Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1900-04-21
CEAPTER XXNII.

cohfihctn that the isihnn was totally
destitute OF human Inhabitants.
Not yestise of wigwam or hut, CT |
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 aud awe, in tread
ing a 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
CT the South Atlantic.
For a considerable distance we
irayersed fiat ground that was covered
with sedge grass, interpreted 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 frat deserted at sea.
We found Alphonso to be the largest
OF a group OF three Islands. II is a
mass Of rock nearly twelve miles in
circumference. The other two are
cayernous and inaccessible, aud every
approach to them Is dangerous and diff
fcult, 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
a priceless property be swamp
ed or dashed TO pieces.
/ Hislop informed me tkat he had read
somewhere that in the month OF
March l5OG-the same year in which
the great Columbus died-two adyen-
turers Of Spain or Portugal. named
I Tristan da Cunha and Alphonso de
/ Albuquerque. sailed for the Indies on a
voyage Of discovery, with fourteen
great carayels.
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 feet had
] been scattered by great tempest, sail
cd through the Mozambique channel
He discovered many sea isles and
channels hitherto unknown to the Por-
trguese or Spaniards, and ultimately
reached the Indies, OF which he be-
came yiceroy for Ferdinand the Catho-
lie, and died in 1915, holding that
ONCE.
II 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
fifty 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 useful
and important rendezvous Tor a fleet.
They lie exactly in that portion OF
the wide aud mighty ocean where
II 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 n mixed population Of Eng
fish, Portuguese and mulattoes; and a
strong garrison was maintained there
during the captivity OF the Emperor
Napoleon at St. Helena.
Being thus cast away upon shore
so far from the general track of ships
we resolved TO make preparations fol
probable residence of some time-tC
build hut wherein to store our pro
visions, and to use every means fol
adding TO our stock, by angling In tn,
creeks, which seemed TO abound Will
fish aud by hunting in the woods
which teemed with goats and boar.
running wild; by collecting birds eggs
as the cliffs seemed TO be literally aliv,
with petrels. albatrosses and sea-hens
and all these exertions were the NOR,
necessary, as none could foresee tn,
probable length OF our sojourn there
A ship might heave In sight tomor
row; but year might pass before on
came near enough to be attracted b.
our signs.
We resolved TO have signal-pos
erected on the mountain top beacon
fire prepared and amid these an
many other deliberations the nigh
closed in and found us tolerably con
tented with our island and even dis
posed to be merry over misfortune
that we could not control.
But cNnsluefaNte speculation WAS e1
cited when Billy wilkins. the cabi
boy. who had been IN pursuit of
little Kid along the beach, returned {
us. dragging after him long spa
which he had found among the laye
OF shingles. bright shells and dusk
weeds deposited by the sea: and on ex
amina.ion this spar proved to be on
OF the lower studding-sail booms of tn
Eugenie, and the same which had part
ed from the hrg On the eventfr
evening OF the punishment
at is our own property" said Bill!
"and may he useful when we have
fire TO light"
"Boy Bill we have better use fo
Il than burning said Tattooed Tom
"'tis the mast for our signal-post, a
ready made to hand. and We'll step
on the hilltop tomorrow"
For that night We blvouacked undo
large tree, the name and genus
which were alike unknown to us. 4
times some were conversing, SON
slept, others lay waking and thinking
, with the murmur OF the shining sc