Evening journal., 1901-07-22
ANsOCEAN CEMETERY.
THE MOST DEADLY TRAP FOR SHIPS
IN ALL THE WORLD.

with wood In Plenty.
Far ont in the Atlantic ocean, Off the
northern French coast. almost due west
from Brest. lies a great rocky island
that is one of the most deadly traps
for ships in all the world. IL is the
island of Quessant. the notorious lie
dc rEpouvante, the island OF terror.
Bare, without a tree to break its mo-
notonysit lies in the path of the ships |
seeking the English channel. If they |
steer too far north, the hundred shoals |
and reefs of the British coast open |
their jaws for them. If they sail too |
far south. Quessant reaches for their
| bones.
Bleak and far away from any other |
land az the island OF terror is, It still |
has it's population. What mysterious
thing Is It which attracts that popula-
ton and makes it cling? The infre-
quent visitor sees funny flocls of little
sheep, scarcely twice as large as hares.
He secs small herds OF rough coated
ponies almost as tiny as tine sheep.
These are the only signs of productive
industry TO be seen. There is fishing,
Of course, but fishing can be prosecut-
ed better from the mainland, with less
risk and a more convenient market.
What is the mysterious attraction.
then? SO asked Alexander Shuettc, the
traveller. when he made his way from
the coast OF Brittany TO Quessant The
answer came, at least in part, one even
ing when n great storm swept in from
the Atlantic and beat at the shores
} with unexampled fury.
He says: "The daughter of my host
ess led me up the narrow staircase 20
, my room. AS l asconded | noticed,
! without remarlSing the oddity Of 1t at
3 the time, that the staircase was OF
= shining oak. was ushered into my
room. large. low chamber complete
ly paneled from top to bottom. Put
ting the lamp ON huge oak table that
q shone like mirror. she said:
b "If you should need more flrewood.
n monsieur. you win find It In the next
j. room. Do not spare it. 1t is bitter
G cold, and there win be more than
( enough frewood in Quessant in two or
q three days. Good night
r Il sat down before the blazing fire
G and prepared for cozy evening. The
o storm ragged in the narrow streets OF
the little village. The surges thunder
n ed against the granite breast Of the
o coast like endless artillery fire, and
2 sometimes / imagined that the very
d island trembled under the onslaught
J. Of the hundreds Of millions Of tons OF
r water.
e "As l sat listening 1 gazed into the
70 flames. The wood struck me as strange.
70 And then wondered. On the entire
It island there is not a single tree, and
yet l had been told not TO spare fire
wood. There win be more than enough
in two OF three days
"a 81 arose and opened the door into tho
r next room. That room was possibly
er 20 feet high and was filled almost &c
e. the top with timber. First with won
10 der, then with growing awe, gazed
20 at the piles of wood. Truly she was
Oh right, the little maid, when she said
that one need not be economical with
IN arewood on the island Of Quessant
Y There were timbers of every shape
ee spllntered masts and spars, plank:
from decks and sides, remnants Of &
steering Wheel benches from the fore
ur castle. yellow, black, brown, white anS
red woods. even two figureheads, som'
bright, as If they were new, some crust
ed with shells and hung with seaweeds
In the entire room there was not
N piece of wood that did not come iron
he some wrecked ship.
m when 1 returned to my room, tool
lit the lamp and examined the place close
re ly. / noticed a strange, delicate, We
ay very insistent ragrance-sandalwo
OF Thick wooden pillars supported tn
er. ceiling. They were Of n beautiful dul
he black-ebony, as / lived. The panel
Of were rosewood mahogany and cedar
ng Even an Impractical eye could see tha
he all these precious woods once had orna
les mented the cabins OF noble ships Tn
heavy carved chairs. the polished oake
table, even the bed in which / was {
ed sleep, all came from shlpwrecks.
rn. "Now | understood the meaning q
,ts' the words stand rights In favor q
IAN this island far away from the worl
in and murdsrous for the ships that Il
md the world together. .Hlolus, with hi
tbol bride Of the winds. Is more fruitfl
as thau Is Seies u 'ne ii"ini.inus' VII
rth her harvest ,nooil anu ilsr dressings
Toe fruit. The blessings of Quessant com
nm from the gale.
1.-THE forests Of Quessantl Are theI
such others in the entire world, S
FRS. unique. so terrible? This forest, instea
gen Of trees. has the mighty masts of ship
non In that tremendous forest are the oah
tier and pines Of Canada and Maine. II
sh- cypress of Florida, the baobabs {
Her Africa. the teak Of Hindustan, II
She ebony and sandalwood of South Anne
in lea. The awful forests of QuessaI
,all form the visible apex of vast cem
terry that stretches from New York I
Cape La Hague"