The sun., 1897-05-17
THE DEAD MANATTHE HELM
MEN FROM "A SCHOONER BOARD
THE DERELICT GEN. SIGLIN.

They WRAP the rsody OF the Helnsnan In CAM
vas and Commit It 60 the sea-The Food
ana Medicine by Hris side-No Trace OF the
Ten Other Persons who sailed on the siEiin.
VICTORIA. d. G., May 16.-Ten days ago, about
100 miles west Of tho Queen Charlotte group. tho
lookout on the British scaling schooner Arietis
sighted drifting derelct floating low in the
water, with masts and canvas long since gone by
the board, and every indication of having expe-
rienced the full fury of terrific gale. Hoping
she might yet be In time to succor some despair
ing seainen Capt. Martin altered his course, and
as the Arietis bore nearer tho dismantled hulk
one OF the crew from aloft shouted:
" II looks as though we were in time. I can
mako out chap astern." Then as the glass
was brought into service he added: but I
don't quito fancy the looks OF him He's all
huddled up"
Then there was silence on the sealer as sho
came nearer. for all hands agreed that there was
something uncanny about the waterlogged hulk
With fair breeze 1t did not take long to como
alongside; and soon the abandoned craft was
made out to be the schooner General Siglin,
which left San Francisco for Wood Island.
Alaska, on March 13 with crew Of six men and
hve passengers, William c. Greenfield, general
manager Of the North American Commercial
Company. and his wife and family. THE SUN on
May IL contained an account of the sighting of
the derelict on May by the schooner Willard
Ainsworth, whose crew saw the dead man at
the holm.
As the Ariotis's mon boarded tho schooner
she was lying 80 low In the water that they
stepped from the boats to the roof of tho cabin.
They could not even explore the main deck, for
the water flooded 1t. Only the taffrail was dry.
while the foremast lay over the bow, lifting but
few feet on the waves. The picture was one
Of utter desolation, and with a shudder Capt.
Martin and his men saw that deaths ship was
not without its skipper.
The dark mass huddled at tho stern was a
man. but death had long before released him
from his suffcrinRs. That he had made gallant
fight was apparent, and as sailors from the
British schooner approached the rigid body they
found 1t was firmly lashed to the starboard stern
davit, the poor fellow having plainly realized
that when his strength deserted him he would
be washed from the filling wreck. His one hope
had been that some craft would find and rescue
him, but the rescuers came too late.
By the side Of the body were found a box of
lunch tongue, a box OF dried apples. bot.
tie OF curry, and two smaller bottles of medi-
cine. indicating that illness as well as the ele.
ments had fought against the poor sailor. Tho
arrangement OF the several articles showed that
the dead man had not taken his last desperate
position in haste upon the storms attack. It
seemed moro probable that no had been left ON
board. and had pershed OF exposure after max.
ing gallant defence.
The papers on the body showed that tho man
was the mate OF the Sglin. Henry Saunders. 40
years OF age. master mariner Of st. John. N
b.. and member of the Masonic order, attached
to one of the Edinburgh lodges. They also indi-
Gated that he had q wife and children some
where in tho East
The body was removed to the Arietis, swathed
in canvas and thon consigned to the deep with
the simple but impressive ceremonies of burial
ut sea.
From the limited opportunity Afforded him Of
inspecting the abandoned craft, Capt. Martin
came to the conclusion that she must have met
her fate fully month before he fell in with her,
probably in the memorable gale Of March, the
shallow built vessel heeling over under pres
sure Of the tempest, and only righting herself
she filed by tho hatches. The crew must
either have been washed overheard or have
taken to the boats. and with them engulfed; or
else their bodies may be yet floating confined in
tho abandoned hulk.