Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-09-21
AN OCEAN CEMETERY.
THE MOST DEADLY TRAP FOR SHIPS
IN ALL THE WORLD.

Bare, Bleak and TrceIcss Qucsshnt,
the Notorious Island of Terror, and
the Awful Forests That supply II
with wood In Plenty.
northern French coast, almost due west
from BrcSt, lies II great rocky island
that is one of the most deadly traps
for ships in all the world. 1t is the
island of Qucssant, the notorious lie
de rEpouvantc, the island OF terror.
Bare without tree to break its mo
notony 1t 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, Qucssant reaches for their
bones
Bleak and far away from any other
land rs the island OF terror is, it still
has its population. What mysterious
thing is it which attracts that popula-
ton and makes it cling? The infrr-
Quent visitor sees funny flocks of little
sheep, scarcely twice aS large aS harcS.
He sees small herds Of rough coated
ponies almost as tiny as the sheep.
These are the only signs of productive
industry TO be seen. There is fishing.
Of course, but fishing can be proSccut-
ed better from the mainland, with less
risk and more convenient market.
What is the mysterious attraction,
then? SO asked Alexander Shucttc the
traveller. when he made his way from
the coast of Brittany to QucSSant. The
answer came ut least in part, one even
ing when a great storm swept in from
the Atlantic and beat at the shores
with uucXamplcd fury.
He says: The daughter of my host
eSs led me up the narrow staircase to
my room. AS | aScendcd | noticed.
without rcmarking the oddity of it at
the time. that the staircase was Of
shining oak. | was uShcrcd into my
room, a large, low chamber. complete
ly panclcd from top to bottom. Put
ting the lamp on a huge oak table that
Shonc like a mirror, she said:
eff YOU should need more firrwood,
monsieur. you will find it in the next
room. DO not spare it. 1t is bitter
cold, and thcr" will b" more than
enough lirrWood in Qucssant in two or
three days. Good night
Il sat down before the blazing fire
and prepared for Il cozy evening. The
storm ragged in the narrow streets Of
the little village. The SurgrS thunder
ed against the granite breast of the
coast like endless artillery fire, and
sometimes | imagined that the very
island trcmblcd under the onslaught
OF the hundreds OF millions of tons Of
water.
"As | sat listening | gaZcd into the
flames. The wood struck me as strange.
And then | wondered. on the entire
island there Is not a SinGl" tree, and
yet had been told not to spare fire
wood. There will be more than enough
in two or three days
Il arose and opened the door into the
next room. That room was possibly
20 feet high and was filled almost to
the top with timber. First with won
der, then with growing awe, | gaZcd
at the piles of wood Truly she was
right, the little maid, when she said
that one need not be economical with
1irewood on the island of QucSSant
There were timbcrs OF every shape
Splinicrcd maStS and SparS, plankS
from decks and sides, remnants of II
steering wheel, benches from the fore
castle, yellow, black brown, white and
red woods, even two figurehcads, some
bright, aS If they were new, some crust
ed with shells and hung with scaw"cds
In the entire room there was not a
piece of wood that did not come from
some wrecked ship.
when | returned to my room, took
the lamp and examined the place close
ly. | noticed strange, delicate, yet
very inSiStcnt fragrance e--SandalwOod
Thick wooden pillars supported the
ceiling. They were of beautiful dull
black ebony, as | lived. The panels
were rosewood, mahogany and cedar.
Even an Impractical eye could see that
all these precious woods once had orna-
mentrd the cabins of noble ships. The
heavy carved chairs, the polished oakcn
table, even the bed in which | was to
sleep, all came from shipwreckS.
"NCw | understood the meaning of
the words stand rights In favor Of
this island, far away from the world
and murderouS for the ships that tie
the world together, Holus. with his
bride of tn" winds, Is more fruitful
than Is Ceres to the mainands, with
her harvest moon and her blessings of
fruit. The blessings OF QucsSnnt come
from the gale.
"Thc forests of QuCSsant, Are there
such others in the entire world. so
unique, so terrible? This forest, instead
OF trees, has the mighty maSts of ships.
In that tremendous forest are the oaks
and pines of Canada and Maine, the
cypress of Florida, the baObabs of
Africa, the teak Of IIlnduStan. the
ebony and SandalwOOd of South Amer
lea. Th" awful forests Of Qurssnnt
form the visible apex Of vast crmr-
terry that stretches from New York to
Cape La Hague"
Before the FOOtlIHhts.