Читать книгу The Isles of Scilly - Rosemary Parslow - Страница 41

Over the centuries there have been hundreds of wrecks in the Isles of Scilly. Besides the accidental passengers they may have carried, such as rats, their spilled cargoes frequently washed ashore and may have introduced some plants and animals to the islands. From the published lists of cargoes we know the

FIG 17. The SS Castleford ran aground on the Crebawethans in fog in June 1887. Most of the cattle from the ship were later taken to Annet. (Gibson collection)

ships were frequently carrying hides, corn and seeds. When cattle were rescued from wrecks we know that the survivors were landed on uninhabited islands, Samson in one case and Annet in another (Fig. 17). One supposes the islanders would also have taken supplementary feed to the cattle during their enforced marooning. This may have resulted in grasses germinating from fallen seed from the hay.

One animal that may have reached Scilly as a stowaway is the wood mouse, now resident on St Mary’s and Tresco. The black rat Rattus rattus may also have arrived by boat. At one time they had colonised Samson and would have been on many of the islands; later the brown rat R. norvegicus also presumably arrived on ships.