Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii • 15

it Si lnttolulu Saturday December 1 jUHgjTCrxrcn? -v 4 MP THE SHORES OP PALMYRA LAGOON WITH THE NUMEROUS ISLETS IN THE DISTANCE. I Qboftiie airyo Maru COL. WM. ENG. MANAGER OF THE PROPERTY.

4- J. I Ihlmym Pioneers make I destination in small THE DENSE GROWTH OF COCONUT PALMS ON THE LARGER (SLA Ni 25-POUND ULUA CAUGHT 13; HAND IN THE LAGOON I 5 'V JWHEN APPROACHING PALMYRA, THE FEARLESS BIRDS "SET- II TLED ON THE RIGGING OF THE SAMPAN. BENNER, MRS. MENG AND THE WRITER IN OUR "CABIN DI Tit Id: LUXE'' ON THE SAMPAN. MOTOR BOAT AT HOME ISLAND, L.

TO A. R. TULLOCH, MRS. MMttlG, ED. BENNER, CAPT.

PETERSON AND T. TOKIYAMA, CAP- TAIN OF THE SANYO MARU. BOOBIES ON THEIR NESTS. thence turned our course almost due south. Trie took turns on the large tiller after Capt.

Peterson saw that everything was set and in good order. We could see the lights from the harbor nearly until midnight, shortly after which we rolled in for our first night's sleep. The following day we struck fairly large swells, so consequently all were feeling a bit groggy. The Japanese captain was afraid of the motor boaL which weighed considerable, and could only be placed on one side of the sampan, giving a slight liat to port; but we assured him that we would throw the boat over if the sea became too frisky. That satisfied him.

There being no room on the sampan for a walk, we lay on the mattresses, read and talked till we exhausted every subject. After eating, we lay down and slept about twenty hours of the day for several days, to test the endurance of the most hardened. According to all calculations we should have sighted land on Wednesday about noon, but not a sign of life or land except flying fishes and the sea birds which came in large numbers. On Thursday we were convinced that we were lost or that the Islands had sunk, and would have to return home. Capt.

Peterson figured that if we could travel on the same longitude we might sight one of the Fanning islands, which are very close to the Palmyras. The cause of the whole difficulty was due to a slight error of calculation, also combined with a compass error of several points. After shutting down the engines on Thursday night and using only sail we kept on, hoping to get nenr enough to either see the islands or to hear the surf. We laid to all of Friday forenoon to get an absolute check on our position. After taking a morning and noon sight in the same spot we found that we were only 17 miles south and to the east of the Palmyra group.

Right here I pause to state that Edwin Benner's books on navigation, which were up to the minute with correction tables, contributed to the saving of the day. At first it was thought that the chronometer was out, but Benner proved it to be correct. We sighted the islands at 1:30 o'clock by the captain's time. To Capt. Peterson and Mrs.

Meng belong the honor of first sighting land. The islands at about seven -miles away, appeared like tiny gray sticks dancing in the sunlight. When there was no doubt of it, a mighty shout by the rest of the voyageurs rent the air. It was certainly grand to see something that looked stable, and did not bob, twist and turn every second. While laying to, the writer was tempted to go in for a swim, going so far as to get into a swimminjr suit, when the cry of shark: shark! by the Japanese captain, was heard, and sure enough Just one fathom belpw in the limpid blue, we could A BAY ON HOLE1 ISLET By A.

R. TULLOCH The romance surrounding many of the south Pacific islands h.is an appeal to a great many people. I pad heard many and various tales Pf advar.ture to the Palmyra islands fey my former school mates and others, so at last fate was kind fend led me to the people who were take a most unusual method of them. The Palmyras are not strictly south Pacific islands. zn they lie almost due south about 5 miles and a little west, and not more than five degrees latitude north of the equator.

L'pon arriving- from a trip to Kauai about the 20th of October, the Palmyra Island Copra said: "How would you like to take a trip to the Palmyras?" 1 thought he va in a humorous vein, hut hey, insisted upon his sincerity, so I Jumped at the chance. At Pier IS, the Sanyo Maru, a 60-foot power sampan, belonging to the Pacific Fisheries of Honop.iiu, was being speedily loaded With everything necesssary for three people for several months. -V took about 200 gallons of gasoline, also several tins for the small motor boat for ue in the lagoons between the islands. A large quantity of ice was also stowed aboard to preserve the fish for the return trip. On Thursday evening, October 21, we weighed anchor, after having a little trou'do getting a cold gas fnginc to work properly.

