June 22, 1876

 

Dear reader,

 

I am stranded on an island somewhere off the coast of Indonesia. I think I've been here for about a month now. I was flying in my hot air balloon when a storm came out of nowhere. I tumbled out of the sky with my hot air balloon and got snagged on a tree. When daylight came I climbed down and began to explore. I soon discovered I was on an Island.

Since then I've tried to make a home for myself. I've secured the basket of my balloon to a tree with rope (also from my balloon.) I've hung strips of the balloon like shelves in the tree around my basket. They are laden with what food I can find on the island to keep it from wild animals. Also, after many days of trying and failing I've managed to make fire!

After a while I got so frustrated that it wasn't working that I smashed a glass bottle I had. That was rather stupid because it was all I had to carry water from the spring I found (other than the bottle this is in) but then I realised how to hold a piece of glass over some dry sticks and leaves so that the sun shone through it and made fire!

My island is rather small and completely covered in forest except for a little sandy cove at one end. My basket house is in the middle of one end of the island, the end with the cove. In the forest on the other end is a spring where I get water.

I made a big container-like thing for storing and fetching water since I smashed the bottle. I made it from hallowing out a big lump of wood with my knife (it took forever.) Now it looks like a big bowl, or a jar, but with no lid.

 

This is a map of the island:

I don't think it's very accurate but it's the best I could do.

 

There aren't very many animals on the island. Just some birds, mice (who like to raid my food store) and a few small foxes. However I see plenty of wild life in the sea: whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and tropical fish to name a few.

Everything is very beautiful here on my island. Life is pleasant, quiet, and calm. But I miss my home, I miss my friends and family. I am very lonely here and want above all to return home. Please, whomsoever receives this, try and find me. If you cannot yourself at least find someone who can.

 

Thank you,

Aila Kralc

 

 

 

By Mahalia

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