Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25
PERrLs OF ALASKA.
ireidsn" % the Trip sfsde b. the Revenue
Gutter Thomas Csrwia.
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freidsns Of the iris sfsde b. the Revenue
Gutter Thomas Csrwia.
Isan Francisco BuIIstin.l
The officers Of the Corwin are Cap
tain Nj. A. Hesly, commander First
Lieutenant David A. Hall, executive
officer; First Lieutenant. John w.
Bowison; Third Lieutenant Q. D. Ken
nedy. navigator Third Lieutenant, j.
G. Csntwell; Chief Engineer, Daniel F. /
tt!ly; First-Assistant Engineer, A. l..
Broadhent; Second-Assissant Engineer,
s. Is. MeLeregan; Surgeon, II. w. Ye-
mans; Pilot. j. II. Douglass.
The Corwin, upon starting out this /
season. it will be remembered. broke
her crank. pin at OoAalaska, and had 10
come down to San Francisco under sail
to be repaired. She started back a.
soon as a new crank-pin had been Sc.
cured, and arrived at her cruising
ground in time to enter upon her duties,
and only one or two days later than last
year.
After leaving Lieutenant Benham on
Otter Island. and taking on board Lieu
tenant Cantwell, who had been station
ed there, the CorwIn proceeded to the
Arctic. At St. Michael's everything
vas found in It's usral state. Thence
the vessel went to Golowin bay, meet
ing on the way the schooner Bonanza,
with mining party and supplies for
the Omslik mines, under charge Of
Captain Dickson. The Indian settle
ments along the coast were visited as
the vessel steamed north, and what
ever whiskey was found was destroyed.
But the whiskey traffic is rapidly grow
ing less, owing to the close watch kept
upon it, and nearly all that is obtained
comes from the Asatic shore.
On July lst the Corwin broke through
the ice and entered Kotzebue sound,
eight days earlier than the same point
was reached last year. Here there
were sent out two exploring expedi-
tons, one under command OF Lieuteu-
ant Cantwell, to proceed up the Kowak
river and explore the region through
which it flows, part Of which had never
been visited by white man. The
other expedition was under command
Of Assistant-Enginecr McLenegan, and
was to proceed up the hitherto unex-
plofed Noitak river. As soon as these
parties had been landed the Corwin
proceeded north, and on July 18th met
the bark Dawn, partly disabled by ice,
having three timbers broken, her cut
water and rudderpost damaged, besides
other injuries. She was taken in tow
and towed to Grantley harbor, where
she was to be repaired.
The Coiwin then turned back July
18th, and began to sound along the ST.
beIian coast with view of finding and
examining a harbor recently reported
there. 1t was found, however, that
the harbor was impracticable, owing to
the shallowness of the water.
But from July Dist to Oath examina-
ton was made Of Melchigme bay, Sibe-
ria, with the result that it was found
to be o very excellent harbor, with II
lathoms Of water and almost land
locked.
July 9th the bark Dawn, having
been repaired. left Grantley harbor and
proceeded on her cruise, and tie Corwin
having returned from Siberia to see
how she was progressing, captured
three deserters, whom she subsequently
put on board the Dawn in the Arctic.
August 4th she communicated with the
Indian rendezvous station at Hotham
inlet, and left supplies for the explo
rers. August 9th she fell in with the
whaling fleet off Point Marsh.
At this time there was heavy ice tc
the north. The next day there arose a
strong gale from the southwest, during
which many Of the whalers lost an an
Choir, and some two. Some slipped
their anchors and put to sea. At th'
beginning Of the blow boat from thu
bark Abraham Barker was visiting thu
Corwin, and the crew at once attempted
to regain their vessel but the sea rose
so rapidly and became so high an'
rough that the boat was capsized wheI
very near its ship. Then there wa
performed feat which those who wit
messed it claim to have been unsurpass
ed. When the boat capsized the Off
Ger Of the deck on the Corwin ordere'
a boat out to rescue the men, who coul
: not remain in the ice-cold water man,
minutes without being chilled to death
: As the alarm was given Lieutenan
Kennedy, who was below, rushed u
and tumbed into the boat as she swun
off, taking charge Of the rescue party
In spite of the fearful sea and territi
, gale, Lieutenant Kennedy reached tn
= spot and picked up the men long befor
; the Abraham Barker could lower
E boat end get away. This prompt actio
undoubtedly saved the lives of the fiv
, or six whalers who had been throw
l into the water.
1t was during this gale that tn
: whalers George and Susan and tn
n Mabel were lost. They attempted
: hold on to their anchors off Wainwright
S inlet. The Corwin, seeing that ther
S was danger of their going ashore, move
nearer to them to render assistance.
l. boat was lowered and, although the sc
d was terrible, hawser was got aboar
e the Mabel, with which to tow her ava.
e But the line had hardly been got aboar
Il when the Mabel's cable parted and ST
ir drifted in shore, swapping the hawse
lie The George and Susan also went ashor
When she struck two boats were g
:, out, in which the crew tried
Il land. One boat was stove in al
is swamped, and three men-William lie
cooper, and James Evans and u
of Wilhelm. seamen-were drowned. III
4 crew Of the Mabel landed in safety, al
1t were taken off two days later by Il
E. Corwin. At III p. NJ. OH the day
r the disaster the Corwin followed Il
in feet north to render assistance, and
he the 18th took the Ohio in tow to bril-
1t her to the George and Susan, that Il
oil might be transferred to her, if the
n was any. She had no oil, howeye
al and the Mabel had caught only tv
n whales during the eight-months' cruis