WRECKED IN A GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9040, 19 November 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

WRECKED IN A GALE.

LOSS OF THE 3HIP WILLIAM A. CAMPBELL.

TERRIBLE SUFFERING OF ONE BOAT'S CREW.

The American ship William A. Campbell, Captain Havehar, was lost at sea on August 28th, in longitude 14deg. north and latitude 120deg. west, during a terrific hurricane. The ship/ was bound at the time from Pugeb bound to Queensland, with a cargo of pine lumber. The second mate, ten sailors, and the cabin boy, in one of the lifeboats, succeeded in reaching Kahuliu twenty-three days later after sailing 2050 miles in an open boat. For the last eight days not one of the boat's crew had a drop of water to driuk, and they were all famished with thirst when rescued in an exhausted condition by Hawaiian's off the island of Hanai. Captain Haveuar, his wife, child, and ten men left the sinking ship in the large lifeboat. Nothing has been heard of them since, although there are strong hopes that they were picked up at sea or reached Hilo.

Captain E. W. Christiansen, of the brig John 1). Spreekels, brought the news of the disaster.

The Campbell was an old ship and the storm was too much for her to weather. The two boats, fully provisioned, but short of water, had hardly been launched and manned wheu the vessel split in two. The sufferings of those in the second mate's boat tor want ol water were something terrible, and the only wonder is that the men are alive to-day to tell the tale. That a small boat, under sail,, should make an average of over ninety miles a day for twenty consecutive days is also a remarkable fact. Following are the details of the wreck and subsequent happenings :— .Native ushermen off Nanawala, on the island of hunai, on the morning of September 20th, saw, well out to sea, a dark object which they took to be a big drift log. They concluded to go after it. On getting near tho supposed log they found instead an eighteen toot lifeboat, and, on running alongside the boat, the lishcrmun saw to their great surprise that it contained twelve occupants, who proved to be the second mate, ten sailors, and the cabin boy of the ill-fated American ship William A. Campbell. ' The entire boat's crew were lying in the bottom of the frail craft in an exhausted condition. Their tongues were so badly swollen for want of water that they protruded beyond their mouths, the men could not speak, their eyes were sunken and glassy, aud their whole appearance not only showed intense suffering, but that the lives of all held by a brittle thread that would soon havo snapped but for the timely assistance of the Kanakas. As it is, the cabin boy, who was unconscious when found, has probably died by this time, his constitution not being strong enough to withstand the hardship ol eight days without a drop of water to drink. i'he second mate and sailors, it is believed, will recover, but they were too weak to make the voyage on the brig John D. bpreckels when that vessel sailed from ivahuiui. The story told by the mate and crew is a most thrilling one. The Campbell cleared troui Port Townsend, Puget Sound, on August 4th, with a cargo ot lumber tor Queensland. On August 20th a south east gale was experienced which increased gradually until on tile 28bu it had readied a hurricane and the ship was running under bare poles, with a high sea breaking over her. The vessel was straining and at times nearly on her beam ends. The pumps were sounded every half-hour, but it was not until a heavy beam sea struck the ship that the vessel sprung a leak and made water so fast that the pumps were abandoned and the lifeboats provisioned and got ready for launching. The ship Was straining and groaning all the time. On sounding the freshwater tanks it was found that salt water had run into them, ruining the supply. Tho only fresh water on the Campbell available was in the boiler of the donkey-engine. This was drawn off and the water breakers in two iiteboats were filled.

The largest lifeboat was launched, and Captain jbJavenar, his wife and child, the first mute, boatswain, carpenter, cook, and eight saiiors got into it and pulled clear of the ship, which was fast breaking up. The other lifeboat- was also successfully launched and manned by the second mate and crew. The boats were hardly clear when tho fore and main masts of the Campbell went by the board, and the ship broke in two, the lumber cargo floating clear in all direc tions.

The storm gradually subsided the first night the boats wore in the water, but when morning came the survivors in the two boats were out of sight of each other. It had been previously decided that Hilo, 2050 miles away, should be the point steered for, and it is possible that the captain's boat has been picked up by a pushing vessel, if it has not already reached Hilo. The second mate's boat got along very well in the beginning, and on the entire voyage to the Hawaiian islands averaged nearly 100 miles a day in the twenty-three 'lays the boat was on the water. Favourable winds were met with most of the time, but they were light. The boat was well provisioned, and all hands fared well at the start. The water supply being short, the daily distribution was limited. Every inch of the horizon was closely scrutinised, and twice a sail was sighted, but so far away that it was impossible to make a signal seen. Tho red and blue lights taken along were burned at night, but no friendly craft came to the rescue. As the water supply ran out so did the hope of being rescued give way to despair. The very sight of the salt ocean water, clear, glistening, and smooth, combined with their insatiable thirst, drove the men almost crazy. They became unable to manage the boat, and during the last two days drifted at the mercy of the current. Their minds failed them ; they tore their hair and raved. But for the restraining force of tho second mate and one of the sailors some of those in tho boat would have drunk of the salt water around them or thrown themselves into the ocean. The tongues of the men began to swell, and added excruciating pain to the awful burning thirst. They were all in a pitiable condition when rescued by the Hawaiian fishermen. Water was their life, and they would have killed themselves drinking had nob a native doctor stopped them. He moistened their tongues from time to time and applied restoratives until some of the men could talk with effort and tell their story. From Kahului the shipwrecked sailors will be taken to Honolulu.