Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-02-14

she had every wish to avoid them. The |
boats which were sent in pursuit Of her |
must have taken another cousre, as she |
saw nothing Of them.
When Mrs. Williams landed on the
island she had no idea OF stopping there
for more than day or two, or until she
could decide on some plan She had
scarcely gone ashore when gale came
up which lasted abou. thirty hours, dur
ing which the yawl was SO damaged that
she must undergo repairs. She unloaded
her goods on the shore, covered them
from the weather, and then set out to ex-
plore the island, pretty we'll satisfied
that it was inhabited, and hoping, ifit
was, that her money might secure as
sistance. Before night she was
satisfied that she was all alone, and she
made shelter out of the blankets, and
slept the night away as peacefully as if
in her cabin on the schooner. Next dav
she exchanged her apparel for mans
suit and began the erection of hut. In
a grove about 300 feet from the beach
she erected shelter. 10x2O feet. which
withstood the storms of almost four
years. While the sides consisted of can
vas and poles, the roof was thatched
with long grass which she found On the
island in abundance.
1t took the women about a week to
construct her hat and move her stores
into it, and this had scarcely been done
when her boat, owing to carelessness on
her part, was carried off by the sea, and
she now realized that she was prisoner
until such time as the crew of some
trading vessel might land and discover
her. After her house was completed
she made a more thorough exploration of
her island home. There were parrots
and other birds, snakes of harmless
variety, Borneo rats, and drove Of
about 800 Java pigs, which are about the
size Of the American peccary, but are
wild instead of fierce.
The woman had clothing to last her
FIVE or six years, but the provisions she
| had brought from the schooner would
not supply her needs more than few
months. While hoping and expecting
to be taken off almost any day, she wise
ly prepared for long stay. She had
| fish hooks and lines in her outfit, and
with fish from the sea, meat from the
| woods, and bananas and wild fruits from
the groves, she had a variety and plen-
| ty. Six months after she landed a ma
tive craft put in about mile from heI
hut, but creeping through the woods she
saw that all were AIalays, and SO savage
in appearance that she did not dare make
herself known. Seven months later .
second craft sent men ashore to fill tw1
water casks, bat she was also sfraid 0
these. She lived very quietly from tina
time until nearly two years after hel
landing, having remarkably good health
all the time, but naturally lonely and cast
down at times.
One afternoon as she was 10 the forest
about half mile from home, having he
shotgun with her, Borneo sailor sud
denly confronted her He was entire
alone, and whether be had been ma
rooned or cast away she never learned
AS she was dressed in 4 mans suit b
naturally took her for man. but his frs
movement was hottie one. He advance
upon the woman with club in his hant
and uttering shouts Of menace, and +,
save her own life she was compelled te
shoot him.
Now and then, all through her stay
trading vessels were sighted in the off
| iAS VIII no" atu tutu tIait huOW u u
be manned by Englishmen, but signal
made to the latter By means of smok
were never needed. Her main hope wa
that the loss Of the schooner would i
some way reach her friends al Singapore
and that searching party might be sen
ult 10 her rescue.
One dav. when she had been on Il
island four years lacking about fifty days
the British survey ship, sahib, then CT
gagged in surveying the group, droppes
lnchor off the mouth Of the creek an
sent party ashore to explore the il
| .erior had the honor not to only hea
this party, but to be the first man 70 S
and TO speak 10 Mrs. Williams. "
found uer IL excellent health, a!thoag
tanned a2Q rOuIhened Dy exposure