The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-22
MEN WHO LIVE IN SOLITUDE
ON LONELY ISLETS, ON PLAN
 TATIONS,

ADOut WhO Have balieu Unuer tne ThraiI of soIifude-An Ocean Island Hermit--The Solitary Life of Jamaica "A New York Case. ... Ever since Robinson Crusoe" was written the eastaway on desert island has been favorite character in fiction. Novelist after novelist has told how the man on the morning after the wreck put up a tall pole on the seashore and tied his shirt to it in order to attract the notice of passing ships. For months or years he lived upon the is- land, utterly miserable because he was isolated from his kind, and when at last the long -Iooked-for sail rose above the horizon he went neorly mad with joy.
 While sticking to facts, the novelist might very easily show another kind of Robinson Crusoe one who grew to love his island solitude and hated the idea of leaving it and mixing with his fel- low men again.
 Everybody who has traveleda in out of-the-way places knows that solitude has wonderful fascination over al most all men after they have experi- enced 1t for some little time and got over it's strangeness. There are thou- sands of men in various partsiof the world who live lives as solitarysas that of Robinson Crusoe, simply because they prefer such an existence toithe so- ciety of their fellows.
 The captain of a West Indian banana steamer tells curious story of an ad- venture which happened to him when he was the first mate of a British tramp.
 On voyage from Cape Town to Well 1ington, New Zealand, his vessel passed close to coral islet Looking through his telescope, he saw a white man, clothed in rags, standing on the beach. Knowing the place to be a desert island, the captain concluded that the man was castaway and sent boat ashore under command of the first mate torres eue him.
 As soon as he saw the boat leaves the ships side the man ran away intoi the jungle which covered most of the islet. Thinking he was mad, the boats crew searched for half an hour until they found him concealed beneath some bushes.
 Come along, my man." said tthe mate, gently and soothingly. Why did you run away? We want to take you home"
 T do not wish to go,'' replied the man in an educated, refined voice. II shall not go unless I am carried. came here ten years ago because wished to be alone and quiet. have everything I wish for, thank you, except solitude at this present moment. Pardon me If I seem inhospitable, but will you be good enough to take what you want and go away? may explain that the chaving for solitude is almost a mono- mania with me. ,
 "But why on earth did you run away?" asked the mate, in amazemenf. s'I'm sure we don't want to take you if you don't want to come.
 You are more considerate than most people, then was the reply. Several ships have stopped here during the last ten years, and usually the captains seemed inclined to take me away by force. They thought me mad, which ! am not. I only escaped from them last time by hiding
 Gan We do anything for you? Pro- visions? Tools? Books?" the mate asked
 The man smiled.
 You are vedy kind,' he said, s'but I have all I require. have head all the books wish to read. I have not opened book since left Oxford, elev- en years ago.
 .But how do you pass the time?'' he was asked.
 Tn my leisure moments I usually write poetry. It would be very kind of you to give me some pens. ink and pa per. My last supply, secured from a German war ship which happened to call here, is almost exhausted"
 Writing materials were given him, and as they parted the mate asked:
 "Can take any message to your peo- pie at home? Things may have hap pened which would induce you to re- , turn"
 You are very sympathetic, but no hidden tragedy in my life has driven me to this place. was the answer. T am here simply because I prefer it ond | do not contemplate ever wishing to return
 A few weeks ago an American passed Sonbrero Island on a voyage from Trinidad to New York. It is a precip- itous rock on which the British govern 1nent maintains lighthouse and is the most northerly of the Caribbean is- lands.
 What a lonely spot for a lighthouse ' keeper!" exclaimed passenger. He must be a miserable man"
 Not at all,' said one of the ships officers. .He enjoys it. He's the only man on the island and he never cares to leave it.
 s'IIe's been there for years and abso- 1utely refuses to take wife or a mate to live with him. He is entitled to regu- lar holidays, but he won't take them.
 'The government, fearing that he will go mad, almost begs him to take a change now and then, but he always says he'd rather stay. Once he was persuoded to go to Anguilla for a months holiday.
 tAnguilla is a tiny island with about four thousand inhabitants, and you would think it the quietest place on earth. But in less. than week the 4,,.. 4Ar