Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-18
PERIIIS OF THE SEAS.
Destruction of the Whaling Fleet,
Twelve Hundred Seamen Wrecked
Great Loss Os Life-lmmense Loss
Of bhips and Provisions
IRON the Alta California, Novemb,

of ships and Provisions
Iron the Alta California, November 81
Ahont the LIST of May, 1871, the whaleships
began 70 arrive at the ice south of Cape Thai-
deus. They found plenty of ice, and closely
packed so that they made but little Roadway to
the noTJh. The wind blew strong from the north
east most of the month of May, About the LIST
OF june the ice opened some, and let the ships
up in sight of Cape Navarine. Here FIVE or six
whales were taken; good many were heard
spouung among the heavy ice, but they soon
lett. About the middle of June the ice opened
and the fleet pushed to the north. A few whales
were taken and picked up in crossing the Ana
dir Sea. BY the time the ships got to Cape
EehriDg and Plover Bay the whales had all
passed through the straits. The bark Oriole was
stove, and put into Plover Bay to try and repair
The fleet passed through Behring Straits be-
tween the 18th and goth of june some of them
taking on board the crew of the ,Japan, which
was wrecked at Cape East last fall. ON the 9th
of August the wind moderated and the ice
started of the shoals. Several ships got under
way and passed the shoals, and in few DAYS
the most of the fleet were north of Blossom
Shoals. The weather was good, and they worked
10 northeast as far as Wainwright Inlet; here
they found whales, number were taken ut
once, but the ice being very heavy and closely
packed, great many were lost. Stl the pros
pect looked very favorable and hopes were
entertained OF making large seasons catch.
All the ships either anchored or made fast to the
heavy ground ice. Whaling was now carried on
brisky for several days, the boats cruising among
open ice; but on the 18th ofAugust a large num-
Der 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 consider
able difficulty they succeeded in saving their
boats by hauling them long distance over the
bpt they were all saved finally The ice kent
setting on shore steadily, and the ships kept
fleeing into shOal 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 omen strio of water alonS
the land as far as point Relcher Roats were
kept off whaling every dav In the meant;me
reports were bronobt of nlcntv of whales hain,
seen off Sea Horse Islands and several Sbins sanf
boats ND there with orders to catch and emf tbe
whales ON the ice and tow the hluhher 70 tho chin
as there was no chance tn Get there with the sbis
on account of the ice and shosI watar On H.
29th LIGHT southwest winds which freshened To-
ward The latter end of the dav sat tbe Zoe in
shore so fast that some of fine sbips were cancht
i'm the mack The rest retreated in shore abea5
of the ice Here they anchored in from tbraa 20
fouI fatboms of wafer the ice comina in ca
strong current running to the nnrthaaSf tha
large heavy Noe ice 9ron,ajed in n go
wafer inside oftbis the shins law or at least tbe
most of them and those Who did not gat in tert
Ixoreipg in as thev bada c6onca 70 49, ~ 49, -.
being stove Al This t;,no - haoon - 80, o IL
they mad several storms and winds from : RI N
w Hero tbev wara oil ;a,n,nad 49, - -
some mot bayinC rcorn 20 stin 80 ~ nj,
other 3 ~ " Gavin
THp FIRST vpssp, cprsupn ~ r,,p ,cr
On the first nt Santemhar tha hark ponno,
was crushed nv tbe ice bayiny l,ot canr,ht I'LL
emitting whaie She driftaf Selnfair w j" it f
as Sea Horse Islands and was there ca,i,bt he
tween two heavv Hos of loo. ono ~ III e. =
aground and an immense doe of sevoraI ,,;l"S
i'm extent came against her from, on shnro
crushing her like an egg she'll in tifteen minr+as
She sunk head foremost. leaving her nizznn
mast and her stern ont of water tha loo ba,-;n,
held her uD until il separated the cantain otfi
GERS and crew escaping over the ice with the
boats and SAVING scaTceI,N on,tb;n h,,t ~ ~
clothes thev had on Tbe crew wnr rec Grs t nD
hoard the other ships ON the "a of Sentcmbar
the brig Comet was crushed in +ba Saa -. ~
crew were taken ON board tbe other sbinS and
cared for II now became evident That ~.
ice was setting on shore very heavily the
oren strip of water became Tarrowar' erery
day and no poSSible chance IN oct on.
mi mo one houCbt tLpre would no o,,eJGi ~
of getting out tile first northeast gajc ON tha
S;h of September the bark AwSshonta ,yaS
crushed between the heavy foe and tbn ,rnn,'J
ice. Her crew were also received on board the
other ships. As day after dav ra ssad anl M
signs of the ice opening the masters of the Sims
became anxious about the loss OF time rs the
season was passing away. They were unwilling
10 believe that the ice would NOT 90 Of share o.
in all their former experience Il had done at
fAiS time of the wear. Nothing could bc
seen but one solid body of ice Off shore. A.
far as the eve could see excppt the narroyy
Strip in shore which was from 9D6 varIs to borr
"A mile wide. The ships were living Snrnn iammad
in the ice and some in the omen wafer
All the way from POINT BeIPlpr tXCp Or tbrpl
miles south OF Wainwright Inlet Durinr All
this time every one was anXiousIv eynpctf7,r q
northeast gale. but instead the wind Continued
fro III southeast TO northwest always lioLt tram
southeast and fresh from southwest This kenf
the ice packing together more closely ever. Ia,-
The masters of the Sims now became sariou~jv
anxious about getting out of this urrilous situa-
ton. The danger OF their situation was anna
rent TO every one. and as the season was aJybT
cling there was great danger of heinz frozar, iy
As the ice was MAKING daily nm in, tIS n,,a,, g;
OF water - ~ 4
Notice was now given. and a maetinr v-os baI1
by all the masters i'm Or,hr In conccrt s,n,e
measures for the safety of their crsws in ca.e
tLey found il impOssibIe 70 escann from thn;r
dangerous situation II was decided m IirLto,,
the brig KohOla and to trv 70 not nor CyeE ~
bar at Wainwrir,lt Inlet ON With tbore -,
five or six feet OF water. She was LanicI ol"nl,-
side the Charlotte. OF San Franciscn and Snrne7I
and stores landed on her deck, and She was III an
found 70 draw nine feet of v-afar Uoyv",'cr no
WAS taken down the coast in tbe Marrow, sti,, ~.
orcu water close To tha hTach aDT ~, % Va
+ mt made TO get her over tho shnaI wi,ta~
This they found to La inrosSiIIo o. II. t.,
too rucT water and ,Iii yraS S,i;,,ar ~, VII
Tho sg,na time an extaIi,ior -, 81 - %,
was tittad ont un,Iar the comm,~d ~ Ca,toi,I
Frazar IN On joWn The east ,Inii q, 20 r. on ia
The omen ga and then ~ try 49, ;nJ ~ T +I