U. S. WARSHIP RESCUES SURVIVORS OF
MEXICAN ISLAND COLONY AFTER YEARS
ON BARREN ISLAND BATTLING FOR LIFE
% _ •
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, (By Mail)
The Navy Department has just re
ceived the following report from the
commanding officer of an American
warship:
“On July 18, 1917, this vessel,
cruising in pursuance to orders issued
by the commander, patrol force. Pa
cific Fleet, visited Clipperton Island.
The landing party in charge of the ex
ecutive officer found the following
women and children, subjects of Mex
ico, in destitute condition, who begged
that they be taken away from the isl
and, viz: Senora Alicia R. de Arnaud,
aged 29; Ramon de Arnaud, aged 8;
Alicia de Arnaud, aged 6; Lydia de
Arnaud, aged 4; Angel de Arnaud,
aged 2; Tirza Randon. aged 22; Gua
dalpe Cadorna, aged 2la (daughter of
Tirza Randon); Altagracia Quiroz,
aged 22 (maid to Senora Arnaud);
Rosalia Nava, aged 15; Francisco Ir
ra, aged 12; Antonio lira, aged 6 (the
last three are orphans of Mexican sol
diers).
“After careful consideration of the
circumstances I decided that dictates
of- humanity required me to bring
them to Salina Cruz and accordingly
took them on board as passengers,
landing them at this port yesterday,
the 22d instant.
Story of the Colony
“The pitiful story, as I was able to
gather it through rather indifferent
interpreters, is as follows:
“A phosphate company obtained a
concession from the then Mexican
government to work the guano de
posits on Clipperton Island and es
tablished a colony for the purpose
about 1905. The Mexican govern
ment gave it official sanction, main
taining a small garrison on the island,
the commanding officer of which acted
as Government inspector. For a num
ber of years past this officer was Capt.
Ramon de Arnaud, of the Mexican
army, apparently- a highly educated
trained officer. In 1908 he took his
bride with him. Communication with
the mainland was maintained fairly
regularly until 1914. Early in 1914
Capt. de Arnaud with his wife and
children arrived on the island for the
last time. The vessel that carried
them there was the last supply ship
that visited the island. A short time
afterwards the American schooner
Xokomis was wrecked on the island.
A boat with four of her crew reached
Acapulco and acquainted the world
with her mishap. The U. S. S. Cleve
land visited the island in June, 1914,
to bring away the remainder of the
t-rew of the Xokomis. which included
the captain’s wife and two children.
Capt. de Arnaud sent away by the
Cleveland the only employee of the
company, Gustav Schulz, with his wife
and child, with the belief that Schulz
had lost his mind. Xo one else left
by the Cleveland, as at that time there
was no apprehension of disaster. The
Cleveland was the last ship that visit
ed the island until the American war
ship came. ** *
Little Vegetation on Island
“There is no vegetation on the isl
and except a few uncertain cocoanut
palms. The colony had a few pigs
and chickens and could secure fish
from the lagoon of the island. Gun
nets, gulls, and other sea fowl breed
on the island and are to be found by
the thousands. After the Cleveland left
the colony numbered about thirty peo
ple. Early in 1015 their provisions
were exhausted. Scurvy broke out
among them and they began to die
i rapidly. In May Capt. de Arnaud, in
a desperate effort to obtain relief, left
the island in a small rowboat with
the only three men able to pull an oar.
They have never been heard of since.
Weakened as they were by scurvy and
unable to carry adequate supplies they
undoubtedly perished at sea. When
the number left alive had been re
duced to within the available supply
of cocoanuts the ravages of scurvy
were checked. At the time of the
American warship’s arrival the above
persons were the only survivors. For
more than two years they had sub
sisted on the flesh and eggs of the
gannets ’and gulls, varied by a few
fish and chickens. They had no way
of killing the pigs, which had a pre
carious existence themselves.
One Cocoanut a Week
“They had one cocoanwt a week for
the entire eleven to ward off scurvy.
Considering their food supply they
were in remarkable good health.
“By a fortunate circumstance I was
able to send advance notice of our ex
pected arrival here to the British con
sul, Mr. William Wiseman, also in
| charge here of American interests, and
through him to acquaint Senor Felix
Rovira, father of Senora Arnaud, with
the fact that his daughter was still
alive and on board the American war
ship. *Mr. Wiseman was able to make
all necessary preliminary arrange
ments with the Government officials
for the expeditious landing of the
party and they were landed shortly
after our arrival, in care of Senor Ro
vira.
/~i Wear 7
(jossard
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“The officers. and crew voluntarily trusted with Mr. Wiseman for distri
raised a fund of $200 for the relief of bution among: them as their neccssi
these poor people, which has been in- ties may require.”
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