ON A DESERT ISLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

ON A DESERT ISLAND.

RELIEF- EXPEDITION : FORESTALLED

BY NEW ZEALAND STEAMER., Fortunately for the captain, and crew of the steamer Ingerid, the expedition formed for the relief _of the shipwrecked crew on the' Crozet Islands, in the South Seas, was raised in summer and hot in wintry weather, when' the I intense cold iof the I Antarctic Ocean- might have proved uncom:fortable. Much more- was it ■ fortunate for [the shipwrecked crew themselves, that fine weather prevailed during their ..two., months' 'enforced residence .on the main island of the Crozet Group. !. Some interesting ; details of the expedition—which proved unnecessary in view of [ the kindly enorts of one of the New , Zea- | land liner, which rescued the men of the [Norwegian schooner Catherine, from their ! were gathered on board the Ingerid. [i'his coasting steamer of 600 tons register,] returned to Capetown j early in April, hav-j ing called at Tknysna on her way back for [ a cargo of 11,000 railway sleepers.,, , It took only nine days -to reach the ] island in question, the distance from Capetown being 1700 miles.. Fine weather favoured - the steamer, and the Crozets were j easily found. A landing-place on the biggest island, named Possession Island, was! reached without difficulty by Captain Tjensvold, his right-hand man (First Mate j Marthiessen) and three men, in a dinghy. It was early morning when they landed. Everything looked peaceful, except the remains of the wrecked schooner on the edge of a razor-like reef r projecting from the shore. '"' : '-. ..'.';"' .'": '■;'':'"'.'' ,; ! . "■'■':;, •''.■ :^/': ':'-~ : ''':'."■"' ;':'""'■'■::':•" LAZY : SEA-LIONS. -; ; ,;;" : ' ; : ' : ."*-.;■■;■; ">. " The first thing,; we saw on landing," said Marthiessen, when , interviewed this morning,; " was a ,lot of sea-lions along the beach, lying lazily unconscious of our I presence. • They were big animals,, something like a cross between a seal and a 1 whale, and we were careful that; they did not attack us, until we. found that, they didn't trouble about us.. We were armed, and we shot one of these sea-lions, . but the others, hardly: budged, and were not the least bit frightened. They only looked rather surprised at, the fall of the one we shot." Continuing, Marthiessen said they found themselves on a fairly large, island, 15 miles long and seven to eight miles wide. It was evidently of volcanic origin, and the shingle was pebbly ,and the . sand black. The majority of the stones showed .sighs of ore and crystals. .From the broad sweep of the bay where the landing was effected the island rose; with an easy gradient. ,; Its height at the centre was 5000 ft. ■; In places, high cliffs bordered the island, and one long arm reached! out into the sea;', At the,:end of., this is a ridge of rocks, at the ■• extreme end of which lay» wreckage, being the remains of , the ; ill-fated schooner. ! There • was a little green grass fringing the, shore' of the bay. - - - : • !. ,''

;':. WHERE TOE MEN HAD SLEPT.'.,. : ; J The wreck had evidently been split in two, and one i portion had swept"? ashore. About a hundred : yards from the landingplace was a hut built of wreckage, : arid towards this the new arrivals promptly made their way. No" other men were to be seen, but many signs of "human habitation 'were observed, in addition to the hut; Plenty of, fresh water was obtainable, there being a good stream* running from the"mountain I to the sea. Stepping inside the : but, Gap- [ tain Tjensvold found " that ten men ? 'had! occupied it, ; there being bunks ; oh- either side. 'In the ' centre of the room was a table, and the arrangement of the - hut* was similar to that of a ship's ; forecastle. !'■' ■';■■■; Then the members of the :; expedition found the'; message ! left by the captain '. of the steamer Turakina. . Hanging over the table in a* prominent position was'' a large tin securely closed, bearing' oh the outside in large red letters, the words, >" Important letter.*' Inside this tin was a smaller one, which contained' a statement to ,the? effect that.all of the shipwrecked men had • been picked up by the steamer, and were' being j taken to Hobart, Tasmania. Finding that this was the case, the Ingerid's' duty was done, and ; preparations were made to return, ;; after a look round. From'.' certain indications in' the hut, it was found that the' shipwrecked crew had partly "'existed oh- stores rescued from the wreck, all of which, : however; were 5 more' or less damaged by the salt water. '• Warmth had been gained by means of a stove, and there were plenty of matches and firewood' left ■in the hut. K- There was half a case of condensed milk, a tin of flour 'spoiled 'by salt water, a, ! few bags of beans and peas, • also sodden and hanging up to dry. Lastly, there was a quantity of ammunition 'in; cases, each package containing about a thousand ■•' cartridges. - : -";'' . • ' /■'■• ■'•; There were but few birds on the island; but penguins ; were to be. v found, besides the sea-limis. One "king" penguin was observed, and this creature was' easily taken by the' hand.-- A ' few '• specimens of rock containing traces of <jold were brought back to Capetown. ---_•'..•..-.-.■ 'i.i ■ *"''