THE BAVARIA

(This article appeared in the May 29, 1889 edition of the Oswego Daily Paladium.)

The Bavaria’s crew disappeared!

One of the most bizarre stories associated with a shipwreck on Lake Ontario involves the lumber schooner Bavaria which occurred on May 28, 1889. The ship’s crew of eight men disappeared without a trace minutes after the vessel broke away from its towing barge in the midst of a storm on Lake Ontario.

The Bavaria survived the storm. It drifted ashore, upright, on Galloo Island in the Duck Island chain. But the boat’s entire crew disappeared and was never seen again.

The master of the steam barge Calvin, that had the Bavaria in tow with a line of two other lumber hookers, said the tow line parted at about 6 a.m. He said the Bavaria was the middle vessel in the line of three vessels in tow, and was trailing behind the schooner Valentia. A third vessel, the Norway, was in tow behind the Bavaria. When the line between the Valentia and Bavaria broke, the Bavaria drifted off to ram the Norway.

The collision was slight enough that neither vessel sustained hull damage, but the jar toppled some of the Norway’s head gear. Nevertheless, the crew of the Norway made sail and brought their crippled ship to the lee of one of the nearby islands. There they anchored and waited out the storm.

The Bavaria, however, broached, fell into the trough of the seas, and remained there. As he watched, the Calvin’s skipper said nobody made any effort to raise sail or turn the craft about. As the seas rolled across the deck, he said he could see that the Bavaria was starting to take on water.

Sensing the vessel was in some kind of trouble, the Calvin turned around and drew abreast of the Bavaria where the captain hailed the boat, expecting Capt. John Marshall and his crew to help attach a new hawser. But there was no response. The drifting schooner appeared deserted.

The Calvin stood by, blowing its whistle until the Bavaria drifted too close to Galloo Island, and eventually grounded.

When the storm abated, the passing schooner Armenia saw the Bavaria aground and anchored off shore. A small boat was sent to it to investigate. They found the schooner intact and in good condition, but nobody on board. The lifeboat was missing suggesting that the crew abandoned ship. The sailors from the Armenia said they found Captain Marshall’s clothes, a great deal of cash and his papers still intact in his cabin, which added to the mystery. A captain did not voluntarily leave his ship without his papers.

The Bavaria’s life boat was later found floating, upside down, a few hundred feet away from the ship. It was concluded that for some unknown reason the Bavaria’s crew abandoned ship within minutes after the line parted, making no effort to raise sail and save the vessel. According to the theory, the hapless sailors didn’t get far before their boat capsized and all were drowned.

But their bodies were never found. And why did an experienced sailor like Captain Marshall choose to abandon a seaworthy ship and take his chances in an open boat in the midst of a gale? Did the collision cause him to believe his vessel was going to sink? According to the report, the Bavaria’s hull was sound, and the vessel didn’t even sustain damage to its masts and upper works in the collision.

The Bavaria was a wooden schooner equipped with masts and sails and the crew was trained and capable of raising sail and bringing the vessel out of harm’s way. It was laden with a cargo of lumber, so the worst that could happen was that the ship would fill with water and become, in sailor’s vernacular of the day, “waterlogged.” It would not sink.

Lost in addition to Marshall were the mate, Felix Compau and sailors John Snell, William Owens, Arthur Boileaw, Alexander Berry, Elias King and the cook, Beila Hartman.

Daily British Whig , (Kingston ), May 29, 1889
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Capt. Saunders thinks that when the crew of the Bavaria got into the yawl it was upset immediately by the high winds. Capt. Marshall must, therefore, have been the only man who succeeded in catching the yawl after it turned over. He was seen sitting on the boat.

Mr. Eccles, a graduate of the Dominion business college, was a sailor on board the barge Valencia. When the barge broke adrift Capt. Marshall, of the schr. Bavaria, was seen on the deck of his vessel. He waved his hand at the captain of the Valencia. Then he threw off his coat and ran forward. This was the last seen of him by the crew of the Valencia. It is supposed that he ran forward to get his men together.

