The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-11

would SEC t6af wakes tslai1 j OH
Of do, 81 the Pacific ocean. lying
Etle south Of the regular sailing route
between Honolulu and Yokobama
Nov and then Il Is sighted by steamer
or sailing vessel making the passage.
out the great majority pass !; By 80
rlles 70 the aorth- The traders cal!
there occasionally for water or fuel
bat a. there are no inhabitants there
can be no trade 1t Is an island three
miles long b. enc and q haif broad,
and it was thrown 10 the surface b. an
earthquake There L but one spot
where q landing can BE- made even II
ne caimesr weather. as its shores are
rocky and rise 10 & height Of from 80
to 100 feet Much OF the island Is
wooded, and powders lie about every
where, and II Is probably one OF the
loneliest spots in the universe For
some reason which no one can explain
no birds are ever found there. nor S
there any animal life. The only living
things are land crabs, and they are OF
such size and fierceness that traders
have had to fee before them
In the year 1851 the bark Restless
sailed out Of San Francisco On q voy-
age 10 Japan and China She had just
been purchased By man named Rob
ert Westall. who was little known, but
had suddenly made lot OF money, and
the cargo was also mostly his He
went with his ship. and fate befell
him which reads stranger than fiction
OF the sea- He was landsman. know
Ing nothing of ships and sailors. and It
transpired that the captain he selected
was a thoroughly bad man, while the
mate was little better. II was proba-
bly, the captains idea from the outset
70 get possession Of the ship, but West
ais suspicious were not aroused until
after they had called at Honolulu and
resumed the voyage Then he over
beard observations among the crew
which alarmed him. and he went to
the> captain with his statements. he
vas told without any beating around
the bush that the bark was TO change
/ hands. He was 60 be marooned on
/ Wakes island, and she wns to pursue
! her voyage as captain and crew decid-
/ ed. Is was one man against 10. and
! of course he was helpless. Neither
threats nor promises had the slightest
effect, and when he stormed he was
cautioned 10 hold his temper or he
would be set afioat In small boat to
perish Of thirst and starvation. When
the island was finally reached. West
all was ordered into boat To be rowed
ashore. Not a pound of provisions or
an extra article Of clothing was 70 go
with him. He was not even 70 have
the means of kindling fire. Rendered
desperate by the situation. he made q
| fight for IL but was soon knocked
senseless by the blow OF capstan bar,
and while IN that condition was rowed
ashore and dumped on the beach. When
| he recovered consciousness the Rest
less was sailing away and was already
miles distant
Jules Verne has told how q sailor
cast away on desert island almost
naked managed to 1--we almost ltxur
| riously and provide for his every want
/ The difference between Imagination
and reality was exemplihed in West
aIrs case He tried for days and days
% produce fire by rubbing dry sticks
together. but be never succeeded He
constructed a hut In the woods. but his
food consisted of shellfish. roots and
( Wild fruits. and there was no way 10
replace his clothing. He soon found
fresh water. and he also made the dis
covery that the spot seemed accused
Of all living things except the land
crabs. As rule these loathsome crea-
lures did not bother him during day
| light but as soon as the sun went
down they swarmed over the whole
island. They were gigantic In size,
and lis only way OF escaping them
was 70 climb tree. He built plat
form among the limbs ten feet from
the earth. and every night during bis
long stay be reSorted TO IL About once
q month. generally at midday, the
crabs would swarm by the million and
| hold possession Of the island for two
or three hours At such times the
boise made by their claws as they
passed over rock and soil was almost
deafening and gave him great scare.
While the man speedily recovered from
the blow on the head given hl0 ON
shiphoard, his lonely situation Socn
began to tell on his mind oay DAY.
~ the end OF three months L. saGnd
that be had forgotten bis own name.
II was two hours before it came 10
him. and then. fearful thar 4 insight
so out OF his mind for good. * carved
bis Initials on the bark OF tys with
. shRrp stone. After. Inakinss TIE cir
cult Of the island three or four times
be settled down near the landing place.
and every day for weeks ana months
and years be hoped that some trader
would put In or some ship sena IA hel
boat. Traders did call on tlree ~ toGl
occasions. but he missed Shcts aaee
be was asleep In the tree ton asatu
be was III On q third OCCASION Tia
crabs were on, n such numbers that
tne trader grew afraid and put OF a
scen as be had touched
You WIN wonder hsw fnau cork
have lived for month Is wesaIl Xxx
for three yesrs- For Olga month,
there was a species OF wild Sast some
thing Ike plum Now and then /
fsh was left by the tide for him 10 cap
tire. but he had 10 eat them raw
There were oysters and mnsssls and