The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-03-30
CHAPTER XNvfL
Tho Island 0f AIIhuuso.

Tho Island 0f AlIhouso
We bad some dread % 7nyage7, ana
being totally unarmrf we penetrated
inland with more atz.Dty than pleas
ure at nut. but ere long we became
convinced that the Island was totally
destitute OF human inhabitants.
Not a vcstlgo OF wlgvam or hut Of
road or path. not even Of the smallest
track or trail taavo such as the Wild
goats mndcl was visible anywhere. and
thus we became impressed with new
emotions u wonder and awe, In tread
INK soil whore man lived not whore
no human foot seemed to have trod
and whore only the hum Of insect life
stirred the solitude Of that wild island
OF the South Atlantic.
For considerable distance we
trGyorcd Fat ground that was covered
with Eodge 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 BLUM we
had frat deserted nj sea.
We found Alphonso to be tho largest
Of group OF three Islands. II IL a
mass Of rock nearly twelve miles In
circumference. The other two are
oayornOus and inaccessible. and every
approach 10 them ia dangerous and diff
noult, In consequence Of the fOamlng
OF the sea about them. 80 that during
the weary days OF our soiourn there
we made no attempt TO explore them,
lest the longboat 10 our circumstances
priceless property might be swamp
ed or dashed 10 pieces
Hislop Informed me that he had read |
somewhere that IN tho month OF |
March, i50G-the same year In which |
tho great Columbus died two adyen-
turors OF Spain or Portugal. named
Tristan da Cunha and Alphonso de
Albuquerque. sailed for the Indies on n
voyage OF discovery. with fourteen
great oarayols.
During this expedition they found
three great islands. which they named
after Tristan da Cunha. ana elsewhere
three others, which were named from
Alphonro. who, after their fleet had
been scattered by a great tempest. sail
"a Wroaeh the MosamOAque cNannaa |
lie discovered many sea isles and
channels hitherto unknown TO the Por-
tueuoso or Spanlarda, and ultimately
reached tho Indies, OF which he be-
came vlceroy for Ferdinand the Catho-
lie, and died In 1916. 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
nifty 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 fleet.
They lie exactly In that portion OF
the Wide and mighty ocean where
II was tabled and believed great con-
tinont would yet be found.
The three isles OF Tristan da Cunha
which lie some hundred mllos distant
have now a mixed population OF Eng.
lah. Portuguese and mulattoes. and n
strong garrison was maintained there
during the captivity Of the Emperor
Napoleon at ST. Helena.
Boing thus east away upon n shore
30 Tar from the general track of shlns
we resolved to make Preparations for
a probable residence of some tlme-to
build q hut wherein to store our pro.
visions, and 90 use every meana for
adding to our stock. 10y angling I'm the
creeks. which seemed to abound with
fsh, and by hunting IN the woods.
which toemed with goats and boara
running Wild; by collecting birds eggs.
as The cliffs seemed to be literally alive
with petrels, albatrosses and sea-hbns.
aud all these cxertlons were the more
necessary, as none could foresee the
probable length OF our sojourn there.
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 slgnal-post
erected ON the mountain top. a beacon
IRE prepared, and amid these and
many other deliberations tho night
closed In and found us tolorably CON
tented with our island. aud even dis.
posed 10 be merry over misfortunes
that we could not control.
But considerable speculation WAS OK
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 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 studdingsa sail hooms OF tho
Eugenio. and the same which had part
ed from the hrlr on the oventful
evening OF the punishment
1t ia our own property" said Billy,
land may be useful when we have a
IRE to light"
hoy BILL We have a better use for
II than burning said Tattooed Tom;
"'tis the mast FOR our slsnal-post. al
ready made TO hand. and Wen step II
on the hilltop tomorrow"
For that night We blyouacked under
n large tree, the name and gonus Of
which were alike unknown TO us. At
times some were convorsing, some