The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-11-04
winter i'm the Arctic.

The whaleship japan, of Melbourne, n. D W.,
was wrecked in the Arctic Ocean, in the month OF
October, 1870, and her officers and crew, with the
exception of six, who were lost at the time OF tne
wreck, spent the following eight months and seSen-
teen DAVIS among the natives of East Cape at the
expiration of which time they were taken Oh oy an
American whaler and brought to this port, during
the present season. The treatment received oy the
shipwrecked mariners at the hands of the Esquimaux'
was hospitable and kind in the extreme. Inc never
abundant stores of food were always freely shared
with the strangers, and in the shelter OF their nuts
soualid and dirty, but warm-they were maze
welcome. The life experienced during those long
winter months must have been monotonous anu
wearisome in the extreme, and the return OF spring
and 8 oren water - with q prospect of a return TO
the scenes of a civilized life, was hailed with JOY.
Long journeys were frequently undertaken, when
the weather would allow, on sleds drawn by dogs.
The following is an account Of one taken near the
close of the winter, by Mr.. Edward W. Irving, first
officer of the Japan, from whose journal we have
been permitted to copy it:
Saturday, April 1st, 1871-Weather clear with q
sharp cutting wind from north. Niminwakai, (my
host) and myself take a sleigh for Marcus Bay. After
passing a ravine several hundred feet deep, of very
wild appearance, we arrive at the South Head OF
Marcus Bay, where we find a few natives located-6
hOuSeS-anQ put up at the mouse OF q 1rlenQ OF Nlm-
inwakai. Are treated very kindly, have a supper of
walrus hide and meat, putting me in mind OF the
many, many meals of this kind 1 have been very
glad to get, although l cannot say 1t is a luxury.
The ravine, gorge or causeway-for it is something
of each-through which we passed this morning has
a very singular appearance. The general trending
of it is about east and west. On the south side, the
rocks and boulders show their black barren heads
above the pale white sheet of snow that reigns every
where. The north side is covered with overhanging
p%recipices of snow and ice, that seem already to fall
and bury you in one immense avalanche. In fact,
in several instances, We saw great boulders of frozen
snow, almost in our path, that no doubt, had broken
from the mass above, coming down with tremendous
velocity. Making the descent from the east with
dangerous railroad speed, we get out of the ravine
and crossing a very stony country on a gentle de-
cline, we make good time to the hut of a reindeer
man. He was sorting his herd. which amounted to
about 500, l should judge. They were all perfectly
tame and as docile as our domesticated cattle. l
handled several, and they seemed to court the ca
resses, and followed me about, rubbing their silvery
noses against my arm until driven back into their
respective places by the herdsman. Leaving this
hut, we make flying time over ice as smooth as glass
for several miles, then over a rather rough country,
reached the Sonth Head of Marcus Bay, after a drive
of 81 hours. Found the water entirely clear of ice
as far as the eye could reach to the outward.
The following is the record of the ships company
of the Japan: Drowned at the time of the wreck
Mr.. Coles, Sd officer, of Hobartown the steward,
name unknown E. Miller, carpenter and seamen,
as follows Henry Collins, Sydney j. C.. Martin,
New Haven County James Armstrong, Liverpool ;
VIM. Woolworth, London or Melbourne James
Muer, of Hobartown, was frozen to death.
The following persons were saved Capt. Barker,
LIST officer E. w. Irving, Australia End officer VIM.
Limas, Portugal 4th officer Aaron Price, Norfolk
Island VIM. Lee, cooper boat-steerers-Ed Cook,
Bay of Islands, New Zealand Pedro Fernandez,
Portugal John Otago, Peru Rimas, Australian
native and John McGil, Guam. Seamen-W. S.
Price. London james Adams, Birmingham John
Gray. Belfast Hugh Harley, Glasgow John Wilson,
Cheltenham ; VIM. Scott. America Eugene Dantist,
Guernsey Albert Schelberg, Sweden Martin
Kneudsen, Norway VIM. Hard, cabin boy, America;
Joseph Boyce, Edinburgh Lewis Kennedy died on
board Henry Tdber; John Rotoma was frozen to
death and died at Indian Point.