The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-03-02
SAVED FROM THE SEA
rwENrY.rnnEr suHyIyoHs ~ \
suIrwuICK AnI utHT.


The Re Au Hou arrived Sunday
morning from Kauai, aud brough,
the Captain aud twenty-five men
OF the American sealing schooner
Matte T. Dyer, 1903 tons, of San
Francisco which was wrecked on
French Frigate Shoals, 42o miles
South west of Honolulu. at $40 a.
Ill. Feb. 22, or last Saturday week
The men were taken aboard by
Captain Thompson of the Re An
Hou and were given every atten-
ton until Honolulu was reached.
They were then sent to the Sailor S
Home, where they are now com
fortably quartered.
The tale of the wreck s like
romance. The night was clear and
bright though there was no moon.
Full canvas was up. The course
was over a familiar track. Captain
Mockler had gone it several times
before. Suddenly, VIXEN a few
hundred yards to windward of the
shoals, and moving from them, the
schooner struck, rose and then set.
tied on a blind rock. The grinding
and tearing was terrific. Water
poured in, Four sealing boats
were quickly lowered, a few things
thrown i'll and all the men put of
for the shoals. In eight minute.
the schooner was a wreck. Shortly
after the hulk raised from the rock
and was dashed upon the shoals.
When last seen she was break.
ing up.
The crew landed Oh the larges,
point of land, a huge rock covered
and encircled by sand. Their idea
was to stop there and save what
they could from the ship. But nc
water could be found. They dug
everywhere i'll the sand, but not a
drop came up except down by the
sea, and that was salt. There was
nothing left but to strike out fol
land. Some sails was brought of
first and the four boats were rugged
out with single sheets. A number
of "goonies" or SUIT Albatross were
knocked down with sticks and dis.
tributed among the boats for food
They had to be eaten raw. The
balance Of the larder consisted Of
six cans Of fruit to each boat.
The weather was fair and the
boats pulled off together. The cap.
tain, mate and four men were in the
first, 6 men were in the second, {
in the third and s i'll the last. Nex'
day the men suffered indescribablt
hardships. Some were half dressed
The sun beat down furiously, Bills
tering their hands, faces and feet
Toward evening the sea rose and
dashed over the boats. This con
tinued until the party reached land
They were wet all the time, and
the boats had to be bailed constant
ly. AT night it was cold and wet,
and there was no sleep. The FIRE.
quent baptisms of the sea took the
place of drinking water.
Wednesday morning Niihau was
sighted by the captains boat, and
reached in the afternoon. The
men landed, tired, hungry, weak
sore and wet. They had made the
voyage in four days and four hours
during which time they had not haC
drop of water and almost nothing
to eat. The second boat arrived
short time later. The third cam,
three days after, and the fourtl
was picked up by the Ke Au Ho,
Saturday afternoon, eight days on
from the scene of the wreck. AL
of the boats were battered and use
less, and were abandoned where tn,
crews left them.
On Niihau the wrecked mel
were taken in charge by Manage
Moore of the ranch and the natives
They were sent over to Waimea
Kauai, in Mr.. Moore's boats. o
the treatment by the natives o
Niihau Capt. Mockler says; %.
can never forget the natives o
Niihau. They were the most gen
erous and kind people l ever saw
anywhere, They opened thei
homes to US, gave us food anC
water, and even went into thei
wardrobes and gave us clothing t.
use in place Of our wet garments
| have no doubt but their kindness
saved several cases of sickness,
among us"
The following are the names o
the men from the wrecked schooner
now at the Sailors Home; Captain
Mockler, Mate Hugh Walker anC
Second Mate w. Spear, the officers
cook, N. S. Waldell; hunters, Ed
Larsen, ]. F. Jackson, o. Perkins
w. Lundquist and p. Peterson
crew, Chris Oleson, +. Peterson, V
Madison, Morris Malcolm. c. Sin
clair, ]. Jensen, John Nelson, c. ]
Berry, B. Donnelly, James Mitchell
Frank Moore, ]. Watson and ]
Huyden; cabin boy, M. A. Lund
gren. They have every appearance
of having suffered all the rigor
enumerated in the captain
story. They are mostly Sa
Francisco men, though
few are from the Sound countr,
1t is likely they will leave for III
Coast by Thursdays steamer. Sc,
eral of the men have acquaintance
in Honolulu.
The Matte l.. Dyer was a we
known sealer. She was built {
white oak, and was considered yer
sub tanlial. Her Quilted valr
is reckoned by the captain at no
600. She carries only 5000 il
surance. 1t is not likely any eiio
will be made TO save any part
her, as from all accounts, she
undoubtedly complete wreck.
The men in the boat picked up
the Ke Au Hou and out the longe
suffered most. Yet the first rogue,
made by any of them was to ma
Parker for a cigarette. The me
were keen Tor water, but said Il
pangs Of hunger had left them. The
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