The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-21
.HANA|TS BOYS IN uUE. THE CROKER N A STORM
TERRIBLE HURRICANE OFF COAST
OF NEW ZEALAND.
The Vessel Was Bound for Honolulu
But Had to Put Back and Discharge
Her Cargo-Captain's Report.

Full particulars of the terrible hur-
ricane off the coast of New Zealand
on February 10Th and Goth that came
near sending the four-masted schooner
Charles f. Crocker to the bottom, were
received in the last mail from San
Francisco, Capt. Piltz having forward
ed his report to the vessels owners
there. The Crocker was bound for this
port with a cargo of coal, but, after
the storm, she was compelled to put
into Auckland, discharge her cargo
there, receive temporary repairs and
on the dry dock. At last reports she
had not yet reached her destination,
but no fears are entertained for her
safety.
Capt. Piltz describes the hurricane
as the worst he ever encountered in
his long experience at sea. The wind
was blowing brad and the sea running
high when the Crocker put to sea, but
before the day was over regular hur-
ricane was blowing. The vessel had
an opportunity to show her good quail
tiles as a sea boat. She was heavily
laden, but rode the waves well, though
the seas were piling up around her un-
like any that the schooner's sailors
had ever viewed before. When about
| 100 miles off the New Zealand coast
the American Dark Sea King, reduced
down to her last stitch of canvas, and
with crew working hard at her pumps,
was sighted. The Sea King was wal
men never expected to see her ahoat
again. The King put into port in dis
tress, it was afterwards learned.
All of the morning of the 10Th the
wind blew violently in squalls. The
sky assumed Il very peculiar shade of
gray, which turned to II dark green.
like the sky that is a forerunner of a
cyclone in ATTITUDES where cyclones oc-
cur. The gale steadied at noon, but
blew harder than ever. All light sail
had been taken in and the spanker
reefed, but Capt. Piltz ordered the up
per topsail double reefed, the jib
furled and reefs put in the main and
mizZen sails.
The sky continued overcast all the
afternoon and the atmosphere seemed
charged with electricity. At II p. m.
it was blowing so hard that when an
attempt was made to furl the foresail
it was blown away like Il piece of
were hurled violently against the rail.
The foretopmast staysail vas whipped
out of the ropes with "A loud report
and carried nearly a hundred yards
away before it struck the water. While
working with his men trying to save
the mainsail, Capt. Piltz was dashed
violently against the mainmast. His
side was bruised and his right foot
badly spraned. The first mate and
two sailors went to the rescue of their
chief and hurried him below out of
reach of the mainsail boom, that
swung violently over the deck. threat
ening to knock the heads off the sea
men, the schooner having broached
and come up into the wind, the helms.
man having been thrown off his feet
Capt Piltz gave orders to his Off
GERS to heave the schooner to, which
order was obeyed. Though it was
thought that the force of the wind
was as great as it possibly could be,
the gale increased. \ fearful sea re-
suited. and though the vessel had here
tofore succeeded in keeping clear OF
water, the waves now broke over heI
fore and aft and swept her decks clear
from stem to stern.
Early on the morning of the 20th
the wind chopped to the west north
west, and lull resulted until noon
when the gale commenced again. The
pumps were worked by the donkey
and kept the vessel pretty clean, but
she was so disabled and leaking SC
badly that Capt. PItz was obliged tc
put in at Auckland.
MARRIED.