Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-10

I lCdN III &tS AillCs iNd4lS anu hd44o "
| the mercy OF the little island. Only
| small stock OF provisions was left TO
| the marooned men. but there was lit
! tie suffering for lack Of food. as fish
! and coeonuts were plentiful The only
| danger 20 these men who have not vet
been rescued is from sickness caused
! by drinking the brackish water OF the
island.
With the departure OF the Germans
came the first break in the unanimity
Of the Americans, leading 10 a mutt.
nous condition among the crew. This
was fostered il is claimed. by the pro-
| Germanism of one OF the ships Off
! 10 repair an old llfeboat which had
gan on friendly terms it was decided
TO repair an old life boat which had
! been abandoned by the Germans, and
t, let Capt. Smith attempt TO reach
! Samoa.
Work was started on the repairs.
III 49,: Gar 70 day a break among the
J Americans was fosteTed by the de-
clarations OF the natives that Tahiti
could be easily reached by rowing.
Then came the day when two OF the
American officers came to blows,
! Capt. Smith, one of the two, succeed
| ing in overcoming his opponent. But
| in the meantime during the scrap,
which threatened TO and did effectually
divide the marc 0ned sailors, Capt.
| Southland put TO sea with nine native
sailors.
Nine days later, nearly famished
and exhausted for lack Of food and
sleep, Capt. Southland returned to
Mopeha island. Capt. Southland is
| man well advanced in years and suf-
tered more than did the natives due
to his age, and the loss Of his false
teeth which made it Impossible" for
him to eat the hard tack with which
the boat was supplied.
Upon the return of Capt. Southland
and his kanaka crew the original
plans were backed up by the balance
of the white officers. and work was
started repairing the boat for All at
tempt to reach civilization which was
to be made under command of Capt.
Smith.
On September the repairs to the
little lifeboat, which was double
ended and onl:' % feet long. were fully
made by O'Clock that afternoon. But
after a consultation between Capt.
Smith and Capt Peterson it was de-
cided to wait until the next morning
to make the start for help. This was
in order to give the putty time to dry.
as the ship had just been caulked.
The sides of the boat we're built up
with canvas and jib and spread sail
provided Sleeping quarters for one
man were also arranged forward in
the little craft.
Thankfully Capt Smith explains
that through the courtesy of the sea
shown by the German officers each
of the American navigators had been
given back his chronometer and ether
navigating instruments.
Then began a 1OOO-milo voyage to
liar with the South Seas, which on
T. map seem to be plentifully COW
cred with little islands, they sighted
only two. One of these was near Mo-
peha and was seen on the first day,
while the other was Monuea island,
only so miles from Samoa. Here the
first stop in the Today voyage was
made where the natives Hospitality
supplied the four Americans with !
coconuts, plantains and fresh fish.
After a few hours rest the voyage
was resumed to Tutuila, which Capt.
Smith and his men reached on Mon |
day of last week, four months after
their experience with the raiders be-
gan.
But entering the harbor at Tutuila
they had another adventure. An Amer |
lean .gunboat taking them for more
of the German raiders trained her
guns upon them and afterwards close |
ly questioned them before their story |
was believed.
Three days later, Capt. Smith, his
second mate, John Johanson. and one
CT the Slade sailors, Charles Thomp-
son, were granted passage to San
Francisco on an Oceanic steamer which |
arrived at Tutuila last Thursday. The
fourth man, a mate from the Manila,
shipped on a schooner which was in
port at Tutuiia. |
Word for Commander
Much of the good treatment given
the American seamen by the German |
raiders is attributed to the business
and fairness of Richard Priess, the
l.riZe commander of the Sea Adler.
whn made several calls at Honolulu
when he was second mate of the big
steamer Cleveland. "He was all
right says Captain Smith, tcrsely.
IF the lieutenant commander Lad
trusted to his Judgment we would |
never have been able to induce the
Germans to have taken the dangerous
anchorage at Mopeha,' he adds. Prize
Commander Priess was q German
naval reservist called into service al
ter the European war began.
The number of men still on Mopeha
Island are said to be IS white men |
and Is natives. There nal been no
death when Captain Smith left. From |
information gained on the waterfront |
this morning it is believed that a |
ship is to be despatched from here to
bring off the survivors. The early |
report that there were women among |
those marooned at Mopeha Is due to
code mixture of cable signals indi-
eating ladies" and ''native3.'
Must Lick Germans