The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-25


the vessel was evidently laundering,
and another conference was held.
1t was evident to all that the Ceylon
was doomed and the captain and crew
decided to man three boats and leave
her. They spent the glorious Fourth
preparing to leave, and in latitude rs
degrees, az minutes, longitude l66 de-
grees, minutes west, the old bark was
then abandoned. There was
heavy sea running and all the boa,s
were in grave trouble. The two larger
boats took the men from the smallest
boat and then headed for Laysan.
Captain Willers boat, which had the
steering instruments, led the way the
other following closely all the way to
LaySan. Mrs. Willer was with her hus-
band in the first boat.
on the same day that the men left the
vessel the captains boat sprung
leak She was overloaded, and the
strain injured her so that it was soon
necessary to begin bailing, while the
heavy seas threatened to beat her to
pieces. Two men were detailed to bail
out the boat, and during the four days
and nights of the perilous trip, there
were two men at work bailing all the
time In addition to the cap
tain and Mrs. Willer and son. Walter
Willer, eight years old there were the
second mate, carpenter, three seamen
and four Japs in this boat. In the Sec
ond boat were first mate Lorenzo, the
cook three of the crew and five JapS.
Laysan Island was sighted between
five and six on the evening of July l.
All day there had been high hopes OF
making the island without spending an
other night at sea in the open boats,
especially by those who were in con-
slant peril with the leaking boat In
which the captain led the way. AS
darkness came on, however, all were
resigned to another night of the jour
ney, when one of the crew suddenly
picked up" the lighthouse on Laysan.
There was great rejoicing by all HANDS,
and haste was made to approach anu
make a landing.
A landing was made on the island be-
fore dark, all hands safe, but much the
worse for their days and nights of
peril. Captain Schlemmer, manager of
the island, received the unexpected
visitors with a hearty welcome, and did
everything possible to arrange for their
comfort. Many Of the crew had swol-
len hands from overwOrk, and all were
tired and hungry. The four days con-
slant sitting down In small bOats, with
nothing but cold food had told heavily
on Mrs. Willer and her boy, and not
member of the party but was padlY in
The ship-wrecked crew were on Lay
son from July to August II, and pro-
visions began to run short before the
steamer Hanalei arrived. 1t was un-
derstood, however that the steamer
was coming. Captain Willer states that
he had an arrangement with Hack
field & Company, whereby steamer
was to be sent after the Ceylon in the
event of her being over 60 days out on
a Laysan Island trip. All felt conf
dent that a steamship would come to
the rescue.
On Tuesday, August -, the Hanalei
was sighted, bringing an abundance of
welcome provisions, and means of
transportation back to Honolulu. She
stayed six days at Laysan, unloading
her provisions and taking on a cargo
of guano, and left Laysan on August
IS. She arrived in Honolulu at eight
o'clock last night. Captain and Mrs
Willer and all the members of the crew
of the CeylOn returned on her, bring
ing with them the few things they had
saved from the wreck
The ship wrecked men say that Mrs.
Willer showed splendid courage
throughout the perilous experience.
She even did her share at working the
pumps and bailing out the leaking
small boat The little boy did not rea-
lie the danger, and except for the
times when he was tired of the long
journey in the small boat, he appeared
TO think it a good outing and fine
time.
The last seen of the Ceylon was when
she was abandoned. The old bark was
about level with the water. She had
a cargo of guano in her hold, and it
would either burst her or sink her, as