THE ENGLISH MAIL TALE OF THE SEA. Fourteen Months on a Desert Island. Wreck of a Barque on Midway Island.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 365, 4 May 1889, Page 6

THE ENGLISH MAIL

TALE OF THE SEA. Fourteen Months on a Desert Island. Wreck of a Barque on Midway Island.

Fuoiu our Honolulu files to hand by the mail steamer Zealandia we glean particulars ot ono ot those strange and interesting tales ol the sea of adventure and privation which now and again come to our ears from the most unlikely and out-of-the-way localities. On April 6th a British schooner, the Norma, of Yokohama, arrived at Honolulu, and on boarding her it was found that she 1 was from Bonin Island (North Pacific) and j\ lid way Island, a small, isolated coral islet about 1,200 miles W.N.W. of the Hawaiian Group. Shcwas found to haveon board the captain with his wite and children, and thecrew of the wrecked American barque Wandering Min&tiel, which had been missing for over a year. She was recently advertised by tho underwriters as having been last seen at Honolulu in December, 1887, and a largo reward was ollered for information regarding her fate. It now appeared that she had been wrecked on the 3rd February, 1888, on Midway Island, all lian:ls being saved, and that they were compelled to stay on the island for fourteen months until they were taken oil by the schooner Norma, Captain Johnston. Captain Johnston stated at Honolulu that on February 4th last he left Bonin Inland, touched at Ocean Is'and (where some remains were found of the gear of the wrecked ship Dunnstar Castle), and arrived at Midway Island on March 17th. Here he found Captain F. D. Walker and crew, of the wrecked barque Wandering Minstrel, living in a veiy bad condition from want ot food. He relieved their wants to the full extent of his ability, and remained there to get wood and water till the 26th March, when the sick were fit to embark, and on that day sailed for Honolulu, being chartered by Capt. Walker. Captain Walker and his crew had an interesting and adventurous story to tell. He paid that, leaving Honolulu on December 10, 1887, he called at French Frigate Shoals ( on the 18th, and anchoiedin Wallis Harbour, Midway Island, on January 9th, 1888. He found a man named Joigensenon the island, he having been wrecked in the schooner General Seigel. February commenced with heavy weather, and on the 3rd a fuiious storm came on, bar. 59.30. The vetsel parted both chains and dragged the third anchor towaid the reel. At 1.30 p.m. the crew abandoned the vessel, she then striking heavily, and got on shore through the heavy breakers, all hands saved. Owing to the storm lasting some days, they saved no provisions except a few tins ot meats, fruits, etc. When on shore they lived there for over a year, there being no chance of getting off. They had to subsist on sea-birds and their eggs, and the fish they could catch. They endured seveie privations through insuflicient tood, and Captain Walker, his wife and four children all showed evidence even at Honolulu of their hai'd experiences. John Cameron, the mate of the wrecked baique, took up with the desperado Jorgensen, who had been lelt on Midway Island when the General Seigel's crew were rescued. So dangerous a chai-acter did he prove to be that Captain Walker resolved several times to shoot him for self- protection and safety, but each time his wife restrained him. Jorgensen had been suspected of having been concerned in the murder of two of the Seigel's crew, who mysteriously lost their li\es on the island, and finally was left on the place, a menace to any persons unfortunate to be cast away there. On October 13, 1888, he and Cameron and a Chinese lad left for Honoluluin a boat well-fitted up with sails, water, and provisions, and a3 afterwards found they reached their destination safely. During the stay on the island two seamen died of some obscure disease and one was drowned while fishing. The whole of the shipwrecked people suffered severely from scurvy. On 17th March last the welcome sight of a vessel approaching the island bi ought the people to the beach. She proved to be the schooner Norma, shark-fishing, the first vessel seen by the wrecked ones since they had landed on the place. She took them on board, under agreement to Captain Walker, and conveyed them safely to Honolulu, where they are now recovering trom the effects ot their long isolation and haidships. On the voyage up, one of the wrecked crew, Edwaid D. Johnson, a native of Mauritius, died of sctuvy, and was buried at sea. The native sailors of the Minstrel did not seem to &ufler much from the "haul tack " on tho island.