Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-10-01
PECULIAR HERMIT PEOPLE.
Isolated inhabitants of Tristan Da
Cunha's Rock.

Cunha's Rock.
Once a year, as a rule, news is re-
ceiyed of the fortunes of the inhabit-
ants of Tristan da Cunha, who are
among the most isolated people in the
world. Probably no civilized folk are
less in touch with the affairs of other
parts of the globe than this handful oil
white men and women, unless it be
the descendants of the Bounty mu-
tineers on the rock of Pitcairn in tne
Pacific.
The Tristan island is situated in the
south Atlantic, latitude 81 degrees
south, about midway between the
south end of South America and
Africa. 1t is out of the track of yes
sells, and if it were not that the British
government sends a warship now anu
then to see how it's wards are gettins
on, and TO minister to their needs, the
world would seldom hear from them
After the close of the last Nap0Ie-
onic war in 1876 the British govern,
ment thought it good strategy to
establish a garrison on this small vol
canic island. Its area is only forty
five square miles, little less thar
that of ST. Helena
1t was built up by lava at the south
ern end of the same submarine ridge
On which the island of Ascension
stands. For nine months in the year
it is exposed to severe storms of wind
and rain, and a more bleak and uain-
wiling place could scarcely be con
ceived.
few years after the garrison had
been planted on the island the British
people began to ask the reason why,
with the result that the soldiers were
withdrawn A few of them however
whose terms of enlistment had expired
decided to remain tn the forbidding
rock in spite of its sterility.
Its native vegetation is very sparse
and includes only one variety of stunt
ed trees and its highest point, a
rounded cone, rising from the plateau,
is covered with snow the year round
except in midsummer But these few
men conceived the idea that they
could make a living there, and, as
who were willing to marry them and
share their fortunes they erected their
family heartstones and set up on their
own hook.
The British government looks after
their descendants in a benevolent spir-
it, and on some occasions, when their
circumstances have been peculiarly
trying, the visits of the warships have
been very timely.
The ship that has recently returned
from Tristan da Cunha reports that
the last census shows a considerable
increase in population. Four years ago
there were only fifty inhabitants, but
they have now grown to siXty-seven
divided among seventeen families. All
of them except four were born on the
island.
Two of these immigrants are Ital.
ians and are the best educated persons
in the colony. No marriage has been
celebrated in the past three years, but
some of the children are approaching
maturity and the next compilation of
social statistics is expected to show
improvements in this particular.
The report says, rather naively, that
the inhabitants have become thorough
ly bronzed under the influence of the
summer sun, but still they may be con-
sidered as white folks. The men are
of large frame, but chunky built, and
are anything but handsome. The
women are more agreeable in appear
ance and have regular features, which
suggest the Semitic type. The chill
dren are clean, fat, well-behaved, well
cared for and particularly well-clad, a
gratifying statement which shows that
the garments brought to the islanders
have been advantageously utilized. At