Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume II: (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the; Austrian Navy.Scherzer, Karl, Ritter von
History
Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume II: (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the; Austrian Navy.
Scherzer, Karl, Ritter von
Novara Expedition (1857-1859); Voyages around the world -- History -- 19th century
After we had lain for six days at anchor on the N.W. coast of Kar-Nicobar,
and were once more casting about how to make out our long-desired
excursion through its almost impermeable forests, we suddenly perceived in
the distance upon the beach two men in European dress, with muskets upon
their shoulders, who, conducted by some absolutely naked natives, speedily
approached us. One, a fine-looking, well-formed young man of about 20,
addressed us in French, saying he was supercargo of the Sardinian brig
_Giovannina_ of Singapore, and was occupied in taking in a cargo of
cocoa-nuts upon the southern shore of the island. The natives had been so
unsettled by the arrival of a war-ship, that they loudly affirmed a pirate
ship had made its appearance, which would rob and destroy them all;
whereupon the most anxious of their number entreated the few whites who
fortunately happened to be among them to start immediately for the north
side of the island, where the Colossus lay at anchor, so as at all events
to ascertain what was to be their fate. In the course of the conversation
which sprung up between ourselves and the two strangers, we found that the
supercargo was a Frenchman, born at St. Denis in the island of Bourbon,
and was named Auguste Tigard, while his companion was a Sardinian. They
were both singularly pale and embarrassed on first falling in with us,
apparently from surprise and delight at finding themselves so unexpectedly
in the society of white men at so solitary a spot; ere long however they
felt themselves more at their ease, visited the frigate, were provided
with clothes, medicines, and wine, and at a later period were of much use
to us in our intercourse with the natives. Tigard remarked that the
sugar-cane, which at present grows wild on the island, could, judging by
his own personal experience, be very profitably grown for the production
of sugar, as also that tobacco, cotton, and rice thrive in the most
conspicuous manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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