The New York herald., 1871-11-14


QUESTION WHETHER ANY or THE VESSELS CAN BE
SAvkD HExT SPRING
u Is an OPEN question rs 70 whether any Of these
dition to be saved II was considered probable that
an Tue FIRST nortnery gaze they would all be des royed
are numerous IN the neighborhood would, without
DELAY. strip them of everything movable
oIKCuMSTANfiAL ACCOUNT OF TnE TERRIDLE DIS
ASTER.
For the following c.rcumstanial aud highly In er-
estng account OF this areat disaster the effects OF
ness circles OF the East as well az mere and In san
FRANCISCO we are indebted 10 CAPTAINS Tripp OF the
Ascs.c KellcS' OF the Gay Head Allen, Of the M.
the Paiea. 's"A' =
ARRIVAL OF THE FLEET IN rue Ancrrc.
About the LIST or May, 1871 the whaleships began
TO arrive at the Ice south OF Cape Thaddeus. they
Iouad plenty 81 zee and closely packed so that they
made but little headway 70 tho north. The wind
blew strong from the northeast most OF Ihe month
OF Nay. About the 1st OF June the ice opened some
i've OF SIX whales were taken: n good many were
heard spoutng among the heavy Ice, but Iney soon
and variable, with a good deal OF fog. About the
middle OF the month the Ice opened and the feet
pushed to the north. few whales were taken and
picked up In crossing tho Anadlr Sea. BY the time
the ships got 70 Cape Behring and Plover Bay, the
whales had all passed through the straits. The
park M orioie was stove ana put into Plover Bay to
THE CREW op WRECKED vEssRL SAVED.
the 18th AMI 3Jtn Of June. ssme Of them taking on
BOARD the crew OF the Japan. which was wIecsea At
Cape East last fall Not seeing any whales, and
Dnding large quanules O Ice,
THE FLEET ENGAGED IN CATCHING wALRUs
The wno.e neet now engaged IN catching walrus.
iurme. seasons, he boats frequently gong fifteen
or twenty miles IN the Ice TO- get them. There was
were wairung and also arge ocdies Or Ice the east
shore being unapprOaclaDie until the very last OF
July The latter part OF july they had some strong
winds IRON southeast and northeast. THIS broke
up tne walrns catching and the fleet now pushed to
northeast for Icy Cape. The Ice began 10 disap-
pear from the east shore south OF Cape LisDurne.
The fcei pushed on To eastward, the main body OF
ice Deing about the latitude OF ~ degrees ID
minrtes They followed the into the east shore.
They found clear strip OF water running to north
along the land. In this clear water they worked
up to within few miles Of Icy Cape and some OF
them anchored, not being able 10 proceed any Iur.
ther on account OIL the ice lying ON Blossom Shoals
At the same time the wind was blowing strong from
the northeast Tor several days.
THE ICE ThICKIY PACKED, WHALING PROSECUTED
HOWEVER.
On the 9th OF August the wind moderated and the
ice started or tile shoals. Several ships got uuter
way and passed the shoals, ana in few days the
weather was good and they worked TO northeast as
lar as Wainwright l,let Here Iney found whales,
and numDcr were taken az once, bur the ice Deing
very neayy ami closely packed, a great many were
lost Sill the prospect looked very favorable and
hopes were entertained oi making large seasons
catch. All the silips either anchored mauc Iast
TO the heavy ground Ice. Whaling was now carried
on brisly lor several days the boats cruising among
open ice, but on the l1t OF August large number
ol boats caught in the By the wind shifting
and setting the ice on shore.
BOATS STOVE IN--IIE SHIPS YET SAFE.
The wind was from The west aill the shlrs were
Obliged TO gcs unalrway TO Keep from being lanmed
IN me ice, and ID. work insilore under the lee lne
ground ice. With considerable uficulty uney sue
ceeded IN saving their boats by haung tnem 4 long
distance over tnc ice, some OF tncm being badly
stove 10y so dong, but ttey were all saved finally.
