The record-union., 1895-12-27

PORT TOWNSEND CWash.), Dec. 70
The Northern Pacific steamship
Strathnevis is now in this harbor, look
ing externally little the worse for wear
as the result of her two months battle
with the wind and waves, but the story
by her commander, Captain James Fat
tie. sounds more like a romance than
reality.
The Strathnevis broke down on the
morning of October Goth, without
moments warning, and the big steamer
was at once helpless. Northerly gales
were blowing at the time and the nm
tied amount of canvas aboard was
quickly spread, the vessel then heading
for south and west. Slow progress was
made, however, and in two days sail
ing but 115 miles was covered. When-
ever the breeze stiffened up, advantage
of it was taken and the vessel was
steered in an easterly direction, the
Captain heading for the American
coast.
1t was not until November 14th that
another vessel was sighted, that being
the John B. Gamble, already being re-
ported. After she had passed on there
was a weary time of it riding billows till
Wednesday morning, December 18th,
when the Canadian-Australian liner
Miowera hove in sight on her way west
ward, and at once approached the dis
abled vessel, connecting her line with
little difficulty. The steamer headed
for Cape Flattery. About fourteen
hours later the hawser parted, and
on account of the gale and heavy seas
running at the time it was thirty-siX
hours before another hawser was con-
nected. This one lasted just thirty min
utes before, it, too, gave way. But
within short time two hawsers were
connected with the steamer and once
more they headed for the cape. At
O'Clock last Monday morning when just
fifteen miles off Cape Flattery, the
Miowera's two hawsers parted, and in
the terrible sea that was running it
seemed that it would be impossible to
again to get hold of the disabled steam
er, and accordingly it was arranged
that the Miowera was to stand by and
save life when the Strathnevis went
ashore, as it seemed certain she would
do in a very short time.
When the squalI had passed at 4
O'Clock in the morning the MioweTa was
nowhere to be seen and there was con-
sternation on board the Strathnevis.
The Captain did not think so seriously
of the disappearance of the other yes
sci, because Captain Scott had told him
that his steamer would be able to tow
him three days with his limited coal
supply. BY noon on Monday the Strath-
nevis was thirty miles off Destruction
Island, making slowly but surely for the
rocky shore, and it seemed to all on
board the steamer that their doom was
sealed. AS they approached nearer
and nearer the shore, with the wind be-
hind them, all hands began making
final preparations for the expected
dashing of the steamer to pieces on the
rocks, but when within seven miles of
the island the wind shifted to the north,
and, to the delight Of all, the anchor,
which was heaved over, held fast. The
chain soon broke, however, and the sec
ond and last anchor on board was sent
down, with what proved better success,
for it held fast.
About 9 o'clock Tuesday morning
Purser Mcdonald and Third Officer
Baynes and three japanese sailors were
sent off to the island in a boat, with
the hope that they might reach a tele-
graph station and wire for assistance.
The men are still on the island At
noon the same day the collier Mineola,
Captain Pillsbury, hove in sight and
bore down on the Strathnevis, soon get
ting a hawser on board and heading for
land.
When the Strathnevis arrived here
last evening the wires were down, and
there was no way of sending the news
out. Captain J. 3. Libbey, manager of
the Puget Sound Tugboat Company,
volunteered to send the United Press
dispatches to Seattle by the tug Tyee,
and by this means the news was given
to the world twelve hours earlier than
it could otherwise have been.
There are thirty-seven members of
the crew of the Strathnevis, and she has
16S Chinese and japanese passengers
on board. Among the Chinese are sew
eral wealthy merchants who had
started home to purchase Christmas
goods for the Pacific Coast trade. There
are also five Japanese Yale College
students on board who had started
home to spend Christmas.
Captain Pattie says that to the Chi
nese merchants and japanese students
on board ne is indebted for the general
discipline and order on board, one mer-
chant in particular taking charge of
and exercising wonderful control over
all his fellow -countrymen. There was
plenty of food on board, and at no time
was there any danger of going dry The
Mineola will probably put in a claim
for salvage of 100000, although this
is not definitely determined.
ANXIETY FOR THE MIOWERA.
VANCOUVER CB. c., Dec. 26.-
There is considerable anxiety about the
safety of the steamship Miowera. It was
the Miowera that last Monday morning
picked up the disabled Northern Pa
cific steamship Strathnevis at point