The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-06-11
CAPTURING A WILD WOMAN.
ny CHARLES Il. LEWIS.

OF what is known as Northwest
Cape, on the eastern side Of Australia,
are a group OF seven islands. The
outermost one. which is seventy miles
from the mainland, is called Light
house Island. although there has never
been lighthouse erected there. 1t
is an island two mile, long and almost
as broad, the foundation OF coral, and
is entirely covered with trees and
bushes. Whaling vessels bound up
the Java coast often call there for
wood and water, and in the year 1910
British ship was wrecked there and
2S men lived on the island for ten
months before being taken off.
In the year 1872 was one OF the
boat-stecrerS in the lucky old whale
ship Lily Smith. Of New Bedford, and
after "A cruise OF fourteen months
without Il man stepping foot ashore
we were bearing up for Lighthouse
Island to renew or WJOd and water
and feel the earth under our feet once
more. We reached point within
about four miles Of the island Just at
sundown one night when the wind
failed us, and after the ship had drift.
cd in for another mile on the tide we
came to anchor in seven fathOmS and
made all snug, AS the weather was
fine only an anchor watch was kept,
and all went well until about mid
night. Then some one was dlscov-
cred padding around the ship on Il
small raft, and an alarm was raised
that turned out all hands. Some Of
the men insisted that it was a negro
but with their night-glasscs to aid
them the officers were quite as GER
tain that it was women in a halt
nude state. They said she had long
hair narrow shoulders and handled
her paddle with certain awkward
ness never seen in a man. In agcneral
way we knew that the island was not
inhabited, though probably visited at
intervals by natives from the other
islands, and by shcll-gatherers and
fishermen. The person on the raft
may have been sent out to spy on us
previous to an attack, or may have
been some lone individual impellcd
solely by curiosity. Whoever IT was
he disappeared as soon as an alarm
was raised, and we heard nothing
more during the night.
Next morning, as soon as breakfast
had been served, twenty of us went
ashore with the axes and water-casks,
and for fear that we might meet with
adventure, four Of the men were arm.
cd with muskets. AS we landed on
the sandy beach Of a little cove we
saw a small and queerly constructed
raft pulled up on the sands, and lead
ING away from it were the tracks OF
human feet, 1t needed but glance
to show that they were the footprints
of a woman, and as we noticed the
construction of the raft the dullest
sailor could figure that no man ever
put it together. We felt certain that
there was a woman on the island, and
as she had pulled of 20 the ship alone
it might be inferred that she was sOli-
tary and alone amidst the trees.
There was a well defined patch lead
ing from the beach into the woods,
and as we were in search Of water, a
part of us took this path while the
Others began telling trees. At about
20 rods from the beach we came upon
"A fine spring from which we could
nll our casks, and for several hours
or until the captain came ashore, nc
one penetrated further After din
ner, being satisfied that the woman
was alone on the island, and her fail
ure to come near us being proof that
she was not in her right mind or was
some native female who feared US, si'
men were detailed to 70 In search 0
her. A few rods from the spring
where the forest was more open, w
came upon a rude hut with a smoul
dering tire at the door. The hut was
made Of sticks, stones, shells ant
mud. The sticks had been broken of
by hand, and the shelter was a fairly
good one against any sort Of weather
In the interior was found a bed OF dry
uraAs shrlls whicl were used fnl