A SHIPWRECKED CREW.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3197, 24 December 1884, Page 2

A SHIPWRECKED CREW.

STOBT OF THE VOW .jE AKD WRECK OF THE (FXO" PBEJIIBB. A f- „1 Daily Alta of Oct. 27th.) P<" : .^reaentative of the Alta yesterday „ned information that the schooner Halolo had arrived at this port with the captain, second mate, steward, and four of the crew of the schooner Premier, long since supposed to bo lost. The reporter found the Malolo lying off Meiggs' wharf, about a quarter mils ont m the stream. Upon boarding her he found the second mate, who related to him the following story of the finding of the Premier at Farming's Island : — " So you want to know something of the Premier and her crew, eh f The Premier left Eureka, Humboldt county, some time m 1883, with a cargo of redwood, which aho discharged at Sydney. On the 25th of Jannary of the present year she sailed from Newcastle, N.S.W., loaded with 350 tons of coal, to bo landed at Eureka. On March 11th it waa discovered that Bho had sprung a leak. For twenty-two days we worked like madmen, scarcely taking time to eat of our poor and meagre rations. One day while drifting about we sighted what wo supposed to bo an island, bat upon coining nearer we discovorod that it was nothing but A BABEEN HOCK. " With saddened hearts we tacked about m another direction. On the twenty-second day after wo discovered the leak we saw ahead of ns what looked to be qoito a largo piece of land. When about entering the harbor wo struck upon a coral reef. We were at once diseovercd by natives of the inland, and upon making inquiry were told that we woru m English Harbor, a little inlet m Vanning Island. This island is a good many miles sonth of tho Hawaiin Islands, and is owned by a Scotchman named Groggr, who was shipwrecked about twenty-three years ago, and who found his way to that place. Ho married a native woman, and has had seven children by her. Ono is a beautiful girl of sovonteon feara. She- was educated at the Sandwich stands, and has travelled extensively m Europo and the United States. She soem» to liko her island home. In fact she has often told me that she would not exchange it for any other m the world. One day whilst Captain Gregg was on his way to Honoluln, the first mate of tho Promier, who had been making lovo m a surreptitious fashion to thiH daughter of the aea, proposed to her, waa accepted, and m the presence of all tho inhabitants of the island, they consented to take each other as husband and wife, with a proviso on tho part of tho young woman that tho mato should never return to hi 3 nativo country to live. Fanning'n Island is nearly seven miles wide, and about four m width. Thero is much gnano upon it, and cocoannta and bananas aro also abundant. Captain Gregg is tho possessor of considerable wealth, acquired through tho aalo of oobraand guano. Thero aro v number of chickens upon tho island, as well an goats and milch cows. Captain Gregg; is tho owner of a nice- bark, which ho nscs to ply between his placo and tha Sandwich Islands. Ho was extremely kind to nx, and I must say, has but one fault, and that is tho appetite for alcoholic liquors. Ho thinks nothing of drinking a half gallon a day. After we ran upon the reef it w«ib necessary to get rid of our cargo, which wo did, with tho assistance of tho natives, and that's saved, at any rate. Wo remained npon FAKNINa'B ISLAND For about »ix months. On tho 1 Ith of Soptomber tho Malolo stopped thoro for a cargo of cobra. On tho 13th sho went to Washington Inland, returned to Farming's Inland, and loft thpro with tha crow of tho Promior on tho i 25th, that is, all savo the first mate, who romained to pureuo his honoymoou and look

after the damaged sohooner. The Malolo arrived m this port yesterday. Tho natives at Farming's Island are continnally pumping water out of the Premier, and will do so until we can return with an experienced diver from this city and discover the leak. Tho schooner will then sail for Honolulu, where she will undergo repairs. The name of the Premier's captain is Nelson. We had a pleasant trip up on the Malolo notwithstanding the fact that wo had to double up all around when it came to sleeping. Tho Premier is valued at 18,000dols, and insured for 13,000d015. She is owned by B. H. Teitzer, Captain Jackson, S. B. Patterson, Jas. Taft and C. Thompson of the city of San Francisco.