The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-01-04
Particulars OF the Loss Of the
HSaginaw."

Saginaw"
The following is the statement of COxswain
VIM. Halford, concerning the loss Of the u. S. S.
SGginGlc, on Ocean Island, Oct. Goth; together
with the voyage of the boat to Hanalei, Kauai.
We sailed from Midway Island at five O'Clock P. NJ.
October 18th. The vessel struck between three and
four A. NJ October 10Th. 1t was good weather, but
cloudy and dark. Speed q to 8 knots fires banked :;
topsails and jb set, running with fair wind. Capt.
Sicard came ON deck at two A. N. and was sitting aft
when the vessel struck. The officer of the deck, Mr..
Cast, who relieved Mr.. Coles, had just informed the
Captain of breakers ahead-just at that moment the
vessel struck. Topsails were ordered to be furled.
The crew were paralyZed with feag, and the orders
we're not obeyed. All hands were put to work to get
boats and save provisions and other things AT
break of day saw a land island about II to 2 miles
of. Worked all day carrying things to the shore.
Removed two very sick men ashore aud four or five
others slightly i'll. For nearly three weeks from the
time of the wreck all hands were employed in getting
at tents, saving provisions and rigging for making
fresh water apparatus, and deckingsoyer and prepar-
ing the Captains gig to go to Honolulu. The launch
was lost when the vessel struck. The first and second
cutters, the second badly damaged, the dingey and an
old metallic boat of the contractors were left. The
SaginaIc began at once to break up. The gig was
raised ten inches in midship and tapering fore and
aft, and a wooden deck was placed over all, with
places for men to row, and with movable matches.
Volunteers we're called to go in the gig to Honolulu.
Lieut.. Talbot. Peter Francis, quarter master, belong
ing to Manila, John andrews, seaman, of Boston.
James Muir, seaman, OF Glasgow, Scotland, and VIM.
HalfOrd, (myself) coxswain of the Captains gig VOL
unteered to go in the boat to Honolulu. There were
put into the boat, ten breakers of water, five days'
ratiOns of bread in a tin case, sealed, ten ditto in n
black canvas bag which was mostly spoiled on the
passage. About two dozen small tins preserved meats.
FIVE tins, five lbs. each, desiccated potatoes, to which
we attributed being saved from starvation, two tins
cooked beans, could not be used, causing dysentery.
three tins boiled wheat, the same. one ham, eight or
ION n g- %a-. --1-,.vol o.
dried beef, one dozen tins Lima beans and peas, four
or five lbs. butter, one gallon molasses, (leaked out)
twelve lbs white sugar, also lost by wet, four lbs. tea,
four or five lbs. coffee, both spoiled.
The boat was furnished with a small tin cooking
apparatus for boiling, with oil and wick. Five days
out we lost all light and fire, and no means of making
either, no dry binder or wood. but had steel and
flint. About five or six days before making Kauai,
we succeeded In getting n light with glasses taken
from the opera glass Suffered much from wet, cold
and want of food. When Ho loft nce.n Island, Nov.
18th, Mt noon, we ran to the north, lat. Is, 32o,
there took the westerly winds and ran east to the
of Kauai, as Mr.. Talbot supposed, but it
tuSe 1y & OVEN dsg ieet " We sf then rs stood south. Had
heavy weather while running eastward, hove to,
with sea anchor, twice, last time lost it made an
other drag with three oars, which were also lost.
made another drag with two oars with square,
sail by crossing them. That lasted for three hours of
bad weather. The last time it broke adrift, and all
lost of it.
Mr.. Talbot was i'll seven or eight days with diar-s
rhea, got better, but still suffered from fatigue and
He was somewhat cheerful the whole pas
sage. Muir and Andrews were sick two or three
Francis was always we'll. The deck was
leaky. The boat was furnished with chronometer,
sextant, opera glass, charts, Bowditchis
almanac, barometer. Did not make land
30 soon by a week as we expected. The first land we
was Kauhulaua Rock, near Nihau Island, on
Friday, A NJ. Dec. 10th. We stood to north by east.
