Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-04
TheEvening Story
NARROWED
ON AN ISLAND
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.


is bit of dot in the Pacific ocean
lying little south of the regular sail
ing route between Honolulu and Yoko-
hama. Now and then 1t is sighted by
steamer or sailing vessel making the
passage, but the great majority pass it
by 200 miles to the north.
In the year 1861 the bark Restless
sailed out OF San Francisco ON voy-
age to Japan. and fate befell her
which reads like any fiction Of the
sea. James Westall was u landsman,
knowing nothing Of ships and sailors,
and it transpired that the captain he
selected was thoroughly bad man,
while the mate was little better. 1t
was probably the captains idea from
the outset to get possession OF the ship,
but WestalPS suspicious were not
aroused until after they had called ut
Honolulu and resumed the voyage.
Then he overheard observations among
the crew which alarmed him. and he
went to the captain with his state
ments He was told without any beat
ing around the bush that the bark
was to change hands. He was TO be
marooned on Wake island. and she
was to pursue her voyage as captain
and crew decided. II was one man
against fifteen. and Of course he was
helpless. Not a pound OF provisions
or an extra article Of clothing was to
go with him. He was not even TO
have the means of kindling fire.
Rendered desperate by the situation,
he made fight for it. but was soon
knocked senseless by a blow Of
capstan bar and while in that condi-
ton was rowed ashore and dumped on
the beach.
He tried for days and days to pro-
duce fire by rubbing dry sticks togeth-
err. but he never succeeded He CON
structed a hut in the woods. but his
food consisted of shellish. roots and
wild fruits. and there was no way to
replace his clothing. He soon found
fresh water. and he also made the dis
covery that the spot seemed accused
Of all living things except the land
crabs. They were gigantic in size, aud
his only way Of escaping them was to
climb a tree. He built platform
among the limbs ten feet from the
earth. and every night during his long
stay he resorted to it.
! You will wonder how man could
! have lived for month as Westall
lived for three years. During his sec
ond year had he thought to erect some
sort of signal as a sailor would have
made he probably would have been
rescued. as two or three traders came
in for water. but be did not even heap
up stones or set up q bush to attract
attention. He had existed on the Is
land three years and two weeks when
the American whaling ship Jonathan
! touched there for water. | was In the
boat first sent ashore. and while wait
ing for the water casks to arrive
followed a path up into the woods and
discovered Westall asleep on his plat
form. | believed him ut first 10 he al
most black: his hair was long and mat
ted. and he was without clothing. As
he came tumbling down ] ran away
and gave the alarm. That frightened
him. and seven men of US spent 4 bali
day in his capture. He fought us
with the greatest ferocity, und for 4
long time we could not make out bis
nationality. He chartered a queer jar
gon or sulked. and we had put in ut q
Japanese port before we could keel
clothing on him.
was one of the apprentice boys or
, the ship. and as the wild man had tax
en- d great liking TO me and ! seemed
to be the only one who could contro
> him the American consul advised thai
l be left behind with the man while
the ship made a three months circuit
put UP a blackboard nnd turned
schoolmaster ] chalked down the let
tiers of the alphabet. made figures. drew
pictures and tried to start his memory
, to work. For month had no luck
The mans mind was as blank as night
He tried hard enough, and he used t
weep almost daily. but be could no
get hold OF the end Of the string.
had almost given up all hope whel
l one day as was going through thu
Z usual performance memory came bacl
to him like a fash. He suddenly ut
: tered a shout and sprang to his feet
and as turned on him 1t was to fine
a new look on his face and to hea
, him shout:
! ut has come! 1t has come. My nam
= is James Westall. and i can remembe
: everything"
e So it turned out. but the shock of re
l. covery brought about an illness thu
). confined him to his bed for weeks
: When he could relate his story tn
consul went to work to find out VIVA
had, become of the Restless. lnqni
4 ries were made at all ports Of Chini
( and Japan. but no news was obtained
}. The search was still being prosecuted
: when sandawood trader from on
of the Philippines brought the consu
c some wrecknge picked up three year
before which proved TINT the bark hat
1 | a. -. 49, 4, 70