The San Francisco call., 1897-06-20
OF TER HUNTERS
IN HARD LUCK
Have Not Been Able to
Lower a Boat in Alas
kan Waters.
A Boat.Steerer Blown Over board
and One of the Schooners
Missing.
During a Storm One of the AppreE
tices on the L7morna Washed
Over board.

Private letters from the sealers and
other hunters now in Alaskan waters
state that frightful weather has been en-
countered and in many instances not a
boat has been lowered and two of the
schooners had 10 put into Karluk for
shelter. The schooners Rather and Her.
man were caught in the gale that wrecked
the General Siglin and both of them had
narrow escapes. Captain Nelson calls the
storm typhoon, and says the force of the
wind could not be imagined. John Will
liams, boat-steerer, was making his way
forward when 'the wind picked him up
as though he was fe ather and he went
sailing away nearly 200 yards from the
schooner" 1t was too rough and the
storm was so severe that no attempt
could be made to lower a boat, so the
poor fellow had to be left to his fate. For
twenty-four hours the Rather was hove
to and the only thing that saved her were
the oil bags that were put over the bow.
In the case of the Herman all the sail
she could carry was fore reefed mainsaiI.
Oil bags were put over her bows and a sea
anchor was made out OF some loose spars.
This was let out with 120 fathoms of haw-
ser and In that way the vessel was move
10 lOE IIl-CiRnI AOuTS OH TedCnlNE lu6
hunting grounds the Herman anchored to
the leeward of Sitkinik, and then another
storm came up. The anchor began to drag
and the schooner was in danger OF going
on the rocks She was hove up close and
Just as sail was being set the chain parted.
Luckily the boat came about on the right
tack and went scudding Haway before the
gale. "Spray few as high as the mast
head" writes the captain, land big seas
constantly broke aboard. One of the boats
was smashed into kindling wood ana
other damage was done about the deck. D
The schooner Eppinger. which left for
the same grounds few days after the
Rather and Herman, has not been heard
from since. She is a fine, stout boat, how
ever, and the chances are that she is
snugly anchored in some out-of-the-way
place in Alaska.
General Manager Vining of the Market
street Railway system gave an outing TO
the congrega tions OF the Baptist churches
Yesterday. He chartered the big steamer
Ukiah and hired Ell Campo for the day.
Alter a sail around the bay the excursion
lists we're landed at the beautiful picnic
grounds, where very enjoyable day was
spent.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's
OriZa ba left Mazatlan last Friday evening
for San Francisco, and will De due here
on the 25th inst
DuSlueSS WAS DIdCLlCally at a StaQQstlll
along the water front yesterday. The
downtown merchants and their employees
nearly all went to the Merchants picnic
and the Queens jubilee being or, every
British snip was practically deserted.
Not one of them but was covered with
bunting in honor of the Queens jubilee
The mem bers of the Scottish societies
clad in kills and tartans aud headed bv
their pipers, made brave showing al the
ferries. and every apprentice boy in the
feet of ships in port had the jubilee colors
in his button-hoie.
harbor Commissioner F. S. Chad dbourne
has been very sick man, but is now con-
vaiesclng. A week ago he was taken to a
private hospii al, and after being treated
for some days Drs. Thorn and Keeney cut
fatty tumof out OF his right shoulder,
The shock TO his system was very great.
but he is now rapidly recovering, and in
aoout ten days expects 10 be attending TO
waterfront matters again.
The British shin LRmorna, which ar
rived from Newcastle, y. S. W.. last night.
had a very rough experience covering
nearly her entire seventy nine days trip.
On April q heavy seas were breaking
aboard continuously, and one of them
must have taken J. OKane a native of
Belfast, Ireland, aged IL years. overheard.
No one saw the lad carried away, but the
supposition is that he met his death in
the manner described. At various times
sails were carried away, and Captain
Crichton estimates that during the voy-
ACE he must have lost an entira Suit