, 1891-05-02

wife and three children; G. Stanton Sicklts,
w. E. Simmons, J. r. Spears, Kemper Bocock.
James Rankine, Mrs. Rankine, Miss Clark, j,
kirkland, of Chicago; Ebert Rappleye
Joseph Livingstone, a merchant of Nicaragua,
and John Allen, of Bolton, Tex.
The heat was oppressive and many of the
passengers suffered from thirst. at noon a
cup of water and a handful of crackers were
given to each person on the island. After that
all requests for water were refused except in
the case of some sick children. At night the
boats returned, each with a key Of water. An
ancient fort, with walls of coal five feet thick,
avery interesting and curious relic of the buc-
canneers, served the negroes and crew as a
refuge.
Two palm leaf houses were found on the is
land, and these were given up to the ladies.
The other first class passengers occupied tents.
There were few blankets, and each person had
to shift for himself at night. The sand would
have offered the best Accommodations for sleep.
ing but for two very powerful reasons. Ronca-
dor is one Of the guano islands, and most i'll
odoured in consequence, and again at this sea-
son of the year, the boobies" are Matching and
their nests are so numerous that it is hard to
find a place to sleep which they do not claim.
They were not in the least afraid of the men
who had SO suddenly landed among them, but
stood their ground and fought v%iciously when
ever disturbed. AS they were not good for
food, no effort was made to subdue them.
After a rough but plentiful supper of canned
meats and biscuits, most of the first class pas
sengers lay down and soon were asleep. The
negroes, sailors and fremen In the old pirate
fort built fires and watched at night. They
had brought some rum ashore and made merry.
The night was brilliant and the scene like one
f,om fairyland.
The second day on the sand bar was boiling
like the first, and it was not long before a spi-
tit of mutiny developed among the men in the
pirate fort. They complained that they had
to work in the sun, while the first class pas
scngers were lolling in tents and drinking
champagne. They were insolent at all times
after the grounding Of the vessel and their
officers could do nothing with them. The
passengers say that Mr.. Miller, Lieut.. Howard
and Mr.. Watrous were the backbone Of govern
ment after the wreck,
The short supply Of water was a cause of
much anxiety to everybody, and when it was
found that instead of fetching more water to
the island the crew Was employed in trying to
save the freight there was trouble. Mr.. Miller
as spokesman Of the passengers, expressed the
discomfort with which these proceedings were
viewed, and after this all that remained Of the
water was brought ashore, but even this prov
ed a very limited quantity, and there was great
rejoicing when B. Nc. n. Staufer, of the
Engineering NeTS, who is a practical engineer
himself, after digging with u shovel to a depth
of about five feet at a point which he thought
favourable, came upon afne supplyo Of good fresh
water This removed the greatest fear of the
castaways. There was little suffering among
the stranded people, nevertheless there was
un-aro1 roS0io.,1r I ~ ~ HDroo.Io-4o Houo-o;b
hove in sight on the sixth day after the wreck.
First Officer Lapsley's boat had reached Pro.
violence Island and met the "Carazo' there,
and the steamer, whose owner was among the
castaways, came on Immediately.
The "Aguan' has pounded heavily on the
Coral reef, and will 60 to pieces rapidly. Save
q few men who are suffering from the heat,
and, the children who are somewhat wasted,
mono of the oastaways looks any of the worse
for the adventure.-New York World, April
Is. 1891.