The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-10-30

OF SAILORS
RauIt's Boat Crew Suf-
fers in Leaky Craft
at Sea.

The last of he shipwrecked Frenc
sailors of the French ship Connetabl
| terday from Kauai as passengers II
the steamer Mikahala. All but on
of the entire Gre which had a mirac'
ulous escape, are passengers on the
steamer Alameda, which left at moor
| yesterday for San Francisco, en- route
to Nantes, France. Captain Raul
remains behind to protect the interests
of his vessel, wrecked on the French
Frigate Shoals, and Sailor Destrich-
sen is undergoing treatment at the
Queens Hospital for eruptions on his
legs, the result of exposure while in
the boat of Boatswain Rault. The
poor fellows legs are covered with
boils, due to IA days soaking in salt
water.
The crew of the third and last boat
rescued, withstood the privations of
thirst and exposure to an extreme.
Their lot was an unhappy one. and it
was due to Boatswain Raults per-
sstence that the crew landed safely
on Niihau. For da'-s the sailors were
without water and they sailed to
Neckar island to obtain supply, only
to be disappointed. A sudden down.
pour of rain saved them from death.
Boatswain Rault left the wreck in
company with the other two boats
on October H. He kept company
with the boat of Captain Rault, but it
was perceived that his was a craft
which could not '-eep pace with the
captains. one Thursday night Octo-
Der 10, the boa's separated, when about
100 miles from Niihau. Boatswain
Rault had a compass, but no chart.
His boat was clumsy, slow, and poorly
equipped for a long voyage. During
that night the water gave out, and
in his quandary over this desperate
situation, the Boatswain headed for
Neckar island, to the east of the
French Frigate Shoals, in the hope of
replenishing the water supply. When
the men wen. ashore not a drop of
water was to be found. Already the
mems throats and tongues were
parched and swollen, but they bore
A. al tat than 1aniIpI
to return to the wrecked ship on the
Frigate Shoals, where water was to
be obtained They set sail for the
Shoals, but after covering about 100
miles rain fell. The sail was lowered
and the precious fluid was caught, the
casks were filled and their terrible
thirst assuaged. With renewed life,
the men changed the course of their
little craft toward Hawaii.
Then came another difficulty. The
calm weather changed to rough, and
soon the plunging boat opened up her
seams and the sea water came in.
The crew was divided into watches to
bail the water out. The bailing con-
tinued for three days and as many
nights, and the men had little rest.
The sail had to be lowered when the
weather became so rough that safety
demanded 1t, and the boat then drifted.
Just when thing began to look dark
to the seamen, Niihau was sighted
The boat drifted ashore on Saturday
October "a, and the men were kindly
cared for by the Niihauan-. The next
| day the Mikahala arrived and they
We're taken aboard.
The new arrivals yesterday were eff
! fusively greeted by their comrades al
| ready here, and as soon as congratu
| lations were over one who spoke Eng
lish, took off his hat, and cried: "Thre
! cheers for Captain Gregory" and TIT
cheers were given with will. Capt
Gregory was surprised, but quit
pleased at this demonstration.
Consul Raas and Capt, Rault tool
charge of the sailors, sending De
|
strichsen to the hospital. The mel
| last saved We're: Rault, Boatswain
Orteuil, Daniel. Destrichsen, Dugiperr
La Corne and Charters, seamen; an
Siven, galley boy
Consul Raas since the first news al
rived of the wreck, has been indefat
gable in his efforts to bring the sailor
safely into port, anr utilized every op
portunity to search about Hawaiia
waters for the missing boats. A
his present billet of acting Frenc
Consul is the first official post he ha
filled in the service of France, h
demonstrated his entire fitness for tn
| posItion nv his recent lahors