The record-union., 1894-07-03
Sailors of the Bark James Allen
Endure Great Hardships.
COMPELLED TO EAT THE BODIES OF
DEAD COMRADES
Many of the Crew Yet Misslng-The
Sugar Schedule Disposed OF in the
senate-The Repeal of the Bounty
to Take Effect Immediately After
the Final Passage of the Tariff Bill.
Special to the REcoEp-UN1oN.

PoRT TOWNSEND, July 2.-The steam
ship Queen arrived from Sitka this after
noon, and reports that Captain Huntley,
the third mate and fifteen survivors ofthe
whaling bark James Allen, wrecked in
Western Alaska had arrived at Sitka and
taken passage for San Francisco on the
steamer Crescent City. The survivors
report that they endured great hardship,
and were reduced to such circumstances
as to be compelled to eat the flesh of their
dead comrades. Four men were drowned
by boat capsiZing, and two died of star
vation. Fifteen more are missing.
First Assistant Engineer II. p. Horton
of the United States man-of-war Concord,
who accompanied Captain Huntley and
the shipwrecked crew from Unalaska to
Sitka, arrived here to-day, and gave the
Associated Press correspondent an ac-
count of the disaster and the subsequent
rescue, as related to him by the officers
and crew. Ten minutes from the time
the whaling bark Allen struck the reef
she was a total wreck, and had gone to
the bottom. There was barely time TO
get into the life boats and embark. The
night was very dark and stormy, and
perfect gale was blowing, and the place
where the accident occurred was SIX miles
from shore.
Alter the Captain got clear of the vessel
he found himself in the company OF two
other boats. They kept together and
weathered the storm until daybreak,
when the two boats were found to be
leaking badly and were abandoned. The
crew of twenty men embarked IN the
other two boats. In peltlng rain and
bitter cold weather, no food, clothing or
fire, they beat about among the islands
several days, living on raw shell fish.
Subsequently a storm arose, and while
attempting 10 effect a landing one OF the
boats capsized and four men were
drowned They landed on Sequin
Island, near Attu. Not being able to ind
any natives, and suffering greatly from
cold and hunger, Captain Huntiey called
for volunteers to go to Unalaska for as
sistance. Some difficulty was expert
enced in getting the requisite number 10
undertake the voyage. They left fifteen
men, mostly of foreign birth, on the
islands, and sailed eastward. About ten
days later they fell in with the revenue
cutter Bear, and were in half-famished
condition.
After Captain Huntley departed the crew
became disheartened. One man died
from hunger, and few days later an
other died of starvation. The crew, after
being rescued, admitted that they fed off
the flesh of their dead comrades. The
men were starving, and as soon as one of
the crew began the awful meal the others
quickly followed. and all ravenously en-
gagged in the fearful feast of human flesh.
Two weeks after Captain Huntley left
the Bear returned and rescued the men
from their peril. Some Of them almost
lost their reason, and acted more like
wild animals than human beings. They
were carefully treated, and ali are now in
fair way TO recover.
The revenue cutter and men-of-war
cruised around the island for two weeks
searching for the First Mates boat and
the fifteen men. This is the number that
is now unaccounted for.
Captain Huntley has hopes that they
may have landed on some island or been
rescued by some sailing vessel.