The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-28
COLUSA SUNK
A Bark Well Known in
Hawai-.
She Strikes Near the Carmanah
Point Lighthouse--Captain
and Crew Lost.

Keeper w. P Daykin, who Is stationed
at Carmanah Point, gives news OF the
stranding of bark, the identity Of
which he was unable to learn, and her
subsequent release. At the same time
Asa Drinkwater, a. prospector Of AL |
berti, comes forward with d 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 sailors /
grave in the waters they have sailed
so long seems to be a certainty. Many
have surmised that the bark was lost,
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 she sustained when en-
tering Kahulni 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 rife shots. Think
| ing it was some one signaling to them,
they returned toward Bonilla Point.
On the same rock that the Duchess OF
Argyle struck they saw 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. A
big sea struck her and she swung
clear and Strengthened up 10 her anchor
with her head out to sea, but her stern
we'll in the small bay at the Chusapls
waterfall, between and within few
yards of the wrecks of the Duchess CT
Argyle and the Puritan.
THE boys, being unable to cross lie
river to get home, ran down to klide,
about two miles east Of BOnilla, Wncre
thew could open the wire, and then
tanned with the ends of the wire, call
ing me, and said there was vessel on
shore at Boni1la. There being no In
dians here I telephoned to Choose 20
nv eldest son to come up at once and
bring assistance which he did, AZ
| a. M the fog cleared, when | saw
bark dangerously near Bonilla. She
was heading about west, but the wind
hauled and she headed Off shore. When
the boys returned they said 1t was the
bark they had reported, that a breeze
snrlng ND off shore which enabled her
to get clear, but they think she was
badly damaged and shipped her cable.
. It was miracle that she ever got ear
especially with the heavy surf running
She seemed a mediunl-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
4 wood were picked up near Whe"e fne
. bark went ashore"
Asa Drinkwater says that when NJ
was on his way down he heard OF tnf
laundering of the vessel from tnl
Dodge Cave Indians. The Indians SAT-
the bark, which from the descfiptlo'
given must have been the same ca
seen ashore on Bonilla Point, was car
ried up in a northWesterly dlfecIiol oo
fore the heavy gales, and when tn
il was seen to roll from side 10 sld
and went down rapidly as though ne
hottom had fallen out or her seam
.narted. This was about the beg'nnin'
Of December. Many different iniiah
told The prospector the same story O
Tho laundering of the vessel, ana IL
soys he has every reason TO DatleF
- renort is true. Since the l1dtan
+o11 the prospector of the disaster ti'e
ha,a gone to the big potlatch now j
nro--ress at EsneranZa Inlet, when
attracting the Siwashes from UP al
down The coast, and they have not re
norted the laundering of the VessSl
tba local customs. An effort Will, now
80 no made to reach them and &c
their report. 49,
After the vessel went down the
watched for boats, but saw none. me
+bov searched the beach and rocks 10
wrackase without avail. Not a man
yestige of ANYTHING from the "reI
soous to have reached the snose. l.
course. il has not been proven dehnAtS
w that the lost vessel IS the co'.o
/ b,,+ avarvthing seems to point 70 t1s
|, having been the case.
Has Been in Hard Luck.
Tho co,usa is well known in II
. San Francisco trade. having pee
nod there for nearly a generation
IN 1880 abe was one of the smarte
hanks on the coast and was then
e cor m of Captain Backus. The cal
tai-- has not been in the vessel II
manv wears. but always retained IL
interest in her and is now one OF = I,
principal sufferers by the loss OF u
rassel. In those days G. F. Smith
20 were the managing owners y
during the last few years A II. ~
has looked after the vessei.
\ The Colusa left San Francisco oep..
Js o-t for the Hawaiian Islands. Dnrif
\ storm she went ashore and was 2
off again after some difficulty. 81
ux was taken to Kahu1ui, where an exaf
- nation showed that her forefoot a,
Dart of the shoe was gone. 1t was q
cided to send her to the Sound Tor 7