and managed
with great difficulty to reach a small
islet to the northward. From this islet,
after the storm had subsidized, they made
the island of Poseat, which is inhabited
by fierce savages.
AS the boat approached the island
fleet of canoes put off from the shore.
There were about thirty canoes with
eight or ten men in each, all armed with
knives and spears. Some of the savages
i'll their eagerness jumped overheard and
swan to the boat. each with long
wicked knife held between his teeth.
The first savages reached the boat,
clambered in until the boat was nearly
swamped, then they began to strip the
sailors OF their coats and outer garments,
throwing the garments aboard their own
canoes. The men were soon despoiled of
everything but their undershirts. Then
the whole fleet drew in towards the
land. The savages all this time had
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 learned afterward, the ma
uves of this island are not cannibals.
While the shipwrecked crew were
standing surrounded by the noisy crowd,
man, dressed as all the others, with
only cloth about his hips, came for
ward and spoke to them in English. He
gave his name as Charles Irons, an
Englishman by birth, and offered to
render any assistance possible. 1t seems
that he was left at Poseat by trading
vessel about four years ago, his business
being to represent traders on the Cocoa
nut Islands, but the vessel never called
for Irons since leaving him, and he had
gradually assumed the habits of the
natives. He finally became like them in
appearance and manner. He had taken
to himself seven wives, and was regard
ed by the natives as man of importance,
second only to the chief of the tribe.
Irons had even forgotten many of the
details of civilization, but he
was of good service to the castawavs-
no doubt saving the lives of them all.
A day or two after landing at Poseat
Capt. Gooding, who had become un-
certain 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 it was
Irons answered that he did not, and
more than that he did not know what
year it was. He interested himself in
behalf of the shipwrecked men and hired
q canoe from the natives
Capt. Gooding, 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 First Mate Rich
ard Watchman-seven men in all-at
Poseat. The captain and his men made
their way from island to island, touch
ing at eight different points and making
stops at each, varying from two days to
a month. They finally arrived at Ruk,
where there is a missionary station.
Here they were cared for by the mission
aries and obtained the use of the boat be-
onging to the station. The missionaries
lid not like to let them have the boat,
because, if deprived of it, they would be
exposed to danger of attack from natives
md deprived of their only means of
eaving the island, but finally gave con-
tent. The missionaries also told them
hat had they come ashore at Poseat with
my valuables the natives would certainly
lave killed them as they had others. In
he missionary boat, stanch center
'oarder, the captain made sail back to
'oseat. He then returned with his crew
o the missionary island. Two months
ater the missionary vessel Morning Star
rrived and took them all to Honolulu,
where they arrived Nov. 1S. From
Capt. Gooding and part of the
rev were brought by steamer Australia
o San Francisco.-Portland (Me.) Cor.
It. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Christmas Roses.