National Republican., 1883-09-19
NEWS FROM ALASKA.
Report from the Commanding Officer OF
the Revenue Cutter COryvin.


the Revenue Cutter COrVyin,
The secretary of the treasury has received
q report from Capt NJ. A. Healy, command.
ing the revenue steamer Corwin now cruis
ing in Alaskan waters. Tho Corwin reached
the whaling feet off Cape Hope, A. r., July
~, niue days from st. Michaels On tho
cruise, while anchored Off tho village at
Northwest Capo, Capt Iealy learned that a
steamer tho description Of which MS given by
native Tailed with that of tho Bonita, of
San Francisco had been Off the village week
or two before the Corwin's arrival and had
given the natives in trade two breech loading
rifles and q supply of cartridges lie owas also
informed that tho Bonita had plenty of
breech loading firearms and cartridges for
trading purposes. Tho Bonita had been sent
to the Arctic seas with supply of coal for
the steam whalcrs. Tho health of st. Law
renco island is reported Us good, no deaths
having occurred there during tho past
year. Near st. Lawrence bay tho Cor
win mot the schooner Sophia John
son, an American trading vessel. Whis-
ky and cartridges wero found on
her but the master said ho had not been on
the American side and did not intond to 80
there until he had disposed of all his contra
band goods July If the Corwin anchored in
Luke's harbor, and in tho evening the natives
from the village of North Head visited tho
vessel and received their portion of the
presents sent TO them by the navy depart
| ment as a reward for thoir kind treatment of
tho shipwrecked crew of the Rodgers. A
similar distribution of presents was made the
following day to the natives at South Head.
Several of the natives were found
to be drunk and said they had re-
ceivod their liquor from the American
! .N.l.a t.ys.l
their presents with apparent indifference,
though they were undoubtedly much elated.
They seemed to look upon it rs q matter of
course, and treated it very much as ii it were
an everyday occurrence. Tho Corwin con-
| tinucd her course through Behring's straits
into the Arctic ocean. Tho coast limo was fol-
lowed as closely as regard for the safety of the
vessel would permit and sharp lookout was
kept for trading vessels, but without finding
any irregularities. Seventeen vessels of
| the whaling fleet were found at anchor
near Point Hope. Three of them were
boarded, including the schooners Page
and Sophia Johnson, and thoroughly searched,
but without finding any unlawful goods on
board. The schooners had evidently dis
posed of their whisky and other contraband
| goods before leaving the Siberian coast. The
| whalers report very poor season. Capt
Healy says: Tho ice Is very slow in leav
ing, and is now heavily packed near Cape
Lisburne, about thirtyfour miles up the
coast The whaling bark John Rowland
! was stove by the ice July 10 off Point Hope.
She was condemned by board Of survey and
sold at auction for $3.50. The wrecked crew
was transferred to the supply vessel Thomas
| Pope for transportation to San Francisco.
Capt. Healy says that owing to the condition
of the ice it will be impossible for the Cor
win to go much farther up the coast this sea-
son, and she will only cruise between Point
Hope and Behring's straits. Many Of the
experienced whaling captains think it will
be impossible to reach Point Barrow this
year,