The Portland daily press., 1883-09-29
ARCTIC CRUISE.
o Omciai Report of the Commander of the
Yantic-His Views Rega riding the Fit
ting Ont Of Another Expedition.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28.-The Secretary of
the Navy has received from Comman der
Wiides of United States States steamship
Yantic the report of the cruise of that vessel
up the western coast of Greenland last sum-
mer while serving as reserve ship for the
Greeley relief expedition under command of
Lieutenant Darlington. The report is dated
St. Johns. N. f., Sept. 18th, and covers the
movements of the Yantic from the 29th OF
june when she sailed with the Protens
for Godhsyn to the 18th Of September,
when she returned alone to st. Johns.
The e.Yantic reached Godhavn July II, and
found the Proteus there. The latter left for
Disco ford on the 18th and the Yantc follow
ed on the 2tst. At Upernavik on the 9th it
was found the Proteus had already left there
for Smiths Sound. On the 31st the Yantic
arrived at Carey Island sand found cairn
containing record stating that the Proteus
had passed there on the 21st. The Yaptic
pushed through loose streams of ice and reach
ed Littleton Island, August Sd, where another
cairn was found containing the record left
July 26 by Lieut.. Darlington saying:
''My party, consisting of Lieut.. Calwell U. S.
Navy DR.. j. S. Harrison seven enlisted men of the
United States army, three civilian employees and
two Eskimos arrived here at p. m. to-day from a
rocky inlet above Life Boat Cove in two whale boats
and having dingy in tow. The Proteus was
crushed in the ice between Cape Sabine and Cape
Albert, Bache Island, on the afternoon of the 23d
All were saved and much provisions gotten over the
sides OF the ship, but great quantity ~ent under
before it could be removed a sufficient distance
from the ship for safety. L am making for the
south to communicate with the U. s. steamer Yam
tic which is endeavoring to get up The ice is thick
and heavy aud it is calm to-day, and am In great
hu tn ka adv Of M
AS no mention was made of Capt Pike and
the crew of the Proteus Commander Wildes
concluded that they were still at Cape Sabine.
AS that point was in plain sight and only 26
miles distant, and, although his orders direct
ed him, under no circumstances, to go north OF
Littleton Island, yet he determined to do SO,
and make an effort to rescue them. But be-
fore this could be done the fog began to creep
down the found and by the time he was
ready to s4art Cape Sabine was shut in.
The Yantic then ran down to Pandora Har-
Dor. to wait for the lifting of the fog, and
while there Commander Wildes discovered
another cairn, containing letters from both
Capt Pike and Lieut.. Darlington, stating that
the whole expeditionary force of the ship
wrecked Proteus had started southwark in
small boats, hoping to meet the Yantic coming
up or to fad the Swedish steamer Sophia at
Cape York.
Commander Wildes upon discovering these
records started at once southward in the track
of the retreating boats, cruising along the
coast within mile of the beach and closely
scanning it for cairns, boats or m en-. On
August 9th, having ice in all directions Except
southeast and unable 10 see but short dis
tance in that direction, the land being unap-
proachable and his supply of coal realty
diminished, he bore up for Upernavik, which
was reached Aag. 18th. Here he chartered
launch and sent fifteen days rations for thirty
seven men to Tessnissak, and Governor El-
BERG directed the head man at that place to
send his whale boat with an Eskimo crew to
Cape Shackleton to await the arrival of the
boat.
Com. Wildes says, August %, "Feeling that
was mourning great risk, and increasing 1t
daily by remaining longer l got under way
and proceeded to the Kudlisit coal cliffs in
Waigot Straits. Gov. Elberg stated that If
the boats arrived in season he would deck over
his large launch and give her to Lieutenant
Darlington to come down to Disco provided
he could arrive by the middle of September.
He also stated his ability and willingness to
provide during the winter for the party should
they arrive too late to go south. After remain
ing four days at the coal cliffs and getting on
board with great difficulty about fifty tons of
coal, Commander Wildes sailed for Godhavn
which place he reached August %. On the
morning of August 81, Lieut.. Col Well with
his men arrived in launch from Upernavik,
having been detached from Lieutenant Gar
lington's command at Cape York. "They had''
OOIumduueE w llue5 sdySy D66n % uaye
in an open boat and travelled about 900 miles,
suffering great hardships on the passage across
Melville Bay, yet they looked well and hearty
although somewhat thin and weather-beaten.
Thinking there was fair chance of the other
boats having arrived | sailed that same af.
ternoon for Upernavik with the launch in tow,
and, having fogs and head winds, arrived or
the morning of September Goth and soon had
the pleasure of welcoming on board Lieut.
darlington, with the Greeley aid party, and
Capt Pike with the crew of the Proteus. All
were well With The exception of DIR. Harrison
whose feet had given out.
Gov. Elberg could only give me six tons OF
coal. Having received it we sailed at $50 p. m
for st. Johns"
In conclusion Commander Wildes says: "The
remarkable passage made by that vessel from
Upernavik to Littleton Island has no prece.
dent. Difficulties were sm0othed away, the
ice opened up before us and fine weather pre-.
vailed to fair degree, so that we began to
think that Arctic cruising had been somewhat
exaggerated. But the terrible news which
met us on onr arrival, the obstacles to our pro
gress southwark, and the absolute necessity for
giving up the search convinced me that the
frozen region was not to be tritied with, and
that the stern realities which constantly con
fronted one there, are only to be encountered
by the fullest and most complete equipment.
earnestly represent to the Department the
unadvisability of again sending vessel north
of New Foundland unless built and equipped
to encounter heavy ice, and provisoned an6
clothed to spend an Arctic winter. Had the
Yantic been OF this description, there was
nothing to prevent me forcing passage into
the fast ice about Cape York and remaining
there, or of maintaining our position until the
ice opened or moved off shore"