Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-10-27
SHIPWRECK.
ssThe TOilers OF the Sea IA Tale OF
Suffering and OF Death-A Fleet
Of Whalers Destroyed.
Particulars of One OF the Most Heroic
Struggles with the Waves on
RecOrd-LiVes Lost and
Saved.

SAN FRANCISCO, October 21.-The
whaling bark Florence arrived this evening
from the Arctic ocean with one hundred and
ninety men on board, being part of the crews
of the Arctic whaling fleet, twelve OF which
she reports lost in the ice with a portion Of
the crews, the.remaining survivors having
gone 10 Honolulu on the bark Three Broth
reports of the masters. The fleet on ar
rival Ia Berning sea found plenty OF
Ice and extreme cold weather; Dut lew Whaies
were taken he first part OF the season; com.
menced taking walrusses June lst; the ships
engaged soon got all they had casks for. Be
tween the twentieth OF July and the hrst OF
August the ships worked over to the east shore
and so north toward Point Barrow as fast as
the ice opened ;the bark ArcJicwss crushed by
the ice July 7th of Seahorse island, eighteen
miles from land; the crew escaped TO the
shore and finally were taken on hoard by the
bark onward, and subsequently distributed
among the fleet, Captain Whitney going on
board the bark Rainbow. About the first of
August the fleet, fourteen In number, reached
Point Barrow. The Northern Light and
Norman, staid south walrusing, and
escaped the disaster that followed. They had
to stand from Point Barrow several times, ow-
ing to Ice standing on the shore. On August
l4ta breeze from the north and northwest
broke up the ice and the whales made their
appearance and soon all the ships were act
lively engaged. Northeast of Point Barrow
the wind was half from west to northeast un-
til the night OF August 18th, when II began
bl owing fresh from east-northeast, All the
ships stood in-shOre and anchored to avoid
drifting on the ice. On the evening OF the
nineteenth the wind increased and hauled TO
the north, bringing the ice on the shore, AID
we all run under the south side Of Point Bar
row, where we found lee tor four hours, but
the neXi morning were obliged to run south
as far as Cape Smith; Rainbow and Three
Brothers remained at Point Barrow, For the
next three days the whales were numerous at
Cape smith and tue ships were busy taking
some; in the meantime the wind set in from
the wesi, causing an uneasy feeling. The
space occupied by tbs ships extended along
seven or eight miles OF the snore, running
aleng by the land south. This kept steadily
closing up, and on the twenJy-third the wind
freshened from west-noIthwest and all the
shi ps except the Rainbow and Three Brothers,
which were still anchored at Point Barrow,
were surrounded by drift. The ice beat to the
southwest in the evening and the wind began
hauling south -of-west but still we hoped be-
tore the ice closed on us to reach the open sea
or at least SeahorSe Islands, where we could
ind shelter. AT sunset the ice stopped our
progress. On the morning of the twenty
fourth thick fog set in; At this time heavy
ice, packed, reached along the whole
coast. About two miles to leeward
the ships were all lying, open strips OF water
between that and the shore. The Clara Belle
lost her rudder, ran ashore and anchored. Ice
closed around her and large berg grounded
hind which She lay. The bark Florence
driftsd up TO Cape smith and got under the
lee of grounded iceberg, which proved her
salvation. The ships JoSehtne, St George,
Cornelius Rowland and bark Camille, James
Allen and Onward were inclosed by the pack
during the afternoon, and drtfted rapidly TO
the nor beast, between Woody and Refuge In
lets. The ship Marengo, under all sail, got
within three or four ships lengths of open
water and then the ice clCsed In on her. As
we neared Point BarroW the current slackep-
ed and for two days we drifted slowly. The
Rainbow and Three Brothers, under Point
Barrow, lay IN comparative safety, witnesses
anee. The MaTengo and st. George, and the
bark Acers Barns. each sent q boat
ashore, intending TO follow with others con-
tanning provisions ana supplies In case of dis
aster, but owing to the Ice starting afresh,
were unable to do 50 On The tWenty-siXtE
the first officer OF the Three Brothers, with
Hackmolt of the barx Acers Barns to his
ship for safety. Mex day the st. George men
attempted to haul the boat ashore over the
ice, but were caught in the fog. Thirteen Of
them got on board of the RAINBOW and three
Others regained the ship, and one per1sheu on
the ice. Next day, the thirteenth, they
reached her. eleven were rescued by Captain
Owen. The prospect now is very gloomy
The ship is held helplessly in the ice, and
drifting rapidly northeast. On the twenty
eight OF August reached the end of the bark,
and the current changed to esst. The ships
at Point Barrow were no longer visible. The
situation was worse than ever, the only hope
beaing an easterly gale. August 18th
found ourselves off Point Largent. The crew
OF the Marengo attempted to get ashore, but
returned unsuccessful. Next day the masters
held council on board the Java, and con-
Guided there was no further hope of saving
the ships, some Of which were already badly
ripped by the ice. This was only touch OF
wnat might be expected. The ships alto.
