The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-04-27

" pertoh isianu' GUMS puch
a.. .Oxa few weeks ago 10 San
&&MXxN& Francisco and civilization
on the steamer Peru. For
fourteen months he lived oil alone on
the barren rock, his only companion
during that time being dog, besides
dozen chickens, the myriads of sea
fowl and the big crabs that make their
habitation on the fat island. Except
for q rather fierce mustache and a cow
boy hat Carlsen looked like anything
but an exile as he stood on the Peru's
deck.
Carlsen took the position of lone
watchman on Clipperton Island from
the Pacific Islands Company, which
has q concession for the rock and its
guano deposits. On February the
schooner Una called at Clipperton, and
Carlson, accompanied by his dog, en-
barked for Champerico, where he
caught the Peru and came directly TO
San Francisco.
II knew what TO expect when went
to Clipperton," said Carlsen. "The
men who had been there as keepers be-
fore me had always had companions.
! was the first TO volunteer TO stay
there alone. Time passed slowly, but
l busted myself in working here and
there, and l read and wrote q great
deal. My dog was companionable, and
grew so attached to my chickens that
not one of them served me for meal.
II saw only one vessel in the four
teen months, and that was the British
war-ship Shearwater. Shepassed close
10 the island and boat was lowered.
hailed from the reef, but the boat did
not come in. When the Una picked me
up was getting tired of the job. Three
men are now on the island TO keep each
other company. My health was i'm
proved by the experience.
"At first l busted myself making re-
pairs to the buildings and implements
that were under my charge, and in my
| brief hours of leisure made friends
with my dog and chickens. The crow
| of the roosters and the bark of the dog
were the only sounds that broke the
stiffness Of the long months, except for
the strange sound of shouting of men
one day last December, when boats
crew from the British cruiser ap-
preached close to the shore while their
vessel was at anchor near by.
"The island is about 700 miles Off the
Central American shore. and the coast.
Ing steamers never pass within sight
of it. All over the island, which is only
about ten feet above the surface of the
sea, tho sands of crabs are always
crawling but they are harmless. The
sea birds were so tame that l could
pick them up from their nests, and
was careful TO maintain a close friend
ship with them. The birds eggs, with
the canned provisions that had beer
left for me, together with the sea air
made me healthier man than ever be
fore, though l was robust sailor be
fore went there.
"Would 1 return to solitude of the
Island again? Yes, I would not mind
going back. One gets used to the soil
tude and comes to look upon his ami
NAL friends as though they were al
most human. Occasionally l woult
yearn for the presence of human
companion, but that feeling would sooI
pass away. Since I havo returned
feel out of place in the noise and bus
tie Of civilization.
"Why some men select the existence
Of a hermit l can now understand
There is certainly fascination abou
a hermit life. There is calm and al
absence of worry that makes one dis
like taking up the cares of life amoni
his fellow-men again. AS TO the AMI
mails with which was surrounded,
came TO understand them, and they M
peared to understand me so well tha
we were like companions. They a.
most seemed to know what l was say
Ing when I would talk TO them, and
learned that each had a language of It
own by which he made himself know
to his fellows.
II believe that one spending his llf
as I have spent the past fourtee
months would live to an enormous ag'
The absence of care, the healthy SUI
roundings and the prohibition of a
forms of dissipation ought to keep
man perennially young New Yor
World.