The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-03
BERING SEA PATROL.
The First Of Squadron Reach
the Northern Waters.
CRUELTY or A seALER CAPTAIN.
1s1hslas1sae ~ the squsw-1so Osssr
Hsassss-Nssivss Nay Chsss Ossss
with Fissssnss-PsseAsrs-

KopsAx. Alaska. June A-fEpecial =
The FIRST vessels of the BeriDg sea squadron
have arrived at this port en- route 10 Un'
alaska The Albasross reached here from
Port Townsend on June 8. and the Cor
win. from Sitks. followed on the 10Th.
Both vessels stepped only long enough 10
take on . supply OF coal and water ana
then sailed TO the westward. The kusn.
which lief. siika on the LIST. skirting the
Alaskan coast 10 the eastward. touching
ct ali Of the ports where u was Likely that
sealers would be found, arrived st this
place on the 18th, and after coaiing. viii
proceed to some port 10 the westward 70
meet the flagship Mohican. when her
further movements will DO decided upon
by Capt. Ludlow, the senior naval oftscer.
From ali appearances the work OF the
present season viii be prosecuted with sx-
treme vigor by Capt. Ludlow. who. report
says, il ANXIOUS to make Just rs fine
record this year as was made last
by the famous Fighting Bob"
Evans in protecting Uncle Sans seal
farm from poschers. The programme
laid down Is essentially the same a. that
Of last season, but with such changes and
notifications a. past experience shows to
b. necessary. Among the important
changes noted in this years orders Is that
which gives 20 commanders Of naval ves-
sells the same authority to arrest parties
discovered violating tho customs Iaws a.
IN given TO commanders Of revenue cutters.
This matter was overlooked In former Or
ders and the consequence was that on one
occasion the commander Of . man-of-war
found himself compelled to stand idly by
and see seal skins transferred from Brit
ish seaiers into . British steamer in an
American port without having been prop
eriy entered as required BY law. When
called upon to explain his apparent laxi,y
of duty he very properly showed that his
authority a. q naval officer Was not Of
kind TO prevent infringements Of the Gus
toms laws. This year. however, the sealers
will not have any sucn q loophcle OF es-
cape. IL Is not anticipated that any at
tempt to transfer skins will be made this
season. except In the regular manner. rs
the severe blow given the poachers by the
seizure Of their supply steamer coqnrtlam
last year at Port Etches by Capt Hooper.
commanding the revenue cutter Corwin,
taught them the value Of prudence.
That portion Of the Acct which intends
20 go over on the japanese coast for the
fail sealing will first touch at Sand Point
where there 10 . custom house and ship
their spring catch home in the regular
manner.
From reports OF vessels seen and hoard
ed by the United States cruisers an unu.
sualiy large catch of seals has been made
The weather has been unusually stormy
the greater part of the time bat only ono
serious casualty ha, been reported.
The schooner Achilles. OF Portland, ar
rived here on the 18th and the master. Oscar
Nartci, sold his catch OF 80 skins to the
agent Of the Alaska Commercial Company
for the sum Of ~, los and Immediately dis
charged all OF his crew with the exception
of two Indians, sndxeclared il as his inten.
ton 10 return home with his vessel The
reason he gives for this action IL that his
crew were mutinous and refused 10 work.
The crew on the other hand say that the
captain 10 trying to defraud them
out Of their wages and has pur-
posely chosen this out-ofthe-way
place to leave them on account OF the
fact that there is no way Of bringing tho
matter before any person authorised TO
settle such disputes. The collector Of Gus
toms is the only representative Of the gov
help. but declined 10 interfere as he has
DO Jurisdiction. Some time ago deputy
marshal wss appointed for this district by
che government. but as no salary was at
tached to the Office. he soon weared OF the
Job and shipped - = deckhand on one OF
The fishing schooncrs at Karluk, and even
~ 10 now out OF reach. II the story of tho
crew IL 20 be believed. Martci is a very bad
AL ~. 4
il April last he cn,iced one Of the crew of
the United States steamer rinta from that
vessel and by plying him with liquor in.
duced him TO desert from the Pinia and
join the Achilles N n boat stecrer The
sailors name was Holland. and later. " hiie
In Prince William sound. Martcl quarrrllcd
With him and set him ashore without; any
means Of sustaining life. As he has not
been heard from since and As he was uu.
armed IL Is probable that the poor fellow
died from exhaustion aud exposure in this
isolated and inhospi,abie place. Officers
from tho Psata searched the Achilles
while she WAS at Sitkx twice for the de-
scrter. bat Martel denied any knowledge
OF his whereabouts. The men claimed
that he had had Holland taken in a boa,
Ia enc of tho smaller Islands just outside Of
Sitka harbor and kept there until the
Achilles put To sea The boat with Hol-
land in IL was then picked up. Ii seems
pity that there Is no law in this country
To govern such characters. hu, at present
there seems 10 be no way TO even hold
Mastel until the authorities a, Si,ka can
be communicated with aud . warrant, he
secured.
Ky the las, mail steamer from Sitks-
which arrived here late in Nav. the All.
thor,tles received the lates, circular In re-
gard 10 the taking OF .uy.bcsrins animals
in Alaska. This circular Is dated Aprii
II. ISIS. ana is the shird attempt on the
part Of the Washington City authorities
TO publish the government interp-e,a.
tson Of section i4ss Of the Revised STAT
utes. Each circular order has contained
entirely different instructions for The Guild.
ance Of the local authorities, and a. might
have been expected things have become
decidedly mixed. 80 various were IN.
opinions given that the natives. for whose
eeneii; the new orS.cr has been primarily
issued. have been afraid TO hunt TIE otter
until the arrival Of the latest circular. ansi
- . consequences much valuable tine has
teen lost. The sea otter hunting season
lasts all the year. hns the stormy weather
az she winter months prevents the natives
from v.nsarins far from shore. ana the
animals have been 30 rers.s;eatiy
hunted during the past lev years
that ,hsy are seldom found close
e. the land a. in former wears.
The prospect of even . short season
now has given ihe native hunters great
satisfaction aad TIA steamer Olga. which
has been asest as a transport vessel TO take