The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-01-21
NARROWED FOR
SIXTEEN DAYS
Columbian ResCues Crew of Brig
BIakeley From a Rat
Infested Island.

SAN FRANCISCO, January IL
Cast away for sixteen days on barren
island, infested with monster rats, off
the Mexican coast, where their ship
went to her doom on the jagged rocks
of treacherous reef, was the thrilling
experience of the crew of the 144-ton
brig Blakeley, who arrived here yesteJ-
day morning on the AmerieanHawai-
ian freighter Columbian, Capt. T. p.
Colcord.
The Columbian, which was bound
from Salina Cruz for this port, picked
up the shipwrecked men last Thursday
after several other steamers, according
to the survivors, had passed the island,
either disregarding or not observing the
distress signals and beacon fires of the
marooned seamen.
Although not suffering from want of
food or drink, the shipwrecked crew
had trying time during the long
tropical days and nights they passed
on the island, not knowing how long
it would be before assistance would
come to them out of the desolate waste
of the sea, which is traversed in those
ATTITUDES by few vessels. The days
went by miserably under the burning
heat of the sun, and the nights were
made horrible by swarms of great rats
descending on the little camp, and
scampering boldly over the sleeping
forms of the men.
The island on which the brig crunch
ed to pieces is down on the chart as
Nativadad. 1t lies about 200 miles
north of Magdalena Bay, the most des-
olate part of the Mexican coast, and is
worked at intervals for its guano de.
posts.
Anchor Failed to Hold.
The brig, owned by the Union Fer
tilizing Company and hailing from San
Diego, was lying at anchor off the is
land on December %, with fifty tons
of guano already stored in her hold.
After a day of threatening opal skies
and lumpy sea, the barometer drop.
ped like a man tumbling from aloft
and a bowling northeaster sent great
eombers crisping over the jagged spirals
of the reef which surrounds the island
For many hours the little brig tugged
and tossed at her creaking anchor
chain, and then what was feared hap
pened as the gale increased. just a.
dawn was breaking over the tumbline
ocean the anchor began to drag and
the laboring craft was hurled shore
ward at furious rate. Cable wa.
paid out. but the hook would not hold
and finally, with a rending- crash, the
brig piled up on the reef, her decks
awash under the laundering surges.
After a hard battle with the break
ers, Capt. Harry Koch and his crew
of thirteen reached shore in safety. As
the day wore on the storm abated, and
when the brig was finally reached again
it was Immediately seen that she had
sailed her last voyage. The teeth OF
the reef had punctured many holes in
her hull and the vessel was settling
into the shifting sands.
The crew set to work with will t.
got provisions ashore before the brig
broke up, for they knew not how long
island. Rude huts were erected on the
beach with spars and tarpaulin, and the
men IS belonging were transferred from
the brig, with the compasses, chart
and everything of value that was de,
tachable.
At the highest point of the island
the union jack was displayed upside
down, an international signal of dis
tress, and at other places flags were
hoisted. After dark tongues of flames
f1ared skyward from beacon fires. Sew
eral days passed before any craft were
seen upon the surface of the ocean
About the sixth day the hopes of the
marooned sailors were raised, only tC
be shattered. A streak of smoke ap
peared on the horizon to the southwark
but after developing into the upper
works of a steamer it disappeared.
Spent Merry Christmas.
The island was devoid of vegetation
but so long as the cook s stores anC
good spirits held out no great hardship
was endured. The cook, Tom Marck
made bread and cracked jokes, and one
morning killed sixty big rats with {
rifle, just to keep in practice, he said
so that he would be able to fill in any
breach in the menu should the pro
visions give out. On Christmas da,
the cook made stew of seagulls ant
goonies which happened to get in tn,
way of his gun, and, considering tn,
| circumstances, the castaways had
merry time. An accordion rescued
from the flooded forecastle of the bril-
supplied n weird accompaniment Will
one of the crew delivered himself o
song which he had composed regard
ing Davy Jones locker and shipwreck
generally.
Several times during the succeeding
days smoke was seen in the distanes
and two vessels passed within III
vision Of the island, but the breaker
were so heavy II was impossible I
launch a boat
One afternoon First Mate Winter
and the cook ran into camp with III