Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-07-07
MILLIONS OF SEALS.
OR so THE SAILORS THOUGHT WHEN
THEY SAW THE SCHOOL.

THEY SAW The SCHOOL.
A Story About Josiah Dowse's Good For
tune Which Reads Like an "Arabian
Nights" Tale-A Fortune In tho Chart the
Old Navigator Left His Benefactor.
Josiah Dowse was Rhode Islanaar and
had o farm at Point judith In 1919,
bleak, sterile region, where the people have
to anchor their wood piles and the girls arc
baldheaded at 30 because the wind blows
oil their hair off He had been sailor In
his youth.
He was IN Providence one day and pass
ing the dock saw man, evidently an old
sailor, sitting on his chest. Dowse spoke
to him and learned that he had just come
off West Indian voyage and Ind been
sick and was very feeble and wanted to
get into the country and recruit his
strength He added that che could make
itworth Innn's while to help him bit. "
His name was Redman, and he became
useful servant, but his health declined
daily, and one day he called Dowse to him
and said: "Cap'n, my time is nigh up,
and for your kindness to me will give
you chance to get rich. Nine years ago I
was on sealer from ST Johns called the
Scaweed Captain Tibbs was master, and
we was bound for the South Shetlands,
and on the 10th Of May was pitchin off
Cape Horn Captain Tibbs was afraid of
uawthin, and when he found the way
clear he less kept crackin on south, and
when he took bis reok min we was far-
ther south than any sealer had ever been
before. BY night he was to the Ice Of an Is
land, cause we heard the surf beat on tho
beach, and next mornln when the sun
rose saw sight that made all hands jump
Making for the gravelly beach was not less
than 10000 fur seal, some as big as wal
rus. Well, there was l8 of us, and we went
quietly to work to drive the seals. They
had never been near white man before
and were tame as chickens. We killed in
daytime and skinned oil night. 1t was
KILN work, and by the time we had
10000 skins In the hold of our 90 ton
hooker oil hands were used up, but we
were on the road to fortune. Sure, them
skins was wuth ego apiece in China, so
we left the island Aug 10, 1910.
1--WE took the longest route sailin east,
80 as to strike the cape Of Good Hope, for
our provisions would last no longer, and in
1873 days were In Canton river. Our cargo
must have brought $500, 900, and as we
was ON the lay I got $4,000. Well, of
course, mnde q fool of myself, was drunk
for month, and finally some Of the crew
took me aboard In TINT condition, and
awoke TO find myself off soundin's. Sec
ond day out we was caught In typhoon.
was in my bunk, and when got on
deck the mast was gone and all but five Of
my 1nessmates had been washed over
board. The Scaweed was wallopin about
like o mad bull ALI at once she struck,
and when I got my breath I was layin
ashore among lot of wreckagc. and all
bruised up, and there I was when day
broke. I never saw splinter Of the sloop
or any of my messmates again Somethin
black was washed up on the beach that I
knew was the captain's chart case, and
this picked up was In luck for three
hours afterward q Chinese junk came
along and took mo aboard, and I got TO
Shanghai. Now, cap'n, thar's the chart
case In my chest, and the island Is marked
plain as hole In grummet and you
can try your luck.
OON 30 CAol11llCo ViAC SLtsA AZ Wtso SOh
roborative Of the old man. g story. he grew
excited His wife had $4,000, and her
brother was well to do and would be a part
ner "Hurrah for the south seasP
A week after Redman passed away, and
inside of month the North Star, o 100
ton schooner, with Dowse and o hardy
crew of Is men, was beating out of Nara
gansett On tho 9th of April, 1890, they
sighted Cape Horn, and SO far had met but
uttlo Ice. Everything depended on this. In
some seasons 200 miles of Ice might lie be-
tween them and their promised land The
chart was consulted hourly, and man
lashed on the foretopmast dny and night.
About middle watch one of the crow called
down the cabin hatch: Captain Dowsc,
thar's seal about. I can hear them. We'ro
near land" Suro enough, the hoarsc growl
of bull wns distinctly heard. Sail was
taken In and the schooner's way checked
until daylight, when the cry went up:
GOOD Lord Thar they are-1 900, 900 on
'em. -
This was Redman' S island-n wide beach
with ON upland of rocks. But the seals!
For mile they lay ten deep. The golden
sands of India were no comparison. Tho
men were oil experienced In tho business
and went to work so as to bring out the
best results, and by tho middle of July
$4,000 seal skins were barrcled on dock or
in the hold, leaving scarce room for water
and provisions. The Pacific route was
taken, and in 1O5 days they reached the
coast of Chinn and Hongkong. Their car
20 brought over $500, 900, as the market
was barc of skins. OF this over $500, 900
went to the captain and schooner.
It was too late to make another trip
back, 80 the North Star sailed for Sydney,
and in the spring tried her luck again. 1t
proved another open season. They made
o full cargo, sailed for Hongkong and
disposed Of their furs on satisfactory terms.
got English exchange, 10 per cent premi-
um, for their money, and, finding pur-
chaser for the North Star, took passage on
an English ship for London, thence home,
having been gone two years and six months.
Josiah was now worth $500, 200, and he
went to Canada to engage In the timber
trade, was very successful and left large
fortune to his son Hugh. In 1924 not less
than eight boats left Newport for the
southern FL Dorado but for years after
the Ice pack was solid for e50 miles nortn
of Dowse's island. Some of the boats new
er came back, and all lost their time and
money. Not from that day to this has any
one ever reached the new seal ground
Philadelphia Times.