The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-18

VICTORIA. Dec. IA letter re-
1 ceiVcd here to-day from Lighthouse
NJ Keeper ". =. Daykin, who is sta
" toned at Carmanah Point. gives
news OF the stranding OF "A bark tine
identity Of which he was unable 10
learn. and her subsequent release. At
the same time Asa Drinkwater. pros
pector Of Albert comes forward with
story brought to him by the Dodge Cave
Indians. which goes TO prove that ;he
bark seen on the Point. which was none
other than the overdue Colusa. afterward
foundcred The Indians watched the
waters cover her.
That the Cousa has gone down and that
Captain Ewarts his wife and the crew
have gone DOWN. a sailors grave I'm the
waters they have sailed so long seems 70
be a certainty. Many have surmised that
the bark was lost. but the surmises
have been based on nothing more than the
fact that she was long overdue. coupled
with that Of her unseawOrthy condition.
she not having been repaired properly
after the accident she sustained when en-
tering kahului on her last trip from san
Francisco. The letter received from the
lighthouse keeper. who has been unable
20 get word here for some time past owing
TO the collapse of the telegraph wire. was
as follows:
"On the morning Of the 18th two of my
boys heard some rifle shots. Thinking II
was some one signaling 10 them they re-
turned toward Bonilla Point. on the same
rock that the Duchess of Argyle struck
they saw a bark. the identity Of which
they could not ascertain There was
thick fog. with light. battling winds. heavy
rain and heavy surf on the beach. When
first seen she was lying over considerably;
her anchor was down. but her stern, as
she swung. caught on the rock. a big sea
struck her and she swung clear and
Strengthened up to her anchor with ner
head out 10 sea. but her stern well I'm the
small bay at tine Chusapis waterfall, be-
tween and within a few yards Of the
wrecks of the Duchess Of Argyle and the
Puritan.
The boys. being unable to cross the
river 10 get home. ran down to Klde.
about two miles east of BOnilla, where
they could open the wire. and then tapped
with the ends OF the wire, calling me, and
said there was a vessel on shore at
Bonilla. There being no Indians here l
telephoned TO Cloose 10 my eldest son. to
come up at once and bring assistance,
which he did. At l a. m. the fog cleared.
when / saw a bark dangerously near
Bonilla. She was heading about west, but
| the wind hauled and she headed of shore.
| When the boys returned they said IL was
| the bark they had reported. that breeze
| sprung up off shore which enabled her to
| get clear. but they think she was badly
| damaged and shipped her cable. II was
/ a miracle that she ever got clear, es-
! pecially with the heavy surf running.
! She seemed a medium-sized vessel.
rather smart looking. painted black with
/ a white stripe around her. She had
| double top-gallant yards and l think a
| skysail Several pieces OF redwood were
/ picked up near where the bark went
| ashore"
Asa Drinkwater SAYS that when he was
on his way down he heard OF the founder
| ing of the vessel from the Dodge Cave
| Indians The Indians said the bark. which
| from the description given must have
! been the same one seen ashore on Bonilla
Point was carried up in a northwesterly
direction before the heavy gales. and
when the vessel was about opposite Long
| Beach II was seen 10 roll from side 10
side and went down rapidly as though
her bottom had fallen out or her seams
parted. This was about the beginning Of
December Many different Indians told
the prospector the same story of the
laundering OF the vessel. and he says he
has every reason 10 believe the report is
true. Since the Indians told the pros
pector of the disaster they have gone 10