The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-14


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lIdicn EfaUth and nafiIy through In
lfffeicf hM Fthiah Owing ~ lho
ilHipu'fF ih ifisfpfoiihn ataiafinf
terms from Knalint Toto Hawaiian ard
Hawaiian ihi9 English BE statement
had 70 ho checked tp, bat whom enc
questions were almplihcd and tomn OF
the terms explained. bic statement wae
clear and straightforward aud showed
that the captain had done everything
pos5ihla to avoid a collision. lie had
noticed the steamer coming along par
ailcl with him aud ~ the parallel dlH.
tnnoe was narrowed, Re slowed on 90
asi.toutheast and fnally put his helm
over hard.B.port, but even then the Ku.
kui camo on 20 him with the masthead
light and the red and the green lights
ali In full view Of him, and struck bis
vessel squarely in the bow at the fore
rigging and she hlled and sank by the
bow in less than three minutes.
Lights were Burning.
Ho stated he followed a se0faring life
and had been master Of the Moi Wahino
for four years and was part owner Of
the vessel. He left Honolulu about two.
and headed for Hawaii The wind was
from the north and he made straight
for the Molokai light. He passed Mo-
lokai point about seven-thirty in the
evening and was then not far from
shore, or about mile and a half off.
He was sailing from the point toward
Hawsii between Malokai and Lanai on
IN east-southeast course, by the com
- 81 he Grak
sighted the lights of the Kukui coming
toward him. First he saw the masthead
light Captain Sam was then at the
wheel, which he retained until the time
of the collision. The crew were mostly
on deck, some standing their regular
watch of four hours. One "boy, as
Captain Sam called a member of the
crew, although he was a man, patrolled
the deck and watched the lights on the
schooner among other things. The cap
tain explained, in answer to a question
as to how he knew the schooner's side
lights were burning, that the reflection
was seen upon the jib and flying jib.
The side lights occupied platforms
about eight feet above the deck and
were in the forerigging.
When be saw the steamer verging In
on the parallel, he dropped the schooner
off point He watched the approach
of the vessel, and continued to drop off
to get out of its path. His vessel was
about eight miles from the Molobai
shore. He changed his course and
headed for Lanai and his wheel was
hard,a-port Then the KulSui g three
lights came up and the two vessels came
together,
Struck Bows on.
"The Kukui struck the Moi Wahine
ON the port bowl said the captain. cor
in the foreTigging. The Kukui hit me
head on. When the KulIui cleared us
the schooner did not stay up long. I
was still at the wheel. Some of the
crew were in the bow. The lantern on
that side where the Kukui struck was
broken off and fell into the water. 1t
was about two or three minutes before
we sank If she had stayed up longer
we would have been able to get the
boat out. It was dashed on the deck.
We do not carry ring life preservers.
I was aft, of course, when the vessels
struck. could not tell just what dam
age the Kukui did to the schooner.
When the boats struck told the boy
to hurry up and get the boat ready.
Some loose stuff on deck, hoatede ITO
me and got those. t
tfTo the best of INV knowledge the
crew were adj drowned. They jumped
into the water when we were struck.
jumped also when the schooner start
ed to sink by the head. I saw some of
the crew in the water and<told them not
to hurry, to go easy. The Kukui seemed
close to me and I hOllered.
e'I was in the water about seventeen
or eighteen hours. I was closer to Mo-
lokai than TO Lanai at first. But dur
ing the night the wind freshened and
the waves struck me in the face and I
had to turn around and head for Lanai.
About dinner (luneh) time on Tuesday
I went ashore at Kaena point, walked
around to Charley Gays place and then
went over, to Lahaina by boat. came
to Honolulu the next Saturday on the
Mama Kea."