New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-10-23
WRECK OF 4 WHALLNG FLEET

TWELVE SHIPS LOST ~ THE NORTH PACIFIC-CAR-
RFD AWAY BY PACK OF ICE-PAKT OF THE
CREWS LEFT IN THE SHIPS.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22.-The whaling bark
Florence arrived yesterday from the Arctic Ocean with
100 board, belonging to the crews OF the Arctic
whaling fleet, Of which II ships with part OF their
have been lost in the ice The abandoned shlps
the barls onward and Clara Bell San Francisco;
ships 81. George and Marengo and baks Cornelius iol-
land James Allen, and Java Of Ncw-Bedford; snip
Camilla and barkcntine Josephine OF Boston, bark Acors
Barnes New London, aud the Hawaiian barks Desmond
and Arctic The vessels had on board altogether LOCO
barrels Of OIL together with large quantity OF whale
bone and ivory Some of the survivors OF their crews
have gone to Honolulu on the Three Brothers.
From written reports Of the masters OF the heet II
appears that after prosperous months cruise the
Arctic was crushed by the ice July of the Sea Horse
Islands II miles from the Bend The crew escaped to
the shore and finally were taken board by the bark
Onward and subsequently, distributed among the Meet
About August the ships IA in number reached Point
Barrow The Northern Light and Norman remained
SOUTH catching warus, and escaped the disaster that
befen the rest. Whales plentiful around
Point Barrow, and the ships did well until
the . ice closed in on them. The feet tried to
escape from the lee but could not reach open wafer
They completely surrounded The Florence aVered
destruction by getting in the lea Of grounded Iceberg
near Cape Smith, and the Rainbow and Three BFothers
reached q position OF safety at Point Barrow The
Clara Bell drfted ashore with broken rudder, and was
abandoned damned in the ice. The other vessels
were carried slowly norhward by drifting field Of ice
Various at emps made by the crews TO reach land,
and few men lost. Finally the situation got des-
perate. and general abandonment Of the ships was
agreed on.
The vessels were 90 30 miles from land and abreast
OF the west head OF smiths Bay. sept D. all beng
ready on board the e. Holland st. George, Marengo,
Han Acor Rirueg. onward,
signal FOR departure was given The boats had been
put in tho hest possible condition, aud were
stored with about % days rations OF bread ahd
meat change OF clothing, and DlanKet
for each man. Everything else except guns and
WAS % md open enough inside OF the ground ice
Ia navigate lie boats southwark and reach the two
men lcft nd D. IN They FIRST carried the baggage hall
mile on 80 ancad then returned aud dragged the boats
holes which would not bear the weight Of man we're
encountered Many Of toe men fell through anu sulieu
much from cold. The first night the party caulped on
the about four miles IRON the ships Inc next morn
ing they resumed the march IN binding HnoN-slorm
from the northeast The prospect WAS most dScoTaghS
Several of the men deserted aud returned 10 ON, sps,
where numbers OF tbe crews lehlht' az Ia
fate nothing known ON sept the party reached 2
srp OF open water, when ne boats were aHcn,I anu
boats kept working through and ior the ice ana at
D. IN made land two miles west OF Polut lMsent; Al
noon ON s ON the sighted the Three Brothers and Rain
how AZ Point Barrow. and reached thcn helorc hght'
rb Ice was nil solid beyond and the only chance OF
capc was 20 drag boats overland 10 the open sea,
a distance as alterSsrd proved OF $50 miles seds
were made and the Journey BEGUN; nut on rcach-
ing Cape smith tic party found the DARK Florence there
Alter consultations IL decided that any tHOr 10 pro
coed would be- madbcss, and preparations were begun
fnr Wnt,rlng nj Point Barrow. The boats were pre-
pared for whaling, that was the 0a'y resource lor
rood. - -. - 49,. J.,
on the night OF Sept - the ice began to break up be-
f,r, strony ra, " ind and the next day the flor-
n,c WAS able 10 get under All hands, Win me b'S
gaze were put on board down he coast anu t"uhu
the Lara Bell frozen iast IN the ice the next Shl m"h.
Wairr Inlet The party waited lhere Iorlhr ere" OF
tLr Clara Bell and to gtt water. On tue AFTERNOON q" h'
18th the Three Brothers aud Rainbow joined the flof-
,ucr bringing the OF the Clara Boil. part of the
paouc In The FlOrr then put on hoard the IhIcc
brothers aui rrUd lyOus appointed a ~ Lawrence
Raw where they wout stop for water Both arrived
there on the I'D. and left next day Tor san Francisco
and Honolulu. - 1910. ,,... ~,
home can be obtained ~ the Of the ships or those
who remained on board OF them All are undoubtedly
Int and carried away 10 the northeast IN the immense
lee ark winch closed Them In for miles around The re-
unri ar, siled by the following masters: W. H. Kelly,
,,,strr rf thc Nlarrugu; T.. r. Hpman Of the G. How
Land. T. : Uiekworth of the AcOrs Barnes; j. Keenan,
~ The lanes Allen; james H. Knowles OF the St George
y 4 Iudlow az the Camt.ia; f. w. Williams OF the
Clara Bell: George T. Larry OF the Josephine "nn EzI"
B Iauham ~ the onward 80 -
The masters of the abandoned Arctic fleet express un-
certainty a. TO number OF names OF the men VINO re-
uiaiucd with the ships returned 10 item aer De-
ginning The homcwarl Tip, but 80 iar ~ can De sce
iurd seems probable that 80 or 90 We're IeA Oehhd
many OF whom were hdnahAs'