The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-04-03
w. Hanschmann, Local Sail
or Aboard the Barquentine
st. James, Has a Weird
Experience.
LIVES MONTH IN new WORLD
shipwrecked Kenoshan Is Kindly Re
cedved by Descendants Of Mutt
neers Who Live q Dream-Life
On Pitcairn Island.

10 have been shipwrecked on coral
reef in mid-Pacific and brought ashore
by kindly islanders with a little world
to themselves, "a better world than we
know with culture and Utopian de-
mocracy all its own-this has been
the novel experience of w. Hansch-
mann, the son of Mr.. and Mrs. William
Hanschnann of 521 Milwaukee avenue,
sailor aboard the barquentine est.
James, until December 10th, 1918,
when his ship was stranded and aban-
doned off the coast of Pitcairn Island,
the one-time rendezvous of the Bounty
Mutineers.
Here is the story of young Hansch-
mann s most romantic cruise as told
in a recent issue of "The Daily
Times, famous journal published at
| Sydney, Australia:
fourteen shipwrecked sailors, many
of them wearing native made grass
hats, gifts of the Pitcairn Islanders,
landed in Sydney yesterday. They COM
prised the crew Of the American bar
uuentine ST. James, which was totally
wrecked in December last in the Ia
cifc. The Port Augusta, of the Com
| monw5alth and Dominion Line, en- route
from New York via the Panama route,
picked up the castaways at Pitcairn
Island, where they landed after the
wreck, and spent month enjoying the
hospitality of the residents.
tsThe ST. James was owned IN San
Francisco by the Rolph Navigation
Company, and was an American built
wooden vessel of 1886 tons gross and
1853 tons net. She was built at Bath,
Maine, in 1883.
cat the time Of the disaster the
vessel was bound from Vancouver to
Durham with 100000 feet of lumber.
She was taking the Cape Horn Route,
and was lost on December Is on Oeno
Island.
The Captains Story.
tsWe struck on coral reef at 4
q o'clock in the morning. said Captain
Anderson. and in less than four hours
left the vessel total wreck. Inc
weather was fine, but there was nasty
swell rolling in on the reef, and the
ship bumped heavily. The Jagged coral
reef fairly ripped the bottom out OF
the vessel, and pieces of the keel float
ed alongside, and we had to take to
the boats for safety. We left Vancou-
YER on September 20, and carried flne
weather up to the time of the disaster,
which was attributed to strong cur
rent
g Everything was standing when
we abandoned the ship, said Captain
Andersen, but the rigging was WORK
ING heavily, and it was feared that the
masts would come down, so we got
clear as quickly as possible. Some Gil
f;culty was experienced in launching
the boats owing to the swell, and some
Of us had to jump for it. The hfepoa5
carried nine hands, and the other, u
dinghy. had five men, with the mate
in charge
usIt was 7 O'Clock in the morning
when we left the wreck, continued tue
captain. 4 had previously had con-
snltation with the mate, and DECIDED
70 make for Pitcairn Island, distant
about 6s miles away. The boats KEEP
company during the run, which oceu-
MED So hours. We had hard time
pulling against the wind and sea most
of the way, and passing rain squalls
oaded TO the discomfort. We all SUI
fered more or less from cramps, but
soon recovered when we reached the
island
Life at Pitcairn Island.
| .Landing was made at Bounty Bay,
Pitcairn Island on December IS, after
ducking in the surf, and the ship
wrecked crew had a warm reception
from the people After steep climb
of some 400 feet veritable Garden OF
Eden was revealed. Here everyons
offered hospitality to the sailors
ssThe isolation of Pitcairn Island is
its most distinguishing feature apart
from the romance Of the mutineers of
the Bounty. The island was first dis
covered In 1857 by Lieutenant Pitcairn,
and settled by the mutineers of the
Bounty in 1889. Those who live OF Pit
cairn Island today are descendants Of
the mutineers by their native wives,
and the names of the Christians, Nc
Cows and Youngs, still are perpetuated.
The present settlement is run on COM
munal lines, the chief magistrate being
Mr.. G. r. B. Christian. All men and