The San Francisco call., 1896-01-23

when everything seemed to be all right
and nothing but plain sailing ahead the
chief officer was washed overheard, and in
an attempt to rescue him two of the crew
were drowned.
The second mate was not navigator.
but nevertheless he was O thorough sea-
man, and that was more than could be
said OF the four men who formed the rest
of the crew. They were green hands put
aboard at Port Townsend and the only
other men aboard were two japanese.
Had it not been for these men-one the
! steward and the other the cook-the
chances are the Golden Shore would never
have been heard from again. While the
"seamen" could not do anything to help,
the cook and steward took their trick at
the wheel and also did their work in the
galley.
The Golden Shore left Port Blakeley
twenty-nine Gays ago. bound for Australia.
A storm was raging at the time and she
put into Clallam Bay for shelter. After a
wait of over a week Captain Henderson
squared his sails and made another start
! for Melbourne. Off Cape Flatterv some
/ heavy weather was encountered, but all
went well until the 8th inst, when heavy
head sea was "being bucked into" The
! NCdlDC1 1OOAcO threatening ana Lle Or0eT
| to shorten sail was given. AS the majority
OF the crew knew nothing at all about
working a ship the mate went forward to
/ show them what to do and at the same
time help out.
1t was Magnus Johnson, one of the best
known shlpmasters in California. For
! years he ran on the sugar-boats to Hawaii
and for long time was captain Of the
Aloha. Latterly there has been very little
| doing in the island trade, and sooner than
| remain idle ashore he took q position as
! first mate ON the Golden Shore. He was
| born on one of the Shetland Islands, was
about 80 years of age and thorough navi-
| gator. He used to live at 335 Tenth street,
and his only relatives are a sister-in-law
and two nieces.
The fatality seems simple matter when
told in cold print, but to the captain and
men left aboard the big schooner it me ant
| question of life and death. A reef was
being taken in the spanker and Johnson
was laying down the law to the "green
hands" that reef point was not made to
haul on, but to tie up the sail. AT the
time he had one OF the reef points in his
hand. and just at the moment the Golden
| Shore gave heavy roll and johnson fell.
He held on to the rope, but a heavy sea
that broke aboard carried him away.
The second mate saw the accident and
he yelled "Man overheard" Captain
Henderson ran to the wheel and, putting
the vessel up in the wind, ordered a boat
lowered. Robert Pierson, aged % years.
native of the Jersey Islands, and James
Conway, aged % years, native of Boston,
were the only two men in the crew that
knew anything about handling boat,
and they were ordered to man her. Before
they could get away sea came along,
tore the boat out of the davits and neither
boat nor men were ever seen again. Since
that time the captain, second mate and
Japanese steward and cook have worked
the vessel into port. The other four mem
bers of the crew were practically useless,
as they were afraid to go aJoft.
at was the most disastrous voyage
have ever attempted" said Captain Hen
derson yesterday when the Golden Shore
had come to an anchor off Meiggs wharf
"How Johnson came to be washed away is
mystery to me. He was thorough sea-
man and one of the best all-around fellows
| ever met. Some of our crew were green
hands and he was careful to explain to
them that the reef points were not to be
hauled on, but to tie up the sail. l guess
he was illustrating his story, because he
had reef point in his hand when he was
washed away.
II saw him plainly in the water and
strange to say he did not appear to be
swimming, but lay face downward in the
water. ordered a boat lowered and run
ming aft took the painter of the gig and
made it fast to the rail. With the painter
fast the boat would have been held fore
and aft, but either PieIson or CONWAY let
it go and when it was near the water
wave caught it broadside on and not only
swept 1t away but pulled the davits out of
the schooner and carried away part of the
rail.
1.-The boat turned over and over several
times, and finally davits, boat and men
went out of sight. When we had time to
look around again Mate Johnson was also
gone"
From that time until the Golden Shore
reached San Fran ncisco Captain Henderson
has been on watch. Whenever sail had to
be made the wheel was left in charge of
one of the "green hands," and the cap
tain and second mate went aloft to furI or
make sail or do any other necessary work.
When the vessel reached port yesterday
the master looked as though he had not
been asleep for month. His face was
inhamed by the wind and sea- and his
eyes looked like two holes burned in
blanket. He is not daunted, however, and
after q new crew has been nut aboard the