New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-08
LIFE ON TRISTAN D'ACUNHA.
LONELY ISLAND IN THE SOUTH At
LANTIC, WITH A POPULATION
OF SIXTY FOUR

had a long and interesting talk with Mag
smith, late cook and steward Of the bark Glen
huntly. which sprung leak in the South At
lantic in the early part OF the year. and wn
abandoned within sight OF Tristan d'Acunha-
Most people have heard OF that lonely volcanic
Island, which rears its solitary peak some eight
thousand feet into the clouds. Before the open
Ing OF the Suez Canal it prospered on whalers
passenger ships. and sundry vessels which
bought fresh meat. fish, fruit and vegetables
from ts handful OF colonsts To-day 1t is in
bad way. according to Smith
All hands got safe ashore, though one Of tho
two boats was stove In by the surf which ever
beats upon Tristan's rockbound shore There
was just 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 precipice: in vain they endeavOred Ia
discover a track which would lead them over the
mountains to the small settlement which they
had heard existed. So they made sort of Ind
ian camp OF blankets. which at all events pro-
tected them or less from the rain and
wind. On the sixth day they resolved to send
some or their number TO coast the island. and
after many narrow escapes from drowning their
boat was launched and the poor fellows pulled
away to the east II they had gone west they
would have reached the settlement in an hour.
AS ii was, it was not until sunset that they
espied a few stone cottages which form the
smallest town in the world, / suppose. namely.
Edinburgh, so called after the Duke OF Edin-
burgh. who once landed there. The communl-
tvs whaleboat, manned by some stawart col
onists. went back for the remainder Of the ship
wrecked men, and after much fatigue and many
dangers the whole twelve OF them were COM
fortaby installed in the various cottages
Max Smith and Captain Shaw were quartered
on Peter Green. who Is the Governor OF Tristan
dAcunha. and Max gave most curious
count of this communis.ic colony OF sixteen
families. or sixty-four souls. They are OF splen-
did 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
drftwood and wreckage. Having only them
selves to rely on. each is almost by instinct 4
carpenter. a stonemasOn, n sailor. a fisherman
an agrlculturist. and an egg-hunter In case a
wreckage comes ashore t is divided into sixteen
portions and distributed. Disputes very seldom
arise. and IL they DO Peter Green's word is final
II one party goes out fishing the catch is shared
and even potatoes. cattle. sheep. pigs and fowls.
though not held quite in common. il is custom
airy to share on the DO ut des principle.
l have said that in the days Of sailing ships
Tristan d'Acunha extremely prosperous
Now it Is in very bad way. Steam and the
Suez Canal have diverted trade that only
once year are they sure Of 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 square miles Of soil upon which the settle
ment lives (the rest Is nearly all dizzy rocks)
| is very fertile And how Is 1t that they cannot
Because the rats rapidly eating them out OF
hearth and home. Some ten years ago Nor
wegian vessel went ashore there. II full
| of rats. and these unfortunately landed. and
| found the place much to their liking that
| they have increased 10 enormous numbers. No
grain can be grown. no cereals of any sort. no
fruit; and it is only by the exercise Of incredible
I precautions that the potatoes have survived.
Let no enterprising Wilmington think that cats
are wanted in Tristan d'Acunha There are
many of them. tame and wild Also dogs But
In vain DO they hunt. In vain do they set traps.
What the rabbit is to Australia is the gray
ish-brown rat TO Tristan d'Acurha. The rat
has even driven out several species Of birds
which used 70 nest on the island We cannot
be surprised that Max Smiths two pet cats
preferred to remain where they were They will
certainly never find better quarters
| We need not say. then, that there is not much
variety Of food in Tristan d'Acunha. The beef
| is very tough and stringy. and the sheep
not particularly toOthsome. Max Smith says
| that one fryingpan serves six families even
il meat more plentiful there might be
difficulty in cooking Il. Nor are tea and sugar
! often SEEN fish and potatoes forming the staple
diet. with occasional relish Of mutton bird.
Max Smith says the best dish he tasted during
his five months involuntary visit ONE
let Of mutton birds eggs He gives an anus
ing description Of the womens clothes They
no hats II they did the high winds would
probably blow them away. But handkerchiee
series to protect their headpieces. When 4
woman wants 4 new gown in Tristan dAcunha
she waits till her man can buy two shirts Of ths
same pattern from a passing ship and thep,
sews them together: and there you are. That IS
! one way. The other is to get whole gown.
which is very seldom. as shippers sailing is
these lonely tempests and seas or the South
Atlantic seldom take their wives with them.
must not forget 10 say that In all the island
there are probably twenty Shillings Money "a
OF no value there. II Is mere drOss. All goods
are exchanged. There is no doctor. and II there
were nobody ever ais. He or she may tumble
down 4 precpce when CghUnting or wood
cutting II he or she did the would be
hopeless. Even Jenner cannot mend broken
neck The climate is excellent though there -
| much rain fog and terrific winds. After the
desertion OF the ships and the plague Of rats.
the dearth Of fireWood is the other dra y back 70
life on Tristan d'Acunha. Such wood as there
is is very small and tough scrub. few inches in
diameter, tOuzled and crumpled by the tempest
! As for amusements there arr two accOrdiOn5
and Il number OF books There Is no clergyman.
but Sunday is strictly observed as a day Of rest.
1 IL. t--r.I I. L. iA.I IlrllnH