The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-14
an opES Polar SEA.
Cspt. Neereeor Says ne Conid Have Cres,-
ed II, bat re Was Not Expiort.e.


ed II, but re Was Not EXPLORING
Fror q. Morning or,y>rfrr.
That steamers can pass through the Arctic
Ocean in certain years is the opinion Of Capt.
A. H. McGreRor, based upon his OF experience in
the Polar region. Can't. MeGregor has seen
twenty three years service in the Arctic. and
commands the steamer Orca, owned by the
Pacific Whaling Company Of San Francisco.
He was at the Hotel Perkins few days last
week. and talked OF his experience.
Last year" he said. nine Of the Pacific
Whaling Companys steamers and shps
reached Cape Bathurst, the furthest point
north and east ever reached by vessel OF any
kind We had been whaling In Behring Sea.
and having finished what is termed the out
side catch in July. we started Tor the Arctic to
finish the season We rassed along the east
shore. rounded Point Barrow and then made
Kenzie River. We cast anchor and whaled
there the rest OF the season. The natives were
they had seen white men before. they soon
overcome whatever fear they might have felt
a am S the GS from os aS.
We sounded the ocean near the Mckenzie. and
found that a boat drawing more than four feet
OF water could not approach within thirty
miles OF the river, The land ON both sides was
mountainous and covered with snow. The
teps since White men came by boat. Which led
me to believe that no bout had reached the
ana lis p the
In email boats when they were making n sur
Ssy OF the British Eo;,sssssi9Sns; but they were
,R The s espo i IN small boats on his
@ frsntn an or HepSrn Reel rSsrs
he evidently became discouraged and dis
Rsa se Knows that had Clear sa beore
him. he doubtless would have continued on
his way and lived to tell future generations OF
lions. He could have made what is call ed the
northeast passage and come out on the Pa
Greenland through the Arctic. But he saw
WHAT to Closed sea ahead
him. He had kept in sight Of shore during his
entire expedition AND seeing nothing n ahead
Wien WI AI Return R Reef was reached he et turned
back, and that is the last known Of him.,
ciHc to the Atlantic last year II we had so de-
sired. but our business was whaling. not OK
Ing ground Of the whales. which lies between
Cape Bathurst and tho Mckenzie River: We
left four vessels. the Norwaik. BaIneya; Gram'
ers finished the season on the siberian coast.
Those that wintered in the Arctic have been
from them and do not know II the ocean is
open again this year. Natives at the cape.
whom sod me out Of
five. Last year was what they termed great
tons prevailed in 1881. A large vessel could
not pass through fairly open sea. SO the
Arctic Sea are one In Ave. From this am in
cined to the belief that both Franklin and Col;
wen s1 tap %f ] e about his
experience as a whaler. he said: Once In
while we encounter some dangers. such as
not frequent \ vessel will sometimes be
stuck Tor three or four weeks before 1t can
damaged by collision with gigantic foes, or BY
being caught between them. Planks are
sometimes stove in. but as there Is no danger
thoroughly saturated with oil very little atten-
ton is paid to such accidents. Alter working
the Vessels :e st try to &c, into Behrinc strait
ahead OF the whales. The strait Is the narIowest
there first and take the whales as they come
through on their wayto the Arctic. The YES
sells cruise thsrs pn u1 u Tsn the tendsr
1ha!ebo , This Is termed the outside tatch:
finish the season thsre. They have com
municat,on with the nati .h al! the TING:
reindeer meat. Gsh., ducks, and ptarmisan.
When the season Is or enGra some ,, OF the
house for the storage OF provisions and coal has
year. but It is inpossbl to estimate it. The
outside catch was small during June and July. ,
but no report was received from the vessels at I
the cape. 1t is thought that these vessels viii }
make big haul: as they are r. ght In the breed
ing grounds and have been whaling a season. I
One vessel took sixteen whal es last season. /
another got only one. and another caught none /
at all. The average value OF whales is Sl2.OOD. I
From 80 ~ 30 barrels OF OH and from l.SOO to .
1900 pounds Of bone is obtained from each /
whale. The oil Is sold for 30 or 40 cents
gallon and the bone for So pound"
Capt. McnreCor said the Esk IS have made /
no advances to civilization. An aged native I
from father 20 son that the boats and weapons .
OF the hunt and chase are the same day as (
they were 800 years ago The firearms and ,
traps. tobacco and ca.ico were all Introduced .
by white men. The Eskimo is satisfied with |
everything as he finds 1t. and makes no effort /
to effect any improvements The native popu- ;
lation is rapidly d mnishinE. They cannot ,
the march OF civilization. unused as
they are to its luxuries and vices
Four schools have been established for
read and write, but it would be better for them
II they were left alone. In their original state
they got along well. but education Is their
moral ruin. When he learns to read and write
lows ami the equal Of the white man. and he
affects the white mans habits. whether moral
Dr immoral He goes to school simply for
amusement. He wants to learn to read.
write. and talk that he may trade with the
whites and be regarded as one OF them; 1t
the schools has been III spent or mtsappro.
priated. only that the Eskimo Is unlike the
Indian. and the same method OF training
cannot be applied to both.
of the atmosphere cannot be felt through the
urs that serve US as clothes. The mean tenn
perature is AZ below zero but during the
ifty-seven days that the sun is in sight the