John, can you tell us anything more about the song? I think I've heard of it, but don't recall where. I did find a site called Shipwrecks of Juan de Fuca that makes this mention of a ship called the Orpheus:

[PACIFIC] Sidewheeler "PACIFIC" plunged to the bottom south of Tatoosh Island. After being rammed by the ship "ORPHEUS" on the night of November 4, 1875; 250 men, women and children perished making this one of the biggest shipping tragedies in Juan de Fuca's graveyard!

The Straits of Juan de Fuca (British Columbia and the State of Washington) connect the Puget Sound with the Pacific Ocean. Also take a look here, an especially interesting page on Pacific shipwrecks.
-Joe Offer-