The record-union., 1897-11-17
IMPRISONED WHALERS.
LETTERS OF INSTRUCTION 40
CAPTAIN FUTILE,
Who Will be in Command OF the
Relief Of the Vessels.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-Captain
Shoemaker, Chief of the Revenue Cut
ter Service under the direction or the
Secretary of the Treasury, has pre-
pared q letter of instructions to Cap
tain Tuttle, who is to be in command
of the steamer Bear on her cruise
north for the relief of the eight whaling
vessels ce-bound on the Arctic ocean
Owing to the fact that at this season
of the year the route to the Arctic
through Behring Sea is closed by ice
Captain Tuttle is directed to establish
communication with the whaling fleet
by means of an overland expedition.
With this purpose in view he is ordered
to proceed with his vessel on or about
November 23d to Cape Nome, thence,
if the ice permits, north between ST.
Lawrence Island and the coast of Alas
ka to the north shore of Norton Sound
between Cape Nome and Cape Prince
of Wales, where a landing will be ef-
fected. AT the point of landing will
begin the overland expedition north.
The officer in charge of the Govern
ment station at Unalaska is to be COM
municated with, with view to collect
ing the entire available herd to be
driven to Point Barrow. w. It.
Lopp, at Cape Prince of Wales, is to
take charge of this herd and make ali
necessary arrangements for herders,
clothing, sleds, dogs, etc. The necessary
food for the party will be landed from
the ship.
When the deer are collected and the
start made. the party from the Bear
will travel with it as far as Kotzebue
Sound. That point reached one officer
and necessary drivers will push out
ahead to Point Hope, leaving the 9TH
ers and the herd to follow. At this
point the expedition will probably get
news of the condition of the imprisoned
fleet at Point Barrow.
If it should be learned that the fleet
is ice bound and it's people in distress
the white people are to be informed
that they will be expected to take care
of such men as may be sent down later
The expedition is then to push on, fol-
lowing the coast. On arrival at Point
Barrow if the situation be found to be
desperate, as is anticipated the officers
will take charge of the ships in the
name of the Government and organize
the community for mutual support and
good order, appOrtion the provisions on
hand and slaughter as many reindeer
as necessary for food to make all hold
out until August, 1898, when Captain
Tuttle may be expected to arrive with
tn Near. Such reindeer as are left
will be turned over to the Presbyterian
Mission at Point Barrow.
All Of the rescued whalers should be
at Point Hope by July 1st where they
can be reached and succored a month
earlier than at Point Barrow. No op-
portunity for hunting, sealing or whal-
ing whereby the food supply may be
added to is to be neglected In case Cap
tain Tuttle finds it impossible to effect a
landing on the north shore Of Norton
Sound he is instructed to adopt the
most feasible of five other plans which
are outlired, always bearing in mind
that food must be cotton to the 265
starving men at the earliest possible
moment. He is given fuller authority
and the largest possible latitude to act
in every exigency that may arise.
After landing the overland expedition
the Bear will seek such harbor as may
be deemed proper in which to await re-
suits and the opening of navigation in
the spring. In closing his instructions
to Captain Tuttle Secretary Gage says:
Mindful of the arduous and perilous
expedition upon which you are about
to enter, I bid you. your officers and
men godspeed upon your errand of
mercy, and wish you a successful voy-
age ard safe rat1Irn