The Bavaria lost little of her deck load. The majority of the timber lost was from the other two boats.

Louis Larush, a sailor belonging to the crew of the barge Valencia, gave a short description of the breaking away of the barges from the steamer Calvin. The crew of the Valencia saw the Bavaria break loose, and drift upon the rolling sea. Capt. Marshall ran forward to make a foresail, and in fifteen minutes afterwards, there was another snap and the Valencia took a roll. The line holding her parted. The crew of the Valencia got sight of the Bavaria, and saw a man belonging to her get into a yawl boat and lower it on the lee side. The yawl boat reached the water safely. This was the last time the men on the Valencia saw the Bavaria.

Israel Larush was aboard of the barge Norway. He says she was the last in the tow, and the Bavaria was in the centre. When her line broke the crew of the Norway, in order to save her cut her loose from the Bavaria. If this had not been done the Norway and Bavaria would have both rolled into the trough of the sea. The steamer Calvin forged ahead and returned after a lapse of two hours. All the clothing and other articles in the cabin of the Norway were washed overboard. His opinion is that Capt. Marshall was washed overboard.

There is a strong possibility that the crew of the barge Bavaria, one of the consorts of the steamer D. D. Calvin which broke loose off Long Point yesterday morning, have found graves beneath the billows. The Bavaria is now ashore at the Galoos Islands, and investigation proved that not a living person was found aboard of her. The crew consisted of:

James Marshall, captain.

Felix Campo, first mate.

J. Suell, second mate.

S. Berry, sailor.

W. Owens, sailor.

Two Frenchmen.

There were eight in the crew, but the above are the only ones known. The cook was from Gananoque. Her surname is unknown, but her christian name is Bella.

Capt. Malone says that it was off Long Point, while the wind was blowing "a living gale" the vessels broke loose. The Valencia, behind the Calvin, sheered one way, swung abreast of the steamer, and the Bavaria sheered in an opposite direction. Then the tow lines snapped and the vessels, without canvass, were at the mercy of the elements. It would seem that the crew of the Bavaria, after finding it impossible to weather the gale, jumped into the yawl and made for land, but upsetting it is feared they were drowned.

The Bavaria and Valencia drifted about until calmer weather occurred last night when the steamer Calvin picked up the Valencia in a waterlogged condition. The steamer ran over to the Bavaria, but could not get alongside as the waves were too boisterous. No one was seen on board, and therefore, a line could not be placed on her. She drifted to the southward and finally stranded on the Galloos, where she lies in twelve feet of water. The steamer brought the Valencia to Garden Island during the night.

Last night the steamer Armenia was sent out by the Calvin company and she picked up the barge Norway. She was taken to Garden Island. She is half full of water. The crew is safe. The captain of the Norway said that the tow parted from the steamer Calvin at Long Point during the heavy gale. When the Norway people last seen the other vessels one was lying about four miles off Long Point, the other nearer shore with the Calvin between them with her head to the wind and with steam up. Nothing of an unusual character was noted at that time.

After the Armenia put the Norway into port she proceeded up the lake again and met the steamer Calvin slowly proceeding downward. Messages were exchanged and the Armenia proceeded to the Bavaria. She was found on the Galoos undamaged. A visit to her cabin showed that everything was in ship shape. Nothing had been disturbed. The crew, however, were absent. Jack McCoy was placed on board and the Armenia returned to the city. She will go up again when wrecking orders have been secured.

The Bavaria was built ten years ago at Garden Island. Capt. James Marshall was a married man. He resided in Williamsville. He has a family. Felix Compo, first mate, has a wife and eight children residing on Garden Island. John Snell, the second mate, was a son of Mrs. Snell, of Garden Island. Two brothers were drowned off the schr. Norway some years ago. Samuel Berry, a deck hand on the str. Pierrepont last year, was a son of a farmer near Barriefield. Owens and two Frenchmen were single men. It was said that a Garden Islander named Crosby was on board, but others say that his life was saved as because of illness he could not go on the last trip.

