The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-11-13
The Steamship PRCillc-MOre OF
Her Dead Passengers.

SAN Francisco, November IA dis
patch this afternoon from Point Town
send reports the return OF the revenue
steamer WalcOtt from cruise after the
survivors Of the Pacific. After finding
OHanlon, the quartermaster, previously
noted, the cutter steamed for Neah bay,
near Waddon Island, and picked up the
body Of the under steward OF the Pacific,
On reaching Neah bay, Lieut.. HarwoOd
in command Of the WalCOtt, sent Indian
canoes out, who searched the coast for 20
miles southwark Of Cape Flattery, re-
turning after two days unsuccessful.
There was u heavy gale all day Tuesday
and Wednesday. The Walcott sailed for
Barclay Sound, VanCOuver's Island, near
Cape Flattery, and communicated with
the Indians along NancouVer's shore, but
nothing OF Importance was ascertained,
and steaming up Barclay Sound the first
Indian village was hailed, and canoe
came Oft cOntsining a white man, who
came on board aGd introduced himself as
the first mate Of the ship Orpheus, He
stated that he had been run into on
the Thursday night previous, by the
steamer, which was wrecked on the fol-
lowing Saturday morning, on the island,
near by Copper Island, and that the Cap.
tain and crew had got ashore safely and
were encamped further up; so proceed.
ing in the direction indicated another
canoe approached, in which was Captain
Sawyer, Of the Orpheus. lie gave the
following account OF the disaster:
On Thursday evening hO was approach
ing the Cape, by his reckoning, about
twenty miles oil, with fresh Southeast
breeze, and was steering about Northwest,
when the man at the wheel first saw the
steamers headlight, off Port Bow, and
Immediately after she went straight
ahead, and he could see neither Of her
side lights; could not make out which
direction she was coming; put his helm
a starbOard; the light came nearer; he
continued to stArbOard his helm until his
vessel had turned around, sails flat aback.
The steamer by this time had got very
near him, blew one whistle, and in less
than half minute after her bow struck |
his ship a glancing blow Just abaft the
fOrechains, crashing in the rail and break
ing the plAnking down to near the cop
per. She surged along the esturboard side,
carrying away all the starbOard braces
and rigging on that side; also the fore.
topmast. Captain Sawyer states that he
hailed the steamer as she surged past and
called to them to lay by and
send Il boat, as lie then supposed
his ship to be in " sinking con.
dition, but no one answered the hail,
neither did he see any one on deck, She
driftGd or steamed away, he was not Ger.
tain which. lie afterwards saw Il flash OF
light which he took Tor II signal and
thought they had heard his hail and would
lay by him. lie saw her no more, and his
ship at that time demanding all his Atten.
ton he lay the remainder Of that night
and nearly all day Friday repairing rig
ging Got under way again and made
sail for land. Soon after dark made a
light which he took for Cape llNttery.
Not knowing there was light on the
coast further north, he allowed five miles
for clearance Of Duncan rock and cOnsid.
cred himself safe for entering the Straits
Of I'ucO; when about five o'clock SHtur.
day morning his ship scraped over
the reef and Immediately struck her bow
on rock, and filled; the light he mistook
for Flattery was Cape Beale, the entrance
of Barclay Sound 80 miles west Of the for.
mer; the ship will prove n total loss;
Capt. Sawyer got all the valuables he
could out Of her and enCamped on the
shore with his wife and crew in tents
made Of sails; had hired a canoe from
the Indians, and started his mate TO Vic.
toria for help, but the weather was 30 bad
that the Indians would not venture out
on the voyage, 70 they were found when
Walcott arrived Lieutenant llarwood
took all OF then on board his vessel with
the most valuable portion Of the goods
saved, leaving the first mate Of the Or.
phus in charge Of the wreck until the
owners could be cOnsulted all were
landed safely at Point Townsend
Friday morning, and nothing was heard
or seen in Barclay Sound Of anything per.
tAing to the Pacific. Captain llarwood
and pilot Peter Thompson went to the
wreck of the Orpheus and examined II
They sAy that the ship was
undoubtedly struck by the steamer just
abnft her forward rigging. The Orpheus
registered !, ,067 tons, and was owned by
G. l.. Taylor & Co., Of this city. At the
time OF the collision with the Pacific she
was in ballast and bound for Ncah Bay
for n cargo Of coal, having sailed from
this port on the 20 ult. There is no ex.
pectRtion Of rcscning any more Of those
on the Pacific. There has been heavy
weather most Of the time since the wreck
and after thorough search no hopes are
Of further discoveries.