The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-12-11

each. which did not fetch her up. She still continu-
ed to drag until she struck bottom in about a faith
oms water, when we concluded to cut away our masts
to keep her from dragging further, which we did, it
having the effect of stopping her from going farther,
though she still continued striking occasionally at
both ends at low tide. The spars, masts, sails and
rigging with all attached drifted ashore. We tried
the pumps and found but little water. The sea was
heavy. At u O'Clock midnight the gale broke and
the wind hauled N. N. w. to the westward, moderat-
ing fast. AT daylight we saw a vessel at anchor and
the captain took o boat and went on board of her to
see what arrangement he could make with the cap
tain of the vessel to take our oil to the Sandwich Is
lands. At IL O'Clock Capt. Bellows and Capt. Hemp
stead came on board together. Fine weather, wind
moderate from the S. w. On the 10th Capt. Hemp
stead went on board his ship again and took her up
the bay about Z miles and anchored. Fresh winds
from the westward with some snow. The Captain OF
the bark HARMONY came on board with a boats crew.
Previous to this our fourth mate went on board ofthe
Harmony and got a kedge anchor to warp the ship
up the bay. Employed in breaking out provisions
sc. Tried the pumps and found no water.
18th day. Strong winds from the n. W. with snow
squalls, the vessel struck several times, we cut away
the jib and flying jb booms to keep the ship from
pitching so heavily.
18th. Fine weather. Ran the kedge anchor out
and hove both our anchors up. they being clear. We
then commenced and warped the hulk into the mid
die of the bay and then towed the shipup to the place
where the bark Harmony lay at anchor and dropped
our anchor.
18th. The Capt. of the bark then went on board of
his vessel he having been on board since the 10th.
Got the sick men, some provisions and the mems
clothing on board of the bark. At about 10 A. NJ.
got our anchor and proceeded up the bay, captain
Hampstead and some of his men ON board at this time.
Lowered our boats and towed our vessel up towards
the head of the bay as far as We wanted to go and
came to anchor. Weather clear with strong winds
from the N. At high water ran the ship ashore on
a mud fat and got out lines ashore and hove the ship
as far as we could up ON the beach; we then broke
out provisions and slowed them in the blubber-room
and started fresh and salt water to tighten the ship
Weather fine. We then at low water carried out our
anchors and chains and at high water hove the ship
up as far as we could, all hands on board of the ship
assisting. Al IL P. NJ. took the anchor and chain
and carried it ahead again, at low tide shackled
the chain together and hove the spare chain in and
hauled the hawser and the two small lines taught.
The ship was high and dry at low water for some dis
lance.
At about Z A. NJ, on the 10th, Capt. Bellows told
me ID. Y. Dyer, to get the men into the boats with
what things they had !; l did so he then sent the
second officer, Mr.. Barker, off with what was in his
boat to the bark Harpony-which he did. He then
told me to take my boat and go on board also. l
asked him what he was going to do with the vessel.
He told me he had sold the vessel to Capt. Hemp
stead, and that he was going to abandon her. l told
him that I protested against it, for 1 was willing to
stop by the wreck. He then ordered me to get into
the boat and I did So, The third and fourth mates,
arpenter and one bOatsteerer at the time had pulled
towards the shore, The Captain then abandoned the
ship to the devil. We then pulled away from the
wreck. The third and fourth mates, carpenter and
boatsteerer pulled aboard again. We (the rest, went
on board the bark Harmony. The four men left by
the ship were hired to stop there by Capt. Hemp
stead-so Capt. Bellows told me. Capt. Hampstead
has been on board of the ship yNatchez all the time,
except about two days-he and Capt. Bellows order
ing and working together all the time that the men
were employed about the ship, hauling, pulling, sc.
The ship at the time of the abandonment was in good
condition, the bottom sound, except about fifteen feet
of shoeing forward and ten aft. Did not leak any.
The spars and masts lying ashore about half a mile
from the place where we cut them away. And it is
my candid opinion that if 1 could have had Mr.. Bar
ker and a boats crew, that I could in a fortnight
time have rugged sufficient jury-masts to have brought
ner TO THIS port Ior the SoOQ OF all cOncerno0-WhlCh
I and Mr.. Barker had offered to do previous to leav-
ing the first anchorage.
now close with giving you a memorandum of the
things sent on board the bark Harmony, as near as
my memory serves me (proyen true) Forty barrels
of beef and pork, five casks of bread, one cask and a
half of -four, three kegs of butter, Is boxes of to-
bacco and preserved meats, &C., two iron pumps, two
chronometers, SC.
This is the true doings and situation of the ship
Natchez in witness, we. the undersigned, have put
our names.
(Signed.) First Officer, d. Y. DYER, Jr.
Second Officer, w. S. BARKER.
We, the undersigned, aver that these statements
are true, and will swear to the same.
(Signed.)
James II. Edick, Boatsteerer. VIM. Pain, Seaman.
James Z. Crosby, do, James Green, do.
w. L. Smith, Cooper. John Thornton, do.
VIM. Farwood, Cook. j.. HI: Tof, do.
John II. Jordan, Seaman. Wilson L. Stie, do.
george W. Ladd, do. W.. III. Keyser, do.
William McCarter, Steward.
Personally appeared before me at the q. s. Consul
ate the sixteen persons who have signed the above
foregoing statement, and declared that they signed
the same of their own free will and accord and
have made oath to the truth of the said statement be-
fore me, and 1 hereby certify that the aforesaid per-
sons are of the crew of the American ship .Natchez,
of New Bedford, whereof Dexter Bellows was the
late master.