New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-15
WRECKED ON POINT HOPE.
SUFFERINGS OF A WHALING CREW IN THE
ARCTIC OCEAN.
1NHUMAN TREATMENT OF THE WEAKER sUM
yIvoRs BY oTHERs-A WINTER ON THE .
UPPER ALASKAN COAST.
lBY TELEGRAPH tn THE g-TDpNE1
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE grrBusE.J

San Francisco. Sept. IA letter to The
Chronicle from Point Hope, Alaska, gives some
new and thrilling details of the loss of the whaling
bark Little Ohio. which sailed from San Francisco
on December 5. 1887 and was wrecked on Poine
Hope on October 3. 1888. Only the meagre facts
Of the wreck and the loss Of eighteen men were
received here from two of the survivors, but this
letter reveals story of atrocous selfishness and
abandonment OF comrades by some Of the sur-
vvors' which is almost without parallel in Arctic
annals.
The vessel drove on the shore in a binding
snowstorm at 4 o'clock at night. She was within
forty feet of the beach when great waves began
pounding her to pieces Her tmbers were rotten
and she began to crumble. Thirteen men
reached the shore through the heavy surf, while
three who were on the mainmast came down on
land without wetting their feet. The captain and
two officers were drowned. The other officers
knew they on Point Hope and that native
village was near. while the trading station was
only eight miles away. but they seemed TO for4
get everything in their blind desire TO flee
before tue storm. Pease, the mate, was badly
hurt and begged assistance They helped him
along few rods and then left him to perish
with cold Soon afterward the Portuguese boat.
swain succumbed TO cold He was almost naked
and would have survived with clothing but al,
though some Of his messmates had double pea-
Jackets offered 10 give him one. ED"
Mason, who ran the steam winch, was left
clnging to a spar in the water, so badly hurt
that he could not drag himself up on the beach.
He implored the men not to abandon him, but
they paid no heed TO his cries. Fortunately the
water was warmer than the air, and kept him
alive till he was rescued the next morning. Tho
fugitives from the wreck, instead Of keeping
along the beach TO the Indian village, struck
across high exposed divide, where the bitter
wind cut them TO the bone. Finally they reached
shelter, but not until they had left three meu
behind to perish.
At the station food was scarce, but these
men squandered on the native women -four and
other articles that they sorely needed. 1t was
found that fifteen were alive and eighteen had
perished. Two flags were set down to attract
passing steamers but none responded to tho
distress signal. Finally, Oh October IL, nine
There was heavy sea. pug
the third mate Manuel Lopez. and five men. all
prominent in the desertion of their comrades.
put out in whaleboat to intercept her. The
boat was evidently swamped. as they were never
beard Of again-a lifting punishment for their
inhumanty. few hours later the steam whaler
Narwhal slowed up, but finally resumed her course!
Niles, to break down. From a strong man he
became puny invalid and died in few days.
By good luck the survivors at the station found
food to last through the winter. An unusual
supply of fish was thrown up on the beach. while
reindeer came within sixty miles OF the station
for the first time in the memory of the natives.
Seals and whales in the spring eked out the sup-
ply and eight survivors taken up by the
Thets TO Port Clarence. There they made CONS
plant against Captain McGregor, of the Narwhals
for passing Point Hope and disregarding the signal
of distress, but McGregor claimed that no boat
put out, and he simply thought that it was
device OF the natives 10 secure food.