The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-07-21

Nd pAdtf O11ICCA ~
the American bark Kaiulani, Captain
Golly, is going through to the States
aboard the s. S. Mariana. He has a
thrilling tale Of distress and personal
danger to tell, and feels mighty thank
full that he is alive today to tell it.
The Kaiulani, bound from Newcastle
to Honolulu with 1865 tons of coal, put
into Auckland harbor in dire distress
on June IA, sorely weatherbeaten and
steering with jury rudder
The Kaiulani was sighted off Tiritiri
Island shortly after daylight, and was
signalling for a tugboat to be sent to
her assistance.
Chipperfeld gives the following in
teresung version of what happened:
The barqne left Newcastle on April
Is, and had strong easterly winds and
bad weather for several days, thence
fine weather until passing the North
Cape, on the 22nd day out from New.
castle. Fine weather was then met
with till May Is. The barque was then
in lat. $3.50 south and long. 164.30
west, or about 900 miles to the east
ward of East Cape, New Zealand. Here
the Kaiulani encountered a very severe
gale from the northeast, which gradual
~ hauled round TO the west, and blew
with terrific force. These conditions
lasted for three days, making matters
very uncomfortable for everyone on
board. On the first day the barque
lost several sails, including the fore.
sail, lower topsail, staysan, etc. On
the second day tremendous sea struck
the windjammer on the port side,
and broke just on the stern, smashing
the rudder in three places, and tearing
one large piece away altogether. The
gale ragged throughout the day. and also
on the following day. Next day the
gale subsidized, light airs and calms pre-
vaiiing.
When the weather moderated Cap
tain Coily set to work to fix up jury
tackle for the remnant of the rudder,
which he succeeded in doing after a
week S hard work. Tn order to do this,
heavy chains had to be passed under
the gudgeon, and various attachments
secured, so as to stop the rudder from
working about. It was found neces-
sary to jettison about 100 tons of coal
TO give the bar1ue the necessary tilt
at the stern, and then an italian mem
Der of the crew was lowered over the
side, and passed rope under the rud-
der (about 6 feet under the water),
by which a heavy chain was placed in
to position. On May "a Captain Colly
got his vessel under weigh, and de-
cided to make for Auckland to have
repairs effected to her rudder.
The Kaialani behaved remarkably
well under her jury rudder. On one
occasion she covered $50 miles a day,
and on another, 15s miles. The New
Zealand coast was sighted on May 20,
from then till June IL the vessel was
beating about the Hauraki gulf owing
to contrary winds.
Captain Colly's fine achievement in
navigating the vessel to Auckland in
such difficult circumstances is highly
spoken of.
The Kaiulani has been locked at
Auckland to have new rudder fitted.
She will also undergo general survey
at the same time. She is a handsome
steel barque of 1911 tons gross register,
fbid Was puA1t it Ddlli, IndlH6, u. -. A..
in 1899. She is jointly owned by
Messrs. Williams, Dimond & Co, Of
San Francisco, and Messrs. Fl. Hack
field 4 Co., Of Honolulu. The Kaiulani
has accommodation for 40 frst-class
passengers, and was previously engage
ed in the Honoluiu-San Francisco
trade.
AS soon as opportunity offered Chip
perfield diyed to investigate the in
jury to the rudder. Captain Colly was
on the bridge at the time.
Soon after the first officer had gone
down the captain was horrifed to see
an immense shark swimming near the
surface of the water. Running to
his cabin he seized Winchester rife
and fred at the man-eater as soon as
it appeared, with such deadly effect
that the great fish kicked once or
twice and then fioated belly up. as
dead as a door-nail.
When Chipperfeld came to the sur
face he. was ignorant of the peril to
which he had been exposed. He will,
however, it is safe to say, take no
more chances with the terrors which
haunt the blue water off the New Zea-
land coast.