The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-10-28

ing of for good, and every opportunity was taken
advantage Of 10 catch whales. On the 18th, fine
weather and light variable winds. On the Doth,
light southwest winds, which freshened towards the
latter end of the day, setting the ice in shore so fast
that some of the ships were caught in the pack.
The rest ~retreated in shore ahead of the ice.
Here they anchored in from 3 to 4 fathoms
water. the ice coming in and the small ice packing
around the ships. BY the strong current running to
the y. E., the large heavy foe 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 4 chance, to keep from being
stove. At this time it began to snow and they had
several storms and winds from S. to n. W. Here
they were all damned close together, some not hav-
ing room to swing clear of each other. On the 18th of
Sept. the bark Roman was crushed by the ice. She
having got caught while cutting a whale. She
drifted helplessly with the ice as far as Sea Horse
Islands, and was there caught between two heavy
foes of ice, one of the foes was aground, and an i'm
mense foe of several miles in extent zane against
her from off shore, crushing her like an esgshell
in 45 minutes. She sunk head foremost leaving her
mizzenmast and her 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 I'd Sept. the brig
Comet was crushed in the heavy ice; her crew
were taken on board the other ships, and cared
for. It now became evident that the ice was set
ting on 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 ont the first n.
E. gale. On the sth of Sept. the bark Awashonks
.-..boI haE,raan tho heavy hOp 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 off 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 off 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 iammed in the ice and some in
open water, all the way from Point Belcher to 2 or
g miles south of Wainwright Inlet. During all this
time. every one was anxiously expecting a ". r.
gale. but instead the wind continued from s. +. to
y. W.. always light from s. f., and fresh from 5.
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
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-
hola. and try to get her over the bar mt Wainwright
Inlet. on which there was 5 or 6 feet OF water. This
was done. She was hauled alongside the Charlotte
of San Francisco. and her oil and stores landed on
her deck. and she was then found to draw 9 feet of
water. However, she was taken down the coastin
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
---.---- 80 uADruItIUu VI LnTrr- --
fitted out under the command of Capt. Fraser, to
60 down the coast until they came to the open sea,
and then to try and End any of the ships which
might have got out of the ice, or kept out, as it
was known there were seven vessels to the south.
This was deemed expedient, as they were afraid
that they would leave the east shore and go to the
westward, and so remain in Ignorance of the situa-
ton of the rest of the fleet. He succeeded in 6nd-
ing the barks and ships Arctic. Progress, Midas,
Lagoda, Chance, Daniel Webster, and Europa. and
the Captains of these vessels at once expressed
their willingness to stay and wait for the crews OF
the distressed ships, as long as their anchors would
hold them. Still hoping the ice would open and
let them out. in the meantime, Capt. Red6eld of the
brig Victoria tried to get his vessel off over the
bar by lightning her, but without succeeding. On
the night of the 9th of Sept, the weather was calm,
and the clear water around the ships froze over,
and it was with great difficulty that a whale boat
could be got through it. The boats had to be cop
pered around the bows to keep the ice from cutting
through the p~lanking. No time was now lost In
sending provisions by the boats to the south, as
they were apprehensive that their retreat by the
boats might be cut off, and it might be that they
would be obliged to travel by land to where the
ships were anchored. 1t being well known among
every ships company that there was not provisions
enough to last over 3 or 4 months at the most. In
case the ships escaped from the ice these provisions
could be taken on board again, for all hoped
against hopes to the last. 1t was hard to entertain
any thoughts Of leaving their ships, there being no
harbor where they could winter, even had they
enough to do. And more, they knew
that if the ships did not get ont they would either
be crushed or driven ashore by the ice the arst
northwest gale.
On the 18th of September another meeting was
0elU Dy the 91aStets, tne painful laCS having AOAOSO
itself upon the mind of every one, that in order to
save the lives of their crews they would have to
abandon their ships. None but those similarly stu
ated could tell how difficult it was for them to arrive
at this painful conclusion, and to winter was utterly
impossible, as their provisions would not last one
third of the winter, which is nine months in dura-
in these ATTITUDES. And then to what purpose
could it be done, as there was no place of safety for
the ships had they been in a harbor some OF the
crews might have been left 10 take care of them, and
keep the natives from destroying them. But as they
lay in the open sea exposed to every storm, the
chances were that they would all be destroyed by the
Under these trying circumstances they we're
forced to come to the conclusion to abandon the
ships to save their lives, and the cOlors were &C
set as agreed on-at the mast-heads-to
notify all the ships companies to get ready to leave
On the 18th of Sept. The Masters of the distressed
- - 20 tbav wara cauohf nv tho had weather