The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-10-30

encountered and a fog set in. On
the third day the provisions ran out
and there was reported to be no
more fresh water. The fog cleared
off and there was no land in sight.
The kanaka captain was lost. He
was at his wits end what to do.
Fortunately there was u navigator
on board in the person of Captain
White, but still more fortunate it
was on this grave occasion he had
his nautical instruments with him.
He was leaving the island with
the intention of returning no more,
and consequently carried with him
the whole of his personal cf-
fects. He solved the question of
i" Where are we now?" Adverse
winds blew at the time, and there
was every probability of several
more days to be passed on board
that vessel before reaching the port
of destination. Now the second and
greatest difficulty of all presented
itself. On what were the fifteen or
twenty souls on board that vessel to
subsist during the ensuing week?
Captain Whites instruments and
practical knowledge had solved one
problem, but the next question to
be solved was vital one and APP
parently difficult of solution. There
was still another passenger on board
that schooner who had the good luck
to have some provisions with him.
He had pigs, chickens, sweet pota-
toes, bananas and variety of other
good things, all of which he was
taking to Honolulu as a mdkand for
his native wife's friends. The law
of self preservation caused him to
"break bulk" as the sailors say.
This person was Mr.. Bertelman,
father OF our respected townsman of
that name and also of Mr.. G.. Ber-
lehman of Kauai. With all these
good things there was still most
important want. 1t was water. This
was dispensed from above. 1t rained
in torrents and the wind blew direct
from where they desired to head.
On the fourteenth day out land was
sighted, the wind was fair and the
harbOr of Hanalei on the Island of
Kauai was made, about twenty miles
from the original point of departure.
Such are the vicissitudes of Inter-
Island travelling. 1t may be said
that such dangers are averted at the
present day by the substitution of
steamers for schooners. But even
the former are liable to break down.
Let us hope that such an event may
never happen; but in the face of
what has happened, and in the event
of what possibly may happen, there
should be law compelling men who
Ego down to the sea in ships" to
learn navigation and also another
law compelling shipowners to pro-
vision their vessels for at least a
fortnight.
On board the Inflated Ka Moi
there was no Captain White or Mr..
Bertelman. There were nine or
more living souls with supply OF
provisions on board which must
long ere this have been exhausted.
Where are they now? 1t is a sad
and painful subject to write about,
but as public journalists we deem it
our duty to refer to it.
Let this be the last blot on the
scroll of Hawaiian commerce. Rather
let it be said that while money is
being spent in educating youths
abroad, there is also money being
spent on educating the sailor al
home. DO not pooh-pooh the ques-
ton and say nobody travels ir
schooners in these days of steam.
boats. People do travel in. schooners
at the present. Large numbers OF
our immigrants-men, women anG
children-are transported to theil
destinations in charge of unskillet
navigators. 1t is unhuman, unjust
and barbarous.
THE NEW MAIL CONTRACT.