The Steamer Traveler Goes Down Off Foulweather Bluff

It becomes our painful duty to record the loss of the steamboat Traveler, Capt. Slater, on the 3d inst., while on her way from Port Townsend to Port Gamble, on Puget Sound. We have been able to gather the following particulars:

The Traveler left Port Townsend on Wednesday morning, March 3, having on board six white men and two Indian men. The wind was blowing very heavily from the south, and when off Foulweather Bluff, about eleven miles from Port Gamble, Capt. Slater deemed it advisable to anchor and wait for the wind to abate. He anchored about dark some six hundred yards from shore, everything being secure at the time, and all hands retired to rest. Between nine and ten o'clock the boat made two or three heavy rolls, which caused the engineer to waken. He rushed on deck, tried the pumps, and found the boat leaking fast; he called the captain. Every one on board commenced bailing with buckets, and efforts were made to get the boat ashore, but to no avail. The boat was settling fast, and the order was given for every one to take care of himself. The engineer, Mr. Warren, threw off the greater part of his clothing, and being an expert swimmer started for shore; two Indian men also swam ashore, and they report the sea as very severe. Capt. Slater attempted to reach shore on a bundle of wood, but the balance of those on board went down with the boat.

The names of the lost are given as Thomas Slater, captain; Thomas R. Fuller, purser; and others, some of whom were not named in the report. Capt. Slater was well and favorably known as an old pioneer on the Sound, and was, we believe, the first to establish regular communication on the Sound by a mail sailing vessel. He was universally respected by all who knew him, and his loss will be widely felt. Mr. Fuller had been employed on the Sound for many years and was much esteemed.