Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-05-25
CAST ON A DESERT ISLAND


"S0tIiSt ot6EVStIOu
On February ii a notice was posted ON
change, says the San Francisco Chronicle.
that a reward of 800 would be paid by
A. s. Murray for information as to the
whereabouts Of the bark Wandering Min
strel, which left Honolulu on December
10, 1887, on q cruise among the South
Sea islands.
Some time afterward Mr.. Murray, who
is the local agent of the South British
Fire and Marine insurance company, was
told by a sailor who had been at Homo.
lulu, but who came from the Puget
Sound, that he had seen John Cameron.
who was mate Of the Wandering Min
strel, in Tacoma. Detectives were imme-
diately sent there, but further than to
learn that Cameron has kept a saloon in
Olympia and from there had gone TO
Tacoma, their visit was fruitless and the
fate of the Wandering Minstrel remained
q mystery until yesterday, when Mr..
Murray received advices from Honolulu
on the steamer Umatilla.
An April D there arrived at Honolulu
the British schooner Norma, Captain G.
Johnson. The captain had been among
the South sea islands fishing for sharks.
On March IL the Norma arrived at Mid
way leland, where were found Captain
+. ID. Walker, Of the bark Wandering
Minstrel and his crew. They were in a
pitiable condition. The cap ain and his
wife and tour children had been on
the island fourteen months, during which
time they had suffered most terribly fer
want food, living on nothing but sea
h1rIc shntr auvya aud 49, E.t
able TO catch. They were living in a
rudely constructed hut and were in rags.
Lack Of food had reduced them to skele-
tons and they were SO weak that il was
March 26 before the sick were able TO be
moved Oh board the schooner. which
sailed at once for Honolulu. On the
voyage the sailor Edward Davis Dawson.
a native of Mauritius, died Of scurvy,
The deceased was buried at sea.
The account of the captain of the
Wandering Minstrel is one of terrible
suffering on an u%ninhabited island. In
his report he says; "We left Honolulu
on December 10, 1887, arriving at French
Frigate sholes on the 18th, and left there
on December 81. Arriving at Midway
island and anchored in Welles harbor
on January 0, 1883. On the island was
ActAhA ~ oOiSNhcSh, OhC :" buc buID-
wrecked crew Of the steamer General
Siegel, who had been left on the island
when the rest Of the crew were saved.
The weather was fine, and q quality OF
fishing gear was landed so rs to COM
men shark fishing, and preparations
were made TO stay a while at the island.
The vessel had but a small cargo, but,
besides a fine fishing outfit, had a steam
launch and several life boats. The
month Of January passed unevent-
fully, but February began with stormy
weather and heavy gales. On the Sd a
furious storm prevailed, the barometer
falling at 29:30. Both anchor chains
parted, and a third anchor which was
dropped was dragged toward the reef.
that nothing could be done to save
the vessel, at l 80 o'clock that afternoon
the beats were lowered and the Wander
ing Minstrel was left to her fate. She
was then striking heavily ON the coral
bound shore. A safe landing was made
through the breakers, and all made them
selves as comfortable as possible on shore.
The storm lasted a week. The bark
broke to pieces rapidly, and it was inn
possible TO save much OF the provisions,
although a few tins of meat and fruit
were recovered.
Things now began TO look serious.
There Were fifteen people on the island,
end food WAS daily becoming scantier.
%Jorgensen and the mate, John Cameron,
were together much Of the time and
were continually qua;reling among the
sailors and making themselves generally
ohi~eCtionable. Finally, or October 10,
1888, having induced the Chinese cook
to go with them. they stole the largest
lifeboat and all Of The provisions IN camp
and sci sail. After that matters became
worse, all Of the provisions being gone.
The four children and the wife of Captain
walker kept up nobly. About the first
of the present year two sailors died from
some disease, probably scurvy. Day
after day passed m~onotonously. The
children finally gave in and were all suf
feTing from the scurvy, rs was Mrs.
Walker, when the Norma picked them
up. One sailor was drowned during Jan
uary while fishing, the boat being cap
sized by a heavy sea, and he being too
weak to swim. Three native sailors who
were on the island did not suffer much,
and showed but little what they had gone
through when they arrived at Honolulu"
The captain and his family are very
thankful at their ~deliverance, as they
would surely have starved had they re-
NAMED undiscovered on the island much
longer. Captain Walker will remain at
the islands until his family are once
more in good health. One Of his
children is very i'll and may not live.
Jorgenson, who left the island 80 basely,
taking with him the provisions, was a
, very dangerous man. lie was suspected
Of killing two OF the crew Of the General
Siegel, aud OF the time triedsto. get away
in a boat. When the crew were rescued
he was left on the island. SO unbearable
had %Jorgensen become that Captain
Walker reports but for the interference
on several occasions Of his wife he
surely would have saot him. The boat
in which the three were must have been
picked up by some vessel, or else the
three reached Honolulu, and without re-
porting the terrible preiicament of the
captain and crew sailed for this country
A naval court Of inquiry convened ia
Honolulu on March IL and justified
Captain Walker in his ., sition IN rela-
ton to the loss of the Wandering Min
trel. The court was composed of Lieu
tenant Webb, Of Her Biitanic Majesty's
ship, Cofmorant, president; r. Rain
Walker, British vice consul. and Can.