The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-10-15
WRECKED ON THE ISLAND.

FhrilliNE Adventure OF British ship.
wrecked sailors-Fifty-two Days la IN
Open Boat.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct IA thrilling tale
OF ehipwreck on coral reef in the Pacific
and sufferings of the crew in open boats for
tif;v-two days was received here to-day by
the Australian mail steamer. The British
ship Dunnottar Castle, bound from Sydney.
New South Wales, for Wilmington. CAL,
Captain II. A. Martin, laden with coal, went
ashore about midnight on Cureor Ocean
Island, July Is, between two reefs. Oh the
coral bottom, and became total loss. Tie
DunnOttar Castle sailed from Sydney on the
9th of June. She was vessel of Zoo tons,
and was owned by Skinner l. Co, of Lon.
don and Glasgow. She had twenty-eight
men. Her running ashore is attributed to
the ships chronOmeters. When she struck
she was securely held, and all attempts to
get her off were fruitess. The crew worked
from Thursday until the following Mon
day to jettisOn the cargo and stop the
leak, which was cause by the rocks. The
officers and crew stayed by her until there
was ten feet OF water In her hold. BY
noon on the day following she was resting
on the bottom with twenty-five feet OF
water in her hold. Soon after the ship
struck all her water tanks got ailoat and
most Of the water was spilled. What water
and provisions that could he secured were
landed on the island. The first mate,
bOatswain aud five sailors left the Ocean
island July "A in lifebOat, and steered for
the Hawaiian islands for aid. They took
twenty-eight days provisions and
quantity OF water and left twenty
.;<~t,k A.A
gallons of water on the Ocean
Island for those who remained, who were
Captain Martin, the second and third mates,
fifteen sailors and four boys. The crew
WHO embarked in the boat had hard time.
They were afloat fifty-twO days, and from
August % 10 September they had only a
biscuit and pint of water each per day.
They sighted land twice, but at the first
land, Necker Island, they were unable to
get ashore. At Bird Island they saw no
signs of water, and, after pulling
completely around the island, they kept
off. They then steered for the Island
of Kanai, and reached kalihawai,
eighteen miles from Henele. ON tho
18th of September. The natives helped tina
sailors ashore. There Norman, first mate,
procured whale boat and went to Henelei,
and the steamer James Makee at once went
to the rescue. The Seamen travelled over
1,200 miles in the open boat. Occasionally
they caught booty and had little soup,
but for some time they had no meat The
crew of the lifeboat were taken to Homo
lulu, where they were cared for. On the
l4th of September the steamer sailed from
Honolulu for the Ocean Island. Supplies
were put on board by representa-
tives of the Hawaiian and British
Governments, besides which large q,la,l-
titles of provisions were taken by
the Interis'and Steam Navigation Com
pany, who own the vessel. Sufficient pro-
visions were put aboard for six months
cruise and four live sheep were taken by
she IntersIand Company for the ship
wrecked sailors. PrOiiling by the occasion,
the Hawaiian Government determined to
send material and have a iife-prOtecting
station erected OH the island for the benefit
of those who may hereafter be wrecked
there. The building is arranged with
cutters to catch rain and tanks to
hold the fresh water. 1t is also arranged
to leave 1000 gallons of fresh water. Be-
sides the house. the Hawaiian Government
sent a lot OF cocOanut trees. which will he
planted, also quantity of algeroba seeds,
which will he sOwn on the island in the
vicinity of the station, SO as to insure both
shade and cOcOanut milk for the future use
of shipwrecked mariners.