St. Paul daily globe., 1893-03-27
ON A DESERT ISLAND.
Not Through Misfortune and
ShipWpeek, But by Her
Choice.
Playing Robinson Crusoe
With a Saving Sailboat
Close at Hand.
There Was Fun in 1t, the
Fair Experimenter
Says.
The Experience Was Upon
One Of the Islands Of the
Bahamas.

One or the Islands or the
Bahamas.
1t was once my lot to keep house for
fortnight or so on desert island among
the Bahamas, a gentleman having been
good enough to place his vacant house
on one of the ''Out Islands, at our dis
pOsal, writes Lady Blake to the Youths
Companion.
The island was some six miles long,
with several surrounding "cays," as
iSletS are termed in those region S.
which belonged to the same proprietor.
This property lay some thirty miles
south of Nassau, the capital of the Ba-
hamas, and as no ships ever went there
we hired steamer to take us and our
belongings to our new abode.
The belongings were considerable on
the occasion, for the house was un-
furnished, and there was no shop or
store within thirty miles of it. SO we
had to take bedding, tables and chairs,
pots and pans, eatableS and drinkableS,
hous ehould neceSSaries of all sorts, as
well as three children, a gOverneSs,
three servants, goat TO give us milk,
monkey, parrot, and two little ground
doves.
We anchored at little harbOr formed
by some sheltering rocks; our luggage
and furniture were lowered into boat
and landed in heap OH the sandy
beach. There every one Shouldered
whatever he could, and under burn
ing sun we tOiled up to the house, which
stood on the top of hill and WAS about
a quarter of a mile off.
was laden with a part of paradin
stove. The children insisted in dragging
along the largest boxes and bundles
they could find. The servants and sail
ors brought up the rear with the re-
mainder of our possessions.
We found negro and his family in
charge of tie house. On our arrival
| they moved into a hut close by, and we
proceeded to settle down for the night
| as best we could.
The house WAS of good size, and di-
| vided into ROOMS by partitions that only
| went halfway up to the roof, so as to
| give free circulation. 1t was thatched
| with palm leaves, and had wide We
randa running all around it. Furniture
there was none, except two tables and
| WOOden~bench or two.
| While supper was preparing we spread
| out our mattresses and made arrange
| ments for the night. 1t was not posi-
| BILE to hang up mosquito curtains for the
| GrSt night, and, indeed, we did not par
ticulariy care to do so, for We had been
| told that SandflieS and mosquitoes were
unknown on HlghbOurne Cay.
We were speedily undeceived. Our
| first night there was an awful expert
| ence Millions of sandflies and SWarms
| of mosquitoes made life unbearahle and
| night hideOuS. We were all very tired.
but no one slept at all. As everything
was open our means and reyilings were
| audible to all, and we compared our
| miSerieS.
Finally got up, and, worried and
woebegOne, wandered up and down the
veranda, longing for day and wonder
ing if life on desert island were worth
living. At last the welcome dawn re-
stored us to cheerfulnesS.
| Instead Of the ordinary tub in ones
bedroom. dip IN the warm, clear blue
| sea was delicious of morning. AS we
| had the island to ourselves, we dOnned
| our bathing dresses in the house and
walked down in them to the shore,
large palm leaf doing duty as a sun
| shade.
The path to the beach lay through the
| bush. Most OF the shrubs were in flower
and waxy-white blossoms Of an un
known species filled the air with a de-
liciOus scent. Near to the strand great
| trails of snoW-white passion flowers
stretched out their graceful length, and
masses Of orchids with sprays four or
| five feet high, of old gold, purple and
brown flowers swung gently to and fro
| in the breeze.
| When we lay down on the coral sand,
| soft as satin, the tiny waves ripDllng
gently over US. while little silvery fishes
swan lazily around, the miserieS of the
past night were forgotten, ,and it seemed
as though the world could offer nothing
more delightful than existence on a
| desert island.
Our breakfast, if in the orthodox style
in such places, ought to have consisted
of turtles eggs. breadfruit and cocoa
nut milk. but the island afforded none
of those daintieS. and we had to content
ourselves with eggs supplied by the
caretakers hens and the contents of
mundane tins from cooperative stores.
The only incident of an unusual nat
ure connected with the meal was that
my little girl, while milking the goat,
was observed to have large centipede
taking its morning stroll over her hair
The creature was knocked off and killed
by the trusty negro .caretaker before it
| QlQ any HllSCHlSIs
We had sent down a small sailing
boat from Nassau, so as to be able 10
communicate with civilization if nee
cessary. The sailor belonging to it acted
| as our cook.
After the experience of our first night
we took precautions against our tor
| mentors and afterWard slept in COM
| parative peace. Large fires were lighted
around the house.
All the doors and windows were tight
ly closed before sunset and not opened
TIL the moon was we'll up, when we
crept under the mosquito nets and SET
our winged foes at defiance.
We still had midnight visitors, but OF
a more agreeable kind. Large fire
beetles few in at the unglaZed windows
! lighting up the rooms with living fairy
lights.
Small birds twittered on the rafters
little crabs ratified gayly over the floor
| friendly geckoes crOaked from the ROOT
or busted themselves with an attack OIL
the winged pests.
Geckoes are lizards, six or sever
inches long, of a pale yellowish color
NOTED with brown, with rings of brown
on the tail. They are generally founC
in sheds and the roofs of houses. They
are harmless, useful and easily tanned
becoming tull OF commence Wnen un
mOlested.
Alter some days our meals of poultry
and timed meats became mOnotOnous
and hearing that iguanas were found OF
neighboring cay, my husband saileC
over to procure some.
The iguana is lizard which feeds oil
fruits and vegetables. 1t grows to three
or four feet in length, and its flesh il
considered delicate eating.
As soon as sufficient number hat
been taken to supply our present needs
one was secured alive and brought bacl
to me. 1t was about two feet long
thick, heavy. blackish lizard, with
crest down the back of his neck.
We put cord round his body and tie,
him to a tree near the veranda. If on
went near him he snapped viciously. an,
sometimes ran at one and seized any
thing on which he could lay hold in hi