The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-23
A YACHTING PARTY's NARROW
ESCAPE.
Mrs. White and Her Children Saved in
a Cookie Shell-Auditor Austin Swims
to Safety.

sand spit close to Ford Island near the
entrance to Pearl Harbor, with a hole
in her starboard side two feet below the
water line. How the hole came there is
a mystery that is a part of as thrilling
escape from death of the yachting party
aboard her al he time, as has ever
happened in these waters.
In the party were Mrs. oscar E. White
and year. old son. They were saved
in the little cookie shell boat carried
by the yacht while the remainder of the
party, including o. E. White Auditor
II. c. Austin, Hale Austin and George
Clark, had to risk their lives through
the shark infested waters from where
the yacht was beached to Ford Island.
The Eva started from Honolulu Sat
urday afternoon with the party aboard,
and after a pleasant trip down, the
yacht anchored in Pearl Harbor off
the racing course for the night, Yes
terday forenoon the party cruised
around the lochs, and about noon went
to Axis landing. Outside was a
spanking breeze, and the party decided
to try to beat the Eva's own record OF
two hours and twenty minutes from
Pearl HaIbor to Honolulu.
Shortly after 1 o'clock the start was
made from Achis landing. The yacht
passed Ford Island on the left, out
through the channel, and had just got
fairly out of the channel and into the
open sea, when Mr.. Whites little boy,
who was in the cabin, called out that
there was water in the cabin. A hasty
inspection showed that the yacht was
making water fast, and was rapidly
listing to the starboard. At first 1t was
supposed that the pipe from the water
closet was broken. But the vessel was
making water so rapidly that 1T was
seen that only heroic measures could
save any of the party. A few hundred
Un T6C f11p 10 n
catch the breeze that they had expected
would bring them to Honolulu in less
than two hours and twenty minutes.
But if once they got into that breeze
with the yacht leaking as she was they
were lost Mr.. White was unable to find
the leak, and he at once brought the
yacht about and made as rapidly as
possible for a sand spit which he knew
lay about 200 yards from Ford Island.
The yacht grounded heavily. Mr. White
at once had the anchor taken by the
small boat and dropped into deep water
in order to hold the yacht fast.
The only boat the yacht carried was
! this cookie Shelf that carried pn more
than two grown persons. Mrs. White
and the two boys were put in this
at once. The pump was manned and
buckets put into requisition to bale the
craft but work as hard as they would
the water gained on them until the cab
In was nearly submerged.
Mrs. White and the two boys, in
all the danger, never lost their presence
of mind, and were able finally to land
afely at Axis landing, and send aid
from there to Ford Island, whittier Mr.
Austin had swan from the sunken craft
for assistance. In answer to Mr.. Aus
! tins request for assistance the superin-
tendent of the sugar plantation on FoEd
Island sent four Chinese in a fat boat
Yacht a
other portable articles of the vessel were
removed to shore and the Coolies sue
ceeded finally in pumping out the water.
&. johnson of the Inter-ISland Steam
| Navigation Company also went to the
assistance of the wrecked crew. He
discovered that the water had come into
the boat through a small jagged hole
on the forward starboard side, about
two feet below the water line, and on a
line with the mast which is very we'll
forward. He soon repaired the damage.
By this time the tide had gone out and
it was impossible to get the boat clear
of the spit, so Mr.. White and the others
of the party accompanied Mr. Johnson
in the Dewey to Pearl City, where they
took the train home.
How the hole came in the boat is a
mystery. Mr.. White noticed a slight
impact against the vessel an hour and a
| half before the leak was discovered
1t is not thought possible that the boat
could have struck on a reef, as Oscar
White is a thorough yachtsman and
/ knows Pearl Harbor thoroughly, and
besides any contact with reef that
would have made such a hole as was
discovered would have so palpably
manifested itself that those on board
would have been aware of it. The only
theory that has been advanced that
could account for it is either that the
yacht struck a sunken snag, or was
struck by a swordfish or some similar
creature, and that in either case, the
snag or the bony weapon of the fish
broke off and remained in the hole until
the yacht reached the rough water out
side, when it worked out, leaving the
gaping hole, through which the waters
rushed. Mr.. White will send for the
yacht probably tomorrow.