Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-22
RESCUE OF THE RoDsERs' CREW
A Thrilling Story Of PrlvaiioE. Hunger
and Bravery-Native Kirdness.

RESCUE OF THE RUDdkES CHEW
A Thrilling Story of Prlvatior. Hunger
and Bravery-Native Kindness.
PARTICULARS OF THE CON FLAGRATloN.
At the time the Rodgers was burned she
was lying Off the shore about mile and
half. Fire was reported about Sis in the
morning, Everything wGs dope to save the
ship. The fire was in the lower hold forward.
It is probable that the cause was spontaneous
combustion and the place where it originated
was so situated that it was next to impOssi-
BILE to get a stream of water on it. The Of
fcers and crew fought to no purpose. The
fire gained so rapidly that it became evident to
her commander that all attempts to save
the ship would be useless. So about
D. m. the ship was headed for the beach in
hopes by scuttling her that sufficient pro-
visions might be saved to subsist the party
till rescued. Although six to eight feet of
water rushed into the fire.rcom, owing to the
coal timbers being choked, the water did not
flow forward to the seat Of the fire. The ship
at this time lay about $50 yards from the
shore, surrounded by soft slush twenty inches
thick-too soft to land upon it, and yet too
hard to force boats through under ordinary
circumstances. Fortunately the ship was
provided with bidarki by means of which the
men were enabled to carry line ashore. At
so far aft that it was determined to abandon
the ship Up to this moment the whole COM
pany was engaged in fighting the fire, making
jettison of combustible cargo, taking out pro-
visions, etc. The condition of the ice was
such that it took until a. m. Of the follow
ing day to land what could be saved.
The boats were hauled up and the whole
party encamped upon the beach for two days
before any attempt was made to communi-
cate with the natives whocame down with a few
sledges to assist the party to their village, a
distance of abont seven miles. Three barrels
of -four, one of beans and sugar, one tin Of
coffee and about 800 pounds of pemmican,
seventy-fve OF tobacco, eight Remington
rifles, 5000 cartridges, some trading articles,
and all five boats with complete outfit were
loaded.
The trip from the boats to the village was
very laborious in the exhausted condition of
the ships company, it being over hills with
snow four feet deep. The village consists of
eleven huts, and the tribe are Tehankitchis,
which inhabit ali that portion Of Siberia. The
officers and crew were distributed amongst the
different habitations, where they settled down
for long winters siege, adapting themselves
to the customs of savage life, and it soon be-
came evident that the supply of wolves meat
of the natives was insufficient for such large
party, and redistribution of the men became
necessary among the different villages along
the coast, which was done within range of
thirty-fiye miles.
KINDNESS OF THE NATIVES.
The conduct Of the natives is reported as
excellent and their humble hospitalities were
profuse. Their provisions OF walrus and seal
were at TIE time very scarce, and they often
went without food themselves to afford relief
to the whites. The Rodgers party subslsted
entirely upon native food, pemmican being
rir,oi lu 70 hnip
sary to take it to the boats for preservation.
Only one notable instance Of unbehavior upon
the part OF the natives was recorded. During
the absence of Mr.. Waring on the Putnam
search turbulent chisf, with a band
of followers. came from neigh
boring village and demanded the white
mems provisions. The situation was critical
one, but owing to the skill and decision with
which Ensign Story handled the case all
danger of collision was avoided, and the
marauding party was sent off hungry. No in
dications Of the scurvy made an appearance
until in February, when several officers and
men were subject to light attacks.
When at Plover and Marcus bays Waring
left the natives letters to be delivered to any
whaling vessel which might visit their place,
informing them Of the condition of the ship
wrecked crew. Capt. Owens, OF the steam
whaler North Star, OF New Bedford, got
one of the letters and forced his
ship through the ice opposite the st. Law.
renee Bay, reaching there on the Sth of May,
jamming his ship on the outer edge of the ice
so as to be carried to the northward by the
large foes of ice floating by. On the after
noon of the 18th the party safely boarded the
North Star Before leaving Mr.. Waring gave
to the natives all uneGpended trade goods,
provisions, ammunitions, rifles and boats as
recompense for their kind treatment, which
was eminently satisfactory to these harmless
creatures, so that should q party of wrecked
mariners ever again be cast away in that vi
entity they can rest assured of friendly re-
ception.
The officials and men all unite in speaking
of the generosity and trouble taken by Capt
Owens IN efecting rescue !prevlous to their
beingi transferred to the Corwin. He
offered to land them either at Fort st Michels,
Alaska or San Francisco. On the night OF the
14th being clear OF ice, at midnight the Cor
win put in her appearance and all hands were
Immediately transferred TO her.
CRUISE OF THE coRwIN.
The Corwin left San Francisco on the 23d of
April and steamed straight for Alaska, which
was reached in ten days. There they coaled
and watered the ship snd proceeded north,
stopping at st. Paul Island, and there obtained
information from the signal service officer in
regard to meteorological observations. The
ice has been unusually light during the winter,
but little being seen at Seal Island. The pre-
vailing winds have beer from the eastward.
On the second day after leaving St. Paul, the
Corwin struck off St. Matthew Island. She
entered the pack and SO remained, punching
her way slowly through. May 18th she
struck clear water off Plover
bay, spoke the whaling bark Hunter, of New
Bedford and obtained intelligence of the Rod
gers crew being at the north head of St.
Lawrence bay; also ascertained from her the
loss of the bark Sappho, of New Bedford, Capt.
Caulsen. near Piover bay, having been sunk
by the ice. All hands were rescued by whal.
ers present.
About midnight she spoke to the North
Star with the crew on board, On tie return
she found mortality amongst the Alentians of
Seal island from pleuro pnenmonia, reached
Onalaska May %, and arrived at Stka June 8.