Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-07-10

articles were discoyered-a broken-bladed
pocket-knife, a compass, tea-kettle, an
iron pot, and MARINE spike; but there
was no spy-glass, and no firearms to hunt
game. or to serve as defense against wild
animals CO sayages.
1t seemed, indeed, as if this man must
certainly have been obliged to resort to
ynares and traps to obtain food; but some
light was thrown upon this subject when
Wilcox exclaimed
'What is this?"
''They look like ten-pin balls, remarked
Service.
"Ten-pin baIls!' exclaimed Brian, much
surprised.
He soon mistrusted the use to which the
two round stones Wilcox had just picked
up must have been put. 1t was evidently
one of those hunting implements known
as ''bolae," consisting of two balls fast
ened together by a strong cord. and much
used by the South American Indians.
When thrown by skillful hand, they
wound themselves around an animals
limbs, paralyzing his movements, and
making him an easy victim to his pursuer
1t was unquestionably the occupant OF
this cave who had manufactured this
weapon, and also a lassO, which was found
near the ''bolas." This being a complete
inventory of the contents of the cave, it is
evident that Brian and his comrades
were incomparably better off; but they, il
is true, were only children, while this was
a man.
But was he a common sailor or an officer
whose intellectual powers had been de
veloped by study This was a question
which the lads would have found it diff
cult to answer but for a discovery thai
settled it with comparative certainty.
Under fold of the blanket which Brian
had turned back, Wilcox discovered Q
watch hanging upon a nail in the wall
This watch, which seemed to be OF much
better quality than most sailors watches
was inclOsed in a silver hunting-case,
from which hung a chain and key of tbs
same metal.
"The hour-let US see the hourp' cried
Service.
1--WE shall be none the WISER" replied
Brian, for the watch probably stopped
several days before its unfortunate owners
death"
He opened the case, though not with
out considerable difficulty, on account OF
the rust, and found that the hands pointed
to twenty-seyen minutes past three
1.-The makers name is, of course, on the
case" remarked Donovan, land that may
give us some clew."
"You are right" replied Brian, and af.
ter examining the inside of the watch. he
succeeded in deciphering the words: "DeL-
plGICh. Saint MdIO," engraved on the
case.
so he was a Frenchman-a fellow coun.
tryman of mInep' exclaimed Brian, with
err ptiOn.
In fact, there seemed to be nc room for
doubt, a Frenchman had lived in this cave
until death came to release him from his
misery.
Another no less decisive proof OF the
fact was discovered when Donovan. who
had moved the bed. picked up from the
ground notebook whose pages, yellow
with time were thickly covered with pen
ciled words.
Most of these words were illegible, I'M
fortunately; several were decipherable,
however, among them the words, Fran
co.'s Eaudoiu."
Two names, unquestionably the very
same whose initials had been carved on
the tree. aud this note book was probably
the daily record of his life from the time
he was first cast upon this lonely coast.
In the fragmeutary phrases which time
had not entirely effaced, Brian succeeded
in deciphering the words: "Duguay-
Trouin," evidently the name of the ill
fated vessel in which the unfortunate man
sailed.
At the beginning of the book there was
a date. the same cut below the initials, and
undoubtedly that of the shipwreck.
Consequently, fifty-three years had
elapsed since Francois Baudon was
wrecked upon these shores, and during
the whole of his long sojourn he had re-
ceivrd no assistance from the outside
world.
The lads realized the gravity of their
situation more forcibly than ever. How
could they hope to accomplish what an
able-bodied man, a mariner Injured to
hardships and fatigue, had failed to ae
complish?
Moreover, another and final discovery
convinced them that any attempt to leave
This place would prove futile. On glanciug
over the pages. Donovan perceived Il folded
paper between the leaves. 1t was a map,
traced with a rude sort of ink, apparently
compounded of water and SCOT.
"A map!' he cried
"rhat Francois Bpudoiu probably drew
himself, ~ added Brian.
ain that case, this man could not have
been a common sailor, but one of the of
ficers of the 'Duguay- remarked
Wilcox
Yes, II was map of the region. At the
very first glance they recognized Slough
Bay, with its fringe of reefs. the beach
upon which the lads were now encamped,
tho l1ly oh,
just explored. the three tiny islands. the
marsh extending to the river-oank, and
the forest with which the interior was
covered.
Beyond the opposite shore of the lake
there was another stretch of forest that
extended to the coast-line-a coast-liue
washed 10y old ocean on every side.
So all plans of travelling eastward in the
hope of securing assistance in that direc
ton must be abandoned, and Brian was
right after all. This was an island, and
that was the reason Francois Baudoin
had been unable to make his escape from
il.
1t was easy to see that the general con.
tour of the island was accurately repre-
scented upon this map; and the distance
must have been calculated by the time
spent in traversiug them, instead of
trigonomctrical survey. 1t was evident.
too, that the poor castaway must have ex
plorcd the entire island as he had noted
the principal geographical features. and
the hut rs well as the foot-bridge, over the
creek must have been his work
On this map drawn by Francois Baudoip
the island strongly resembled an enor
nous butterfly in shape. Deep bays in
denied lis eastern, western. and southern
coasts. In the middle of an immense for
est lay the lake, a sheet of water about
eighteen miles long and five broad-large
enough for Brian and his companions to
be unable to discern its northern, south
ern, or eastern shores when they reached
its western borders, which explains why
they had mistaken it for sea on first be-
holding it. Several rivers had their source
in the lake, among them the one which
flowed by the cave and which proved tc
be the very stream that emptied into
Sloughi Bay near their camp.
The oaly important emineuce on the is
land seemed To be the promontory to the
north of the bay. The map indicated that
the northern part of the island was dry
and sandy, while south of Sloughi Bay
was large marsh which terminated in q
cape on the southern coast.
As indicated nv tho s~oIs st +l,~ l,>+.~--.
or the map, this island measured about
fifty miles from north to south, and
about twenty-five miles in width, but