The Arizona champion., 1891-03-07
SYKES AND MCLEAN.
DlsasterUus Ending of their Voyage Thou the Earning of their Boat.

Godfrey Sykes and Charles Me
 Lean, the two young men who started from here six weeks ago around the
 world in boat, returned to Yuma
 last Saturday and relate thrilling story of disaster and hardship
 The young men built their boat at
 Flagstaff and had it taken to Needles, from where they embarked in the lat ter part of November It was their intention to drop down the river into Gulf of California, thence south along the coast to the straits of Magellan, up the east coast of South America to Cape St. Roque, across the Atlantic to Africa, along the African coast to the Mediterranean, through that sea, the Suez canal, Bed sea and Indian ocean to Bombay; thence around the coast of Asia to Siberia, across to the coast of Alaska and down to San Francisco They estimated the necessary time at two years.
 The voyage down the Colorado river to Yuma took over two weeks. A stay here of three weeks was necessary to procure clearance papers from the custom house. They finally set out for the gulf on Tuesday, December 30. Two weeks elapsed before they arrived at the shipyard near the head of the gulf. Here a good wind came up and sail was set. The wind rose to gale but the boat behaved splendidly. At the end of Is hours they were 30 raile5 south of Point San Felipe. Low CT California. The men thought it best to Wait until the gale had subsi- ded, so they went into little cove, | beached the boat and made camp on January r. The camp was some dis tance from the beach and most of the provisions and supplies were left Tn the boat The evening of the l9th, Sykes went to the boat to fill lantern and after doing so tried to light it The wind blew his matches out and as each match went out he threw it down i'll the bottom of the boat. He finally succeeded in lighting the lantern and started back to camp. A light was soon noticed in the direction of the i boat. Flames ran to the top of the masts, leaving no doubt that the boat was on fire. Both men ran to the spot, hoping at least to save some pro visions, but the oil can had exploded and scattered the flames. The fire was finally put out by a liberal use of wet sand. An examination revealed the fact that all the contents of the boat were destroyed. The fl UT was So badly soaked with oil as to be unfit for use. A barrel of water was practically all that was saved and few ship bis cults at the camp were all the provis- ions left The boat itself was found to be unseaworthy.
 After a consultation the men deci- ded to start for San Quintin, about 5 miles distant on the Pacific coast. The tin locker lining was tourn out and a couple of clnteens made with some timers tools they were fortunate to have An oyster bed was discover ed near by, and with the ship biscuit, some fresh oysters and canteens of water they started. A tiresome tramp of } miles, consuming two days, took them into a wild, mountainous cour- try difficult to penetrate and utterly barren. Their provisions were about gone and they were compelled to re- turn to their former camp. After rest of day, they secured some mo, oysters, reflled their canteens and again started out afoot, hoping to reach the Lerdo colony, distant l30 miles northward. Each man carried a pack weighing about 60 pounds. Days of hardship ensued. Sometimes miles of sait marsh had to be crossed, the men having to bind their shoes tightly with strips of canvass to. keep from losing them. in the mud. One day they made only seven miles. Al ter eight days, their food and Water all gone, and having been compelled to throw away everything but clothes, the two men found their progress blocked by a solid wall of brush In vain they tried to penetrate it. Two days had now elapsed since their pro visions gave out. They were many miles north of the gulf and near the river. Desperation lent energy to their exhausted strength and they swan the Colorado to the eastern side. A small raft was made out of poles, on which their clothing was placed and kept dry while swimming eyer. The river was obout 200 yards wide, the current swift and the water cold. The crossing was safely made. They were now on the lands of the Lerdo colony in Sonora and about three miles from the settlement. They arrived there in the afternoon of Tuesday, February 3. Their wants were soon supplied, and to use McLean's language, ''beans never looked so good" They remain ed at Lerdo all day Wednesday, and started for Yuma Thursday, again on foot. When a few miles from town they were overtaken by wagon and arrived here by that conveyance Sat urday evening. Both men saved what money they had with them.
 Near their camp below San Felipe,