The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-10-05
scHWATkA's ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
OF THE ExPIORERs, A.
VENTURES AND DISCOVERIES.


NEW York, Sept. 27.-The Herald,s CON-
tinuation Of the story of Schwstka,s arctic
expedition presents some points of thrilIino
interest. The writer says that on the 27th of
september heavy snow storm set in, and
next morning the snow was knee deep on The
level, OH the ice. The winter wind soon
Dlew 1t around and packed it down so as tn
be almost solid. By the 18th of October the
sledglng was sufficiently good for Too Local
to go to Herschel and Terror bay, for the
sled and other articles that were left there
during The summer for the want of trans
Portation. Toolooah exchanged wives with
Joe Tor the trip, very usual and convenient
custom among the Esquimaux. The ice was
sufnc'ently strong for the reindeer to com
mence crossing to the mainland about the LIST
OF October, and in few days their number
had perceptibly diminished, and after the
l4th we saw none at all.
On October LIST Lieut.. Schwatka Joe and
started to get supplies Of fish to last until the
reindeer country was reached. We did not
succeed in getting farther than about three
miles from camp, owing to the heavy sIeds
and the dogs being SO fat that they were lazy.
We only reached the ration camp, near Sher-
man Inlet, OH the 18th; there was quite a
large camp of Esquimaux on Big lake, the
largest stream we had yet seen. The sled
was pulling heavily and slowly across the
lake, and l went ahead toward the IL Loos.
All the men were standing outside, awaiting
our arrival, aud among them some Netchliks
that we had met curing the spring. As soon
as they recognized us they set up great
shout of welcome. They seemed very glad
we were coming among them again, and hur-
ried me into big, warm igloo while most OF
the men ran out and helped the sled in. They
built our lgloo in short order, and during the
time we were with them did everything in
| their power to contribute to our comfort.
We found but few interesting relics among
them, and only piece of the boat found in
Wilmot bay after the big ship sank, and part
of the block branded either 40" or "Or,''
with part of the ''r" obliterated. If the ships
blocks were branded with the name of the
vessel to which they were attached, these
would be important as establishing the idell-
tity of the ship that drifted down as the Ter
ror. We found among them piece of wax
candle that they had preserved all of these
years, while every scrap of paper had perished
We met sled with a few natives coming from
kiglnuktoo to join the rest of the tribes, and
with them was an aged crOne, named Zoo
iooah. who had seen white men in the Boo
THAN isthmus when young woman, and ha(
also been with party who found the boa
and skeletons in Starvation cove, near Rich.
ardSOn point, ana She confirmed the tcStl
mony. We marched in a southeast directio,
in the inlet five days, during which time w
travelled about 45 miles, and when we left
could still see it running in a southeastern!
direction for about 10 or 15 miles further
The sun was so low now that we neither liac
sunrise nor sunset During the whole time i
was above the horizon.
About five miles inland from Starvation
cove the natives had found during the sum
mer the skeleton of white man which NJ
one had ever seen before. On the way dowl
Henry visited the place and erected a monu
ment over the remains. Pieces of clothing
found indicated that the deceased was sail
or, not an officer. The finding of this grav
IS worthy of notice, as showing that the ma
tives were thoroughly aroused by our visi
and its object. We promised liberal rewards
for everything of Importance found and fol
valuable information, and were always par
ticular to keep our promises. The conse
quence was that they had greatly assisted u
by searching everywhere within reach of thei
camps or hunting grounds. The largest mum
Der of fish caught here are something lik
very large herring, and the flesh is mnc
coarser than salmon or trout.