The morning call., 1894-09-06
HOME ON AN OTTER SCHOONER.

y.
The schooner Rigel of Gloucester, Mass
Captain g. w. Dixon, arrived here to-day
having on board the crew and passeng ger:
of the steamer Miranda. which left New
York on July with Dr. Cooks Arctic ex
cursiOn. All parties are well. On Angus
9 the Miranda struck a rock near Suk.
kertoppen, west of Greenland, and wa:
abandoned in sinking condition OIL
August % in Davis Strait. latitude about
81 deg. 10 min. ana longitude IS deg. Il
min.
The story Of the expedition and its dis.
astrous termination is as follows: After
repairing the damage sustained in the ice.
berg collision on July II the Miranda lett
St. Johns. \. F., on July %, and
proceeded directly 10 Greenland. Much
ice and fog were Unexpectedly encoun-
tered off Cape Farewell. Al one time the
vessel came near being nipped in the foes,
the rising of a Jog disclosing ice all
around. Considerable q pprehenslo was
felt by the officers. and visions of the
fate OF the Jeanette and Proteus expedi-
tlous arose among the passengers. The
Miranda was totally unfit TO cope with the
terrors of Arctic navigation, but for
tunately thin place in the foes was
found and the ship driven through.
The southwest coast of Greenland was
so blocked with ice that no landing could
be made until August !. when the expedi-
ton reached Sukkertoppen, in latitude 50
deg. % min. Leaving this port on the
morning of the 9th for Disco, the vessel
had proceeded about seven miles at full
speed when she struck with tremendous
force on a hidden reef. Everything loose
went flying forward. A party at break
fast found themselves piled up with
dishes and viands at the end of the cabin.
Three times the high waves lifted the ship
and let her down with crash that shook
her from end 10 end. When she floated off
great excitement prevailed, as the vessel
was seen 10 be settling. The boats were
swung off and everything made ready to
abandon the steamer. II was found, how
ever, that the main injury was beneath the
ballast-tank. which filed so rapidly that
the pumps could not control the inflow.
The water-tight bulkhead protected the
other compartments.
The situation of so large a body of ex-
cursiOnists on this inhos pi.able coast was
not encouraging, especially when it was
found that the Danish steamer, which
regularly visits the settlement, had been
stove in by ice and would not arrive this
year. 1t began to look as il the expedition
might have to winter in Greenland, and
short ratiOns were served in anticipation
of such a catastrophe. 1t was learned,
however, through the Danish Governor,
that several American fishing schooners
were on the halibut banks near Holstein-
mil To sc
these vessels, DR.. Cook, with Messrs
Rogers, Porter and Dunning and four
Eskimos, started for the banks in an open
boat. After stormy voyage lasting ten
days. they found the Rigel and brought
her TO the assistance of the people on the
disabled steamer and her passengers were
transferred to the Rigel. The Miranda
then took the Rigel in tow and left Suk-
kertoppen in August, intending to proceed
directly to st. Johns, Newfoundland. All
went well for two days, but heavy sea
the second night weakened the top of the
ballast-tank on which an enormous pres
sure was exerted and it gave way at u 80
A. NJ, August %. Three blasts of the
whistle gave warning to the Rigel to
stand by.
The night was cold, dark and foggy and
tue vessels bounded like balls on the bill
lows. On board the Miranda all was con-
fusion. The fremen, leaving the boiler
room without permission, cut loose the
lifeboat, which was Immediately dashed
to pieces against the ships side. and they
were only kept in submission al the point
of the captains revolver.
The carpenters tried in vain TO stop the
leak with blankets and mattresses, and at
daylight. as the water was invading the
c0aI-5unker and storm was threatening,
the ship was aban 1oned. The crew was
taken aboard the schooner. 1t was fortu-
nate that the passengers were already on
the Rigel, as a transfer could hardly been
effected under the trying conditions with
out loss of life.
Nothing except the sailors bags was
saved from the Miranda. The passengers
lost all their baggage except the clothing
worn when they went on board the Rigel at
Sukkertoppen. Many of them lost expen-
sve scientific instruments and hunting
equipments. All the botanical and geo.
logical collections and the photographs.
probably the finest ever taken in Green.
land. went down with the Miranda. Pro.
lessor DIesch lost fine lot of Labrador
and Greenland birds.
The journey homeward was without in.
cident other than the adverse winds and
insufficient provisions. only ten days sup.
plies for forty men having been placed on
the Rigel, and the addition of the Miriam.
da's crew made ninety-one persons on
board this little craft The passengers
slept in the hold on top of the salt and
fish. Gulls and other seabirds constituted
the only fresh meat of the party for the
last ten days. Too great credit cannot be
given TO Captain Dixon and the crew OF
the Rigel for their efforts in behalf OF
those whom they had rescued. The party
will have banquet at South Sydney be-
fore leaving, at which time a handsome
testimonial will be presented to Captain
Dixon.
The lost ship Miranda was built in 1885,
for the t.Johns and New York trade. She
was famous as the vessel which lost the
celebrated Leary timber raft off Long Isl
and Sound. For two years past she ha:
been running to Central America and the
West Indies. She is said to have been in
snred for 100000.