The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-08
TO THE ROOKERIES.
The Ainsworth Goes 10 Join the
Alaska Sealing Fleet.
OFF FOR A NINE MONTHS. CRUISE
The Schooner Well Stocked ana Fitted
fer the vsysge-Hsr Experiences
Last Year.

The sealing schooner willard Atnsworth
will leave the haTpor this morning on her
long and tedious cruise 70 the Japan coast
20 star. On q nlne months slaughter on
seals. The vessel 10 owned by Capt +.
Crockstt. A o. Decker. A. r. Abbott and
r. ~ Abbott. ali Of Seattle. and 10 con-
sidered one Of the best ssalers flying the
American flag. She Is practically new
boat. tais being her third cruise. ana Is
seventy-two feet long over all, seven feet
depth Of hold, eighteen feet beam. carries
LOO yards Of canvas aud has n capacity
oil 500 tons. Capt. Crockett says that be
will either overtaxs the fleet which left
here during the holidays for the BONN
islands, or run his schooner under the
weter.
The present destination of the schooner
IL Yokohama. and she viii reach tina.
port, If no accident occurs, in about two
months. and IL the vessel follows the
course map ped out for her she will in that
time cover nearly 500 miles. After TAX
ing on fsw addition al supplies at Yoko-
hama the Ainsworth will saii for the
hunting banks and follow the seals IN
their migration northward 20 the rock
cries of Copper island, Siberia. There are
FIVE hunters on board the schooner. and
all told the vessel carries q crew OF sixteen
men.
The last invoice OF provisions for the
nine months cruise was placed On board
the AInsvorth yesterday. and enough
gond things are now slowed away IN the
hold 10 give the most confirmed dyspepiic
ravenous appetite. Dried meats. salt
and dried pork. potatoes. -four. coffee and
tea are some Of the staple articles, while
few Injuries, such as preserves. rnince-
meat. apple jack, canned oysters. sar-
dimes, canned chicken. canned turkey.
etc. form an important portion OF the
present cargo. When asked concerning
the supply OF champagne and other spirits
In stock. Capt. Crockett looked almost
shocked, and explained:
1--WE hayen't any liquor on board at all
and won't have any, except q small supply
to guard against snake bites from the sea
serpents. You see when we came home
last septembe We al! went East To see our
people except Mr.. Decker. one of the own
ers Of the boat, who accompanies US as a
hunter Well, those of us who diin't
really get married are spoken for all of us.
except, of course. Decker We conse-
quently have sworn OFT drinking. We ex-
poet TO reform Decker before lac sees this
port again"
Last year the catch Of the Ainsworth
was 90 skins. but Capt. Crockett swears
that this year he won't return to Seattle
unless there are at least 1000 skins slowed
away in the hold of his vessel.
year ago last summer the Ainsworth
hunted seals off the Alaskan coast, and
had very exciting time with revenue cut
tiers and men-o'-war, being twice fred upon
a -
difficulty between the United States and
England was being arbitrated Mt Paris the
man-o'-war Mohican and several revenue
cutters were in Alaskan waters warning
sealers TO keep out of Boring sea
During this interesting period the Aims
worth was one day cruising off Middleton
Island. 40 miles north of sitka in Prince
William Sound. when the Mohican was
encountered. The man-o'w signaIied
th. schooner 10 heavs 10. but Captain
Crockett, who did not wish to be warned
out OF the forbidden waters. declined to
comply with the demand and put to sea
under full canvas, The Mohican gave
chase. and fired six shots at the schooner
without effect. After i've hours the wind
died down, and the Mohican, which stili
continued in pursuit, succeeded In over
hauling the stubborn little craft. The
commander of the man-o-war solemnly
warned Captain Crockett not 10 proceed to
Herring Sea. after which tho Ainsworth
was allowed TO proceed.
few months later the AInsworth was
again fired upon by the Mohican, this time
while IN Herring sea. In the early part of
September the supply of fresh water ran
short and the Ainsworth headed for Atiu.
the most westerly island OF the Alaska
peninsula. n storm came up and one
morning the Ainsworth was discovered in
side the reef. with Bsring sea TO the north
and Attu TO the south. In endeavoring 60
make the harbor at Attu, Capt Crockett
sighted the Mohiean. which happened to
be there also. The man-o'- war fired one
shot at the sealer. which had the effect of
causing Capt Crockett to put his vessel
about and stand out to sea again. The
Mahiean followed. but the schooner was
iest sight of in the storm and escaped.
The men on the sesler would have suffered
for want Of water had not heavy rain
storm come up. Three barrels of water
was caught and the Ainsworth went out of
sight of land until she had sailed l. 30
miles south. when she put into port in
the Shumagin islands.
Although at Attn tho Aiusworth was
fully 200 miles from the rribiiof islands.
where the seal rookeries are, she would
surely have been seized had the Mohiean
succeed tn capturing her.