New-York tribune., 1872-12-02
FRECEIyG ~ THE ARCTIC REGIONS.

THE STORY OF THE EXPEDITION TO THE FLEET
ABANDONED LAST YEAB-RECOVERY OF ONE
VESSEL AND OTHER PROPERTY.
In August, 1871, whaling fleet of SO YES
sells, and with tssR QQ bqtres Qt whale OIL l5oo bar
rels Of sperm, and $4,000 worth Of vhalebOh6, were
abandoned the extreme northwest coast Of North
Americas along distance Of about 25 miles Last
Spring company formed in San Francisco for the
purpose of recovering much as possible Of the aban
doned property. Capt. F. Williams, with crew Of 25
men, the bark Florence, and with them went
Capt HerTenden, who brought in the Minerva, the only
boat left Of the entire feet abandoned in 1911 Other
efforts made in the direction and the schooner
Enstaoe fitted out by the Alaska Commercial C0mpa
ny and the bark Francis Palmer by J. Jansen. From
article in The Alta California recently, the follow
ing facts concerning the result OF the expedition
cleaned: On the 25h OF last May the Eorenoe left San
Francisco and latter part Of July arrived within
80 miles Of the wrecked 1eet, than 400 miles dis
tant from Behring's Straits, OF 10y Cape The Winter
approaching the nights freezing cold, and the
movements Of the vessel became slow. At times she
was temporarily blockaded, and delay threatened the
failure OF the expedition. Behind her came the Eustaoe
followed by the Francis Palmer, all pressing eagerly
forward TO the booty The boats lowered,
and Capt. Uerrenden, with large portonTof the crew,
took their and .after puling hard through the
blocks Of ice Tor so miles, they 10 the southern ex
trsmity Of the line Of wrecks in advance of all others
cit was strange sgt-theiheavy clothed white skins
fror the South prospecting about along % miles OF the
trc-srewed beach, among the curious redskins rev.
cling in bonres anda small world Of G0sam dJctSam"
THRlREuCs OF THE FLEET.
Tev first found the bark Mary, in latitude about zoe
co. she had been ashore crushed, and totally dis
ebled by the ice. Her W. II. Monroe Of Ed
geron She had in her hold when abandoned 800 barrels
81 OIL Next was seen the bark Minerva, lying her
bl ends in shallow water With the exception Of the
ce her hold the chatting Of her copper and the loss OF
Few sails, she was in perfect seagoiag condition she
" IS owned bv TbOs. Knowles Co. or NeWbedI0rd, ana
Ted lOr $4,000 She is 3S tuns register Ia her hold
en- abandoned were 1870 barrels OF OIL Attef paSslng
AasbonkF, lying ia Two feet OF water Her masfs were
ge S5,oI6 Iio s3a RarORelTlgd RRelaggd y T5o0o TIE %
Sark Thomas IDSs5ls0n iay V9 Lle north ashore She
was owned by George and Matthew Ho%iaho or - New @
rrls Of oil when abandoned, most Of which Yas n
the hold. The brig Kohola was ylgS ssnele crushed,
TorSI1. VALUED AZ S6OJO; ihsufed and mad on board
$50 barrels Of pill The bark Reindeer was next seen on
80 Edward ". Howiand OF New-BedfoId; valued at
$500 insured Tor large amount ana lao On PotrG
was Impossible 20 remove single barrel; fuIthef
North discovered two huks tne sue HlnosIs ~ ~
ySbat thew we're. The head and stern Of tbe
IarE Monticello were found separated and half
= "a 1,re anSTt The piece Of tho bows ana
stern we're frozen fast IN cake OF ice. She was
o,,nc3 bv Williams Havlus a. Co. OF New-LOndOn,
lned AZ $1,000 ana had on board GO barrels OF whale
MI and 20 barrels Of sperm Further NORTH the DarE
Moving within her. she belonged 20 W. J. r. Wing Of
Kew -Redford, valued at $4,000 and had on board l5l
barrels oil. Tho last distinguished renc OF inc meet
was ne seneca, discovered about 25 miles north OF the
frat seen she was frozen Id PeG m VI bos ce ps @ as wS ~
good condition otherwise she had on Doata 50
OF OIL With the exception OF fragments on t9e DeScn & o
ohers not stinguiseed among the wrecEs, haa PTop
aiv been crushed and swept nOrth Dy the current. Al IL
be u that there Is open polar sea ana crcuatlhg
I'm e North Atlantic, relics for the curious and bones OF
contcu Ion for the scientists
SCENES or THE BEACH
aTbere "a sand beach stretching away 20 the north
along this fre coast the edgeiof which the relics Of
the neet were found Thel country round about is nat
low and desOl3tc. In many places the sandy soh al
rers ,p the surface light and spongy. foot beneath
the sur ace 20 is frozen hard On this ground moss
Grows which Is the food OF numborless reindeer LOok
lug I'm all directions there isnoihng put the AI9tc a4i
t Arctic aea and the Arctic Ice visible. The horizon h
cOmpassed Dy the mysterious solemn ngh oi VIC @ ueH
like North. Yet along thls eeeress coast, ate MA, n1n3
strong sentiment love FOR their cOunuy-the WoIu
so@s m ne almost an anomaly. These EsquimauX are
- ,I,erioT Tee compared with many OF our tribes OF
fndns They are Intelligent. and considering ther CIR
'9 y ilng reindeer and other auinals OF the
iapd aud by spearlng whales, warus, anu s sea,s.
, 1neg ~ icorv Now they are AL armed with guns
ard rides which they obtain from the WhaieTs' %o
exchange them for bone IVORY ah1 M skllG s ~ ~ood
are made OF walrus hides stretched over IAn,es Ol "OO
OF Whom tAe feet was abandoned s' Means mean 70
aftcgward went ashore, they iOinu nc mn y
rsfv curiosity and ~ lay up stores for e1chinke ~
of tleir cordage and sails iron pins, nngs g.
Thousands OF barrels Of oil were washed w on 'l1 ",
beach Curiosity fduetu lLtih W ~
May Of them and thus waste the contents ephis'
tlmbers, planks stayes casks hoops, boxes OF soap
bread and thousands OF other vestiges or NfecB hhu
ruin scattered prOmiscuOusW on the sahus'
natives supplied with fuel for many iea.- Doy S
had gone upon the decks OF some OF the NeHseb anu
lighted bOnnres How IL must have surprised lh'lh
q see grand cOnnagraton Who blames them iW " J
n was worth while to zee a great fire Ia Land where
only drtw OOd Is found Tie reader can picture III ms
mind tls strange scene. IL needs lltue pablngi no
cOlOfs aud The figures are few"
wRKcKKRs AT WORK.
The Plorenee slowly working her way mp through
e ice there time be lost the wreckers
under command Of Capt HerrendeD. commenced
work The Minerva lightened, the Ice taken from
her hold and taking advantage OF the tide, she was set
ahOat Two tOpsails aud maiDsaii remained intact
aud she was rcItted and anchored for service. Whom
fbe Florence arrived, the bone gathered mp by the
uaiives traded fOr-gune aunninOn blankets, ana
frjnkets being gwen In exchangeand soon $1,000 worth
WAS tOyed away. 20 the Oil was hard TASK Inc
r. hlu TIC weather. perMll IOea INC casks lnlO