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Challenger reached Inaccessible Island on October 16th,1873
and Joseph Matkin heard first hand the tale of
the Stoltenhoff brothers.
| We anchored
this morning close under the lee of this wild looking island, and
in a small cove about 200 yds in extent, we saw the hut of the 2
Germans, & themselves walking down to the beach. Directly our
boat landed, they came off, & asked the Captain to remove them
from the island, for they had been living on it for 2 yeras in great
hardship, & with no probability of being removed. After hearing
their story, he consented to give them a passage to the Cape, &
has given them some clothes & c. for their own were quite worn
out, & they had neither boots, nor stockings. I have heard them
relate their adventures & will give you the rough particulars.
—They are brothers, Prussian seamen, named Gustave & Frederiche
Stoltonhoff, speak excellent English, & are very intelligent
looking men.
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The Stoltonhoffs had joined an American whaling ship upon
their discharge from the Prussian army, and arrived with this ship at
Inaccessible island in October 1871. They agreed to remain on the island
for three months to hunt seals while the ship proceeded south to continue
whaling. The unfortunate brothers soon lost their boat, and additionally
discovered that, true to its name, the interior of the island was inaccessible
from the beach where they'd been left, for the 2,000 foot cliffs rose
nearly vertical. The expected three months and more elapsed, and the whaling
ship never returned for them. Supplies dwindling, they determined to access
the rest of the island, despite their lack of a boat.
| They tried
hard to scale the Cliff but tound it impossible, & resolved
at last to swim round the island, in hope of finding an easier ascent
to the summit. This they at length found, & managed to reach the
top„which was comparatively level, and covered with a rough vegetation;
but it abounded with wild boars of such a fierce and ferocious description,
that they soon found they should have to return again to their old
haunt under the cliff. However they managed to seize 2 tiny suckling
pigs & drag them to their hut through the surf, building them a
stye, & feeding them on potatoes & c. They soon increased, but not
fast enough to supply them with food, & they had occasionally to
swim round & ascend to shoot a Boar....After this manner they have
existed during the last 2 years, occasionally seeing a ship at great
distance, but never one near enough to attract notice, until last
night when they saw a vessel coming under steam, straight for their
island home & they never lost sight of its light until she appeared
& anchored this morning, & found her name was the "Challenger";
& this is the conclusion of the Stoltonhoff's story. |
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