The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-07-09
THE LOST SHIP.

Will Out" was published in Tie Cal
a story taken from the Victoria Cot0nist
of mutiny on board the ship Alaska,
in the China Sea, ten years ago, the
murder of the Captain and passen gers,
the scuttling and burning Of the ship.
escape of the crew to land, 1nd the
subsequent detection and arrest Of sew
eral Of the mutineers in Japan, where
they now are in custody. During the
day Gail reporter met Captain j. X.
Thorndike. at present residing in this
city, who owned the Alaska ut the time
she was lost, and dispatched her from
Shanghai for Victoria, B. c., on the 10th
Of December, 1859. Since that time up
to seeing the account of her loss in Tie
call. be had never heard tidings OF his
vessel, but had always supposed that
she had gone down at sea with oil on
board He gave an interesting account
Of her departure from Shanghai, and
what occurred afterwards. now that the
circumstances were called to his mind.
The Alaska was ship Of 400 tons bur.
then, built in 1869, and had cargo Ca
pacity for one million feet Of lumber.
She had been fitted up as troop ship,
and had six boats. capable OF carrying
fifty men each. She had been recop-
pered and thoroughly overhauled just
previous to her departure from Shang
hal, and was in excellent condition.
She was valued at $4,000 and unin-
sured. She cleared from Shanghai
under command of Captain Charles
Csvanaugh. Frederick Thorndike, .
brother Of Captain Thorndike, the
owner, went out as supercargo. sad had
in his possession
ALRTTER OF CREDIT
For $50. 900, with which to purchase q
cargo on tho arrival of the ship ct
Puget Sound. Captain Thorndike
states that the report % to there being
$4,000 in gold on board was an error.
1t is very probable. however, that the
mutineers supposed ths& the funds for
the purchase Of return cargo were in
coin. and il 80. it would prove an in.
centive to the crime. Two days after
the Alaska had sailed O rumor was
prevalent iu Shanghai that her Captain
ard officers had been thrown overheard
and the ship taken possession Of by the
mutineers. The commander of the U.
8. steamship Ashuelot, which was in
the harbor ct the time. proposed 10 go
out 10 sea, regain possession Of the ship
and tow her into port but Captain
Thorndike. upon tracing the matter,
was unable to find real foundation for
it. so no search was made for the ship
at that time. He ascertained. however,
that there we're eleven stowaways on
board, who were among tho very worst
characters in Shanghai - discharged
sailors of different nationalities. who
would not hesitate to knock q man on
the head or slit his throat for tho coin
in his pocket. This, however, gave
Captain Thorndike little alarm, as he
believed they had got tired OF hanging
about Shanghai and took this method
of reaching America, where they might
gain good wages with easy work, and
thought that. as usual in such cases,
they would come out on deck and show
themselves when the ship got safe
distance from shore. 1t the mutiny
occurred, Captain Thorndike is Of the
opinion that these stowaways melted
it, II they were not the only partici-
pants. Including the stowaways, there
were forty souls on board. several pas
sengers being among the number. OF
the latter, Captain Thorndike renem.
bers especially two-an old man and
his wife-who were
GOING BACK TO VICTORIA,
Where they had children residing. The
old man came to him and told him that
DO had but $40, but hoped he would
allow him to 60 for that. Capt. Thorn
dixie told him TO keep his money, but
that he shoald have passage for him
self and wife anyway. Capt. Thorn
dixie confirms the report of the death
Of his brothers wife from broken
heart. Deferred hope carried off one
of his daughters, and the other, the last
Of the family. 10 now gradually pining
away. There are several points in the
narrative, however. 40 heretofore pub
lished, which tend to throw discIedit
at least upon the mutiny portion. as it
seems improbable that several sailors
who were concerned in such q crime
could have remained in company and
been found in ono port in japan ten
years afterward. 1t may be that
the story of the drunken sailor in .
Yokohama saloon may DO but the
lingering vision Of the rumor corrent
in the streets Of Shanghai two days
after the sailing Of the Alaska. dragged
from the reveries of tho brain by tho
stimulating effects Of alcohol. The
truth. however, should be made known
by the next mail from Japan. Captain
Thorndike has always been Of the
opinion that the Alaska had met with
fate similar to that which had over.
taken many other vessels sailing from
Chinese aud Japanese ports 70 ports
upon this coast. The Alaska IVES the
sixth ship calling from Shanghai within
five or elk years that were never heard
Of afterwards. In 1861. it will be reool-
lectsd, the ship Black Prince and the
fine clipper ship Romance of the Seas.
were also lost, oil sailing the same
route-slong the great Japanese stream
to latitude about 500 n, ct which
southing and essting is made. In Sep.
tember last the schooners Cygnet,
Ocean Pearl. aad Sarah Louise, were
also lost-swallowed b. the remorseless
sea. And now the ship Black Hawk,
owned by George Howes s. Co, is
seventy-eight days ont from Houskone
and considerable anxiety Is expressed
IN regard to her. 1t is to be hoped ,ha,