Harper's Round Table, January 21, 1896

In this vivid mid‑19th‑century account, a seasoned naval officer recounts his departure from Honolulu aboard the Chilean merchant vessel Maria Helena. He travels with his wife, a fellow passenger, and two small children, all eager to return to their Hawaiian homes after years abroad. The narrative captures the calm beauty of the Pacific, the glow of Kilauea, and the routine of life at sea, setting a tranquil tone before the storm.

On a moonless night in January, the lookout’s cry of “Breakers ahead!” shatters the crew’s sleep, and the ship is driven onto hidden reefs. Panic gives way to disciplined action as the captain orders lifeboats to be readied for the women and children. Amid the crashing surf and splintering timbers, the narrator describes the tense moments of evacuation, the fragile hope that the small boats can pull away, and the eerie quiet that follows as they wait for dawn to reveal the full extent of the disaster.