On tttffeoard the boat were five haolea and "five Japanese sailors, one of them bing the captain of the sampan. Ne.r will 1 forget the eve of parting. A large number of friends Were at the pier ta see ue off. They cheered Ua, going from pier to pier as we slid Put of the harbor. After the last echoes had died away, we had a sense of embarking upon an exciting venture into the unknown.

The night was a beautiful one: the moon casting a silver sheen over th water. At the head of our party was Col. JpVllUam Meng, V. a young veteran of th: late war with. Germany.

jjjHe was wounded hy shrapnel. Later upon recovery, going into action again, was gassed, forcing him spend nearly a year in the hospital. He then came to Hawaii to recuperate. Shortly after arriving (hrc and Miss Idetla Singletary eve married. Capt Frank Peter-jjso was our skipper.

Edwin of Honolulu remaining with Mengs to learn the copra business from the bottom up. and Jastljv the writer. Tt must be remembered that a sempan is not built for comfort, so we had a tent put up on the roof of the engine house and two large mattresses I id down. These mattresses went a long way toward makin things comfortable. We sailed to Diamond Head.

dise of opportunity. Bathing iu the canvas canoe. As Toki and I were lagoons at night had one very ser- "all in" from trying to push the lous drawback. The writer made boat off the bar into deep water. the acquaintance of a member of Benner and the Colonel with Cap- the Portuguese man-o-war tribe, tain Peterson, went out and and has a scar to remember it by.

searched for the boat which we had A copious application of peroxide vU tle(1 to a rock The lwo toXin6 alleviated the pain and kepi down t)ie btmt ln darU TIlo tM. hnA i risen several inches. By transferring some of the cargo to the canoe we got the load to shore. This time we had some of the bedding so had a more comfortable sleep. 0, If the swelling.

There is not a single mosquito on the entire group of islands, and out of doors was a treat When it did not rain. As we could get but one load over, we did not bring all the bedding, so were forced to sleep on the soft side of the pine iloor. Mrs. Meng tried to sleep in the large arm chair, but it was so riddled by borers that she came nearly falling through. We.

managed to fix the chair; however, and saw that she was comfortable. All through the night the birds kept up a continuous chatter, but as we were all dog tired, we could have slept while a boiler factory was in full blast. Saturday morning, after a hurrle 1 breakfast, three of us tried to get the motor boat started but it resisted all attempts until in desperation a novel method was tried. 1 had heard of starting motors by winding several fathoms of rope Sunday morning several loads were brought in from the sampan, everyone working fast so as to taka advantage of the two or three hours of tide. On Sunday afternoon Benner, Captain Peterson, Toki and I went for a stroll, and as it was low water, most of the lagoon between the Islets was passable.

Crossing one of the islands a short distance from Home islet, we came to a roosting and nesting place of the little black tern, a species of eea bird. The air was full of them, screeching. The no'so was deafening. Passing this spot, we came to as pretty a chain of heavily forested islands as we had ever seen. Some of the Islets were covered with quite a layer of rich soil.

However, I have seen small coconuts around the pulley, so tried this crowing on the bare coral clinkers mothod. having two of the men run which form most of the islands. mi along the shore pulling the rope pecially near the shores. with one man in the boat to throttle Overhanging the shores of nearly iter dow n. This started the engine.

every isiandi boobies" were nesting Now commenced our troubles. in the branches of the giant hello-When tho samran was reached the tropes which grow abundantly and engine began to choke and splutter, t0 large size so on taking off the gasoline tank The "boobies" were so tame that to clean It, we found It to be full one could touch them. We saw of rust. This took up much valu- several of the coconut crabs. One A WHITE GANNET' GUARDING ITS NEST.

THE HOUSE AT HOME ISLAND" u.oie time. of the crabs that we caught was On the return trip with heavy unusually large. This one was we began to bump coral heads, eovered by Captain Peterson, while Benner, Toki and myself had to searching near the base of the out to save the boat. It be- conut palms. The crab must have came apparent that' the tide had measured more than a foot from nearly run out so Just between the tip to tail, with powerful nippers.

see the outline of a good six-footer. These jars were about two feet and shore ana sampan we grounoeu put the cane knila Mnen his tnrew in a hook, baited with a half high and about 18 inches hard and fast. Jaws, and the rust sure flid crack nsn, ana caugnt nun. as ne was across. We sampled the water In hooked by the side of the jaw.

he all of them and found the last two broke loose. We did not see him fit to drink. These huge Jars were again. When within one and a half iPft there a few years ago by bird miles from shore, we found that i nni.i i i This occurred about 10 a. m.

