The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-23
FROST-BITTEN
WHALEMEN.
Arrival Of the Crew of the Lost
Bark Eliza.
Captain Edmund Kelley Tells How the Vessel
Was Beached at st. Lawrence Island
During Heavy Gale.

The WhallnS steamer BeiyeQere, captain
Whiteside, arrived in port last night, after
passage of twenty-five days from st. Law
renee Island, bringing 700 barrels of oil,
1900 pounds of bone, 20 foxskins and 81
bearskins, to William Lewis. The Belve-
dere also had as passengers Captain Edmund
Kelly and the crew of the whaling bark
Eliza, which was lost in the Arctic early last
month. The following is taken from the
report of the captain of the Eliza, which ne
sent ashore as soon as the Belvedere dropped
anchor in the stream:
Sailed from San Francisco December Fl,
1889, for a whaling cruise in the Arctic
Ocean, where we had the good fortune to
take five whales. We found but little ice
during the season, but had extremely cold
weather during the latter part. On October
18th we passed the Diomed Islands, bound
out through the Behring Strait, the weather
being thick and it showing at the time.
THE wind increased to gale from the
northeast with the barometer falling fast.
Hove the ship to off the north head of st.
Lawrence Bay. 1t was blowing heavy with
a thick snow-storm. Sounded and found
we had from twenty-four to twenty-Six
fathoms of water. Through the night we
carried the lower maintopSail and fore top
mast Staysail.
STEERING TO CLEAR THE LAND.
"On the morning of the 9th set the storm
trysails; weather very thick, with snow
and wind blowing heavily. Sounded every
half hour and found plenty of water On
the 10th was still blowing heavily; kept
sounding sand got twenty-seven fathoms,
but l could find no such soundings on the
chart. at O'Clock In the afternoon the
water sh0aled rapidly and l thought the
ship was in the NiIe-fathom Shoal to the
north OF Indian Point. Called all hands and
set sail to clear Indian Point"
The captain in his narrative then goes on
to describe infinitely how he sounded care
fully and measured his lead line to be on
the safe side, and steered TO clear the land;
that he had number of sails blown away
and lost three boats from the cranes during
blow. and heavy sea broke over the ship.
He let the two quarter-boats 60 to ease the
ship, as heavy seas broke over the vessel
and the decks were full of water. He found
that the ship VAS in the blight on the north
side Of st. Lawrence Island, and that moth
Ing could be done to save her unless the gale
broke. The barometer was down to 1904
He then says:
1.-The crew was worn out with cold; the
officers did all they could to keep The men
to work ship. but they were worn out them
selves. L was Knocked down twice by
heavy seas that broke on board and was
hurt by the iron tiiler. My feet were
frozen and l was well used up. Fortunately
i had q mate who was worth his weight in
gold.
LAND TO THE LEEwARD.
cat daylight on the 18th we sighted land
all along to the leeward of us. The gale
still held on. The mate went aloft and re-
ported that the best place to beach the ship
was on the lee bow. | called the men aft to
be out Of the way of falling spars when the
ship struck. Thei main-topsail sheets were
cut, we squared in the after yards and
OF, Tod for tha nt-ar hi oInc
under our lee.
Il then spoke few greeting words to
the men, and then put out the fires and all
lights on board. l kept the spars standing
until we were within $50 yards of the beach,
when L ordered the masts cut away to ease
tile hull. Through the snow and sleet we
could see three natives with dog teams wait
ing on the beach.
I'VE had one boat left on the house; this
the mate got overheard, and after getting
line Oh shore all hands were landed in
safety. After being on shore all the shelter
we had was the boat turned up on her side,
with snow shOveled around it. We had
about i've pounds Of wet bread, ana the
natives gave us a fish that they found along
the beach.
The natives took myself and the carpen-
ter to their huts, which were on the north
west end Of the island. During the ride
there both of us had our feet frozen. l shall
ever remember that ride. We watched for
too far off to see our signals of distress. On
October 18th we saw Twilight to the norlh
of the island and we burned roman candles
and started big light.
THE SIGNALS WERE RECOGNIZED.
sit was seen, and we soon launched
boat through the surf to what proved TO be
the steam-whaler Belvedere. Captain
Whteside sent three boats to bring us off,
but the surf was so rough that we could not
LAUGH them through the surf after they got
to the beach. On October 2Sth the weather
moderated, the ship hove in sight coming
back after us, after battling for three days
with a northeast gale, and We all went on
board and met with hearty welcome
In concluding his report, Captain Kelley
returns heartfelt thanks for himself and
crew to Captain Whitesde and his officers
and crew for kindness shown.
Several Of the crew of the Eliza are frost
bitten. Two will have to go to the hospital
and one, if not both Of them. Will be Grip
pied for life, with the loss of their toes aud
mayb be their feet.