Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-28
BURNED OUT.


I
For ffy hours we had baitled with the
ice doe, working our way along the north
shore toward the head Of Southwest Bay.
| Twenty times we had just missed having
our boat crushed To atoms between the
masses Of ice whirled here and there BY the
ever changing tide. More than . dozen
times we had pulled our boats bodily out Of
the water on to some huge cake in the i'm.
mense field Of dazzling white that extended
~ far - the eye could reach. pushing Oh
and again forcing our way among the float
ing mass ~ open water appeared, padding
ot rowing ~ the exiseneies of the case re.
quired. at all times watching with Eealous
care our only hope--the boass--in each Of
which six hsty fellows. sleepy, tired, al.
most exhausted, done every man his duty
without complaint, At last springing TO their
oars with hearty cheer rs We found our
selves in open water and pulled down the
sand spit that forms what's known TO whale
men of the 0ehotsk as Boat Hsreor,
when the whales were plenty in this sea.
Boat Hsroor was \ fsvorite resort aud
camping place of the ambitious whslemen.
who leaving their ship safely anchored un-
der the lea of some bluf along the north
shore" pushed their way through the ice. In
search Of "pogies" or small whales that
we're often found in large numbers in the
open water at the head of the bay.
During these expeditions, sometimes of
four or i've weeks duration, any boats
crew would willingly pull four or five ex.
ira miles for the sake of the comfort and
protection afforded by the harbor.
Rounding the point Of the sand spit, q"
1t was less than an eighth of = mile 10
where we hauled the boats out high aud
dry. few rods from the beach Was 4 log
house. built years before by some of our
enterprising brethren, and TO this shelter
We quickly transferred our provisions, cook
ing utensils, guns and clothing, Soon from
the hole in the roof over the nre place
arose straight into the air the dense smoke
of our brisk drift wood, fire mingled with
the odors Of primitive cookery, until caught
by the breeze from the mountains. IL was
waited out over the bay increasing the
gloom nov fast gathering over land and sea.
The first hot meal since leaving the ship
was quickly disposed Of, and all hands
turned TO" to make our quarters rs COM
Portable As possible. Robbing another
ruder camp of its matching we piled the floor
Of ours two feet deep with dry grass, and
filling our pipes anew, discussed the pros
pects of the msrrow, and prepared our
selves for q mueh-needed rest.
The building we occupied was about six-
teen feet square, bnilt Of hscmatac logs,
sig or seven feet high in front, and sloping
to three feet at the back. In the right
hand front corner vas low door, not more
than three and half feet high, and half AS
wide, which had At one time been provided
with some sort of timber arrangement TO
keep out the bears with which these regions
abound. IN the opposite corner was the
"Sincke hole" an aperture in the roof
about three feet square, and beneath II the
hearth of stone on which we had kindled a
roaring fire that spread warmth and con-
tentment over u dozen as hardy boys as
ever pulled an oar.
Although fifty miles from the ship, the
only source of assistance if any were need
ed. I never lay down with a feeling Of
greater security. and completely tired out,
we all turned In" without q watch, as
was the usual custom.
About eleven o'clock We were suddenly
awakened from the soundest sleep, by the
cry of "fire, fire." which brought every
man 10 his feet in An instant. ! jumped
toward the smoke-hole as the nearest way
to safety. The rest of the crew were
crowding toward the door, while the grass
that had caught on fire, was blazing all
over the floor. grasped my O,lskin jacket
and REFER, tossed them through the open
ing and none too soon followed them, strik-
ing on my hands. head and shoulders out
side and minus hair, moustAche and eye
brows, almost straDgled by breathing
the flames which were now pouring from
every crevce of the old hut
Come this way. this way" Half dazed,
| mingled with the crowd at the door and
on hands and knees | saw Boy Dick stand
ing upright with arms outstretcbed as II
feeling his way, and then staggering back
into that su6ocsting swirl of smoke and
fire, fell, lost beyond human power TO save.
The next we saw was a swollen, and bills
tered body being swiftly consumed by the
terrible heat from the resinous fuel which
burned, it seemed to me, as fire never
burned before.
The bluff back of US, with its ero~a OF
lofty trees, was lighted into weird, fantastic
shapes. Across the sky black masses of
sombre clouds followed each other closely.
shutting out the stars almost completely
The other side Of the little harbor the
cfhCklDR DTusu toiu WHs
abroad, while away up the mountain side
the prolonged howl of q dozen Siberian
| wolves. attracted by the smell Of burning
flesh, all made night hideous and one never
to be forgotten.
At dawn Of day, the trunk, all that re-
mained of Boy Dick. was placed in shall
low grave. digged with sticks and sharp
edged stones, and on a stump near by his
name, Jose Sylvia, was cut by kindly
hands.
More than half of Us had received severe
burns. Many of us were without hat or
boots az we pushed silently from the beach
at four o'clock on that bright June morn
ing, and worked our way up the coast. At
nine O'Clock in the evening we were fortu-
nate enough te make a landing, going to
bed supperless. having made fifteen miles
during the day. We got to the ship at
seven the next evening, having had forty
eight hours Of severe labor without a NOR
sci of food. jar Ery BE.