THREE TIMES WRECKED.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1917, Page 3

THREE TIMES WRECKED.

IX ALASKAN WATERS. CAPTAIN HANSEN'S EXPERIENCE. To have been shipwrecked three timesis the unusual experience of Captain 'A. Hansen, master of the barque Narwhal that is at present lying at the Breakwater, where she unloaded a cargo of benzine. In the course of a chat with a pressman, Captain Hansen told an interesting story. He went to sea when quite young, and often visited New Zealand and "Australia in sailing ships. After some years he entered the employ of a cod-fishing company, having its headquarters at San Francisco, and carrying on its operations among the Unimaki Islands, in the south-west of Alaska. He made rapid progress while in the company's service, became the master of a schooner, and was afterwards appointed agent for the company on the Unimaki Islands. His duties consisted of sailing from fishing station to fishing station among the islands, watching the company's interests, supervising the Ashing operations, and keeping the fishermen supplied with food and requisites. Oil November 13, 1907, Captain Hansen's schooner was lying at her anchorage near one of the stations. The cold was intense, and the weight of the ship was greatly increased by the mass of ice that clung to her sides. During the night a stiff north-west blizzard sprang up. The four cables which held the ship parted, and the vessel was driven high and dry on the rocky coast of the island. Luckily no lives were lost. The blizzard lasted for 22 days, during which pc-fcod everything was done for tlie shipwrecked seamen by the men at the station. There was a big supply of fuel in stock, and tlie caribou and fish provided all the food that was necessary. As soon as the .vcather had moderated, Captain Hansen anil another man rowed 1017 mile? to iPopof Island, where a wireless station is situated. There he got into touch with tlie mainland, and a United States revenue cutter was despatched to the assistance of the stranded seamen. The cutter did not arrive, and it was afterwards learned that the •heavy seas were too much for her. After proceeding half-way she turned back, fn the following April one of tlie company's vessels arrived, and the shipwrecked men were conveyed to Sail Francisco.

Captain Hanson resumed his work as agent, and not, long afterwards had an experience which nearly cost Mm his life. The schooner on which he was employed was lying at anchor at Unimaki, .when she was caught in the teeth of a severe storm. The cables parted, and the vessel was blown ashore. The men at the station watched tlu> plight of those on board, but were unable to assist owing to the severity of the storm and the dangerous nature of the ice which girdled the shore. In two hours t!>c schooner was a total wreck. Eleven t.l" the crew of eighteen were either killed, drowned or frozen to death, and Captain Hansen and another man were the only two who escaped uninjured. Five of the survivors had limbs broken or were injured in some other way. The third adventure happened in the (Slumiagin Islands, oil the coast of Alaska, on February 15, 1911. The ocun in flie vicinity of these islands is dotted with unknown reefs shoals, and me passage tta'Ugh -them is tr.uig':;with, danger to the sailor, especially winter time, when there is only a few hours of sunlight U> the davtiiiv:, and