The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-13
RETURNED FROM
ARCTIC REGIONS.
Arrival Of the United States Cut.
ter Bear.
She Was North as Far as Point Belcher-No
Fresh Food Since May-Thrilling Ad-
venture of Whaler Brown.
The most important arrival Yesterday was the

The most important arrival yesterday was tn
United States revenue cutter Bear ON her re
turn from her annual seasons work In III
Arctic. She was one of The ships detailed
guard The roOkerles against The seal. poacher.
How they were guarded and the work done b
the war ships has been written up and The o.
hceis OF the Bear have little or nothing to ad
to II.
Besides guarding the seals and watching til
whalers for whisky, tie Bear made run acros
10 Siberia aud took seventeen reindeer to Don
alaska TO be domestlcatrd aud form the nucleu
OF large held Two OF the animals were IL
tended for Golden Gate Park, but were lande
with The others, aud before they could be take
back 10 the ship made their escape.
The cruise Of the Bear extended as far mort
as Point Beleher, aud she would have gon
farther, but was stopped by the heavy Ice. Tn
refuge station at Point Barrow was communl
Gated with by means Of dog-seds, and In
keeper reported enough provisions on hand L
last another year.
The Bear brought back a combination aviar'
aud menagere, Including a fine large eagle, al
Atcuc owl lynx ana beautiful white iO1
Before leaving ST. Paul there were no less thai
ten owls on board; bu! the fox Killed seven O
them III one night aud the others died.
NO FRESH FOOD SINCE MAY.
AS one oil the sailors remarked This ioX wa
the only living thing on board which had TASTED
fresh meat since May. Fresh provisions Of al
francisco aud for lOug Tune all hands have
been living on salt ratiOns aud not 100 much O.
that.
Captain Healy reported that the Rush left TO
this port about the same time the Bear did bu
was detained by calling at Ooualaska and ma,
be expected home IN few days. While In I'M
Arctic the Bear touched at Kings Island ant
found the natives there in a state OF starvation
wherefore she went at once TO ST. Micuaels ant
stock Of provisions, paid for by the officer
themselves. was bought and taken to the starving
Indians, who would not have survived the Wfutel
without tile fUOd thus generously given them.
All hands were very glad 10 have come back Il
ciVlZalion again, as the weather for the las
few months has been very bad and for fy,
weeks /, has been continuation OF strong gales
mingled with hail ana snow.
Probably no one IN the Bear was more glad I,
be back in Tins city than William Brown, a ma
i've OF New York, who has had enough OF tnt
f. Oxen north to la,I hun DOZEN llietimes Brown
left Tins cy IN the spring OF $50 as Il sailor OIL
The whaling bark Andrew Hicks. The Treatment
he received on eoald The blubber hunter wa,
such that lie decided TO cast his lot among The
natives OF hat frozen country.
HEADED FOR POINT HOPE.
He watched his chance, and when the Hicks
was at Coal Harbor. eighty miles from Point
Hope, he deserted and headed for The last-named
place. Sky miles of the journey were covered
when he came o a large river. which he had no
means Of crossing. lie 81 ent several days watch
ing for a chance to cross but finally gave IL up
and started for Iehachipi Sound, where lie Knew
that an Indian fishing station was located.
The ttip was rough one, and he reached
anu both his ieet badly cut by the sharp rocks
lie made friends with the few indians there and
remained with them until spring.
There were about Thirty natives there, and not
half enough food 10 last through The long cold
winter, ana long before spring the entire party
was III state OF starvation. Sealskins that had
been worn for months Were used rs food aud
the starving natives fought ravenously for a
piece OF rotten fish.
Before The LIST OF March ten of the party had
died of starvation and The others were compelled
TO subsist on moss and few grouse which
Brown had shot, these were deyOured In a raw
stale and wen the bones eaten by the poor PEG
pie. AT one time lie passed five DAYS without
eating morsel OF food, aud then made a meal
oil a fish which he captured by cutting hole in
the Ice. Knowing, however. that TO remain
meant death. Brown. with Two of the Indians
started for Point Hope on MAJ CHI 25th.
LIVED ON ROTTEN SALMON.
lhe distance was $50 miles and the weather
bitter cold. None Of them bad IA blanket, or In
fact anything 10 shelter them at night when they
lay down tired and furnishing in a hole dug in
the snow. In few deserted huts passed on the
journey they found some rotten salmon and ON
THIS they managed 10 live until Cape Thompson
forty mil $ from Point Hope. was reached
Here Brown was cOmuelled 10 stop, as lie could
travel no longer, both hands and feet and his
face having been frozen. He was left TO die
Brown begged to be taken along, but as they
had no means OF carrying him Ills entreaties
W re unheeded, ana lie was lett 10 his fate. His
only shelter was an old Indian hut ana all the
provisions lie had about ten pounds OF rotten
fish, ana that was frozen until II resembed a
pitSo vi ioSh- Il VI Hitecu udSs Tue poor lellOW
remained In the hui, expecting every day would
be his last. His supply of fish gave out on the
fifteenth day, and death stared him In the face
when, on the seventeenth day, he heard a sound
that caused his heart 10 beat with Joy and sent
the blood courslng through his veins once more
MADE A CRIPPLE FOR LIFE.
The sound was the bark of dog. 1t told the
dying nan that help was at hand, and such IN
deed roVed 10 be the case, for IN a short time
the driver OF the dog team entered the hut and
proved 10 be man named Rowland, also a de-
serter from the Andrew Hicks. Rowland was at
Point Hope when the Indians arrived. He
In he lonely hut on the wild waste OF snow COW
cred plain and al once procured the team aud
started TO bis assistance, determined TO bring
him In II alive or bury him If dead.
The trip to Point Hope was accomplished 10
two days and the helpless man made as com
Portable as possible. Doctor Briggs. The mis- Sion
airy, was at the other end OF the point some SIX
miles away, bul, though sent for, did not puI in
an appearance Tor TWO weeks, ana when he did
he did little or nothing for the sick man. Brown
remained at the station until The Bear arrived
there, IN The later part OF July, and was taken
on board and placed under the care OF the ships
surgeon.
Ii was found necessary 10 amputate his
LETT foot above the ankle aad two OF the fingers
OF the left hand. For some time life was de-
SPARED of, but a strong constitution. aided by
now in a fair way to recover. His face Is scanned
by large scars and the flesh on his arms and legs
Is drawn and scared In fearful manner. He
VIII be helpless cripple as long as he lives.
Brown spoke in the highest terms of his treat
ment on board The Bear. and says only for the
kindness shown him by the officers and men he
would have been dead long ago.