Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-04-01
Two Boats Crews Arrive
Safely in Honolulu.
ONE VETO BE HEARD FROM.

Halliday and twenty men of the crew of
the British ship Norrai, which was aban-
doncd at sea on the 18th of March The
following facts have been elected from
interviews with the officers and men:
The iron ship Norroi owned by Il. G.
Hunter & Hendry of Greenock. Scotland.
LAZY tons register, sailed from Hull, Eng
land. on the 26th of October 1881. with a
cargo of 1,s65 tons of coal for San Fran
cisco. consigned to Rodgers n Meyers
The vessel reached the North Pacific
without any event especially worthy of
note. On the LIST of March. when 12i
days ont, n thin column of smoke was
discovered issuing from the fore hatch
and on going below the smell of smoke
was quite noticeable. On the morning of
the End the fumes of burning wood and
coal tar We're plainly detected in every
part of the ship. The main hatch was
opened and n column of smoke and steam
arose. They We're battened down and
all hands We're called on deck The com
bustible material was removed from below
and the boats got ready for sea. The
ship at this time was going along with a
fair wind and was reduced to topsails.
The donkey engine was got to work and
all hands manned the pumps, four in mum
Der, and pumped seven feet of water in
the hold. On the following morning they
turned to between and a. M and made
sail and then manned the pumps and
worked steadily until p. IN. to get the
water out of the hold At that time there
was about two feet of water still in the
ship, The men went forward to take
spell of much needed rest and at 5:15 p.
m. supper was announced. Just as they
We're getting ready to eat an explosion Of
coal gas in the hold took place; the
matches were blown out and the cabin and
forward part of the vessel badly wrecked.
The Steward, who was preparing for sup
per i'll the cabin, was lifted with portion
of the deck against the beams in the roof
of the cabin and was severely cut ON
the head. He was covered with blood and
did not recover for several days. The
First Officer Frank Anderson, and the
Carpenter. We're also slightly injured.
Had the crew been at work at the pumps
when the explosion occurred some of them
would undoubtedly have been killed or
seriously injured. The Steward was the
only one who heard the report of the ex-
plosion which was not loud. After supper
sail was shortened and the two life boats
were put over the side with provisions and
water and sent to windward with rope
attached to the ship to be ready in case
of emergency. On the morning of the 4th
the boats We're called alongside again and
hoisted to the davits, and sail was
made to bring the vessel as near these
Islands as possible. About noon smoke
was seen issuing from the pump we'll
; The ship was getting very hot and the
crew We're got into the four boats about l
O'Clock. The smoke at this time was very
dense and the men We're nearly suflocated
hot. al L.. IL.
boats pulled off to windward and laid by
about an hour after leaving the mainsail
and main rigging were in flames and in Il
few minutes the mainmast fell over the
side, and was shortly followed by the
mizzen-mast. At this time the boats were
about mile and Il half distant. The Cap
tain gave orders for the other boats to
follow his and made sail for Hilo, leaving
the Noredl enveloped in flames. Her posi-
ton at this time was about 1892 n
latitude, 1909 w. longitude
The crew was divided among the four
boats as follows Captain and nine men
III one of the life boats, First Officer and
seven men in the other life boat. Second
Officer and four men, and Boatswain and
five men in the other two boats.
On the morning of the 9TH the First
Mates boat was not in sight and was not
seen afterward, but the others kept to-
gether. The trades We're blowing fresh Mt
the time, heavy sea was running and
the boats shipped considerable water.
This continued for several days and they
We're compelled to reef sails. On the 9th il
! became necessary, owing TO the danger OF
separation, to abandon the fourth boat, in
command OF the Boatswain, there being
no navigator ON board. The Captain
took two of the men in the life boat and
the Second Mate took the other four into
the pinnace.
Too much cannot be said in praise
, OF Captain Halliday and the discipline OF
the men during this passage OF about 1900
miles in open boats. The Captain took
every precaution against separation and
when ever necessary gave instructions to
both boats. The life boat being the fastest
sailer, he ordered the Second Mate to in
/ crease the size of his sail, and afterwards
that boat was able to keep the lead When
/ one got far IN advance the others We're al
! lowed to catch up. In the day time there
was very little difficulty in keeping to
gether and at night lanterns We're used "a
. Determine the positions OF the boats.
= The provisions and water were OF neces-
: sity dealt out sparingly. Each one was
: allowed twothirls OF pint of water
: morning and night, and half pint a,
,, noon. Cne biscuit was given to each
man night and morning, and canned meats
salmon, etc, We're distributed sparingly
One GONE and two turtles were seen, and
one OF the latter was killed, but il was
: not used. They caught some rain waite,
{ but rs the sails and Everything else WA
1 impregnated with salt il was impos
sible TO get il fresh. On the 2Oth they
: had calm and both boats were compelled
. TO use the oars. A leak in the foreioot d
. the life boat was stopped, all hands get
ting into her stern 10 lift her bow out ol
: the water. Only forty miles were made
: this day. On the following day there wa,
u very light wind, and sixty i've mile,
were made The men suffered great,