The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-09-26
BAT tiled
FOR LIFE
ON SEA
Dismasted Vessel
Has Story of
Cyclone.
tFrom Wednesdays dailyl

(From Wednesdays daiy)
The almost wholly dismasted Nor
wegian bark Andromeda, Captain Rot
ter. put into Honolulu yesterday with
"A story of battling against terrific
cyclone that caught the staunch 100
ton vessel about 1000 miles east of Ho-
nolulu. while she was on voyage
from Iquique, Chile, to Humboldt Bay.
The story of the catastrophe shows
that braver sailors are seldom found
than these sons OF the vikings who bat
tied during the blackest Of nights
against the terrors of a cyclone. one of
the most furious storms encountered at
sea. When it was thought that the yes
sci was about to topple over and bury
all on board a part of the crew went
to the skipper and volunteered to risk
their lives by going below and endeav-
oring to right the vessel by trimming
the dangerous stone and sand ballast
which had shifted and put the vessel
in her precarious position.
After saving the vessel the crew
bravely went to work and fitted up
roughly enough sails to carry her to
Honolulu.
Captain Rotter had a rusty nail driv-
en- right through his booted foot dur
ing the height of the excitement and
remained at his work for an hour and
a half without thought as TO what
might result from the dangerous hurt.
Then he calmly had the nail pulled
out and again went on with his work
of saving the vessel. He made for Ho-
nolulu as he could get "A fair wind to
this place and also because he thought
there was cable station here and his
disappointment was keen when he dis
covered that Honolulu had not yet got
it's undersea wire to the coast He
will now have to wait here for some
time before he can do anything with
the dismasted vessel while communiCat-
ing with his owners.
The vessel now lies safely in the row.
AS soon as she dropped her anchors
here the sailors, who had been fighting
for their lives for about "A month,
worked away, heaving anchor chain
and wildly singing Norwegian hymns.
Delivered from what they had expected
to be certain death and after having
worked day and night for many days in
saving themselves and the staunch Ves-
sci the JOY of the sailors on knowing
that they were safe was something that
can better be imagined Ihan described.
A dozen of them heaving at the wind
lass, racing round and round. while
singing and laughing was "A sight to be
remembered.
After going through such "A tremen-
dous storm and being placed in such
awful positions ii is "A wonder that the
vessel was saved at all, and it was only
through the pluck and bravery of the
men who manned her that she is in port
today and not lying on the bottom of
the almost unfathomable sea west of
Central America.
DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE.
The bark Andromeda left Iquique in
ballast on July 2jth bound for Hum
boldt Bay. The vessel had for ballast
between seven and eight hundred tons
of small stones and sand. She had fair
weather and "A fair wind until the 2yth
of August on that day the vessel was
in thirteen degrees n. and 126 w. The
barometer went down rapidly during
the afternoon, the wind came strong
from the west, and the officers of the
vessel feared a cyclone Sail was short
ened, leaving only the two lower top
sails, the foresail and fore -staysail set.
The wind changed to the south and the
vessel kept before it I'm an effort to ride
IL out. After six o'clock the storm in
creased. About seven thirty o'clock the
main lower topsail was carried away.
In rapid succession during the next few
minutes the foresail and fore staysail
were torn TO shreds accompanied by a
report louder than a cannon shot. A
few minutes later the vessel became
unmanagcablc. She could not be steer
ed. and broached To the wind Just in
time TO catch two mountainous seas
which swept the vessel fore and aft
and. shifting some of the ballast, left
her listed over on her port side. The
vessel rolled in fearful manner and
II became well nigh impossible for the
crew 10 do any work. 1t was feared
that the rigging would be carried away
and making great effort the crew
clewed up the fore-topsall.
PORT BULwARKs UNDER WATER.
The ship continued TO roll fearfuly
and her port bulwarks were constantly
under water. Some members OF the
crew went 10 the captain and told him
they thought they could save the ves-
sel II they were allowed TO go below
ana trim the ballast. The skipper then
sent part Of the crew into the hold and
the Others remained on deck 20 work
with tackles IN an efort 20 haul the
braces ishl enough 10 hold the rig
ginE Then a terrible time was eK-
perienced by the brave men working
IN the hold, A tremendous sea swept
the vessel, toppled her over 10 the port
side aud buried one man IN the stones
ana sand " the ballast His mates
made rush for him ana managed q
eject rescue, captain Rotler ordered
the men pn deck, The night was a.
blAes As nights over are ana "A wa
With NE sreaiesl 1ll1culiy that the mer
fpula ma ihrlr way about tho half
submerged deck The port bulWarkl
seIs entirely under water and "a ha,
also rrspl ~ aH fHr AH thn hairhes
Thsn captain Rotor drrldrd that ~
bad only u moment ln which ip sayl
bls vessel lp hrr condition ai thR
ii1s ahr miHhl haFn WpHgrl at anl
sagnUH. Iln IHlfHlU nTtrTYH fIIu mail