The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-29
JANE GRAY IS A H(ODOO.
STORY OF THE ILL-FArf.D SCuOoN.
ER'S ARCTIC EXPERIENCES.
ihfrteen Years Ago, While Crutsinx
ON the Coast of siberia. Her Crew
was Attacked by Natives and
Ahied-some other Experiences.

The Inflated schooner Jane Gray. which
drowned so many prospective miners ~.
cape Flattery a few weeks ago. will no,
GOWN, as IS shown by rneaser reports
o. ne finding o. her hull on the shores
o. vancouver island. This IS not the first
TIME that the schooner has TO ali an
pearances been lost only TO bob UP again
70 the great surprise Of mariners. The
Jane GEay's other trouble occurred years
ago in Boring sea, but did not cost the
lives o. the waalers who manned her.
The story of tie Arctic romance OF the
"hoodooed" schooner Was Well told yes
terday 10 Post-Intelligencer reporter by
az Old sailor now stationed on the United
states steamer Perry, who WAS in the
aTctlc on the war vessel that saved the
Jane Gray eventually she might
drown the men who trusted In her
I first heard of the Jane Gray" said
the old sailor. In lSSS, when she was at
tackled by natives while cruising OF the
north coast OF Siberia. The captain. first
mate and ten Of her crew We're killed IN
the hsht that followed. A few SURVIVORS
managed 10 escape with the vessel and
among them the captains daughter, Kate
u lass of Il years. She was the only one
ton. and the command naturally fell on
her shoulders. The whaling season was
not over ana the giri decided 10 continue
the cruise. making the best 81 the mIsfoy-
tune that had oVertakeu them. For
months she continued the work with her
short crew. steering the little schooner
from one place 10 another through tn" Ice
dotted Arctic sea. When the long winter
night began TO cast It's gloom over the
whaling grounds she set sail for San
Francisco. coming out past Dutch Harhor
and finally going into the Golden cate
without difficulty. She then turned the
vessel over 10 The owner aiong with i
fair catch
On Another Cruise.
''At the beginning of the next season
the Jane Gray again started out whaling
with provisions for three months. The
pretty commander was again on board
but this time as wife OF the owner. Capt
Watterson. Two years later the old
United States steamer Thetis, while Cruls-
ing with the whaling fleet in the Arctic,
was informed that the wreck Of an ua-
known schooner had been sighted among
the ice yoes far to the north. The cap
tain dee, He'd to investigate and IL posi-
BILE, relieve the crew OF the caStaway YES
sci.
1T took a week TO find the vessel, which
al frst appeared To he total wreck, ~
ing on her port beams end and nrmly
imoedded In the ice pack. Her masts and
rigging were sheathed with Ice and the
hail had "A coating of white. Through the
icicles hanging from her stern the relief
party made out her name, Jane Gray. OF
San Francisco. On boarding her the fact
developed from the log book that her Of
hcers and crew had deserted her more than
month before. n previous entry in her
log read thus:
- Died on shpboard. Kate. the beloved
wife OF Capt Paul Watterson, August ?.
Buried az sea August 4. 1855
There was paIhos wonderfully deep in
that simple inscription. which told many
things TO those Of the Thetis crew who
had heard OF the daring whaling trip OF
the pretty girl. What had become OF the
crew was a mystery.
Thetfs to the Rescue.
Commander Emory. OF the Thetis. now
on the auxiliary cruiser Yosemite. deter
mined u attempt the rescue OF the imprs-
oned schooner after making an exam.na-
ton of the hull which proved to be prac-
tically uninjured. Accordingly. all hands
were ordered out 10 cut away the ice
from her hull and rigging. When that
was completed the tee foe In which she
WAS imbedded was blown UP with dyna-
mite. by reason of the ice which had
formed In her hold the vessel still lay on
| her beams end. \ purchase was rugged
from her mainmast 70 that ~ the Thctis
with which she was pulled on an even
keli Il took fourteen days ~ very hard
work - get he schooner out Of the ice.
bat at the end or that time She was Ia as
good shape as she had been before,
Ensign Robert Lopez, with ten men,
was sent aboard the craft with instruc-
lions to proceed to Point Barrow In search
of the missing crew. ana on not finding
them, TO head for San Francisco. The
Jane Gray arrived at Barrow Just after
cant Watterson and his crew had sailed
FOR Sitka on another vessel. so Lopez
squared away for his 30so- mile voyage 10
the southwark She had fair weather and
In six weeks was al anchor Inside the
Golden Gate
The arrival os The Jane Gray was
n!ne-day wonder in the maritime world.
which had been apprise. 81 her loss ny
letter written by Capt. Watterson from
Sifka The skipper arrived few days
after the Gray en- a passenger boat from
the north. and was. OF course, more than
surprised on seeing his schooner AT an
Choir on going aboard ~ was pleasantly
greeted by the young othcer. VINO tender
I'd him the ship with the compliments Of
Commander Emory"
\ dainty luncheon served by the Scat
lie Rcd Cross Society az GaeDouaan a.
G.trrea ns vafyr friends