Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-09
NO MONEY THERE.
An Is.nnd where They Couldn't Use
IL IL they Had L..

An Is.und where They COuldnf Use
IL IL They Had Ii.
A visit TO Tristan dAcunha Is an
event that comes within the experience
of few. Not many seafaring men have
ever seen the Island. for, lying as 1t
does midway between Cape Horn and
the Cape Of Good Hope, In the very
center of the south Atlantic ocean, 1t
is out OF the track Of vessels. More
over. thick atmosphere usually in
vests ii, and vessels are more likely
than not to pass 1t unperceived. 1t Is
now some years since | visited It, but
the impression ii made upon me Is one
of the most vivid recollections Of my
life. We had been six weeks at sea
without d sight of land and were many
miles out of our course when at day.
break, some forty miles ahead, we saw
the dark cone of the island resting like
a cloud upon the horizon, with its
white peak suffused with gold caught
from the morning sun. Drawing near
er, its detail grew clearer, and we OBJ
served that the mountain. nearly 5000
feet In height, stood upon a table land
itself rising to thousand feet
Some hours elapsed before we hove
to of the shore, and 1t was brave
sight to see the settlers come of In
their two whaleboats A tremendous
swell was beating up from the south
,sznnsttr and the small craft seemed ever
ap4anon lost In the trough Of the sea.
I'M men had hardly cared to come out
in Iuch weather, they told us, but they
had seen no ship for six months and
were greatly in want Of stores. They
were a well set up body Of men, some
twenty in all, and dressed, the greater
number, In blue dungaree and home
made shoes Of untanned skin. Their
governor, Joseph Beetham, Yorkshire
man. was of the type of the grand old
man." He had spent more than half
his life on the island and had no mind
to leave ii.
The boats brought us samples Of the
most acceptable things the place pro-
duced-a quantity Of bluefish, some
wild pigs and merino sheep, very di-
minutive and fed chiefly on grass and |
fish, wild geese, crayfish and potatoes.
We gave them in exchange -four, split
peas and oatmeal, biscuits, cocoa, cof-
fee and spirits. They had many curl
osities with them, too, the skins Of
birds and animals chiefly, and for
these we gave them old clothes and un-
derwear The one thing they would
not take was money. They had no use
for it, but cake Of scented soap or
packet of tobacco excited the keenest
competition. One of them hoped to find
a wife among the passengers and was
disappointed to learn that no one was
willing to share his isolation.
Since the time of my visit the in |
habitants have suffered many hard |
ships. Only a few years ago one Of
their whaleboats was overturned, and
a number of lives were lost Since
that time a British war vessel has |
made periodical visits, but, at best, life
on such a spot is an exile. The colony |!
has now petitioned for means to re-
move to South Africa, and its prayer |
can scarcely pass unheeded. 1t Is just |
century since the island was first
occupied by British troops, who re-
mained there only so long as 1t was
feared the place might be occupied by
the Dutch and employed to our disad-
vantage. Then it was abandoned. That
it has remained British since Is due to
the few who returned as settlers, and
It is these men and their descendants
who now ask to be relieved from what,
after all, can only be regarded as their
heightened period Of service.-Pall Mall
Gazette.