The Washington times., 1920-09-26
LIVES TEN YEARS I,
ON DESERT ISLAND
Princeton Student Back 10
Civilization After Existing
As Hermit on Bet
tconuassd from yrs, PsssD

fIf. NN~''e~ss~~S ~sss so~f
owing to the rough ssas. He tried
In many ways to stgasi the light
houss keeper At watts Light. q few
miles dtStant, but his signals Of dis
trees were obscured BY the tsrrio,
storm. He was beginning to feel the
pangs Of hunger and was about to
give pp In dsspair. when an unsx-
pected impulse directed his attention
toward the shore. When he stroiiea
To the bank he discovered \ snan
boat was drifting ashore. IL WAS
found to contsin food, having proba-
bly, been set AdFift In the storm from
some of the nearby islands. This nnd
OF good fortune HsrdenburG after
ward declared hS believed was an, act
Of Proyidencs.
when the storm substded the light
house keeper from Watts~iisht came
TO the island. fearing HardensorE
might have met with >mtshap. Hsr-
denhprg related his experiences to
the lighthouse keeper. Charles Taylor.
A mode Of signals was arranged
bstw cen the two men which were TO
be used by Hardenburg when In need
Of Assistance, these signals consisting
or the waving of a red blanket rtgged
To- . pole. and would probably have
worked out at all times had not
weather conditions interfsred,
FROZEN IN ANOTHER TIME
On another occasion. during n Sc
we're storm. HardenbuTG found his
food supply exhausted. the waters
OF the bay had froxen over and there
was no means 1t hand by which he
could rspienish his stock. His dis
uess signals were seen by the iighf-
house keeper. but they could not be
trAarhAVnna Ice
vented the sailing Of a boat and II
would have been . great risk OF life
to venture by foot. Then. too, the
food supply of the lighthouse keeper
was also running short. as he had
also been msrooned by the Ice and
storm.
But on this occasion Hardsnburg's
signals Of distress were also observed
by the lighthouse keeper at Tangler
Island, some miles to the north he
had learned OF the mans presence on
| the isisnd, and he sent word to the
people of Tangier Island. who set
about in an effort to relieve him from
his terrible predicament. A sled was
| made of old boards and filled with
warm clothing and plenty OF good
things to eat It was dispatched to
him, being drawn over the Ice. Thus
| once more fate had been kind to the
| lone islander.
LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER MOVED.
After Hardenburg had been resi-
dent of the island TOO few years
the lighthouse keeper at Watts Light
was removed and . stationary gas
light to warn and caution the passing
ships was installed. The light re-
1N NJ
as Hardenburg was the closest resi-
dent he was appointed by the Govern
ment to keep the tanks filled, a pipe
having been run from the lighthouse
to the island. His great benefactor.
Charles Taylor. the lighthouse keeper,
gone, Hardenburg's mode OF signals
in time OF distress were OF no further
avail.
Hardenburg's previous experience
had taught him that he must have
someone to succor him in time OF
Rreat stress. He therefore got in
communication with the lighthouse
keeper Of Tangier Light, and after
explanation 1t was agreed that Har-
denburg would extinguish the gas
light when in need OF help. II the
lighthouse keeper failed to see the
Tight at Watts Island IL would be
known that Hardenburg was In dis
trcss. This plan was carried out un-
til Hardenburg left the island this
| week.
When the story Of his strange mis-
sion on the island became known. the
people on the mainland and neigh
boring islands admired him for his
grim determination. He was familiar
iy known as Charlie of the Lonesome
Island"
Charles Hardenburg, the Pripceton
College law student, has left watts
Island, and the Government will have
to seek new tender for watts
Island light. All the furniture and
other belongings were sold at auction
on Saturday last. and DR.. Daniel
Hardenburg, OF Jersey City. N. j.. is
now offering the island for sale, the
price being $4,000