The morning call., 1891-10-04
ITEMS FROM
SEA AND SHORE.
Eight of the Crew Of a Sealer
Brought in Irons.
Denied Report Of Massacre-The Dashing
Wave in Torn Collapse Of Wharf.
Movements and Charters

According to the crew of the sealing
schooner Edward E. Webster, that reached
this port at late hour on Friday night, it
must have had a very exciting trip since the
vessel left this port in February. Not much
love was lost between Captain Mclean and
his crew, AMI the result was that eight of
the men were in irons when the schooner
dropped her anchor off Meiggs Wharf. Th I
men state that when no seals could be
found on the American side, owing to the
presence of the cruisers, the vessel was
headed toward Copper Island with the
James Hamilton Lewis that was seized by
the Russian war-ship Aluit. There they
made raid on the rookerles. but were driven
away by the Russian soldiers, and when
they refused to make another raid they
were put in irons and an attempt was made
to starve them into submission. They were
fed on bread and water until the vessel
reached San Francisco, and then they were
very glad to come ashore. The officers of
the schooner tried to cover up the fact that
she had been near Copper Island, and the
mate told reporter that he did not know
whether the vessel had been there or not.
That individual also refused to say why the
men had been put in irons, but volunteered
the statement that ''the cusses deserved it."
The seasons catch of the vessel is said to
be 1900, but the crew say she has over 1000
skins on board.
NOT MAssACRED AFTER ALL.
A few weeks ago story went the rounds
that natives had massacred the crews Of the
whalers Nicolini. Mary D. Hume and
Grampus at the mouth of the Mackenzie
River, and as nothing had been heard Of the
vessels for some time, many people be-
lieved it, From private let ter received in
this city from an officer of the revenue cut
ter Bear it is learned that the story is a
canard The Nicolini made her way out Of
the river and down to Port Franklin. The
schooner was again caught in the ice. and
will have to stay there this winter. The
letter stated that not a whale had been
taken, and the crews are out for at least
two seasons work.
A fire broke out on Thursday in the lime
on board the steamer Gypsy. soon after she
left Halfmoon Bay, and it was not until 100
barrels of the stuff were dumped over the
side that the fire was quenched.
CAUGHT IN A Tornado
The ship Dashing Wave, that arrived on
Friday night from Tacoma, was hove to in
the gale of Wednesday, when she was sud-
denly struck by tornado. The ship was
thrown almost on her beam ends and both
blown out of the bolt ropes Captain Moore
house says it was the first tornado he ever
experienced on this Coast, and els not par
ticular if he never has to do with another.
From the small number of sealing
schooners that have returned from Behring
Sea, there seems to be some foundation for
the report that many of them are lying hid
away in the various cOves along the Alaskan
coast until the war-ships shall have left the
sea, when a grand raid will be made on the
seals in Behring Sca.
COLLAPSE OF A WHARF.
There is big hole at the lower end of the
narr0w-gauge freight wharf and at the
bottom of the hole lies freight-car. In
spite of repeated warnings not to use the
track at this point. the company ran several
cars on the track yesterday morning and
the result was that about fifty feet OF the
old structure dropped into the bay, taking
the car with it.
The Government steamer Albatross will
come down from Mare Island tomorrow
| and dock at Lombard-street Wharf, where
| she will take on board 200 tons Of coal.
| This is the vessel that will make the survey
for tina mnnh- 10 kAd- -s --Li- h-t.----