It was off Brighton, on Tuesday morning, that the tow line of the barge Cameron, one of the consorts of the steambarge Tecumseh snapped and the barges Cameron and J.G. Worts had to shift for themselves. The Cameron threw the tow line of the Wort's overboard. The wind was blowing ferociously and the waves were rolling mountains high. With all speed canvas was spread by the vessels and they came flying down the lake. Both of the barges reached port safely, the Cameron losing her big anchor, which she dropped in the bay, but which did not hold her. Both were undamaged. It was this side of Long Point that the sailors discovered the steamer D.D. Calvin parted from her consorts, Valencia, Bavaria and Norway. The Valencia was waterlogged and lying in the trough of the sea and drifting shoreward. The Bavaria was lying further out and completely under the seas. The waves were washing over her. The timber was afloat and the sailors said that it was impossible for any of the crew to live on the boat. While rushing eastward sailers in the Tecumseh's tow declare that they beheld one man clinging to a stick of timber. He was struck by every wave, and there was little hope that he could long survive unless picked up. Another man was holding on to an upturned yawl. He waved his hand for help, but the barges could not turn about. Had they done so they would have imperilled the lives of the men on board.

The captain of the Cavalier says that he saw a man clinging with both hands to an upturned yawl. He was satisfied the man was Captain Marshall. As the boat passed the captain raised one hand and waved his hat but the Cavalier's crew could not get near him. Another man was sitting upon a stick of timber. This was near the barge Bavaria. On the Valencia four men were seen aft and one in the rigging.

When the officers of the steamer Armenia went aboard of the barge Bavaria they found her hold half full of water. The furniture and articles of Capt. Marshall's room were in good order. Money was found in a drawer and his books were all right. His clothes were hanging up, and everything in the cabin denoted that the caretaker of it was a person of tidy habits. An axe which Captain Marshall usually kept under his bed was not found.

In view of these facts Capt. T. Donnelly thinks that Marshall met his death by being washed overboard. He was credited with being as brave and efficient sailor as any in the employ of the Calvin company. His father was employed by the Garden Island ? before he entered it.

The late captain rose from a sailor and was never known during his marine experience to be cowardly in times when bravery was needed. He was an Oddfellow, and always took an active interest in the affairs of the order. Very recently he was insured for $1,000 in the Oddfellow's relief association. He was once master of the schooner Grantham, owned by Donnelly & Son, for a season.

The name of the cook, who is supposed to be lost, is Bella Asselstine.

Daily British Whig , (Kingston ), May 30, 1889

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Correct List Of Those Who Sacrificed Their Lives

The following is an authentic list of those who composed the crew of the Bavaria. It is furnished by the Calvin company:

John Marshall, captain.

Felix Campeau, first mate.

John Snell, second mate.

William Owens, seaman.

Arthur Boileau, seaman.

Alexander Berry, seaman.

Elias King, seaman.

Bella Hartman, cook.

There are all manner of surmises as to the causes leading up to the drowning of the crew. It is sad to contemplate that so many lives were sacrificed when so near land. The barge was loaded with white pine, and had the crew stuck to her they would undoubtedly have been saved. It is thought that Capt. Marshall was swept overboard, and when this occurred the crew became demoralized and at once decided to make for land. The yawl was launched, but no sooner were the parties in it than it upset and all were drowned. There are others who think that when the captain went overboard the yawl was launched and he was picked up. Then the crew were taken off. If this was not the way how was it that Capt. Marshall was seen (as the captain of the barge Cavalier states) clinging to the yawl?

Last evening Capt. J. Donnelly, sr., deprecated in strong terms the practice commonly indulged in of overloading lake tow barges. A barge properly laden with timber can be handled with a great deal less risk during a gale than a barge carrying more than she ought. "The true cause," said the captain, "of the occurrence of so many disasters in connection with lake barges is that they are permitted to carry too great cargoes. It is high time that vessel owners should give this matter of overloading them serious consideration and take steps to prevent it being carried to such an extent in the future as it has been in the past. Disasters like that which occurred on Tuesday night then can be averted."

