The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-06
THE WHITES NAMED SURVIVORS
Six Men Arrive at Port Townsend
Their Terrible Hardships.

Port Townsend, Aug. J.-Speclal.-clX
survivors Of the Inflated sea otter hunt
ing schooner c. q. White, of San Fran
cisco, which was lost on Wood island
Alaska, last spring. arrived this morn
ing on the steamer City of Topeka. en-
route 10 San Francisco. Their condition
is pitiable Hearty, robust and industri-
Gus men were reduced TO a miserable
condition One bright young San Fran
cisco lad lost both legs by amputation.
and others lost their toes and fingers and
bore sad evidences of great sufferings.
However, the men bear up well under
their physical Affections, looking on the
bright side of their troubles and speak
ing good-naturedly OF their misfortunes.
The list is as follows: W. f. Bail, en-
gineer by trade lives at 1913 Howard
street San Francisco; both feet ampu-
tated above the ankles. He was former
~ engineer Of the steam launch Aquila
when w. r. Hearst, OF the Examiner,
was the owner.
E. j. Voisinet. aged 2s years. living at
II Laurel street, San Francisco. cabin
boy; lost two toes and bone in the heel
of left foot; first two toes and ball of
right foot amputated; three and half
fingers from the left hand and two last
fingers from the right missing. besides
the tips of the other fingers are badly
SCARED and injured.
August Wickston, second mate. of San
Francisco. lost three toes and part of the
bone of the right foot are gone.
NJ Mathiason. native of Norway. resi-
dent of San Francisco lost one toe of
the right foot.
+. II. hurry, seaman. native Of Dublin,
resident of San Francisco: lost one-half
OF the left foot.
f. A. Sweeney, seaman, of San Fran
cisco. is the only one of the party who is
comparatively uninjured. and he is in
IL. IL IL
hardships, but robust constitution
saved him from losing any members Of
his body.
Bail and Sweeney related the particulars
of the disaster previously told in these
columns through special correspondence
from Wood island, and in addition told
the following story:
August Isaacson. the master, was
buried in the sand on the beach, a Sew
inches below the surface. as we had no
tools 10 afford him or the cook decent
burial. Later the tides washed the sand
away from the corpse. exposing The body.
from which horrible odor emitted. We
learned this while we were at Wood
island Some fellows went there after
wards. and promised to take the body
further up on the bluff and there bury 1t.
The body of the cook. Charles Lind. was
also washed up from its burial place, and
before IL could be secured the tides car
ried it out TO sea, and IL was lost. Thomp-
son. the mate. drifted ashore about eight
miles from the wreck, where The body
was found and covered with stones. so as
to protect il from exposure and wild an
finals. One of the sailors from the White
took gold ring from his finger and sent
il 10 his daughter in san Francisco. His
face was terribly mutilated, bearing evil
dcnces o. having come I'm contact with
stones and flesh-devouring fishes of the
sea
Manuel Muerrilo and another seaman
named Rogers and ourselves started 10
walk from the scene Of the wreck 10 a
settlement called Oklyok, thrty-seven
miles distant, around the head Of the la
COON, through snow more than waist
deep, facing a bitter cold Arctic wind, in
light clothes and over an unknown path.
IL was tho morning after the wreck when
we set GU. on our Journey to secure as
sistance. Rogers and Muerrilo being
somewhat exhausted from the terrible
sufferngs Of tho previous night. when all
hands drifted ashore through the icy seas.
were unable to keep up with us
Muerrilos mind began 10 wander, and his
condition was sad. indeed. Rogers sug-
gested that we push forward and return
with help as soon as possible. Shortly
after We left, Muerrilo became exhausted.
and was unable to go further. Rogers
noticed that he had lost one s1oe. and
asked what had become Of II. Why u 3
on nv foot and the poor fellow could
not realize that II was gone, and then his
mind began TO wander back 70 the scenes
OF early childhood. In a rational moment
he begged Rogers TO 20 ahead and save
himself and then. IL possible. 10 send
hack help. and moment later his mind
was A blank With desperate effort he
tonpled over into the snow, and there be
gan the death struggle. one moment he
was happv ana in the next instant he
fully realized the awful situation and
uraved that death might release him from
his safferines Rogers too was nearly
dead from exhaustion. but he hravely
rendered all the comfort and assistance
in his power 20 the poor sailor. even TAX
ing of his own wet and ICY garment and
cndcavorinr 10 impart a little warmth 20
his romrade. Kind providence interviewed
and Afuerriio'e suffcrirGs came 20 an end.
diving amid the awful riGors and terrors
Of an Arctic winter. Rogers struggled
on bravelv. following tho path beaten out
hv ourselves. and when he got within six
miles Of the settlement his heart and
strength failed him. and he became dazed
and began 20 wander around In the snow
lie threw uo his hands and Law down Ia
die. when a rescuing party hurrying back
came i'm sight just IN time 30 save his life
4 little warm tea and some spirits re-
vived him sufficiently To b@ taken 10 oky-
settlement and sent back assistance.
Here the story was taken llp by Swce-
Y,ev ubo said. THAT was the last step
ever taken ny Bail. Many times no fell
down and / half carried him TO the settle
Ynarf lie lost consciousness ard the kind
hearted settlers removed hiss clothing and
shoes was laid out. dead to the world.
being thoroughly exhausted Before this
We had managed II tell them Of the dis
asteF. and assistance vas sent out on a
moments notice When BARS shoes came
o@T his feet we're black from cold. being
frosthitten. In few hours mort!fication
set IN. and the resident physician. c r
Dickinson. a graduate OF Berkeley Cal.
found IL necessary 20 amputate both feet
lust above the ankles. For days Bail s
life hung on a thread ard the doctor had
uo hopes Of saving him. But kind atten-
ton ard q strong Viii power pulled the
boy through. The doctor had no tools.
and one OF our crew. Engwaid Louey
after the rescue. made at the black
smiths forge six pairs Of artery foTceps.
which were greatly needed ~ the doctor.
4 man named Davis and Two natives went
hack and brought In Rogers. Tie lost =
feq toes and was coming down with Us.
bat az Juneau missed the steamer
These that are buried within few hun
-. L aar fr.ff r-z