The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-06
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
SWEPT TO DEATH

land, and of why there We're neither
women nor children among those
saved, is thus told in the Seattle Post
clerk of the wrecked vessel:
| when the ship first struck there
was wild excitement. The screams of
men, women and children mingled in
awful chorus with the Shrek of the
| wind, the dash of the rain and the
roar of the breakers 1t was pande-
| monium. The shouts OF the officers
| could hardly be heard and the rush
Iof the passengers as they ran hither
ana Lnitner created confusion which
for time seemed uncontrollable
Women came from their staterooms
half-clad, dragging children by the
hands, or clasping babies to their
breasts; men clad only in their night
attire sprang from their berths and
rushed TO the boats, only TO be oea >eu
back by the officers and sailors, who
were doing their best TO restore order
and control the 40 odd people. Chil>
Gren became lost from their mothers;
wives lost track of their husbands; all
ran here and there, seeking for each
other and for safety. God only knows
how many We're swept away as soon
as they touched the deck. Great seas
broke over the ship as soon as she
struck the second time, and when she
drifted back on the reef stern on the
seas raked her from fore to aft, carry
ing everything before them. Never
have 1 seen such waves. They ap-
peared to be as high as the mast head.
One after another in rapid succession
haxr roll n1
carried away in punches. Their agon-
lied shrieks could be heard above all
the fiendish roar of the wind and sea.
BEGAN TO BREAK UP AT ONCE.
THE vessel began to break up all
most as soon as she struck. There
was never built a ship which could
have withstood the terrible rush and
force of these waves. She ground and
pounded and chafed against the rocks,
and every minute something broke
loose. AS quickly as possible the
women and children were placed in
the rigging. How some of the women,
clad only in their nightdresses. stood
the icy wind and rain and sea as iong
as they did was a mystery to me. The
sight was terrible To see these
fragile creatures clinging to the almost
their bare feet and possible clasping
in their arms a little child, endeavor
ing to shield it much as possible
from the gale, fairly wrung our
hearts.
when order was somewhat restored
Capt Johnson gave the order to get
out the port amidships boat The men
worked with a will and risked their
lives a dozen times over in the effort
to get the craft launched. They
would cling to their ropes while i
great wave swept over the wreck, and
as soon as the water subsidized would
get to work on the craft again. As
soon as it was free from the ship
and hanging in the davits great
breaker smashed her to kindling wood
and carried away some of the sailors
who We're handling the craft. The
port quarter boat was then tried, and
after repeating the same performance
it was also crushed against the YES
sells side, breaking like an eggsflell.
TRY the starboard quarter boat,
sang out the captain, and with will
the men rushed to this boat and loosed
her from the lashings. Working be-
tween waves and watching their
chance. the sailors finally succeeded
Ill swinging her clear.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST
Women and children first was the
cry of the officers, and from the rig |
cling the poor frozen creatures We're
tenderly, if roughly, lifted down and
placed in the boat. Some of them WEE |
weeping, most of them We're PRAYING |
and it was well that they did. Only !
enough men to manage the craft went /
on board. There was no rush The Of |
ficers were prepared TO stop 1t with
bullets if it had occurred, but the |
seemed endeavoring to see |
who could be the NOSE self-sacrltic1ng- !
At last the boat was loaded. Fathers j
cried good-by to their children and /
husbands babe idieu to their wives. |
Few words could be heard above the
roar of the elements, but in the blind |
ing glare of the searchlight every de- |
tail was distinct as possible.
That picture of the crowded boat !
as she swung from the davits with !
its load of women, children and Few !
men. burned itself in my brain. can |
see them even~now. there in the dark |
wa ter, with it's angry sweep and crest |
of foam. the black cliffs only hun
dred yards away where tne spray |
dashed up a hundred feet, and the
wreck with its burden of suffering |
humanity oh. it was awful.
SPILLED OUT LIKE PEBBLES.
"Then the order was given to lower
away. SkilIfulIy the sailors started, !
watching their chance and guiding the
craft with great care Suddenly cry
from every soul on board penetrated
the night The stern falls had broken
and she was slipping. We We're frozen
with the. horror of it. Like a shot thet
stern of the boat fell to the waters
edge. leaving the bow hanging high
in the air. The occupants We're spilled
ont like pebbIes from a glass and fell
with shrieks and groans into the boil