The San Francisco call., 1896-10-29

penses, but the crew, having shipped on a
elay," will have to content themselves
with 81 head.
Captain Coffin brings back with him a
pathetic story about a successful hunter
and miner who died while on his way back
to his El Dorado. He was discovered in
the hold of the Rosario when the schooner
was we'll out to sea, and as he was con-
sumptive the officers took pity on him
and gave him light work. He appreciated
their kindness and worked we'll until the
Arctic was reached. Then he succum bed
to the severe cold and was buried at sea.
Ben Roze was the name of the deceased.
Y ears ago he was hunter and miner in
Alaska. He d id well, ano year after year
added to his store. His mine was a good
one and money poured into his private
hoard. Finally he sold out his hunting
business, but never revealed the position OF
his gold mine. With about $35, 600 in his
pockets he came to San Francisco and for
few months had what whalers and seal
ers call "a good time"
After spending about $4,000 he pur-
chased a saloon on Market street and there
went into business. For time Roze did
fairly we'll, and then the bills of his whal-
ing, mining and hunting friends kept
growing. Finally be sold out the Market
street business. and with his remaining
dollars he established himself on Pacific
street, near East.
lii luck or bad debts still pursued him
and finally Roze lost his latter possession
and every cent he had on earth besides.
II was then that he resolved to stow away
on the Rosario and once more work the
mine that had once before yielded him a
fortune. His intention was TO go into the
ice with the schooner and then strike
across the continent by route which he
knew. Roze was confident OF success and
promised every man and boy on the
Rosario a share of his money when he
reached San Francisco again.
Unfortunately many weeks before the
Rosario reached Point Barrow Roze was
taken sick with consumption and before
the headland was reached he was dead. A
funeral at sea is always sad affair, but
is one was particularly so. Every mem
Der OF the crew knew Roze and all were
his friends, In fact the supposition is that
some one among them helped the miner
to stow away. Captain Coffin read the
burial service over the remains and the
body was consigned to the deep.
'tBen came to me several days before
We sailed and wanted to ship on the
Rosario" said Captain Coffin yesterday.
II knew him we'll and would have given
him work, but then he was physical
wreck. / had to refuse him, even though
the tears did come In his eyes. He as
serted that if he could only reach the
Arctic he could make money as hunter
and then make his way to the Yukon. 1
laughed at him, but he persisted and
finally | came to half believe in his mine.
As there was no point at which we
could land him, we had to take Roze
along. He was The most willing worker
ever saw, and his faith in the gold mine
he had left years ago, and which he ex-
pected TO reach again. seemed TO buoy him
up. Nevertheless he failed day by day,
and when he died he was as thin as
skeleton. What delicacies can you expect
to find on whaler? But even though 1
say 1t, the stowaway, Ben Roze, had the
best the ship could produce
The Rosario was taken direct to Oak
land Creek. and all who attem pted to
board her were towed away past Goat
Island by the tug Alert. This makes the
second whaler that has gone into the
creek to '.lay up" indefinitely. The Will
liam Baylies and the Rosario are now
anchored side by side, and MANY more
will keep them company before the year
is out
The steam whaler Kariuk also got in
from Fox Island last night with 5000
pounds of bone and one sack of furs. She
brings the news that two of the crew of
the jeanette who attempted to escape
from the vessel were shot by the officers
and killed.
AT one time there was general exodus
of the whalers toward the Yukon, as
chronicled in THE CALL some weeks ago,
and some of the deserters were hot and
some escaped. Two Of the Jeanette's