The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14
THE LADRONES IN 184S.
a NEW YORKER VINO WAS WRECKED
ON TINIIN FIFTY FEARS AGO.

Nstivea for CockARhtinG-Ho Would Have
Us Keep the Ladrones and the Philippines
In tho year 1913 the Ladrones we're 40 far out
Of the world that they were only a trine better
known than the islands OF tho Polar Sea. Spain
had takon them from the natives early In the
seventeenth century and made uso OF the beau
tiiul Islands with tho Infamous name given by
Magellan when he discovered them for an in
famous purpose. "Thievos Islands" Magellan
had called them. because the natives stole his
things; criminal islands the Spanish made
them by using them as penal settlements.
mostly for political prisoners. Except when
some storm beaten chip. blown out OF her
course. lay TO of the islands. or an occasional
American whRler entered their one harbor. at
Guam. or was driven upon their rugged cliffs.
the inhabitants had no communication with
the outer world unless they made the voyage
to the Philippines In opcn sailing canoes.
In the fall OF 1913 the British merchant ship
Canton. bound from Sydney to Hong Kong.
lost hor reckoning in long-continued foul
weather and went ashore. on the Island OF
TihiaR. now called Arson Island. because Lord
Anson lost and recovered his ship thors In a
storm which blew her from her anchorage out
TO sea while her commander was on shore. and
then drifted hcr back again. The youngest
person on the Canton was an apprentice named
Charles Miles. who was then 10 years old. and
he was ono OF the five survivors Of the wreck
who drifted ashore In n lifeboat. Subsequently
he became a lawyer in England and is now
cashier for Emmens. Strong & Co. bankers
at l Broadway. Forty years after the wreck
Mr.. Miles amused himself by writing an ac-
count Of the adventures Of himself and his COM
rades. which. having finished. no put away In a
drawer Of his desk and never sgain thought OF
until he read THE SUNS account last week
which told OF the American flag flying over
Guam. He looked up his memoirs and from
them the following extracts are taken.
After telling of the events Of tho wreck and
the long wanderings OF tho five shipwrecked
men without seeinG any sign Of civilization and
without food. except lines and guava and a
fow shellhsh which they struck from the rocks.
he writes:
1T must have been about the tenth day since
We were thrown ashore that we heard q cry In
the woods sounding like 'Coo-ee-coo-eel It
might be the cry OF hostile Indiansl Even they
would In our case be almost welcome. We utter
n faint shout; are answered by the 'Coo-eel' OF
several voices: we huddle together. We now
hear the bark of dogs and the cracking OF wood.
Several dogs dash through and eye us with
angry and surprised eyes. Then more dogs and
Eve Indians carrying two musketS and spears.
We stand ready to meet an attack. when they
ulhho Iiollut hlkub W uos bohtll DdSh Tx
dogs and offering us something. We approach
and see that they are partly clothed. with their
teoth between red and black from chewing
betel nut.
What thcy offered us was a rude kind Of
ciRers. which we accepted. and from satchels
made from leaves they handed us boiled heads
OF Indian corn and watched us ereedily devour-
ing them. They then beckoned US to follow
them. which we did most gladly. until after
several hours we reached o substantial looking
facing the sea. while around 1t were
bamboo huts. There stood o dark
woman nearly black sucking q child. She
approached and smiled. patting me on the
head as II commiserating my youth. saying.
told the Governor was away searching for US
and would soon be back. She gave US some
watermelon. which we ate. at the same time
longing for more substantial food.
e Having finished our melon. we had time to
look about us. and were much struck with the
beauty OF the scene. It appeared to be really o
terrestrial paradise. and we had been wander-
ing near 1t for the last four days. It appears
ship had struck on the opposite side Of the
island. which. although beautiful. was barren
compared with the inhabited eide. The set
Element was formed OF the Governors house.
solidly built on piles OF some antiquity. with q
facing the SEQ. three large bamboo
sheds, o row Of huts, and some small sheds.
"A sudden stir among the Indians and the
temperance OF the Governors wife showed
that the great man was approaching. Here he
comes with dogs In front and four Indians
armed like our escort with fintlock guns and
boar spears, he wearing q large cavalry sword
hanging from his girdlo and evidently much In
his way. He appeared middle-aged. On his
head he wore a white hat OF the beaver
kind. much battered. An outer tunic.
fastened BY q girdle. and blue cotton
trousers reaching to his ankles completed
his attire. His feet were bare. But that ter
riblO SWordl How he must have suffered by
it, un~suitAblOness for the tangled woodsl Here
no was. tho representative OF the chivalry
Of Spain. and it was necessary to impress
these EnGliShmen with the dignity Of his ONCE.
What a. likely az the sword Of his fathers to
DO thigf He had. indeed. IDEAL Of dignity in his
mAnnOF. and his face was . pleasing one. His
name was Don Diego LomeE. Sergeant in the
colonial forces Of Spain. After making q bow
S e * We e S saa S GsFiSs e. tHq soaS K Sc 'q Eas sfLSn
,y::s: s y IS (? s f isS' : 81 "a IS: : sSSSs tTSS i$sS. u IS, sSSd an coma Ss:
"a T e III ScE ESss some ssp 81 lRis n me- !Rsa SPse ESsS
.S Ts:StsiSeS ssS sSddp1tRsS re i fisaBSssI s sfSo i. f BS1 & ip Ssi
SSs .gSas i. T sSeISo t h saOTS5p9t piSYSly burned
pSIOEO Lne bnrtlo. Oh Dr. AnCnOny. with prayers
the SRint that ono Of tho searching parties had
found the, survivors in time, Don Diego led
bS had R1litiSHi prisoner there. one Don
yAHods yenAl e~olopies for taking part In an In
s sas t RSsa V%islt 81 sh srr li1ean ;H r. is65p %as About saI
once . year. but II they would. promise not to
esSlst him 70 escape no would r6e, aIlowed.to
readily given. and tho oAStawAys saw much
ofDon Manuel during their stay.
1T may not bo out OF place here" continues
N, Miles. 70 give some ACCOUNT e Tlnian and
only, the fifteen hAlf-castes. the Governors
emily and Manuel, Formerly there was .
fully cultivated. but nm epidemic carrying Oh a
large. number OF inhabitants at Guam. the
Spanish G9yeTnment removed the happy PED
leaving only a Sergeant's, guard at Tinian. As
4 conseluence the plantations became oyerrun.
pore duty was to keep ", the settlement with
lntter's heSsh being cut In stripe and dried in
q Kind OF case, in which the dried maAt WAS laid