The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-12-28
NOLDSAILOR:SYAR
A STORY or HARDSHIP AND DEATH
IN THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN.

Cnfortunates Finally Lost Their Lives.
Some Idea Of the Place.
Captain Eldridge, OF the steamer Cath
anne Whiting, IL one Of those breezy.
I'D time tara who used 20 start OF from
some New England port In o sailing yes
Eel which wouA sssssa @ly nfser Wy
age OF two or three years. During those
lengthy and tempestuous buffetings with
the sea Captain Eldridge saw much that
was Of interest. Some of this he has told
with a quaint marine candor worthy Of
being exactly reproduced. He SAYS:
saw in The World where three NE
were left on an island In the Arctic. Thi.
reminds me CT a boat crew that was left on
al island in the Antarctic ocean in 1871 by
the schooner Franklin, OF New London,
Captain James Holmes, master. They
were landed on Cape Sheriff TO kill what
seals they could while the schooner wen.
on Il prospecting voyage-that is to say
looking for rookeries OF places where
seals travel MP ON the beach to resr their
young.
Well, they were to stay theTe until
the schooner returned. which would be
liz ten days st most. SO ten days pro-
visions weT" given them, and when ten
days had expired the men did not know
but the vessel was lost. So they took in
heir boat the carcs-scs of seals and
started for Potter's cove, $50 miles away.
where they expected to find the bark
Nile, for it was expected she would sail
IN the 18th day Of March for New Lon
don. They arrived there on the 18th. and
She lad sailed iii the 18th, as il appeared.
Now what were they TO DO without
clu1hcs or fuel, no provisions or shelter,
ard ! very, cold winter of nine long.
daiI months: As it is 80 far south tie
SUI Ter is shoIt-say three months, and
win~rr nine mcnths-and sumtneT Is as
cola - our winter heTe, but has the ad-
vant"Ce of being all dag, while the win
tcr !: al. night. Ther we're in G3 deg.
latitude. south.
Well, tie season wsS go far cone that
lie few seals, OF elephants, on other ami
mal# that il.habit this Eare Of the globe
had gone into the sea for winter. But,
however, they did manage 10 get q few
seals and elephants IA secured their
oil. and on this they lived until spring.
fJl' n shelter they got aa old try works
which hal been left there by some ship
and covered this with STOW to keep out
Wat cold possible, aud with snow for
blankets they lived she winter Us~p&Sa.
IL the spring they concluded 30 &C
buck t . Cape Sheriff and kill al! the
seals they conii before the vrssels he
49,, .-.' E-i,.. Ai-x- ,-h-la x,-l-,
some har1ain TO take home the skinE.
So. without any provisions. they started
back, Out ON going 0ut tae straits they
go5 jainmcd il the ice and h&l to 90
back over the ice 80 Porter's cove. They
would haul their boat from oHe cake or
block Of ice to another, and launch
when necessary. Well, they got bach
Ut last where they started from nearly
dead from cold aud exposure.
But, however. another trial. -Four re
fused to go bat three Of them took an
other boat which bad been Isft by some
other ship and started again vitAoS
.n~ food, fsy AeTe was none tD be get
at 50 early in the spring. Nevertheless
t1ey arrived then at Cape Sheriff. After
ward they KILLED 1900 seals and spread
their skins OF the Snow to keep theu.
fro2u heating. but what became % them
will never b. known. t. was supposed
Tia: they undertook 10 cross the straits,
Lut >ould nos manage the boat. How
ever. they were lost. Now about those
f9rr that stayed at the Cove-I re!uem
Der two Of their names, but have for
gotten the others. One WAS an Indian.
frun Long Island, SONS place near Mon
tauG-his last n%Hle WAS Garby-Snd
one by the name Of James King. who
was eventual tie only survivor Of the
seven, ard Ia OF suffering was ter
yjble. He - Kill and eat the O:heI
three men I.;ey were nothing bat
s, ii and tu.e8 anyway. and he could
not have survived more than one day
more had we not found him "a wa dill.
We buried the Remains of the others
in tie snow. King then went OF boSrd
Of the bark Nile. and from her he went
on board Of the schooner Z. F. SimcnS
and came 70 New London. where be
sailed from. Ho susd the company, but
finally he g1yeit mp and cleared out--no
one EEcEs where.
Now. WI! give you all TIE infOFna-
ton / can as 70 why they were left there.
Il WAS late III tho season and this winds
would net permit OF the schooner getting
| back 70 them. 90 she sailed for home.
What are seven themselves TO come men:
Now, | viii give you sons idea OK the
place. 1t is ii from 81 70 90 degs. south
| latitude ana the land is Of volcanic
origin. sprung Up cut Of blue water and
| hiding in TIE clouds with thousands of
| feet OF snow on top. The rocks are of
soaQstone appearance. There is not the
first sign Of vegetation On them-Rot
ever moss will grow q the rocks
Yes, there il 8 sign Of vegetation; what
Is known as crimson snow. Bus II you
take a handful and look NJ II without
| the AID Of 4 microscope yOu vii see moth
ing but Il l;t.le red on the snow, but with
| the al of a microscope you cen Sc the
Hae roots il ne snow. SO t is q vsSste'
be.
There are 10 sheilnsb on the rocks--it
Is perfect de>olation. Bat IN she summer
! lle birds If all kiHds-thAt in, birds OF