Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-09
RELATE STORY
! -
. r. 49, .- III
Of FEARFUL
OCEAN VOYAGE
(continued from page one)

121 W. and longitude Is s, as tbs
vessel sped afong on q course that was
expected to, eventually bring her tC
Valparaiso. with 850,00 feet of lum
Der supplied at Portland. Ore. q
change In the weather was noted. The
Robert Searles was in the midst Of
gales and squalls at o'clock in the
morning, which continued with in
creased severity until the hurricane
reached its height at O'Clock. Dur
ing the few hours, sails were blown
from the bolt ropes and torn to rib.
bons, soon disappeared into the night
The noise Of parting canvas and tim
Der resembled eannonading. An at,
tempt was made to take in canvas and
a few top sails were saved.
The hurricane burst over the yes
sci with terrific fury at daybreak, /"
said Mate Linhol mthis morning. Cap
tain Sandberg was standing near the
wheel, giving directions to helms
man, and was cHnging to a davit,
when without sound of warning, a
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 2 stump Of the
jigger mast"
The hold soon filed 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 improvised 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 rndder 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, Jury
rudder was suspended by means Of
wire cables, and this served to guide
the dismantled schooner over the
long voyage to Maui
Provisions Ran Short.
During the storm, the after cabin
was rendered q shamDles. The store
room was completely flooded and pro-
visions placed there were rendered
useless and inaznosts cases were wash
ed away Asffew 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
many sharks we're caught and
used as food
With possible relief In sight, the
Robert Searles remained OF the Ha-
waiiane islands for several days before
being picked tip 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 sextant
and q chronometer The officers as
well as members of the crew lost
all their personal effects.
The men arrived here this morning
possessing little save the clothes in
which they stood. 81 -
Met Distressed Bark. 81
Al 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 SearIes 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 Searles
was under way, a barkentine was
sighted, well down on the horizon. Dis
tress signals sent up were not heed
ed, say the men.
Captain IA. Macaulay, pilot: Har-
bormaster Foster and E. J. Stone,
board of survey, visit
ed the distressed schooner Robert
Searles this afternoon. 1t is expect
ed that their report win be forth
coming in time to be sent to the
mainland in the next mail. 1t is.
believed that it will require between
ten and fifteen thousand dollars to
put the vessel in first class condition.
The Robert Searles before the disas-