Telegram-herald., 1891-09-16
Night on AWFUL PERIL
Lisutant Gibbons Tells the story
OF the Apian Disaster.
AWFUL FURY OF TIE alDDESED SEA
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Lieut. John Gibbons, after an abb
Senee OF nearly three years. has re-
turned TO the eity for a ten days visit
with his parents. aa No 2o4 Barclay
ST. During the thres years % his alb
sence n has passet through some peril
ous adventures and hairbreadth es-
eapes from death While ia the Unlted
States naval service. He entertained
a reporter for the Telegram Herald
yesterday afternoon at the pleasant
home OF his father with brief account
of his experiences white serving his re-
quirei three years OF sea service on
board a man OF war. He Is now trans
ferred 20 three years OF land service,
aud j. now on his way TO the naval
academy at Annapolis. Md, where he
vii act ns Instructor in ordnanc and
gusnery. The lieutenant talked in a
free and easy manner while be leasurly
puifed the fumes from his fragrant
Havana. He said: II was ordered
TO San Francisco three years ago To
ioin the MNhican for q trip TO China.
The Mochiean lay in the harbor under
going repairs. Within three months
the officers and crew were ordered 70
board the man OF war yandalia on ac-
count OF the Samoan difficulty. We
sailed from San Francisco for Samoa
by the way OF Honolulu. arriving
there IN February. 1899 At that
place we were Joined by the flagship
TfeatOn. from Panama. on the 10Th
of March.
struck by Hurricane.
We neared the harbor at Apia when
we were struck bv hurric ane. This
hurricane was of greater force than
any that had visited that region for
twenty years. The harbor at Apia Is
scooped out of solid coral rock which
makes a small basin with narrow
entrance. There WAS three American
men OF war. three German and one
English, besides a large number OF
small schooners and trading vessels.
The gale began 90 blow about =
o'clock IN the afternoon OF the 10th,
and continued with destructive force
untH the morning of the 18TH The
gale was so heavy that it caused a
hfrh sea TO run. and the next morning
the harbor was a scene oil great con-
fusion. Ships began TO drag their an
chors and foul each other. The small
e~t Of the German gun boats. the Aber,
dashed against the reefs and sank al
most Immediately. The crew were
lost with the exception OF one officer
md four men soon after huge
wave sunk the vessel Adler and tfvew
her bodily on the reef. These vessels.
with the United States man OF war
NIpslc and she Ferman man OF war
Olga. were nearest the shore. The
SipSic waz beaehed by the terrific hur-
fscane. nut all her oflieera aud ~cxew,
excepf four men. were saved. The
four men were lost while boat was
being lowered. The Olga ran into
small trading vessel. the captain OF
which scrambled aboard the eGliding
man of war, but the remainder OF the
sehoouer's crew was lost.
One Day OF Awful Peril.
The captain OF the schooner was well
acquainted with the shore and knew
where the Olga could be beached with
safety. After careful maneuvering
the war vessel was beached and the
crew saved. On the outer part OF the
harbor remained the vessels Trenton.
vandaiia and the English Calliope in
clos proximity TO the shore In the
order named. The vandalia was fouled
b. the olga and Calliope- II was only
by expert seamanship that we were
not cut down The captain OF the
CalIiope succeeded In steaming out of
THE harbor amidst the greatest diff
Guilty The Engiish ship was power
fel vessel. with all the mode-n imp ove-
ments OF warfare. great massive en-
slnes and a water tight bulwark. Our
vessels were al oil fashioned carvettes.
After the Calliope steamed out 1t
dragged along the edge of the reef in
great DANGER OF striking the ragged
eftre. A strong current carried her
INTO the inner etoe of the harbor. and
st 10 O'Clock in the morning she sank
60 the rad about 100 yards from the
beach. The crew started n swim TO
the shore. but they were carried out
BY the current into the sea. Our
vessel was sunk and some of the men
tried TO swim ashore and others hung
to tive top. I was in the main top
with three officers and twenty men.
The mixyen mast was she most
crowded. as the captains station was
eft aud most OF them gathered around
him.
restinr ef L.vfsshsns
We remained in the rigging from 10
O'Clock IN the morning until 10 o'clock
AZ ufwht The wares were rolling
with great furv. and "a we were haog-
trs there with hopes Of ever reaching
shore alive almost abandoned. the
Trenton dragged along side OF dur
wreck and threw ont ropes which
were attached 70 our rigging. We
psssrd from the wrecked vandaiia
eioox those ropes 90 the Trenton.
Soon after We left the masfs the main
and mutren Tell. The Trenton noated
along site the wrecked vantiafia an
night. It wa a very difficult thiar
60 climb along those ropes as we were
vreaksnpd from maintaining our posi-
zion 90 hong. We sfaid aboard the
Trenton al night. She was rapidly
rillrr With water. but ~ piied the
pumpS and kppt the advantages of II.
r-re ~air <nbesssesf the newt morning NJ
sav rrhf. when we were rescued by
rattx~s. who came after us with small
..,afs We host an our personai ef-
sssfs. and A few days ster the natives
wnre seeu xtruttinx sbous town wear
trw the clothing that had drifted
asso~e. We remained In csmp on the
saana for six weeks. In the meantime
she eaxe~rnsent had chartered New
7c,i,na steamer. The Rockfon. and the
.,vrtvor. ~ the vandaIis and Trenton
verp taken back 70 San Francisco IN
Msv.
s~ns Rsea - samoa.
After aur arrival there ws are trans.