The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1882-09-21


watching her the .junk's sail was
lowered and soon sailor at work on
the ships topsail called out that u
boat was just ahead in the track OF
the Respigadera, evidently inten-
ding to board the vessel. AS the
ship was sailing about five knots,
before gentle breeze, the boat was
soon alongside, and Captain Purcell
said that although he put out no
steps or ladder the japanese seamen
climbed nimbly up his ships side on
Il single line. The main yards were
then laid aback, aud the Japanese
had hoisted three empty bags or
mats upon the junk's jib-stay. Capt.
Purcell said he took them for square
flags at first, and he considered that
this indicated that the crew under
stood signalling. He remembered
that in the British signal code the
urgent signal Of distress is two
square flags, and concluded that as
they were somewhat confused they
had hoisted one more flag than was
necessary, or that they were not in
any distress. In the boat, which
proved to be little hat-bottomed
dory with square ends, came three
men and boy with three empty
water buckets.
On gaining the deck they went
forward in search for the captain,
but were brought aft and shown
Captain Purcell, when they raised
their hands toward heaven. rs in the
attitude of prayer, and then pro-
stratcd themselves before him, bow
ing their heads TO the deck. They
could not speak one word of English
and no one on board spoke Japanese.
The captain took them to his cabin
and opened his chart before them
and spoke to them in English, point
ing out America, which word they
seemed to repeat after him. They
then said to him, as plainly as they
could, " Nip-hon," which is the
native name of their country, which
foreigners alone call Japan. But
Captain Purcell said he thought they
must mean Ningpo, yet he knew
they were not Chinese, and the lat
ter is a Chinese port. So, conclud-
ing they had lost their way, he point
ed out to them the Hawaiian Islands
and made signs for them to go
southward. Seeing the three buckets
in the boat, he found they wanted
fresh water, and he allowed them to
fill themselves from his pump, for he
said his ship had an abundant supply
of both water and provisions. He
told the steward to take them into
the store-room and show them the
provisions, which he did. They look
ed eagerly and respectfully at them,
and bowed down rs in making q
salaam. This the captain said he
thought must mean that they did
not want any, for he said if he was
in their place and hungry or thirsty
he would have grabbed the first
thing he could get hold of to satisfy
his hunger. Having thus concluded
that they were in no need of provi-
sions, he told the mate not to send
them away empty-handed, so gave
them 80 pounds of salt beef, a bag
of rice and bag of hard biscuit, to.
gethcr weighing about l20 pounds
eight pumpkins and three buckets OF
water. He then asked them in Eng.
lish, and by signs, if they did moi
wish to abandon their vessel, t.
which proposition they pointed tc
the japanese captain sitting on tn,
bow of the junk, and after bowins
low and showing every sign Of decl
gratitude, they got into their dory
scarcely large enough to float such .
load, and skulled back to their junk
whose sides, Capt. Purcell said, were
covered viii mass Of bunacle,
fully four inches long. Having seer
their boat arrive alongside safely
the mainyards of the Rcspigadera
were filled away, and she continued
on her way to San Francesca, wher,
she arrived ON Sunday morning