The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-05-04

long distance in such a small boat. We
were assured that the government would
give us all the assistance possible towards
starting colony on the island.
Two days were spent in making the
necessary arrangements and drawing up
various papers. The government was to
| aud was to arrange to have vessel stop at
the island every three months to deliver
supplies to US and receive anything that we
might have to send away. We were to do
our best to improve the island, and were to
live there for a period not less then five
years. After completing our arrangements
with the government officials we set out TO
purchase supplies and equipment to be used
in building our new home. We had to
have about all the different things that it
| takes to start small sized town All arti-
| cles purchased by us were to be sent to the
custom house wharf, where they were to be
held until vessel was sent to the island.
We took some of the least bulky articles
with us on the yacht, and with the assur-
ance that vessel would put in at Raoul
Island within four weeks, we started on our
eturn trip to Raoul, OF, what we were ba-
ginning to call home.
The run back to Raoul was made with
out mishap, and it was dark when we
reached our anchorage, but not caring to
risk a landing in the dark, we contented
ourselves by firing a rocket to let the folks
know we had returned. There was no
sleep for US that night for we were all TOO
anxious to get ashore, TO be able TO GO to
sleep. AT the first streak of light in the
morning, we lowered our tender and loaded
it with some of the supplies we had pur-
chased in Auckland. The excitement of
our return soon wore off, and those of us
who had made the trip to Auckland were
only too glad of chance to sleep. The
second morning after our return we set to
work cutting down trees and levelng up the
ground for our houses which were to be
built of logs. Smith and Jackson did the
chopping and Babcock got busy with the
pick and shovel. Wallace and | set about
drilling and blasting rock at the entrance to
the Landing Corner, in order to make a
passage for the yacht. There was not much
rock to be removed and we could only do
the drilling when the tide was out AMI even
fhpD yrp stood in ahnvp knepc
The other fellows had almost completed
the first house before we succeeded in get
ing a channel wide and deep enough to
warp the yacht through. Once the chan
mel was finished and the yacht safely anch-
ored in the small bay, we all set to work to
build the other four houses. The steamer
arrived from Auckland before this work was
completed, but with the assistance of some
of the steamer crew we landed the supplies
they had brought for US.
Among the things they had for us were a
horse and cow and some chickens. The
chickens and other things were taken ashore
in small boats, but when it came time to
land our horse and COW, we had consider
able trouble We could not expect them
to swim ashore, for the steamer was anchored
too far out and none of us cared to try
loading the broncho into the boat. In the
end we had to get the yacht out, and place
it along side the steamer SO the horse and
cow could then be put in lashing and
swung over on to the yachts deck by one
of the steamers cargo derricks.
After everything was stored away on
shore, and the steamer had departed, we set
to work to finish our houses. The houses
were completed and the furniture moved in
them. Babcock was the only one in the
crowd who knew how to handle pillow, so
it fell to him to hitch up the horse and
break up the ground for garden. Jackson
and Wallace helped him as much as their
limited knowledge of farming would permit,
while Smith and myself put in pipe line
between one of the houses and a small
stream that came down out of the hills short
distance away. We have been on the is
land for nearly fifteen months and in that
time we have made many Improvements.
Our garden has proved a success and we are
now making preparations to raise corn and
wheat We have a small flock of sheep
and great many chickens. A vessel calls,
at the island about every four months and
leaves supplies and any mail that may have
been sent to Auckland for US. While we
have no crocheted or painted signs asking,
"God Bless Our Home" hung over our
doors; we feel that we are blessed, for every
thing is going nicely and we are all happy.
Continued next week.