The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16

cut them into pieces that he might move
them, more guapowder and tools and a
great hogshead of bread, three large bar
rels Of rum. box of sugar and a barrel
of fine flour.
He learned now what enormous labors
a single human being can accomplish
when he is fighting for existence Indeed,
he believed verify that in time he could
bring away the whole ship. piece by piece.
but after the twelfth trip, when he car
ried off some 40 pounds in coin, not with
out a sad smile at the vanity of money
in a desert island, the wind rose and
blew hard all day and the next night.
When daylight came the shipfwas gone.
All this time he was in deadly fear of
savages He gave himself little time for
rest, but set to work at once to make a
little fortified home
He found a steep hill with tiny plain
in front of 1t. Here he pitched his tent.
Then he drew semi-circle of about 20
yards in front of the place and drove
In two rows of great stakes about five
and one-half feet long and sharpened at
the top This work cost him incredible
idDoif Dub at last iiC iibo :" 'SAi~O ~
strong that neither man or beast posi-
bly, could get over it. He made no door,
but entered and left his palisade with
ladder that he drew after him.
over his small tent he pitched a larger
one and covered all with a tarpaulin for
protection against the violent rains which
he knew would come with the rainy sea-
son. As soon as he felt secure, he began
to burrow into the hillside behind the
tent till he had cave in which he could
store his powder, which had given him
deep concern till then, lest it be ex-
ploded by lightning. To make it quite
safe he divided it into small parcels till
he had it storeo away in almost hun
dred separate packages.
As soon as he had no need to work so
desperately any more dismal thoughts
overcame him again. He cried many
times to think that he was doomed to
end his life in a desolate place without
the sight of another human being, and
he expostulated with Providence for rem
dering it's creatures so absolutely mis-
erable But then, for the first time In
his life, he began to have glmmering
Of gratitude to the Creator. for 1t came
to him that though he was desolate he
had been saved from the death that
found all his shipmates When he re-
hected further he was Mortified at the
fate that would have been his had the
ship not come so near shore.
His reason began to master his despond-
ency He learned that man cannot be SO
miserable that ne cannot find something
to comfort him and make him grateful
that he is not stif more wretched.
With fresh courage he turned TO work
His first task was to keep reckoning
of days. On large post he cut the In
scrption Il came on shore here on thu
30th OF. December, 1853" Every day ne
cut notch below this, with a longer
notch for Sundays and still Longer
| notch for the first day of each month
| He had pens, ink and paper, and Kept
, journal while they lasted, but when the
| ink ran out he could not devise a way
/ to make more, try as he might
| Although he had saved so much IRON
| the wreck, he lacked pick, spade ano
| shovel and had to make them from IRON
| wood which grew on the island Thest
| tools wore out fast, despite the exceed
| ing hardness of the wood and IL was
nearly a whole year before he/had mn
| ished his little habitation.
| In time, however. he completed II
When It was done his cave was burrowe'
almost through the HILL and containe'