STRANGE TALE OF THE SEA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9303, 16 November 1901, Page 4

STRANGE TALE OF THE SEA.

♦ WRECKED ON A VOYAGE TO NEWCASTLE. A business transaction m Philadelphia the other day, m which the Portland barque Tewksbury L. Sweat, at one time an old Philadelphia trader, was consigned, brought to light an interesting story of her fate, as well as that of the crew. For many years the Tewksbury L. Sweat, which "was commanded by Captain William Gooding, of Yarmouth, Me., was engaged m trades to Philadelphia that have since been all monopolised by steamers, and it became necessary for her to do business m other waters. She loaded coal at Newcastle for Hong Kong, and sailed for that port March 7, 1889. Upon her arrival at Hong Kong she was to have loaded general cargo for Philadelphia or New York. She never reached Hong Kong, flor on the morning of April 9, when m latitude 7.5 north, longitude 149.11 east, a gale was encountered, which drove her ashore on Susanne Reef, neeir Pozeat Island, one of the Caroline Group, m the South Pacific. In one of the ship's boats all hands, after much difficulty, reached an islet to the northward. There they remained until the storm had spent its force, and then made for the Island of Pozeat, whicn they found upon arrival was inhabited by a rare of fierce savages. As their boat approached the Island of Pozeat swarms of islanders put off m canoes to intercept them. There were at least 30 canoes, each containing 10 savages and more apiece, who were armed with knives and spears, which they flourished m their excitement to overtake the strangers. Some of the savages, with knives between their teeth, jumped overboard from their canoes and swam for the boat containing the shipwrecked seamen. The savages clambered m, almost swamping the boat, and than began to strip the shipwrecked sailors of their coats and outer garments. By this time all hands had reached the shore, and the unfortunate sailors were surrounded on every side. ~ In the middle of the crowd of savages a handsome-looking man, clad like the others, only m loin moths, approached, and, pushing aside the savages, addressed Captain Gooding m English. To the utter astonishment of the Yankee skip-, per, to whom he addressed himself, he proved to be Charles Irons, an English man, and assured the captain that he and his crew would suffer no harm. Later on Captain Gooding learned the history of Iron& It appears that Irons was left at Pozeat Island m 1886 by a trading vessel, his business being to represent the traders m the cocoanut oil trade. The vessel failed to return {or him, and gradually he assumed the habits of the natives and became so- much like them m appearance and manner that he could not be distinguished from the people with whom he lived. He had seven wives, and was regarded by the natives as a man of importance, second only to the chief of the tribe. Irons, by reason of his years of association with the natives, had forgotten many of the common laws of civilisation. He had forgotten not only the day of the week and month of the year? but also what year it was. He interested himself m behalf of the shipwrecked men to a degree that saved their lives, and through his instrumentality a canoe was secured, m which Cafttein Gooding, Second-mate Harrison, and one of the crew sailed ten days after their arrival, leaving the balance of the crew at Pozeat. • Captain Gooding made his way m the canoe, finally arriving at Ruk, where a missionary is stationed. There they were cared for by the missionaries, and obtained the use of a boat belonging to the station. In the missionary boat they made sail for Pozeat elirect, and, taking the other members of the crew, returned to the missionary island. After residing among the missionaries for two < months, the auxiliary barquentine morning Star, owned by the American Missionary Society, took the men on board and landed them at Honolulu. Through the publication of interviews with Captain Gooding it was afterwards learned that the relatives of Irons m England, who long since had believed him dead, learned of his existence, and made an attempt through the British Government to rescue him from his life of exile. Whether they succeeded or not has never been learned. ■ •• \ ' & s • . c c -