Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-22
CANADIAN SEALERS.
The Maggie Mac Returns to Victoria
with "A Good Catch,


VICTORIA (B. C.), September 21St.-Last
night another sealing schooner returned
safely from Behring's Sea, Captain Dodd
bringing his light little craft, Maggie Mac,
into harbor with a good catch
The Maggie Mac sailed from Victoria
January 10Th, and after fishing down the
coast landed 164 skins at San Francisco
and sailed north from there March 10Th.
The vessel fshed up the coast to the Chum-
icam Island, from which were shipped
home 6l3 skins on the Wanderer, June
2Sth.
The Behring Sea was entered 4th of July,
and by the 9th there were over 500 skins
on board. On the morning of the 9th the
schooner was about forty miles west by
north from st. Paul Island, sailing before a
stiff breeze, with a small mainsail on.
Boats were just getting ready to 90 when
the Rush was sighted bearing down on the
schooner.
The schooner did her best 10 get away,
but owing to the high wind could not put
on all sail. For three hours, however, she
kept ahead of the Rush, which crowded on
steam and closed up the distance steadily.
Three hours after the chase commenced
the cutter was within hailing distance, and
ordered the schooner to heaye to. As the
Captain could do nothing else he obeyed.
A boat was at once lowered, containing the
First Lieutenant and crew from the cut
ter and two officers of the Alaska CONNER
cial Company. They came through a
rough sea and at once boarded the schooner.
Lieutenant Tuttle, first of all, demanded to
see the clearance papers of the schooner,
which we shown him. He examined the
documents carefully and returned them to
Captain Dodd. He then asked where the
seals on board had been taken. Copper
Island" replied Dodd. I'VE will have to
look at them" was the rejoinder.
Accompanied by two officers of the
Alaska Commercial Company, Lieutenant
Tuttle then followed the Captain into the
hold and proceeded to make an examina-
ton for green skins. They were informed
by Dodd that none were less than three or
four days old, and finally they agreed that
I" they didn't look fresh" and went back 10
the cutter to report the facts to the superior
officer. Returning again to the Maggie
Mac, the Lieutenant of the Rush informed
him that he would take his Captain Dodd's)
word in regard to the skins, and would not
contiscate them. He, however, instructed
the Captain to get out of Behring Sea at
once, threatening him, if caught again, he
would be seized.
The boats crew then went back to the
cutter, which steamed away, and was not
seen again. Being compelled to keep on
the outskirts of the sea, full catch, such
as would otherwise have been made, was
not secured. When the Maggie Mac sailed
for home on The last day of August she
had total seasons catch of 2,l67-1, 200
skins being taken in closed waters. The
Favorite was spoken July 9th, and had
LOO skins. The run home was made in
twenty days with light winds.
Had any attempt been made to take pos
session of the skins on board Captain Dodd
says he and his crew would have made
stubborn resistance. They considered the
seizure of the skins nothing but piracy.
and would have dealt with the boarding
party as they would with pirate, had they
attempted TO remove the cargo of the Mag
gle Mac. For himself, Captain Dodd says,
he would have fought till he fell before
permitting one skin to leave his own vessel.