The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-03
FED ON HUMAN FLESH.
Desperate Hunger of Casta-
ways of the Allen.
ON A FROZEN ALASKA ISLAND.
They Eat the Bodies of Comrades 10
Keep From Starving.
Missia.-The sealer Wanderer, of
Victoria, Seized for Breaking the
Seals on Her Hunting Appliances.

PoRT TOWNSEND, Jaly 2-The steamship
Queen arrived from silka this afternoon,
anu reported that Capt. HuntleF, the third
mate and fifteen survivors Of the whaling
bark James Alien, 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 hariships and were re-
duced to such circumstances as TO be CON-
PEELED TO eat the flesh OF their dead CON-
rades. Four men were drowned by boat
capsizing and two died of starvation. Eff
teen more are missing.
First Assistant Engineer II. 2. Norton,
Of the United States maa-of-war Concord,
who accompanied Capt. Huntley and the
ship wrecked crew from Unalaska to Sitka,
arrived today and gave the Associated
Press correspondent an account of the dis
aster 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 total
wreck and had gone TO tie bottom. There
was barely time to get into the lifeboats
aud embark. The night was very
dark and stormy, perfect gale
was blowing, and the place where
the accident occurred was six miles from
shore. After 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
two boats were found 10 be leaking
badly, and were abandoned, the crew of
twenty men emharking in the other two
boats. In pelting rain and bitter cold
weather, without food, clothing or FIRE,
they beat about among the islands several
days. living on raw shellfish. Subsequently
a storm arose. and while attempting
TO effect landing one boat
capsized and four of the men
were drowned. They landed on Sequin
island. near Attu. Not being able to find
any natives. and suffering greatly from
cold and hunger. Capt HuntIey called for
volunteers to go tosUnalaska for assist
ance. Some difficulty was experienced in
getting the requisite number 10 undertake
the voyage. They left fifteen men, mostly
of foreign birth, on the island. and sailed
eastward. About ten days later they fell
half-famished condition.
After Capt. Huntley departed the crew
became disheartened. One man died from
hunger, and few days later another died
of starvation. The crew alter being res
cued admitted that they had 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 sill ravenously en-
gagged in the fearful feast of human flesh.
Two weeks after Capt. Huntley left the
Bear returned and rescued the men from
their island prison. Some of them had
almost lost their reason. and acted more
like wild animals than human beings.
They were carefully treated and all 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 has not been
accounted for. Capt Huntley has hopes
that they may have landed on some island
or been rescued by some sailing vessel.