The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-12-29
COLUSA SUNK
A Bark Well Known in
Hawaii.
She Strikes Near the Carmsnah
Point LIghthouse--Captain
and Grew lost.

at Carmanah Point, gives news Of the
stranding OF a bark. the identity OF
which he was unable to learn. and her
subsequent release. AT the same time
Asa Drinkwater. a prospector of Al
bert, comes forward with story
brought to him by the Dodge Cave In
dams, which goes to prove that the
| bark seen on the Point, which was
none other than the overdue Colusa,
afterward foundered. The Indians
watched the waters cover her.
That the Colusa has gone down and
| that Captain Ewarts. his wife and the
crew have gone down TO a sailors
grave in the waters they have sailed
so long seems to be certainty. Many
but the surmises have been based on
nothing more than the fact that she
was SO long overdue. coupled with that
of her unseaworthy condition, she not
having been repaired properly after
the accident che sustained when en-
| tering Kahului on her last trip from
San Francisco. The letter received
from the lighthouse keeper, who has
been unable to get word here for some
time past owing to the collapse of the
telegraph wire, was as follows:
"On the morning OF the 18th two of
my boys heard some rifle shots. Think
ing II was some one signaling to them.
they returned toward Bonlla Point.
On the same rock that the Duchess Of
Argyle struck they saw a bark, the
| identity of which they could not ascer-
tain. There was a thick fog, With
| light, battling winds, heavy rain and
a heavy surf ON the beach. When first
seen she was lying over considerably;
| her anchor was down, but her stern,
as she swung. caught on the rock. \
| big sea struck her and she swung
clear and Strengthened up to her anchor
with her head out to sea, but her stern
well in the small bay at the Chusapis
waterfall, between and within a few
yards of the wrecks of the Duchess CT
Argyle and the Puritan.
THE boys, being unable to cross tLe
river to get home, ran down to Klide,
about two miles east of Bonlla, where
they conld open the wire. and then
tapped with the ends of the wire, call
ing me, ard said there was vessel on
shore at Bonilla. There being no In
dams here | telephoned to Choose 70
my eldest son to come up at once and
bring assistance, which he did. Al
a. M the fog cleared when | saw a
bark dangerously near Bonilla. She
was heading about west. but the wind
hauled and she headed off shore. When
the boys returned they said. was the
bark they had reported, that breeze
sprung up off shore which enabled her
to get clear, but they think she was
badly damaged and shipped her cable.
1t was miracle that she ever got Gear
especially with the heavy surf running.
She seemed medium-sized vessel
rather smart-looking, painted black
with a white stripe around her. She
had double top-gallant yards and |
think a skysail. Several pieces Of red
wood were picked up near where the
bark went ashore"
Asa Drinkwater says that when he
was on his way down he heard of the
laundering of the vessel from the
Dodge Cave Indians. The Indians said
the bark. which from the description
given must have been the same one
seen ashore on Bonilla Point, was ear
ried up in a northwesterly direction be
fore the heavy gales, and when the
vessel was about opposite Long Beach
it was seen to roll from side 10 side
and went down rapidly az though her
bottom had fallen ont or her seams
parted This was about the beginning
OF December. Many different Indians
told the prospector the same story OF
the laundering of the vessel and he
says he has every reason to believe
the report is true Since the Indians
told the prospector OF the disaster they
have gone to the big potlatch now IN
progress at Esreranza Inlet, which Is
attracting the Siwashes from up aid
down the coast. and they have not re-
ported the foundering of the vessel TO
the local customs. An effort will, how
ever. be made to reach them and get
! their report.
After the vessel went down they
watched for boats, but saw none Then
they searched the beach and rocks for
wreckage without avail. Not a man or
vestige OF anything from the wreck
seems to have reached the shoe. or
course, II has not been proven definite
| ~ that the lost vessel Is the Colnsa,
but everything seems TO point 10 that
having been the case.
Has Been in Hard Luck.
The Colusa is well known in the
San Francisco trade. having been
owned there for nearly a generation.
, In 1889 she was one Of the smartest
banks on the coast and was then in
command OF Captain Rackus. The cap
tain has not been in the vessel for
many years. but always retained his
interest in her and is now one OF the
principal sufferers by the loss of the
vessel. In those days q. #. Smith &
Co. were the managing owners, but
during the last few years A. II. Paul
has looked after the vessel
The Cousa left San Francisco Sept q
last for the Hawaiian Islands. During
a storm she went ashore and was got
on again after some difficulty. She
was taken to Kahului, whore an exam
ination showed that her forefoot and
part of the shoe was gone, II was de-
cided to send her TO the Sound for re-
pairs. and on October 81 she sailed in
ballast for Departure Bay, On No
yember 30 the Call in telling OF the
then overdue fleet said; THE old CO.