Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-08-26
LOST IN THE SOUTH SEA.


tdle Vi bHipWTeck III 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 Susanna 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 a
feet 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
in their eagerness jumped overheard and
swan to the boat, each with a 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 a 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
tives of this island are not cannibaIs.
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
e 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
u being to represent traders on the Cocoa
Y nut Islands, but the vessel never called
b for Irons since leaving him, and he haC
n gradually assumed the habits of the
II natives He finally became like them il
appearance and manner He had taker
e to himself seven wives, and was regard
e ed by the natives as a man of Importance
e second only to the chief of the tribe
II Irons had even forgotten many of the
f. common details of civilization. but ht
g was of good service to the castaways-
+ no doubt saving the lives of them all
l. A day or two after landing at Posea
'e Capt. Gooding, who had become I'm
t certain about his reckoning of time, ant
IA not knowing exactly whether the da,
y was Thursday or Friday, asked Irons i
10 he knew what day of the week it was
a Irons answered that he did not, an,
g more than that he did not know wha
% year it was. He interested himself il
behalf of the shipwrecked men and hire,
e a canoe from the natives.
e Capt. Gooding, Second Mate George w
Harrison and one of the ships crew Sc
y sail ten days after their arrival, leavin
81, - II,
aid Watchman-seven men in ala
Poseat. The captain and his men mad
OF their way from island to island, touch
ing at eight different points and maxim
al stops at each, varying from two days t
10 month They finally arrived at RuB
where there is a missionary station
10 Here they were cared for by the mission
u aries and obtained the use of the boat be
longing to the station. The missionarie
X. did not like to let them have the boa
CT because, if deprived of it, they would b
n exposed to danger of attack from native
IL and deprived of their only means {
;. leaving the island, but finally gave COZ
NJ sent The missionaries also told thei
X that had they come ashore at Poseat wit
ay any valuables the natives would certainl
le have killed them as they had others.
the missionary boat, stanch cent?
boarder. the captain made sail back I
ne Poseat, He then returned with his ere
ul to the missionary island. Two montl
no later the missionary vessel Morning Sta
ne arrived and took them all to Honolulu
CT where they arrived Nov. 49, Froi
ay Honolulu Capt. Gooding and part of tt
lh crew were brought by steamer Austral
er to San Francisco. (Me.) Co
~ st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
10,
ht Christmas Roses.