Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-11-17
ALL ABOUT TIE ARCTIC.
Substance Of Captain Hooper's Report
the Cruise Of the Corwin.

Substance Of Captain Rooper's Report OF
the Cruise of the Corwin.
WASHINGTON, November l6.-Capt.
C.. l.. Hooper, OF the United States reye.
nue. steamer Corwin, has just submitted
to the Secretary OF ihe Treasury a re-
port OF the cruise made by the Corwin
in Behring Sea and the Arctic Ocean, in
obedience to department orders Of May
Is last. The vessel made three trips
into the Arctic regions and its course
covered the whole oi the Arctic Ocean,
from Point Barrow, on the American
coast, to point within twenty-five
miles of Wrangell Land. Capt. Hooper
was within three or four miles OF Her.
aid Island and cruised on three sides OF
il. The vessel sailed from San Francisco
on May 22 and arrived ut Oudalaska on
June s. As far north as information
could be obtained it was found that the
previous winter had been mild and
pleasant. After taking in a supply OF
coal and fitting out the crew with warm
clothing the Corwin sailed on June 5
and arrived at st. George Island on
June 9 and thence went to the Island
of st. Paul.
After giving in detail the movements
OF the vessel aud the trouble occasioned
by the heavy ice, the report refers t.
getting under way from ~. Michaels on
June 23d with the hope OF working
north inside OF the Ice on the Aslallc
side, and says that stop was made at
ST. Lawrence Island for the purpose OF
investigating the reports OF deaths OF
natives by starvation. At the first viii
lage about fifty had died; at the second
fifty.four dead boiies were counted, and
il ia estimated that there were one
hundred and fifty who died at this vii
laye. At the third village twelve dead
bodies were found and the number OF
deaths are estimated at 80. Atthe fourth
settlement there were found thirty alive.
It was ascer tanned that two hundred had
died there. This general starvation oc-
Cured last winter. Captain Hooper
estimates that more than four hundred
natives died Of starvation on this Island;
The cause he attributes TO the continued
cold and stormy weather, with quaint,
ties of ice and snow, when prevented
hunting walrus and seal, together with
the improvident habits OF the natives,
whom he speaks of as being perfect
slaves TO rum. They will barter any
thing they possess to procure it and re-
main drunk until il is gone. A more
no, rible state of affairs cannot well be
imagined than now exists on this island
and will continue until some active
measures are taken by the government
to remedy it.
No Life on Herald Island.
The report goes on to speak OF the at
tempts Of the Corwin to reach Herald
Island. On the Goth of August the YES
sel managed to get within three or four
miles of the island, when she was stop
ned by ice from twelve to forty feet
biyh. A close examination was made oi
the island with glass while the Corwln
Law so near, and CLp;ain Cooper says he
ia sure there were no human inhabI-
tants on il. He states il IL his opinion
that the ice aroind Herald Island was
old; that for two and three years at a
time it does not leave Herald Island
free. and that the ice rarely breaks np
between Herald Island and Wrang II
Land. On August 18th the Corwin
reached Point Barrow, which is the
most Northern point OF the United
States, aud lacks only seventy-hve miles
of being the most Northern point OF the
continent. The report continues:
On the nth of September he saw the
high hills of Wrangel Land. We ran
in toward it until We came to the solid
pack, the ice having the same general
appearance a. that We had previously
encountered in the vicinity OF the Her
aid Island, except it being covered with
newly fallen snow and being consequent
" white. We judged the land to be
about twenty-five miles away. The
highest hills, which seemed to be more
distant, were covered with snow; others
were partly covered, and still lower ones
were entirely bare. That part oil Wran-
ole Land which We saw covered an arc OF
the horizon OF about fifty degrees from n.
WIN. 10 W. Z and was distant from
twenty-five miles on the former bearing
TO thirty-iive or forty miles on the latter.
On the south were three noun.
tains. probably 5000 feet high, en-
tirely covered with snow, the central
one presenting comioal appearance and
the others showing rounded tops, To
the northward of these mountains was
a chain ot rounded hills, those near the
sea being lower and nesr,y free fro II
snow, while the back hills, which PROB
ABLY reach an elevation Of 1000 feet,
were quite white. To the north Of the
northern bearing given the land enis
entirely or becomes very low. The at
mosphere was very clear, and We could
easily have sean any land absve the ho-