The evening world., 1894-09-05
COOK PARTY
ALL SAFE.
Its Members Arrive at South
Sydney, Cape Breton, on
the Risel. i
ARCTIC TRIP A FAILURE.
Steamer Miranda Was Abandoned
in a Sinking Condition
at Sea.
MANY HARDSHIPs AND PERlls.
A New York Boy Of Thirteen The
Youngest One Of the
Excursionists.
MANY HAROsHlps AND pERIls.
Copyrighted. 1894. by the AssocIatsa pr.sa,

Copyrighted 1894. by the Associated rrssAJ
NORTH SYDNEY. c. b. Sept. 6.-The
schooner Rigel. Of Gloucester. Mass.
Capt. @. W. Dixon. arrived here to-day.
having on board the crew and passcn-
gers of the steamer Miranda, which left
New York July with Or. r. A. Cooks
Arctic Expedition. All the party are
well. FhJ
On Aug. Q the Miranda struck rock
near Sukkertoppen. West Greenland, and
was abandoned in a sinking condition
Aug %, in Davis Strait, latitude about
6l.15. longitude $50
The particulars of the expedition and
| its disastrous termination are as fol-
lows: After repairing the damage sus-
tanned by the iceberg collision Of July
II. the Miranda left st. Johns. N. f.. on
July 20. and proceeded directly to Green
land. Much Ice and fog were unexpe0t-
eddy encountered Off Cape Farewell At
one time the vessel came near being
nipped In the foes. the rising OF . foU
isclosing ice all around.
| Considerable apprehension was felt by
the officers. and visions Of the fate Of
the Jeanette and Proteus expeditions
arose among the passengers, as the iron
built Miranda was totally unfit to cope
with the terrors Of Arctic navigation.
But, fortunately. thin place in the
foes was found, and the ship driven
| through. -
The southwest coast of Greenland cas-
so blocked with ice that no landing
could be made until Aug. Z. when the
expedition reached Sukkertoppen, in lat
itude 65.25. 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 ire
mendous force on hidden reef. Every
thing loose went flying forward. The
steward, Joseph Farrell. was struck by
trunk and slightly injured. A party
at breakfast found themselves piled up
with dishes and viands at the end Of
| the cabin. M
| Three times the high waves lifted che
| ship and let her down with o crash
that shook her from end to end. When
she noated off, great excitement pre-
vailed. as the vessel was soon seen to
| be settling. The boats were swung on
and everything made ready to abandon
the steamer. 1t was found. however.
that the main injury was beneath the
ballast tank, which filled SO rapidly that
the pumps could not control the infiow:
But the water-tight bulkhead protected
| the other compartments and Eskimo pl-
| lots having at length come on In their
kayaks, the steamer was gotten safely
| into harbor
coed further with the damaged vessel
| the situation OF so large a body OF ex-
cursionists on this inhospitable coast 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 II the expedi-
| and short rations were served In antict-
patton of such a catastrophe,
II was learned, however. throush the
hshng schooners were on the halibut
banks near Holsteinborg, 40 miles north.
To secure one OF these vessels DR.; Cook.
| with Messrs. Rogers, Porter and Dun
ming and four Eskimos, started for the
banks In an open boat. After a stormy
voyage, lasting ten days, they found the
Rigel and brought her to the assistance
Of the people on the disabled steamship.
| The passengers were transferred to the
Rigel The Miranda then took the Rigei
intending to proceed directly to St.John's
| n. +. All went well for two days. but
| heavy sea the second night weakened the
top of the ballast tank, on which an enof-
and It gave way at 1880 A. NJ, Aug. y.
Three blasts OF the whistle gave warn
! ing 10 the lNlHel 10 Sldnu ny. DiBHt
was cold, dark and foggy, and the vessels
! bounded like balls on the pillows.
| on board the Miranda all was con-
| fusion. The tiremen leaving the boiler
room without orders. cut loose the best
! lifeboat (Which was Immediately dashed
! TO pieces against the ships slde) and
were only kept in submission at the
point Of the captains revolver. The ear
| penters tried In vain to stop the leak
with blankets and mattrefses,. and at
| daylight, as water was Invading the
coal bunker and a storm was threatens
| ing the steamer was abandoned. The
crew were taken up b. the schooner.
1t was fortunate that the passengers
were already or the Rigel, as a transfer
| could hardly have been effected under
the trying conditions without loss OF
| life. Nothing except the sailors bags
was saved from the Miranda. The pas
sengers lost all their baggage except
vessel at Sukkertoppen. Many OF them
lose expensive scientific Instruments and
hunting equipments. All the botanical.
and al the photographs. probably the