olr the blade. These crabs are of Not knowing the tides and fearing a steel-blue color, with gray spots, to swim the lagoon on account of The nippers are red, and lined with sharks, we made the best of it, teeth resembling human molars. ft. ror water we cup open the buds could not get any nearer, as coral ime a lot of the finest and "Slu.1"-11 TS had nothing to drink, but located of Eeen coconuts and ate of the neaas came up very near to the fattest mullet I have ever seen, surface of the water. The motor We built a huge bonfire for light boat was lowered, but could not omoiio- n0 fnr cooking; wood being very plenti some cans of "corned wlllv" and coeonuis xnac were pork and beans which we ate with on the islands came, I am avidity.

told- from Fanning island, and are As "the flats became more and the biggest and best I have ever more exposed in the early afternoon, seen; As evening was coming on, Benner and. I decided to explore we turned toward home. On our get the pesky critter's engine to work, so had to row the mile and ful and easy to pick up. By the aid of our flash lights we found several of the large coconut crabs of the islands near by. While swa up umpsx a tun asleep near the roots or cocoa pnims.

tQn of the tern we? i.i rross ntr several of the shallows we iu" nese eggs i 7 a i rnnr wmv tipccksii hi Pmall sharks, which wum ue st'nnie Airs. Meng found many proveu a. wonaenui cook, ana a tasty meal was enjoyed by alL The a half to shore. Edwin Benner launched his Indian canoe and was first to reach shore, having a thrill on the way. Between him and several wicked looking sharks of all sizes was only a thin piece of canvas.

He said he could hear the birds chattering and calling when only a otuarter of a mile away. The rest of the party consisting of Colonel Meng. Mrs. Meng. Captain Petersen, Tokiyama, the Japanese skipper, and myself rowed the motor boat the full mile and a half with a heavy load of stuff.

these crabs was to throw them on the fire for a few minutes. The 1-gs of these crabs furnished a lot of. meat; the flavor being very delicious. In fact I much prefer them to lobster cooked in the most approved styles. had been trapped on the ebbing of the tide, thrashing about.

These little fellows certainly showed speed when they came to water deep enough to swim ln. Many of the baby sharks came to- i .3 .1 eggs were not quite as large as an ordinary hen's egg and covered with bluish blotches. The ground was literally covered with these eggs. There was a very slight fishy After supper, consisting of broiled ,7 fIi taste to the but a little catsup mullet, roasted crab, pork remedied this. As the tide was high again Sun- attacKs, we were sn no aanger.

While waiting for the tide to rise beans and hard tack, we took our cane knives and by flash light ex- tho T-Tirmit crabs bv we were treated to a real rain Vi We all raised a good crop of blist- imiii, one on nume isiana ana me across the yers and suffered from sore joints. he thousands, we scattered storm- 11 "ined so heavily that it lsttle way Just as the sun was sinking below where. Ve had a grand slaughter, was impossible to see farther than lagoon had me lagoon. I had one int- iiuiuuii, came into a most th innl shmvinir thp smr I oh jarus amau. of the fires to build and keep it going while the colonel had the other.

I could hear took manv a hero over the top. Benner took his Tndian canoe and slaved his full nuota as did the res; made tor shore early ln the evening, him raving at the "boobies" which while Loki and I endeavored to get It took anout 20 of the explorers. the boat to shore, but after trying t.n ttJL minutes to circle the island. Mrs. Meng and I went in the lagoon in front of the island for a swim.

The water being a little warmer beautiful lagoon. Rounding an atoll, we found what turned out to be Home island. On Home island Judge Cooper, the owner of the islands, had built a very substantial house several year? ago. Benner, who landed first, had succeeded in gaining entrance to the house by forcing the lock. We had taken some water ashore in a ship's cask, but the water was found not fit to drink.

While look- lor iwo nuuis iu niiu a piace oyr Jng lnto the fire. BOOn had the the bar deep enough, we concluded same aistresslng experience. It was that it was impossible with the load. neof.Ssarv to kill several before the so waded in the lagoon as far as we firp tret anv headwsv. than at Waikiki and very clar.

I The moonlight shining through could, it was getting dark about tins Monday was Sp nt i.tfefejloring, the thousand of cocoa palms and time, and shouted to shore, a dis- gathering the ei i cythe lagoons between the beauti- tance of a (inarter of a mile. After trfp. and in making ebtitafa com lwiitle' atolls made a picture that several lusty calls, Benner heard for'table on the ing around we found at one side I will always remember. A painter us from the home island and came 1 of the house several largo red jars, would have been in a perfect para- to our rescue with the Invaluable (Continued on Pag I4' TT0 IlllVfu T'T T1 CTtDDmrni! rrr-Tf.