Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-16
PACIFIC COAST.
News from the Far Nerfh The wrecked
Wkalers,

Wkalers.
SAN FRANCISCO. August l5sh.-The Alaska
Commercial Company's steamer st, Paul Ar
rived this morning She brings the following
intelligence Captain Hooper, of the revenue
cutter Corwin, received intelligence Of sae
discovery of the wrecked whalers by Indians
on May 20.h, and at once sent out n siedce
party under Lieutenant Herring 10 inyesti-
gate. 1t landed on Kolutchin Island June
2i, and made its way over the ice westward
to the mouth OF Waukerem river, about 100
miles from Cape Serdzs, where it fell in with
party of natives, in whose possession were
found articles taken from the wreck. The
Corwin's party also saw and talked with ma
tiyes who had boarded the wreck They ex-
hibited two piles of articles hich they said
they had taken from her.
They consisted principally of carpenters
tools, etc. The following articles were re-
covered, and have been brought to San Fran
cisco to be forwarded TO the United States
Treasury Department: One whaling iron,
marked b. X. (possibly the initials of the
owners of the Vieilant) with five dots
supposed TO mean boat No. 8 one pair of
silver bowed spectaeles and case: one
pair of marine glasses, and one knife
marked V. on the handle. The natives
said the wrecked vessel carried a
pair Of reindeer horns on the end OF her lib
ried such an ornament, and Is said to be the
only one in the whaling feet having such.
which leads to the conclusion that the wreck
was that vessel. Her cabin was full cf water,
mas.s gone, and four dead bodies were found
in her-one of them in berth, the others
on the floor. The natives said the
dead men looked as il they had been dead
many moons; that the skin on their faces
was withered and drawn tight. From this
description il was surmised that the vessel
was wrecked as far back a. the winter of
1879 so, the first winter out. The wreck
subsequently drifted out to sea, and was
lost sight Of. The sledge party, being
unable to go further westward on &C.
count of the melting Of the snow, pro.
ceeded to Cape Serdze, and were picked up
by the Corwin June 10Th. They travelled in
all 130 or 40 miles. The cutter had her rud.
der carried away by ice on June 1st, but re-
paired it in st. Lawrence Bay, with materisls
obtained from the wreck of an old whisky
smuggler ashore there.
Later she made second landing on this
island, and sent parties ashore to visit the
scene of the destructive famine Of 1878 9 in the
| Indian villages. Few chaDgeswere discovered.
Dead badies were still lying about in num-
bers. The surviving natives appeared to be
| in no want. They were abundantly supplied
! with arms and ammunition, and also with
| goods plundered from the wreck of the
! schooner Soita.
| The latest intelligence of the cutters move
ments is up to July Oh, when she sailed
from Norton Sound for Golovin Bay
| Thence she was to proceed northward
| to Katzsbue Sound and Point Bar
row, to look after revenue matters.
Then westward to Wrangel Land before the
! ice closed in, to search for the Jeanette.
| The mildness of the previous winter and the
! lightness of ice encountered by the Corwin
give Captain Hooper strong hopes of being
able to reach and explore that land. The
whelers who were interviewed considered the
| prospect favorable.
Fears are entertained that some whaler has
been lost, as early in July large quantity
of whale oil was reported seen by native
| otter hunters on the sea about Sanak Island.
| Four casks of whale oil drifted ashore there
| about the same time. These signs give rise
| to an apprehension that some returning
| whaler was wrecked in a fog on the out
| lying reefs or rocks about that island. The
| fact that the packages of oil were found un-
| broken is thought to indiclte that possibly
one entire side Of the unfortunate vessel wa,
broken in, letting the cargo out. No further
details of the supposed wreck had reached
Ounalaska up to August 4th, when the st.
| Paul left.
At Seal Islands the sealing season closed
| successfully on July S0th.