Northern Ships and Shipping

Dateline: September 8, 2026.

The information on the Sibilla that follows is simply a cut-and-paste from our database, compiled from a wide variety of sources, primarily the White Pass & Yukon Route corporate records (COR 722) at the Yukon Archives and newspapers.

• the name is accented on the 2nd syllable.

• screw propeller launch.

• July 25, 1913: "Last Sunday, being one of the most perfect days of the summer for outing on the river, was taken advantage of almost to the full motor boat capacity of the town. Archie Smith took a party of young ones to Tahkini, E. J. Hamacher had a dozen middleaged people to a lovely picnic spot a few miles down the river, and C. W. Cash had about twenty older persons down to the horse pasture near the head of the lake in the big 60-horse power craft Sibilla, which is probably the swiftest launch in the North." (The Weekly Star)

• October 3, 1913: two men from the Dominion Public Works Department have made a thorough study of the Yukon River with the view of instituting improvements which will aid navigation. "The men were brought from Dawson to this place in the company's big launch Sibilla on which trip they had pointed out to them by Captain Burrus, one of the most experienced men on the upper river, the various places where trouble is experienced when the water is at low stage." (The Weekly Star)

• October 24, 1913, went missing during a bad storm on Lake Laberge, with 11 men on board. She grounded on the island in the lake, but the men were able to get her off and then paddle and drift to the foot of the lake. Read the story here.

• 1915, transferred to the American Yukon Navigation Company (AYN), who used her as a mail launch, based at St. Michael (COR722).

• 1916, used as a mail launch, based at Tanana (COR722)

• 1917 season, back in Whitehorse with the BYN, with J.D. (John) Murray as pilot and Glenn Peterson engineer.

• 1917-1921, operating on the AYN mail routes (COR722).

• July 18, 1919, Cam Smith came down to Dawson to serve as engineer (possibly assistant engineer according to a November 7th Star mention) on the Sibilla. (The Weekly Star)

• October 24, 1919, Clair Marcil of Salt Lake City, Utah, is engineer on the Sibilla. A week later he headed home for the winter. (The Weekly Star)

• May 3, 1920: "The White Pass mail launch Sibilla arrived at midnight last night from the lower river. Captain John Murray is skipper, and Cam Smith engineer. Bob Ainsley, who has been prospecting on Washington creek, was a passenger. He brought back with him five of the finest Airdale pups seen here in many a day. The officers of the boat went down on one of the first through steamers from Lebarge. The quarantine on the lower river having been lifted, the Sibilla was not detained on entering here. She will return to the lower river, but is detained for a number of hours making repairs." (Dawson News)

• May 21, 1920: "Cam Smith will leave Lower Lebarge on the Washburn en route to Circle, Alaska, where he will join the White Pass gasoline launch Sibilla." (The Weekly Star)

• June 16, 1920: "Arrivals from the lower river Sunday on the Sibilla were N. P. Johnson and W. B. Clark, from Tanana. The Sibilla made a trip all the way from Dawson to Tanana and return during the time she was absent. She left here on the down trip June 3, and got back here June 13. The distance each way is 700 miles. The Sibilla left here again at 6:45 o'clock last evening for the lower river. She will connect with another mail launch near Circle, and turn back then for Dawson. Mr. Pallistrine left on her for Fairbanks. Cam Smith has charge of the launch." (Dawson News)

• September 25, 1920, sailed from Whitehorse to Mayo direct. (Star)

• October 6, 1920, Nasutlin and Sibilla are up the Stewart River dealing with low water and a river full of ice.

• October 1920, Captain Hoggan, Frank Dumontier and Ike Seavers took a load of explosives to Mayo; they had a very difficult, dangerous trip due to running ice and extremely low water. Ike Seavers left Mayo on the 19th by dog team, going to Yukon Crossing, from where he was taken to Whitehorse by car. He spent some time in hospital to take care of his swollen feet as a result of the trip (Star, Nov. 12).

• at the end of the 1920 season, replaced by the Kestrel, which was built in Whitehorse in 1919 (COR722).

• 1923, one of several vessels sold by AYN as a result of a large reduction in service (COR722)