The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-05-20
After Stranding on Chinese Is
land During Three Years
Voyage, Reaches Port
CREWS WENT TO HUNT FOR HELP
The Mate and Four Sailors, After
Hazardous Journey Through Jungle,
Reached Settlement and Dis.
patched Tug to the Rescue.


end with leaving the ship Comets
bones to bleach on the rocks of Banka
Island, Capt. Davis berthed his YES
sci in South Brooklyn late Wednesday
and discharged the miscellaneous car.
go of Chinese goods slowed beneath
her matches. The Comet left Philadel.
phia in July, 1905. for Kobe, Japan.
with cargo of case oil. After several
trips back and forth between Kobe
and San Francisco, the ship loaded at
Singapore for New York and sailed
just before Christmas.
Everything went well until Decem.
Der 26, when squally weather was en-.
countered. For two days the ship
pounded along through a lumpy sea.
December q fell black as soon as the
sun went down. The Comet struggled
along under shortened sail. plunging
and rolling in the cross seas Shortly
before ten o'clock the boom of break.
ers was heard dead ahead. and duly
reported. The ship was eased off, but
the sound of breakers came from
every hand. and. suddenly, with
grinding crash, the vessel brought up
standing. The breakers lifted her.
forced her forward her full length,
and again she struck hard and fast.
Soon after the squally weather abat.
ed, the sea, never very high, fell away
to a long rolling swell, which left the
ship high and dry save for her rudder
which was buffeted by the waves.
After an examination of the vessel
and ascertaining the ships situation,
Capt Davis decided to send a life
boat for help. First Mate Charles Hay.
ward and four men volunteered for
the venture. Provided with food. com.
passes. spare sails. and the ships
chart. on which were marked all the
data OF the voyage, the life boat was
lowered away and the crew laid a
course for Java.
Later events showed that, caught
In strong currents, the ship had drift
ed from her course and had been
drawn into narrow channel between
three islands where the swift current
had dashed her on the rocks. The
life boat made good weather of it, and
Just before daybreak the sound OF
heavy surf betokened near approach
to land Hayward spread the ships
chart out on the stern thwart, and BY
the light of a ships lantern tried to
make out his position. Just then
swift current caught the boat, swing
ing 1t in shore and headon to the
heavy rolling surf. The boat, tossed
about like chip, was swamped
The mate and one man who was
astern were washed overheard. The
two men forward leaped out, and all
four managed to fight their way to
the beach. The lifeboat, battered and
ruined, was dashed up on the rocky
beach, and the men managed to save
some spare sails, the ships compass.
and the oars. With the airs and can.
vas they struck up shelter tent un.
der which they huddled until daylight.
Chilled and bruised with their fight
in the surf the men were in despair
when the daylight showed them
rocky shore with seemingly impene.
trable swampy jungle stretching in.
land in every direction. The mate
and one OF the crew, Dutchman.
started out to explore, and after fore.
ing their way inland a mile or two.
found a native shack Inhabited by a
| Chinaman who could talk a little
Dutch. Under his guidance the four
men made their way ten miles through
the jungle to small settlement at a
Chinese tin mine, from which a mar.
row-gauge railway took them to Bin.
| jo Here they were able to telegraph
to Java and thence to Singapore for
! help.
| Meanwhile those on the stranded
ship were in suspense. Although in
no immediate danger, there was the
possibility any day of storm coming
up, in which case the ship would GER
tainly break up. For five days Capt.
Davis and his crew on the imprisoned
| ship strained their eyes looking for
help to come out of the sea. Ere.
quently the smoke OF passing steam.
ships was seen, and efforts made to
attract attention of those on board.
but no attention was paid to the sig.
nails. Rockets sent up at night met
no response.
FINALLY, on the sixth day tug from
Singapore came to their aid. After
several hours pulling and hauling her
captain declared he could not drag
the ship off. The tug was sent to
Blinjo to take off the mate and his
crew, with instructions to telegraph
; to Singapore for more help.
Hayward, the mate. insisted on the
lug going back to the ship and max,
ing another try to pull her off. This
was done. and after twenty-four hours
hard pulling the big vessel was final
ly floated. She proceeded to Singa
pore for repairs, finally sailing from
there a. second time January l2 TO,