Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-16


in the morning, untkr bright star
light, with few sails set before
slight breeze. ner engines motionless,
and man IN the look out, the Sagi-
nav ran u ponareef which was plain
ly seen snead. Before she could get
up suf Gent steam to back against
the cr.rrent which it is supposed she
YVES running in, large hole was
rH de in her side. In few minutes
s. Ie was broken to pieces, and nine $
men in her boats, carrying such pro-
visions as they could obtain, much
of the bread being soaked in salt
water, got safely to shore. Like
J Robinson Crusoe and other predeces-
sors, they spent the rest of the day in
bringing stores from the ship to the
island. Some of the sailors broke
into the wine room and got SO drunk
on ale and claret that they could not
work. They dried their provisions
in the sun; but could find no fresh
water; and the scanty supply from
the ship was divided very lneagerly
among them. A cake of hard bread,
cupful Of water, and two ounces Of
raw pork was their first meal. The
officers enjoyed bit of tainted NUT
ton. The third day after landing, a
small boiler, which they had saved
from the ship, was put up and used
as distillery, by which they sue
ceeded in turning salt water into
fresh. This boiler was SO precious
that watch was set over it day and
night. They soon after found sup
ply of food i'm the fish, the turtle, and
the sea birds of the island. But the
effect of an almost exclusive diet of
meat and few vegetables was unfor-
tunate, and relief was obtained only
by prolonged fasting. Bread rations
were scant, and were constantly re-
duced as the supply grew small.
The turtles, too, grew scarce, and fish
were not often caught. Sea birds,
called "goneys," wore not very
plenty, but they were tame. They
were forbidden to be shot, because
the noise wouI i drive the rest away.
They were l.illed with a sword, ut
the rate CT eight day, this being
the regular ration for ninety-three
nen. The sea birds eggs were
rare delicacy, and though they were
five inches long and three inches
through--by the shorter diameter
each person could get very slight
taste of the desired luxury.
On the 18th of November, the
captains "gig" was rugged with a
sail, and crew Of four men, under
Lieut.. Talbot, departed to procure
help from Honolulu. These were
wrecked, after month of storm and
famine, almost within reach of help,
from vessel bearing down toward
them. One brave fellow struggled
to the land with the papers telling Of
the condition and situation of his
ninety comrades. The wrecked boat
attracted the attention Of the vessel,
and the heroic sailor, exhausted by
hunger and exposure, was barely
saved. A steamer from Honolulu
was sent to the rescue Of the impris-
oned crew on Ocean Island. In the
they had been building a
boat in which they intended to row
over to Midway Island, and cruise
about in the possible track Of vessels.
The rainy season set in, and all fear
of lack of water was thereby re-
moved. They raised flag with the
Union colors down as sign of dis
tress. They counted the days after
the departure of the "gig" hoping
and despairing as day after day went
by, without their hearing or seeing
any signs of her successful Grand.
A rising star, hidden now and Il zen
by the swell of the sea, was sufiici ent
to start the whole camp to its feet. in
the belief that it was the light OF a
rescuing vessel. At last, on the 3rd
of January, as the carpenter, ST lmu-
lated by double wages to his abor,
was working at the boat, he ,'aised
his eyes and saw column of black |
smoke in the Offing. He sh Outed,
and in an instant the entire camp
was in connection. STOOLS Cropped |
as if red hot" Soon the Hawaiian
steamer which had been sent for
them hove in sight, and though still
ten miles away, they all felt sure
that Geliverance had corne at last.
The shipwrecked men lay awake at
night, afraid to 60 to sleep lest they
should be aroused only to find that