The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-26
BACK FROM ALASKA.
The MOhican Returns After
Stormy Cruise North.
Lively Work Chasing Seal Pirates Capture Of
Newspaper Correspondence Sailors
Terrible Death.

The most important arrival IN port yes
terday was the United States steamer
Mohican from Oonalaska. This is one Of
the vessels that was sent north to guard the
Behring Sea and protect the seals, and dur
ing the time she has been away the Mohlcan
has sailed fully 1O.500 miles.
During a chat with CALL reporter Lieu
tenan;-C Commander Crocker said it was the
worst cruise he ever made in Government
vessel, and for the entire time the steamer
was in Bebrng Sea nothing but dense fogs
and strong gales were encountered.
The weather had been so bad that oilskin
and rubber clothing were in constant use
from July 1st until last Friday.
In speaking of the protection of seals in
the far north Lieutenant Crocker said that
two-thrds of the work was done by the
American cruisers. The Mohican made
two seizures and had rather lively chase
each time before the tricky sealers were
overhauled, and even then had to fire sew
eral shots before the crews of the scho0ners
were convinced that the cruiser was in
earnest.
The schooner May Belle was the first
captured, after lively chase of dozen
miles, as, favored with a stiff breeze, she
slipped along almost as fast as the M0hican.
As night was coming on, and the sealer
would have an excellent chance to escape
in the darkness. the big pivot gun on the
forecastle was brought into play and blank
shot fired. Still the schooner held her
course, and again the heavy gun was fired,
this time loaded with solid shot
TINE TO SURRENDER.
AS the heavy missile struck the water
close to the sealer'S bow and close enough
to throw the spray on her decks, her crew
concluded it was time to end the race and at
once hove to. A prize crew was placed in
charge of the captured schooner and she was
soon after turned over TO the Pheasant. one
of the British war-ships.
The May Belle was captured on July
22d, and on August 31st the Mohican sighted
the British sealing schooner Otto and an
other vessel cruising near st. Pauls Island,
and gave chase. As soon as the war-Ship
was sighted the sealers at once parted conf
pany and hot chase began.
The Otto stood away to the westward,
and the Mohican crowded on all steam and
sail to overhaul her, but the flying sealer
led her chase of nearly twenty miles
before heavy shot. fired across her bows.
caused her to heave to. The schooner's
crew was transferred to the cruiser. and
prize crew put in charge Of the vessel. The
Mohican turned her attention 10 the other
schooner. which proved TO be the oscar and
Hattie.
This vessel proved to be very fast sailer,
and the two hours or more start she had
secured proved too big handicap for the
cruiser, in spite of the fact that she was
travelling nearly fourteen knots an hour
and the schooner slipped out through the
pass into the open sea.
CAPTURED A CORRESPONDENT.
One of the men taken from the Otto
proved TO be King Hall of the New York
Herald, who went north 10 write up the
sealing question from the decks of a sealer.
LII = tnN ali han nrFNfNr raI
he had had enough OF Sealers during the nine
days he was on board the Otto He was af-
terward transferred to the British cruiser
Pheasant and taken to Victoria, but the
cruise of the Herald man was never pub
lished. The Mohiean acted as the flagship
of the American squadron and was the last
of the feet. yitA the exception OF the Bear,
to leave the Behring Sea. Her officers were
surprised to hear that the Rush had again
gone nOrth and say that It is impossible
that any seaierS could be left In the sea, as
the weather now prevailing would prevent
them catching any seals. even II there were
no war-ships there.
All hands were very glad to see San Fran
cisco again. because not pound of fresh
meat or vegetables could be- procured up
north and all hands have been living on salt
horse the entire cruise.
DID SOME SOUNDING.
Besides chasing sealers, the Mohican has
done considerable sounding in various parts
of Behrng Sea that will be of great use in
the future and will alter the face of existing
charts considerably. Tee officers are unani-
mously of the opinion that Bristol Bay is a
good place to keep away from. as strong
winds prevail most of the year, and there is
no shelter.
On October I'd, while at Bristol Bay, the
barometer went down to 2S. 10, the lowest
ever seen by any officer on board, and for
the three weeks preceding it blew continu-
ously, and the matches were battered down
day and night.
Before the Mohcan sailed for this port
all the whalers had left the Arctic and we're
in Behring Sea, and all report having been
very successful.
TRAGIC DEATH AT SEA.
On August 9th a terrible accident occur
red that cast a deep gloom over the ship.
Andrew johnson, captain of the forecastle,
and an old man-of-war's s-man, was at work
on the foreyaId when he lost his balance
and fell to the deck. The poor fellows
skull was crushed and both legs broken
above the knees, and the bones of both legs
were driven fully two inches into the deck.
He was buried at OonalaSka the following
day.
The Mohcan came into port in splendid
condition, and the officers are loud in their
praises of her crew which they claim is one
OF the best ever put ON board of an Amer-
can man-of-war. Nothing is known of the
ships future movements, but it is pretty
certain that she Will 20 up to Mare Island,
as part OF her machinery is broken, and 1t
will take fully six weeks to make the new
castings. In other respects the vessel is in
fine order and tit to SO to any part of the
world,