Capt. Donnelly says he never knew a marine disaster to occur so early in the season when so many lives were lost, as that which happened to the Bavaria. The gale of Tuesday was not a general one, as there are no reports of damage having been done to other vessels on the lakes.

The steamer Persia left Port Dalhousie at two o'clock on Tuesday and did not meet with any trouble. Capt. Scott says he did not encounter any heavy weather during the trip down.

Capt. Joseph Dix, of the White Oak, says that the gale of Tuesday was the worst he had ever known in this district.

Capt. Donnelly recounted some of the marine disasters he had known in the past. The barge Empire, owned by Mr. Waters, of Port Dover, went ashore at Mable Head, Lake Erie, many years ago and part of her crew were lost. The schr. Hannah Counter ran ashore once during a gale at the head of Lake Erie. Her crew had a narrow escape from being drowned. The schooner Tornado, of Garden Island, ran ashore on Lake Ontario during a heavy gale. Her crew was never seen after. One of the men who was lost off this boat was Mr. O'Hara, father of Mr. O'Hara, of this city. The schooner W. Penn, of Garden Island, capsized on Lake Ontario and the mate and two men were lost. A man named Dee, of Garden Island, was drowned. Twenty years ago the schooner Minerva, laden with lumber, was lost near the Main Ducks. Miss Kennedy, the cook, was drowned. The schooner Norway has met with several disasters. Once all her crew were drowned.

The wife and family of Capt. John Marshall live in a cozy brick residence on Albert Street. Mrs. Marshall is the daughter of John Smith, Sunbury. Her sister is married to Robert Marshall, of Chicago, a brother of the late captain. There is great grief over the sad occurrence that has just transpired. Robert Marshall, father of the captain, was in the city yesterday. He is about sixty years of age. He heard of the fatality and with his wife came to the city. After learning the facts he feared the worst. He and Mrs. Marshall were greatly affected. Mr. Marshall is a farmer residing near Elginburg. He was a former employee of Calvin & Breck, and on the island was born the captain who perished on Tuesday.

Mrs. Marshall is inconsolable since told that her husband was drowned. She has been crying for twenty-four hours and refused to be comforted. She has not eaten any food in that time.

H.A. Calvin says the late Capt. Marshall was captain of a tow barge in the employ of Calvin & Son for six years. He was a faithful and efficient officer. Mr. Calvin feels deeply grieved over the loss of lives.

Capt. Marshall was insured in the Odd Fellows' Relief association, we learn, in all its classes. He made application for admission to membership on May 7th, after making his first trip of the season, and his risk accepted the same day. On May the 10th his certificates were signed and issued, and awaited his arrival in the city to be delivered to him. He had not paid any assessments, and was not liable for any but one, due May 25th, in class C.

Alexander Berry, lost off the barge Bavaria, is a son of H. Perry, Pittsburg, and had been a sailor for a long time. He was employed one year on the steamer Maud, and during another season worked on the steamer Pierrepont. He was always an industrious and sober young man and never failed to give his employers satisfaction. He was quiet in manner, and during his working hours directed all his attention to whatever work he was engaged at. He was well known by the men who work on the docks, and they speak of him in flattering terms. They deeply deplore his untimely end.

J. Snell, son of Mrs. Snell, of Wolfe Island, was one of the victims of the disaster. He was the main support of his mother. She has been very unfortunate in losing children. Two of her boys were drowned off the barge Norway some years ago. Her grief at the present time is indescribable.

Miss Hartman, cook, was about twenty-two years of age. She was a resident of Asselstine's Mills, about three miles from Odessa. Her father resides there.

The authorities of Washington granted permission to the Calvin company to release the barge Bavaria. Last evening the steamer Armenia and schooner. Prussia were dispatched to the stranded barge.

