The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-17
LIFE ON TRISTAN D'ACUNHA.
A Lonely Island In the South Atlantic,
With a Population of Sixty-Four.


Yesterday afternoon, writes a CORES
pondent, L had long and interesting
TALK with Max Smith, late cook and
steward of the park Glenhun by which
sprung leak in South Atlantic in the
early part of the year, and was aband-
oned within sight of Tristan d'Acunha.
Most people have heard of that lonely
volcanic island, which rears it's solitary
peak some eight thousand feet into the
clouds. Before the opening of the Suez
Canal it prospered on whalers, pass
enger ships, and sundry vessels which
brought fresh meat, fish, fruit and
vegetables from its handful of colonists.
To-day it Is in a bad way, according to
Smith.
All hands got safe ashore, though one
of the two boats was stove in by the
surf which ever beats upon Tristan S
rockbound shore. There was just a
sloping shelf Of beach upon which the
twelve men were able to stand In the
rear was the raging sea, in their faces
were sheer rocks which lowered up
three thousand feet. In the boat which
survived the landing they had biscuit,
water hams, and some small guam
tity of clothing. In vain the castaways
| tried to scale the precipce: in vain
they endeavored to discover a track
which would lead them over the noun
tains to the small settlement which
they had heard existed So they made
| sort of Indian camp of blankets,
which at all events protected them
more or less from the rain and wind.
On the sixth day they resolved to send
some of their number to coast the
island, and after many narrow escapes
from drowning their boat was launched
ana the poor fellows pulled away to the
east If they had gone west they
would have reached the settlement in
an hour. AS it was, it was not until
sunset that they espied a few stone
cottages which form the smallest town
IN the world l suppose, namely, Edin-
purgh, so called after the Duke of
Edinburgh. who once landed there.
The communities whaleboat, manned
by some stalwart colonists, went back
FOR the remainder of the shipwrecked
men, and after much fatigue and many
dangers the whole twelve of them were
comfortably installed in the various
cottages.
Max Smith and Captain Shaw We're
quartered on Peter Green. who is tba
governor OF Tristan d'Acunha, and
MAX gave me most curious account Of
this communistic colony of sixteen
FAMILIES, or sixty-four souls. They are
OF splendid physique, and die only of old
age. Most of their property is held in
common. Each family has one of the
stone cottages with rush roofs. the
furniture Of which is made mostly of
drlftwood and wreckage. Having onlv
themselves to rely on, each is almost by
instinct a carpenter, stonemason, a
sailor, fisherman, an agriclturist.
and egg-hunter. In case a wreckaee
comes ashore 1t is divided into sixteen
portions and distributed Disputes
very seldom arise, and if they do Peter
Green's word is final. If one party
goes out fishing the catch is shared.
and even potatoes. cattle, sheep, pigs
and fowls, though not held quite in
common, it is customary to share on
the do ut des principle.
L have said that in the days of sail
ing ships Tristan d'Acunha was ex-
tremely prosperous. Now it is in very
bad way. Steam and the Suez Canal
have diverted trade so that only once
a year are they sure Of a visit from one
of Her Majesty's gunboats. That is
one reason. But they could live in
their primitive way very comfortably !
without even ships, for the three or
four squares miles Of soil upon which |
the settlement lives (the rest is nearly |
all dizzy rocks) is very fertile. And |
how is it that they cannot! Because !
the rats are rapidly eating them out Of |
hearth and home. Some ten years ago |
a Norwegian vessel went ashore there. |
1t was full Of rats and these unfort-
unately landed, and found the place so |
much to their liking that they have
increased to enormous numbers. No
grain can be grown, no cereals of any
sort, no fruit; and it is only by the
exercise of incredible precautions that
the potatoes have survived. Let no
Wilmington think that
cats are wanted in Tristan dAcuaha
There are many of them, tame and wild
Also dogs. But in vain do they hunt
In vain do they set traps What the
rabbits is to Australia so is the gray
ish brown rat to Tristan d'Acunha.
The rat has even driven out several
species of birds which used to nest on
the island. We cannot be surprised
that Max Smiths two pet cats preferle /
to remain where they were. They will
never find better quarters.
We need not say, then that there is
not much variety of food in Tristan
4 Acunha. The beef Is very tough and
stringy, and the sheep are not particu-
arly toothsome. Max Smith says that
one frying-pan serves six families; so
even if meat were more plentiful there
night be a difficulty in cooking it Nor
Ire tea and sugar often seem fish and
potatoes forming the staple diet, with
An occasional relish of mutton bird.
Max Smith says the best dish he tasted
Turing his five months Involuntary
visit was an omeet of mutton birds
Eggs. He gives an amusing description |
# the womens clothes. They wear no |
hats. If they did the high winds would
blow them away. But a
serves to protect their {
leadpieces. When a woman wants a |
lew gown in Tistan d'Acunha she waits ;
ill her man can buy two skirts of the
anne pattern from a passing ship, and ,