The record-union., 1898-03-10
SCOT7Y LOST HIS MASCOT
AND THE WEITELAW WENT TO
THE DOGS.
Letter From a Sacramentan Who
Went North on the I'LL
Fated Old Tug.

burning. The fire was supposed TO
have been the result of spontaneous
combustion, caused by the oil-slxin bags
belonging to miners outfits packed III
the hold. She had been run ashore that
the passengers might be saved.
Among the passengers on the White
law were John Houston, Familiarity
known as 'Scotty," and Peter Grouse
of this city, and it is supposed they
have lost their entire outfits, including
a fine team of ST. Bernard dogs they
had trained here for use in sledginS
over the mountains. a letter received
from Houston to friend here, writ
ten from way port contained a hard
account of the outfit The Captain was
a greenhorn, and most of his crew no
better fitted for their duties than he.
The Whitelaw an old tugboat rugged
up for the Alaskan trade, had been
meeting with disaster all the way up
the coast, and finally came TO the END
that many expected. Yesterday anoth-
er letter was received from Houston,
written at the entrance to Discovery
Bay and dated February 9th, giving
an amusing account of the trip up 10
that time, and which the Record
Union" is permitted to publish.
a HIGH OLD TRIP.
Dear Friend: The Whitelaw is slowly
but surely forging her way to the land
of ice and gold This is written on the
stern of the wreck CT the Mexico where
We are now steaming under a slow bell.
The weather is beautiful, just as warm
as at home. l never have had an over
coat on since the morning L bid you
good-by This fact was a great sur
prise to me.
We have had fine passage so far all
things considered. The wind has been
aft all the time-a lucky thing for all,
for l assure you the ship is in poor
hands The pilot hammers along in a
haphaZard manner, and when he wants
to sleep they come to anchor. He told
me himself he was only here once be-
fore, and that was a year ago.
We had the experience of shooting
the famous Seymour Rapids, a place
where there is no danger, but the way
the current handles the ship is what
stiffens the hair. The Captain never
was there before. AS we approached
the rapids q little Scotch sailor at the
wheel says to me: See the fun He
had passed through there before, lots
of times. At this place the water Of
the whole straits are confined in a
space 2o0 yards wide, through which
they rush with terrific force. and can
be passed only with a favoring tide.
AS the Whitelaw approached the rap
ids in midstream she was picked up
by the current and thrown toward the
rocks on shore.
For sake. stop her." roared
the Captain as she heads toward the
bank.
Let her go!" roars the pilot.
ITO hi with you BOTH" roared the
Scotchman at the wheel.
Just then an outward eddy picked her
up, when she was five fathoms from
the rocks, and swept her into mid
stream like feather, and we all took
a breath.
You couldn't run her ashore on that
rock if you tried,'' said the Scotchman.
The Santa Cruz turned twice around
in the eddy the last time he came
through on her. And l believe he was
right, for I think the shore eddies are
bound to swing a vessel off.
This is the toughest layout you ever
saw. Chaos prevails everywhere. The
steward quarrels with the passengers;
the dishwasher quarrels with the cook
the mate quarrels with the sailors. and
the Captain is the poorest excuse for
man l ever saw. We We're coming
along at about seven knots, when the
Captain told the mate to sound.
How the hi can l sound when the
ship is going seven knots?'' says the
mate.
a in,
ing for anchorage and told one of the
sailors to see how much water they
had. The sailor put the heaving-line
in the water-t tank, and all hands had d
good laugh.
/ bought duck at Port Angeles for
a mascot to-day, and he fell overheard
in fifteen minutes. The ship was
stopped for hot bearing. and my hat
went overheard. / don't think we will
get through without that duck.
We had no quarters for the dogs until
we reached Port Angeles. so Pete and
l bought lumber and built nice stable
on deck. Each dog has stall like a
little horse. and they fare finely You
bet. we built it just big enough for on,
own. Jim can just shake the stuffing
out of the whole lot in two minutes,
for they are lot of poor cyoodles
Since ! wrote the last we have had
quite an experience. While passing
through Wrangle Narrows in company
with the large steamer Danube and the
schooner Bessie X, the Whitelaw went
on the rocks With a bump. but got of
with a rise Of the tide The only dam
age was the loss of her shoe. which
was ripped off. Had she been eD or
dinary iron vessel the bottom would
have been ripped off her.
At Port Angeles / bought another
mascot for the ship-a drake, as long
as he was on board All was well. bur
now everything is going wrong. We
have Caledonian Club aboard. There
are seven Scotchmen, all in one party
We are in the after-cabin among the
cargo. but We have the best quarters
aboard, though that is not much.
feel like a fighting cock.
The next l write to you viii be about
the Chilcoot. ] intended to keep a
diary of the trip, but was so sick |
could rot do it.
There are all kinds of men aboard
this craft. They have all manner OF
schemes fer making money.
when | saw my pile of grub all to-
gether on the dock / nearly tainted
Hanged if / know how we are ever TO
get it there 1t is the biggest bundle
/ ever packed.
Give my regards to Millar and the
rest of the boys. Yours,