The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-07
Terrible Experience of a Man
Wrecked on One of the
Fiji Islands.
Story Of the Only Survivor OF
the British Bark Martha
Band.
Wandering in an Unknown Land Six
toon Days In Search of Human
Assistance.

One of the mysteries of the sea is ex-
planned by II. S. Warren, the sole survivor
of the British bark Martha Band, which
was wrecked on the coast of one of the Fiji
islands on the night of the 9th of last Au-
gust, says Port Townsend special to the
Examiner.
Warren arrived here yesterday on the
schooner Halcyon, which picked him up
two months ago at Suva. He is a ships
cook. Warren's story is as follows:
In January, 1888, shipped as cook on
the British bark Martha Band, at Glasgow,
Scotland. I had been in the painting bust
ness and my health broke down and was ad-
vised to seek health in an ocean voyage.
We were bound for Savatl island with
general cargo and reached that place safely.
We loaded guaEo for return trip and set
sail on August LIST.
1--WE had hardly got out of sight of land
when a terrible hurricane came up, and all
attempts to run off the storm proving fruit
less, and with only recfed topsails the bark
ran before the storm.
ION the night of August q land was
sighted, but rs we had completely lost our
bearings no one knew where we were The
storm was still raging, and IN attenptingto
make what appeared to be a harbor the yes
sci ran between two coral reefs and held
fast. Some holes in her iron hull allowed
the water to come into her in torrents, and.
seeing that any attempt to save the vessel
was useless, the order was given to man the
boats.
Zone after another was filled only to be
dashed to pieces by breakers on the coral
reef. The fourth boat to leave the ship was
manned by Captain Mcdonald, a sailor
named Mclaughlin and myself. We tried
to put to sea, but our boat was overturned
by huge wave. and remember little UNI
til struck the rock. to which held on for
dear life. The rock was of coral and every
and dash it against tho rocks. My right
foot was cut from the ankle to the toe, two
of my ribs we're broken and was otherwise
cut and bruised.
It was several hours before managed at
low tide to climb from rock to rock until
the shore was reached. l was almost ex-
hausted physically and fit subject for
DOCTORS care.
my sufferings were terrible. I remained
about the scene of the wreck until Sunday
and lived solely on the crabs l caught at
low tide. dug in the sand some distance
from the water line and found fresh water.
/ managed to keep alive on this diet. The
wounded foot caused me much pain, espec--
tally when it began to tester. | walked
along the shore, sleeping in the open air at
night. I found plenty of vans and bread
fruit, but could not eat any raw and had
no way of making fire. Every step l took
put me in agony. was too much of cow
ard to commit suicide, but l prayed for
death to come. For sixteen days wandered
on, not knowing where was going and my
only hope was to reach place where there
was human being.
ION the seventeenth day | came to native
settlement, and by signs I managed to in
form the natives who gathered around that
was tired and hungry. was shown to a
hut and given something to eat. There
was one white man in the settlement, and
he came to see me that evening He has
been there twenty years and had about for
gotten how to speak English. His name is
Jewett, and he said he had run away from
an English whaler which put into Suvia TO,
water. He had native wife and said he
was we'll satisfied to live among tho saw
ages. / lived there until May. hearing
nothing of the outside world until the Hal
cyon arrived in April with a cargo of lunl-
Der, which was sold to the natives. l
shipped as cook on her SO as to get back tc
civilization, and here / am. The natives
are cannibals, although their principal diet
consists of yams, dried fruit and fish.
Just before ! reached there, Jewett told
me, an Episcopal missionary was killed
and barbecued amid great festivities. Fou7
days before the Halcyon sailed two mission
aries landed On the island of Suva, bu
were unmolested when we left. Moralit.
10 an unknown quality and cleanliness is
sin among the Fiji islanders"