The San Francisco call., 1895-05-19

nitely fix the date. The message requested
the future captor OF the crane to send par
ticulars of the date and place to Herr Falz-
Fein.
This bird was the common European
crane, Grus cinerea, standing about four
feet high, ashen gray in color, with face
and neck nearly black. 1t is well known
that it breeds in marshes in Europe and
Asia and migrates far south to warmer
cllmes upon the approach of winter. This
particular bird, doubtless with many of his
fellows. crossed over to Africa and flew
south about 150o miles up the Nile, where
he was killed in the Mahdist province of
Dongola. This was in November, 1892,
about five months after the bird had been
released. Released while the weather was
still warm, it is probable that it did not
Immediately start from Europe on its long
journey, and it is not likely that it would
travel much further south. It had prob
ably reached the southern limit of its Jour
ney when it fell victim to Mahdist hunt
er, who, OF course, was greatly surprised
when he saw the metal tube depending
from the birds neck. He took the prize to
the Emir of Dongola. As that officials
territory is on the northern border of the
Mahdlst domain, where he has had MANY
a brush with the Egyptian troops just
north OF him, he is constantly on the qui
vlye Tor any news that may come from the
north. But not man in his province
could read this mysterious message and so
the Emlr, knowing that the Khalifa held a
number OF European prisoners at Omdur-
man who could, doubtless, interpret the
writing, dispatched a messenger in hot
haste over the great southern desert to de-
liver the capsule to the Khalifa. 800 miles
away. The journey was made by camels,
and the Mahdist capital was reached about
month later. On April last Slatin
wrote to Herr Falz-Fein, informing him
Tf Enr r-nn vz0fl L. 4
unusual events that had made bird the
bearer of communication from Europe to
Central Africa.
Probably no more remarkable story of
this sort has ever been recorded, if we ex-
cept the unparalleled incident of 1887.
when a brief message, tied around the
neck OF an albatross, was borne for thou
sands OF miles across the watery wastes of
the Indian Ocean and the Southern Pa
cific;, and upon it's providential delivery
warshlps OF two nations were at once put
In motion on a work of humanity. The
story, taken from the dry official records
of the day, is worthy of perpetuation as
the most wonderful instance where the
unconscious efforts of bird have PLAYED
most important part in tale of human
misery.
Late in 1887 the British ambassador in
Paris informed the French Government
that message had been received from the
Governor of West Australia announcing
that on September % dead albatross had
been found on the beach at Freemantle.
Around the birds neck was fastened
small piece OF zinc on which had been
scratched in French;
Thirteen shipwrecked men took refrge unon
the Crozet Islands.
AUGUST 4, 1887.
The Crozet Islands are four or five little
speckS OF land rising in the Indian Ocean
far south OF the usual track of vessels,
No wonder the story excited incredulity.
AS rule, only an occasional whaler goes
as far south as the Crozets. 1t was, in
deed, wonderful series of fortunate
events If castaways on those far-off islands
had found winged messenger which, un-
consciously exerting in their behalf his
far-famed powers of endurance on the
wing, had carried their tidings over
thousands of miles of sea with few oppor-
tunities to rest on the way, and had finally
dropped dead, probably of exhaustion.
on the shores of civilized land.
However, the tidings were official and
the French Government could not doubt
that this albatross, with its important
message, had been found at Freemantle.
which is one of the largest towns in South
western Australia. Was the message gen.
uine, or was it the work of practical
Joker? Was any French vessel missing?
British Embassador was received it was
distributed among the Paris newspapers.
The next morning it was spread broadcast
over France and before another day
elapsed came letter from Bordeaux which
gave additional interest and probability to
the story. The shipping house of Bordes
& Son wrote that they had reason to fear
that the thirteen sailors on the Crozets
were the crew of their three-master Tam
aris which had sailed many months before
for New Caledonia in the Pacific. She was
some time overdue. Her owners had ex-
pected her to take course not far from
the Crozet Islands, and her crew numbered
thirteen persons.
The French Minister of Marine lost no
time in sending orders to the commander
of the naval division of the Indian Ocean
to dispatch the transport Meurthe as soon
as possible to the Crozets to search for the
castaways. The British Government also
decided to take part in the search, and her
Majesty's ship Thalia, which was about to
leave England for Australia, was ordered
to go out of her course to call at the Crozet
Islands.
1t was not until the early spring Of 1883