Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-12-21
THE CLEVELAND LOST.


More Additions to vancouver Island1s
Marine Cemetery.
Victoria, B. c., Dec. 1.-THE steam
er Cleveland, Captain Hall, was wrecked
in Barclay sound, and three boats, on
tanning 20 members of the crew and
two passengers, are missing. The cap
tain, purser, chief engineer, one pas
enger James Lathbury, and a boats
crew, reached Uclulet, after spending
the night in an open boat with a big
storm raging. This is the story told
by Purser Whitbeck, who arrived at
Nanaimo at 3 o'clock this morning,
from Alberni, and came to Victoria on
the noon train.
The Cleveland, an iron steamer of
730 tons, owned by Charles Nelson, of
San Francisco, running between that
city and Puget sound, left the Golden
Gate on the 4th inst, for Seattle. She
had been on the way two days, and
was we'll out to sea, when, during a
most severe gale, her Shaft broke.
Sails we're then hoisted and an effort
made to get to Cape Flattery. Heavy
NlluS, IONCN0IJ ulONO jlSI uIu,
and. after being butfeted about by the
storm for four days, being carried
northward all the time, and in toward
Vancouver island, she drifted into Bar
clay sound, on the night of December
IL, by the west entrance, and danger
ously close to Starlight reef.
There was a big sea running, and the
wind was blowing great guns. Fearing
that she would strike on the reef, and
knowing that if she did there would be
no hope foi her, her officers decided to
take to the boats. Four boats were
lowered, and they started out to seek a
place of safety. An attempt was made
to land on one of the small islands, but
it was unsuccessful, the wind making
it impossible. They then started for
another island, and the captains boat
made Alpha passage, in which a big
surf was breaking. The captain sig
nailed to the other boats to follow, but
they failed to do SO, and it is supposed
that, being unable to see the captains
boat after the signals were given, they
concluded she had been swamped.
After that time nothing was seen of
the three boats.
Captain Hall landed his boat safely
on the beach, after going through the
Alpha passage, and spent the night
there. Next morning his party made
their way to Uclulet village, where
they were cared for by John Marko-
WITT, a storekeeper. In the meantime,
the steamer had drifted further into the
sound, having miraculously missed
striking many islands and reefs that
lay in her passage. She finally went
ashore at Anderson camp, Lyall point,
on the northwest shore of Barclay
sound. AS soon as she had been To-
Gated, Captain Hall again took charge,
but he found that the Indians had been
there and looted the vessel. After
waiting for some time for the other
three boats. Captain Hall decided to
send the purser to Alberni to telegraph
to Victoria for assistance.
The purser started from Uclulet in a
boat manned by W Indians, but did
not get far before his canoe capsized.
BY threats. the purser induced the In
dams to take him back to Uclulet.
where he secured a crew of white men
to take him to Alberni. Arrived
there, he found the wires down, so he
came on to Victoria. There is little
doubt that the three boats containing
the 20 members of the crew and two
passengers have met with disaster.
Two boxes of biscuits and a pillow. be-
lieved to have been in the boats, were
picked up the next morning on the
beach. One of the boxes was at the en-
trance to Uclulet arm, and the other
further north.
The vicinity where the Cleveland
went ashore has a bad reputation among
marine men, there being many dan.
gerous reefs over which a terrible surf
breaks. Captain Gaudin, agent of the
marine and fisheries department, says
1t Is almost impossible for a boat to
live n such a place. Captain Halls
good fortune in making the Alpha
passage was all that saved himself and
companions.