The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-31

creasing through the leak. Danger was
certainly near.
Realizing at once the peril in which
his vessel was, Captain Larsen order
ed fire under the boiler Of the donkey
engine. used for either hosting cargo
or for the ships pumps. This in it
self was a hard matter. With the seas
sweeping in as they were, it was q mat
ter of extreme difficulty to keep the
fire going. It was finally well started
and steam for the pumps was ready.
The two pumps were set in action,
and after working all night, it was
found that there was little use in try
ing to keep ahead of the enormous
volume of water that was pouring into
the hold The men, in the meantime,
spurred to action by the gravest
danger that sailor can face, of his
ship laundering at sea, worked with
desperation at the hand pumps.
Work as they would it was of no
avail. On the fourth day after the.
buIwarks had been washed away, it
was found that there was eleven and
half feet of water in the hold, and
though the pumps had been worked to
their utmost the water had made a
gain of one and a half feet during the
night. The vessel was actually wafer
logged and with every swell more was
being added. The condition Of peril
may be imagined from the fact that
two hours after this measurement had
been taken the water had gained d
foot and half more.
Reluctantly, but knowing that there
was no other thing to be done, Captain
Larsen gave the order to abandon ship.
For eight years he had been in com
nand of the Eclipse and to leave her
now IN midocean. regardless of the risk |
which he and his men must take, was
enough to cause many a man TO despair. |
Not so with Larsen. He knew his
duty. The men under him must be |
cared for and brought ashore in safety
if that was in his power.
Two boats were lowered and both /
were carefully provisioned. Captain
Larsen took command Of the lfeboat,
taking with him the following provi-
sions: so gallons of water, four eases
of canned salmon. $50 pounds Of ships
bread. and two cases of tomatoes. A
still larger supply of provisions and
the same amount Of water was placed /
in the ships boat which was in charge
of First Mate Cameron. In Cameron S
boat was a supply of beef, and it was
expected that as soon as calm water
was reached the two boats would in
terehange supplies and thus even up
matters.
This was not to be. The ship was
abandoned on Saturday, January II at
noon, and the next morning passed with
everything well, though there was quite
a heavy swell. At clock on Sun
DAY afternoon, the disaster occurred
which cost the lives Of three men and
the lives Of the thirteen
who remain today.
4 heavy gale came mp and Captain
Larsen ordered the boats 70 heave to
and threw out a sea anchor from his
craft, also giving a line to that of the
nate. This proved 10 be lucky pre-
,aution. Cameron 5 boat preached to
before d heavy swell Just before mid
light and was eapsized There was no
nance 10 right her and it was only ;
through the greatest Of perseverance,
lided by heroism on the part OF the
,ther men that all were rescued and q,
,rought into the lifeboat. The worst
ceident was that both water and pro-
-isions had been lost.
In Cameron s boat there were six men
,esiles himself and with Larsen were
light sailors. This gave the lifeboat
total load Of sixteen and had she
cen IN perfect condition it might have
cen none too big a load for her. Still
a her weak shape even with her
tanks springing from the knees, II :
as possible 70 get along. Ropes were o
sshed around her bottom TO hold her t
ogether, and the seams. when they r
arted- were stuffed with anything :
-bieh could be found.
In spite Of al this the boat leaked 7
ably. At first two men, then three, L
ere kept busy hailing and the others a
ere compelled to endure the torture :