The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-04
SEA AND SHORE.
Stormy Passage of the British
Ship BenIarig to Tacoma. !.
The Steamer Bertha Aground at Point No
Point-Iusurarcs on the Cargo Of
the Steamer Strathearn.

Captain Robert PLACE of the British ship
Benlarig has made the following interesting
report to the Bracnh photographic Office in
this city of his voyage from Santa Rosalia,
Mexico to Tacoma Sailed from Santa RU-
salia August 22d; had variable winds to
Cape st. Lucas, which was sighted Septem-
Der 4th. During the nights of the 9th and
Goth of August and September I'd, when
about half way down the Gulf of California,
experienced what, on that coast, are termed
"tobascos."
They give timely warning by incessant
lightning and heavy thunder. They come
up from east to south-soutieast in the form
of large well-defined arch, with thick,
white clouds on the upper part and heavy,
black ragged-edged clouds on the lower part
of the arch and clear sky underneath. They
blow with terrific violence about an hour,
more or less, sometimes accompanied by
perfect deluge of rain. After the squall has
passed, it is usually calm for few hours,
then fresh southeast wind and clear weather
follow. Strangers TO the Gulf of California
would do well to reduce sail as rapidly as
possible, day or night, when the above indi-
cations appear.
On September 14th, in latitude 90 39
north, longitude 1902 20 west, at o'clock in
the morning, the barometer fell rapidly
from 1910 to 1890, the wind blowing in fit
full gusts and rapidly shifting to and from
northwest and northeast, weather gloomy
and threatening. Reduced sail to three
lower topsails and foresail. At 4 o'clock in
the afternoon it was blowing very hard from
northeast and increasing rapidly, with high
confused sea. Took in the lower fore and
mizZen topsails and hove the ship TO under
lower main topsail.
IT BLEW A HURRICANE.
From midnight on the 18th to 10 o'clock in
the morning, September 15,h. it blew a
hurricane, accompanied by violent squalls,
binding rain. extraordinarily vivid lightning
and deafening peals of thunder. During the
passage of some OF the squalls the sea for
short time would be comparatively smooth
through the terrific force of the wind. A
heavy southwest swell meeting the north
east sea caused the sea to rise in dangerous
pyramidal heaps; several seas broke on
board, but fortunately without any damage
being done.
During the heaviest part of the gale the
barometer was continually rising and fall
ing from 29.65 to $3.50. The ship behaved
spendidlC throughout. At O'clock in the
afternoon on the 18th. a terrific squat.
accompanied by sort OF tidal wave,
passed over the ship, after which the wind
moderated and hauled east and the weather
morning of October 18th sighted Cape Flat
terry light, and at o'clock in the afternoon
on that date it came on thick AMI dirty
wind increasing TO a gale.
From o'clock on the evening Of the 18th
to S o'clock on the morning of the 18th blew
hard gale, with a heavy sea from south
east. during which the barometer only fell
one-tenth from $3.50 to $500. AT noon on
/ the 18th, the wind hauled to southwest,
moderating, and the weather cleared up.
Entered the Straits Of San Juan de Fuca at
| o'clock in the morning on October 18th,
| and anchored at Port Townsend at O'clock
on the evening of the same date. On Sep
| TENDER 2Sth, in latitude 80 70 north. longi-
| tude 1852 10 west spoke the bark Richard
| Ill, from san Diego for Puget Sound, and
| on October 18th. in latitude 36' SO north,
| longitude l40o 80, west, slgnaled the British
| iron bark Astoria from Maryport, England,
| for Vancouver.
THE OVERDUE sTRATHEARN.
| Up to late hour last evening the steamer
| Stratheain, bound to this port from Java via
| Nagasaki, with cargo OF sugar for j. ID.
| Spreckels u Brothers, had not been sighted.
| She left Nagasaki forty-six days ago and it
| is feared that she has met with some mis-
hap. The steamer Remus, which left Maya
saki two days after the StrathearD, arrived
here on October 18th and reported having
encountered a terrific hurricane off the coast
of Japan, during which her lee rail was
under water for eighteen hours The insur-
ance on the steamers cargo amounts 10
| S275, 600.
Tie following officers for the ensuing year
were elected at the second convention of
| California Harbor, No. 10. American Brother
| hood of Steamboat Pilots, or Saturday even
! ing last: Captain William L. Forsman. Dele
| gate TO Grand Harbor; w. G. Tyler, alter
nate; W. c. Tyler, Captain H. X. White,
First Pilot; Clement Randall. Second Pilot;
c. TitchwoIth, Purser; r. n. Pippey, Pur-
- A Mol uuIlin (anfaipfs
clerk George A. Allen, Chaplain; II. Merx,
George Scott and ID. H.. Haskell, Trustees.
The weather was haZy at Point Lobos
yesterday and the wind moderate from the
northeast until 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
when it yeered to the southwest. The
barometer read o'clock in the morning,
3019; noon, 30l5; 8 o'clock in the evening,
30.1l.
THE BERTHA AGROUND.
1t was learned yesterday that the Alaska
Commercial Company'S steamer Bertha,
which recently returned from Oonalaska,
where she delivered dispatches to the cut
ter Bear, was aground at Point No Point,
about half way between Port Townsend
and Seattle. When interviewed yesterday
Mr.. Sloss of the company said: I'VE have
no definite information in regard to the YES
sci. Our last advces stated that the Bertha
was leaving Port Townsend for Seattle.
We telegraphed a message to Captain An
derson, and the telegraph company ill.,
formed us that it could not deliver the mes
sage as the vessel was aground at Port No
Point; that's all we know. 1t cannot be
anything serious, or Captain Anderson
would have found means to notify us"
The following item is taken from Hong
| Kong paper brought by the Oceanic: A
new feature has been the charterng Of the
| German steamer Amigo from Macao to Aca-
| pulco with emigrants, and more tonnage is
| wanted in the same direction.
The steamer COlima sailed yesterday for
Panama and way ports. She took 81 cabin
and "A steerage passengers. Among the
latter were 26 United States seamen, who
are going to the Brooklyn Navy-yard to be
| paid off.
The steamer Alameda sailed from Auck-
land for this port yesterday at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, and the San Juan sailed
from Acapulco for Panama on the 31st ult.
sEAL-HUNTERS ORGANIZE.
At a meeting Of seal-hunteIs held few
| days ago 1t was resolved that the lay or
proportion they should sign for, should be
| based on a value of $40 per skin. If the
| catch should be under 200 the hunters shall
| receive 10 per cent on that basis: over 200
and under go, 15h per cent; between 80
| and 800, 10 per cent; between 800 and 400.
| II per cent and for AGO and upward, 20 per
! cent. Should the price of skins go over SO
| the hunters to receive more in proportion.
Tie steamer Humboldt, which ran on
rock while entering the harbor, has COM
| pleted her repairs on the dry dock and will
sail tomorrow for Humboldt, having been
delayed four days.
From gentleman who arrived from Vic
toria it is learned that parties from there
have gone East to procure eight schooners
for the coast sealing trade.
The ship l. +. Chapman. for this port,
was spoken on October 26th in latitude 80 40
south, longitude 26o 40' west.
The steamer Australia came off the Hum
ters Point Dry-dock yesterday and will
commence loading for Honolulu to-day.
scarcity of Gsugers.
A few weeks ago Collector Sears appointed