The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-08-30
LOSS OF THE GARSTON.

Particulars of the DISTINGUISHING of
Twenty-one of the Grew; and Ex-
pected Loss of the Captain and Eight
Seamen, Including I'd and Sd Officers
BY the British war-vessel Espiegle,
which returned to port on Wednesday
last after an absence of four or FIVE
weeks, we were only able to give very
brief account of the voyage in yesterdays
issue; but our reporter has since inter
viewed the chief mate and some of the
sailors of the wrecked ship Garston, from
whom the following epitome of the voy-
age and wreck of the vessel were cleaned.
The ship Garston, Captain Pye, was
l,Sl2 tons register, owned in Liverpool,
England, and left Sydney, N. S. W., OH
June 10th last bound to San Francisco.
The vessel sailed the usual easterly
course to the North Cape of New Zea-
land; but at this point of the voyage,
owing to easterly winds a northerly
course was steered to the Harvey group.
On the 18th about 10 p. m. the chief
mate was awakened by an unusual mo-
ton of the vessel, and on reaching the
deck he found that the ship was
aground. Captain Pye was then giving
orders to back the yards in an endeavor
to get the ship into deep water, but his
efforts were fruitless. The surf was very
heavy and the vessel reeled about SO
| that it was difficult for the men to
move about, and fears were enter
| tanned that she would cant over
The Captain then gave orders to
| abandon the ship, and the whale boat
was lowered with five men under charge
of the third officer. The gig was next
| lowered with four men under charge of
the sailmaker, and provided with
| chart, compass and provisions. The
| life-boat followed in which was placed a
cask OF water, a compass and nautical
instruments. When Capt. Pye left the
vessel he went in the life boat, and placed
the second officer in charge of the gig
instead of the sailmaker who had charge
at first. AS was stated in yesterdays
| issue, the boats remained near the YES
sci all night, hoping to be able to go
again on board for more supplies; but
when morning dawned they found this
to be impossible, and pulled to-
|
tain and third officer changed
from the life-boat to the gig which con-
tanned also the second officer, sailmaker,
and five sailors A landing could not
be effected on the island, and as night
approached, the boats were ordered
back to where the ship was stranded
Next morning the three boats kept COM
pany along shore, but no landing place
-! could be found; and during the next
night, the gig in which was Capt. Pye,
had disappeared from the other two
boats and was not afterwards seen. The
| two remaining boats then made fast to-
gether and remained hove to for the
| night in order to rest the men who
were by this time tired out. The follow
ing morning the boats were out of sight
of land; and, as the whale boat was
leaking it was abandoned. A scarcity
of water was now felt, and much
privation was suffered until by steering
in a southerly direction for ten days
from the time of the stranding of the
vessel, land was sighted. AS the remain
ing boat made the land, a canoe was
seen to approach containing natives
and, on nearer acquaintance, those on
board the canoe gave the information in
4 fair English that the land was Hum
phreys Island. A welcome was extended
to chief mate Davis to go into the canoe
and he went ashore to report. Finally
the life-boat came up close to reef
and, as the crew were exhausted they
were assisted by the natives to land.
The greatest kindness awaited the
sailors on shore, and they were vel
coined to the native village of Tokac
where food and water was supplied
The natives were found to be Christian
lied, and among them was Protestant
missionary or settler named Ellis.
On August 9th H. B. M. S. Espiegle
hove in sight; and, on communicating
being made with her, the shipwrecked
men were taken on board the warshil
with the exception of one sailor who
elected to stay ashore. The Espieglt
then continued her cruise, visiting sew
erai islands and also the wreck-fnally
arriving at Honolulu as stated.