The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-01-13
JAMMED IN A FhoE.
Fears for the Safety of the Ship
Prince of Wales.
Frozen Up In Huds0n's Bay Without
the Necessaries for Wintering.

MONTREAL, Jan. 12-The head office of
the Hudson's Bay Company in this city has
received alarming intelligence concerning the
SAFETY OF one OF their finest vessels-the Prince
OF Wales; homeward bound with valuable
cargo OF furs, estimated at nearly $500, ,000
The Prince OF Wales, it appears, entered the
Bay; bound from London to Moose Factory
James Bay. the most Southern point Of Hud.
sons Bay, early in September but owing to
heavy pack ice did not make Moose Factory
until about the cpd OF the month. She lost no
time in getting her cargo aboard and set sail
again during the first week in October. She
had o terrible passage across the James Bay to
the entrance of Hudson's Straits. Here she
encountered barrier of solid polar ice, which
extended az, far as the eye could see, of i'm.
tnanse thickness aud standing out of the
water in some places as high as the manyafds.
The vessel sailed along the edge of this ice for
two days, looking for an outlet without suc-
cess; and, as the thermometer registered 10e
below zero and from all appearances she would
be soon frozen in, the captain gave orders to
put the chip about and tried to make for the
other roads at Moose Factory again, intendin Z
to winter there. After great difficulty Charl-
ton Island, 25 miles from Moose Factory, was
reached, when, as so much floating ice was
encountered, it was found impossible to make
further progress. A boat was therefore lowered
and manned by mats and four sailors, who
were cont ashore to make arrangements for
supplies aad clothing fof long stay in this
Arctic region. The voyage of these unfor-
tunate men to the main land is described as
terrible. Soon after they set ont strong head
wind sprang ap. The thermometer fell rapidly
and binding snow storm came on. The boat
was every moment in danger Of being cut to
pieces by the ice, and for three days they were
doubtful whether they would ever see land
again.
On the fourth day they sighted Moose River,
ell badly frozsn and in starving condition.
Next day one of the boats was manned, pro-
visioned and supplied with axes, sleds, mocca-
sins, mittens and clothing for the wintering
ship. The boat had only made about ten
miles when she got frozen in, and had to be
cut out and drawn back over the les. Four
Indians were next dispatched across the ice in
search of the vessel. They returned in five days
with word they had sighted Charlton Island
but could see no traces of the Prince of Wales
It is surmised she must have got iammed in q
foe and carried eastward. Great anxiety ia
felt for her safety as well as for her crew who
are not provided with the necessaries for win
teting in the ice. A letter received by the
Office here says: "All we can do now is to wait
until dogs and sleds are supplied from Albany
and Rupert's House, when an expedition will
be organized and an attempt made to To-
cate the ship and haul provisions and clothing
to her. We trust to find her by January but
she is not in too pleasant position. She will
now be short of provisions and will have to re-
main in the ice till May or June.