The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-05

ing and another in the afternoon. This
| understood to be no more than the
sets of the tide. as going out and COM
| ing in: but / afterwards understood IL
to be occasioned by the great draught
and refiux of the mighty River Oroono-
que, in the mouth of the Gulph, of
which our island lay. And the land
which I perceived was the great island
of Trinidad, on the north point of the
mouth of the river"
That's enough. my boy" said the
kind old captain, you needn't read any
more. for your case is proved. You've
convinced me that the island is really
Tobago. for there isn't any other in
that latitude, off the mouth of the ORR
noco. from which the island of Trini-
dad can be seen. I'll take you there. as
1 said 1 would have done anyhow, as It
won't be much out of my way; only the
currents along Tobago coast are very
strong and may cause me trouble"
And every reader will recall the peril
in which Crusoe was once placed by
these very currents.
Thus IL was that we made the voy-
age together, starting in the month OF
January, crossing the gulf stream and
the Sargosso sea, touching at the ISL
and of Barbados and finally bringing
in sight the object of my quest one
evening, just as the sun went down.
The first officer pointed out to me
long black cloud. which he said was
Tobago, promising to be close upon IL
I'm the morning. adding that he envied
me the fun I'd have when / got on
shore. And that night could not sleep
thinking of the fun I'd have" on the
morrow. And ii was as well / could
not for little after midnight sudden
and terrible shock threw me out of my
bunk and upon the floor, where for a
time / lay bewildered. Another still
heavier blow, which thrilled the good
schooner through from stern to stern
brought back my scattered senses and
i CROPPED my way out of the cabin and
scrambled to the deck. There / saw my
dear old captain clinging to the wheel,
maintaining his post nobly. though
dashed from port to starboard every
time a wave came in. Looking over the
side. i saw that we were surrounded by
breakers, with great white-crested roll
ers hurrying upon us from every direc-
ton. A great crash announced new
disaster; a tremendous wave rolled over
the stern, unshipped the rudder and
knocked the helmsman fiat on deck,
where for a moment he lay grooming.
i ran, raised him in my arms, and sup
ported him; he was so dazed that he
reeled like a drunken man. But, not
withstanding the severe shock he had
him he uttered cry of joy. For that
last great wave had thrown the vessel
over the reef of coral and into a shell
tered harbor. We were floating in
calm water for the moment, as safe as
though tied up to the dock at home |
An anchor was let go and the pumps
tried, which soon showed that no leak
had started, the only damage being to
the unshipped rudder. The captain
consulted with his officers and it was
decided that the rudder could be rugged
with chains until Trinidad was reached !
where the vessel could be overhauled !
1t was then explained to me that the
vessel had been caught by one of those
strong currents from the .Orinoco which |
had drifted here in upon Tobago shore
before the helmsman and the watch
were aware of their peril. Daylight re-
vealed our position, close under the
shadow of a high promontory, right
abreast a deep bay with white, sandy
beach. An exclamation of delight
burst from me as / saw the beauties of
that tropic strand as unfolded in the
Frightening dawn. This was the ISL
and had sought; more beautiful than |
any dream of mine, at last 1t lay be-
fore me.
At first the captain would not hear of
my going ashore alone, for there was
no house in sight, no evidence whatever
of the presence of human beings. But |
finally convinced him that this was
the very thing l desired; that / had |
come here to live a life of seclusion; to |
dwell apart from men after the man.
ner of my great predecessor, Crusoe.
So he finally yielded, gathered together |
my traps" added to my scant stores |
a barrel of beef and hard tack, put |
them all in the boat, and himself ac-
companied me to the little beach lying |
between the great cliffs which broke |
out of the dense forest. Then he took |
me aside for a little talk. 1t does not |
matter what he said; but our eyes were |
trifle moist as he turned to go and the |
pressure of his big hand remained in |
mine long after he had disappeared. |
Then / sat down beneath a palm and |
tried to get familiar with a new feeling |
of loneliness, as a last farewell was |
shouted to me. and a projecting promo
tory hid the last flock of sail from |
sight. 1 had been taken at my word,
and was alone. At length my dream |
was realized, and my feet pressed the |
soil of Tobago, Crusoe's isle.