The Durham daily globe., 1894-08-23
THE RECEDING ISLE.

- Dld L ever tell you tIle story VI INC
vanishing island?'' he asked suddenly of
the waiting and listening crowd.
That was strange experience and one
1 do not care to 90 through again. l have
read somewhere Of what they call mi
rage Of the desert where thirsty travellers
imagine they see green trees and running
water The island of which speak must
have been something Of that kind, only it
was at sea- and sailors are not in the habit
of seeing land where there is only water.
1T was 80 years ago, when I was second
mate on Portland brig engaged in the
China and Japan trade. We were coming
home from Yokohama around the horn
and had storms and contrary winds from
the time of leaving port until we were
driven a thousand miles out of our course
into the South Pacific at the time when
we ought to have been nearing home.
Then, to cap the climax of our troubles,
we We're bccalmed in those burning hot
seas for a week.
'Whcn at last a bit of breeze sprang up
and we were able to make sail, we were
| out UH provisions and water. We had been
on half ratiOns Of both for two weeks, and
| that, added to the terrible heat, had worn
out every man on board We had scarcely
! enough strength left to handle the sails
| when the breeze came and, according to
| the charts, we were hundreds Of miles
| from the nearest land and out OF the track
Of all trading vessels.
1T was gloomy outlook, and our only
| hope was that we might be sighted by
! some vessel out Of her course like our
| selves or that the favOring winds would
take us to land before every man on board
died Of heat and thirst. 1t was early
| morning when the calm was broken by
| breeze from the cast. During the day the
wind continued to frCshcn, and we went
fying along. with all sails set, at good
rate Of speed.
But the heat was terrible. The sky
was Il dull lead color, and the sun was
like a great ball of fire hanging right over
us at noon The crew lay about on deck
in the shade of the canvas painting for
breath. There was not a drop of fresh wa
ter on board then, and already our lips
were dry and parchcd, and the tongues of
some Of the men We're swelling. Scarcely
a word was spoken on board for hours,
and the men were fast losing all hope.
'Ab0ut o'clock in the afternoon the
lookout shouted, Land ahcadn Instantly
every man on deck sprang to his feet, and
the sight that met our gaze caused a great
cheer to go up from the parchcd throats OF
the men who had been dcspairing a mo-
mcnt before.
"Dcad ahead, and apparently not more
than 10 miles away, Il great island cCv
cred with green trees, rose right out of the
sea 1t seemed to be many miles in cX-
tent, and we knew when we saw the green
trees that we could find plenty of fresh
water there if we could hold out to reach
the land.
1.-The captain, however, looked puzzled.
He went to his cabin and studied the
charts for Il long time. When he came
back on deck, he shook his head and said
he could not make it out According to
the chart we were more than POO miles
from an island of any kind but there were
the wooded hills, the green trees and a
| long stretch Of sandy beach right before
| our eyes
1t was clear that this island had been
overlooked when the charts were made.
| One of the men went up in the rigging
and from there said he could make out &
large stream of fresh water flowing down
from the center of the island
"Our course was directly toward the
mouth of this stream. Every man on
board now crowded to the deck forward
and fcastcd his eyes on the beautiful is
land, but it was not long until a shade of
anxiety began to pass over the faces of the
men.
AT the speed at which we were sailing
we should have reached the island in little
moro than an hour from the time it was
first sighted. But now an hour had passed,
and green hills and sandy beach looked to
be just as far away as ever
The captain ordered sOundings made,
and when he discovered that bottom could
not be reached he looked very grave. Still
the ship was kept on her course, with ali
sails set But another hour passed and
then another and still the island seemed
to be the same distance away.
BY this time many of the men were in
a high fever from the excitement and their
great thirst, and they had again thrown
themselves on the deck and given away to
despair.
THE sun went down, and darkness
came on, leaving the green island a mcr,
black spot on the sea to mock us The
captain ordered the ship kept on her
rourSC and all the men who We're able
We're put on deck forward to keep a sharp
lookout for breakers that would warn us
when at last we should get close to the
mysterious green island.
'Many of the men were rolling and toss
ing in the dclirium of fever on the deck.
while others lay on their backs, with
mouths wide open, hoping that little
dew ight fall and mOiStCn their parching
tongues
AL IIISHl We hCpI on InaI course,
straight toward the black spot on the hori-
zon, which we knew as the mysterious
| green island But the lookout heard no
breakers, and the soundings that were
made from time to time failed to touch
, bottom.
"Morning came at last and then our
hearts sank rs we looked around. The
green island had disappeared There WAS
water everywhere, but not sign of land
% The crew gave up all hope then, but
two hours later we sighted n sail which
responded to our signals of distress. She
proved to be a whaler and supplied us
until we could make port
Our captain marked the location of
the vanishing island on his chart, and on
the next voyage he went out of the way
in order 10 pass the place but the island
had vanished for good. We did not find
any trace Of it.