Evening journal., 1894-03-24
AN OPEN POLAR SEA.
A STEAMSHIP CAPTAIN WHO SAID HE
COULD HAVE CROSSED IT.

Whalers-An Opinion as TO the Results OF
Efforts TO Civiiize the Eskimos.
That steamers can pass through tha Arctic
ocean in certain years is the opinion Of
Captain A. II. McGregor, based upon mis-
experience in the polar region. Captain
McGregor has seen 23 years service in the
Arctic, and commands the steamer Orca.
owned by the Pacific Whaling company Of
San Francisco. He was nc the Hotel Per
kins and talked Of his experience.
Last year" he said nine of the Pacific
Whahng companys steamers and ships
reached Cape Bathurst the furthest point
north and east ever reached by a vessel Of
any kind. We had been whaling in Behr-
ing sen, and having finished what is termed
the outside catch in July we started for
the Arctic 60 finish the season.
1--WE passed along the east shore, round
ed Point Barrow, and then made the Jour
ney 10 the cape, which is near the McKen-
zie river. We cast anchor and whaled there
the rest Of the season. The natives were
somewhat surprised at our appearance. but
as they had seen white men before they
soon overcame whatever fear they might
have felt and became veF friendly They
did not differ in the least from other Eski-
mos. We sounded the ocean near the Nc.
Kenzie and found that boat drawing
more than four feet of water could not ap-
proach within 30 miles of the river The
land on both sides was mountainous and
covered with snow. The oldest native told
us that it was many winters since white
men came by boat, which led me TO believe
that no boat had reached the cape since
Captain Collinson was there in 1855 Cap
tain Collinson and his party visited the
place In small boats when they were max
ing survey Of the British possessions, but
they were compelled to remain there three
/ years before they could return.
| ''Sir John Franklin passed the cape in
small boats on his famous expedition and
came as far west as Franklin, OF Return
reef There he evidently became discour-
aged and disheartened and started ON his
return trip. Had he known that he had "A
clear sea before him he doubtless would
have continued on his way and lived to tell
future generations of the hardships con-
nected with arctic explorations lie could
have made what is called the northeast
passage and come out on the Pacific ocean
and forever settled the question whether a
vessel could reach Alaska from Greenland
through the Arctic. But he saw nothing
but a monotonous stretch Of land and what
appeared to be a closed sea ahead of him.
|
entire expedition, and seeing nothing ahead
but land probably thought it was endless.
When Return reef was reached, he turned
back, and that is the last known Of him
I'VE could have made the trip from the
Pacific to the Atlantic last year II we had
so desired. but our business was whal-
ing, not exploring. Natives at the cape,
whom questioned, told me that the ocean
was fairly open three years out of four, and
| that there was a great big sea one year in
five. Last year was what they termed
great big sea, and they said that thesame
conditions prevailed in 1889 A large YES
sci could not pass through fairly open
sea. so the chances of reaching Greenland
through the Arctic sea are one in five
From this am inclined to the belief that
both Franklin and Collinson entered the
ocean when il was open"
When Captain McGregor was asked about
his experience as n whaler, he said: "Once
I'm awhile we encounter some dangers. such
as being caught in the ice, but such acci-
dents are not frequent. A vessel will some
times be stuck for three or four weeks be-
fore it can be freed from the ice, and occa-
sionally it is damaged by collision with gi-
gantic foes or by being caught between
them. Planks are sometimes stove in, but
|
Of the vessels being thoroughly saturated
with oil very little attention is paid to such
accidents.
After working through the ice, which is
generally about June /, the vessels try to
get into Behrng strait ahead of the whales.
The strait is the naIrowest point, aud the
object Of the whalers is 10 get there first
and take the whales as they come through
on theirway to the Arctic. The vessels cruise
there until July /, when the tender arrives
from san Francisco with coal, potatoes and
other supplies and takes the oil and whale
bone. This is termed the outside catch.
Then the whalers strike for the Arctic and
finish the season there. They have com
munication with the natives all the tim,
and exchange some of their -applies fol
reindeer meat fish, ducks and ptarmigan
When the season Is ended, some OF the YES
sells put in at Port Clarence, the rendezvou.
for the feet"
Captain McGregor said the Eslimos have
made no advances to civilization. AN aged
native told me that there is a tradition
handed down from father to son that tn,
boatsand weapons OF the hunt and chase an,
the same today as they were 500 years ago
The firearms and traps, tobacco and Gallo,
were all introduced by white men. The Is
|
il and makes no effort to effect any i'm
provements. The native population is rap
idly diminishing They cannot withstan,
( the march Of civilization, unused as the,
, are 10 its luxuries and vices.
-Four schools have been established 70
them in Alaska, and they are being taugh
TO read and write. but il would be bette
g for them II they were left alone. In thei
a original state they got along well. but edu
cation Is their moral ruin. When he learn
= TO read and write, the native thinks he /
the superior of his fellows and the equal O
the white man, and he affects the whit
mans habits, whether moral or immoral
lie goes TO school simply for amusement
lie wants to learn 60 read. write and tall
that he may trade with the whites and b
regarded as one OF them. IL cannot be sal
that the money expended on the schools hn
been III spept or misappropriated. only tina
the Eskimo is unlike the Indian, aud th
same method Of training cannot be apple
to both.
The arctic is a cold region, but the fris
idity Of the atmosphere cannot be fel
y through the furs that serve US as clothes
q The mean temperature is a degrecs belai