The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-31
IN TIE AISCTig.
Dangers and Vicissiiudes -t ,i,r Navt-
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Narrative
NEW YORK. July % --Tae follow
ing details, from th- j. Z "l ttia steam-
ship Loeb Garry, of The & s.ls relief
expedition, are furni,lTrd : EnSlgh
w. r, Chambers, VIII, w. ia cons
pany of the vessel during lis cruise
to the polar regions:
On our first day out from st. Johns
Il heavy fog set in and we encount.
cred large iceberg; 81, eIipg out 0.
its way, we lost sigh5 of The Thetis,
sud could only resume our POSITION
by the sound OF her whistles.
May 18-Wken we were off Cape
Farewell we met the first greet quan-
tity of ice. and we we're obliged 90 20
ah cad slowly.
May give sighted SiSca, but had
much difficulty in sighting the harlor.
as the island was covered with ice and
snow, and the land marks were invis-
ible.
We left Godhaven May 24, aud
steam d through the ice along the coast
to point about ten miles below Hare
island Here we found the ice SO
thick that we were compelled to lie to.
Lieutenant schley signaled me to 90
to Godhaven and wait for favorable
opportunity, with eaot wind, to pro-
ceed to UpernavIck.
We left Godhaven the second time,
Nay 26, and encountered more ice,
which we pushed our way,
and found the Thetis lying to at Hare
island, having been unable to blast q
passage through the ice.
Next morning the Whalers Arctic
and Wolf joined us and we started
ahead. The ice WIS very heavy and
and we experienced great
in making progress, and sew
eral times narrowly escaped collision
with the Wolf. We were afraid to
back very much, for our propeller was
)nly four-bladed cast iron one, and
lad we broken the blade 1t would
nave been all up with us. We finally
in going ahead, and the
Wolf followed in the opening
Ne made. The Thetis was now out OF
)omanack Fiord. Here we sighted
he Thetis 10 miles ahead. We over
lauled the Thetis May 28. Capt.
Schley hailed us and said-"Go to
Jpernavick, calling at Pionin. Dur
false lead, and while returning to
,den water to try another, met the
rhetis and proceeded together in the
MIDST of binding snow storm which
astsd all night. Thetis Upernavick
nd arrived their May 10Th we found
he Bear and coaled her vessel and
emained in the vicinity for nearly a
-eek, when the Thetis and Bear pro-
eeded northward, while we waited
or the alert" which arrived on
he 14th. Governor Upon Avich
old us there was no hope of getting
through Melville bay, as the. season
vas unusually close. We left with
he Alert June 81, and reached Berry
sland June 20. We went ahead, push
ng through the ice all the way, and
n June 27 reached uorsehead. Here
he Alert got nipped in the ice, and in
ryjng to get her. out we lost SO much
ime that the neck bad become impen-
trable. We lay hemmed in the ice
If Duck island until June 80. We
worked all night on the 28th, blasting
nd saving ice, and finally got away
nto Open water.
June 80 we were off Wilcox head,
where we had more hard pushing to
'et TO open water beyond Devils
thumb. While busy here we sighted
he ThetiB and Bear coming toward
Is, and knew at once from the signal
ng that the Greely explorers had been
raced, and that the survivors, II any.
we're on board, for Capt. Scbiey would
lever have come back without having
his wolk.
We returned to open water and a thick
og set in and it WAS sometime before
could get on board the Thetis and
earn the news of the rescue. We
hen pushed south with all haste pos
ible and arrived at Uppernavick July
!. Capt. Schley there dispatched the
Alert and Loch Gary to Godhaven.
While the Thetls and Bear put into
] Jppernavi ck-the former to shift her :
broken rudder and the latter to get
;oal -
at Godhaven the Alert's machinery
vas repaired, and we buried there one
If the Esquimaux of Lieut.. Greely's
party. We left Godhaven with the
Alert in tow. Off the coast of New
oundland we encountered a gale and
he steel barrier parted three times.
The Alert was finally cast adrift July
3, and we dropped anchor at st. Johns
1t a. IN. July IL.