A vicarious shipwreck survival story
Reviewed by Sue Blechl
Originally published 12:55 p.m., February 15, 2008
Updated 12:55 p.m., February 15, 2008
“Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World,” by Joan Druett, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2007 $24.95
Stories of shipwrecks and survival are popular reading topics for young and old. This tale will not disappoint. It’s a double feature, with two ships destroyed on the same island only twenty miles apart, with neither group of survivors realizing they are not alone. Set on the remote Auckland Islands south of New Zealand, the true stories of hardship and initiative are documented well by author Druett. She utilizes the journals, reports, and transcripts of the two crews to create a compelling narrative. The year is 1864, when Captain Thomas Musgrave and a crew of four are forced to abandon their damaged schooner Grafton on the southern part of the island. Luckily they are in a relatively protected harbor where there are seals, birds, and some vegetation. The plucky and enterprising crew members build a shelter, manufacture tools, and ultimately escape from the island after a grueling two-year ordeal. The captain is a leader and he inspires his companions to keep busy. Meanwhile, on the northern part of the island, the ship Invercauld flounders and sinks. Nineteen men make it ashore. They encounter many difficulties and they disagree on the best ways to survive. Due to weak leadership and apathy, only three sailors endure and are rescued from the island. The two situations are dramatically different in outcome, even though the geography, climate, vegetation, and circumstances are basically the same.
This book gave me lots to think about and also to research. I contemplated what I would do to cope with cold stormy weather conditions, annoying insects, lack of food, shelter and medicine, and no way to communicate. How resourceful could I be? I’m not sure I would be one who stayed alive to be saved. The Auckland Islands are so bleak that they remain uninhabited today.
I enjoyed looking up the Auckland Islands on various Internet sites. Having photographs of the impassable cliffs and the plant life, seeing the maps of the island and the surrounding area, and learning the dismal history of this forsaken place all added to my positive reading experience. For a vicarious experience that you’ll long remember, I recommend this book.