The Ice kept sc thug shore steadily and the s,ins
Kept leeting nto shoi water 20 avoid being stove,
and some or them grounded but were easily got Off
again. on the 18TH the ice stopped, having
leaving all open strip OF water along ihe
lalld .S lar as Iolnt Eelchcr Boats were Kept of
whaling every day. They saw ana heard picnty Of
whales among the neavy Ice. but could nOt get 10
them AZ inis unle. Ihey had great deal oil 10y at
times, clearing OH Tor snort tnc All this time the
SHIPS were lying sael7 anchored ami tied up to the
Ice, waiting for ir TO open or tho land, AZ they cx
pected IL would tne nrst strong northeast wilma that
blew.
REPORT BROUGHT OF PLENTY OF WHALES.
In the meantime reports were brought vi plenty of
whales oeing OF Sea Horse Islands aud several
ships sent boats tuere with orders to catch and
necessary Tor 80 dongl aud tow the Diupber to tic
ships, as there was chance to get there with the
whales taken in inns way. after q great deal ur
trouble and nardShip III sleeping out on the cold
shore s ana anon hc iSe ao on me a l c Musd
went Oil shore. On the 2ith had good weather,
whales were quite plenty aIda aumbcr were taken.
and coIa@enced a Nv whans think sSHs,as W ,se sI ice
was gong OF Tor good ana every opportunity was
tiae weather and light, variable winds. On the 2ylh
light, southwest WINDS which ireshened toward the
"
that some OF the SHIPS were caught IN the pack. Tue
rest reireated IN snore anead OF the ice.
NUMBER OF VESSELS ANCHOR-ruE SMALL ICE
PACKING ROUND.
Here they anchored In from three to four fath0ms
OF water the ice coming In and the small Ice pack
running TO the northeast The large heavy doe ice
grounded In the snoa water. Inside Of tins the
spip5 lay, or Of least the most ol thcn and those
who did not get III Kept working In as tncy had
chance to keep rom 0eing stove. At this time It
began to snow, ana tney had several storms anu
Ia ron Hprel % wpr ,lii
jammed close together. some not having room TO
swing clear or eacn other.
THE FIRST VESSELS CRUSHED IN THE ICE.
On the LIST OF september the bark Roman was
crushed by the ice, sle having got caught wne
ice lar as the sea Horse Islands, and was there
caught between TWO heavy noes OF ice. One or
On one was s IN exen aaanss hee ee
from on shore, crushing her like al egg
shell IN forty-ive minutes She sank head fore--
most, leaving her mzzeDmast and ner stern out
OF water, the ice havin held her up until 1t sepa-
rated, the captain. officers and crew Escaping over
the ice with the boats ana not saving scarce,y any
thing except the clothes they had OH. The crew
were received on board the other SHIPS ON the I'd
september the brig Comet was crushed IN the heavy
and cared for. 1t now became evident that the Ice
setting on snore very heavily, the open strip OF
chance to get out. Still no thought there would
be any uiiculty OF getting out the frst northeast
Vas cru shed between the heavy noe ana the ground
Ice. Her crew were also received on board the other
SHIPS
NO SIGNS OF THE ICE OPENING.
AS day AFTER day passed and no signs OF the zoe
opening the masters OF the ships became anxious
about the loss OF time, as the season was passing
away. They were unwilling to believe tnat the ice
would not go OIL shore, as IN ali their former expe
riences Il had at this time OF the year. Moth
ing would be seen but one solid body Of Ice OF snore
as far as the eye couih see, except the narrow
strip in shore, which was from two hundred yards to
hall mile wide. The ships were lying, some Jammcd
In the Ice and some In orel water all the way from
Point Belcher TO two or three miles south OF VAIN
wright inlet. Daring ali this time every one was
an ;iously ing northeast gale, but Instead
the Wind Continued from southeast TO northwest,
always light from southeast and fresh from south
west. This kept the Ice packing together more
closely every day. The masters OF the ships now
became seriously anxious about getting out OF this
perilous situation. The danger OF their situation
was apparent TO every one, and as the season was
advancing there. Was great danger Ql 9eing II2zeR
H. as The Ice was making daily 10 the open strip Of
water. - '1.-
CONSULTATION OF TIE cArTAISs-ArrEMPTs MADE
TO REACH THE OPEN SEA.
Notice was now given and o meeting was held by
all the masters In order TO concert some measures
YAtxr