Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1900-03-29
VIII I'm - II.
The Island of Alphgnso.

NcL heaIt5c Oh WlgWdm OF nut, VI
road or path, not even OF the smallest
track or trail (save such as the wild
goats madel was visible anywhere, and
thus we became impressed with new
emotions of wonder aud awe, in tread
Ing soil where man lived not-where
no human foot seemed to have trOd
and where only the hum of insect life
stirred the solitude of that wild island
of the South Atlantic
For considerable distance we
trayersed 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 orr circumstances
priceless property be swamp
ed or dashed to pieces.
Hislop informed me that he had read
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 f2uri
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
ca through the Mozambique channel.
He discovered many sea isles and
channels hitherto unknown to the Por-
tuguese or Spaniards, and ultimately
reached 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 ar
count, as they do not lie more than
fifty leagues from the general track
of the shipping bound for the coast OF
Soromandel or the Chinese seas. and
In time of war would form useful
and important rendezvous for a feet.
They lie exactly in that portion OF
the wide and mighty ocean whers
1t was tabled and believed a great con-
tinent would yet be found.
The three isles Of Triss.n da Cunha,
which lie some hundred miles distant
have now mixed population of Eng
lish, Portuguese and mulattoes. and a
strong garrison was maintained there
during the captivity Of the Emperog
Napoleon at ST. Helena.
Being thus cast away upon shora
so far from the general track of ships
we resolved to make preparations foy
prsbshse Sesidsecs Of some time-to
huils . -. anefein to store our pro.
visions, ssh a Ece every means TO.
addiss ~ cur stock, ny angling in the
creeks. which seemed to abound with
nah, 7-9 Us haetios II the woods.
which teemed with goats and boars
running wild; by collecting birds eggz
as the clifIs seemed to be literally alive
with petrels, albatrosses and sea-hens:
and oil these sX9stSiE; we're the more
necessary, as none eoG!a ioresee the
probable length OF our sojourn there.
A ship might heaye IN sight tomor-
row; but year might pass before one
came near enough TO be attracted by
our signs.
We resolved - aays = 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 a
little kid along the beach, returned to
us, dragging after him a long spar
which he had found among the layer
of shingles, bright shells and dusky
weeds deposited by the SCI. 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!
1T is our own property" said Billy,
"1nd Ia nEEfI11 NJ no t4n baNa a
fire to light"
Boy BILL we have a better use for
1t than burning said Tattooed Tom;
tbs the mast for our signa1-post. al
ready made to hand, and We'll step II
on the hilltop tomorrow.
For that night We bivouacked under
a large tree. the name and genus of
which were alike unknown to us. At
times some were conyersing, some
slept, others lay waking and thinking,
with the murmur Of the shining sea
close by in their ears. and could see
the stars OF the Southern Cross shin
Ing with wonderful brilliance at the
verge of the watery horizon.
The novelty of our situation kept me
long awake, and with my Lead pillow
ed on a bundle Of dry seaweed, with
the sail Of the long boat spread over
us as an impTomptu tent and for pro-
lection from the dew, | lay in medita-
tion and full of melancholy thoughts
ere sleep came upon me, and with II
confused dreams Of the burning ship,
of my secluded home. and of