The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-02

cabin. knew nothing st ali OF the founder
ing. They went into eternity without
thought. AL had been very seasick for
several days and had reached a STAGE
where they did not care whether the ship
went down or not There was no time to
so back into the cabin and pull them on
deck. II was every man for himself. and
many OF those who persisted were too sick
10 think Of getting out. / saw A. =. Dun
lap on the deck OF the schooner, but did
not see him when the launch drifted away.
talked with Horace Palmer of Lebanon,
o, FOR moment on the deck OF the
schooner. He said:
This Is a hard way 20 die. isn't il. The
only thing | mind is leaving my wife and
children l think he was working with
the other boat, but did rot see him again.
Too much cannot be said about the
bravery displayed by Capt. Crockett, Mate
Hansen and the other members OF the
crew. They were I'D night and day from
the time We got into the straits and dis
played great GOODNESS at the time Of the
wreck. The survivors passed resolutions
thanking them I do not attempt to ex-
plain the cause OF the Jane Gray founder
ing. We were given 10 understand that
she was very staanch clipper whaler. yet.
after passing through no storm at all. her
seams opened up and she sunk almost with
out warning. There was not life pre-
server or life raft aboard. l have nothing
more 10 say about this until some matters
have been adjusted"
Capt. Crockctt'x Statement.
This is the aceoun. OF the disaster given
by Capt. Crockett to a Post-Intelligencer
reporter yesterday afternoon In the pri-
vate office OF the MaeDeugall & South
wick Company:
my opinion is that a butt In the Gray
sprung open during Saturday night and
let in enough water to sink her. There il
nothing In the theory that her load OF
freight shifted and caused her 10 list to
starboard. There was no very heavy storm:
that Is, sufficient to wreck such a staunch
vessel as the Gray. We were carrying
practically no sail and We're hove-to when
I was called on deck at o'clock on sun
day morning. 1t was my watch. but the
mate and one seaman were on the deck
at the time. while i was down below.
I'VE sailed from Seattle May 10. being
lowed as far as Port Townsend There
We set sail cary on the morning OF Nav
70. The wind was light and We made slow
progress 10 the straits. We passed by Cape
Flattery Saturday morning, May q. ar
o'clock. The wind was from the southeast.
saturday evening ut o'clock we reduced
sail and hove-to. The foresail alone was
up. The wind was stiff and il blew harder
In the night II was what would call a
moderate gale. There was a heavy sea run
ming, but not heavy enough 10 swamp any
seaworthy ship.
The water was pumped out OF the hold
Saturday night at midnight The vessel
mad been making some water. but not
enough TO cause any apprehension / went
To bed believing that everything wos al
right and with as much confidence in my
safety as II I had been on shore.
was called. as near as can Judge nj
ococR on Sunday morning. May % /
can only tel the time by the fact that
the watches Of the men who were In the
water all stopped at o'clock. The mate
called to me that something was the mat
ter with the ship. hurried on what cloth
ing could and jumped on deck. imme-
diately saw that there was something seri-
Gus the trouble with the schooner She
mad heavy list to starhoard and with
every sea the list grew worse. I ordered
Inc foresa1 lowered. hoping that she would
risht, out there was no change Then
called for all hands TO come on deck ana
tod the men 10 clear away the boats.
1 gave particular directions for the men
TO get the woman. Mrs. Gambel. and her
child. from the cabin. Then I turned nv
attention to getting the boats launched
and 10 seeing that all OF the passengers
We're placed aboard them in safety.
The plight OF the ship grew quickly
worse. Indeed there was no tirna fnr
anything. AT the same time there was no
excitement We lowered the big launch
f'rst and before We could get the other
boats IN readiness for the passengers. the
water carried them off the davis. Two
or the smaller boats were lowered all
right. The heavy sea made II diffscuIt
to handle them. however
Before We had time TO place nrovi-
sionS or oars on the launch we were com
peIed TO get on board. Three or four of
US jumped into the launch and others fol-
lowed by stepping off the starboard rail-
into the water and swimming TO the
launch. Those who came alongside were
helped in. We drifted rapidly away from
the schooner, which was slowly sinking
1t was pitch dark and difficult TO tlistin-
guish anything or anybody
Ten Minutes and All Was Over.
There was not over ten minutes or
time from the moment I stepped foot on
the deck until we were compelled to Jump
into tho launch for our lives. The spars
OF the ship Were already under water and
she slowly settled on her beam ends.
There were two launches. two seal boats
ana dory. The other launch was
smashed I'm the rigging but l saw four
men in 1t. 1t was half full of water.
however, and I have very little hope for
the poor fellows that got in IT, None Of
the smaller boats was manned
II took charge Of the launch and cleared
her away from the wreck. calling 10 all
within reach TO Join us We drifted
around for perhaps two hours and then
day broke. An hour after dawn Reilly
and JohnsorS wno were floating on
wreckage. drifted 10 us and were saved
The schooner was nowhere IN sight. At
about 10 o'clock we rugged Il sail OF a
piece OF canvas In the bottom of the
launch and headed north. driven before
the wind.
Sunday evening at dusk we rieged n
drag no AZ TO steady the boat The next
morning, not long before noon. we sight
ed land, which proved TO be the coast az
Vancouver island. We made shore iafe
that afternoon in kyuquot sound We
landed without difficulty and Immediately
A,a...