Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-09
RELATE STORY
OF FEARFUL
OCEAN VOYAGE
Confined nom page one,

tCOnumed rom page One1
121 W. anG longitude Is s, as the
vessel sped along on a course that was
expected to eventually bring her 10
Valparaiso, with S50,000 feet OF lum.
Der supplied at Portland. Ore. a
change in the weather was noted. The
Robert Searles was in the midst of
gales and squalls at 2 o'clock in the
morning, which continued with IN
creased severity until the hurricane
reached its height at 6 o'clock. Dur
ing the few hours, sails were blown
from the bolt ropes and torn to rib
hons, soon disappeared into the night.
The noise of parting canvas and tim
Der resembled cannonading. An at
tempt was made to take In canvas and
% few top sails we're saved.
The hurricane burst over the yes
sci with terrific fury at daybreaks"
said Mate Linhol mthis morning. Gap
tain SandbeTg was standing near the
wheel, giving directions to a helms
man. and was ciinging to q daYit.
when without sound of warning, q
sea that appeared mountain high.
swept over the vessel ,broadside, and
the entire deckload of lumber was
picked up like so many pieces Of
straw and washed to sea. With the
timber was carried away the captain
and all masts save q stump OF the
Tiger mast. " s.
The hold soon filled with water
while the lumber placed there served
to keep the vessel afioat. With day
light Mate Johansen got his men to-.
gether and the work OF clearing away
the remaining Wreckage was soon ac-
complished. An .irnprovised steam
pump soon had the water out Of the
hold. which was found not to leak to
any extent The water found there
entered through the cabin and upper
deck exposed when the masts had
been ripped from their bases
Helpless for Two Weeks.
\ The Robert .Searles drifted helpless
ON fairly calm seas for two weeks, be-
fore the work OF installing the jury
rigging for sails and steering gear
was completed.
Sails we're spread from four masts
made from timber found In the car
go. The rudder having been wrench
ed from the vessel through the Inn
pact Of water caused the little band
Of eight men more concern than any
thing else connected with the disas-
ter After q series of failures, q jury
rudder was suspended by means Of
wire cables, and this served to guide
the dismantled schooner over the
long voyage to Maui. j.
Provisions Ran Short.
During the storm the after cabin
was rendered shambles The store
room was completely flooded and pro-
VisiNns placed there were rendered
useless and In most cases were wash
ed away. A. few pounds of potatoes
alone remained in the stores when
the schooner reached Kahului. The
officers and men managed to keep
alive by applying themselves to fish
ing. They stated this morning that
while on the way to the Hawaiian
islands, many sharks were caught and
used as food.
With possible relief In sight, the.
Robert Searles remained OF the Ha-
Waiian iglands for several days before
being picked up by the tut Leslie.
Baldwin. While under the jury rig
the vessel met with calm and favor
able weather Fortune favored the
distressed seamen to an extent that
they succeeded In saving q sextant
and a chronometer. The officers as
well as members OF the crew lost
practically all their personal effects.
The men arrived here this morning
possessing little save the clothes In.
which they stood.
Met Distressed Bark. =. 4 IS
A bark. rugged vessel, with topmast
gone, and sails torn and tattered, was
passed by the Robert .Searles three
days following the storm The men
in the, Searles endeavored to attract
the attention Of those aboard the 9TH
er vessel. but failed. They could not
make out her name or flag.
Two weeks later, when the .Searies
was under way, a barkentine was
sighted, well down on the horizon. Dis
tress signals sent up were not heed
ed, say the men. y g
Captain ]. A. Macaulay, pilot; Har-
bormaster Foster and e. ]. Stone,
Substituting a board of SIryey, visit.
ed the distressed schooner Robert
Searles this afternoon. 1t is expect9
ed that their report will be forth
coming in time to, be sent to the
mainland in the next mail. It is
believed that it viii require between
ten and fifteen thousand dollars to
put the vessel in first class condition.
The Robert Searles before the disas-