Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-01-23

was fought There was no time K
consider the saving of personal eff
fects in abandoning the Eldorado, al
each moment threatened to be he
last All the water they hal for II
men was Is gallons They were In
latitude 3I.02 s. and 1871 W. longi
Jude, 220 miles from Valparaiso. and
nearly 100 from Easter Island. SO thai
heir plight was a pitlable one. They
lad q compass, but no chronometer
making Il impossible for them to OBJ
tain the longitude.
II was only by careful outstanding
OF the provisions that they had any
hope Of reaching land, and when they
eventually did reach Easter Island all
they hail left was a couple Of cupfuls
OF preserved soup. The water had
Just given out. . -. - = =
For days the position Of the men In
the open boat was frought with peril
They had to keep up q continuous bail
Ing Of their frail craft.
Faster Island No Adamless Eden.
At last the rocky shores Of Easter
Island made a welcome appearance,
As the boat came nearer 1t was clear
that 70 effect q Landing was danger.
Gus. A line Of ugly surf frfnged a for
bidding coast. ami for two days kept
them Tended off. With the paIigs Of
Hunger and thirst ever driving them,
/. 4 was at last decided TO make bold
effort. "A short dash through the tur.
bulent surf ended with Q safe landing
on the rocky beach.
The exhausted men threw them.
.eelvea on the beach and lay there.
liter few hours Jack Wilson. the
||rst mate, and A. Johanson, the sec
end mate. set out to look for help.
The island, which belongs TO Chile, Is
Iboiit 80 square miles An area and is
ne easternmost Of the Inhabited Poly
n6tfan Islands There are about 200
natives on the island. and 1t was hoped
that help would be forthcoming from
hem.
S II did not take long for the men 70
discover that they had landed on the
wrong side of the island, and later
they found they were 20 miles from
the nearest habitation, a serious fact,
taking into consideration the eondi-
ton they were in after q fortnights
Dnffeting by the waves,
Two explorers climbed the rocks.
They could see nothing but miles and
miles Of dried grass. A few cattle In
the distance awoke hope in them, and
they started on their journey through
rough, rocky country They could
only make slow progress, owing to the
|ldness Of the route and their own
Weakened state, and ii took two days
ID complete the journey to the other
side Of the island.
Wilson and his associates In the.
Ventura have in their possession sew
eral photographs taken during their
enforced stay at Easter island that
would serve to shatter the stories OF
Eiopian life alleged to pertain there.
There are about $50 natives on the
little islet and the fairy princess
reported waiting with outstretched
arms TO give welcome to the wayfarer
~ the masculine persuasion Is char
0oIerized by the remnant Of the Eli
t6rado's crew as an fridescent dream,
concocted In the vivid imagination of
hose who have no conception Of con-
1Itions as found there.
We were treated with every kind
ness, declared Wilson. Easter island
|s leased tosa British firm for cattle
IIising, and the company has an off,
Ger IN charge. This officer (AIr. Ed
0unds) Is the governor. He is a.
t|Iton, and as soon as he was made
aware Of the terrible plight of the,
1en on the other side Of the island,
Ne had men on horseback sent to the
Itnaining members Of the crew. Pro
visions were also sent round and when
these had been disposed of. the men
we're brought to his own house.
Dtrihg the long, weary wait for a.
ship. hve vessels are said to have
passed Easter island, but the signals
d|.played BY the castaways were APP
rarently not needed The arrival of
he knight OF the Garter was a signal
Tor intense rejoicing
Arrangements have been made by
officers In the Ventura for giving a
benefit performance on board that YES
seI during the voyage from, Honolulu
10 San Francisco. the. proceeds to goi
toward relieving the distressed condi.
ton OF the men. -:
The shipwrecked party listed with
the passengers in the Ventura include
Jack Wilson. first mate; A. Johansen
second mate. S. lrwata, Japanese cook
and mess boy. Steve Brewster, Carl
Carleson. c, Tassayennen, Rudolph
Nalberg. s..
The men left Easter island on De.
tember l2. and spent FIVE days in sgd.
ney before the departure of the, Ven
tura for San Francisco. Z :