The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-07
VOLUNTARY EXILES.
Notorious Renegades and Deserters From
Civilization.


of that inordinate appetite for adven
ture, novelty and excitement which
constitutes SO characteristic feature
of the AngloSaxon race became in.
spired with an ambition to emulate the
experiences Of Alexander Selkirk, best
known to fame as Robinson Crusoe.
They determined to establish them
selves on some island where they would
be practically cut off from the remain
der of the world Fortune favored
their projects, for instead of being
forced to proceed to the Pacific ocean
in search of a desert and uninhabited
island, they were able to find one
almost at their very doors. The island
in question lies off the northern coast
of Cornwall. 1t is only about quar-
ter of a mile long and not more than
100 yards broad. Its name is Gulland,
and being exposed to the full fury of
the Atlantic gales and tremendous
ground seas, it is only in quite excep-
tional fine summer weather that a
landing can be effected upon it. In
point, therefore, of inaccessibility and
of narrowneSs of dimensions it is an
ideal retreat for amateur Robinson
Crusoes
The two young men in question,
who are brothers, and sons of the late
General Smyth, purchased this island,
had a Cornish firm of builders con-
structed a wooden house on the modest
scale of 80 by 20 feet, ready to be put
together, and embarked. After having
qeen safely landed on the island, to,
gether with their belongings, the yacht
returned to the mainland, leaving them
alone in their solitude, where at last
accounts they still were.
This taste of freedom from the tram
mels and prejudces of civilization is by
no means confined to English people.
1t extends 10 men-aye, and to women,
too-of almost every nationality, and
the number of people who have with
drawn from their accustomed haunts,
to 90 and live either alone or among
baroarous or semi-civilized races is far
greater than is generally believed. They
are always cropping up at the most ex-
traordinary and most unexpected of
places, often furnishing the solution OF
so-called mysterious disappearance
of years long past and constituting
material for romances that are all the
more interesting in that they are based
upon fact.
A case in point is that of relative
of my own, the once well known and
brilliant Austrian cavalry officer, Baron
de Rodt, who during the war of 1866
was so severely wounded in a charge
at the battle of Sadowa that he was
obliged to retire from active service.
This seemed to prey upon his mind,
and after spending some time in Paris
he suddenly disappeared, leaving no
clew to what had become Of him. We
made every effort to discover traces OF
hin, Dut without obNNNoo, anu w
finally came to the conclusion that he
was dead 1t was not until several
years afterward that by mere chance
| was enabled to assure myself that
our fears had been groundless. He
had rented from the Gillian Govern
ment the island of Juan Fernandez
the same one inhabited formerly by
Robinson Crusoe, and had established
himself there at the head of small
colony of South Americans, over whom
he exercised all the judicial and ad.
ministrative authority of a governor
His only means of communication with
the mainland was by means of small
sailing boat, which once every four OF
five months was wont to convey {
cargo of HOLSTERS and agricultural pro
duce to Valparaiso and to bring back
the supplies needed by the little colony
l do not believe that he was over
pleased with me for revealing hi
whereabouts, for he was soor over
whelmed with letters from Europe
imploring him to abandon his Crusoe
like life and to return to civilization
This, however, he refused to do ano
remained on his island until his deatf
on board his yacht while on his way t.
Valparaiso about four years ago
Al Hong Kong some twenty year
ago l was introduced by old Sir Arthu
Kennedy, the governor of the colony
to gorgeously arrayed naval office
whose name was Dupont and who helc
the rank of admiral in chief of the kim
of Slams navy. Dupont had original!
been a common sailor on board ;
French man-of-war. One day while il
port at the Isle de Maurice he haC
been unjusty struck by one of thu
officers and had at once responded b,
telling his assallant to the ground
Aware that his offense involved tn,
penalty OF death, he Immediately threw
himself overheard and was believed b.
everybody on board the man of-war t.
have been drowned. Instead of thi
he had managed to swim to an Eas
Indiaman just in the act of raising
anchor and to Chamber on board. Afte
drifting about from one Indian port t
the other he finally reached Bangkok
where he entered the Siamese navy
then in course Of formation, and 500
b;uh o,,I ,,N,,aora II