more on casatways
April 9th 2007 07:29
Very few Castaways survived the deprivations of being swept up on desolate island with nothing but the clothes on their back. It is just to much to imagine that puddles of water would be handy and oysters just there for the taking until they could get a fire built, some sort of hunting weapon and build up some sort of a subsistence life for themselves as well as shelter from the storms and burning sun.
One remarkable man survived being marooned for only a few hours by his quick wits and devout attitude. How this happened was that this man’s master died and was buried in a casket on a deserted island. This was unusual for the time as most people who died at sea were thrown overboard with a cannonball for company. The deceased’s manservant was to be left on the island. For all intents and purposes marooned for life. What he had done to deserve this was not chronicled but his final fate was.
With tears in his eyes he implored the crew of the departing rowboat not to leave him behind. The crew steeled to the ways of the sea managed to ignore his pleas and left him to his own devises. The marooned man made his way back up the hill to the grave of his master. Then looking out to sea he saw the ship he had been on, becalmed several miles out. He dug up the coffin, unceremoniously deposited the former occupant back in the hole and hurried down to the beach with the coffin.
Kneeling in the coffin and using his hands as paddles he managed to creep up on the ship and call out to the crew. Seeing this apparition the crew were in great haste to get clear of it. Repeating the Lord’s prayer over and over again he managed to convince the crew he was not some evil demon. But some recognised the man in the coffin as the survivor not the dead man come to haunt them. A vote was cast and our reluctant castaway was hauled back on board. His trip in a leaky vessel of three badly nailed together planks had convinced the crew and skipper that he might yet make a seaman.
Many islands that had some fresh water and herbage were purposely stocked with goats and many islands were purposely “salted” with cabbage plants, root vegetables and so on to assist the castaway to survive till help could be had. Not every island however was an easy stopping place for ships. Many ship’s logs would read of fires seen and even men on shore but no good would come of the ship herself being lost for the sake of a few souls. Some skipper did however go to great lengths to take men off desert islands, particularly if they were short of crew.
More tomorrow.
One remarkable man survived being marooned for only a few hours by his quick wits and devout attitude. How this happened was that this man’s master died and was buried in a casket on a deserted island. This was unusual for the time as most people who died at sea were thrown overboard with a cannonball for company. The deceased’s manservant was to be left on the island. For all intents and purposes marooned for life. What he had done to deserve this was not chronicled but his final fate was.
With tears in his eyes he implored the crew of the departing rowboat not to leave him behind. The crew steeled to the ways of the sea managed to ignore his pleas and left him to his own devises. The marooned man made his way back up the hill to the grave of his master. Then looking out to sea he saw the ship he had been on, becalmed several miles out. He dug up the coffin, unceremoniously deposited the former occupant back in the hole and hurried down to the beach with the coffin.
Kneeling in the coffin and using his hands as paddles he managed to creep up on the ship and call out to the crew. Seeing this apparition the crew were in great haste to get clear of it. Repeating the Lord’s prayer over and over again he managed to convince the crew he was not some evil demon. But some recognised the man in the coffin as the survivor not the dead man come to haunt them. A vote was cast and our reluctant castaway was hauled back on board. His trip in a leaky vessel of three badly nailed together planks had convinced the crew and skipper that he might yet make a seaman.
Many islands that had some fresh water and herbage were purposely stocked with goats and many islands were purposely “salted” with cabbage plants, root vegetables and so on to assist the castaway to survive till help could be had. Not every island however was an easy stopping place for ships. Many ship’s logs would read of fires seen and even men on shore but no good would come of the ship herself being lost for the sake of a few souls. Some skipper did however go to great lengths to take men off desert islands, particularly if they were short of crew.
More tomorrow.
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