The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-02
Very Indignant at the Sudden
Russian Seizure.
HARD LUCK OF ALERT HUNTERS.
ne Coquitlam Not Yet Released. o..
ing to Defect in tho Bonds
Sent to 6itka.

seized IN latitude Oh degrees Is minutes
north and longitude 167 degrees 10
minutes east, twenty-seven miles from
Bering and Copper islands. by the Russian
msn-of-war Zabiaca. July 15 In the same
vicinity and nearer the islands
the American sealing schooner
Henry Dennis. of Seattle, commanded
by Captain Miner. was spoken.
II is quite probable that the Dennis will
also be seized by the Russians. The Ma
jestic brought down the crews of the British
sealing schooners Nettie MCGOWAN, Captain
naleys, Rosie Olsen, Captain McKeefe and
the Ariel, Captain Mcleod, all haiiine from
Victoria. and landed them at Victoria yes
terday afternoon. as reported in todays
Posr-ISTELLIsEScER. The four crews
made company of eighty-four
seamen, and together with the regular
ships com pany there were moro than 100
persons aboard the Majestic. Provisions
and stores were scarce and expensive in
Siberia, and the men were put on very
short rations during the voyage
Captain L. 81. Furman, of the schooner
c. Fl. White. said to the Posr-INTELLrGTN-
GER correspondent this evening concern
ing the voyage:
my vessel cleared from San Francisco
May 6 for hunting and fishing voyage
in. the North Pacific ocean. On
July Is I stood in clear to Copper
island to sight the land, that I might
correct my thermometer, which / ascer-
tanned had gained nearly two minutes.
About 10 o'clock in the evening the Rus
sian man-of-warZabraca.C Captain DiIeveron,
bore down on me, sent an officer aboard,
and requested that I take the vessels
papers and return with the officer.
Knowing that was in neutral waters,
and thinking that the object was to
examine my papers, assented and COM
piled with the request. When aboard
was made prisoner and guarded during
the night by four men. A prize crew
was placed aboard and the schooner
was towed to Nicholauski, Boring island.
We were informed that the American
steamer Albatross, Captain Tanner,
had visited the island few
weeks before. The Russian com
mander then notified me that he had
the authority to seize vessels in any part
Of the North Pacific. Under threats of
being sent to the convict colony in Sibe-
ria l was compelled to sign
. document in the Russian
language certifying that my vessel
was In Russian waters en-
gagged in Illegal sealing when
seized. then ascertained that my room
had been rified and the crew robbed of
their wearing apparel and bedding by the
On July IS the Zabraca left for an
other cruise. when we sighted the
British schooner Nettie McGowan,
Of Victoria It was necessary to
FIRE their guns before she would heave
10. The captain was brought aboard and
himself and crew were treated in
the same manner as myself. The
the gaff and the Russian marines
and spat upon it. Both crews.
thirty-eight men, were taken
to Petropaulovski without clothes or
food and imprisoned in q miserable
howell reeking with vermin and filth. The
room was too small for our crowd
aud several slept out in the open
AYR, where they contracted colds
and rheumatism. No medical aid could
he obtained. A Russian officer had one
Of my sailors shoes on his
feet. We were actually starving.
The governor allotting US twelve
cents per diem for rations, when Mr.. Lin
quist, a storekeeper, employed some of
oar men at rubles (si) per day to dis
charge cargo from the bark Majestic.
With this money nearly enough
food was purchased to supply
were very high and are quoted as follows:
Bread, l21S cents per pound; tea, IS cents
per pound; flour, 5 cents per pound, and
beef, II cents per pound.
July - the Russian steamer Kathick,
with the governor of Boring island
aboard. arrived with the seal
ing schooner Rosie Olsen. Cap
tain NJ. keefe. and twenty-five men. They
were confined in our quarters. On July
p the Zabraca came in with Captain Nc
leod and crew Of the British
sealing schooner Ariel, who were
imprisoned without blankets or clothing.
A week later the schooner arrived in
charge of Russian prize crew. We four
walked from house to house
In a constant pelting rain begging food.
We then made a vigorous protest TO the
Russian captain against the seizures
and treatment of our crews. He treated
rs in brutal manner. and threatened to
send us forth with in exile 10 Siberia if We
did not desst.
When the bark Majestic was ready to
sail for Puget sound the crews were actu-
ally driven into the cold water
at the points of bayonets and
some Of them compelled to swim
aboard. Having very little provisions, We
were placed on short allowance during
the voyage.
When selzed the schooner c. H, White had
70 seals, Rosie Olsen So. Nettie Nc
Gowan 3 ana the Ariel 20 seals. The
after was one az the vessels that
landed a portion of her catch, ninety seals,
al Port E:ehes last June for the Coquit-
lam, which was scixed nv the Corwin.
In the immediate vicinity where the
ssizarcs were made the schoon-
ers Vancouver Bell. of Vsncou-
yer. with so seals; the Hen
Nv Dennis, of Seattle. and the
Arie;is and Marie. of Victoria, were
spoken Several other unknown schooners
were sighted. II is extremely probable
thar several sealing vessels have since
been seized, as both Russian men-of-var
lefs before the Majestic sailed in search Of
yesse.s
The Majestic will receive compenss-
ton OF Sc for each of the American sea-
men brought down from the govern
ment. aG1 probably 3 similar amount
from Ire British government The
captain aad crew OF the schooner C. IL.
White will leave for San Francisco on the
next steamer Among the crew are four
Aieutian islanders, who are in destitute
Captain Lorentgen. Of the Majestic. said