The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-09

ticular point. nor did they care what point
they reached providing it was a refuge
from Russian rule.
They were reduced to last extremities
through hunger and hardship. so that
some of them had to be hauled up into the
Whaler.
a few days later the whaling bark Cape
Horn Pigeon was sighted and half the
party was transferred to her. They were
all so delighted 10 learn that the barks
were h0meward bound for San Francisco
that they worked with a will and doubly
earned their EXPENSES on the voyage.
The Charles w. Morgan cast anchor in
the stream opposite rrlson-street wharf.
She is an Old-fashioDed New Bedford
whaler. with high gunwales and deck
houses and great white dayits among the
shrouds. From over her rails the refugees
looked Iongingly at the city yesterday,
while they made conjectures for the future.
Just how they were TO get ashore was a
source of still further conjecture, as they
bad no money to pay for boat and the
ships boats were not to be moved.
Toward evening, however, BOatman Peter
son rowed them to American soil.
When a CALL reporter visited the vessel
in the afternoon he found the refugees
huddled together in the forecastle, chat
ting as contentedly as if they were cabin
passengers on a steamer waiting to be
taken ashore. They were rugged. mus
cnlaT band of men, in appearance like
Norsemen who follow the sea. being tall
and strongly built. bronzed by exposure to
all kinds of weather, and dressed in a
fashion, or rather want OF fashion. that
made them look almost ferocious. Each
Of them wore coarse cloth cap with flap
turned up all around and tied together
over little peak in front. Their clothes
were badly fitting tweed coats and trousers
Of cheap, rough material, shirts of stuff
that might serve for burlap, shoes several
sizes too large, low cut and without laces
Some wore shoddy cloth overcoats with
fur collars and trimming, and one fellow
had a coat of skins that buttoned close
around his ears. They were picturesque
lot of convicts. whose chief aim seemed to
be to get as far away as possible from a
uniform dress.
None of them spoke word Of English,
but a sailor Oh the bark acted as inter-
prefer. with the proud air of very su-
periOr person on speaking terms with
English, Russian and German.
Heckett was spokesman. He displayed
Il wish TO keep silent when questioned at
first, but on learning that the Russian
Consul was not watching for them he gave
free expression to his thoughts. The story
which ne told, and which was cOrrOborated
by his comrades, was hard to believe. But
there was evidence enough in the clothes
and iron marks of these poor wretche5 to
satisfy whatever doubts might arise. In
the clothing was proof of harsh trea tment,
the wounds and Swellings of wrists and
ankles told their own tale.
1--WE were used very bad at Saghalien,"
said he through the in terpreter. Most of
the time we had nothing to eat and the
Governor was f1ogging us to death. He
used to say I'm God here; I'm car of
this place. / can abuse you worse than a
dog Ii prisoner did not take his cap
off when he met the Governor he would be
punished with twent y-fve or thirty lashes.
For other offenses the punishment would
be sometimes 100, sometimes fifty"
"And how often did this whipping take
placer" was asked.
Every day." The words were said
without sign of resentment or anger,
though there was depth of injured feel
ing. strangely mixed with suffering, in the
refugees eyes. Every day ten. twenty,
fiftv or sixty men were whipped. Ii a man
fell sick and could not work he would be
dashed. II was a common sight to see
prisoners Just crawling to work when they
sh0uld be in the hospital. They were
afraid of being dashed for saying they were
sick.
"Mapy men in Saghalien cut off their
fingers or lose their eyes by falling to be
LET lie down in the hospital. We would do
the same. but we escaped with risks OF dy-
ing in the ocean. we might as wen oie a'
sea as in prison..
''What Kind of instrument was used as
lash?" was the half exclamation. hall