The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10
SWEPT BY WAVES
TN MIDOCEAN
Two of the Grew Of the
Cavaliere Ciampa Are
Nearly Killed.
Miners Who Are Bound for
Copper River Will Have a
Hard Time Of 1t.
Rapids and Quioksands Are There,
but Very Little Gsld, Say
Those Who Know.

The Italian ship Cavaliere Ciampa is
one OF the handsomest vessels in port,
and Captain Cafero is very proud OF her,
even if he did nearly lose the mum her OF
his mess on her decks. 1t was during the
last voyage of the ship that the accident
happened. heavy storm was raging,
and the Ciampa was running before il.
Two men-Palumbo Nicola and Petorgua
Antonio-were at the wheel, and Captain
Cafiero was standing by the charthouse. A
big sea broke over the stern, almost killed
the men at the wheel, drove the captain
clean through the charthouse, and washed
Chief Officer G. Salvador overheard. Nicola
had both his jaws broken, and was so ter
ribly hurt that he will have to sub bsist as
long as be lives on liquid nourishment;
Antonio had nearly every rib in his body
broken, and will be an invalid for life; the
captain was caught as he was being
washed off the poop, and return wave
washed Salvador back again. The Ciampa
lost her chart house, part of her bulwarks
and some of her sails. Captain Cafiero
says it was one OF the hardest experiences
he ever ran into and as q memento had
an oil painting of the scene made, he fur
nishing the description. The accompany
ing sketch is taken from the painting now
i n Captain Caheros cabin.
J. II. Shears, second mate of the whaler
KarluK was stricken with paralysis while
the vessel was in the Arctic. He was
transferred to the schooner Bonanza
bound FOR San Francisco, but died when
the vessel was a few days out. He was
buried a sea.
A miner Just back from Prince William
Sound SAYS that hard times, disappoint-
ments aud perhaps many deaths are il
store for those who have started or are
about to start for Copper River. Accord
ing to him neither the La Nina, W. s.
Phelps or any other vessel of their size
can get nearer than forty or fifty miles OF
the mouth of the river. "All the vessels
that have gone there Or are going will
nave to tie up at Orca Station, in Prince
! William Sound" said he. From that
point they will nave 10 go in launches or
fat -bottomed steamers which draw under
three feet to the river. The river itself is
full of rapids and aboCnds in Quicksands.
At half the landings a man will assuredly
leave his boots in the mud if he steps out
OF the launch.
at Is folly to go there in a sailing vessel,
ANYHOW. Why, it blows in Prince VIII
liam Sound from every point of the COM
pass inside OF each twenty-four hours and
the woolIies' (saualIs) which blow every
hour or so Will take The masts out of
he stoutest vessel afloat. 1t was showing
up there on Septem ber IA, and it is going
10 be bad winter. To cap all, there is
very little gold in the river, and what is
there is mostly in copper quartz. My
advice TO any body contemplating going 20
COPPER River in search OF gold, is-slay at
home"
Captain Rivers of the American ship
A. CT. Ropes is in quandary as TO how he
will secure a crew. He is ready to sail for
L verpool, but cannot secure The eighteen
men necessary to man his vessel. Accord
ing to instructions received from Wash
ington. the United States Shipping Com
missioner must get a bill signed by the
sailor, showing the amount in which he is
indebte 20 The shipping master, the
boa rding-master, the stoTekeeper and
others Jack is satisfied, but the others
are not, as half the sailoss now being
shipped owe them nothing.
In consequence they are supplying all
the English ships that are ready to sail
and are leaving the American vessels in
the lurch. There will be trouble with
every American vessel in the same pre-
dicament as the Ropes until the new or
der is rescinded.
The tug Reliance is on the drydock to
get her first overhauling in eleven
months. When last on the ways she was
fitted with Wittram propeller, and since
that time she has been a very much inn
proved boat.
The battle-ship Oregon will be open to
visitors to-day, and the launch Amy will
carry those who desire to pay her visit
there and back again. The launch will
leave the Folsom-street float.