The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-04-04
THE ANNIE JOHNSON.

The American iron bark Annie
Johnson, that arrived at this port
yesterday from Newcastle, has q
record of somewhat strange kind.
She was built in Scotland in 1875,
and named the Ada Ayredale, and
made one successful voyage to San
Francisco and back.
Upon her second voyage from
Cardiff to San Francisco loaded with
coal during 1876, after rounding the
Horn, and whilst off the Galapagos
islands, her cargo of Goals was dis
covered to be on fire, and the Cap
tam, finding all attempts to extin-
guish the flames to be Intellectual,
decided to abandon her. Three of
her best boats were fitted with sails,
and well stocked with water and
provisions, and all hands left the
burning ship, steering q westerly
course for the Marquesas Islands,
distant nearly 5000, the prevailing
easterly winds making it impossible
for the boats to reach the compare
lively near coast of South America.
The boats reached the Marquesas
Islands safely after a 10 days run
before the fresh trade winds, and
there reported the loss of the ship.
Five months later the inhabitants of
Tahiti were startled by the appear
ance of huge smoking hulk off the
port of Papeete, and many were the
conjectures as to what the strange
craft might be. The French author
tiles became alarmed, and man-of-
war in harbor at once got up steam
and went out to investigate. All
hands were called to quarters and
the war ship prepared for action.
Upon arriving within hail, the mys-
terous visitor was discovered to be
the i'll fated Ada Ayredale, that, after
her long and lonely voyage, without
soul on board, reached, at last, a
port and made mute appeal for
assistance. The warship sent BOAT
alongside, made fast a hawser, and
towed the derelict into Papeete har-
Dor, melancholy looking object,
without masts. A cloud of smoke still
arising from her hold. All woodwork
or anything else that would burn,
being entirely consumed. The Goa
that still remained continued tc
burn for months, until the authori.
ties put the craft-all that remained
of the once handsome clipper-up tc
public auction, and she was knock
ed down to the firm of A. Crawford
& Co. for trifling sum. This firm
at once began the work of refittine
the vessel, which was accomplished
at cost of some $4,000 The
vessel was then taken to San Fran.
cisco, and after receiving furthe
alterations, was placed under thu
American flag and re-christened tn,
Annie Johnson, so named after {
relative of Mr.. Crawford.
Arriving at San Francisco at
time when freights to Europe wer
exceptionally high, the Annie John
son was chartered for Liverpool a
such favorable rates that her nev
owner reaped golden harvest. Sh
has since been variously em
ployed, having made several voyage
to Liverpool, China and Australia
Captain Emerson, at present il
command of the Annie Johnson, il
well known in Tahiti as master o
the Greyhound carrying the mail
between that place and San Fran
cisco. He is one of the right sort
and no doubt has not forgotten tn
many pleasant after-dinner storie
he both told and listened to at tn,
house of the late w. Stewart, thel
manager of the Tahiti Cotton Plan
tasion Co. of Atimaono.