The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-06-13
THE MYSTERY SOLVED.

/ An Interesting Statement Made by the
/ Second Mate OF the Wandering Min
streI in Reputation of the story in
the san Francisco Call.
I We republished an article in yester-
/ days issue, regarding the supposed fate
OF the fishing vessel Wandering Min
strel. The article in question was clip
ped from the San Francisco Call of May
3Oth; but we are now prepared to give a
solution Of the mystery that casts dis
credit upon the Calls informant
Mr.. George Hanker, who was second
mate Of the Minstrel at the time she was
T lost, called at the ADVERTISER Office yes
terday, and, in a conversation with one
OF the reporters, made the following
statement, the gist Of which was sworn
to at the official enquiry recently held at
the office of the British Vice Consul:
"HanIser shipped at Honolulu as
second mate OF the Wandering Minstrel
Immediately previous to the sailing OF
that vessel, bound to the shark fishing
grounds near French Frigate Island,
and the vessel arrived there in January,
1888. The weather was squally and the
sea too rough at the time for fishing
purposes, and the vessel was brought to
anchor on the leeside Of a sandy atOll.
On the Sd day of February the anchors
dragged and one of the chains gave way,
when shortly afterwards the vessel
struck the reef and bumped heavily.
Three boats were then prepared for the
reception of the persons on board and as
much provisions as could be carried, !
which were all safely landed on the
atoll, small sandy island destitute of
vegetation. During the night the gale
increased to hurricane violence, and the
vessel went to pieces. On the next !
morning, February 4th, the wreckage !
was strewed along the shore, and the |
form of the Wandering Minstrel was no !
where to be SCENTS wanderings had !
ended forever.
Before the time of the wreck the |
Minstrel had been to the Midway Isl |
ands, and had intended to stay there T.
four months fishing for sharks; but this
being impractiCable, owing to stormy |
weather, the vessel bore away for the /
French Frgate Island, and the result !
as stated soon followed.
About q month after landing on the
island Frank Lord the cook, the third
bOatswain who was a Manila man, and
two other Manila sailors, stole one of
boats during the night and put to sea
with what they could lay hands on.
These men have never been heard from
since. The chief mate, Cameron, who
is well spoken Of, remained with the
others on the island for about eight
months, and finally left on the 18th of
October, 1888, in one of the ships boats
with the full permission OF the Captain.
Previous to leaving the island, Cameron
had collected a quantity OF dried fish and
birds as provisions during his intended
perilOus voyage; and the boats crew
consisted OF himself, a sailor named
Johnson whom they found upon the ISL
and, and a Chinese boy. Cameron, 1t is
now known, arrived at the Marshall
Islands safely, alter being ~ days at sea,
from French Frigate. He refused pas
sage offered him by the Captain of the
schooner Orient which touched at the
NarshaIls, bound to San Francisco. Moth
ing further had been heard of Cameron,
since the time of the incident here re-
lated; but as that event happened only !
a very few months ago, the story in the
San Francisco Call has no foundation
and it was unfortunate that the ADVER-
TIsER gave the yarn additional publicity. !
This was done, however, before the pre-
sent version Of the details came to our
knowledge. There was no money among |
the CastaWays, and the thousand dollar !
Cameron of Port Townsend must be some /
other CamerOnIan or a myth. Jack /
Cameron, late chief mate OF the Wander
ing Minstrel was well known in Homo
lulu and highly respected among his
There was nothing mean
or dishonest about Jack, and the yarn
about him skulking out OF the way OF |
policemen does not fit his character III
any respect.
The lie OF the castaways upon the !
island for over year was an unenvIable
one. They had to dig from seven to ten
feet into the sand for such fresh or
hrackish water as was Obtainable. Veg
etable diet OF any kind was not prOCur-
able; the second mates habitatlOn was
an empty barrel; and the shelter Of the !
other men, except the captain and his
wife who occupied a small hut built by |
some previous inhabitants of the island, |
was a piece OF sail spread upon pieces OF
the ships timbers. Sea fowls eggs were
plentiful in their season, fish could be
caught during good weather, and birds
could he trapped by various devices /
but the feeling OF relief which these cast
Always experienced on the arrival OF the
schooner Norma, can be better imagined /
than described.
The Norma, Captain Johnson, brought
the survivors to Honolulu-three OF the |
crew having died and were buried on the !
French trigate atOll.