Capt. C. Staley, of the steamer Khartoum, has received the contract to pick up all the loose timber floating about Reed's Bay and near Yott's Point, at $2 per stick.

Six years ago the steamer D.D. Calvin commenced towing up and down the lakes. Tuesday last was the first time boats in her tow suffered disaster. The timber on the barges, in tow of the steamer Calvin, belongs to a Quebec firm.

The yawl of the Bavaria was washed ashore at Horseshoe Island yesterday and was towed to Garden Island by the steamer Khartoum.

Mr. Keys worked at the construction of the barge Bavaria, at Garden Island, fourteen years ago. The boat was strongly put together.

Daily British Whig , (Kingston ), May 31, 1889
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Garden Island, May 31st - The barge Bavaria is here apparently undamaged, except that the bowsprit is carried away. Everything in the cabin is dry. Even a pan of bread, set in the oven to bake, is still there. The schooner Prussia and steamer Armenia are on each side of her. Her deck load was removed. The steamer Calvin towed her from Galoo Island.

Capt. Marshall's axe was found with the helve broken. There is not a shadow of a doubt if the crew had stood by the vessel she would have arrived with the others and all the lives would have been saved.

Daily British Whig , (Kingston ), June 1, 1889
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When the news of the arrival of the wrecked barge Bavaria reached the city yesterday a visit was paid the vessel laying at Garden Island. The steamer D.D. Calvin left on Thursday evening for the scene of the wreck. Early yesterday morning the work of lightening the Bavaria was commenced. As soon as a number of sticks of timber had been taken off she floated. A search was made for the missing crew, but nothing was found on or near the vessel that would give any indications as to how the crew met their fate. In conversation with the members of the crew which brought the Bavaria to Garden Island, they expressed opinions as to the way the crew lost their lives. To most of them it appeared that the captain, in the act of cutting wood on the deck, was washed overboard, and that in order to save him the yawl boat was launched and all were drowned. To look at the Bavaria from the shore a person would not know that anything had happened. She is not injured in any way except that her jib boom has been broken off. On going aboard everything was found in proper order. In the cook's department one would judge from the surroundings that it was near the meal hour. A can of tomatoes just opened, but never touched, was lying on the table. In the oven of the stove was a pan of bread being baked. The fire having gone out it ran over the edge of the pan. The captain's room was visited. It presented a home-like appearance. Everything in the cabin showed that nothing extraordinary had occurred. The captain's bedclothes were perfectly dry. His certificate, as captain, was found alongside of the cash box on the shelf where he was accustomed to leave them. There was nothing in his cabin which would lead anyone to suppose that the captain abandoned the vessel or even had thought of it. On the deck were seen the life preservers, which again showed that danger was not dreamt of. There were also four boat oars found lying on the deck. The Bavaria is full of water. Work will be immediately commenced of taking out the timber in her and making necessary repairs.

Capt. Smith, of the barge Norway, says that Captain O'Brien of the steamer Armenia, displayed a great deal of skill in seamanship on Tuesday last, when he took the Norway in tow. Notwithstanding that the wind was blowing hard at the time, he fastened the barge to the stern of the Armenia in quick time. He is an efficient captain.

The best proof that the Bavaria was not overloaded is found in the fact that she reached Garden Island in a dry condition. She was the lightest laden of all the boats and the Norway and Valencia both reached port safely. The Bavaria would also have been picked up by the Calvin had any one been on board to receive a tow line.

When the steamer Armenia arrived at Galloo Island, Wednesday morning, John Carleton, in the Calvin Co.'s employ, was left in charge of the Bavaria and the Armenia returned to the Island to await her permit before pulling off the barge. Mr. Carleton found very little to employ his time. Though a stick of pine about sixteen inches square, apparently by force of the waves, had been lifted on top of the cabin, inside of it nearly everything seemed in as good condition as before the storm.

