A REMARKABLE JOURNEY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16204, 6 May 1918, Page 5

A REMARKABLE JOURNEY.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—The rcccnt death of Miss Eliza* both, Mount in Shetland Q t th e ago of 93,- recalls her sensational voyage across tho North Soa in January, 1880. Thero aro Shetland people in Cliristchurch from Lerwick who will doubtless -be interested in the particulars of a journey which, at the time, iras spoken'of •dl througii Isrigland, evon Queen Vic- . toria : being interested, and which. bjought llist, the most northerly point or Grieat Jiritam, into prominence Misa Mouat, known' us the "Witch of'lhinrossness," ivas an old woman of 65, living aJonc, and being ill sno sot out on January 30th, liioo, in tho cuttor 1 Columbine, of HI tons, to visit a doctor in Lerwick, on tho mainland. Miss Mouat luul jived n Strang© lifo alone, having oneo been shot in tho Jiead in mistako for a rabbit, and at another tiino having her foot erusned by a cart wheel. Tho captain and two men.were ' Miss Mouat's companions. When tho Columbine had sailed about four miles tho mainsail gybed and knocked tho captain overboard. Tho men hovo " tho cutter to, and lowered tho only boat, but tho captain, was drowned -before they could pick him up, and before they got back tho cutter had shaken her mainsail looso and was scudding before the wind, heading for tho north. •In vain they strovo to reach her, and it was only after a great effort they ■ reached land, and got a steam tug ■ sent off in pursuit. The Columbine, ■■■". however, was out of sight, and when. the tug returned was given up as lost. Miss Mouat was below seasick when eh© '■■''S'i found herself alone, and was too ill.-to. climb on deck, but sho could look ,out of the open hatchway of tho cabin at tho raging seas around. The vessel I drove along through the night with hor boom swinging, and spiling terribly, .y. anl every now and then the waves -;«tl broko on board and drenched hor. pas- y J sengor to the skin. Miss Mouat's only : food was a bottle of milk and two-bis- | cuits, and she expected to go to tho bottom every instant. When morying broko, and the vessel still floated, Eliza- v beth Mouat begun to hope that. 6ho might bo saved, and put her trust in. • - God and believed He would send rescue. Seven days and nights passed, and. sho only onco saw a ship's '. red light, perilously near. Sho ,mado. her food last three days, and Buffered tor- ' ribly from thirst and cold. Gradually ' 6he became worse, and her swollen legs would scarcely support her, so sho laslred herself to the ladder hooks to provent herself falling down, and so being unable to seo tho sea. She never slept, e but kept a semi-coucscious look-out for help. On February Bth tho Columbine drovo on to tho rocky ooast of Lepsoo - Island, near .Aalesund, in Norway-:— had she gone a mile or two further north she. would have driven right on into tho Arctic ice. Watchers on the : coast saw tho cutter eomo ashore on a day of mountainous seas and heavy .winds, and .with all sho camo in through a network of rocks on to tho only landing for miles. A young Norwegian swam out to the vessel with a line, and found Miss Mouat helpless, speecnloss, and almost insensible, lashed to tho ladder hooks. He got a companion out tcf the wreck, and having restored Miss Mouat a little they drew her ashore with a rope and line round her waist. She recovered sufficiently in a few days to sent Hull, and from there went on to Lcrwick, her original destination, and so ended her remarkable journey. These particulars are mostly, from tho "Boys' Own Paper," of June _19th, 1880. —Yours, etc., HERCULES DILLON, Masterton.