Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-05
MIRANDA WRECKED
Arrival of Crew and Passengers at
Cape Breton.
STRUCK ON A ROCK OFF GREENLAND
Abandoned the Vessel in a Sinking
Condition.
ARCTIC EXCURSION ENDED

Copyrighted. 1894. by the Associated Press.)
NORTH SYDNEY. Cape Breton, Septem-
ber 5.-The schooner Rigel Of Gloucester.
Mass, Capt. G. w. Dixon arrived here to-
day, having on board the crew and passen-
gers Of the steamer Miranda, which left
New York July Z. with DR.. +. A Cooks
arctic excursion. All the party are well.
On August the Miranda struck a rock
near Sukertoppen. West Greenland. and
was abandoned in sinking condition Au-
gust %, in Davis strait, latitude about 81
degrees 10 minutes, longitude So degrees 40
minutes.
Departure for Greenland.
The particulars Of the expedition and its
disastrous termination are as follows:
After repairing the damage sustained by
the iceberg collision Of July II, the Miranda
left st. Johns, N. F., on July 90 and pro-
ceeded directly to Greenland. Much ice and
fog were Unexpectedly encountered of Cape
Farewell. At one time the vessel came
Eear being NIP ped in the foes, the rising of
a fog disclosing ice all around. Consider
able apprehension was felt by the officers
and visions of the fate of the Jeanette and
Proteus expeditions arose among the pas
sengers as the iron-built Miranda was to-
tally unfit to cope with the terrors Of arctic
navigation.
But fortunately a thin place in the foes
The southwest coast of Greenland was
blocked with ice that no landing could be
made until August Z, when the expedition
reached Sukertoppen, in latitude Us degrees
25 minutes.
Leaving this port on the morning Of the
9th, the Miranda had proceeded about seven
tremendous force on Appiden reef. Every
thing went flying forward. The steward,
Joseph Farrell, was struck by a trunk and
slightly slight injured party Via, at ,,s breakfast
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 to end. When she foated off
great excitement prevailed, as the vessel
was soon seen to be settling. The boats
were swung of 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 inflow.
But the water-tight bulkhead protected the
having at length come off in their kayaks
the steamer was gotten safely into harbor.
AS 1t was considered unsafe to proceed
further with the damaged vessel the sit
uation Of SO large body Of excursionists
on this inhospitable coast was not en-
couraging, especially when 1t was found
that the Danish steamer which regularly
visits the settlement had been stove In by
ice and would not arrive this year. 1t be-
gan to look as II the expedition might have
to winter in Greenland, and short rations
were served IN anticipation Of such Q
catastrophe.
Assistance Secured.
It was learned. however, through the
Danish governor. that several American
fishing schooners were on the halibut banks
near Holsteinborg. 12O miles north. To
secure one Of these vessels DR.. Cook with
Messrs. Rogers. Porter and Dunning 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. and the passengers
were transferred to the Rigel. The vessels
left Sukertoppen on August Il. intending
to proceed directly to st. Johns, N. F. All
went well for two days. but heavy sea
weakened the top Of the ballast tank. on
which an enormous hydrostatic pressure was
exerted, and 1t gave way at 1880 am.
August %. Three blasts Of the whistle
gave warning to the Rigel to stand by.
The night was cold, dark and foggy and
the vessels bounded like balls on the bill
lows, and on board the Miranda all was
confusion. The firemen, leaving the boiler
room without orders. cut loose the best
lifeboat, which was Immediately dashed to
pieces against the ships side, and were
only kept in submission at the point of the
captains revolver.
The carpenters tried in vain to stop the
leak with blankets and mattresses, and at
daylight, as water was invading the coal
bunkers and q storm was threatening, the
ship was abandoned. The crew were taken
aboard the schooner. 1t was fortunate that
the passengers were already on the Rigel,
as 6 transfer could hardly have been effect
cd under the trying conditions without loss
Of life Nothing except the sailors bags
was saved from the Miranda. The passen-
gers lost all their baggage except the
clothing worn when they went on board
the relief vessel at Sukertopptn. Many OF
them lost expensive scientific instruments
and hunting equipments. All the botanical,
geological, chronological collections, and all
the photographs, probably the finest ever
taken in Greenland, went down with the
Miranda Prof. Dyche Of Kansas Univer-
sity lost a fine lot Of Labrador and Green
land birds.
Expedition Nearly o Failure.
Prof. Wright of Oberlin College was able
to make interesting studies of the glaciers
near Sukertoppin, but otherwise the ex-
pedition was a failure from the scientists
standpoint as it was also from that of the
sportsman.
The journey home was without incident
other than adverse winds. the inconven-
ience Of close quarters and insufficient pro-
visions, only ten days supplies for forty
men having been placed on the Rigel, and
the addition of the Miranda's crew made
ninety-one persons on beard this little
craft of 1O7 toIs The passengers slept in
the hold on top of the salt and fish. Gulls
and other sea birds constituted the only
fresh meat of the party for the last ten
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 a banquet at
South Sidney before dispensing, at which
time a handsome testimonial will be pre-
sented to Capt. Dixon.
The lost steamship Miranda was built in
1884 for the st. John and New York trade.
She is famous as the vessel which lost the
celebrated Leary timber raft off Long Is
land sound. For two years past she has
been running to Central America and the
West Indies. She is said to have been in
sured for $4,000.
FOurth-Class POstmasters.
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