The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-09
CAPTAIN BAMLET'S
OFFICIAL REPORT

| a very interesting report of his visit
to the Island of Lisnansky. one of the
Hawaiian group. where he rescued II
japanese subjects and brought them
10 Honolulu. He says: The Th,=tis
left Honolulu May 5. 1904. and on June
/ u stopped at Laysan Island where we.
found an Old schooner loading with gu
ano. On the morning of the 14th we
anchored off Midway On the morning
OF the 18th the Island of Lisnansky was
sighted and approaching it slowly
along the coral reef TO make lee. an
chored on thu west side about three
miles off shore shortly before s a. m.
The ships surgeon. an interpreter. a
petty officer and n boats crew were
| taken. and We landed about 500 When
We landed two of the Japanese ap-
preached US timidly, but as soon as the
interpreter told what our business was
they called the rest to come W. and
| all came rushing up. The leader or
manager stated there were II of them
and all were in good health. After
| letter from the Japanese consul, which
which was obtained from the officer
| at Honolulu, was read to them and they
fully understood that all We're to leave
! the island everyone wanted to shake
hands with the surgeon. myself and
crew, and they danced around like hap
by children to express their joy, which
| seemed genuine. We made at once
| for the camp about three-quarters of a
mile off on the east side of the island
and we found it to consist of four
| thatched-roof shacks, one about 20x20
| feet and Also for storing food. one,
| 12x40feet for sleeping and also for stor-
ing food, one, 12xS0 feet, for sleeping
and storing and one, 12x40, used as
| general cook house.
! Through the interpreter I was in
formed that they had been on short
rations for some time and that there
was only 500 pounds of rice and few
beans left, and that they Mad prepared
to live on dried terne meat quantities
| of which We're shown to me. 1 soon
| made it plain to the manager that the
sooner and quicker the transfer of the
whole party of n was made to the
lship, the better, so the rice was put in
| five bags we had brought with us and
carried across the island and the first
| load and their baggage reached the
vessel before noon. l sent a note to
| the executive officer to use what boats
he could during the afternoon to con-
tinue the transfer. / remained at the
camp with the Interpreter and two of
the crew to see the things packed up
and moved, and the manager allowed
the 81 men remaining to cook all they
could to eat for the midday meal. Fires
| under three large pots in the cook
| house We're soon started and the rice,
| the remaining beans and some fresh
| fish were quickly prepared.
Chop sticks had either fallen into
disuse during the short ration period
or the men had been in the habit of
all eating at one time for dozens of
pairs of sticks had to he improvised
for this last meal. I was offered some
of the food, found it very palatable and
ate it to the sport and enjoyment OF all
the camp. All had a good meal and
not more than half of what had been
cooked was eaten. Some OF what re-
manned was carried across the island
and eaten during the afternoon while
they were waiting for the boats to
come in. 1 asked what was to be done
with the dried terne meat. They look
ed at it with some disgust and 1 was
told that it was only provided against
starvation and that no one would eat
it now. and it was left at the camp.
when [ was informed and shown
that there were several hundred pack
ages of dried birds and wings, some
being in large cases, l decided it was
impossible to get them across the is
land to the ship in any reasonable time
So told the manager to let them re-
main for the schooner to take ana LETT
a notice in Japanese on board nailed
to one of the shacks and in a box fast
ened to it a copy of the consul letter
and a full statement in regard to what
had happened that day. The transfer
of the men and their baggage was ac-
compIished during the afternoon and
the Thetis hove anchor and started
back the same evening.
1--WE found that the island was very
nearly as laid down on the charts about
a mile long by three-quarters OF mile
kwide, covered all over with d tough
grass growing by the black ternes which
have a habit of digging down for sew
eral inches to make their nests.
"A lookout station had been built by
the japanese on the east side OF the IS
| land to attract attention of any passing
| vessel when the food supply was run
| ming short. and a white cloth had been
hoisted at the top. This l left standing
as it could do no harm.
The weather on the cruise has been
variable. sea mostly rough on account
of the strong northeast wind. and the
japanese could not remain below decks
at all. 1t made them sea-sick, and as
they filed up the available space on
deck I had to suspend quarters drills
for the time they have been here. AS
| soon as the japanese are landed shall
at once set to work taking in coal and
stores and get the vessel ready for the
trip to Dutch Harbor. Alaska
Did you boys have a good time at
your bonfire, Johnny?" You bet we
did. We burnt backyard fence, half
a dozen piano boxes. an the most of old