The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-11-10
Correspondence Pac. Commercial Advertiser.l
Loss of the Ship Rhenix.

SHIP MAssAcHUsErrs,1
Ochotsk, September, 1859.
Mr.. EDITOR AS I intend to go to San Francisco
in this ship, and from there home across land, it may
not be amiss for me to give you a short account Of
the wreck of the bark Phenir of Nantucket, of which
1 was master, which occurred on the 18th of October
last, and also what 1 know of the bark Ocean Ware,
which has been missing.
AT six, P. NJ, civil time, of the 18th of October, I
came to anchor to the west of Elbow Island, about
two and a half miles from land. in company with the
Ocean Ware, in a strong easterly gale. the latter
vessel laying about a half mile to the north of u.s.
About nine o'clock in the evening the wind shifted to
the west very suddenly, blowing heavy, and accom-
panied with a very heavy snow storm, the current
then running to the east. 1t was impossible for us
to carry sail enough to fetch by the rocks, so we were
obliged to try to hold on with the anchors until
should clear enough to find the way between tBG3
rocks and island; but it continued to blow and snow
as hard as at first, with the exception of two or three
minutes at a time, for two or three times througUfh
fore part Of the night, until about half-past three in
the morning. when it blew much stronger, and lit
up SO that we could see the land, and that we we're
very near to it, having dragged without knowing it.
We could not see the Ocean Ware.
About two o'clock was the last time we saw her,
and l suppose it must have been about that time
that she slipped her cables to try to get out, as they
then had lights on deck, and appeared to be at work.
1 found my ship ~as dragging quite fast, apd imme-
diately mustered all the extra irons on board, such
as fuke and fin chains and boat anchors, attached
them to a large hawser that we had, and let that go;
but | soon found that she dragged still. I immedi-
ately commenced to cut away the masts; and they
had but just fell, when she struck her rudder on a
rock, breaking off all the pin ties, and knocking it
half way through the stern. she struck four or FIVE
times on that rock. and then rode clear again, and
soon stopped dragging. it then being about FIVE
o'clock and high water. We tried the pumps and
found she made water-sounded them, and found
about two feet water in the hold; kept the pumps
going about an hour, and sounded again. 1t gained
on us SO slowly, we concluded we could keep her
afoat that tide; kept the pumps going all that day
and night, wind blowing and showing very heavy,
until about three in the morning, the ship riding
bottom very heavy at half tide.
About eight O'Clock 1 started with one boat to see
If the Ocean Ware still lay there, which 1 had
hopes OF, as we could not see where she Law. having
dragged by a point; but I found she was not there.
and that IT was too rugged for me to proceed further
IN search OF her. l returned to the ship again with
the hopes that the weather might hold moderate.
and thus be able to keep the ship aHoat for a day or
two, until l could 60 to Felixstoff, where / knew there
were ships. .or assistance; but at two O'Clock in the
morning it commenced to blow again from the west.
The appearance of another heavy gale, and all hands
with pumping, and four feet water in the
hold determined me to slip the cables and let her 20
on shore, as that was our only chance of saving any,
thing. To make a short story, I will first saw that
the wind continued to blow for three DAYS very heavy.
accompanied with snow. In the meantime the shin
went to pieces, allowing us to save nothing of ac-
count besides provisions and clothing, which we were
fortunate as to have got on deck before we went ON
the beach. The weather still continued to be so bad
that we could not 60 in search of ships in time to find
and were thus obliged to stay all winter, which
We managed to do without much suffering or anv
loss Of life.
MY crew, Of which quite q number are natives of
The Sandwich Islands, are all on board of different
bound to the islands, and all well the last 1
'eard Of them. The Ocean Wope, It appears. in
rying to get clear TINT morning, must have run ON
Q the rocks. as some of her remains were found there
his spring. and sad to relate, all hands have prob
bly, perished. Your. resnectfnllvl
B. g.. HANDY,
Late master ship Phcnir Of Nantucket. +
That New Iszana.
HonoLuIr, Nev. tn. 1e61!k