The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-11-27
For the p. C. Advertiser.
Loss of ship Alexander Coffin of New Bedford.

Loss of ship Alexander Coffin of New Bedford.
HONOLULU, Nov. 20, 1856.
DEAR SIR In accordance with your request |
now proceed tozgive you. for publoafisn-i.~e~<
paper, the particulars of the loss of ship .9leranGer
Coffin, lately under my command.
We sailed from New Bedford 21st Sept, 1854.
During the season of 1856 cruised in the Ochotsk
Sea and took 1906 bbls oil. After recruiting at La
haina in the fall we again sailed for the Ochotsk.
About the 10th July, 1856, while lying at anchor rs
miles south II of Ayan, engaged in taking oil, very bad
weather came on, and the ice closed in upon the ship.
Got underway, and after many hard knocks and with
great difficulty managed to drive the ship through
into clear water. The ship now commenced to leak
very badly about the bows, where she had come in
contact with the ice. After partially stopping the
leak we put off to Ayan for repairs, where, after an
examination, the nature of her damages were foundt to
be such that they could not be repaired at that port
in consequence of the want of ship carpenters and the
proper facilities for heaving down a ship. Having tenn
porarily stopped the leak at Ayan it ras considered
best to put away for the Sandwich Islands, and We
accordingly sailed on the 1st Aug. On the 9th Aug.
we made Palmer shore, one of the KuriIe Islands. On
the morning of the 10th were quite handy to "Fify
passage''-the south end of Paromasure bearing
E. ] S. by two compasses and Monkanrush bear
AS D" ~ A"0hP oNNOAAhS ~. IL. ny L. z IL. IHCSO
were the bearings at 10 A. NJ. when a heavy fog shut
In. We now ran this course unga j past , ?. NJ,
and then luffed E. S. E. At ] past 4 p. NJ. lufed E.
by S. Kept on this course until 8 T. NJ. when the
ship struck on Monkanrush by which we found that
the. current must have taken the shin at least 10
miles directly out of her proper course. The ship now
commenced humping heavily and we could discover
no land excepting rocks Immediately under her bows.
We now got out the boats and anchored them to lee
ward while part of the crew remained on board and
commenced heaying overheard cargo In order ia get
at the provisions. In a short time the ship fell over
so much that We could no longer work at the hatch
ways, and we then set about securing our clothes in
order to be ready for a start at daylight. At J.. NJ,
the ship was striking so heavily that it became appa-
rent to all that she would soon go to pieces, unless
some means were taken to relieve her. Accordingly
gave orders to cut away the fore and mizzen masts
which eased her very much and she righted. Atday-
light three boats pulled around the island and dis
covered a landing place about.4 miles from the wreck,
where they landed what provisions, &C., they had ana
returned to the wreck at 8 A. NJ. By this time had
succeeded in securing considerable provisions, lug
gage, and some other necessary articles. Theweathef
now became fine, and we devoted our entire energies
to the purpose of floating the ship AMI after clearing
away the wreck of spars, getting out anchors, anu
tightening her, We succeeded, to our great joy, Id
clearing her from the rocks. Our difficulties, how
were by no means ended. We lay almost
helpless wreck, with only a part of the malnmas!
standing. We were only a short half mile from the
rocks with the ship leaking badly and very mucn
strained. We now sent the boats to the island 70
bring back the provisions and luggage which had
been landed there, and commenced securing for jury
masts the spars which had been cut away. We lay
engaged at this work during the 18th, and at .
O'Clock on the morning of the 18th, the wind beng
from the Eastward, We stood back into tho Ochotsh
Sea, having determined to run hack to Ayan. Haa
the wind been from a contrary direction should have
put away for the Sandwich islands After experIeh,
crng very bad weather for twenty days we -reaehet
n VAN tforo n ,rsvav xva. .111nI a-l y chin WIS
and sold at public auction for $500. ino
oil was shipped by the ships JMetacom, Rebecea SINS
and bark Alice, and the whalebone by ship .HP"-
kdr.
came to Honolulu with Capt. Franklin Cross IN
the bark Oscar. Mr.. Booker the LIST officer came
Capt. Sam. B. Gayitt in ship Retecca Sims 10