The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-23
SAILED OUT, NEVER RETURNED
SHIPS THiT MISTERIOI sly ms
IPPElRED N THE PtIIFIC.

More than score OF vessels bound 10
~ from this port within the past twenty
wears. says the san Francisco Chronicle.
have Disappeared without the slightest 81 =
asto bow they met disaster Until the sea
gives up III dead the mystery will never
he cleared up.
Probably the most mysterious OF all the
di-appearances was that Of the schooner
Pioneer. which eft San Francisco for
Behring Sea in 800. After she eft this port
nothing was heard Of her captain or crew,
and She wa numbered among the missing
Two years later a hull was found imbedded
in the ice within the Arctic Circle. Nothing
vas found on or about the ship which gave
any clue 10 her identity, for the grinding
Of the ics had rubbed away her name, and
nothing WI. found ON her boats or within
the cabins to show who she was or from
what port sho came.
Those who discovered her made their way
into ons OF tho cIbin' and we're Mortified
10 see the skeletons Of eight men grouped
around the swinging table in the center.
A lurch of the ship warned the men who
found her that she was likely 10 sink at
any moment, OF that the iceberg on which
she was fast might turn over They hurried
from the cabin and got aboard their own
We sci, and the unkn9wn derelict was soon
carried from their view.
From the description brought home by
the whalers who found the ship il was
surrnised that she was the Pioneer, but II
could not be stated With accuracy The
unknown vessel is probably still sailing
around the Arctic Circle with its CHASTITY
cargo, and the Pioneer is yet numbered
sr,isaipu. fata unknnwn
By far the greater number Of disappear
anoes may be attributed TO disaster in one
form or another, but not all Vessels
heavily laden with coal, nitrate or other
combustible material, and posted as miss
ing may we'll be considered as victims OF
fire or its kindred agent explosion. Other
craft that have tracked the wide expanse
during the progress OF one Of the terrific
Storms that periodically sweep the seas may
with fair certainty be considered as swal-
lowed up by the waves in the terrible strug-
gle with the elements; while still others,
sailing within dangerous proximity to the
Arctic zone and driven from their due course
by mishap or adverse winds and currents
may safely DO traced to tragic end among
the grinding mountains OF floating ice. The
absolute and certain end Of such derelicts
may never DO known, but there is at least
plausible conjecture.
But the fate Of many Of the white winged
agents Of commerce dehss even connect ure.
Sailing forth from port under the most
favorable conditions, and we'll able, from q
structural point Of view, TO face the most
turbulent seas, they have vanished into
tho shadows Of mystery. leaving not the
iainte6t traos Of their going.
Notable in this connection Is the fate Of
the British ship Lord Spencer, which steered
her proud way through the Golden Gate on
April 0, 1895. Capt. Leahy, her commander,
was one Of the best known shppers IN port,
and shipping men and masters had the
greatest confidence in him. With him was
a picked crow OF thirty men, together with
several passengers, and, with a light cargo
Of grain, the veteran sailing vessel pointed
her nose TO the Oft traverssd path around
the Horn and on TO England.
Few vessels which have been quoted as
overdue have oocasioned such interest in
San Francisco as did the Lord Spencer.
Various circumstances unknown TO the
English underwriters conspired TO encour-
age confidence among local spectators in
reinsurance Of vessels, and the longer the
ship remained out the greater was their
delight. because they knew that reinsurance
would 60 up.
And 1t did 60 up. When the vessel was
out 200 days the rate Of insurance jumped
at a bound TO so per cent. The underwriters,
fearful that the gallant craft had fallen
foul, we're In hurry TO unload their risks.
At the same time all the reinsurance that
was offered here was eagerly taken up, and
had the vagrant reached a safe port thou
sands Of dollars would have been made
As II was, not the faintest trace was ever
gained Of the phantom ship, and the San
Francisco spectators paid their losses to
the tune Of thousands.
Various theories we're advanced for the
strange DISAPPEARANCE, but the fate Of the
lost ship will perhaps never be known. Pos
sibly some day a yarn as weird as that
which the Ancient Mariner spun into the
reluctant ears Of the belated wedding guest
will be reoounted; Some griEzled man Of
the sea may vet be treasuring within his
breast the narrative which ended abruptly
when the gay ship sailed merTtly through
the Golden Gate and faded into mist and
oblivion.
Another mystery that the Pacific Ocean
holds In its depths Is the fate Of the ship
LamornA, which sailed from Tacoma on
March l OF last year carrying a cargo Of
wheat for Queenstown. Following close
upon the heels OF the vessels departure
came one Of the severest gales that had
beaten against the inhospitable crags Of
Cape Flattery in years. The finding OF
vreckage at the storms abatement and its
subsequent Identification as property Of
the LamornA hurried the report over the
wires that the ship had been battered 70
pieces.
But the death knell Of the Lamorna had
scarcely been rung when coasting schooner
reported having seen the supposed lost ship
on Coos Bay, battered, but apparently well
able 70 Withstand the onslaughts OF the
elements Notwithstanding the finding Of
the wreckage, 1t became generally accepted
that the LamornA had outlived the treach-
erous gale and was wandering about some
Nhere-the mysterious somewhere.
Nearly month later the German ship
Artemis sighted a derelict far out from
land steering wildly, sailing contrary 10
her natural course, seemingly beating
against head winds and refusing to dis
play signals OF answer those OF passing
craft
When first sighted, little attention was
paid 70 the ship, those on board the Artemis
thinking that she was inward bound with a
general cargo. When, however, the winds
shifted 70 the eastward the Artemis stood
about on a southwest tack, and the LamoTnA
did likewise. A little later the stranger
UreW her head 10 the east and began TO
execute a series Of freak maneuvers.
. Puzzled by the vessels strange action,