The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-09-20
THE WRECK OF THE WILCOX.
The Location and Condition Of the
vesssl-The Result Of the Iva
lanfs Trip.

Aho AoSueioh duu SOuultlOn OF inc
vesssl-The Result Of the Iva
lants Trip.
The true report OF the stranding
aud probable loss of the bark G.. N.
Wilcox, from Bremen for Honolulu,
as published in yesterdays BULLETIN
was the occasion of the chartering
by Messrs H. Hackfeld g. Co., the
agents of the G. N. Wilcox, of the
steamer Iwalani, Captain Freeman.
The Iwalaui left port here yesterday !
morning at IL o'clock for the loca.
ton OF the wreck. With the steam.
or there went forward Mr.. Hamburg,
representing Hackfeld Il Co., Cap.
tain Campbell, Superintendent of
the Inter. Island s. s. Co.; W. Luther
Wilcox, brother of the vessels name
sake, and Messrs. Preston, Bradford
and Godfrey, representing the Ad-
vertiser, Star and Bulletin. The
voyage from port to within ten
miles of MolOkai was uneventful,
but interest became frightened by
the looming into view, at the west
end of the inhospitable windward
side of Molokai, the positive picture
of a vessel with sail set aud seem
iugly en- route toward the high and
rugged cliffs which even at that dis
lance could be plainly seen to offer
a barrier to her passage. That the
vessel thus loomed into view was
tue wrecked vessel soon became evil
dent by its settled position and then
conjectures about the possibility OF
her ultimate fate became pre-
valent. The smooth sea and light
wind presaged favorable weather in
the future as had been prevalent 10
the past and the upward ascending
smoke from the tug Eleu, which
could be seen close by the wreck,
was an indication OF the little force
in the winds that blew shoreward.
The lwalaui made good speed and
shortly after 3 o'clock the steamer
was brought to windward Of the
wreck within cables length Of the
q. n. Wilcox. A realistic picture Of
the word painting Of
"a ship that sailed for sunny isles
but never reached her port"
While the steamer Iwalani was being
brought, under the competent guild
ance OF Captain freeman, into her
close position near the wreck OPP
portunity was presented TO have a
good view OF the situation OF the
stranded vessel and tho surround
ings. Words cannot we'll convey
the picture presented, SO true, so
real aud yet surrounded with all the
traditional and imaginative adjuncts
that have been so often depicted on
canvas by world famous marine
painters. There, within easy view
were the rugged, precipitous cliffs
scanned with the marks OF tho ele
ments, barren, inhospitable, inacces
sible and at whose base the dashinp
breakers gave ocular evidence OF nc
hope for safety, in hand or foo,
hold, to . shipwrecked mariner il
his struggle for life. In tn,
foreground, and as before sale
within a cables length OF tn,
: steamer, lay the stranded bark
. Solid, almost as the rocks upor
which She lay. was the appearance,
OF the vessel, only an occasional up
heaval giving evidence OF her mobil
ity. The breaking waves dashed al
} most increasingly over her sub
7 merged port side aud tho crash o
contact with the uplifted starboarc
; rail could be plainly heard, aud thu
spume from the recoiling breaker
. iloated airily to leeward. Forward
. the loosened aud shcetless jibs Dap
u ped in the wind aud gave an idea o
!. action TO the otherwise almost mo
! tiouless vessel, aud tho starboar,
auchor, plainly discernible on tn
i bow, fast in its shoe seemed to Civ
u reason for the thought that tho ve:
= sci was yet thing Of lifo' and no
- hard and fast on tho coral rocks G
? Molokai.
J. The decision was made that til
>. vessel should be boarded, a surye
Of her condition from actual inspe,
u ton being deemed necessary, an
u also the desire to epdeavor to say
such movable valuable property a
II could be obtained. Captain Ere,
g man aud his chief officer, accom-
panied by j. W. Preston Of th
4 Advertiser and Associated Press al
the BULLETIN representative. were I'll
N only yoyagers, outside Of the boat
~ crew ON the perilous trip, an
N boarding being effected, the work ,
N inspection and saving went %
III Down into tho dept h. Of the cab
,, went tho newspaper men to liz
themselves waist deep in water al
a. an occasional breaker making entl
@ through the cabin skylight indica
Or ing very tangibly to them tn
O. water was the predominant elemer
even il not drinkable. Charts, cor
id passes, books, etc, were park'
=. in the boats, but little other pr
81 perty being obtainable, none
IL the cargo being able to be reach'
on account OF the deeply settl,
v condition OF the vessel aud the co
slant inroad OF the heavy breake
A ships boat was saved by the ext
OF tions OF Captain Freeman, Mr.. Pr,
ton aud others, at much risk OF Il
as and much danger to limbs, succe
lis however, GROWING their efforts a
or. without accident, although I
nj BULLETIN represent alive had rath
ut. close call from a voyage to Da
re- Jones' locker. Inspection satisf
'ly those interested that no good cot
bs done by remaining with