The weather being calm a few men and women went from Galloo Island in a skiff and boarded the vessel, but were rather surprised to find the boat in such good condition. Mr. Carleton after showing them around, and having nothing to detain him further, took the opportunity of getting ashore. He found the families, of which there are five, very friendly. He remained on the island two days during which he walked around a part of it in search of the lost timber but none had reached that shore.

When the Armenia received the permit she went up at once with the schr. Prussia, reaching the Galloo Island about dark. She put out a line to the Bavaria, but soon broke it. As nothing could be done until some of the deck load was removed, and the weather becoming stormy, the boats were compelled to seek shelter, where they remained all night and the following day. The storm abating on Friday morning at daylight work was commenced and the deck load removed. Then the Bavaria was pulled off without any difficulty. The boats arrived at Garden Island a few hours later and the work of unloading commenced at once. A steam pump was put on board the Bavaria and worked till near midnight.

Daily British Whig , (Kingston ), Nov. 12, 1889
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Yesterday the investigation into the loss of the crew of the barge Bavaria on the 28th May last, off the Ducks, began at the office of the inspectors. Capt. Thomas Donnelly presided.

R.T. Walkem, Q.C., appeared as counsel for the Calvin company.

Captain Manson, of the steambarge Tecumseh, was the first witness sworn. He was on deck all the night of the 28th May. The wind was blowing so hard that it was impossible to keep the steamer in the right course. He turned the boat around and headed for Collins Bay, from which place he had started. One of his tow - the barge Cameron - broke loose after turning around. When abreast of Salmon Point he saw a vessel about five miles off. She had no sails hoisted except eight or ten feet of her forestaysail. He saw a number of logs in the lake, but no one on board the vessel. When off Long Point he saw a boat adrift with a man in it. It was bottom side up. The sea was breaking over it at the time. The man was about five minutes in his sight. He thought of going to the rescue, but did not think it would be safe to try it. He knew his boat would not come up head to the wind in such a heavy sea. If she could it would not have taken long to go to where the sailor was. If he had gone to the sailor's assistance he would have had to let go the barges in tow. When he came across the barge Valencia he blew four blasts on the whistle to signal the steamer Calvin to go back to the assistance of the vessel abreast of Long Point. It was about twenty five minutes after before the Calvin turned. The captain spoke about meeting the barges of the Calvin's tow related in the mate's evidence which followed.

Alexander Anderson, Dixon's Landing, mate of the steambarge Tecumseh, said that on the night of the 28th May last there was a very heavy sea on, and it was impossible to keep the vessel on her right course. She had three barges in tow. At eight o'clock he noticed a barge about four miles ahead in a disabled condition. He supposed at the time it was one of the steamer Calvin's tow. The Tecumseh passed this disabled barge about a mile to the north. It could be easily seen that she was loaded with timber. She was rolling but not as much as would be expected according to the heavy sea. She had no sail on and there was no one to be seen on deck. Between the Tecumseh and the barge sticks of timber were floating. When off Point Peter light the captain spoke to him and called his attention to something in the water. When he looked he could not at first see anything but afterwards saw a man hanging on the bottom of a yawl boat about a quarter of a mile away. The man in the boat got up and waved his hat. The men on the Tecumseh watched the man as long as they could, but they did not see him disappear. The waves were very high and, at times, the man clinging to the yawl boat would go out of sight the waves dashing over him. The captain asked him if he thought anything could be done and he replied: "It is impossible to turn the steamer." She was going at a fast rate of speed - eleven miles an hour. There was considerable talk on the steambarge about the man as we felt it hard to pass him. If there had been any hope of sending him any assistance he (the mate) would have been the first to do so. They would have endangered their own vessel if they had attempted to turn her. After passing the Bavaria the steamer came across the Valencia about four miles down the lake. The Valencia had also, by this time, lost some of her deck load. It was floating near her. He considered she had a good deck load left on board. The crew were on her deck, but did not make any signals to the Tecumseh. The Calvin was approaching the Tecumseh so the captain of the latter shifted his course to get near her. When near the Calvin Capt. Manson waved his hat to a man on her and tried to draw his attention to the barges up the lake. After passing the Ducks about three miles the Tecumseh the Tecumseh came across the barge Norway, about four miles to the northward. The Norway was under sail at the time but was in the trough of the sea and was rolling. Anderson was for fifteen years a captain on timber barges and considered four tiers a good load in the summer season. He had once broken loose from the Tecumseh in a heavy sea with four tiers on and arrived in port safely. It was impossible for the Tecumseh to pick up the barges on the 28th May off Long Point. No man would have dared to do so. The wind on the 28th May was the heaviest he ever experienced.

