The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-17
CAREER FULL OF ROMANCE
THE LATE G O. [. BUCHANAN REGARDED
AS AN OBJECT or WORST
He Was Cast Ashore on the Philippines. Other
Adventures. Finally Lost his Life
at OCracoke.

In the last issue of the Raleigh Chris
tan Advocate. Rev. l.. u. Nash, d. D.,
writes a sketch of the life of the late
George l.. Buchanan. of Washington,
which reads like romance. We quote:
George l.. Buchanan was born at
Cambridgeport, Mass, July y, 1926.
He and his brother Charles came to
Washington, y. c., in 1888, and soon
afterwards began to learn the harness
making business. Not liking this bust
ness he left Washington and went to
Boston, Mass, on schooner, and from
there he went to sea, at about the age
of IA years, and pursued this life until
shipwrecked and cast ashore on one Of
the Sandwich Islands, together with four
other shipmates, in 1915. While on the
island he and his friends subsisted for
some time ON bread fruit, and such
small game as they could catch by rudely
constructed traps, made of vines. After
they had been on the island three months
they were discovered by the savage in
habitants of the island, who, it is be-
leved, had never before seen a white
man. The Sayages bowed before them
in an attitude of worship, touched the
bodies of their white INVADERS and point
ed to the sun, in token, it is supposed,
of the belief that these strange visitors
came from above. They We're taken by
these savages to their village, where they
were treated as il Supreme beings. They
found that the natives subsiSted on In
dian meal, which was made by pounding
the corn between two fiat stones. The
natives had swine and fowls, resembling
somewhat our native chickens. They
roasted their meat between two fiat
stones, and baked their bread between
fiat stones also. These prisoners were
allowed free access to the village, and
were always attended by native SER
wants They were quartered in bam-
boo hut, and interested themselves trying
to learn the native dialect.
while these shipWreeked Americans
were on this island, there was war be-
tween this tribe which captured them and
a neighborng tribe. Prisoners taken by
them in war were made slaves Of. and
were made to do all the work. While
the natives were off at war, ship was.
discovered and signalled which by Il.
mere chance dispatched boat to the
island and rescued these white men, and.
brought them back into civilization. IN
after they had been on shipboard ~
few days. a United States man-of-war,,
the Lavant, was sighted, and Brother
Buchanan and his friends We're put
aboard.
Upon hearing that the United States
was at war with Mexico, Brother Buck
man Joined the United States Navy,
with his companions, and served III the
navy until the close of the war with
Mexico. After the termination of this
war, he remained in the navy, and after
surveying the Columbia river in Wash
ngton Territory, the surveying ship was
caught in quicksand and lost; but all
the crew managed to escape to land. He
then went to Oregon Territory, where
ne and a few of his companions lived for
few months with a friendly tribe of
Indians, known as "Wallawahs" or
''Flatheads."
I'm 1910 he again returned to Wash
ington. n. C., where he worked at the
brickmason's trade for awhile. He then
engaged in merchandising until the
breakngout of the War between the
States, in 1861, at which time he en-
listed in the Confederate Army, and SER
we'd as soldier until the fall of Fort
Fisher. where he was taken prisoner.
Soon after peace was declared, and he
returned to his home in Washington,
and for awhile was engaged as captain
of a schooner which piled in the waters
Of Pamlico River and Sound.
"In 1869 he engaged in the grocery
business. in which he continued until
1881. when he turned his business over
to his son, and retired from business.
Brother Buchanan was first married
to Miss Georgiana Tooley, January o,
1852, by whom there were three children
born to him, two of whom died in in
fancy, the other is our excellent citizen
and useful church member, Brother
James r. Buchanan.
After the death of his first wife, he
was again married to Miss Frances A,
Voshell. She lived until IA few years
ago when she died and left him wild
over again After her death he made
his home with his son, where he lived
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