The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-29

minutes. he was angry with me ior
not telling him. | told him | had no
idea that such an ugly-lOOklng Dlrd
was so good a warbler, and he passed
II OFT with a laugh. Coming out on
the beach we found the remains OF
wrecked vessel about 400 tons, nothing
out the keel and hOor-timoe IeIt'
but scattered along the oeach were
parts Of her frame.
From appearances the heaviest
winds that blow are from the NV,
a. this side of the island was covered
with drift-wood from the mainland OF
New Guinea, some mountain peaks OF
which are lust in sight from Da!rym-
ME Island. We found about 200 sheets
of metal which had been stripped
from the wreck and piled up on the
beach, and had them put In the BOAT
TO take on board the ship. The cap
tain thought that, perhaps, those
strange skulls once belonged TO the
crew of this vessel. We saw here and
there some skeletons of a large sea
animal which we had never seen De-
fOre-the dugong.
None of our people had seen any
sign of living inhabitants on TINS
island; or, IL there were, they were in
hiding-too few to attack US. On TINS
island we saw some monstrous smells
of the clam-shell variety the natives
had made use of them for holding
water. The half-shell would probably
weigh 800 lbs, and would hoId ABOUT
Is gallons OF water.
On the south side OF the island,
where we landed, the natives had
built some low stone walls on the reef,
the top of which would be about 2 feet
out Of water at low tide. These were
traps for catching turtle.
We returned on board at pm,
and, soon after, the wind sprang up
strong from the NV. with rainy
weather, increasing TO a gale before
midnight. We close-reefed the top
sails and reefed the foresail, and held
them in stops ready for setting. The
captain decided TO run out OF the
Straits again if the chain parted. The
wind blew a hurricane before morn
ing, but the ship, being TO leeward OF
the island, rode out the storm very
comfortably, and by am. of the l2th
it was all over, and fine weather set In
again. Our companion, the French
man. we were glad to see, rode out the
gale in safety, but, being so far to lee
ward, he had a very rough time,
and the seas broke all over him.
lust before noon the wind having
cot into the eastward again, we got
underway. which, the Frenchman
seeing, did the same. Our course lay
to the 5. w, and the sun being nearly
ahead and very bright, made 1t
almost impossible TO distinguish the
shallow places, and about IN.
We came to an anchor near Dove ISL
and in fifteen fathOms OF water,
with two other small islands, one to
the east and the other to the south OF
Us During our passage through
these straits my station when the
ship was under sail was on the fore
topsaiI yard, keeping a lookout for
shoals and sand bars. Soon after
passing Rennell Island, / reported a
shOal on the port bow. The captain
came up 70 look at it. | lent him my
glasses and soon after he dropped
them on deck. He cOnsOled me for
the loss of them by saying, they were
no better than pair of soda water
bottles. However, he presented me
with new pair after we arrived IN
Singapore. The Jourdain anchored
close to Us this time, and after supper
we paid him a visit We were anXi-
Gus to know how he rode out the gale.
They said they never expected to see
another day. They had done all that
could be done for the safety of the
ship, and having done their duty like
good Frenchmeu, they were prepared
to die If necessary. They treated US
TO brandy and claret again, and about
8 p. m. we returned TO our own ship.
April 18th at am. we got underway
the French vessel following us. That
forenoon we had been passing be-
tween a lot of sand bars just awash.
Soon after leaving the anchorage that
morning our course was shaped to
clear a small island to the southwest.
The captain thought by giving the
al -
should certainly go clear, but from
my lookout aloft | saw what
thought was a small tree growing out
of the water right ahead, and so re-
ported ii. But on nearer approach
L saw that it was moving, and that
there was man behind it, and he
was waving the bush as a sign of
friendship. We did not wish to COM
municate with him, but were glad he
was there to show US where the reef
was. He was fully two miles from
the land and the point of the reef
extended half a mile beyond him.
After passing three sand bars called
the Sisters Pol, Sue and Bet, we an
chOred for the day, as the sun showed
too bright ahead TO enable US 10 dis
tinguish the shoals. From our an
chorage Mount Earnest Island bore
NV. one half w, distant five miles;
Saddle Island NE. by n, and Burke
and Pole Islands just open of each
other, bearing N.N.W. from Us. Our
companion anchored near US; we did
NOT visit him that evening, thinking
he w, uld come over TO see Us, but he
did not
ApriI 14th we got under way at day
l;obt TN, French bark following US.
TRe first four hours we had all We
conId do 70 keep the vessel clear of
reefs and san0 bars as the water i was s. so
smooth and . ave no indication OF a
shoa1 mn, II we were very close. We
ran over u 90, reraI shOal places but did
:. Se leads, uan was Il fathoms:
About Ia "h which is formed by q
wales cham ham IN the north side and am
the northern coas, vation on the
Ine Js Of good ele sage through