Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-05-30

"a AENH
The masts fell
and smashed some OF the small boats,
and there vas a panic on board
Fortunately all escaped in the
boats that remained whole. but many
we're only partly dressed and some not
at all. After a terrible experience In a
heavy gale. lasting for almost a whole
day, We reached the shore Of n OF
the deserted Islands the following ait
ernoon and. after a battle with the
heavy sea. managed to drag our bodies
up on to the land.
Naked and wounded. for what
clothes We had had been ripped on,
our bodies torn and bruised ~ being
battered around. we looked Ike a band
OF phantoms marching on to the con
quest Of some Internal island
Almost starved. We lighted a 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 shipvrecked people had been
there at some time before.
"On the following days We killed.
with rocks. a number OF albatross and
caught n quantity OF shellhsh, on
which We subsisted. Also. we captur.
ed a small seacow. which proved to
be decent eating.
AS A chance ot making our condi-
ton known. We caught three albatross
alive and set them free with bark
cards tied around their nacks. stating
WI plight in French and English. But
day after day passed md help failed
TO come.
We resolved 70 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 a passing yes
sci. The vessels. we knew, rave the
particular island We were on q very
vide berth.
so We got up a little government
all Of our own and called ourselves the
'Ship-wrecked Kingdom We had a
sort Of king. or boss, a cabinet Of af-
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.
"Ou May I, 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 superintendent
most OF the work Of helping Us back
TO our natural civilized state and. "a
a token Of u gratitude, we gave them
the cat that had been saved from the
wreck OF the Aniou 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 Aniou had
been wrecked at the same spot during
fifteen years, among them the Cen
eral Grant with n loss OF seventy-ive
lives.
And there are scores Of true tales
ike this that have never come to the
eyes OF the great reading world. actual
rumances and dramas Of the deep that
rival the attempts Of fiction.
The Voyage Of the kerosene-Usden
"ThorrIfebsnk"
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
.t1ck devices OF the sea-hction writer's.
What would you think Of a story
concerning a leaking clipper ship. with
e.ghty-six thousand cases OF kerosene
Ind benzine aboard. that went through
wrecking storms. that was on the point
Of being smashed 10 pieces every 9th.
er minute. and that was finally brought
10 port eight thousand miles away
Che was saved only through the Sleep
less efforts Of her starved crew. who
for two and one-haIf months guarded
the shifting cargo against explosions
night and day.
The clipper Thornliebank. OF Glas-
cow. Captain Smith. left Philadelphia
bound for Wellington, New Zealand.
July 1. 1903. Il carried a cargo OF
eighty-six thousand cases Of beuziue