The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-13
IT'S AN ODD NUMBER
THIRTEEN RESCUED FROM a
WRECK AT SEA.
A Terrible Accident to the Ship Jeanette
Cowan on Vancouver Island-A
Story of Misery.

Seattle, Wash, Jan. 12.-Ten days
of suffering from cold and privation
on a rocky bluff, during which time
seven of the crew. including the cap
tain and mate, met their death, the
other mate and a seaman met with
terrible accidents. tells the tale of the
wrecking of the big four-masted En-
glish ship Jeanette Cowan on Van
couver island. This frightful news
was brought to this city this afternoon
by the tug Tyee. which had but few
hours before, landed IA members of
the ill-fated crew at Port Townsend.
The officers of the tug tell a most har-
rowing story of the wreck and of the
crew and its surroundings as found by
them.
The vessel struck reef New Years
day. Captain Thompson died several
days after the ship struck the reef and
the cook and an ableseaman and the
man that ran the donkey engine died
the following day, the latter becoming
violently insane. The other three men
who lost their lives were the second
mate and two apprentice boys. Nine
members of the crew were left on
shore in a 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
mistaken. A sign of the crew could be
seen on the wreck or on shore. The
sea was running pretty high at the
time the tug hove 10, but two boats
were lowered and a start made for the
ship which was standing up majesti-
cally. her lower top sails set and head
ed straight to the westward. The stern
was high in the air and the rudder
broken square in two. 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. Seated about a fire were 13 men,
all wearing an expression of utter
helplessness and misery.
First Mate Charles Legal. who was
dashed TO the boatswain's chair, suf-
fering from a fractured leg. told Mate
Hall of the Tyee the story of the dis
aster. He said the Cowan came from
Cape Town. South Africa, from Royal
Heads, b. c., and was los days out
when she reached Cape Flattery, on
Dec. 19 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
northward by a strong southwest wind
and sought shelter in the treacherous
waters of Barclay sound. to avoid be-
ing driven ashore on some more ex-
posed 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 Dec 81. and
a snow storm was coming on. The
ship seemed to he breaking in two and
Il was decided 10 leave her al once.
and with the aid of a line made fast
ashore the entire crew was taken of.
The survivors Of the wrecked vessel
are: Mate Legal; Hunt. colored: Mo-
ran. Irish; Symthe. German: Olsen, a
Swede; Kerr, Scotch; Cox. a native Of
Cape Town: Chamberlain. London:
cumberlass. Greece; Cousin. England:
Heath. a Russian; ROsano, Manila:
Carpenter. England; Wilson. Scot
land
Captain Thomas died three days be-
fore the arrival of the Tyee from ex-
posure and the three others On the
next day from the same cluse The
second mate and two apprrntioe boys
met their death while trying to make
land in a small boat the night the ship
struck