The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-16
STORY Of CAPT.
NALkUP'S DEATH
Missionary Writes of Disaster
Which Cost Devoted Man
His Life.

The following account of the loss of
the missionary schooner Hiram Bing-
ham, and her master, Captain A. C.
Walkup, was received on the Aorangi
by Rev. DIR. Scudder of Central Union
Church, from Rev. P. A. Delaporte, the
missionary of Central Union in Micro
nesia:
On May in the morning, the Hiram
Bingham, on her way from Ocean Is
land to Butaritari with ten souls on
board, was still forty-fye miles from
the latter place. The wind was light
and Mr.. Walkup thought he could
reach land that day with the use of
his engine. He accordingly went be-
low to oil it and get it ready. Tt
seems that all the natives were also
below, with the exception of an Ocean
Island boy, who was at the wheel.
A squall came up, but he gave Mr..
Walkup no warning until it was very
close. Mr.. Walkup got his oilskins
and rushed on deck, but his orders to
the man at the wheel, and his efforts
to cast off a sheet, were of no avail.
The vessel capsized, or rather lay on
her beam-ends. They did what they
could to right the ship, but seem to
have been unable to right her. In
short time the sun was shining bright
~. The boat was ON the lower side
of the house, but worked itself loose,
and with it came two oars and pins
Quite little food and cocoanuts
came to the surface, but Mr.. Walkup
allowed them to take only fve-pound
tin of dried apples and a few cocoa
nuts, as they were confident of reach
ing land It seems the boys We're
afraid to dive into the ship on ac-
count of the floating gasoline. They
cut the weather lanyards with a small
scissors that came to the surface in
the chest of the little girl that was
with them. Then afterwards they
made sail of a piece of cloth from
the same source. They remained by
the ship until about clock, when
they gave it up. They pulled until
sometime on May 6, when they sighted
Butaritari, getting near enough to see
tho hpoah nd e.
the passage, It seems that Mr.. Walk
up wished them to pull for a place
about fifteen miles distant, where is
mission station. In trying to do this,
they were caught by strong current,
and swept away.
By this time the boys got SO weak
that they We're no longer able to pull
and then they rugged a sail with the
cloth and an oar. When they saw
that it was impossible for them to
reach Butaritari, they tried to get to
Tarawa, and continued in these efforts
until they sighted the lights on Ebon,
on the night of the 25th. The next
morning they were seen by some canoes
that were put fishing, as they were
rapidly carried past the island. They
We're towed into the passage and re-
ceived first assistance from Mr..
Evarts, a trader.
Mr.. Walkup was without a hat, and
covered with sores. He recognized
Mr.. Heine, DIR. Rife S teacher at Ebon,
but was dellrious most of the time. He
seemed to be getting along well, until
the morning of the goth when he was
not able to talk as well, and unable
TO take his food. Mr.. Heine SAYS that
he found his mouth swollen. He died
about midnight and was buried the
next day, Sunday, in the presence Of
the whole population. The natives are
all doing well, but at last reports could
not walk yet. The money that was on
board the Hiram Bingham went down
with her
Thus ended "werl spent life. Bro. |
Walkup did for twenty-nine years
''what he COULD for those poor is
landers. May he rest in peace.
2. A. 4DELAPORTE.
"A