The state herald., 1920-05-14

thereat. when fell victim to temp
tation. Help being scarce in the Bra
Ills and some planters there knowing
that l had traded with the slave coasts
Of Africa, they beguiled me into voy-
age to those parts with the intent to
secure slave labor for our plantations.
Only evil does ever come Of evil
counsel. Our ship was wrecked on
an unknown island of to the northeast
coast of South America, and Of nll the
ships company I alone. by the bless
Ing Of God. was allowed to escape
through the high surf to the shore.
All I possessed at the time was knife,
pipe and little tobacco In box.
Walking along the shore. when had
recovered sufficiently in strength so to
walk, found fresh water, great Joy.
Having drunk md put a little tobacco
against the hunger In my mouth, took
up my lodging in tree and did there
sleep to my great refreshment through.
out the night.
Next morning the weather was clear
and the sea mild, but what pleased me
ihObl WuN ttC Sikht vi tHc bnip WhCh,
as the tide ebbed. lay SO close to the
shore that found no trouble In swim
ming out to 1t. No living thing except
dog and two cats were left on the
ship; but there was store Of neces-
stiles. and such took, building raft
for the purpose Of transporting them
to an inlet In the island where was
fresh water and fiat high place for
my habitation. On the night OF the
thirteenth day, my work Of transpor-
tation being done. lay down In my
usual fear Of Wild beasts, but also of
thnnkfulness In the knowledge that !
was prepared for some time to come
against the barrenness Of this island.
There We're wild fruit trees on the
Island. but It was many days before
l discovered them. There were also
goats running wild, but without the
firearms and ammunition had brough;
from the ship Of what avail were they
to met So I had reason to be thank
full for the good Providence which held
the ship to the shore until had taken
I
There was much TO be done II were
to secure my existence on this strange
island. The needful things / did as
best / could In turn, but not always
with good fortune attending my efforts
In my first planting of barley and corn
seed. the half OF all my precious stock
was wasted by reason of being planted
In the very wrong time. | spent weary
months In making earth-ware pots for
holding fresh water; and forty-two
days 1t took me to hew my first long
! plank from tree trunk. strove
/ for weeks to fashion n stone mortar
to stamp grain in. only to come nj
Inst to n block of hollowed-out wood.
| Five months labored In Telling n
great cedar tree, hewIng and shaping
| II to the hull of splendid boat with
which was to escape from the island
only to be forced TO abandon 1t for
want Of means whereby to launch II
Into the sea. However. every fnilura
taught me something I had not known
before.
For the elements, there were great
winds and ruins and earthquakes. But
became used In time TO nll things.
planted and harvested my crops Of
barley and corn: plucked my WILD
grapes md dried them into nourishing
raisins raised and killed and smoked
and salted my tnme goats, being thus
for variety Of good not so badly served.
And so through the twelve years dur
Ing which saw no sign Of human
existence on the island other than my
own. until that eventful dny ON which
I met with the print Of mans naked
foot on the sand.
wns then like one thunderstruck
I listened. looked. but could hear
nothing. see nothing. went up the
shore. down the shore: but there was
only that single Footprint Terrified
to the Inst degree. ran TO my hnbi.
tation like one pursued; and for three
days and nights thereafter ] did not
stir out.
After observation I learned that II
was the habit Of cannibnls from the
mainland TO come TO part OF the
islp.I witch I seldom visited To feast