The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-06-04

Jne lSlanu, lne Only place where d
smooth water could be found. AS
stated, the island is simply belt
of GO or more coral islets enclosing
a lagoon, is uninhabited and affords
little enough TO support human life.
A few huts were found and made
tenable; these are probably the
only relics of the expedition of
Capt. Bent from Hawaii, many years
ago, when party of kanakas was
landed 10 collect and cure the
beches-de-mer for the Chinese mar
ket.
The procuring of two things now
commanded all the resources of the
Captain and his men, viz. food and
succor. There was little hope of
passing vessel; Honolulu could not
be reached for it was $50 miles to
windward; Tanning Island, only
200 miles to the Southeast was in
habited, as also Christmas Island,
but the character of the natives was
not known and these latter places
might not be easy to reach. 1t was
thus the Captain reasoned with
what good judgment the sequel will
show) that Apia, 1920 miles distant
in S. S.W. direction, was the only
point where relief could be found,
and the difficulties of navigation
were lessened by the fact that the
boats track would lie through the
region OF the southeast trades.
The first mate, Donald McDonald,
consented to take charge of the boat
that was to make this hazardous
voyage.
For provisions, the crew was sup
piled with 260 cocoanuts and q
breaker of water, and with this
slender allowance Mcdonald set off
on his long voyage at noon of Satur-
day the 21st of April, amid the
heart-rending prayers and pitiful
petitions of the helpless group that
was kneeling on the rough coral of
this desolate island.
The twenty-five persons left be-
hind found their wants fairly sup
piled by Nature, for besides the
cocoanuts which alone are sufficient
to sustain life for long period,
rain water was collected by tacking
tins around the cocoannt trees,
birds were plentiful and perfectly
tame and their eggs were abundant.
The progress of the forlorn hope
in the frail boat was very fair. Nc
Donald lacked the necessary books
for making computations for longti-
tude and had to be content with a
rough dead reckoning; but day by
day he was able to take the sun for
latitude, deciding to run by compass
nearly due South to the latitude of
Apia, and then to steer due West.
The winds and weather were pro-
| pitious, the breezes always favoring
them and the showers of rain re-
plenishing the breaker. After a
week, the cocoanuts turned sour but
the meat of the nuts was still palat-
able. In calms the crew piled their
oars, and when the wind was favor
able they rested, sleeping by day or
night whenever nap could be
caught. One man, German, be-
came exhausted, and for week be-
fore reaching their haven could eat
nothing.
Day by day they struggled on
and after vain search for Danger
Island which lay in their route, and
which would have enabled them to
verify their position, the mate
pushed on to the southwark. The
average daily progress was about so
miles, but on one day they made
1923.
On the morning of the 18th day,
Manua, one of the most easterly
islands of Samoa, was sighted. They
were $50 miles nearer to it than the
reckoning indicated, and it was with
lighter hearts that they renewed
their labors. Next day Upolu was
seen, small schooner hove in sight,
and they lost no time in bearing
down for her. She proved to be
the pleasure boat of a Samoan chief
and they were taken ON board, and
their needs promptly relieved.
The schooner put in for Apia al
once, and the shipwrecked marin
ers, after voyage of nineteen
days, and nearly 1900 miles in al
open boat, found friends and the
means of rescuing their companion:
of the ill-fated James.
, The British Consul, Mr.. Henry
Wilson, made every provision fol
the men and Immediately set abou
to obtain vessel for the relief. Th,
. Vindex, a small but fast schooner
belonging to Auckland, was chart
cred: provisions and clothing wer
put on board, and on Sunday, th,
18th of May, in u heavy rain squall
| she put TO sea on her errand o
| mercy. Captain Bssett of the Lii,
t (belonging 10 Macarthur & Coz
= went in charge, the brave McDonal,
: shipped as first mate, and two o
| his companions went also as part O
: the crew.
t 1t is believed that the Vindex cal
t make the round trip in four week
| or less, before which time there
| no possible means of gaining intelli
G gence of the Captain, crew and pas
4 sengers of the Henry James.
The family in the cabin consiste