The morning call., 1892-07-22

smaller craft Of the two, offered as much
greater seaworthiness and safety as Pa
cific Mail steamer beside Whitehall boat.
The kusslioff has no deck hamper, and
though her tOpsides do not range more than
a couple OF feet above water, she has no
deep waist TO be filled by a heavy sea whe
running free, and when lying TO she may
brave any weather. The mystery was no W
she had cOntriyed to change her latitude at
the rate of nearly 100 miles a day. Admitting
that the wind and sea and the japanese
current helped her all the way down, her
performance Is a remarkable one; so re-
markable that IL is not likely to be beaten
Ia the lifetime OF the present generation.
The story of the Kussi0fi's trip is as
romantic rs IL is extraordinary. Captain (.
NehlIDg, the lone mariner, did not coBtem-
plate the adventure up To the moment he
was committed TO it. Even Eric the Red
and the Vikings of old attempted no more
hazardous feat when, having compassed
Ultima Thule" aud made Iceland and the
northern seas familiar home legend, they
steered away for the lar western land,
which, If history lies not, they were the
| first TO discover.
Captain Vehling knew what the KassilOfT
| could do. He had weighed her in the
| balances and found her not wanting.
| Originally steam launch she was run as
such between Kodiak and the various
Alaskan roTts till one day she WAS wrecked.
| Then Nebllng bought her, rugged her as
| schooner and fitted her out for coast trading
with the indians. His Intention was TO 60
nOTthward. not southwark, and lie had Sc
| cured the services Of two men to help him
| navigate her on the trip. While these men
were on shore and be alone on the Kuss-
| loft, which was fully proyisioned for trip,
| il came on TO blow and the kussiloff dragged
| her anchors ana went straight out to sea.
| To remain was impossible TO return waste
| court destruction, so Nehling let the sails
( fill and steered away into the open ocean.
| It was tempestuous night and the little
| craft flew before the wind I'LL the ensuing
| day, when Nehiing recognized that lie was
| IN the San Juan Archipelago. 1t was then
that he determined to let her go for all she
was worth and ran right down 10 San Fran
| cisco.
The Kussiloff carries a mainsaiI, foresail,
| fOrestaysail ana jib. with all the sheets lead
| ing aft; handy rig FOR man who is able
| TO tackle the job. There are not many ex-
pert yachtsmen on the bay, however. who
would care TO undertake 90 sail the kussi-
| lotf across 10 Sausalito on breeZv day, but
| Nehling was made of Steiner stuff. be got
his allowance of sleep by ''cat maps" some
| times heaylng 20. sometimes lashing the
| rudder and controlling the sheets with his
! legs while he prepared his meals. Except
when hove 10 the little craft was running all
| the time. She had a fair wind and fair
weather all the way down two days after
leaving Karluk. II she had had to beat to
windward the same distance she travelled
| from karluk TO this port she would have
| been two months on the trip.
When Nehling got down to the heads he
| sIgnaled for help and the schooner Kodiak,
| which had also run down from Alaska, took
| bin In tow. OF Meiggs wharf the customs
| tug Tia Juana gave him q line and lowed
| him into the quiet waters that roll over the
site of Me!ggs wharf.
CAPTAIN Vehling has had greatness thrust
| on him, but he bears himself modestly. lie
| Is taking little sleep just now, but when
| he has satisfied natures arrears in that line
| he cannot complain If the shippers and
| yachtsmen OF the bay undertake TO lionze
| him or bring about his promotion to the
command of a craft which could stow away
| the knssil0f in her hold. Captain Vehling
has plenty OF friends here and il is not
likely they will let him 90 back To Alaska
In the little craft which he has made his
torical.
The kussiloff was built here three years
ago. She is 30 feet long and II feet beam.
Part OF the machinery which she carried as
a launch still remains in her. 1t has been
suggested that she be sent to the Worlds
Fair.
The KusslloT reports that the superin-
| teDdent OF the cannery at Cooks Inlet died
in June. and that the catch of salmon at
karluk this season is the largest ever
known.
1t is stated that the British ship Maxwell,
reported as lost on Liverpool bar was in
collision on the night OF July 10 with a
schooner and had large hole stove amid
ship: She went to pieces at the mouth of
the Mersey. The crew were saved.
The schooner Kodiak of the Alaska Com
mercial Company's feet arrived from
Kodiak yesterday with a full cargo of
salmon and furs. She was seized at KarIuk
and came down under bonds. Times in