New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-20
ALIFETIME WITH SAVAGES.
TIE RESCUE OF NARCISSE PELLATIER
FROM NIGHT ISLAND.


Bel named the John Bull was lying at anchor
under the lee of Night Island. within the Great
Barrier Reef of Northern Queensland, her crew
made friendly acquaintance with tribe OF
blacks who were living on the mainland Among
the black. stark naked saVaGcs who gathered
NrOund the boat one whose skin seemed
Of a lighter color than that of his companions.
and then To the astonshment Of the officer in
command Of the boat. some of the natives who
could speak few words of English informed
him tina The light skinned man a white
fellow" Thp officer bcckOned to the man to APP
proach He lid so with the utmost timidity
and nervousness. but in few minutes APP
pear"d to gain confidence" and, although ne
could not speak a word of English. he soon sat
i.fed his rescuers that he indeed a white
man: beyond this nothing more could he as
certained at the time. He was able, however,
TO indicate that he was not unwilling To go on
board the schooner, and the officer, after prom
Using tn" blacks compensate for taking the
man away. bade him step into the boat lie
ObeyCd. though without alaCfiy and as the
boat pushed off from the beach he seemed half
inclined 20 spring overheard and reJon the ma
lives Some str2ngo. iucOhcrrnt words in French
escaped from his lips. and his wild. affriShted
eyes. as he glanced from one To the other Of the
boats crow. showed that he was under strong
excitement mingled with fear. A. soon as he
stood upon the scho"ner's deck. however, his
alarm seemed to subside, ami he tried To eX-
press his satisfaction at again being among
white men by gestures and other signs Of APP
proval The pearlirg schooner seq sail for
Somerset or Cape York. which IN those days
was the headquarters II the Torres Straits
pearlins heet. As the little vessel made her
way northward along the coast, the strange
Whit man began to spcat and eat his food like
a Christian, and lost his error and amazement
at his surroundings. \ fortnight later he was
able t. tel his strange story.
HOW he BECAME A CAsTAwAY.
Narcisse Pierre Pcllatier was the of a
shoemaker Of St Giles. near bordeaux. His
father had numerous family to support, and
50 Whan at thirteen wears Of ago Nar"isse
shipped as a cabin boy the ship st. Paul. OF
Bordeaux his parents We're well satisfied. The
St Paul was bound To Climate what port or
ports Of that country NarcisSe could not re-
member Iiut though his memory Of many
places ard events before he became caStaWay
was dimmrd and blurred and hc spoke hating
ly. child who is first learning t. lisp its
words speaks he yet mcmbercd the salient
points Of the voyage. The St Paul arrived al
a Chinese port. and was hen chartered by Chi
nesc merchants 20 take three hundred and fifty
Chimes" cmigrants to sydney. one moonless
night as the vessel was slipping through the
water before a strong bre ze. she ran into a
white line Of roaring surf-thc barrier reef of
EOSSrl ISland-and struck with heavy crash
upon The jagged coral The boats were in good
order and although the ship soon began to
break up under the force Of the crashing rollers
the greater part Of the crew and many Of the
Chimes succeeded in reaching The land in them
the remainder the tide began 10 fall and
the reef became exposed, walked ashore. They
found that the island vas populated by saw
ages who showed a disposition to attack
prevented by the display Of firearms made 10y
the captain and officers. After the unfortunate
peope lad reached the shore the Europeans be-
gan instantly to devise means of escape from
the island. for it was only too evident that
the Chinese would he Of n use in repclling an
attack IF the savaeeS and indeed they dhe Chi
nese) were equally To Toe dreaded, for they were
IN every respect as treacherous as the cannibai
natives Of ROssel Island.
But said sydney paper Of that year
"one Of the three boats was damaged on the
and ho ais tHrp holm it,.4.4 q.
for the conveyance of all hands to any other
land. il became evident that the crew, if they
wished 10 save themselves. must leave the Chi
neSe. Accordingly the Europeans made for a
neighb1ring island where. however. they were
ATTACKED by natives and forced to retire leaving
behind them three men-the second officer. a
sailor ana apprentice. During this attack
young Pellatier received a violent blow on the
head from a stone thrown from a sling but
1nanag"i 10 reach the boat
Much as the crew dreaded the Chinese. they
dreaded the saVaGes more, and accordingly
returned to the island which had at first af-
tordcl them refuge. once more in comparative
safety their fears returned and they decided
TO embark III silence at dead of night NarCsSe
followed them in their new venture That night
the captain, seven scamen and the boy Narcsse
succeeded IN getting away unobsrrved by the
Cinnamon in tie best boat Three or four days
before they sighted tn" Australian coast their
supply of water ran out"
CHASTITY SPOT
The place whore they landed is known as the
First It.l Rocky Point south Of Cape Dircc-
lion. as chastity a Godforsalcn aud savage si.rt
ms can b" imagined. Raging with thirst, the
crew dew the boat upon the beach and
Searched for water At length their search was
reward By finding small water hole or native
well, but the supply II "ater proved INSULT
Cicnt for all. and consumed by the men.
leaving none for the moor little cabin boy. al
ready half dead from hunger, thirst and ex-
pOsure and with feet cut to pieces with the
sharp coral Of the reef. Leaving the exhaust
ed lad 10 his fate, the captain and his men re-
traced their way To the boat and ultimately
reached NcW-Caledonia.
ct may not b. out Of place here TO remark