AN ANTARCTIC CRUSOE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14344, 24 October 1910, Page 5

AN ANTARCTIC CRUSOE.

Captain J, K. Davis, who commanded Sir Ernest Shaekleton s ship, the Nunrod, on her famous voyage to the Far South, tells a strange story in the current number ol Pearson's Magazine regarding an incident of his voyage to Macquarie Island, after leaving _ the ShacklcUiii party at Sydney. While steaming to the north end ot the island in search of a suitable anchorage, the attention of those on board was attracted by a thin column of smoke rising from a spot a low hundred yards from the shore. A further' inspection through binoculars showed • two substantially built huts, with every sign of human habitation. Captain Davis was much surprised by this ..discovery, as tho bleak and desolate island has had few visitors since its. discovery by Captain Hasscllhonrgh over a century ago, while sealers have long since ceased to operate there. While speculations were still rife as to. the reason why anyone should take up his residence on the island, tho solitary' inhabitant waded out into the sea and directed a boat’s crew which hail put in_ to land to a salt' anchorage for the Nimrod. The name of this emulator ot Crusoe was found to he William Mackiblion, and M'ackihhnn stated that he had visited the island in tho Jessie Nicoll some months previously, and had decided to remain there, for a while. He fitted up a hut in cleanly seamanlike style, and devoted himself to the hunting of sea elephants, sea lions and penguins, converting his quarry into, oil in a rough and ready “digester,” and storing the oil in a well-built hut. When asked if he fell lonely, he replied that he had a couple ot dogs for company, and had plenty of work to keep his mind occupied. Tho walls ot his living-hut were covered with gaily coloured pictures cut from English and American magazines, and in wet or stormy weather ho spent his time in his lint with his stove blazing brightly, making rope mats, at which he was an adept. Ho stated that he intended to return to civilisation as soon as ho had made enough money to purchase a neat little sail-ing-boat which he had his eye on in Hobart. Mackibhon, it will lie remembered, was one of the men brought hack from Macquarie Island hy the Hinemoa last .Inly. He had boon landed there five months in advance of the rest of Mr.'Hatch’s oil-hunting party, and it must have been during this" period that he supplied Captain Davis with the material for his picturesque story.