Wilmington journal., 1871-01-20
From the Alta California. Jan. =
A SORROWFUL TALE. s

Particulars of the Loss OF the United States
ShIp-Of-wAr Saginaw ON Ocean Island-
How and When the Vessel struek-The
Crew ParaIyzed with Fear-Namss or
the Wrecked Omcers-The story as Told
by the Sole Survivor, &C., sc.
A passenger from Honolulu by the Moses
Taylor, which arrived last evening, gives
the following account OF the loss of the
United States slip-of-war Saginaw:
News reached Honolulu on the 24sh of
December. of the total loss on the 29th of
October last, of the United States ship Of
war Saginaw, on that desolate sand bank
called Ocean Island, situated ], 200 miles
w. N. w from Honolulu and about mid
way between San Francisco and Yoko-
hama. The intelligence was conveyed to
the Hawaiian Islands on board the cap
tain'S gig, which had been detached from
the scene of the wreck, and on board of
which was Lieutenant Talbot, Peter Fran
cs, John Andrews, James Muir and Viii
liam Halford all OF whom nobIy volun-
, teered TO attempt to reach Honolulu. AT
ter a lengthy voyage of over thirty days,
, during which much rough weather. and
many severe hardships were encountered,
the boat struck on a reef opposite alini-
, kai Bay, on the Island of Kauii in the
Hawaiian group, on the 10Th of December
last. The heartrending scene that then
occurred cannot be better described than
in the simple statement Of
! WILLIAM HALFoRD, SOLE SURVIVOR
Of the boats crew, us made before II. A.
; Pierce, ESQ, United States Minister, resi-
? dent at Honolulu: 'tSailed from Midway
G Island at p. M, October 28 +; vessel met
q good weather, but cloudy and dark speed
. two and a half 10 three knots an hour;
fires banked; topsail and iib set running
$ with fair wind; captain came on deck at
) i Il. M; was sitting down aft when the
o yessc! struck: officer of deck, Mr.. Cast
(gho relieved Coles), had just informed
: captain Of breakers ahead; captain ordered
: torsails to be lowered; just at that moment
y vessel struck; torsails were ordered
!, to be fuglCd !; crow pAraly zed with tear ana
- the orders were not obayed surf then
. breakirg over vessel, and hove her higher
70 MP all bands put to work to get boats
e and save provisions and other things
r. worked all day carry ing things 10 the
8holc) ut break Of day saw Il sand Island
> about one and half or two miles on re-
& mo, tl two very sick men ashore, and four
IL or live others slightly so from tune OF
=, wreck (uearIy three weeks all hands en-
=, ploycd getting up tents, saving provisions
and riggiug, making fresh water with ap
y sratus, a,,l decking over and preparing g
is captains gig - go TO Honolulu; the launch
"a was lost at time vessel struck the 1ormel
-. was raised about ten inches mldShlp5, ia
pering fore and aft, and wooden deck
q was placed over all, with movable matches;
e volunteers We're called to go III the gig to
T. Honolulu Lieutenant Talbot, Peter
! Francis, Jr., Master belonging to Manila,
: and John Andrews, seaman. OF Boston
IL James Muir, seaman, OF Glasgow Scot
p land and William Halford (myself), COX
CrIC
II in the boat to Honolulu.
@ There was put into the boat 10 breakers
70 OF water 5 days rations OF bread, IN ii
le tin case, sealed 10 do in a BLACK canvass
a bag, which was mostly spoiled on the pas
Is sage about 2 dozen small tins preserved
10 meats tins g lbs. each) deslccated po-
L tatoee, to which we attribute beng saved
o. from etnrvation; 2 tins cooked beans, could
m not be used. causing dysentery ) tins
boiled wheat, do; ham, or lO lbs; u
tins preserved oysters 10 lbs. dried beef
oi dozen tins Lima beans and peas 4 or {
III lbs butter l gallon molasses III keg, leak
81 ed out /; II lbs. white sugar, also lost by
Is wet lbs tea 4 lbs coffee, Dotl
u spoiled. The boat was furnished with :
G. small tin cooking apparatus, by boiling
y with oil and wick.
a FRIGHTFUL SUFFERING.
IN Five DAYS out lost all light and fire, anC
-' no means Oh making
sn or wood, but had ttnt and s,eel. Abou
er FIVE or six days before making Kauii W
TO succeeded in getting light with the glass
a es taken from opera glass. Su1ere
II. much from wet cold, and want OF food =
nj When we left Ocean Island, November Is
ys at noon, we run to the north to lat1tud
'er 30 degrees there took the westerly wind
lot and run east to longitude of Kauii, as Mr.
OF Talbot supposed, but it proved ultimatel
'rk we were not near that longitude by over
lg- degree We then stood south. Had hea7
o!o weather while running eastward hove I
Dig with sea anchor twice-last time lost II.
ng Made another drag with three oars, whic
en were also lost Then made another dra
rel with two oars, with square sail by crossln
ne them. That lasted for three turns OF ba
nd weather the last time it broke adrift an
gh all was lost of it, Mr.. Talbot was Ill II
ou seven or eight days with diarrhua ; g
VS. better, but still suffered from fatigue an
ere hardship. He was somewhat cheerful tt
nd whole passage. Muir and Andrews we
lze sick two or three weeks. Francis vi
er- ALWAYS we'll. The deck was leaky. III
ore boat was furnished with chronometer, b
leo rometer, compasses, sextant, opera-glas
led charts, Bowditch, almanac, barometer.
lth Did not make land so soon by week
len we expected The first land we saw W
lth Kauhuelaua Rock, near Nihau Island,
ed, Friday morning, 10Th December. v
oil stood north by east (Mihcu Island in sigt
ilrt but to windward) all day Friday duri1
in that night and Saturday we stood n
ow by n. on Saturday night headed E., thl
egs : T..
in LAND Is sEEN
will Sunday morning. wind allowed US
ons head S. E. Saw Kauii, great distan
ing oil. saturday night @ 3nuhS bo
are were OIL dauaIel Day 'uen - ~ -
Mr. to Westward. We lay to thus until II
sels m-my Watcn Oh ueGh' caii9u L.i5 - 80 :
tnr entrance 80 Haualci harbor. He order
on on boat to be kept away, and steered for
ded trance-got near it, when 1t clouded
Vim and became uarh noSe W S5;nf uSSf 80
,nce w. AT a. u oalleu ~ - AZ ToIh
arly and francis can1e Oh uooA' aAoo -; ann IL
aces Alter W0ut DSlo" oOaU "0S NS~.