Island in sight, but to windward, all day Fri
that night and Saturday, we stood n E
N, on Sunday night headed east, wind S S Z
Sunday morning wind allowed US to head S E.. Saw
Kauai great distance off on Saturday night, Sunday
night We were off Hanalei bay, there hove to, head
to northwestward, wind having hauled that night to
The westward. We lay to there until ii p. NJ nv
watch on deck, called Nj. Talbot, told him the NIGHT
was clear, 1 could see the entrance to Hanalei harbor.
He ordered the boat to be kept away, l steered for the
rot near it when it clouded up and became
dark, hove g. eGain to the northwest. All A. NJ.
(night) called my reief, Andrews and Francis came
ON deck. also Mr.. Talbot. After I went below the
boat was again kept ava. for a short time, when she
again hove to. it beingsdaf., At q littie past 2, A. Al. !
on Monday Dec 18TH; she "4e' Kept away for the
third time. L remained bebw until L felt the boat
into shoal water. 1 awoke Muir and told
INN II Was time we went On deck He did not 90.
put l aid. Just as got IN the cockpit, a sea broke
aboard apart Mr.. Talbot ordered to bring the boat |
by the wind. L hauled eff the main sheet. Francis
was at the helm. and brought the vessel nm to tbe
wind Just then another breaker, broke on boald
ana capslzed the ooat' Andrews and Fraucis we're
N0SAN@ o"Sy ooN NN'CE 5tEl IIIclHhIu. III VAC I
still below, and did net get clear until the boat was
ne gaze symptoms of insanity. Before
the boat was righted by the sea, MIR. Talbot was
TO the bllge of the boat, l called to him to
go to the stem OF the boat, and there get up on the
bottom. While attempting to do so he was washed
Oh, when he sank. He was heavily clothed and
much exhausted, He made no cry.
! succeeded M getting on TO the bottom, when 1
stripped myself 81 clothing Then a sea came and
rgnted the boat 1t vas then that Muir put his head
up IN the cockpit, when L assisted him in getting on
Heck Soon 9feE another breaker came and upset
her again, she going over twice. The last time she
came upright, and head ON to the breakers. We then
her 70 be inside the large breakers. We then
irifted towards the shore at a place called Kalihikai,
about hvs miles from Hanaiei l landed, with the
water bTeast high, and took with me o tin can of des-
patches and letters There was a tin box on board
its cover broken, containing navigation books,
;harts, sc. Also, Capt Sicard's instructions to
Lieut.. Talbot, and other papers, among which were
MFRS and AudrewsN discharge papers, they having
dipped Nov. 18th, for one month. They belonged to
re contractors as their employers previous to that
ime.N Also, mineand Francis transfer papers, and
ccou1sts destined for Mare Island Navy Yard. The
.bove naired box, with everything not dashed, fell |
nto the water when we were first upset. 1 landed
Ibonts ~ N. Saw no one until daybreak , when
eeing some huts 1 went TO them and got assistance
get the boat on the BEECH: had previously, by
making Eve trips to the boatA succeeded in bringing
&oEe he long tin case AnH-ti toned. Chronome.
tess pes@ glass, ~parometer,A one ships compass.
boats 5ffs-le and compass, aud also assisted Muir
&c the shore Nc was still insane, said but little, in
coherenty. Hstoaned a good deal. 1 was much
exhausted, and laid Esslf down 40 rest until sunrise
hen 1 lookei Tor Muir = found le had gone from
the F7tce 1 iet han in-sooL Tier 1 found him sur
rounds by several BatlyeS-b he las dead and |
very blas in ths face Durisg G.day cot some
food and clot.,55g from the nat;ves-sca Pc er.
and after resting .yself, Peter and WesoR hSsse-
back over to tianasei = saerR @ilcox II
We returned with the ( lcriH and coroner 20
kai. where an inquest Eas4eld on the-bodies ~
r. aet anu AGrs TIE IOEncr L1sirg Iffi sa-s
before L Us kalhiksi for Hansla ar ia
Erehead vas bruised and quite bl4oS
frnm h~-'-@ st-1zf the boat or wrecked %a-
80 besfes were taken e p