Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-02
Gales aud Sketthes.
An ARCTIC RACE FOR LIFE.
By FREDERICK SCHwATKA.

Inc gOOu SHY OldClCIs q "hoASA AhOAA
that well known whaling port OF New
Bedford. Mass, entered Hudson's Bay
about a dozen years ago to cruise the
northern waters OF that great sheet OF
water for the polar whales that there
abound. There she blows!' had seldom
come from the ''crow's nest" at the mast
head, and the once or twice that 1t oia
nothing was caught. and the future looked
dark enough for "all hands and the COOK, !"
as the amount of pay received BY the
American whalemen depends altogether
upon the amount they catch. and many
two or three years. voyage has found the
crew in as low a financial condition when
it ended as when it began.
A deep estuary leads northward from
the upper waters of Hudson's Bay. which
has been given the singular title of Roe's
Welcome by its discoverer, who was look
ing for a northwest passage about two
centuries age, and who must have thought
this fine sheet of water spread out before
him was the welcome one that was to lead
him to the still more welcome Pacific sea.
1t is about 40 miles wide at its entrance,
and certainly must have looked seductive
enough to the old Arctic navigator prob
ing the polar shores of North America
for a passage to the west. Like so many
pleasant Arctic things at their beginning,
Roe's Welcome ends mournfully in a lit
tie cul-de-sac lugubriously termed Repulse
Bav by way of change from welcome.
and marks where the once happy naviga-
tor was repulsed in his efforts to 90 farther.
Like all deep and wide Arctic inlets full
of drifting ice packs and iee foes it
abounds in the coveted polar whale, and
like all such estuaries its navigation is
quite dangerous, or, at least, is liable to
be rendered so by any sudden gale that
will send the ice packs crushing down on
each other, and, worse than all, crushing
everything in their wav. The
whalers seldom enter Welcome -
as they call it, very far, as
they are generally only provisioned for
one winter on the Hudson Bay cruise, and
instances are not wanting where the ice of
the Welcome has gripped them in the
most unwelcome manner and held them in
its frozen letters for q much longer time.
1t was only the bad luck that they had that
prompted the master of the Glacier to point
his bowsprit toward such unpleasant
waters, and it was the immediate change
in his fortunes that kept leading him into
it deeper and deeper until Repulse Bay
was gained, swarming with whales spout
ing amidst the ice packs. which ice packs.
one bleak morning. came charging down
was soon wedged fast in the ice where she
had to remain for two years, so battling
are the chances of getting out of such a
polar predicament. The Repulse Bay of
the white men is the Iwillik of the Es-
quimaux, who here abound in quite large
numbers, living on the many walrus from
which the country gets its Esquimaux
name, and this fact made the imprison-
ment of the ships crew much less irksome
than it would otherwise have been had
there been no one near them, for. upon
these simple minded people party may
always safely rely on keeping away that
worst bane of the Arctic voyager. the
scurvy-a bane, might add. doubly Ii
able to invade whaling crew from their
limited supply of fresh provisions with
which other Arctic ventures are generally
so well provided. Around the Glacier
they clustered the first winter, building
their little snow huts, looking like a nest
OF huge rocs eggs, the lower half of which
were buried in the deep snow that lay on
the hummockv ice piled up around the
ship. Many hunt was had after seal
and warus, and in these the sailors would
join to while away the time that otherwise
would have hung most drearily on their
hands housed in the little forecastle of the
not over large whaler. Many sledge
ride was had going and returning from
these hunts. as well as inland after musk
oxen and reindeer. In fact, the life was
only idle in case they wished to make it
50, and it was also amply stirring enough
if they wished it.
Among the sailors in the imprisoned
crew was young. studious sort of fellow
who had joined the voyage rather for the
adventure it would give than any great
amount of money he expected to reap
He soon tired of sledging and hunting
with the Esquimaux, and most of his
physical exercise was OF that sort that was
to be found in long walks. mostly by him
self, as no one cared to duplicate his long
continued exertiOns Just for the privilege
of his company. though no one was more
generally popular among the people of
the ship-and the Esqumaux. for that
matter-than this same sailor. Here and
there were two and three who were great
err 'chums.' but for uniform respect and
absolute absence of enemies he probably
stood pre-eminent. Along with several
of the others of the more adventurous he
was constantly cautioned by the ships's
officers about his long walks, especially
without natives to guide him back, for in
the short winter days, mere twilight at
noon in TACT should nightfall catch him
far away, there might be trouble in get
ting home again. He went so far as to
provide himself with small firearm in
case he was caught out all night. to pre-
vent the wolves from making a meal of
him before the morning came. These
marauders had shown themselves quite
often. making several descents on the vii
lage itself and killing a number of the
Esquimaux dogs, kind of food which
singular to say, they seem to like much
better than almost any other that they can
get, at least if one could Judge so from
their fearless endeavors to get at them,
and the number of fine dogs that are an
nually lost to these natives by this means.
They will not attack man, unless they are
in large numbers or greatly pressed with
hunger. which, fortunately, Is seldom the
case. Believing that this was the only
source of danger to which he could be
exposed, he treated lightly all other ideas
as to mschance. One evening he did not
put in an appearance as usual. and by the
time il was Ouite dark the ntmost Solituda