The Republican journal., 1875-11-18
Loss of the Pacific. Story Of the
Collision.


Loss Of the Pacific. Story Of the
Collision.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. Il. A despatch
this afternoon from Port Townsend reports
the return OF the revenue steamer Walcott
from her cruise alter the survivors OF the
Pacific. After finding O'Hanlan, the quar-
termaster previously reported, the cutter
steamed for Neah Bay. When near Wad-
don Island she picked up the body of the
under steward OF the Pacific. On reaching
Neah Bay, Lieut. Harwood, in command
OF the cutter sent the Indians in canoes.
who searched the coast for twenty miles
southwest of Cape Flattery, returning al
ter two days Of unsuccessful search. There
was q heavy gale on Tuesday and We'd
nesday The Walcott sailed for Barclay
Sound, Nancouver's Island, 50 miles from
Cape Flattery. and communicated with the
Indians along Nancouyers shore but moth
ING of importance was obtained Stcani-
ing up Barclay Sound the first lndian vii
| age was hailed and Il canoe came off con-
tanning Il white man, who came aboard
and introduced himself As first mate of the
ship Orphcus. lie stated that she had
been run into the Thursday night prcvi-
Gus by a steamer, was wrecked on the fol
| lowing Saturday morning on IN island by
| Copper Island; the captain and crew had
got ashore safely and were encamped fur
Their up. Proceeding III the direction
| indicated another canoe approached, in
which was Capt. Sawyer of the Orpheus.
! He gave the following account OF the dis
aster:
Thursday evening he was approaching
the cape by his reckoning about twenty
miles OFT, with fresh southeast breeze
and steering about northwest. The man
at the wheel first saw the steamers head
light off the port bow, Immediately after
straight ahead; could see neither OF her
sidc-lights could not make out which di-
rection she was coming the light came
nearer; he continued to starboard his helm
until his vessel had turned around with
sails Hat back The steamer by this time
| had got very near him and blew one wins
| tie, and in less than half a minute her bow
struck his ship just abait the torechains
crushing in the rail and breaking down
the planking to near the copper She
surged alongside Of her striking and graf
ing along the starboard side. carving
away all the starboard braces and rigging
Oii lilttU Sltic. dop VIZ lblt loillHUNl. AuIJl.
Sawyer states he hailed the steamer As She
surged past and called TO them to lay by
| him and send a boat. as he then supposed
! his ship to be in Il sinking condition, but
no one answered his hail neither did he
see any one on deck. She dritted or steam
| ed away, he was not certain which, He
afterwards saw flash of a light which he
| took for II signal. He thought they had
heard his hail and would lay by HIM He
saw her no more.
His ship at that time demanded all Cf
his attention. He lay to the remainder Of
that night and nearly all day Friday, re
pairing his rigging; that forenoon he got
under way again and made sail for land
Soon after dark he made a hight which he
took for Cape Flattery, not knowing there
was a light on the coast further north. lie
allowed five miles clearance for Duncan
Rock. and considered himself safe for en-
tering the straits of Fuca, when about )
O'Clock Saturday morning his ship scrap
ed over reef, Immediately after struck
her bow on 4 rock, stuck fast and filled.
The light he mistool1 tor Flattery was
Cape Beale at the entrance of Barclay
Sound, 80 miles north Of the former The
ship will prove total loss. Capt Saw
yer got all the yaluablcs, Ne, he could
out Of her and encamped on the shore
with his wife and the crew in tents made
of sails; had hired q canoe OF the Indians
| and started his mate to Victoria for help
but the weather was so bad the indians
would not venture on the voyage.
When the Walcott arrived, L. llarwood
took them aboard of his vessel with the
most valuable portion Of goods saved,
leaving the first mate OF the OrIJheus in
charge OF the wreck until the owners
could be consulted. All We're landed safe
ly at Port Townsend on Friday morning,
Nothing was heard or seen in Barclay
Sound of anything pertaining to the Pa
citlc. Capt. llarwood and Pilot Peter
Thompson went to the wreck of the Or
pheus and examined it carefully. They
say she was undoubtedly strucl, by Il
steamer Just abaft the forward rigging.
The Orpheus registered 1861 tons aud was
owned by e. l.. Taylor Il Co.. OF this city
At the time of the collision with the paci-
lic she was in ballast, ON the way to De-
parture Bay for coal. having sailed from
this port on the 29th uIt.
There is no expectation Of rcscuing 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 entertained Of further
discoveries.
Roeto,,