Cross-examined by Mr. Walkem he positively asserted that it was impossible to save the life of the man on the yawl boat. The men made a great mistake in leaving the boat to go into a yawl boat in such a heavy sea, especially when she had pine timber on. He never heard of a vessel loaded with pine being a complete loss.

Joseph Dawson, engineer of the steamer Tecumseh, said he was on watch all the night of the 28th of May last. One of the deck hands came to him and told him that there was a man in the water. The second engineer relieved him for a minute and he went and looked out of the window and saw the man. He was sitting on the stern of the yawl boat which was bottom up. He saw the man raise his hand as far as his shoulder and then it dropped as if he was completely exhausted. He was a man with dark whiskers and dark hair. He was about a half mile from the steamer. Dawson only stayed on deck about three minutes. After going down to the engine room he came on deck again but could see no sign of the man in the small boat. The captain said it was too bad to pass that man but they could do nothing for him. He agreed with what the captain said. He knew the steamer Tecumseh well and was positive that she would not turn in such a sea.

Robert Bell, Port Hope, wheelsman on the Tecumseh, was on deck on the 28th of May last and was one of the first to see the man on the yawl boat. He watched him for about four minutes and then had to go and attend to the wheel. As soon as he saw the man he communicated it to the captain, who then whistled for the Calvin, as he understood, to come back.

This morning the investigation was resumed. Capt. Malone, of the steamer Calvin, was the first witness. He stated that before the tow lines broke he saw all the men on the barge Bavaria. They were on the leeward side of the boat. He did not see any of the men on the Bavaria take to the boats. His attention was attracted to the Valencia, which at the time had taken a very bad shear. The Valencia at the time was in tow of the Calvin. She was the last boat to break away from the Calvin.

The captain stated that the tows broke away about six o'clock in the evening. A big gale was blowing at the time. When the Bavaria broke loose her bowsprit broke off. It was at this time that he saw the crew on the deck of the Bavaria. They were pulling the yawl boat around under the lee quarter of the Bavaria. He saw the Bavaria in the trough of the sea and that was the last he saw of the crew. He thought that the Bavaria was not waterlogged at the time. When (unreadable) of Long Point he noticed that the barge Valencia was in a bad state. He ordered the captain to turn though he thought it a bit risky (unreadable) thing to do, but he did not want to desert his tow. He was afraid of disabling his engine. He went back to the Bavaria but did not hear any whistle from the str. Tecumseh. On passing the Bavaria he took notice that there was none of the crew on board and then thought that they were all below. The engineer remarked to him about there being no one on deck, so he took the Calvin close to the Bavaria. He did not see any person on the deck. If they had taken to the small boats they had certainly perished. The captain then headed his vessel for the regular course. After laying in shelter until 6 p.m. the next day he again went to look up his tow and found the Bavaria drifting down near Yorkshire Island. The crew could not have been on board now as a line could have been thrown to the Bavaria. It was so rough that he did not put any of his men in a small boat to go on the Bavaria. When he next saw the Bavaria she was stranded on Galoo Island, full of water. He then towed her to Garden Island. He did not consider the Bavaria overloaded. During the storm he signalled the Bavaria to throw overboard some of her deck load.

————————apparently not legible———————————?

Other names : none

Official no. : C72595

Type at loss : schooner-barge, wood, 3-mast

Build info : 1873, H. Rooney, Garden Island, Ont.

