LIFE ON A LONELY ISLE.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 71, 29 March 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

LIFE ON A LONELY ISLE.

The Island of Tristan d'Acunha, in the South Atlantic, was recently visited l>y Captuiu Kearon, of the ship Dawpool. In a lettor sent to his i'jjenila at Cockermouth, he gives an interesting account of what he saw. The island is only six miles across, and, with the exception of a very small portion, it i.s uninhabitable. On that patch some 80 people, desaenOants of English sojtliers from the Cape of Qootl Hojh', and a few negro women, who wero afterwards imported, eke out an existence, although they are often without some of the necessaries of life. When the inhabitants saw Captuin fearon's ship lying off the island, some of th.Pin W e Ht to i fc m small boats They had some vogetables with them, which they engerly bartered for flour, tea, coffee and sugar. One of the men in the boats was a veneiable pld greybeard, a native of Holland, aged 89. He waa wrecked on the island 53 years ago, uud has remained there ever since. Captain Fearon was surprised to find ou the island the Hoy. G. H. Dodgson, of the Chestnuts, Guildford, Surrpy. He has been there for eight years, ministering tft the inhabitants of this lonely island without fse or reward. The inhabitants are discontented, and expressed to Captain Fearon a hope tljab the $ritjs|) Government would remove them fco a more favoured region, They Baid all the Government did for them was to send a man-of-war once a year, aud this was the only communication with the outer world