Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-20
SAILORS Spend SIX MONTHS ON
SNOW CAPPED BARREN island
tBy Latest NALL

meat and eggs. Every day parties of
the men were set to work to repien-
ish the larder, while others attended
to the fuel supply For the latter pur-
pose sea elephants were shot and
their blubber burned. The men had
with them couple of Mauser rifles
and some reyolvers. Captain Hystad
explored the island thoroughly, partly
in order to pass the time away, but
more particularly to make himself
acquainted with the lay of the land
and the best sealing spots. Also a
fIag-pole was erected and a signal
bent to the halliards to attract the at
tention of any craft that might wan
der down that way.
October merged into November, and
November gave place to December.
Winter was setting in, and at times
the cold was intense. Sea elephant
blubber kept the men warm, and they
eked out their flour and coffee and
beans, and biscuits with the meat and
eggs of birds. But despite the great
est economy, the stores We're running
out. On Marion island were the four
men who had landed before the wreck
took place, and with them was fair
store OF flour and other provisions.
Captain Hystad determined to cross
over to replenish the larder on Prince
Edward islands. He fitted mast and
q big sail to one of the boats on De-
cember Z, and set out with three com
panicns. The trip took about five
hours.
Soon after they had landed the
weather took turn for the bad Day
after day gales howled between the
two islands, and giant seas, impossible
for any small boat, smashed against
the beach. Twice the skipper and his
crew loaded the boat with the badly
.Leeded visions, and succeeded in
getting a1Iuat. Straining at the oars
and baling necessarily, they would get
mile or two from the beach and
then have to return water-logged.
Times out of number they were nearly
Swamped and washed out of the boats.
AT the third attempt the boat won
across the thirteen miles of water,
and once more the men on Prince
Edward island had trifle of variety
in their food. True. some of the
stores We're Wetted in the passage
across; but they were not jettisoned
because of it. ~, ~.:..-
The killing of birds and sea ele-
plants was practically the only occu-
patton of the men now. At odd times
they would vary this by making trips
to the sunken wreck in attempts to
salve useful articles. Now and again
odd articles Of clothing. bits of to-
bacco - priceless finds = wood and
ether things were washed ashore
They were eagerly corrected and add
ed TO the common store. r..
On three occasions huge iceberss
we're sighted in January. They passed
the islands on three successive DAYS.
The first was about ten miles of. The
second berg was magnificent speci-
men, about twelve to fifteen miles. IN
length, and il lowered about a thou
sand feet out of the sea. Also Us the
days went by, clothes became ragged.
but they were patched with odd bits of
cloth end persuaded 10 hang together.
The greatest hardship was the de-
struction Of the mems boots by the
sharp rocks on the island They were
cat and torn TO pieces. With sailor
like ingenuity the men dried the skins
Of peRgnins and fashioned them into
'oots They did not last very long,