Telegram-herald., 1891-12-07
CRUSOl UP 70 DATE
How IN Englishmsn Was Deserted
and Forgotten
ODD STORY OF CHARLES IRosS
He Adopts the Habits of the SavsEss.
kvsn Takaak seven Wives and all
90 Account Of Tins Lest
by Him.

RAspoLrH. Mass., Dec. GA private
letter from Captain William Gooding Of
the bark which was lost on the island OF
Pozeat. ore Of the Caroline Islands, .
short time ago. contains thrilling mar
ratsve Of shipwreck. capture by sav-
sse and ultimate rescue by . modern
Robinson Crasce. The ships CREW
barely esca ped, taking to the boat with
only the ships chronometer. The
island 10 inhabited by fierce savages.
who had killed many shipwrecked
mariners before, and would probably
have taken the lives of Captain Good
ing's crew if they had lai any valu-
ables. The men were finally taken
from a neighborlng island by the mis-
sionary vessel Morning Star. to Homo
lulu. whence they saled for San Fran
cisco. Captain Gooding's story Of ms
experience At Pozest 10 substantially ~
follows:
As the boat approached the island p
fleet OF canoes put of from the shore.
There were about thirty canoes, with
eight or ten men III eacn, and ali were
armed with knives aud spears. Some
OF the savages IN their eagerness
jumped overheard and swan 10 the
boat. each with long, wicked looking
knife held between his teeth.
Robbed by q Lot of savagss.
The first savagss to reach the boat
clamhered in, until the boat was nearly
swamped. Then they began TO strip
the sailors of their coats and outer gar
nents, throwing them aboard their own
canoes. The men were soon despoi!ed
OF everything but their undershirts.
Then the whole fleet drew in toward
land.
The savages all this time had kept up
u tremendous din of shouting and sing
ing, and the crowd of women and chill
dren ON the shore WAS dancing about
with shouts and cries. The sailors ex-
pected no better treatment than to tie
killed and eaten, but, as they learned
afterwards. the natives of the island
were not cannibals.
While the shipwrecked crew was
standing surrounded by the noisy
crowd, u man, dressed as were all the
Others, with only q cloth about his Inns,
came forward and spoke to them IN En-.
khShs AiC SdNC Ills IatHC as SuaIitb
Irons, an Englishman bv birth, and of.
fered to render any assistance possible.
Life on an Isl and Like Crusos.
II seems that he was left at Pozeat by
trading vessell about four years ago.
his business being to represent traders
In COcoarut Island, but the vessel had
never called for Irons since leaving
him, and he had gradually assumed
the habits of the natives. He had
taken TO himself seven wives, and MAS
regarded by the natites az q maj, OF
Importance, second only to the chef OF
the tribe. Irons had even forgotten
many of the common customs of civil
zation, but was of a good service TO tue
casiaways, no doubt swing the lives
of all.
day or two after landing at Pozeat,
Captain Gooding, who had become un-
certain about his reckoning time, not
knowing whether it 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
didn't know what year it was. He IN
terested himself in behalf of the ship
wrecked men. aud hired n canoe from
the natives, with which they reached
a neighborsng island. from whence they
We're eventually rescued.