Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-07-02


j. TRow BRIDGE.
For the Ellsworth Americana
A Voyage to Bakers Island.
In the autumn of 1850, the writer sailed
from San Francisco. master of the sbir
= Electric Spark of Boston, under charter
to load a cargo of guano at Bakers Island
for ne United States, calling at Hampton
Roads for orders
That island is situated thirteen miles
north of the equator, In longitude I76 deg
81 min. west of Greenwich, some 1900
miles southwest of the Sandwich Islands
in the Pacific Ocean.
We entered the n F. trade winds A few
days after our departure from San Fran.
cisco, passed to the south of the Sandwich
Islands. seeing the dim outlines of the
mountains of Hawaii in the distance in
passing. The trades were fresh and falf
and we sailed rapidly through them and
crossed the "doldrums," near the parallel
of Fanning's Islands, where We spoke a
vessel bound to them from Honolulu for a
load Of cocoanut oil
Entering the S f. trade winds some
Tour or hve degrees east OF our destination,
we ran down in the latitude of the island
with steady breeze and clear weather
Persons navigating these seas are caution
ed against falling to leeward OF their des-
to the westward, it would be hard mai.
ter to beat up against them. If a ship
should fall to leeward The day before
We made the island We saw large shoals OF
hSing fishes and fiocks OF birds by which
We were warned OF our approach to it,
and by our observations knew ii we were
TO keep on our course We should come up
with it before daylight the next morning.
We hove to al midnight and waited for
daylight
No land was in sight from the mast-h head
at dawn Of day and The ship was again put
I upon her course. After an hours run
the lookout aloft sung out, Sail no right
ahead Instead of a sail it proved to be
I the house on the island which was lighted
up by the rays of the morning sun. and ap-
peared ike sail The island with its long
line of surf stretching outward for a coup
lie Of miles over coral reef. shortly after
came in sight. The surf which was break
ing with great violence upon the reef, did
not impress US f&vorahly and We approach
ed the island cautiously
We had no sailing directions by which
we couid De SuIutu ,
ran down on the south side and hove a6ack
as near TO the southwest point a. was pru-
dent, and waited for the pilot to board and
direct the ship to her moorings. He came
on board in a whale boat manned with five
kanakas, ordered warp into the boat,
and the boat away to the moorings, there
to make fast the warp and remain in readi-
ness TO throw the other end on board our
ship a. we neared them. These prepara-
tions having been made, the yards were
| filled away, short tack was made, and as
the ship ranged up to the boat, the warp
was thrown on board, the sails were taken
in and the ship was hauled up to the buoy
and securely moored to it. Thus, after a
short and pleasant passage of twenty three
| days from San Francisco, We were safely
moored at Bakers Island.
| Our arrival was very unexpected to those
| on the island As orders had been sent to
| Honolulu. in expectation of our calling
there, for us to proceed to JAWS Island
b..
ceiyed orders at San Francisco to proceed
direct, we were ignorant of that arrange
ment. Three days previous TO our arrival
all hands that could be spared had started
from Bakers to JAWS Island in a small
vessel. with tools and provisions, expect
ing to meet US there, leaving behind but
twenty six kanakas and five white men to
take care of the island and put things in
order for shipping guano the following
spring.
Captain Hutchinson, our pilot, in answer
to inquiries as TO how long it would take
to load our ship, said that with the few
hands We have 10 work, it will quite likely
take all winter. However" he added,
you are here, and there is no help for
it but to do the best we can under the cir
cumstances, so we will 90 ashore and see
Mr.. kenney, who is in charge of the is
land, and hear what he has to say, and at
the same time you can hand him written
notice of your arrival and readiness to re-
ceive cargo in accordance with the terms
of your charter party"
Acting upon his suggestions we landed
in the whale boat and were carried through
the surf on the back of Kanaka to the
shore, where we met and were introduced
to Mr. kenney. We walked from the
shore to the house, transacted the busi-
ness that called Us on shore, but got no
encouragement from Mr.. Kenney that our
ship would be loaded inside of four or five
months time which seemed anything but
q cheering prospect to US. We took q
hasty survey of the island and more des-
olate and dreary prospect than lay before
Z US had never met our gaze. 1t was barren
and cheerless, not tree or shrub upon it;
the surf beat upon it with deafening roar
shrill-voiced sea-birds circled about it in
myriads, and we returned to our ship sick
of the place and of our voyage, but as time
, wore on we learned to like the very sights
and sounds which at first so disturbed US
On some charts this island is laid dowr
as reef, on Others as New Nantucket
but on those of more recent date 1t bear,
J the name of Bakers Island. 1t is said te
have been discovered by a Nantucke
whaleman, who in honor of his native is
land named it New Nantucket, but in wha
year the writer has not learned. 1t wa!
formerly used by the whaling feet as I
post-office, where each ship deposited let
ters to be forwarded to friends at home by
:, the first ship homeward bound, or wher'
the last from home left letters for shipl
e that might call there for them, and also I
burial place for and of their crews wht
died in that vicinity. For the last men
toned purpose it seems to have been fit
ly chosen spot, for here. where the ever
moaning surge chants his requiem, poo
Jack finds quiet resting place when hi;
voyage Of life has ended.
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