The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-08-25
MODERN DESERT ISLAND
STORY READS LIKE PAGE
FROM ROBINSON CRUSOE

Futte, Aug 2O.-If the R,i,isb
government needs any further infor.
nation on Sorocco island of Mazatl.p
in Mexico, Axel Anderson can sunnly
all particulars. A few weeks ago a
brltish trawler reported in London
having discovered the Island and
found there trace OF human habita.
tion but no living person on the is.
land. The matter seemed to be
great mystery but Mr.. Anderson
story clears up the sensation. He tells
the Post the following account and
produces clippings from the San Fran.
ciso papers verifying it:
"a party of five OF US left San
Diego Jan. Is, 1915, for Mexico for A
load of guano fertilizer, which We in
tended TO take back TO San Pedro. On
board we're Capt. George Clarke,
Mate Denis O. 'Keefe, my self, a young
San Diego nigh school boy named
Vincent Langden and the cook, whose
name l forget just now. On the way
out the mate died. The vessel was a
two masted schooner named the EN-
ma. We arrived safely at the Mexi-
can port and were loading when a
terrible storm came up. There we're
! two customs officers of the Mexican
government aboard. The schooner was
plucked from ner mOorlngS and we
we're driven into the ocean before one
of the wosrt storms / ever experieDc-
ed. We lost our way completely aud
drifted for days and days. Because of
our unexpected and hasty departure
tue supply of fresh water was very
low. Finally We drifted on the Is
land OF SorOcco. which is about 800
miles from the mainland. There were
only two gallons of water left. There
was no water on the island.
1t was physically impOssi BILE for the
entire party to subsist on the two gal,
Ions of water while trying from the
mainland andinally it was arranged
that the captain and the cook would
make an. attempt to bring the boat tC
the mainland or at least until tney
met some friendly vessel, while my
self, Langdon aud the two Mexican
q ficials should remain on the island
until help arrived. They left us sOme
flour, some earthen vessels and Other
lsupplies and started FIR the 300 miIt
Icruise to the mainland. | never heard
about them any more and persumt
they perished. The schooner VA
leaking some at the tine.
We were on the island for who'll
month. We dug hole in the groun'
and with the aid of a couple OF jar
which we ha taken from the schoon
er distilled the sea water and so man
aged to escape dying Of thirst W.
nearly died Of hunger however. Their
we're a few wild sheep Oh the ISLAM
which is about two miles long All
Is OF volcanic origin. While We wer
there the Annie Larsen, an America
blockade runner, came to the islam
, wi tn a snipIOad Of ammunition, sal
to be consigned to the Germans, WI
were to meet the vessel At this point
We uieaded with them to take u
aboard but their water supply va
also very short and they refused. !
vessel was sighted many miles irol
the island anu tbe Annie LSrse
took to the open sea, in the belle
that the approaching vessel Was
Britisher. as 1t happened tU he. W
discovered afterwards that it va
the British vessel Newcastle.
, The crew OF the Annie Larsen, nov
: ever, promised to report our locatio
"a soon as they reached hsroor. Ihe
= did SO and collier Nanshan called Il
no .nd took us into san Eranclsc'
We had been living on bread snd '"
ter the entire time. We had bnllt
rude cabin and the marks OF our eau
which the crew OF the British 'ess
found recently and which gave rise
the mysterious story.
. IL is said that the Island oi SoFo
co belongs tc the MEXICAN COVER
4 ment
:, IL Iar MrCmllnmoh.