The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-12-28
SOLDIER LOST ON
N|AUNAKEA TELLS
BATTLE FOR LIFE
Kept Diary Of Awful Experience
In WiIds of Forest On
Big Island
YOUTH OF SOLDIER
HELPED SAVE LIFE
Returns To Honolulu With Com
panions None the Worse For
His Terrible Trip

The experiences Of Corporal John
Schulz of the Tenth Conn Coast
Artillery, who was recent, lost in the
forest on the slopes of Mauua Kea, is
told in detail in the following account
which he gave to the Hiio Tribune:
"'I am nearly exhausted. ! 10 not
hope to survive. If my body is found
please notify my dear parents N
Bremen, Germany wrote Corporal
Schulz on the fifth morning after he was
lost in the fern jungle above the Vol
cano House and Glenwood
"During the middle of the afternoon
of the same day, Schulz stumbled into
miles inside from the Volcano road at
Fifteen Miles. After fighting for five
days trying to make a path through
the forest and with nothing to eat and
very little water, the soldier was en-
tireIy spent and dropped upon the
ground as soon as he nearcd the prem
ises,
"Schuh s uniform was almost entire
ly torn from his body and his shoes
were tattered remnants. His hands,
scratched and torn, bore evidence of
the game fight he madeiin attempting
to get out of the forest. The Japanese
recognized the seriousness of the MAD 5
condition Immediately and wisely re-
fused to give the soldier food, but
gave him a small drink of water and 4
glass Of milk.
"The japanese then telcphoned to a
policeman at Mt. View. The officer
notified Col. J. D. Easton and he Sc
cured an automobile and started two
non -commissioned officers from the
Coast Artillery Company, who had
reached Hilo ahead of the main detach-
ment, after Schulz. They met Captain
Bcles, of the medical corps, and Schulz
was brought to Hilo for treatment.
Youth Saves Him
"Being young and healthy, Schulz was
able to get up from his couch on the
second day after he was found, al
though he is still gaunt and weak. His
condition ON Thursday might and q part
Of Friday was considered very serious,
but good medical attention, with his
natural vigor, made it possible for him
to recover. However,, it will be weeks
before all trace of his privations. are
gone.
"'In telling of his experience, Schulz
emphasizes the terrible thirst from
which he suffered, although he speaks
of his exposure to rail- and cold. He
explains that he tried to catch waite
in his hat while it was raining, but that
it Seemed impossible to do so on ac'
count of the densCress of the forest.
" Il got the most water in the morn
ing from the leaves before the dew wa
dry, he says.
Lost Above Dent s Ranch
"Schuh says that he was four hour
walk up Mauun loa and above Dent ;
ranch aud near IA setback, to the nigh
and mauka of the ranch, when he dis
covered he was lost This was on Sun
day afternoon ana long before dal /
With four soldier companions he 'ha'
left the camp at the Volcano House IL
the morning, but during the day ha,
turned in another direction than the
others. Above Dent $ ranch he went t.
the right, the other mixers to the left
The trail brought Schulz to the shach
where il ended.
"Lraving the shack he went into tn,
Jungle few hundred feet to see tn,
nature Of the foliage and soil. Whrl
he started to return to the shack he
found he could not locate it or the
trail by which he had reached it. II,
Kept up his search Until nightfall an
then worn out with his long walk he
went to sleep. In the morning he coul'
see the sun and determined to taxi
some definite direction and to keep 90
ing until he came to road.
Starts In Southeast Direction
".Iudging, he says, by his SHADOW
upon what he believed to be southeast
which he trusted as the direction to
ward IIilo, he stated to hike. Hi
story Of his experiences during the mex
three days varies little in detail.
ebay after day it was heart rend
ing fight to break his way through tn
ferns, growing harder each day due t.
his increasing weakness. CONSTANT,
he watched for "A water hole but will
out success. and even berries, whicl
are so plentiful farther down, couI'
not TO found.
'''I In all that time ! did not find
single thing to eat, but i: was water
wanted most, he AYERS.
ASKED if he walked any at night
he said that he lid at times, when i
seemed II Telltl lTOHl Tue nuIu Ia
upon which he was forced to sleeI
But slept some in the day tim
toward the last, he adds.
- lie wrote the note giving the Iii
rrrtions about notifying his. parent
after he had entirely dcspaired of say
ing his life.
49, knew it was the fifth day sin,
| had food aud water and that thrr
was little hope Of living through tn
sixth day without nourishment, he cN
plains.
"rarrfulIy searching among the fern
he found II path which was almost rr
tirely overgrown with vegetation an
followed it for several hours.
'FhOSe were the longest hours Il
all, he says with smile to cover In
! emotion he shows in mentioning til
climax Of his fight. 1t was along tn
! fern grown trail that Schuh fnall
madr his WA to the house of the Japi
ncsc farmer.