The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-09-20

men could not remain indefinitely on the
barren island and live on fish alone Aft
er rest of a few days Captain Huntley
decided to make another start for Unalas
ka for relief
He picked out three of the strongest
men and made a start. Adverse winds
drove him back after he had been away a
day. The cold was becoming intense, and
along with hunger and cold and wet
weather the men were suffering from
frost bitten fingers and feet. The sharp
rocks had worn out their shoes, and a trip
down to the beach from the hut would
start scores of sores bleeding in the men 9
swollen feet
Daily their sufferings grew In intensity,
and before the captain made second at
tempt to leave the island two mere men
Joseph Pena and Joseph Barreto-had
been laid away under pile of cold rocks
Again Captain Huntley and his small
crew were forced to return. A third trial
proved unsuccessful, but on the fourth at
tempt, after being on the island for 25
days, he and his crew of three men got
away with a fair wind, and the 10 others
watched the small sail lowering on the
horizon with mingled hopes and fears.
The second day after the captain left
the food gave out, and to increase the trou-
bles of the men one of the hooks became
caught in the rocks and in attempting to
extricate it the line broke, and it was lost.
Early the next morning the other hook
was lost in the same way, and starvation
stared the men in the face.
The next night Austin Gideon, a sailor,
died, but the men were too weak to bury
the body. 1t was dragged a few feet away
from the hut, and there it remained.
That was on a Monday night. From then
until the next Thursday the 10 unfortu-
nate sailors battled with starvation until
all hope of leaving the island alive desert
ed them. One after another they crawled
into the hut to die, and lay there for hours.
William Andrews, one of the men, tells
how they lived: lone of the men near the
door moved, and presently he went out 1
was too weak to pay any more attention
to him, and dozed off, praying for death.
How long l was that way 1 do not know,
but for long time fancied / could smell
boiling meat. TWAS perhaps half an hour
before l could bring my senses to realize
it, and when did I rose up, and there in
the center of the hut was a smoldering
fire, with the kettle over it. Inside was a
pICCO VI ACdU, CON0ICu WIFI SLOWLY DuD-
bling water. In an instant had grabbed
it from the pot and was soon devouring
shred Of it that had torn from the half
cooked piece. Others grabbed the meat
from my hands, and soon we were all
eagerly devouring the morsel None of
as asked where it came FROM None of us
cared. After the meal life came back to
Us, and we dared not for awhile think OF
where our meat came from, though we all
knew
II got up and walked down to the lit
tie gully in which Gideon's body had been
rolled. Both legs were missing. Icrawled
back into the hut and slept again. Pres
emily l got up and gathered more drift
wood while the renewed strength lasted.
The next day more of Gideon's body was
missing, and again we all had meal.
Horrible and all that it was, the food was
refreshing, and we all began again to look
for rescue. Nine days the cap-
tain had been away, and all hope had
been given up of ever seeing him again.
Once more a visit was made to the grave
OF the dead Portuguese, and another part
of the body of our late shipmate was boil
Ing In the pot when the captains voice
was heard outside. 1t was joyful sound.
and with him were several Of the crew Of
The Bear, with provisions forus."