Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-08-09

Vi x hll III lLLp dN4uC ONGdL4s = -ls -
little south OF the regular sailing route
between Honolulu and Yokohama
Now and then It 10 sighted by steamer
or sailing vessel making the passage.
but the great majority pass 1t by 200
miles to the north. Ths traders call
there occasionally for water or fuel
but as tAe.e are 30 inhabitants there
can be 10 uHs.a. 1t Ii al Island three
miles long b. opS and a half broad,
and X was thrown 10 the surface by an
earthquake There 10 but one spot
where e landing can be made even in
the calmest weather, as II. shores are
rocky and rise 10 a height Of from 30
to leo feet AIuch ot the Island Is
wooded. asd bow ldsrs lie about every
where, and it Is probably oHe OF the
loneliest spots In the universe. For
some reason which no one can explain
no birds are ever found there. nor is
there any animal life. The only living
things are land crabs. and they are OF
such size and 6ercensss that traders
have had to zee before them.
In the year 1851 the bark Restless
sailed out Of san Francisco on "A voy-
age to Japan and China. She hai just
been purchased by man named Rob
eTt Westail who was little known. but
had suddenly made q lot Of money. and
the cargo was Hlso ns3=tiy hia. lie
went with his ship, and fate befell
him which read. stranger than fiction
of the sea. lie was a landsman, know
Ing nothing OF ships and sailors, and it
transpired that the captain he selected
was q thoroughly bad man. while the
mate was little better. 1t was proba-
bly, the captains idea from the outset
to get possession OF the ship, but West
alrs suspicious were not aroused until
after they had called at Honolulu and
resumed the voyage. Then he over
heard observations among the crew
which alarmed him. and he went to
the captain with his statements. He
was told without any beating around
the bush that the bark was to change
hands. He was to be marOoned on
Wakes island, and she was to pursue
her voyage as captain and crew decid-
ed. 1t was one man against Is, and
of course he was helpless. Neither
threats nor promises had the slightest
effect, and when he stormed he was
cautioned TO hold his temper or he
would lie set afloat In a small boat TO
perish OF thirst and starvation. When
the island wGs finally reached. West
all was ordered into a boat to be roYed
ashore. Not n pound OF provisions or
an extra article OF clothing was to go
with him. He was not even to have
the means Of kindling q fire. Rendered
desperate by the situation, he made
fight for II. but was soon knocked
senseless by the blow OF cGpstan bar,
and while IN that condition Was rowed
ashore and dumped on the beach. When
he recovered consciousness, the Rest
less was sailing away ard was already
miles distant.
Jules Verne has told how "a sailor
cast away on desert island almost
naked managed to live almost luxu-
riously and provide for his every want.
The difference between imagination
and reality was exemplified In West
all's case. he tried for days and days
to produce fire by rubbing dry sticks
together, but he never succeeded. lie
constructed hut IN the woods, but his
food consisted OF shellfsh, roots and
Wild fruits, and there was no way to
replace his clothing. He soon found
fresh water, and he also made the dis
covery that the spot seemed accursed
OF all living things except the land
crabs. AS a 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 his only way Of escaping them
was TO climb tree. He built plat
form among the limbs ten feet from
the earth, and every night during his
long stay he resortetf4o it About once
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
passed over rock and soil was almost
ieafening and gave him great scare.
While the man speedily recovered from
the blow on the head given him on
shipboard, his lonely situation soon
began to tell on his mind. One day,
at the end of three months, he found
that he had forgotten his own name.
1t was two hours before 1t came to
him, and then, fearful that it might
go out of his mind for good, he carved
his initials on the bark of a tree with |
a sharp stone. After making the cir
cult of the island three or four times
he settled down near the landing place, |
and every day for weeks and months
and years he hoped that some trader
would put in or some ship send in her
boat. Traders did call on three or four
occasions. but he missed them. Once
he was asleep in the tree top; again !
he was Ill. On a third occasion the |
crabs were out In such numbers that !
the trader grew afraid and put of an
soon as he had touched.
You will wonder how man could |
have lived for n month as Westall lived !
for three years. For eight months |
there was a species of wild fruit some
thing like a plum. Now and then a
fish was left by the tide for him to cap
INT he had to eat them raw. |
rsters and mussels and |
T.. , the rocks, but after !
hardly force himself |
to ...,--.-.. IS. IN. In six months his |
boots We're some and his clothing was in |
tatters. and as the days dragged away !
the man had ii on his mind that his |
memory was failing him. When a |
year had gone by, he could 10 longer
recall his identity. The initials on the |
ut, stool for dozen different names |
to him Six months later he was little |
better than a wild beast During his |
second yla!, had he thought to erect |
some sort OF signal at the landing |
place-some such signal as a sailor /!
would have made-he would probably |
have been rescued, as two or three |
traders came in for water, but he did !
not even heap up stones or set up a |
bush to attract attention. He had ex- |
listed on the island three years and |
two wppES whom tbn Amnricau vvbo1 i