The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-04-23
Crippled BY
UNDERTOW

The memory of UTRECHT, who met with
tragic end while shell-hunting amid
the rocks beyond Diamond Head, does
not seem to have acted as a deterrent to
| foolhardy curio hunters
The currents along the shores of this
Island where the reef comes close to the
shore line are treacherous and strong,
and shell-seeking is best practiced away
from their vicinity.
yesterday afternoon Manuel Pacheco
bookbinder of the Robert Grisve Com
pany. started out with four companions.
j. Cacres, Ernest Pacheco A. Crawford
and A. Hubeck, three men and two lads,
on hshing and shell-hunting expedi-
ton.
Three cells. six mullet and one largo
crab satisfied their piscatorial procliyi-
ties and the search for shells commence
ed.
BY this time the party was within
about two miles of Koko Head, not far
from the place where the unfortunate
UTRECHT met his death. Pacheco sight
ed rare shell clinging to the side of a
partially submerged rock, and was try
ing for the prize, when a heavy sea
broke with tremendous force over the
venturesome man, carrying him several
feet from the shore with ..ie undertow
The following sea brought him back on
Its crest, dashing him against the rocks,
the undertow dragging am out to sea
once more.
For two or three minutes his terror
stricken companions waited for his reap
pearance, while 1t looked as IL a repeti-
ton of the UTRECHT tragedy was about
to occur.
Presently the head of Manuel appeared
amid the foam of an incoming wave
Joseph Cacres sprang into the water and
reaching his friend struck out for the
shore, only, as 1t seemed, to give the sea
another victim.
Fighting for dear life. however, as
they We're thrown against the rocks the
two managed to cling to a projection,
and, despite the pull OF the back current
and the keen edge of the coral reef,
they chung to, held on desperately until
assisted by their companions, they scram-
bled between waves TO the beach.
Both were padiy cut and bruised, Pa
checo being the more severely hurt. A
Japanese fishermans house being close
at hand, the party helped the rescued
couple inside, where the wounds were
dressed as well as unskilled hanus could
IT, The hospitable little brown man
brought out some rice and tea, after
parttking OF which Pacheco recovered
sufficiently TO get home with assistance.
Too much risk generally is run even
when bathing and canoeing at the regu-
lar beaches. The surf OF late has been
dangerously high; the undertow at the
beach on Saturday afternoon was strong
enough 10 carry sturdy man on his
feet, and give practced swimmer no
little trouble to night his way back 20
shore.
During these short periods OF high
surfs. reyelled IN by tho young men OF
tho community as 'splsnuld fun" the
excitement OF surfing on a high eombsr
causes them 20 overlook the risk, Wom-
en- and children are safer on the beach
az these times, Several canoe parties
have been upset ~ late, ana while no
actual casualties have occurred ona
person, an s6psft swimmer, was taken
sith cramps on Saturday, after an ~.
set. and, with ths others IN Tie party
experienced dlfiouliy IN reaching tho
shore Many narrow escapes while CA
noeihE hAgs occurred lately,