The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-30

The following interesting descrip-
ton Of the narrow escape of the
steamer Warrimoo is taken from a
private letter from Minister Castle,
who, with a number Of other Homo
lulu people, was a passenger on the
steamer:
The voyage was uneventful and very
quiet, although head winds and cur
rents which delayed us until Friday,
the 9th instant. On leaving Homo
lulu Thursday evening the captain
and officers confidently stated that we
should arrive in Victoria on the fol-
lowing Thursday night or before day
break Friday, but head winds, ETC.,
delayed US; on Friday morning at
daybreak we were far at sea. The sea
was wonderfully quiet-the stillest
day we had it was needed, for the
disaster which followed would have
been terrible indeed had there been
a heavy sea.
About o'clock the fog settled down
over the vessel and she went slowly
feeling her way along with the lead.
4hC pLcbIL LIaO III llIO
of the fog, about or O'clock in the
morning, he saw certain rocks south
OF Cape Flattery, wherupon he altered
his course, intending to run twenty
five or thirty miles north, then return
directly into the entrance to the straits
and come up to Victoria. We were
slowly feeling our way along in a
dense fog and with perfectly calm
sea, at quarter to l o'clock, when sud-
denly the bell rang to stop the engines
and instantly to go full speed astern.
We ran to the side of the vessel and
found ourselves in the midst of long
sea-weed and grounded. The vessel
slid gently upon sand bar perhaps,
or at least a very smooth rock, and,
wonderful to relate, missed by, per-
haps, ten feet an enormous rock which
rose fifteen or twenty feet out of the
water. I could have jumped from the
deck to this rock. Had we struck it
bow on, the result would have been
the inevitable splitting open of the
vessel and she would have sunk then
and there in the deep water off the
reef. Perfect discipline was main
tanned on board. The crew and all
jumped TO the boats instantly, but it
was not necessary to go on shore. The
sea looked like oil, it was so smooth
only gentle swell passed the vessel
and rolled and broke on the shore a
half. mile distant, which we could
hear, but not see.
Some Indians, hearing our alarm
gun and the long whistles, came off
and told US where we were, which
was on the north side of the entrance
to the straits, about three miles to the
Carmanah lighthouse.
AS good fortune would have it, the
fiIn riC in oil ho
hour with the aid of the monster rock
around which rope was thrown from
the bow and then steadily pulled upon
we slid gently from the rock. The
passengers began to cheer, and all of a
sudden with a series of terrific bumps,
the steamer grounded on some sharp
rocky points which must have raised
her somewhat from the bottom for
she careened over and lay at an un-
comfortable angle, then as the light
swells rolled past her she would rise
with terrible bump and jerk.
/ thought the steamer was lost.
Others felt the same and made pTepar-
ations to go ashore hurriedly. The
ships boats were lowered and sound
ingS were taken. One officer was sent
off to the lighthouse to telegraph for
aid to Victoria, while another large
boat took an anchor some distance to
reef which was out of water, then
the engines were steadily backed while
a strain was put upon this anchor, and
about quarter past three at the top
OF the tide the steamer slid gently off
and we were free.
Upon the whole the passengers be
haved very nicely, the crew worked
splendidly, everything was quiet.
After getting entirely free from the
reef the vessel anchored to await the
return of the second officer from the
He came about o'clock
with the lightkeeper who brought
signal lines, cartridges, etc., for possi-
BILE use. He did not think the steamer
would get off, but believed we should
all have to go ashore and the steamer
would be LOST, for as he told us, it IS
one of the most dangerous parts of
the coast. We indeed thought so
when we saw, now and then when q
lift of the fog showed US, the dreadful
rocks on the coast. But we were free
and tnen knowing exactly where we
were, we steamed carefully into the
straits, anchOring not very far from
Victoria in the dense fog, and there
fore not arriving In port till : O'Clock
morning. We were a thank
fuI lot / can tell you.
Although the news of our escape
was telegraphe1 TO Victoria, the |
watchfUl and vigilant agent, Mr.. .
Brown, knowing the peril or that !
coast had sent up to the interior and !
cot a and 0Owarful tuOr and F,