The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-10-28
Immense Destruction OF
Property.
a Crushing Blow to the
Whaling Business.
30 Ships Lost!
1000 Shipwrecktd Seamen !
CirCumStantiaI Account from Ship
Masters.

By the arrival Monday, Oct. D, of the Hawaiian
whaling bark Arctic, Captain Trip, we are in
receipt of truly disheartening news from the whal-
ing fleet lately cruising in the Arctic Ocean. The
greater portion Of the feet, numbering over thirty
vessels, has been caught in the ice, and hopelessly
crushed or held fast SO that they had to be aban-
doned. Fortunately, the weather was such that
all the crews were safely got on board the vessels
which were outside the pack, although in some
instances, the utmost expedition had to be used to
save life. In the case of the Roman. as described
to US by one of her company, the sight must have
been ~fearfully interesting. The foe caught the
ship on each side, and lifted her up bodily, keel
out. Relaxing it's grip for an instant, the ship
settled between the icy jaws of the foe, when
coming together again, she was crushed like an
srrsheII, into atoms, and as the s%pasmodic relax
alton again occurred, she disappeared, leaving not
\ vestige of the lately noble vessel in sight, forty
five minutes from the time the ice first closed up
on her.
II Is an open question as to whether any of
these ships will be found on the return of spring,
in 4 condition to be saved. 1t was considered
probable that in the first %northerly gale, they
would all be destroyed by the moving heavy ice.
Besides, the ndllFt-s WIZ III
peirhborhood, would, without delay, strip them
of everything movable.
For the following eircumstantlal and highly IN
teresting account of this great disaster, the effects
of which will be severely felt in the homes and
business circles Of the East, as well as here and
in San Francisco, we are indebted to Captains
Tripp. of the Arctic, Kelley of the Gay Head,
Allen, of the Minerva, Bliven, of the EHS. SwJt,
Loveland, of the Reindeer, Nye, of the Eugenid,
and Newbury, of the PGied-
About the LIST of May, 1871, the whaleships began
10 arrive at the ice south Of Cape Thaddeus. They
found plenty of ice, and closely packed so that they
Bis&$~ strong fGs ' from the northeast most of the month OF
May. About the 1st of june the ice opened some
and let the ships up in sight of Cape Navarine-
Here five or six whales were taken a good many
we're heard spouting amongst the heavy ice. but
they soon left. The fore part Of June, the winds
we're light and variable with a good deal of fog.
About the middle of the month the ice opened and
the feet pushed to the north. A few whales were
taken and picked up in crossing the Anadir Sea.
By the time the ships got to Cape Bhering and
PIover Bay the whales had all passed through the
straits. The bark Oriole was stove and put into
Plover Bay to try and repair. The feet passed
through Bhering Straits between the 18th and Both
of June, some Of them taking on board the crew of
the Japan, which was wrecked at Cape East last
fall, not seeing any whales and finding large quanti-
ties of ice.
The whole feet now engaged in catching walrus
shese were very shy and scarce in comparison to
former seasons, the boats frequently going Is or 20
miles in the ice to get them there was a good deal
of fog in June and July, while they were walrus-
ing, ard also large bodies of ice The east shore
being usapproaehabIe until the very last of July.
The latter part of July they had some strong winds
from 5. Z. and y. +. This broke up the walrus
Catching, and the feet now pushed to n. E. for Icy
Cape. The ice began to disappear from the east
shore south Of Cape Lisburne ; the feet pushed on
10 eastward, the main body of ice being in about
;he Lat Of So To- or Is they followed the ice
into the east shore they found a clear strip of water
cunning to N. Z. along the land. In this clear water,
asy worked up to within a few miles of Icy Cape
and some Of them anchored, not being able to pro-
eeed any farther on account f the ice lying on
Blossom Shoals ; at this time the wind was blowing
Prong from the ". Z. for several days.
On the 9th Of August the wind moderated and the
e started of the shoals. Several ships got under
ay and passed the shoals, and in q few days the
lost of the feet were north of Blossom shoals. The
leather was good, and they worked to northeast as
II as Wainwright Inlet here they found whales.
-nd a number we're taken at once, but the ice being
fery heavy and closely packed, a great many were
Still the prospect looked very favorable. and
Pes we're entertained of making a large seasons
Fteh- ali the ships either anchored or made fast to
e heavy ground ice. Whaling was now carried on
skly for several days, the boats cruising among
pen ice. but on the 18th of August a large number
boats we're caught in the ice by the wind shifting,
pa setting the ice on shore The wind was from
-|MMa - l.
Fg 70 keep from being damned in the ice, and
Fork in shore under the lee of the ground ice. With
Pnsidera5le difficulty they succeeded in saving their
pats BY hauling them a long distance over the ice,
me of them being badly stove by so doing. but
ey were all saved finally. The ice kept setting on
are steadily. and the ships kept Heeting into shoal
ter to avoid being stove, and some of them
banded, but were easily got of again. On the
u the ice stopped, having grounded, leaving an
En- "trip OF water along the land as far as Point
acher. Boats we're kept of whaling every day.
3 saw and heard plenty of whales among the
" Ice. but could not get to them at this time.
had q great deal of fog at times. clearing of
a short tine. All this time the ships were lying
y anchored and tied up to the ice, waiting for it
open of the land, as they expected it would
arst strong northeast wind that blew. In tho
hume reports were brought Of plenty Of whales
y Eorse ISlanos' anu several sniPs
boats up there with ORDERS to catch and cut the
{ on the ice, (they carrying everything neces-
Tor 50 doing1 and tow the blubber to the ships,
mere was No chance to get there with the ships,
NScount OF the ice and shoal water. Four whales
Aken IN this way, after q great deal of labor
hardship In sleeping out on the cold shore and
Z inc Ice. On the 18th August it blew q strong
9esst gale, and the ice opened and went Of
IN the 18th had good weather, whales were