The San Francisco call., 1897-04-07

sian bear, whence he narrowly escaped.
The tale deals with whaling expeditions,
desertion, capture by Russian soldiers
incarceration among conVcts, penal toll
and finally deliverance in fish barrel by
the aid of friendly Japs.
In telling his story yesterday Mr.. Kin
kell said:
az am a native of San Francisco and a
citizen. / used to break horses through
n apa County, but for the last five or six
years l have been following the sea,
through the pers uasion of ]. Hunter, a
weil-known seal-taker.
After several trips on Arctic expedi-
tions, l shipped in February. 1896, on the
Agnes Mcdonald, under Captain Pierce,
for the Bering Sea. We made some raids
on Copper Island, which belongs to the
Russian coast. By some oversight in
signing articles found l was rated as q
green hand instead of able bodied ana
was only entitled TO $40 month and 15-
cent lay. instead of $40 month and a %
cent lay. This made NE sore and L deter
mined to escape.
''In May, We put in at Saghalien Island
the principal Russian convict settlement.
thous ht it was on the Russian mainland
ard not far from Vladivostock, whence l
thought | could easily ship, so deter
mined to get away. After filling the
water casks, numbe of US were allowed
slipped away and remained in the woods
until the vessel sailed
After breakfasting on hard tack and
corn beef, which | had brought with me,
| made my way toward smoke which /
found rose from the house of Japanese
fisherman. As i could speak a little
japanese, L soon discovered that / was on
an island, and in hope of reaching civiliza-
tion, prevailed on the fisherman to take
me to the interior, where short, dark
people called the lnos lived. Here was a
military station occupied by five Russian
soldiers, who, after questioning me, placed
me under arrest.
~ was confined in q hut and fed on
black bread and soup, and at the end of
two and half days was taken over the
mountains 10 a biz place called Karasa-
koff, where prisoners were engaged in
building Notifications. The authorities
could not at first understand me, but,
through japanese, l explained that l
had been accidentally left on the island
The Russians did not believe me, but sent
me by steamer 10 the Governor of the
island, at place called Alexandros, 800
miles away. Before going / was treated
as prisoner, being Obliged to get out
tim ber, eat black bread, potatoes and fish
II reached Alexandros in irons, and on
telling my story to the Governor, whose
name did not learn, was informed that
was nihtlist and spy, but that my case
would be investigated. 1 referred him 10
American Consul Abercrombie at Ma
gasaki, and in the meantime l was con.
fined in the big prison without work,
being given the freedom of the prison
yard.
"At the end of two weeks L complained
Of the restraint and food, and was given
so copecks or a rouble day and allowed
the freedom Oh the town, having to get the
money every morning from the Governors s
house and report every night before sun
down at the prison. There were then
about 14Oo convicts there, guarded by 800
soldiers.
I'm the course of my weary walks about
1 discovered village of Japanese fisher
men near by, and they told me the Gov
ernor would never release me. But one
day Japanese fishing junk put in and /
recognized the captain as an old acquaint-
ance of Nagasaki. He proposed that l
escape, and at his suggestion l slowed
away in a fish barrel and was brought
safely TO Nagasaki. whence Consul Aber-
crombie enabled me to ship to Yokohama
and thence to Victoria, B. &.
After that | came down to San Fran.
cisco, glad to escape those Russians and I
intend going tom orrow to Caiistoga."