HISTORY OF THE ATOLL FROM 1871 39 



added the care of seven young children, this deed of Ross 

 Tertius excites the greatest admiration. 



Having seen to the requirements of his Httle family, and 

 obtained an English captain to assist his brother Andrew in 

 sailing the schooner to the atoll again, George Ross pro- 

 ceeded on his travels, returning to his island home by way of 

 America. 



The adventures of the J. G. G.-Eoss were not ended with 

 her safe arrival in the atoll, for eight years after her happy 

 launching she passed mysteriously from the island story. 

 The tale of her going is a curious one, and is worth recording 

 as one of those real sea romances that are often more strange 

 than any of those that find their way into books. 



Early in February of 1892, an Italian barque, bearing 

 the name Luigi Baffo, with a crew of mixed nationalities, put 

 into the atoll. She was said to be on a journey from Java 

 to Antwerp, and she arrived at the islands in a leaking con- 

 dition. Soon after she had cast her anchor, a strong swell 

 from the N.E. arose, and the maimed and unseaworthy ship 

 was driven upon the rocks and wrecked. 



Her crew, which consisted of eighteen of the very roughest 

 sort of sailor-men, were thrown upon George Ross' hands, 

 and it was not long before they began to give him very serious 

 trouble. They created disorder in the villages, set a bad 

 example to the natives, and in every way became such a 

 nuisance in the place that there was nothing for it but to 

 send them packing. The Governor placed the /. G. C.-Ross 

 at their disposal, put aboard, for their safe-conduct, a 

 Norwegian captain and eight of his best Cocos-born men. On 

 February 29 they sailed from the lagoon, and before Andrew 

 Ross, who piloted her out, had left her side, the ruffians 

 had fallen to quarrelling. Her destination was Batavia, and 

 her return was looked for with anixety, but from that day to 

 this no word of her has ever come to the islands. Batavia 

 never saw her. No mast or spar was ever picked up, nor 

 was she ever identified afloat in any part of the world. 

 What happened to her no man has ever told, but in the 



