The morning call., 1891-10-03
CHEEKY YANKEES.
A Sealer's Crew Attempts to
Take Il Russian Cruiser.
The Cars Gun-Boat Caught Them Poaching
at Copper Island-Foolhardy En-
beavers TO Escape.

Rush, he first of the American feet TO re-
turn from the sealing grounds in Behring
Sea, came into port yesterday. She brought
down quite number of passengers, among
them special Treasury agents J. Stanley
Brown, Joseph Murray and Captain A. w.
Lavender; DIR. Sheldon Jackson, Govern
ment Agent of Education in Alaska; the
McGraih surveying party Of eight persons {;
f. Laggart, miner. and John Cuba, stew
ard Of TIE Point Barrow Signal Station.
During the seasons cruise only one vessel
was seized by :he Rush, namely, the British
sealer L. b. Marven. Just before the Rush
left Oonaaska the British war-ship NvmDhe
and the STEAMERS Costa Rica and Danube
also departed, both for British Columbia.
The Thetis will be the last to leave, and she
will remain in Behring Sea at least two
months yet.
A CALL reporter boarded the vessel and.
having heen cuurteously received by the
officers of the cuttt-. learned from them the
story of the seizure of the u dirrcan sealing
schooner j. Hamilton Lewis 1t differs
materially from that related by the captain
of the schooner City of San Diego.
SEAL RoOKERIEs RAIDED.
1t appears that after having been driven
of San Diego and another sealer headed at
once for Copper Island and began To raid
the seal rookeries at that place. in spite of
the fact that all hands knew that Russian
war-shipS were patrOliug that part of the
sea and that seal pirates were very severely
dealt with by the Russian authorities.
They had not been long in the vicinity when
a Russian cruiser was sighted, but all three
vessels escaped in a heavy fog.
A few days later the three vessels sent
twelve boat, ashore and began killing seals.
So eagerly did the men work that no one
noticed the approach If the Adult, one OF
the fastest vessels in the Russian service
At last one of the men caught sight Of the
war-ship as she headed directly for the
scboOners and general rush for the boats
took place, and the asheu blades bent
nearly double rs the men gave all their
strength TO the work before them.
The waT-ship was not more than two
miles away when the boats ran alongside
the schoOners, and in a jffy they were
hoisted on deck and sail made on the YES
sells as rapidly as possible. There was
good breeze blowing at the time, and the
three sealers were soon rushing through the
water as fast as canvas could drive them
The Lewis was not so speedy II sailor as the
other two and was soon dropped aStern. In
spite of all her crew could do the Russian
rapidly gained on her and was soon within
range.
SHOT AFTER SHOT FIRED.
Then shot after shot was fred from tile
cruiser as grim warning to heave to, but
still the Lewis held her course and showed
no sign Of giving up, until heavy shot tore
through her bulwarks and smashed one Of
her boats. THIS was evidence that the pur-
suer mrant business, and very reluctantly
the Lewis was hauled to the wind to await
the approach OF the Cars cruiser. She
was soon alongside and sent a boat on
board the American, and the men were told
in faar nrAc hat nary dor
rest.
They were told to pack up their clothes
and prepare to 60 on board the war-snIp as
soon as the boat could return with prize
crew to take charge of the schooner. 1t
was plain that the seasons work was not
only lost, but in all probability the entire
crew would pay visit to some dungeon be-
fore given chance to return TO the United
States. Up to this time the crew of the
Lewis had labored under the impression
that the Russion cruiser was the Alexander,
an old tub that carried only about twenty
men for crew, ana the idea OF being cap
tured by vessel that carried crew no
larger than their own was CALLING 10 the
Americans.
No sooner had the boat left the schOoner's
side to return to the cruiser than another
attempt was made to escape, and before the
Russian captain realized what was up, the
Lewis was again flying before the wind with
all sail set. The other two schoOners had
disappeared IN bank OF thick fog, and if
the Lewis could also reach the friendly
bank Of fog she would have a good chance
to escape also. But none knew this better
than the captain of the cruiser, and he mt
once trained his guns on the flying Yankee,
and soon shot flew around her like hail.
A WELL-DIRECTED SHOT.
At last a well-drected shot cut the main
thr Uat halyards, ana the sail came down on
deck with run, and once more the vessel
was brought TO the wind to await her pur-
suer. But the daring Americans had not
yet given mp all hope of escape, for IL they
could not run they could fight. The vessel
was well supplied with arms 10 kill seals
with and in a few moments every man on
board was armed to the teeth, and awaiting
a chance to board the Russian cruiser and
stake their chance on hand TO hand fight,
Had the vessel been the Alexander they
might have had chance for fight of this
sort, but against the Aluits crew of 100 men
entire party being killed. The Russian
officers saw at a glance what was in the
wind, and at once showed the Lewis crew
the folly Of Offering further resistance by
lining the cruisers rail and rigging with
men armed to the teeth. This settled the
matter, and throwing down their arms the
sealer's crew surrendered and was soon
transferred 10 the deck of the Aluit, while
the Lewis was manned with prize crew Of
Russian sailors.
I'VE know nothing of where the seized
schooner was taken" said one of the officers
OF the Rush, but no doubt she was taken to
the nearest port, where the crew Will be