The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-09-25

lot that mhlteT, throughout the night,
the majority of the passengers sat
about wearing their life preservers.
Just think Of what chance anyone
would have had in an. open life boat in
sea such as the one through which
we were passing. And just think of
how long life belt would have kent
you afloat. A moment or so before
we struck, a huge wave washed us
from stem TO stearn, and in so doing
took overheard one of the soldiers, who
had attempted to get little air on
deck.
Many Injured
"This was the only man lost, though
there were dozens injured. Quite a
few are now in the hospital suffering
from cuts and bruises and fractured
bones. Monday, the storm abated and
towards noon we sighted land, which
for some time could not be identified.
1t was soon learned that it was one of
several japanese islands.
Later on in the day, the sun came
out. and our position was verified. As
soon as this was done, we headed for
FormOsa, there to replenish our supply
Of coal. We had enougB-to carry us to
Nagasaki, but pat into port for more
IN ease of emergency. Think of what
| narrow escape we all had. For four
days the sun was, entirely hidden, and
/ for four nights there was never a sign
of the moon or stars.
Head Into Storm
bIindly or merely heading into the
Storm to keep the ship from rolling.
when the storm came upon us, we had
Just left the last of the Philippine Is.
lands behind us and were running
along the eastern coast of Formosa,
when our position was again plotted
! it was found that we had been blown
over five hundred miles, and some two
hundred and fifty miles out of our
course. During all this time we were
drifting in and out amongst innum.
cradle islands. and, as the captain re.
marked, "lIad God not been with Ms
| throughout this storm, none of US would
now be living to tell the tale"
1rmgard in Distress
- Early Tuesday morning, as we were
on our way to Keeling, we. sighted q
four mast"d schooner flying distress
/ signals. We swung to and finally pick.
ed up and flowed her into port with
us. Sh" proved to be the Irmgard. one
of several schOOners which used II
put into Hi" quite regularly with lum
Der rargorS. She had weathered the same
I storm and had suffered great deal
( Her deck load of 100000 feet of teak
I lumber, WAS thrown overheard in an
attempt to save her, and although il
did save her from sinking, she had
/ some eight feet of water in her holds
when We found her. All Of her pumps
, were out Of commission.
We reached the port of Keeling
FOrmosa, Wednesday afternoon. and
there took on five hundred tons of
coal. The city is quite different from
what ! expected to find it, having a
population composed entirely of Chin
csc and Japanese. ] expected il ia
resemble most Oriental towns. Sur
! prised Hardly the word. It is a
modern city with all the modern con
/ veniences excepting a street car sys
TEN, and entirely foreign in aspect.
Five Days Behind Schedule
1--WE were just five days behind
schedule, when we reached this port on
August -. Immediately we began un.
loading freight preparatory to enter,
ing drydock. This we did at noon TO.
dav. While here we are to undergo a
thorough oNerhauling, and to ascertain
, what damage, if any, has been done
to the ship. This evening, just before
dusk, had been nearly ali pumped out
50 We were able to see what had han.
pened t" the hull when we struck dur.
ing the storm.
:" For length of about twenty feet
our bottom plates are well dented and
the keel is bent and turned to such an
extent, that it is from a foot and a half
to two feet out of line. We will prob
ably be here for at least ten DAYS
lOngcr.'