The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-06
LOSS OF THE BARK ALETIE
THRILLING EXPERIENCE or THE
y FEW SURVIVORS.
\ Norwegian Bark Goes Ashore i'm the
Frightful Typhoon of Last Month
Only Six Saved.

Nautical men in Honolulu and Ha-
wall still have fresh in their minds
the awful wreck of the first class Nor
wegian bark Alette, on the coast OF
Japan, last month.
Nine lives were lost and the bark
and her cargo of lumber were total
loss. The Alette's cruise was from
Vancouver to Toxic.
Captain John Lorentzen, Steward
Julius Johansen, Second Mate j. 1e-
leffesen, \. Berg, sailmaker, and two
able bodied Mexican seamen, were
survivors of the Alette's fate.
The account of the wreck was in
terestingly told by Captain Lorentzen
while lying in his bed at the Central
Hotel in Toxic.
II first felt the wind freshening af-
ter passing two islands about thirty
two miles from where we struck. We
passed the islands about ~ o'clock. At
about half past . | took in the main
royals and at , o'clock the main top
sails. After passing the islands |
steered three-quarters west up to /
o'clock. | then discovered that we
were only about three cables lengths
from the rocks. onto which we had
been carried by wind and tide. 1t
was blowing very hard and it was on
ly when nearly all the sails were en-
tirely blown away that I discovered
how terrific was the wind. We were
fairly in the teeth of the typhoon and
within ten minutes after the loss of
the sails we were hurled upon the
rocks. The waves carried us off, and
broke over her decks and carried al
most everything away. About five
minutes after we struck, the timber
which was stacked aft commenced to
float off. / saw that the vessel was
doomed and told the men to look out
for themselves. With those | could
reach | shook hands and advised them
as well as | could. Shortly after |
was washed over the side, but | must
have had hold of something, for |
have faint remembrance of getting
back | was going over again and |
hung outside the vessel for some time,
The waves were still beating over me
and let go hoping to be able to get
ashore. | was buffeted about howev-
er for long time and on more than
one occasion | thought of giving up;
| but the thoughts of those at home, a
wife and three children, gave me re-
newed courage and spirit, and | tried
hard to get to shore. But the waves
{ bnfHed all attempts, and | was about
/ to give up when saw from the
! trough of wave a huge rock looming
+ up Just in front of me. | thought
/ should have been dashed against il
but instead huge sea hurled me ov
err onto the beach. where some .Tapa.
nese rushed out and pulled me in.
wanted to rest where ! was thrown
as | was thoroughly exhausted. al.
so knew was quite safe there in the
shallow water, but the Japanese al
the time took no notice and hurried
me on. was full of water aird felt
utterly helpless"
Steward Johansen tells his expert
ences as follows:
81 was standing on the weather
side when the ship struck. | Got en-
tangled in floose piece of sail arc
was carried along the deck to the raj
around the ship. just then | saw tn,
rail going and | was carried into tn,
water, but | had life belt on and
| Heated for some time. | could no
swim. Then | felt myself taken .un
der, and deep down, too. On comm.
up again ] got a little rest, but / fel
| was losing the life belt. | hung OF
to 1t, however, but was again takel
under by the receding breakers. am
on rising again | just managed II
avoid spar. | managed then to gre
my head and arms through the lif
belt. | had no sooner done so. wne,
was thrown clear over a rock ont
the beach in the same way that tn
CAPTAIN was, and was rescued by tn
Japanese.
The japanese took us all to thei
houses and sent for native doctor
he did for MS as well as he was abb,
and when we recovered somewhat w
buried one of the crew that had bee
thrown on the shore. The poor fello,
had his scalp pulled clean off and hi
head was split down the center. Al
ter burying him we returned to tn
Japanese dwellings and put on som
clothes that had been found for n.
When | was hurled on the beach
was stripped of everything but IN
singlet. Some of the others were |
as hopeless condition. There was n
means of reaching the ship. in fact
would have been impossible to do S
, because of the high seas that WEI
breaking over her. We have lost e'
erything, clothes, money, charts, con
passes, and worst of all our ship. W
: are now pennless and spending o
, charity and our Consul. If anythin
could be done to help us we should l
thankful. | myself have wife an
, three children at home depending O
| me. 1t seems provident that I ser
my family home. They were with N
y at Vancouver, and from there they r.
r turned. 1t was my intention at fir.
, to bring them out here. I feel yer
, thankful now that | did not. for in a
: probability they would have bee
lost"