The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-08-21

1 bcckoned to the stecrsInan to put his rudder
''hard aport,' and he evidently understood me,
for, in a moment, the course OF the Junk was
changed, and, grazing clear of the rocky point,
she found entrance into n narrow cove IN the
reef. L motioned to the man aboard to throw me
a line. He attempted it, but, owing to his weak
ness, il fell short.
Luckily, O-pu-nu-i had had the forethought to
bring one with him, and one end of this was
flung aboard the craft, where the Chinaman made
il fast. Directing O-pu-nu-i to remain ashore, L
succeeded, by means of this line, half-swlmmlng
and half-pulling myself through the sea, IN get
ting aboard. As | climbed on to the deck, the
Cbinaman Frustrated himself toward me on his
hands and knees, touching his forehead To the
deck, and at the same time muttering as II IN
prayer.
L tried to make him understand, by gestures
and encouraging tones of my voice. that he had
nothing to fear from me but he still maintained
his prone position. Somewhat nouplussed in the
effort to communicate with the stranger. L stood
Tor a moment contemplating him IN silence But
happening to call to mind n Chinese salutation
which / had learned years before. l advanced
toward him, extending my open hands In welcome,
and at the same time uttered the talismanic
greeting, 'Chin-chin! =" The effect was magical;
he raised himself upon his knees. and L saw ex-
pressed in his countenance q feeling of thankful
ness and assurance, which was not conveyed to
my understanding by his words. His confidence
being won. he gave his name as As'ng. Another
man, named Akew, was lying almost helpless in
the cabin. They two were the only persons
aboard.
The vessel is a Chinese junk, about fifty feet
long, hat-bottomed, and high in the stern and
bow, and lily adapted to beating against the
wind. 1t has a single mast, unsupported by
shrouds, which is situated considerably forward
of the middle of the vessel. y rude spar, run out
from the larboard bow, serves as a bowsprit. On
the starboard bow is painted an eye. When
asked the use of this, the Chinese always say,
ssHe have no eve, he no can see.'
The vessel carries but two saIls-a large square
shaped mainsail, and a triangular sail like a jib.
The mainsail is made of mating and is strength
ened by bamboo splints. that are thrust through
it at intervals of about n foot. This is an i'm
mensely heavy sail, and it mast have tried the
ingenuity as well as the strength of Asing to
handle it.
The steering apparatus is clumsily constructed.
An unwieldly tiller, nine feet long, sweeps across
the after deck and controls a ponderous rudder.
The pinnacle is n rough box of teak wood, and is
situated 80 that the man ut the helm cannot look
into it more than u third of the time. The COM
pass is so rudcly made that it would be difficult to
tell within two or three points the course of the
vessel.
The condition of the two men ON this vessel
was quite distrcssiul. Akcw was down with the
scurvy, and for nearly n month has been able to
render only small assistance to his companion.
From Akew. who can talk some broken English,
1 have obtained the following story: The vessel
was engaged in the fishing business, and while
carrying a cargo of 6eche de nler, edible BIRDS
nests and salt fish from the Loo Choo Islands to
Shanghae, was driven off its course by n violent
storm into seas entirely unknown to them, where
they dritted Mt the mercy of the winds and waves.
For ten moons they were borne they knew not
whittier.
Their casks of water were sufficient for only n
voyage of three or four weeks, and were soon
empty. But from time to time, they managed to
catch n scanty supply OF %rainwater; and as they
had n few cocOa-nuts, and n large supply of rice,
in addition to their cargo, they were not ut any
time absolutely destitute offood. Their firewood,
however, gave out soon after leaving port, and in
n few months the hardships and privations incl
dent to a long voyage, and their insufficient and
knocked food told seriously on the health of all.
Disease came among them, and out of a crew of
nine, including the Captain, all died but these
two. After this the command of the vessel de-
volvcd upon the supercargo, Asing.
At three different times they saw vessels pass
ing in the distance, twice during the night, and,
in one case, they were so near to q large clipper
that they distinctly heard the ringing of the
ships bell.
The instances of vessels from Chinese waters
being driven to islands in the Northern or Central
Pacific Ocean, of which the adventurous voyag-
lngs OF this junk are an example, are not so rare
but they should be taken into the account in de-
ciilnS the probable source of population Of those
islands.
O-pu-nu-i says, I" it is plain now whence the
derived their origin But the solu-
ton of this problem will depend upon the re-
searches OF the philologists. We are now anxiouslv
awaiting the arrival of a ship L to gain fresh
news from the world, and to send this letter : INV
Chinese guests to find a means of escape from this
desert spot, with their bags of Spanish dollars.
n. b. E..