The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-06-05
AS TOLD BY
A HEROINE
Story of the Wreck OF
the IoIani.
MRS, WOODMAN'S TALE
Brave Woman Who Endured Hard
ships Narrates Experiences
After Collision.


sunk in mid-ocean by steamship Argus
some weeks ago. Mrs. woodman, the on
" woman aboard, proved herself "A gonu-
inc heroine. The following from the Ha-
wall Herald is her own story OF the
wreck:
Among the passengers on the Iolani
from Hilo were Mr.. and Mrs: Woodman.
Mrs. Woodman Is a sister Of II. u. Soule.
and before her marriage much of her life
was spent upon the sea with her father,
who was captain. This was her iirst
experience in a wreck and her escape
with the other passengers from almost
certain death is marvellous. Writing to
her brother while on the steamship Ar
gus, the steamer that sunk the lollni,
Mrs. Woodman says:
You may, before you get my letter
hear that we have only memories of ila
wall left to us, all else lying at the bot
tom of the blue Pacific in the Inflated To-
lani. Let me tell you the story. ON
Wednesday evening we had gay time;
Captain Mcclure got out his banjo and
we sang until 10 o'clock, quite late for us.
1 was nearly asleep when i heard the
forward bell ring quickly several times.
| said L believe we are going to have
collision and getting out of bed look
ed out OF the port hole. Right along
side was big ship. the mizzen mast near
our window. / told Mr.. w. to bounce
out. and put on some clothing and went
out on the main deck just as the stern
of h ship in ballast came down on US
midships. l went back and put on my
rubbers ana when l got on deck again
we had slid backward under her stern
and she had come down once more on us
our starboard bow-and was clear. As
she came around and crossed our stern.
Captain Mcclure got out the megaphone
and asked the name of the vessel: AR
came back to us. Captain Mcclure an
swered that he believed not. He was
then asked IL he wanted the ship to lay
by until morning and the captain, bcuev-
I'm moment the vessel was out of
sight in the fog. After Il little talk
went below and noticed-or thought
the main deck shipped a good
deal of water on both sides; so, going to
my room, i put on more clothing, and
just then Mr.. Woodman came in and
asked if | was getting ready for bed. ]
sad no; that ! would not go to bed until
| found out il the lolani was making
any water. Mr.. Woodman left and in n
few minutes returned with request TO
quickly as possible, as the vessel was
sinking. 1t was so dark in the room
that l could not find my shrtwaist, so
put on Mr., Woodman's coat and my thick
coat over 1t. Then / picked up my shawl
and got out all the gold we had, about
$50. and sailed forth, picking up Benson,
CAPTAIN McClure,,s son, on the way.
The main deck was awash then. and
the men We're getting out the port boat
and putting in provisions. 1t did not
seem any time after We struck. Captain
Mcclure sent up. several rockets, which
I was afraid would not go above the fog,
but they did. He put Benson and 1 in
the boat before she left the skids. and
launched her as quickly as possible and
or than the Iolani,s rail. EvcrSbody
jumped for her; Mr.. W. had to juml, into
the water, just catching the boat rail,
and the captain pulled him in. There was
no plug in the boat and the Iolani was
keeling over on top Of us. Some of the
men bailed with their sou'westers ana
the rest managed to get out one oar on
each side. but with nineteen men in the
boat and big sea it was mighty slow
work. 1t looked as though We must he
caught under the fore sails If she laid
fiat down, when, with a sz z-z-z, she went
down and out of sight and We not n
boats length too soon. II seemed.
We'll, they got the hole plugged. but
the boat still leaked enough to keep three
were wet and not n lantern could be
found. l can tell you 1t looked pretty du-
bious. especially when 1t commenced to
rain. and in the fog. rain and confusion
the rain stopped and the clouds overhead
parted and showed the Dipper and the
North Star. One of our rockets burned
and went up about half the usual dis
tance and one blue light burned; then
we saw the ships light; she was very
near. She burned a blue light after one
of our shouts. 50 we felt that those on
board heard us. AS soon as we reached
her side they put over ladder and l
went up in a hurry, you may be sure. 1t
must have been between 11:30 and II
when We left the Iolani. or she left us,
and when We got into the cabin of the
Argus 1t was 3:25 by our watch.
"The Argus is from Antwerp to Port
Los Angeles and Portland We were all
wet and Captain Hunter of the Argus
told us to help ourselves in his state
room. | resorted to some of his clothing
and stockings-and laid me
down to rest. My own skirt and shoes
were taken to the galley to dry, so !
wore the second mates shoes and a
blanket to breakfast
MIR. w. looked about as miserable as
/. for he too had to wear the captains
and as he Is n small man and
Mr.. w. n large one, the fit was not good
sleeves too short and trousers at half |
mast. Mr.. Heydtmann, of kau, saved
some money, but the captain and mate |
lid not save n cent, and Captain Me- |
clure does not know whether the iolani |
was insured. l am mighty sorry for him. |
regret losing my Hawaiian souvenirs |
and all those negatives, Please lay aside |
for me one each of the Hawaiian coins |
for my collection
I'VE are all glad to be where We are, |
80 miles from Portland. alice samee. We |
will go direct to San Francisco after |
reaching Portland and then for home. |
rhere's nothing like dry land"