The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-10-02

bglHk ~ NHt ftuNhitu NHhAiH Jueh
across from her sister ship, the Man
churia is the s. S. Mongolia, which
ilmped into port yesterday morning
from Midway Island. on whose reefs
she had been stranded and torn. From
the forward ports streams Of water are
pouring, the discharge from the busy
pumps at work In the hold keeping
down the inflow OF water from the
leaks caused by the strandng. Other
wise there is little to show that the
Mongolia in arriving was making a
port of refuge after a strenuous ex-
perience. the most noticeable thing
about her approach to the dock being
the absence of passengers on her
decks. She arrived at o'clock, being
preceded into the harbor by the trans
port Buford, in whose company she
had sailed from Midway.
According to the orders received the
Mongolia sailed up from Midway in
close company with the transport and
signals were exchanged each day, the
Mongolia reporting her condition and
receiving intelligence Of the health and
comfort of the passengers, who had
been taken on the transport at Mid
way. If there had been no orders re-
garding the convoy the Mongolia would
have arrived here on Thursday morn
ing, but accommodated her speed to
suit that of the slower boat.
When first the Mongolia left the reef
she listed to quite an alarming extent,
alarming at least to the Oriental mem
bers OF the crew, who rushed for the
life preservers, thinking that the yes
sci was about to capsize. The list was
at least twenty degrees 10 starboard
and was not wholly got rid of during
the voyage up until short time be-
fore this port was reached.
The Mongolia went on the Midway
reef on the evening of Saturday, Sep
TENDER IS, when feeling her way along
/ at slow speed, the Captain misjudg-
Ming the distance from the shore. The
lead was being used and there had
been no suspicion that the reef was in
close proximity until the vessel struck.
There was no excitement among either
the members of the crew or the pas
sengers, with the exception of the lat
ter in the Oriental steerage. who
threatened for the time to stampede.
At the first shock the vessel began
taking in water and the pumps were
rugged without delay, the crew being
put to work shifting and jettisoning
the cargo in the forward holds.
At the time of the accident there
were three officers on the bridge.
Captain Porter Second officer Cahill
and Fourth officer Wisehaven. The
Midway light could be clearly seen.
PULLED HERSELF FREE.
The day following the grounding
anchors a and on
these a steady strain was kept up by
the winches, preventing the further
driving ashore of the ship. Then a
large part of the cargo was jettsoned
and the coal from some of the forward
bunkers thrown overheard, tightening
the ship as much as possible.
After the pumps had caught up to
the inflow of water into No. hold
and had succeeded in half emptying 1t
and the after tanks had been emptied.
the whole ship was lightened and came
off in response to the pun of the haw-
sers and the propellers.
AS she slid into deep water she was
cheered by the watching passengers
ashore and by the crew of the trans
port. lying by.
Captain Porter ives free in express
Honolulu, being the recipient since the
docking of the ship of the congratu-
lations of many Honolulans among
whom he has scores of friends In re-
CARDS to the stranding of the NORGE
liza, the captain did not wish to be
interviewed, nor would ne express his
sentiments regarding the stories of
the abandonment of the liner by the
a v,nn trat mi Sl,t urn
Along other lines he was more COM
municative.
CAPTAIN PORTER TALKS.
Il cannot speak too highly of the
way my officers and crew worked dur
ing those long days we lay held fast
on the reef" he said. Every man
aboard did what was possible and after
We had the Mongolia off l went around
and thanked my men for the loyal
support they had given me. The Chi
nese members of the crew ought to be
especially praised. At the first signal
of danger every Chinaman dropped his
work and took his place at the boats,
ready to man them and lower at the
word. OF course there was no danger,
for the sea was as smooth as floor,
but had there been every Chinaman
was at his post of duty.
II ordered them away to begin at
once on the work of shifting cargo
aft, thinking that the vessel could be
lightened in this way, but soon found
cut that, much as | disliked to do it,
I would have to jettison part of II.
At no time was there any danger to
the passengers. If there had been, OF
course my first thought would have
been TO get them to a place of safety,
but they were all landed the next day.
I'VE had only few passengers, but
1t was one of the best crowds l have
ever had on board. In every possible
way they helped me, cheered me up
ana, when at last the Mongolia was
fioated off the reef they lined up and
cheered the boat Some OF them want
to go out with me, and l should very
much like to take them but l fear
will not be able to get permission.
II received many messages while at
Midway, some of them not of very
cheerful tenor, but more that encour-
aged me and kept me up under the
trouble / was in, At first after the
accident / felt like criminal, ! did
not want to look anyone in the face
but then i received message from
some OF my former passengers. now in
New York, and IL put new life in me