gether had about three months provisions;
not enough to last through the winter. After
Il jull discussion, and seeing no way out OF the
difficulty, it wss decided the only way to save
the lives OF all was to reach land and escape
before 1t was impossible. September 5th was
chosen for the day Of starting. The ships
were twenty or thirty miles from land,
abreast of the west head of Smiths bay. Sep
tem0er 5th, all being ready on board the
Z, Rowland, st. George, Mafengo, desmond,
James Alien, Acers Barns and Onward, signal
Tor departure was given. The boats had been
pat in the best condition possible. The bsg-
gage consisted of about twenty-five days Ta-
Giors of bread ana meat change of clothing,
and blankets for each man; everything else
but the guns and ammunition was LETT on
oOard. The main hope was to find open water
enough inside the ground of Ice and to navi-
gate the boats SouJhwRrd so as TO reach the
two ships, which supposed to be outside of
the pack. We left in the afternoon at three
O'Clock. We wo1ld first carry the baggage a
half mile or so ahead, then turn and drag the
boats along the ice. 1t was very rough in
places and had many holes, and would hardly
bear the wight of the men, many of whom
fell through and suffered much from cold.
The first night we camped on the ice about
four miles from the shl ps. The next morning
we resumed our march in a binding snow
st lrm from the northeast, with prospect most
dlscOuraging. Several of the men deserted
and returned toward the snip, where a num-
Der of the crew rem Ained, and who refused 10
face the hardships and journey toward land.
OF their fate we know nothing. On Septem-
per 9th we reached strip of open water,
launched our boats and pulled toward land
all that day; the next day kept working
through aid over ice, and at eight o'clock IN
evening made land two miles west Of Point
Larsent. We worked along the shore, and
at noon on the ninth we sighted the 1hree
Brothers and Rainbow, at Point Barrow, and
reached them before night. We found the ice
all solid beyond, and our only chance OF
escape was to draw the boats overland to the
open sea- q distance, as afterward proved, OF
one hundred and thirty miles. We made sleds
and tempted the journey, but on reaching
Cape smith found the bark Florence there
s After consultation, it was decided that any
effort to proceed would Re madness, and pre-
parations were commenced for wtntertng as
best we could. At Point Barrow boats were
prepared for whaling, as that was the only re
source for our food, and work was commences
on q house. On the night OF September 18th
the ice began to break up before n strong east
wind. The next day the Florence was able to
get under way. All the hands and baggage
being put on board she ran down the coast
aud found the Clara Bell frozen fast In the
ice. Her captain said he would stay by hel
until the seventeenth, when, If there was nc
prospect of getting her out, he would leave in
the boats for clear water. The Florence
was to wait for shim; made Seahorse island
that night; next night made Wsinwrights
inlet; waited there for the crew OF the Glars
Bell and TO get water. On the evening of the
eighteenth, the Three Brothers and the Rain
bow, which had escaped from Point Barrow
lOlQGQ ln6 IOEuSTy lnc CISH Vi Lhk
Clara Bell, which remained fast in the ice
with no hopes of getting her out part o.
the people of the Florence were then put or
board the Three Brothers, and rendeZvou
appJinted at St Lawrence bay, where they
would stop for water. Both arrived there or
the twenLy-thiTd, and lett next day for SaI
Francisco, and the Three Brothers for Homo
lulu The following is list of abandoned
vessels: Barks Onward and Clara Bell, Sa1
Francisco; ships st. George and Marengo, an(
barks Cornelius oWland, James Allen anC
lava OF New Bedford; ship Camilla
| and barkentine Josephine, Boston
| bark AceTs Barns, New london, ant
| HaWaiia; blrks Desmond aud Arctic
| vessels had on board altogether one thousan'
whalebpne and ivory. 1t is the opinion o
| every master that no nope can be entertaine'
| OF the rescue Of the ships or those who re
manned on board of them. All are undoubt
| edly lost, being carried away to the northeas
| by the immense pack which closed them II
| for miles around,
| w, H X ELL~Y, Master of the Marengo.
| b. II. HOMAN, of the c. Rowland.
| f. HICK WORT q, of the Acers Barns.
J. KEENAN,, of the James Allen.
| las. n. KNOWLES, OF the st. George.
| EA. LUDLOW, OF the Camilla.
| T. WILLIAMS, of the Clara Bell.
| GEO. LORY, of the Josephine.
| EZRA B. LAPHAM, of the Onward.
| SAN FRANCISCO, October 22--The mas
| uncertainty as to the number OF men VIII
| STAYED by their ships or returned to the1
| az, er beginning the hOmeward trip, but so IA
| as can be aScerJained, 1t seems probable t1ft
! or sixty were KRnaks
| NEW BEDFORD, October 2.-An eXpeT
! enced ship owner gives the following list an
egtimated values OF vessels lost, not fncludin
| f,af hoy hcnT Hoh