The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-26
THE WHALERS.
Twenty-Five Men and Two OHicerS
Probably Lost Serious Injury 10
Other Vessels.

OIner NeSSeAS.
Yesterday the ADVERTISER published
the general report OF the Arctic whaling
feet for the season, mentioning the loss
of two vessels of the fleet. The following
particulars regarding this catastrophe
was furnished to the San Francisco
Chronicle by the Captain of the
schooner James A Garfield, which was
lying "off-and-on" outside the Golden
Gate awaiting orders from the Pacific
Steam Whaling Company, to which she
belongs. The Chronicle reporter got
"wet Jacket going to the schooner,
but he came back with Give news"
The report says:
After boarding the schooner the start
ling information was furnished that the |
whaling bark Napoleon, owned by Jared |
Jernegan of New Bedford, Captain Smith
commander, which left San Francisco on
December 10, 1884, was crushed in the
ice in Behring sea on May 9Th, about Z
D. M, in latitude So north, longitude III
deg 40 min. west. While working
through lead she struck a piece OF ice
and in a few minutes was found to be
full of water in her lower hold. The
boats were cleared, and what little pro-
visions could be found were thrown into
them In ten minutes after the vessel
was discovered to be leaking she sank.
| Captain Smith, with the second and
| fourth mates and two boat crews, We're
| picked up on May 9th, at p. m. Three
of the crew had died from exposure, and
in less than twenty-four hours all would
have perished Two boats are still miss
ing, without any chance of ever being
heard from. The missing boats con-
tanned First Mate w. A. Rodgers and
Third Mate Thomas Pears, with seven
teen men. After leaving the Napoleon a
heavy gale was encountered, which came
near swamping the boats.
The whaling bark Gazelle was stove in
by ice about twenty-five miles south
southeast of the southwest cape of St.
Lawrence island at :45 a. m. of June Sd.
She was going under easy sail through
some floating ice, when the second mate
reported the hold full of water. All
hands went to work at the pumps, but ii
was found that the vessel was rapidly
sinking. The boats were cleared away
and the vessel was abandoned at 6 a. m.
with the water thirteen inches above the
, between-decks. Two of the boats headed
, for st. Lawrence island and reached thai
point by noon. The night was spent OF
, shore and next day the voyage was re
| sumed. On the 9Th these boats were
picked up by the bark Arnold, which
{ was in company with the schooner j. A
, Hamilton. 1t was then learned that the
other boats had been picked up the day
: before by the bark Abram Barker. Cap
r tain Newth of the Gazelle gives his
heartiest thanks to Captains Marvin
McGregor and Hayes for their kindness
f to him and his shipwreSked crew. The
, fleet, for which James Sennett & Co. art
agents.
In addition to the disasters mentioned
the steam whaler Balena of San Fran
cisco was badly stove up by the ice, bu
she succeeded in escaping and subse
quently repaired sufficiently to continue
operations, though, owing to the severe
gales and heavy ice during the entire
season, it is stated that the catch is not
up to the average. The Young Phoenix
was badly jammed by floating ice, and al
one time it was thought she would have
to be abandoned. Her counter was
crushed and her rudder carried away
and she was only kept afoat by the
rigging of steam pump which kept hen
comparatively free of water until some
repairs were effected. The steam
whalers Orca and Thrasher also suffered
from floating ice jamming their counters
The Orca had her propeller carried away
: and the Thrasher had hers bent so badly
as to be useless, but each shipped new
propellers and proceeded on their voy-
J ages without any great delay from these
accidents. The banks Dawn, ArnaldC
: and Eliza were more or less damaged by
the ice.
The losses incurred by the two disas-
) ters mentioned will not fall short o.
} $50, 1000, as it is stated that both vessels
had taken some whales before they were
J lost
: The Master of the Garfield states that
he left the feet on July 18th, and was
r twenty-six days on the trip down, being
greatly retarded by calms and light
winds.
Police Court.