The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-23
BY photograph
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT
TO THE DAILY LNT.ELLIGEN0ER
ARCTIC WHALING FLEET DIS.
kSTER,

Return Of One OF the Vessels I,
San Franciso-TWeIve VESSEL
Wrecked in Ice-Perilous Ex
Perience-L0ss Of Life,
SAN FRANcHco, October 21.-Th,
whaling bark Florence arrived, thi
evening. from the Arctic Ocean, with on,
hundred and ninety men on board, beinl
part OF the crews Of the Arctic whaling
fleet, twelve OF which, she reports, wer
lost on the ice, with a portion Of thu
crews remaining. The survivors have
gone 10 Honolulu on the bark ,Thre,
Brothers. The following is a synopsis o
the written report OF the Master Of III,
feet: On our arrival in Behring's Sci
we found plenty Of ice and extreme
weather. Butfew whales were taken III,
iirst part Of the season. Commenced tax
ing walrus June l. The ships engaged
soon got all they had casks for. Between
the Goth Of July and the 1st Of August th'
ships worked over to the east shore ant
the north toward Point Barrow, as fast ii
the ice opened. The bark Arctic wa
crushed by ice July 7, of Sea Horse Isl
ands, eighteen miles from land. The crew
escaped to the shore, and finally were Ia
ken on board the bark Onward, and sub
Sequently distributed among the fleet
Captain Whitney going on board th'
bark Rainbow. About the 1st Of August
the feet, fourteen in number, reached
Point Barrow. The Northern Light and
the Norman stayed south walrusing, and
escaped the disaster that followed, Had
10 stand from Point Barrow several times
owing 10 ice standing on shore. August
IA breeze from the north and northwest
broke up the ice. Whales made their up.
pearance, and soon all the ships were ac'
lively engaged. Northeast Of Point Bar
row wind held from west to northeast un.
til the night OF August IS, when it began
blowing fresh from east to northeast. All
the ships stood in.shore and anchored
10 avoid drifting ice.
PM of19th-Wind increased and haul.
ed to the north, bringing ice on shore, and
We all run under the south side OF Point
Barrow, where we found a lee for four
hours, but next morning were obliged to
run south as far rs Cape Smith. The
Rainbow and Three Brothers remained
at Point Barrow for the next three days.
Whales were numerous at Cape Smith,
and the ships were busy taking some.
Meantime the wind set from the west,
causing an uneasy feeling. Thespace &C.
cupied by the ships extended some eight
or ten miles of the shore; running along
by land south Of this, kept steadily clos
ing. On the 23d the wind freshened from
the west and northwest, and all the ships
except the Rainbow and Three Brothers,
who were still anchored at Point Barrow,
were surrounded by drift ice and beat to
the southwest. Inthe afternoon the wind
began hauling south Of west, bu to
still hoped before the ice closed on Is.
reach open sea or at least see Horse At
lands, where we could find shelter.
sunset the ice stopped our progress.
On the morning Of the oath thick fog
set in. AT this time heavy ice, packed,
reached along the whole coast about two
miles leeward. The ships were all lying
in an open strip Of water between that
and the shore. The Clara Belle lost her
rudder and ran near shore and anchored.
The ice closed around her, and large
berg grounded south OF her and formed
a breakwater, behind which she lay. The
bark Florence drifted up to Cape Smith,
and got under the lee Of the grounded Ice
berg, which proved her salvation. The
ships Josephine, ST. George, Cornelius
Rowland, and barks Camilla, James Al.
len and Onward were enclosed by the
pack during the afternoon, and drifted
rapidly TO northeast between Woody and
Refuge Inlets. The ship Marengo, under
all sail, got within three or four ships
lengths Of open water, and then the Ice
closed in on her. As we neared Point
Barrow the current slackened, and for
two days we drifted slowly. The Rain
bow and Three Brothers, under Point
Barrow, lay in comparative safety, wit
nesses Of our distress, but unable to rem
der any assistance. The Marengo, ST.
George and bark Acers Barns each sent a
boat ashore, intending TO follow with
others containing provisions and supplies
in case OF disaster, but owing to the ice
starting airesh, were unable 10 do 80:
On the 10th the First Officer Of the Three
Brothers, with boats crew, took the
wife OF Captain Hackmott off the bark
Acers Barns TO his ship for safety. The
next day the ST, Georges men attempted
to haul boat ashore, over the ice, but
we're caughtin the fog. Thirteen of them
got aboard the Rainbow and Three Broth.
ers; the others regained the ship, except
one, who perished on the ice. The next
day the thirteen tried 10 get back to the
St. George, but never reached her. Eleven
were rescued by Captain Owen, OF the
Three Brothers; the other two were
frozen 10 death on the ice.
The prospect was now very gloomy.
The ships were held helplessIy in the ice
and drifting rapidly northeast. August
% we reached the end OF the bank, and
the current changed 10 east; the ships at
Port Barrow were no longer visible. The
situation was worse than ever, the only
hope being an easterly gale. August 20
we found ourselves of Point Sargent.
The crew Of the Marengo attempted TO
get ashore, but returned unsuccessfI.
Nextday the masters held a coun neil on
the Java, and concluded there was no
further hope Of saving the ships, some OF
which were already badly nipped by the
ice, and this was only a touch of what
might be expected. The ships altogether
had about three months provisions, not
enough to last through the winter. After
a full discussion-seeing no way out OF
the difficulty-it was decided the only
way to save the lives OF all was TO reach
land before escape became impossible
September was chosen for tho day OF
The ships were 90 or 30 miles
from land, abreast the west head OF
Smiths Bay. September 8 all being ready
on board-C. Rowland, st. George, Ma
rengo, Desmond, James Allen, Acers
Barnes and 0nward-the signal for de.
parture was given. The boats had been
put in the best possible condition. The
baggage consisted OF about 25 days ra.
tions, bread and meat, change Of clothing
and blankets for each man. Everything
else but guns and ammunition was left on
board. The main hope was to find open
water enoHgh inside the ground ice to
navigate boats southward, and so reach
the two ships which we supposed to be
outside the pack. Left at 8 Pm. We
- na,r1y a,,r honras s,a "a, LalF .