Specs : 145x26x13, 376g 361n

Date of loss : 1898, Oct 19

Place of loss : 1 mi S of Cape Smith, Manitoulin Island.

Lake : Huron

Type of loss : storm

Loss of life : none

Carrying : squared lumber

Detail : Driven ashore by a gale and pounded to pieces. Bound Byng Inlet for Walkerville, Ont. Her crew was saved by local Indians. Master: Capt. M. Mahoney. Owned out of Sarnia by Kidd & Riley.

On May 29, 1889, she broke from the tow of the steamer D.D. CALVIN and began to founder near Long Point, L. Erie (maybe L. Ont.). Her crew abandoned, but didn't make it to shore - all 8 lost. The wreck washed ashore on Long Point, little damaged. Master: Capt. John Marshall.

Locally called a "timber drougher"

Ashore and abandoned [temporarily] near Goderich, Ont., Lake Huron in November, 1891. Recovered the following spring.

There is a strong possibility that the crew of the barge Bavaria, one of the consorts of the steamer D.D. Calvin which broke loose off Long Point yesterday morning, have found graves beneath the billows. The Bavaria is now ashore at the Galoos Islands, and investigation proved that not a living person was found aboard of her. The crew consisted of:

James Marshall, captain.

Felix Campo, first mate.

J. Suell, second mate.

S. Berry, sailor.

W. Owens, sailor.

Two Frenchmen.

There were eight in the crew, but the above are the only ones known. The cook was from Gananoque. Her surname is unknown, but her christian name is Bella.

Capt. Malone says that it was off Long Point, while the wind was blowing "a living gale" the vessels broke loose. The Valencia, behind the Calvin, sheered one way, swung abreast of the steamer, and the Bavaria sheered in an opposite direction. Then the tow lines snapped and the vessels, without canvass, were at the mercy of the elements. It would seem that the crew of the Bavaria, after finding it impossible to weather the gale, jumped into the yawl and made for land, but upsetting it is feared they were drowned.

The Bavaria and Valencia drifted about until calmer weather occurred last night when the steamer Calvin picked up the Valencia in a waterlogged condition. The steamer ran over to the Bavaria, but could not get alongside as the waves were too boisterous. No one was seen on board, and therefore, a line could not be placed on her. She drifted to the southward and finally stranded on the Galloos, where she lies in twelve feet of water. The steamer brought the Valencia to Garden Island during the night.

Last night the steamer Armenia was sent out by the Calvin company and she picked up the barge Norway. She was taken to Garden Island. She is half full of water. The crew is safe. The captain of the Norway said that the tow parted from the str. Calvin at Long Point during the heavy gale. When the Norway people last seen the other vessels one was lying about four miles off Long Point, the other nearer shore with the Calvin between them with her head to the wind and with steam up. Nothing of an unusual character was noted at that time.

After the Armenia put the Norway into port she proceeded up the lake again and met the steamer Calvin slowly proceeding downward. Messages were exchanged and the Armenia proceeded to the Bavaria. She was found on the Galoos undamaged. A visit to her cabin showed that everything was in ship shape. Nothing had been disturbed. The crew, however, were absent. Jack McCoy was placed on board and the Armenia returned to the city. She will go up again when wrecking orders have been secured.

The Bavaria was built ten years ago at Garden Island. Capt. James Marshall was a married man. He resided in Williamsville. He has a family. Felix Compo, first mate, has a wife and eight children residing on Garden Island. John Snell, the second mate, was a son of Mrs. Snell, of Garden Island. Two brothers were drowned off the schooner. Norway some years ago. Samuel Berry, a deck hand on the steamer Pierrepont last year, was a son of a farmer near Barriefield. Owens and two Frenchmen were single men. It was said that a Garden Islander named Crosby was on board, but others say that his life was saved as because of illness he could not go on the last trip.

Daily British Whig, May 29, 1889

(The Bavaria was not lost on Point Petre. The whole tow was seen by the lighthouse keeper there, but she eventually went aground at the Galoos and was back to Garden Island in a few days.)