The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-14
TELL A SAD SEA TALE
Narrowing Experience of a Crew on
Storm Beaten Reef.

Storm-Beaten Reef.
Seattle, Wash, Jan. 13.-Ten days OF
suffering from cold and privation on a
rocky bluff, during which time seven OF
| the crew, including the captain and
mate, met their death, and the other
mate and seamen met with terrible ac-
cidents, tells the tale of the wreckine
of the big four-masted English ship
Jeanette Cowan on VancouveG's island
otherwise known as the "Boneyard OF
the Pacific ocean"
This frightful news was brought to
this city this afternoon, by the tug Tyee
which had but a few hours before lam
ded fourteen members of the Inflated
crew at Port Townsend. The officers
of the tug tell a most narrowing story
of the wreck and of the crew, and of
it's surroundings as found by them.
The vessel struck New Years day.
Captain Thompson died several days
after the ship struck the reef, and the
cook and able seaman, and the man
who ran the donkey engine, died the
following day, the latter becoming vio-
lently insane. The other three men
that lost their lives were the second
mate and two apprentice boys. Nine
members of the crew were left on the
shore in cabin about a mile north of
the place where the ship went on the
reef.
The tug Tyee first sighted the wreck
ed ship on Saturday afternoon. She
was plainly outlined on the shore of
Vancouver island and could not be mis-
taken. No sign Of the crew could be
seen on the shore. The sea was run
ming pretty high at the time the tug
hove to, but two boats were lowered
and a start made for the ship, which
was standing up majestically, her low
CT topsail set and straight on to the
westward. The stern was high in the
air and the I-udder broken square in
two.
Soon a portion of the crew could be
seen on top of "a high bluff, on which
a tent had been pitched. A sight met
the gaze of the rescUers that will not
be forgotten for years to come. Seat
ed about the fire were fourteen men,
all wearing an expression of utter hope
lessness and misery. First mate Chas-
Legal, who was dashed to a boatswains
chair, suffering from a fractured leg,
told Mate Hall, of the Tyee, the story
of the disaster.
He said the Cowan came from Cape
Town, South Africa, for Royal Roads,
D. - dlIu NStS lUo ldNS OUT Wnen Sne
reached Cape Flattery, on December 10
There was a. terrible storm off the cape
and the vessel stood off the cape two
days before trying TO come in. Then
she was driven quickly to the north
ward by a strong southwest wind. and
sought shelter in the tTeacherous wa
ters of Barclay sound to avoid being
driven ashore on some more exposed
point. The sound afforded but little
shelter, and she was driven on the
rocks at high tide. This was o'clock
on the morning of December 81, and a
snowStorm was coming on.
The ship seemed 10 be breaking in
two, and it was decided to leave her at
once. and with aid of line made fast
ashore, the entire crew was taken off.
The survivors of the wrecked vessel are
Mate Legal, Hunt Ccolored), Moran,
0riSh), Smyahe German. Olson
(Swede). Kerr (Scotch), Cox Cnative Of
Cape TOWN., Chamberlain Oondon),
Cumberliss (Greece). Cousin CEnglanO.
Heats CRussian), Rosana (Ianilla), Car
penter England. Wilson (Scotch)
Captain Thompson died three DAYS