The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-11-17
VAN G|ESQN ALMOST
LOST IN SAMPAN
Attempts to Navigate Powerhoat
Without Gasoline Many
Hours in Distress
Japanese Samaritaus Scorn Pay
for Fuel and Throw in
Bottle Of Sake

Henry Van Gieson, clerk IN the ci.v
clerk = office, has finally given up FOL.
lowing the sea. That is. he win never
more nautieate on his own hook. Ills
last experience, fresh and lasting I'M
his memory, has decided him and he
will steer the pencil after this instead
Of trying to make power sampan 20
without gasoline.
Captain" Van Giespn owns a sam
pan, or did own Il until late yesterday.
He had IL in Lahaina and recently, took
the Mauna Kea for that roadstead with
the intention of selling Il there or
navigating IL back TO Honolulu. Van
Gieson failed to dispose Of the boat
in Lahaina and decided to bring 1t to
Honolulu.
Alone, he left Lahaina Friday Of
last week and until the boat cot in
mid channel everything went along
smoothly. Then his engine began 20
play pranks on the navigator. 1t
sPurted and clicked systematically and
finally stopped going entirely. Van
tiieson spent an hour or two tinkering
with the dead engine until It was chilly
cold in death. 1t then struck the
mariner to lock into his gasoline tank.
lie did so and found Il as dry as he
was internally.
Here was a pretty Ak. No gasoline,
no sal, no oars, nobody. and nothing IL
sight-not even the shores Of the neigh
boring islands. For eight hours the
lonesome sailor gazed every which way,
but all to no purpose and the sampan
'ltifted not either way. fai
Van Gieson had no flag aboard. He
took off his undershirt and ran il to
the masthead-a signal of distress. for
no one in that latitude or longitude
would take the white flag for one of
surrender or q sign of poi shop.
Hunger next assailed the water,
stranded maFiner and thirst came apace.
As the shades Of the fast approaching
night began to fall Van Gieson noticed
black speck in the dim light and II
seemed to be approaching him. The
lone mariner took out his outer shirt
and frantically waved Il, shouting In
a hoarse whisper--his voice had long
ince fed. The black speck grew larger
and finally sampan, with a couple
of Japanese aboard, came alongside
and inquired what was wrong.
Speaking English, Hawaiian and
Japanese all at once, Van Gieson told
his fellow travellers Of the sea his trou-
bles and offered the japanese fifty dol.
lars if they would tow his sampan to
Honolulu.
ttNo can do, explained the Japa-
nese, "this time 60 fish; not got time.
'S'matter You, pupnle man, try make
sampan go one man. Nozcan do. You
take gasoline, all right, no piiikihyyc
The Japanese gave Van Gieson If
teen gallons Of gasoline which replen.
ished his dry tank, but they refused to
take pay for the fluid.
s'You like kaukaul' asked the Jap.
anese, and Van Gieson. with visions
of something to quell the riot which
his inner man was in, told the Japa-
pese friends he would take something
TO eat.
NrAll right, you take bottle sakei
good kaukau, nodder thing no catch
'em, = said the Japanese passing across
bottle of the Japanese national bey-
orage Van Gieson grimaeed blit ac-
cepted the Offering. With him il was
any old port in a storm.
SO, with gasoline in the tank Of the
sampan and sake in the mariner q tank,
Van Gieson safely made the balance
Of his trip to Honolulu. He has a
sampan for sale now. for Van Gieson
has finally given up following the sea.
His last experience is still too vivid In
his memory. .h @ If| e