The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-06-07

struck on q reef. "
The masts fell Sess
and smashed some of the small boats.
and there was a panic on board.
Fortunately all escaped in the
boats that remained whole, but many
were only partly dressed and some not
at ALL After terrible experience In
heavy gale, lasting for almost whole
day, We reached the shore Of one OF
the deserted islands the following aft
ernoon and after battle with the
heavy sea, managed to drag our bodies
mp on to the land.
Naked and wounded, for what
clothes We had had been ripped OF,
our bodies torn and bruised by being
battered around, We looked like a band
OF phantoms marching on to the con-
quest Of some Internal island.
Almost starved, We lighted big
fire with flint and attracted some sea-
birds which We captured and ate. Max
ing clothes for ourselves out OF long
grass and leaves, We started out to ex-
plore the island. After a search that
lasted three days, some OF our party
discovered a rude shelter. showing
that shipwrecked people had been
there at some time before.
ION the following days we killed.
with rocks, a number OF albatross and
caught a quantity of shellfsh. on
which we subsisted. Also, We captur-
ed a small seacow, which proved TO
be decent eating.
"As a chance OF making our condi-
ton known, We caught three albatross
alive and set them free with bark
cards tied around their necks, stating
our plight in French and English. But
day after day passed and help failed
20 come.
I'VE resolved TO make the best OF
our condition. because We feared-and
rightly so-that We might be left on
the island for months, even years, be-
fore We could In some way or other
attract the attention OF passing ves-
Sci. The vessels. We knew, gave the
particular island We were on q very
wide berth.
80 We got up little government
all OF our own and called ourselves the
.Ship-wrecked Kingdom We had a
sort Of king, or boss, cabinet Of ad.
visors and all that sort of thing. Our
'army'-or exploration party-was dis
patched into the interior Of the island
and the army, consisting Of eight
men, discovered some wild sheep.
ION May z, after We had been on
the Island Kingdom for over three
months, the New Zealand government
steamer Hinomoa rescued US. This
vessel had on board the two daughters
OF Mr.. Mills, the New Zealand Minis
ter Of Commerce, who superintended
most Of the work OF helping US back
20 our natural civilized state and, as
a token Of our gratitude, We gave them
the cat that had been saved from the
wreck OF the Anjou and that had gone
through all our troubles with US as
mascot OF our little Kingdom"
At the end OF the captains report.
there Is the simple statement that ten
large vessels before the Anjou had
been wrecked at the same spot during
fifteen years, among them the Gen.
eral Grant with a loss Of seventy-five
lives.
And there are scores OF true tales
like this that have never come to the
eyes OF the great reading world, actual
romances and dramas Of the deep that
rival the attempts Of fiction.
The Voyage Of the Kerosene-Laden
"Thornllebank."
A ships fight against a storm, made
more exciting by the fact that some
dynamite happens to be included in
the cargo, Is one Of the favorite and
stock devices Of the sea-fiction writer's.
What would you think OF a story
concerning a leaking clipper ship. with
eighty-six thousand cases OF kerosene
and benzine aboard, that went through
wrecking storms, that was on the point
OF being smashed TO pieces every 9th.
er minute, and that was finally brought
TO port eight thousand miles away!
She was saved only through the sleep
less efforts of her starved crew, who
Tor two and one-half months guarded
the shifting cargo against explosions
aight and day.
The clipper Thornliebank, OF Glas-
cow, Captain Smith, left Philadelphia
bound for Wellington, New Zealand.
July 1, 1908. It carried a cargo of
Sghty-six thousand cases Of benzine