Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-03-15
Wreck Of the Port Gordon.

Last Friday wan and weary lot
OF men were seen to a'ight in the viciG-
ity Cf Young's hotel. Several OF them
appeared badly MANNED, and tn
OLYMPIAN mans curiosity was aroused.
He made some Inquiries and soon
learned that the men wer none other
tn III what was left from the Bri,ish sh p
Port Gordon, VIII ch VI ssel wes wrecked
last week about forty miles south
of Cape Fl4ttery, on Destruction
Island.
Seeking the Captain, the reporter
learned that the names OF the men
were a. follows: VIM. Glib, Captain,
and seamen VIM. Lammant, VIM.
Rogers, NJ. Orandez, Cbas. Williams,
Chas. Birch and Arthur Hall. All the
men are more or SIS bruised AMI Will
liams and Capt. Glib are suffering
from severe contu-ions on the legs.
The former is so badly hurt that he
must he carried about by his III ate,
and he suffers eXcru- iating pain all
the time.
Captain Glib states he was the
last man to leave the ship and only
did so when she was breaking up un-
der his feet. A. he landed he saw the
beach crowded with Indians and he
knew rot what kind of reception h
would receive. On his arrival every
thing WIS done to alleviate their suf-
ferings and send them on their way.
No man Of the parry saved Anything
and most of them had only 4 singl,
and pair CT pants on when they ar
rived.
Once On shore they fixed them
selves up as well as poss bic and
started for point fourteen mics di,-
tant along the beach. Captain Glib
is small man and wears number
five shoe, vet he walked at distance
in a pair of number ten brogans, and
he was better equipped than the bal
ance of his men.
At the latter place conveyancss
were provided for them, and the citi-
zens, Capt. Glib says, were very kind
to them. All were fit d out in C m
Portable warm clothes and their wants
attended to.
Saturday morning they left for
Tacoma where the agent of his
ship, Alexan ier Bailee, representing
Baliour Guthrie Il Co, is located
Here he laid the matter of the
loss OF his vessel before the Englsh
consul and ask for an investigation.
When Capt Glib had rested spell
the OLYMPIAN man asked him for an
account of the wreck which he kindly
furnished as iol ows: The Port Cor
don had 1,7S5 tons of fire brick and
iron consigned to parties in Seattle
and Tacoma. They had been 126
days, all tod, out from home and on
the morning of Wednesday, 9Th, was
miles 10 the son!h of Destruction
Island. Desiring to obtain corr,c
sounding he ship was hove to with
the main iop aback ana was sailins
under the two lower topsails. The
lead was cast and showed SO fathoms
with no bottom. At this time the
wind was southeast and at 8 o clock
the ship suddenly struck on the rocks
Preparations were at once made to
reach the shore and a Mexican named
Andrew Garcia, volunteered to swim
ashore with a line. The tide being
high and escape at that time impos-
sible the crew set about to make rats
PR para ory to leaving the ship. One
of these was launched and by that
means line communication was had
with the ship.
All hands save the cap ain, ma c
and Seamen Campbell, had reach, d
shore. The two latter were on their
way there when the line brokr
Campbell was drowned. This LII.
Capt. Gibb aboard. Night coasing on
he made the best of his position ~
tucking himself away in the folss of
the foretop staysail. Here he re-
mained all night the sea breaking over
him at regular intervals. About sn
hour before daylight he fell asleep and
when he awoke the sun was high in
the heavens and not sign of lie On
shore. All had gwen him for lost anu
they wended their way to an Indi,h
camp of the Hobs, away up the beach.
In the afternoon at low tide, several
Indians came to the beach and the
Captain signslled them. They an
swertd and some waded into
the surf as far as they dared
At last, stripping himself, he
took to the water and reached the
shore almost benumbed with the cold
The crew had gone on, but he over
took them that evening.