The Washington times., 1908-02-16
YANKEE ROBINSON CRUSOE
MAY BE FOUND BIZ FLEET
ON LONELY LITTLE ISLAND
One of Admiral Evans Ships to Attempt Rescue of Man
With Story to Rival De Foes Hero.

curious pl5toffoe in the world-a bar
rel stuck upon stake in nigh water
1t having been erected there by the
British warship Arl3hion IN the early
nineties
Mates Crew Saved.
CAPTAIN Petersen knew of the Isolated
pOsto1hce, and was aware that coca
sionally whalers visited it, and also
that a service beat from Ecuador paid
periodical calls. It was his purpose to
eudeavor to make a landing there. mail
a letter telling of his predicament. then
try to reach Albemarle.
The mate and his companions on he
island OF AlbeTlarle subsisted primo
pany on Wild cattle from May Is 20
June s. A fire vas kept burning on
Cape Woodruff as a beacon light, and
proved their salvation. 1t wss seen
one night by the cresz of the service
boat Cotopaxi, IRON Ecuador. which
put in TO ascertain the reason for it
The captain OF the Cotopaxi found the
mate and his crew dining comfortably
on turtle soup ans be sfsteak. He was
persuaded there was little hope that
the remaining Loats crew had survived,
SC put back TO the South American coast
with the rescued party.
In Guayaquil the mates story of an
abandoned vessel intact. with a profit
able cargo, excited the eupidity of the
Ecuadorian government. and the Colo
paxi was dispatched to search for tho
prize. On June y. just two Gays after
the mate had been landed and told
his story, the Alexandra was found
pounding on the rocks Of AIbemarle
Island a hopeless wreck.
Captain Found, JETS Missing.
Later the CotopaM put into Inde-
fatigable Island, attracted by a volume
! of smoke On high plateau, and her
captain. taking a searching party
ashore. found Captain Petersen and
eight men clustered around a bonfire.
They were in an emaciated condition
from long suffering in reaching &c
island, which they had only succeeded
| in doing a short time before the rescue.
| Their clothing hung TO their thin bod
les in tattered rags. and they presented
a weird spectacle on the lonely noun
! tainside
They told the captain OF The. Coto-
/ paxi that Jeffs. the only member Of the
/ ships company who was an American
/ had beer left on the beach on the other
| side of the island. too III and weak to
/ follow his companions inland, and that
/ there was little probability that he had
! survived. At all events. there is nc
| account of any rigid search having
| been made for him. These nine men
were landed at Guayaqun on Navem-
| Der u last.
The authentic data at hand regarding
| this particular island of the group is
very meagre. but It is not known that
/ It is inhabited, the accepted bel - be-
| ing that only the Island OF Chatham
+. where the Ecuadorian government
which owns the group. has established
/ a penal colony, is peOpled
Capt. T. L. Tanner. L.. S. n. who
| visited the islands twice in 1901 TO in
vestigate heir value TO the government
/ for eoaling purposes, reported that the
| interchangeable, on which Jeffs was aban-
I doned. is the most fertile and produc
! tive Of the group. It has an area oi
! 800 square miles, and tropical fruits
! giant turtles and birds in great varlets
| abound there.