The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-02
SEEING A MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
1t Loomed Up Large Under the
Ships Very Bow.
ALL HANDS SHORTENED SAIL.
Last of the Crew of the GOsford
Arrive-Cruise of the Iris
and Marine Notes.

wednesday night there was excitement
on board the ship America. Captain Hard
Ing and his crew thought that the vessel
was doomed ana that she would be piled
up on an unknown rock which rose mystic
riouSly out OF the sea.
1t was very thick outside the heads and
the America was drifting about waiting
for an opportunity to come into port.
Farallon light could not be seen, nor did
the Point Lobos light SHINE through the
mist.
Suddenly the lookout shouted ''land
ahead! and what appeared to be an
island doomed up on the port bow.
The ship was veered off little, but the
island kept getting nearer and nearer
About it the waves dashed and the fright
ened watch above decks imagined they
could almost hear the roar of breakers.
The rattle of blocks and order for all
hands to shorten sail brought the watch
below on deck, some in their night clothes,
and when they saw the great black rock
under the Americas very bow general
rush was made for the boats.
In the mean while sail had been short
ened and every effort made to sheer off,
but without avail. as the rock seemed de-
termined TO punch hole in the Americas
side In spite of her crew.
But quiet was quickly restored on the
ship when it was found that the supposed
land was nothing but dead whale bloated
| to an enormous size and as Od0riferous as
some of the city sewers
The wind changed. and with it came
whiffs from the carcass that caused the
Americas men TO crowd on all canvas and
make their escape.
The pilot boat Lady Mine sighted the
same defunct levlathan during the pro-
ceeding day and gave chase, thinking it
was a derelct.
Luckily. the Lady Mine is swift craft,
and on discovering her mistake she came
about like racer for the America cup
and stood away on an off-shore tack.
The sloop IRIS sails to-day for the Suisun
marshes in command of E. P. Peterson,
for weeks duck-hunting expedition.
Mate Mcdonald aud the remainder of
the ship GosfoFd. which was destroyed by
fire near Point Concepcion. came to this
city on the COtond yesterday.
Thursday night the tug Monarch re-
turned from the scene G the wreck.
The Gosford cannot be saved in the
opinion Of her chief officer. Mcdonald.
Healey. Tibbits q Co. secured the con-
tract for repairing a portion of Vallejo
street wharf from the Harbor CommIs-
sioners yesterday. Their bid was $40 70 a
| pile.
Mcmahon & Sons securesst the contract
for Broadway wharf 2, biddin. OFT S. a
pile.
No one was working on the City
York yesterday. The tugboat comya
had received no orders to tow pontoons
The Princess Louise King sailed on
Gallilee for Tahiti yesterday morn (.
She drove down in hack and locked aler-
self in her stateroom. and positively re-
fused to see any one or be interviewed.
A report from st. Paul Islasd states that
the schooner Albert and Walter was lost
on the rocks near the island on October 81.
She is owned in san Francisco. Loss,
$4,000; fully insured.
The following vessels cleared yesterday:
British ships Falls of Foyers and Walden
Abbey, for Queenstown.
The steamer Keweenaw sailed for
Panama and way ports.