The herald., 1894-09-06
PER|LS OF THE ARCTIC.
Sinking of an Excursion
Steamer.
She Struck a Reef in Davis
Straits.
Narrow Escape of the Passengers
and Crew.
Timely Asststancs Rendered by Fish-
ing MISUNDERSTANDING Scientific
Collections Lost by tn,
Excursionists.
By the Associated Press.

NORTH SYDNEY, N. B Sept. 5.-The
schooner Rigel, OF Gloucester, Maas.s
Capt. &. w. Dixon, arrived here today,
having ON board the crew and passen-
gers of the steamer Miranda, which LETT
Nsw York July 7th with DR.. Cooks
Arctic excursion. All OF the party are
we'll. August 9th the Miranda etruck .
rock near Sukkertoppsn. West Green
land, and was abandoned in sinking
condition on August 70, in Davis straits,
latitude about 81 degrees 10 minutes
longitude So 40.
The particulars of the expedition and
its disastrous termination are as follows:
After repairing the damage sustained
by the iceberg collision on July 18th.
the Miranda left St. Johns. Newfound-
land on July Goth and proceeded di-
rectly to Greenland. Much ice and fog
were unexpectedly encountered of
Cape Fare we'll. At one time the vessel
came near being nipped in the floe', the
rising of the fog disclosing ice all around.
Considerable apprehension was felt by
the officers, and visions OF the tate Of
the Jeanette aud Proteus expeditions
arose among the passengers. The Mir
snda was totally unfit to cope with the
terrors OF Arctic navigation, but fortun-
ately 8 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 lat, when
the expedition reached Sukkertoppen,
k..l. I "a srx<
this port on the 9th for Dsco the ves-
sol had proceeded about seven miles at
fnll speed when abe struck with tremenr
1 doue force on hidden reef. Every4
thing loose went flying forward. A
| party at breakfast found themselves
piled up with dishes and yiands at the
end of the cabin. Three times the
high waves lifted the ship and let her
down with q crash that shook her from
end to end. When she hoated off great
excitement prevailed, as the vessel was
seen to be settling. The boats we're
swung off and everything made ready
to abandon the steamer. 1t was found.
however, that the main injury was be-
meath the ballast tank, which filled 80
rapidly that the pumps could not con-
troll the inflow. But the water-ti tight
bukhead protected the other compart-
ments.
/ The situation OF 80 largo body OF ex-
cursionists on this inhospitsble coast
WAS not encouraging, especially when il
was found that the Danish steamer
which regularly waits the settlement
had been stove in by ice and would not
arrive this year. 1t began to look as ii
the expedition might have to winter IN
Greenland, and short rations were served
| in antici patton OF such catastrophe. IL
was learned, however. through the Dam
ia governor that several American fish
| ing schooners were on the halibut banks
near Holsteinberg 150 miles north.
To secure one OF these vessels DR..
/ Cook, with Messrs. Rogers, Porter and
Duuning and four Eskimos. started for
the banks in an open boat. Alter
stormy voyage lasting 10 days they found
| the Rigel and brought her to the assist
snce OF the people on the disabled steam-
er, and the passengers were transferred
to the Rigel.
The Miranda then took the Rigsl in
tow, and lett Sukkertoppen in August,
intending to proceed directly to St.
Johns, N. F. All went well for two
days, bu: heavy sea the second night
weakened the top OF the ballast tank. on
which an enormous pressure was exert
ed, and it gave way at 1880 q. m. Au-
gust 23d Three blasts of the whistle
gave warning to the Rigel to stand by.
The night was cold, dark and ioggy, and
the vessels bounded like balls on the
pillows.
On board Of the Miranda all was con-
fusion. The 6remen, leaving the boiler
room without permission, cut loose the
| lifeboat which was Immediately dashed
to pieces against the ships side, aud
| h1x or,lu in an nhfnieao "a
the point of the captains revolver.
Tns carpenters tried in vain to stop
the leak with blankets and mattresses,
and at dayl as the water was invad.
! ing the coal bunker5, and storm was
threatening, the ship was abandoned.
! The crew was taken aboard the schoon-
er. It was fortunate that the passen-
gers were already on the Rigel. as the
transfer could hardly have been effected
under the trying conditions without
loss OF life. Nothing except the sailors'
bags WAS asvsd from the Miranda. The
passengers loet all their baggage except
the clothing worn when they went on
board the Rigel at Sukkertoppen. Many
OF them lost expensive scientific instru-
ments and hunting equipments. All
the botsnical and geological collections
and the photographs. probably the FINEST
ever taken in Greenland, went down
with the Miranda. Prof. Diesch lost
fine lot OF Labrador and Greenland birds.
The Journey homeward was without
incident, other than the adveroe winds
and insufficient provisions, only 10 days
supplies for 40 men having been placed
on the Rigel, and the addition OF the
Mirandas crew making 81 persons on
board this little craft. The passengers
slept in the hold on top OF the ealt and
fish. Guile and other sea- birds consti-
tuted the only fresh meat OF the party
for the last 10 days.
Too great credit cannot be given to
Capt. 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 before leav-