Gilpin observer., 1899-07-13
CHAPTER XVII.
The Island of Alphonso,

ure at first; but ere long we became
convinced that the island was totally
| destitute of human inhabitants.
Not vestige of wigwam or hut, Of
road or path, not even of the smallest
track or trail (save such as the wild
goats made) was visible anywhere, and
thus we became impressed with new
emotions Of wonder and awe, in tread
ing soil where man lived not-where
no human foot seemed to have rod
and where only the hum of insect life
stirred the solitude of that wild island
of the South Atlantic.
For a considerable distance we
traversed fiat ground that was covered
with sedge grass, interspersed by
shrubs of bright green. Beyond this
level plain rose a series of ridges COW
cred by trees, and those ridges formed
the first slope Of the great mountain,
which was some thousand feet in
height, and also of the great bluff we
had first deserted at sea.
| We found Alphonso to be the largest
OF group of three islands. 1t is a
mass of rock nearly twelve miles in
| circumference. The other two are
cavernous and inaccessible, and every
approach to them is dangerous and diff
ficult, in consequence Of the foaming
of the sea about them, SO that during
the weary days OF our sojourn there
we made no attempt to explore them,
lest the longboat. in our circumstances
priceless property-might be swamp
ed or dashed to pieces.
Hiqlop IN
| somewhere that in the month of
March, 1506-the same year in which
the great Columbus died-two adyen-
turers of Spain or Portugal, named
Tristan da Cunha and Alphonso de
Albuquerque, sailed for the Indies on a
voyage of discovery, with fourteen
great caravels.
During this expedition they found
three great islands, which they named
after Tristan da Cunha, and elsewhere
three others. which were named from
Alphonso, who, after their fleet had
been scattered by a great tempest, sail
ed through the Mozambique channel.
He discovered many sea isles and
channels hitherto unknown to the Por-
tuguese or Spaniards, and ultimately
reacned the Indies. of which he be-
came viceroy for Ferdinand the Catho-
lie. and died in 1915. holding that
office.
1t Is very strange that since that
remote period no European country
has turned these islands to any ac-
count. as they do not lie more than
dfty leagues from the general track
Of the shipping bound for the coast of
Coromandel or the Chinese seas, and
In time of war would form a useful
and important rendezvous for a fleet.
They lie exactly in that portion of
the wide and mighty ocean where
It was tabled and believed a great con-
tinent would yet be found.
The three isles of Tristan da Cunha.
which lie some hundred miles distant.
have now mixed population of Eng
lish, Portuguese and mulattoes: and n
strong garrison was maintained there
during the captivity of the Emperor
Napoleon at st. Helena.
Being thus cast away upon a shore
SO far from the general track of ships
we resolved to make preparations for
probable residence of some time-to
build hut wherein to store our pro-
Visions, and to use every means for
adding to our stock, by angling in the
creeks, which seemed to abound with
fish. and by hunting in the woods,
which teemed with goats and boars
running wild; by collecting birds eggs,
as the cliffs seemed to be literally alive
with petrels, albatrosses and sea-hens;
and all these exertions were the more
necessary, as none could foresee the
probable length Of our sojourn there.
A ship might heave in sight tomor-
row; but year might pass before one
came near enough to be attracted by
our signs.
We resolved to have a signal-post
erected on the mountain top, a beacon
FIRE prepared, and amid these and
many other deliberations the night
closed in and found us tolerably con-
tented with our island, and even dis
posed to be merry over misfortunes
that We could not control.
But considerable speculation was ex-
cited when Billy wilkins, the cabin
boy. who had been in pursuit of n
little kid along the beach, returned to
us. dragging after him n long spar
which he had found among the layer
Of shingles, bright shells and dusky
weeds deposited by the sea; and on ex-
animation this spar proved to be one
of the lower studding-sail booms of the
Eugene. and the same which had part
ed from the brig on the eventful
evening Of the punishment! al
1T is our own property" said Billy,
"and may be useful when we have
fre to light"
boy Bill. we have n better use for
It than burning" said Tattooed Tom
"'tls the mast for our signal-post, al
ready made to hand. and we'll step It
on the hilltop tomorrow"