Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-04-11
WRECK OF TIE scH'R MARGARET


Gently wrecked on the northern coast
furnishes Portland paper the follow
ing particulars Of the disaster: While
beating along the coast through Prince
Flcdcric's Sound a fearful snow storm
was encountered. This was the morn.
ing of Murch ID, at 2 o'clock. The
wind was blowing furious gale from
the northwest, the snow was falling
very fast, and the weather so extremely
cold that all the water which came on
board or touched the rigging was con-
gealed almost instantly. In conse-
qence of this, the rigging soon became
a mass of ice, and refused to obey the
ropes, while the deck of the schooner
presented rugged mass of frozen wa
ter, which so impeded the crew in pass
ing to and fro that the vessel was left
completely at the mercy of the wind
and waves. On and Oh the doomed
vessel scudded through the blind and
pitiless storm, and just before daylight
on the morning of the I'd she struck
the lee shore with fearful crash.
When the light of day broke over
the scene, it was discovered that the YES
sci had stranded on the most wild, des-
olate and rocky portion of the coast of
Krusenkoff Island. The point where
the Margaret was lost was about IS
miles from Fort Wrangel and 1870 from
Sitka. Only four men were on board
at the time of the wreck--Capt. Harri-
son and three sailors. They succeeded
in safely landing and after the storm
subsidized, secured enough provisions to
last several weeks, and the mainsail
which was made into large tent.
On the morning of the seventh day
after the wreck, several Indians made
their appearance in a canoe. Up to
that time not human being had been
seen. These Indians landed and re-
manned for a few hours on the island.
They made no hostile demonstrations
and appeared peaceably disposed to-
ward the shipwrecked crew. They
took their departure, but returned in
the afternoon of the same day, accom-
panied by more than forty others. No
sooner had these Indians, who belonged
to both the Caique and Stickcen tribes,
set foot on the island than they began
to rob and pilfer everything that they
could lay their fingers on. Without
hesitation, these dirty, squalid thieves,
undiscriminately appropriated articles
of clothing, provisions, etc. They tore
down the tent that the crew had hastily
improvised, and, without saying a word,
cut it up into narrow strips and then
parceled it out among themselves. Ev-
every day while the crew remained on
the island they were besieged by horde
of these filthy savages, who continued
to plumber them at their pleasure.
Awaiting themselves, however, of the
absence Of the Indians, the crew man.
aged to bury portion of the provis-
ions, or they certainly would have fam
ished, as the thieving devils would not
have left them q morsel to subsist
upon.
Before the schooner went to pieces,
Captain Harrison contrived to get the
life-boat off, and removed it to point be.
yond the reach of the tide. In this
frail craft he finally determined to send
two of his men in the forlorn endeavol
of reaching Fort Wrangel and securing
aid. On the eighth day the men EN-.
barked, but it appears lost their reck
oning and drifted a week or more along
the coast without making any Roadway
At length Capt. Harrison managed te
negotiate with Caique Chief, through
the kind mediation and influence of 6
certain Stickeen Sachem, who was
friendly disposed toward the white
men, to convey them to Wrangel
Twenty dollars was offered by Captain
Harrison, and graciously accepted by
the Caique Chief as the price, for the
passage. After some delays, Harrison
and the other white man embarked il
the canoe on the sixteenth day after
the wreck occurred, accompanied by
two Caiques, bound for Wrangel. Or
the evening of the fifth day they ar
rived at Wrangel, completely worn ou
by protracted hunger, privation and
exposure. Strange as it may seem, The
two men sent by Captain Harrison, al
though starting from the island eight
days before, arrived at the Fort only