The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-30
MISSING SHIP FOUND.
The Somali, Long Given Up for
Lost, Is Spoken.
CREW EATING UP THE CARGO.
Lived Three Months on Rice and Tea
Dgiven Half Arouad the Globe
By Adverse Winda

Iidings OF the British snip comaai, long
overdue at San Francisco and thought to
be lost, was brought to Seattle yesterday
by Capt. Sawyer. of the snip kennebec,
who came from San Francisco for cargo
of coal. The Somall was spoken by the
Kennebec On March . and found 70 be
entirely ont of provisions, the crew having
lived since Christmas on rice and tea from
the cargo. Can't. Sawyer furnished the
ship with provisions ample for ten days.
The British ship Somali is four-masted
vessel of 5. 3S6 tons. and. though rated as
100 Al, had been so long overdue from
Hongkong. whence :she sailed November
8. that she was given up for lost and no re-
insurance on her could be obtained IN San
Francisco At any price. The news that
che is comparatively safe will cause many
an insurance agent to wish that he had
taken q risk on her.
Since the Somali left Hongkong she has
been reported as spoken but once since the
present time, which was on November "A,
only three weeks from the time she
started. in latitude 2 degrees end % min
utes south. longitude 100 degrees % min
utes east, which is north of Australia, be-
tween New Guinea and Borneo. The
story OF her meeting with the kennebec Is
told by Capt. Sawyer as follows:
ION last Friday morning We were on the
starboard tack in . light east wind and
fine weather. We were in latitude 80 deg.
10 min. north, longitude l23 deg. min.
west. and AZ O'Clock sighted ship hull
down on the lee bow. At 10 O'Clock, rs
We drew nearer. saw that she had dag
at the peak. As this was very unusual l
expected something was the matter and
kept off and ran nearer to her. At l
O'Clock p. M, by means of the glass, saw
q boat evidently waiting to intercept us.
We approached the boat and at O'Clock it
came alongside and took line. A gentle
man came up and handed me letter from
Capt. Hannay, of British ship Somali. out
140 days from Hongkong for San Fran
cisco. asking me for provisions. as he was
Completely cleaned OUT Those are the
words he used. On inquiry found that
the ship left Hongkong November and
battled with the northeast monsoons in an
attempt to pass east Of Formosa. The
captains patience became exhausted and
he gave it up. He then ran down the
China sea, went through Lumbok passage,
east of Java, and clear around
Australia. Then she bore eastward,
Pitcairn island, where the captain tried to
get provisions but could not obtain any,
as none could be spared from the island.
From there she ran close hauled on
the starboard tack until sighted by me.
The crew had eaten the last of the ships
provisions on tho day before Christmas
and had subsisted since that time on rice
and tea which they carried in cargo. Since
-. ho6 hAn
short of food that nothing had been done
except TO work ship.
THE Kennebec kept on her course until
abreast the Somali. when the boat, which
had been supplied with provisions ample
for ten days, was dropped. As the boat
left the ships side the men gave three
cheers for the ship and three for the cap
tain. Both ships set their flags at the
peak and we stood on our course"
When spoken by the kennsDec the So
mali was little north of San Francisco
and only q short distance from the coast.
a distance covered by the kennebec, sail
ing in the opposite direction, in three
days. As she has not yet arrived at San
Francisco it is evident that she Is having
similar luck to that which has been ex-
perienced throughout her long voyage
half way around the globe.
The Kennebec made the trip from San
Francisco 10 the Sound in nine days and
was brought in yesterday by the tug Tyee.
She will take cargo Of Black Diamond
coal tor the return trip.
THE soMALr ARRIVES.
SAN Francisco. March 1-The long
overdue ship Somali was sighted off port
tonight and will be towed inside in the
morning.