The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-11-14
Was ON THE SIAM
Battles Of The Transport in Two
Terrible Typhoons.
ALL ON BOARD SUFFERED
Albert p. yior Of Honolulu Rsiates
HIS Experiences Steamer
Nearly Fo.n lar, d.

Especial Correspondence Advert1ser.I
The transport Siam. loaded with
horses and mules for the Quartermas-
ter's Department al Manila, left Ho-
nolulu September 6, experiencing fair
weather until the 18th, Just as she was
about to pass through the Ladrones.
At this time a typhoon struck the YES
sci, continuing thi.ty-six hours, blow
ing the vessel several hundred miles
out of her course into the vicinity OF
Guam. During the height Of the storm
the vessel rolled heavily, and, after
damaging the animals to great ex-
tent, the captain Of the vessel decided
to heave to and steam into the wind
and seas, the latter being cross-seas
from northeast and southeast. Nearly
200 animals were down" and two were
dead. The captains decision to heave
to was arrived at in order to save the
rest of the animals from a like fate.
II was desperate chance to take, as
the wind was blowing in a steady hur-
ricane and the Siam stood the chance
to turn turtle. Every man was ordered
to a place of safety away from the
plunging animals, which were thrown
bodily from their stalls into the area
ways; the ship swung into the trough
OF the sea and rolled completely over
upon her port side. We chung on to
Whatever support was handy, and
awaited the final outcome OF the des-
pertae measure. Slowly she righted and
swung her bow into the wind. The
captain OF the vessel was at the helm.
bravely determined that the best sea-
manship should handle the boat at this
critical juncture. The storm abated
two days later sufficient for the officers
to take their bearings. The barometer
fell but twelve degrees in this storm.
demonstrating that the Siam had
struck only the tail-end of the typhoon.
After passing the Ladrones north of
the Island of Saipan. we had splendid
weather and sighted Luzon Saturday
evening, September 30, at the north
eastern point, called Capo Engano. We
expected to find a lighthouse at this
extremity. and, it being almost dark,
the captain was ordered to cruise out
side OF the passage until the light
showed up. At 10 y. m. a gale sudden
~ struck us. blowing from northwest
accompanied by heavy seas. The Siam
headed directly into the wind toward
the northeast In order to avoid the
rocks and reefs stretching a hundred
miles or more north of Luzon. The
storm increased IN severity throughout
the night and Sunday we realized that
we were once more in a typhoon, so
much dreaded in the China Sea, Sep
TENDER and October being the worst
months of the year for them. Sunday.
October l, the seas became higher and
during the afternoon continually swept
over the decks, carrying everything
movable overheard and damaging all
the grain aud hay exposed. Down in
the stables the animals were drenched
and the stalls flooded SO that they were
unable to stand upon their feet. The
men who accompanied the animals,
cowboys mostly. stood at their posts
raising the animals to their feet, re-
pairing the stalls and stanchlons, and
roping the hatchways SO that none
would plunge down to the lower decks;
ropes were tied about the men to pre-
vent their being washed overheard:
whistle signals came from every part
or the ship for assistance in raising
animals. Upon The lower decks or
holds" as they were termed, the
damage to the animals was frightful;
every roll OF the snip threw the animals |
into heaps, from which they extricated
themselves bleeding and torn, the flesh
being lacerated from head to foot. Sud- |
denly the vessel would give a series OF |
terrific lurches and mules would |
plunge from one side OF the ship to the |
other. crashing tinfbers and impaling |
themselves upon the sharp points:
blood flowed thickly upon the decks. |
and many OF the men were severely in
jured. Often one Of them would be |
caught in the midst of heap of |
mules. and were brought out |
In crippled condition.
The barometer fell rapidly Sunday
night, and by midnight had fallen alto
gether seventy points! At 2 o'clock In
the morning We were living In a per-
'ect hell; all the Imagination one can
'oncoct or that demon-land, OF Dante's
Inferno, can scarcely depict the horrors
Ne were beginning to experience. So
ar we had been thirty hours without
ileep and nothing to eat but bareback;
he galley upon the poop-deck was
as was also the mems bunk
iouse; the hospital was demolished;
he captains gig. which was dashed to
he top Of the unk-house, broke away
rom it, fastenings and did consider.
able damage. Al 2 o'clock the worst ~
he typhoon seemed To have struck us;
he vessel heayed over on her side and
would send along until heavy sea
struck her amidships, throwing her
violently IA the other side. By this
line the animals were mangled aud
broken IN a frlghlful manner, the
lecks were wrecked, the debris piled
~ In the utmost roIfusioni everything
Mas swept away the cabins we're being
hooded msn were rursiDF, shouting
ana WORKING like demons ~ save their |
pets animals we're froaniDs in their
agony the seas broke through the
Ialse deeks, mahinB tbs vessel shl,sr
rom stem 90 stern, ThsTs Mas liills
iFht About IhU Shlp aud moving about /