The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-09
ALONE ON AN ISLET.
DREADFUL EXPERIENCE OF THE WIFE
or A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER.
Her Husband Lost ON an Ice Floe-Kept
the Light Burning During Her Storm
Tossed soiitude-Hcr Experience Turned
! Her Hair Gray.

Tossed SOiitude-Hcr Experience turned
Her Hair Gray.
A tragic story from the lonely light
house on Great Bird rock, far out In the
gulf of St. Lawrence, 30 miles northeast
of the Magdalen islands, was recently
brought to North Sydney, N. s., by the
steamer Rob Roy. The rock is precipitous
and rugged, and has no beach, it's storm
battered sides sinking perpendicularly into
the sea. The supplies are hoisted by
derrick to ledge of the rock.
When the skipper Of the government
steamer Rob Roy, which supplies the
lighthouses, called at the rock, he was sur
prised to see wan, gray haired woman
standing alone on the ledge. He did not
recognize her at first glance. A closer
view convinced him that she was the wife
of the lighthouse keeper, Angus Campbell.
She had apparently aged ten years since
the skipper had seen her, three months be-
fore Then there was not trace of white
ness In her hair, and she was plump and
handsome woman. The skipper looked up
from the deck of the steamer, and when
he was within hailing distance he shouted:
where's the old mani"
This answer came back in tremulous
tones:
"Angus is dead, and so arc Jim Duncan
and George Bryson."
The skipper said no more, but straight
way had the derrick rugged and was hoist
ed up to the ledge. Mrs. Campbell tear
fully told how her husband and Duncan
and Bryson, the latter two professional
seal hunters, had been lost, and how, for
more than two months, she had kept lone
ly vigil on the rock. Campbell and his
friends went out from the rock with their
spears to hunt seals on the morning OF
Feb. %. 1t was cold day, and there was
no osen water within five or six miles OF
the Lighthouse in any direction. Seals had
been seen on the Ice the day before. Mrs
Campbell was somewhat reluctant to have
her husband go out.
"If the wind changes, Angus" she said
"the ice will break up and you may b.
carried out to sea-"
Suppose i am, Maggie" he answered
1nughingly. ~ shall come back again, ant
even II don't you are able to take carr
of the Tight"
The three men started across the ice
They had not been gone more than fou
hours when tho wind, which had beef
blowing from the eastward, shifted to tn
southwest. This IL dangerous wind II
the gulf In winter and breaks up the 10
with marvellous swiftness. Mrs. Campbell
became alarmed and hoistcd the DANCE
flag. She soon saw the hunters hurryin
toward the rock. They had doubtles
realized their danger even before the ia
1luttercd from the lighthouse. They wcr
within mile of the lighthouse when th
ice cracked I'm n line rupuin0 east an
west, parallel with the rock and Mort
Bird rock, about i've miles west Of th
lighthouse
Mrs. Campbell was In the liehthous
when the revcrbcration Of the cracking IL
impclled her TO run out and zee II her hui
hand and his companions were safe. III
-cnckinR was followed By the breaking n
Of tho field of ice into foes, which beea
drifting slowly scawsrd. Mrs. Campbell
Sealizing her belplessness. simplv stoo