The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-01-24
a STORY OF THE SEA.

L
Alone in the Mid Pacific-The Dis
tfessiDg Chronicle of Log Book.
| Gwen Bascom was born at Waterbury,
| Conn, thirty six years ago. He suddenly
left the city, having conceived passion
J for adventure through constant reading
thrilling romances and exciting tales
! Of the sea. For some time his aged par
/ ents male earnest efforts to find their
truant son, but although his father spent
| Mgge portion of the hard-earned say
ingAof many years of honest toll as q
carpenter, no trace OF Owen could be
dis overed and after many months all
hope was given up, his father and
mother finally concluding that he must
be dead or they would have had some
word from him. Great was their sur
fpriss and qualification when he turned
up here to- celebrate his re-
turn to America and to commem-
osete the anniversary OF his birth.
| Of his experiences since he left home.
He went to New York on leaving Water
tbpry. and stayed there for some time,
knocking about town and picking up any
odd jobs here and there, but always
watching for a grand chance for adven-
s.t.;ye, with prospect of riches as re-
lizard. His chance did not come before
::,:s funds were exhausted and he was
finally compelled to ship before the
kM4sst'or return home, which latter alter
native Has TOO much for his pride to
Ipermlt. He knocked about on board
lehip To-. months, running into nearly all
the sprincipal foreign ports and getting
.Ele adventure he wanted, but not
the anticipated alloy of pleasure he
iotksd forward to.
8gCne dR, when he was in Calcutta, he
III with party of dventurers, who,
himself, were looking for fortunes.
hobnobbed with them all dav and
mellow with them at night, listened
their seductive schemes for acquiring
,th, and finally concluded to join
..s,axpedition. As their vessel, the
Nellie; was to sail the next morning
3ascom went on board the vessel to
which he belonged, gathered up his few
Effects and quietly deserted. The Nellie
feared for Nicolaevsk early in the fore,
|tore Of supplies, to prospect for gold
along the coast of China or Siberia.
Nicolaevsk was reached without incident
Ind four or five days were spent there
Id 1ryinR in stores for the expedition.
The men comprising the party and crew
}shen it left Nicolaevsk we're: Captain
Nbomas Thompson; Captain Philip
Sowu, Jonson Emery, the mate of the
,.ailie and two Cinnamon.
Great Shantar, or Sugar Island, lies of
?et.pasts of Siberia, in the western part
IF the Okhatsk Sea, III a bay Of the same
hame. Hare indications of gold we're
'aund by the prospectors. and they con.
Hded to make their headquarters at
isis point.' Accordingly they made a
Tournament landing there on September
n, 1876, aud on the Goth began the erec-
ion of log rancho. This was COM
bletJd and moved in to on October 5.
The next day one ofthe Chinese sailors
Ras lefs in charge of the cabin and sup.
lilies while the remainder of the party
BOX the Nellie and went Of across the
Nay on prospecting tour. After cruise
1.-TWO days, during which time the par
IL put into many little coves and inlets
iquest Of the treasures of the earth,
nd 4 terrible gale blew the Nellie upo1,
susMen rock just opposite their place
e habitation.. She went to pieces and
he men had great difficulty in getting
shore. Brown was taken sick October
&. and one of the Cinnamon became Ill
70 or three days after. - ..n.-,
Matters began to look very gloomy for
he little party, and q few days afterward
sascom, who was feeling, in much better
Iealth than any of'the others, went in q
tbale-beat, which was thrown upon
hore after the wreck, to get assistance
nd obtain medicines Tor his comrades
fe was caught IN severe storm ana, IN
Dite5of his most strenuous efforts, was
AowYkout to sea. For days he was
used about in his little boat and al,
hough he ate very sparingly his small
hppIy Of No, isions soon gave out. Al.
I'M he had been without food for three
al and was shout to give up in despair,
com saw sail. With desperate eff.
H. he attracted the attention of the yes
Il and was taken on board. 1t was 9
.tive Chinese craft, on fishing cruise
nd twas many wearv weeks before ne
as landed ct Hong kong; !, During "a az
,I62 his comrades and was extremely
sxious to render some assistance tt
am. For long time nd opportunity
1ered until finally one day he succeed
Tin finding 9 vessel bound for the Ok.
lsk Sea and secured passage on her..
His supply Of money contributed by
q fellow explorers had dWindled pretty
*. bat was lie plenisffed to some extern
charitable people to whom he has
Il his story. The vessel in which
Eo1hb secured passage was the
Sooner Hannah Rice, owned by firm
Nmders, Dinholm q Co., Of Wadin
bck, and was On her way with supplies
new station lust established q
Inarr or Shanta Bay. Whenthe party
der Bascomb's lead reached the spo
ere his party had set up its cabir
aN jfSYa atSrtloI1 to find lying few