The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-11-16
The Pacidc Disaster.

A dispatch from San Francisco of
saturday last, reports the arrival at
f0lht townsend, on the previous dnv,
OF the revenue steamer Walcott, which
had been dispatched in search of Tie
survivors OF The lost steamer Pacific.
After finding O'Hauon, the quarter.
master, previously noted, the cutter
steamed for Neah bay, near Waddan
island, aud picked up the body of the
under-steward Of the Pacific. ON
reaching Neah bay, Lieutenant How.
ard, In command Of the Walcott, sent
Indians with canoes, who searched the
coast twenty miles southwark of Cape
flattery, returning after two DAYS, un.
successful. There was heavy gale all
day Tuesday. "Wednesday the Waleott
sailed for Barclay sound, Vancouver
island, thrty-five miles from Cane
Flattery, and communicated with In.
dams along Vanc0uver's shore, int
nothing OF Importance was ascertain.
ed. The vessel which collided with the
Pacific.
Steaming up Barclay sound an In
dian was hailed. A canoe came of
containing white man, who came
aboard and introduced himself rs the
first mate of the ship 0rpheus. lie
stated that she had been run into the
Thursday night previous by steamer
and was wrecked on the following sat.
urday morning on the island near by
Copper Island, The captain and crew
had got ab0re safely. and were encamp-
ed further up.
Proceeding In the direction indi
Gated, another canoe approached, IN
which was Capt. Sawyer, of the Or.
pheus. He gave the following account
Of the disaster:
Thursday evening he was approa h
ing the cape, 10y his reckoning, atoat
twenty miles oil There was fresh
'outheast breeze. He was steering
about northwest. The man at the
wheel first saw the steamers head,
light off the port-bow, and Immediately
AFTER straight ahead. He could see
neither OF her side-lights, aud could not
make out in which direction she was
coming. He put his helm starboard
The light came nearer. He continued
to starbaard his helm, until his vessel
had turned around, with her sails flat
aback. The steamer by this time had
got nearer him. and blew her whistle
In less than half minute afterward,
her bow struck his ship, glanCiug upon
the bow just abaft the fore.chaln,
crushing In the rail, breaking the
planking down TO near the copper.
She urged alongside of her, striking
aud grating along the starhoard side,
carrying all the starboard braces
aud the rigging on that side, also the
fore t0p-mast. Captain Sawyer states
that 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 sinking
condition, but no one answered the
hail, neither did he see any one on
leck. She lrifted or steamed away, he
was not certain which, He afterwards
saw dash of light which he took for
signal. He thought they had heard
his hail aud would lay by him. He
saw her no more.
His ship at that time demanded all
his attention. He lay the remainder
of that night and nearly all day Friday
repairing his rigging. That forenoon
he got under way again and made sail
for land. Soon after dark he made Il
light which he took for Cape Flattery,
not knowing that there was light on
the coast further north. He allowed
five miles clearance for Duncan rock,
and considered himself safe for enter
ing Tn o straits of Fuca, when, about
five o'clock Saturday morning, his ship
scraped over the reef, and immediate.
" after struck her bow on rock. She
stuck fast, aud filled.
The light he mistook for Flattery
was Oh Cape Beale, the entrance Of
Barclay sound. thirty-five miles north
Of the former. The ship will prove a
total loss. Captain Sawyer got all the
valuahles, etc., he could out Of her, and
encamped on shore with his wife aud
crew IN tents made Of sails He had
hired a canoe from the Indians, and
started his mate to Victoria for help,
hut the weather was so bad that the
Indians would not venture out on n
voyage; so they were found there still
when the Walcott arrived.
Lieutenant Harwood took all OF them
aboard his vessel, with the most vau-
able portion of the goods saved, leev-
ing the first m ate Of the OF the Orpheus
in charge of the wreck until the own
ers could be consulted. All were
landed safely at Port Townsend Fri
day morning. Nothing was heard or
seen in Barclay Sound Of anything
pertaining to the Pa ,ific.
Captain HARDWOOD and Pilot Peter
Thompson went to the wreck OF the
Orpheus and examined II carefully.
They say the ship was undoubtedly
struck by the steamer Just abaft the
forward rigging The Orpheus regis
tered 1857 tons. She was owned by G.
+. Tnylor e. Co, of this city. AT the
time of the collision with the Pacific
she was In ballast, on her way to De-
par,ure hay for n cargo of coal having
snil d from this port on the 9th inst
There Is me- expectation Of resruing
any more Of those on the Paclic..
There has been heavy weather most OF
The time since the wreck, and, after
,,nro,iuh search, no hopes are enter