The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-06-03
ON THE STARVATION ISLAND
ALLAN sWEENY TELLS STORY OF
sHIPWRECK AND FAMINE.
Scotch Sailor and Twelve Companions
Spent Four Months on Desert
Isle Within Six Miles of Food.


SAVANNAH. Ga.-Even wicked
old Tantalus in all never-ending mis-
cry was but a gay picnicker compared
with Allan Sweeney, who has just
landed in Savannah. And as for Rob
inson Crusoe-why, his little sojourn
on Nobody's isle was like summer
vacation.
Stranded for four months on Dis
appointment Island, almost in sight
of Provision Island! The cruelest
Fates have never conjured punish
ment more dire. The nomenclature
is near-Perdition itself. But the
long and lonely days, when old
Starvation was his chief companion,
did not rufie the sweet temper of
the hardy Scot, who is resting here
from sixty-five day voyage from
Buenos Ayres.
Scot? Yes, and with the touch of
the homeland in every move and
act. His name is Sweeney. He did
not fly into tantrum when the guile
less reporter asked him how old
Erin Jared in these troubulous days.
His home is Greenock, % miles soulh
of GLASGOW; rather, that was MS
home. Now there is no abiding
place for the rowing Scot; the world
is his home. The seas are his, and
the pillows of the mighty deep are
his only comfort. The music they
make is the song that is in his heart
always, and their never-ceasing MUIR
muir betokens the restless spirit that
impels his wanderings.
Stranded -Four Months.
Stranded four months within six
miles Of comfort, enduring privations
that bordered on starvation clothes
torn to tatters and subjected to the
biting winds that blew; living upon
the raw flesh of seals and the eggs OF
the native penguin; scanning with
strained eye the horizon the moment
old Soils kidly rays lit up the vast
hut hopeless expanse-this and more
was the lot that befell Allan Sweeney
when his ship was wrecked in The
South seas and he with twelve COM
Danions lived d horrible existence On
a desert island which bore that most
hopeless of names-Disappointment.
1--WE left Melbourne, Australia, on
the ship Dundonald," said Sweeney.
AFTER a twenty-five day calm and
fog We struck a rock. For a while
the old boat hung there with her DOW
in the air. Some of the crew tried
to save some of their belongings;
they were lost. Only thirteen of the
thirty-three made their way to the
rocky coast of Disappointment is
land.
II remember it so well; the cap
tain was standing on the poop deck
with his son, and along came big
wave and swept them both away. 1t
was in the twinkling of an eye
was down in the water struggling for
the rocks, and there stood the cap
tai, tall and strong-and good old
seotchman he was, too-in moment
he was gone.
Disappearance OF Hull.
The mate ran below to get some
matches to carry ashore with us. He
never came back.
For thirteen days the old boat
stuck to the. rocks, and then she sank
and we never saw trace of her again
Strange to say, the second mate, who
got ashore with us, died of exposure
on the very day the ship went to the
bottom. 1t was like losing our last
friend when we saw the old hull
which had guarded our loneliness for
so many days take its last plunge
and disappear 1t just seemed like
she was wearied of the fight and
gave up in despair. 1t is a strange
thing how boat will hold on for