The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-10-25


and a number were taken at once, but the ice being
very heavy and closely packed. great many were
lost Stin the prospect looked very favorable, and
hopes were entertained Of making a large seasons
catch Al the ships either anchored or made fast to
/ the heavy ground ice. Whaling was now carried on
briskly for several days the boats cruising among
open ice, but on the 18th Of August large number
Of boats were caught in the ice by the wind shifting,
and setting the ice on shore. The wind was from
the west, and the ships were obliged to get under
way to keep from being jammed in the ice, and
work in shore under the lee Of the ground ice. With
considerable difficulty they succeeded in saving their
boats by hauling them long distance over the ice,
some of them being badly stove BY 50 doing, but
they were all saved finally. The ice kept setting
shore steadily and the ships kept feetng into shoa
water TO avoid being stove, and some Of them
grounded, but were easily got Of again, On the
18th the ice stopped, having grounded, leaving an
open strip Of water along the land as far Point
Beleher. Boats were kept Of whaling every day.
They saw and heard plenty of whales among the
heavy ice, but could not get to them at this time
They had great deal Of fog at times, clearing of
for short time. An this time the ships lying
safely anchored and tied up the ice, waiting for it
to open of the land, as they expected it would
I the first strong northeast wind that blew. In the
meantime reports were brought of plenty of whales
being seen Of Sea Horse Islands, and several ships
boats up there with orders catch and the
whales the ice, (they carrying everything ueces-
sary for so dong) and tow the blubber to the ships
there was chance to get there with the ships,
] ON ~ he 10 nd sho -b,1,z
were taken in this way after great deal of labor
and hardship in sleeping out on the cold shore and
among the ice On the 25th August it blew a strong
northeast gale, and the ice opened and went of
shore. On the 9th had good weather, whales were
quite plenty, and number were taken. The ships
all got underway, and stood off shore and COM
menced whaling, every one thinking the ice was 60
ing OF for good, and every opportunity was taken
advantage Of 10 catch whales On the 2sth, foe
weather and light variable winds. On the 29th,
light southwest winds, which freshened towards the
latter end Of the day. setting the ice in shore 50 fist
that some of the ships were caught in the pack
The rest retreated in shore ahead of the ice.
Here they anchored in from to 4 fathoms
water. the ice coming In and the small ice packing
the \. E, the large heavy Zoe ice grounded in the
shoal water inside Of this the ships lay or at least
the most Of them and those who did not get in kept
working in as they had chance to keep from being
stove. At this time it began TO snow and they had
several storms and winds from ;. to " W. Here
they were all jammed close together, some not hav-
ing room to swing clear Of each other On the 7th Of
Sept the bark Roman was crushed by the ice She
having got caught while cutting whale. She
dritted hepessly with The ice as far as Sea Horse
Islands and was there caught between two heavy
foes Of ice, one Of the foes aground and an i'm
mense foe of several miles in extent came against
her from of shore, crushing her like an esgshell
in 10 minutes. She sunk head foremost leaving her
mizzenmast and ner stern out Of water the ice
having held her mp until it separated The Captain.
officers and crew escaping over the ice with the
boats, and not saving scarcely anything, except
the clothes they had on. The crew were received
on board the other ships. On the % Sept the brig
Comet was crushed in the heavy ice; her crew
were taken on board the other ships, and cared
for. 1t now became evident that the ice was set
ting shore very heavily the open strip of water
became narrower every day, and no possible
chance to get out Still no one thought there
would be any difficulty of getting out the first n.
E. gale. On the sth of Sept the bark Awashonks
was crushed between the heavy foe and the
ground ice. Her crew were also received on board
the other ships. As day after day passed and no
signs of the ice opening the masters Of the ships
became anxious about the loss of time, as the sea
son was passing away. They were unwilling to
believe that the ice would not 90 of shore, as in
all their former experiences it had done at this
time Of the year. Nothing would be seen but one
solid body Of ice of shore as far as the eye could
see, except the narrow strip in shore which was
from 200 yards to half a mile wide. The ships /
were lying, some jammed in the ice and some in
open water, all the way from Point Belcher to or
5 miles south OF Wainwright Inlet. During all this
time, every one was auxiously expecting \. E. /
gale but instead the wind continued IRON S. E. to
y. W, always light from s E, and fresh from s /
W. This kept the ice packing together more close
ly every day. The Masters of the ships now be-
came seriously anxious about getting out of this |
perilous situation. The danger OF their situation I
was apparent to every one. and as the season was
advancing, there was great danger Of being frozen
in as the ice was making daily in the open strip OF
water Notice was now given. and a meeting was
held by all the masters. in order to concert some
measures for the safety Of their crews in case they
found it impossible to escape from their dangerous
situation. 1t was decided to tighten the brig Ko-
hOa and try to get her over the bar at Wainwright
Inlet on which there was or 6 feet of water This
was done. She was hauled alongside the Charlotte
of San Francisco. and her oil aud stores landed on
her deck. and she was then found to draw feet Of
water. However, she was taken down the coast in
the narrow strip OF open water close to the beach
and an attempt made to get her over the shoal
water. This they found to be impossible as she
drew too much water, and this was given up. AT
the same time an expedition Of three boats was
itted out under the command of Capt. Fraser. to
20 down the coast until they came to the open sea-
and then to try and end any Of the ships which
night have got out Of the ice. or kept out. as it
vas known there were seven vessels to the south
This was deemed expedent, as they were afraid
hat they would leave the east shore and go to the
westward and so remain in ignorance Of the situa-
ion Of the rest of the feet He succeeded in and-
ng the barks aud ships Arctic, Progress, Midas,
-agoda, Chance, Daniel Webster, and Europa. and
be Captains Of these vessels at once expressed
heir willingness to stay and wait for the crews Of
he distressed ships, long their anchors would