The Portland daily press., 1898-12-03

been the first fragments to appear on the
beach, and this also strengthens the
theory that the steamer foundered some
miles, perhaps five or six off shore.
Still another circumstance makes this
theory even more tenable. All or nearly
all of the bodies that have been recovered,
were but little bruised as is usually the
case when they have been beaten or bat
tered by the surf. If they had drlfted
down from Highland light or further
above, nearly every one would nave
shown marks, at least on the face, put
there were only very few dlstigured. IL
seems plausible that the Portland round
cred i've miles northeastern perhaps east
of Peaked Hill bar, off High Head life
saving station, about 9. Is Sunday morn
ing, aud that the greater part Of the light
upperworks, with the assistance OF a hooo
tide, was tnrown off on the beach at
Peaked Hill stasion, or just below u au
High Head, that the bodies after drlfting
west a short time were whirled around
the end of the Cape by the tremendous
ebb tide of Sunday afternoon which tide
did not effect the wood work so much,
and were finally cast up one at time, by
the waves along shore. The westerly
wind of Monday and Tuesday kept many
out to sea but the gale of Wednesday
again brought them in and on Thursday
six or seven were recovered. 1t is now
uiOuEhO OACIO Will OA1y ~D6 d NGfy iGMs IL
any more bodies recovered until another
easterly wind sets in. To support this
latter theory as to why so few bodies are
being recovered on q westerly wind is the
peculiar action of the waves on a sandy
shore. There seems no doubt that num-
ber of bodies that have been seen in the
surf, but not recovered, now lie buried
beneath the sand where they will remain
until the next easterly gale 1t is also
conjectured that the tides swept a large
number eight or ten miles out TO sea, and
as few of the coasting vessels running up
and down the Cape keep out as far, very
few will be picked up, even il they come
to the surface which Is unlikely for the
reason that bodies in deep turbulent
waters are likely to sink.
Still another theory rs to the wreck of
the Portland is drawn from the wheel
which came ashore at Orleans 1t is
what is called the spare wheel in the pilot
house and is kept in cylinder about
three feet behind the one commonly used,
the steersman standing between the two.
The wheel was lashed with a rope and
the knots indicated that only seaman
could have done it. 1t is thought now
that no attempt was made to use his
wheel, because the pilot house was
probably washed away the first thing
after the steamers engines broke down
and she fell off into the trough of the, sea.
SdQ16 Ohfi vi IOIuifslQ WIZ Has DOOA
mentioned in Boston papers as having
been on the Portland, was not on board
the boat.
Orleans, December 2.-Tbe four un-
identified bodies and those of John Jones
and Peter Collins will be taken to Boston
by the state police tomorrow morning
The body of A. Gosselyu will be taken
by a Montreal official. All bodies here
after recovered will be taken to Boston
Immediately. 6. p. Piche of Montreal is
believed to have been passenger on the
Portland.
Tomorrow afternoon there will be sent
from Provincetown two of the Portland's
victims, also those of five seamen from
WelIfleet and that of George Graham from
Chatham. A storm is threatened for to-
morrow.