The San Francisco call., 1899-04-28
Missionary Boat Short
of Provisions.
DRINKING WATER WAS VILE
SAILS HAD TO BE MADE OUT OF
OLD BEAN SACKS.
Five Men From the Wrecked Whaler
HoratiO Shipped on Her and
One of Them Committed
Suicide.

The missionary schooner Hiram Bing-
ham went to Oakland Creek Yesterday
and her crew was along the front during
the day for the first time since the little
vessel made port. The men say they had
q terrible time of it during the voyage
from kusaie to San Francisco. Accord
ing to them the Bingham was shorthand
ed, short of provisions, short Of water,
short Of sails. and in fact short of every
thing except prayers and Bible readings.
During the voyage the cook committed
suicide, and the men had to make sails
out of sacks in order to get the vessel
into port.
The Hiram Bingham has been in the
southern seas for nearly four years. The
American Board of Foreign Missions has
large training school Tor nauNe teACheTS
al Kusaie, and the schooner has been EN-
plOyed in carrying these teachers from
the school to the various ISLANDS IN the
Gilbert group and bringing other natives
back to receive an education. IN ner Tour
years Of service a native crew under Cap
tain Walkup has handled her, but when
she was ready to come home a white
crew had to be secured. Just as she was
ready TO sail the whaling bark Horauo
as wrecked and five of her crew shipped
on the hiram Bingham. They were
Charles Towers, Frank Eldridge, James
Barry, William Olsen and Otto kyser.
The latter was appointed cook of the mis-
siOnary boat, and Towers was made mate.
The vessel was siXty-three days getting
here from Kusaie.
1t was the worst voyage I have ever
made" said Charles Towers yesterday,
and I have had some pretty tough times
of Ii in the Arctic. We were short of pro-
visions. our principal article of food be-
ing rice, and that we had frequently to
eat raw, as there was no water to boil il
iu The water we had was something
awful. We strained it and boiled II, but
the more we tinkered with II the worse
it smeued. During that passage ate five
pounds Of tobacco day to stay my stom-
ach, and the other boys did the same.
The old man Captain Walkup) lived on
faith and prayer. We also prayed, but
his were said in the cabin and ours were
said on the foreCastle head. We met
nothing but light winds and calms in the
trades. and Calms and light winds after
we crossed the equator.
lotto Kyser, the cook, was taken sick
before we reached the equator. He was
able TO be around, but the grub did not
agree with him and he grew despondent.
AT a m. one day he was missed, and
we searched the snip. In one or the clos
cts we found him dead. He had procured
a thin heaving line and hanged himself TO
the roof of the closet. He had to bend
his legs under him In order TO commit the
desperate deed. Beside him was a carV-
ing-knife 5 sharp as a razor, and sup
pose that his first intention was to cut
his throat. We buried him after break
fast Of beans and vile water.
The Bingham was very hard to naVi-
gate. because we had no headsails. The
men got together and made jib out OF
TWO sacks, and the foresail we patched
up with odds and ends and made it do.
Had it not been for these we would never
have reached san Francisco. No more
cruises in missionary schooner for me.
Give me whaler every time"
The Hiram Bingham is 10 be sold and
replaced by a larger vessel. During her
four years of service her sails were worn
out. and that was how her canvas came
10 be In such a condition. Captain Walk
up never figured on taking over two
months to get TO San Francisco, and that
accounts for the shortage Of provisions
and water.