The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-06
The OVtFtlTliIg Of Canoe Eldal-
gers Life.
NARROW ESCAPE OF TOURISTS
A Natives Swimming Fsat-Takes a
Child to the ShOre-wei Known
Travellers Suggestions.

\ party OF tourists, including Capt /
/ J. II. S.sarns and his eight-year-o.d 4
daughter. OF Chicago, and Air. and Mrs. /
Robt E. Strahorn, ~ Boston, had ~ /
experience at Waikiki Saturday after
noon that they VIII not soon forget !
/ They were taking surf ride with two I
/ natives 10 handle the canoe and while /
at the furthest point OF shore. probably /
I a third OF mile cut. suffered COM |
/ pIete capsize and wreck in about TWEEN 4
/ ty-five feet OF water.
! Mr.. Strahorn, who was in the front
end OF the canoe, says they had partly
| turned 20 make the dash FOR shore on
the crest OF a huge wave. Instead 81
/ going with IL the PROV was sent to-
ward the bottom ~ an elevation 81
about fO-ty-five degrees from the rear
and then they were turned over almost
endways by the giant wave. which also
twisted on the outrigger Is though IL
were a plpsstem and carried it out o.
reach.
on coming 20 the surface all man
aged 10 get 10 the boats slippery bot
tom turned upward. They had just
grasped this when another great wave
rolled over them, washing the Stra-
horns of This dangerous experience
was repeated again and again by other
heavy rollers" quickly following. but
finally when both We're nearly exhaust
ed Mr.. Strahorn succeeded IN helping
I his wife astrids the still overturned
/ canoe. where she lay more securely
with 4 firm hold with bC,h hands on
the gunwa,es under water.
Meanwhile Capt. Stearns. who j. OF
powerful build, but cannot swim, had
managed TO cling 20 the other end %
the boat. while one Of the natives swan
,, gallantly ashore with the little girl.
How this superb swimmer and his
precious burden were received by the
j. nearly frantic mother OF the child. who
had witnessed the whole proceeding
from shore, can possibly be imagined
The balance Of the party finally man
aged 20 right the canoe and direct il O.
shore by padding alongside. and alst
managed 20 recover Ehe broken out
rigger.
Considering the unusually heavy ses
and high tide which had the effect 81
o extending deep water pretty close in
shore and also the fact that only Cu'
of the party could swim. and he Il
delicate health, IL looks Ike verl
narrow escape and sounds note o
warning.
+ These people are famous trlvelsr
- and in a general way are no dCub; a
able TO care for themselves as the az
erage. Capt. Stearns has seen abou
every form of "rOughing 1T known
and the Strahorns have made som
notable canoe trips in American wilds
). aggregating many hundreds of miles
- to say nothing OF fifteen or twent
thousand miles BY stage and saddle
They are most enthusiastic admirers q
Hawaii's many attractions. but on tn
subject of this accident Mr. Strahor
said last night:
9. 1T was such = close shave that
mr. think may be pardoned for making
"a few suggestions. II followed the
would eliminate the risk you are not
running OF having a catastrophe som
day that will go far to ruin what / con
slider the most delightfully."- unique an
exhilirating aquatic sport In the worl'
a glorious treat that Hawaii almo;
has a monopoly o.. We were in DANCE
probably twenty minutes in view {
many people and yet no hand was If
ed 20 push out 4 boat tn help Us. VII
not keep at least one native there wit
4 canoe ready 20 meet just such a
\ emergency; something on a small seal
like our life saving service on ever
beach on the Atlantic CoaSt7 Whe
the waves are running too high. .
n
everybody told Us after we came i
why not simply warn visitors who hay
no other means OF knowing that Il
unsafe for ladies or others VINO cIunC
= swim2 We were also told THAI y
- went ont too far. How were We
know, considering that everything
left TO the natives who run the boat
Also we we're told aftegward that OF
OF the natives was not efficient. W
may re wholly wrong. but this was OF
opinion from the attention he dsvut,
20 himself when the crisis came.
seems that some responsible person
possibly the party who gets the not Il
considerable reveuue-uo matt
whether you are wrecked or not
should be absolutely sure he has g
pert service in that line. feel that
= so important 20 extend and peFp5
uate such = magnificent attraction ID
even some carefully considered go