The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-23
Thrilling Tale Of Death and Rescue In the
Arctic Ocean,
THE RESCUE oE A WHAlER's CREW
or tho Thirty.nvc Men OH tho Nurich.
Fourteen Met n Terrible Fate In
tho Frozen North -Threc Died In
Great Agony After Being Rescued
Reindeer for Alaska.
Baltimore Htrald.)

ern territory in 1857 1t has fallen to the
lot of Uncle Sam to guard not only the
possession itself, but, likewise, to pro-
tect the Few industries which thrive in
this cold northern region.
To afford the protection which the
United States extends to her acqusi-
hons q system of patrol has been innug-
urated. The Revenue Marine is press
ed into service. and der cutters plow
the ice-bound sea to prevent the lille
Ultimate slaughter of seals, and occa-
sionally ITO rescue the whalers who have
become embedded in a sea Of ice.
Many and varied are the experiences
OF the men who form the crew and
officers Of these cutters. Their deeds
would put to shame the Vikings Of old.
and everyone will admit that their
mcNives are more praiseworthy. To
cave the lives of others they constantly
tmperil their own, and their lleroism
has seldom THE reward OF apprecia-
tpon, for they are not often brought be-
for the public.
10 fully appreciate the nature OF the
services rendered by the revenue cut
tiers it is only necessary to hear the
story as related by III. G. Whftworth
@ chief engineer on the revenue cutter
Bear, which is detailed 10 do tcrvice
In the BehrlnE sea and Arctic Ocean.
He returned in November to Seattle
from q siX-month cruise in these re-
Gfons, and as his services were not re-
quired immediately, he came to his
home at Laurel Md. He was seen yes
terday by a Herald reporter to whom
he related this story:
OFF FOR A sIX-MoNTH CRUISE.
The revenue cutter Bear left Seattle,
Washington, in May for six-nn,pth
cruise along the coast of Alaska as far
north as Point Barrow This Droiec-
ton extends farther into the Arctic re-
Eion than any other point on the Con-
tinert, and this is the limit of the cut
tiers navigation into the cold regions.
The first place at which we stopped
after leaving Seattle was ST. Michacls.
This is where the vessels take passage
, 10 the klondike. and we found every
Thing in confusion. The vessels were
pusy taking nn passengers and pro-
visions for the gold district Great eS-
element prevailed among the fortune
seekers, who could hardly restrain their
eagerness to prospect for the coveted
gold nuggets. Our next stoppjusr nIaco
was UnalaslSa. which is LOO miles
from Seattle. This is n supply station,
ana we took on coal and provisions.
From Hhcre we went to the seal islands
which arc in the Arctic Ocean. 250
Hni.cs farther north.
Ihc female seals return here about
'c ot encn year, to bear their
young. Each seal has r3ne cub which
she Is able to take away with bnr In
about Rhrca months. This island is
owned by the North American CONNER
clai Company. 1t pays the government
$'',O0o yearly for rthe privilege OF kill
an% the male seals, which haunt tbe
island in the breeding season. The
company also pays in addition n few
dollars TO Uncle Sam for the skin or
every seal Jhnt It'll rI,I,,
ment has some officials on the island
whose business it is to see that the
company does not abuse its privileges.
ANXIOUS TO HEAR THE NEWS
When We arrived on the island w,
found those stationed there anxiouslv
awaiting us. They had had no ncws
from the States since we had STONED
there on our previous "trip in October
1875. We gave them the first news Of
Inc result of the Presidential election
Which they were all anxious 20 hear
II was June when we arrived there.
we then went to the St Lawrence,
Island, which is GO miles south of Ber-
ing strait. the entrance to the Arctic
ocean. There is village of $50 Es-
= quimauX on this island An American
missionary has established n school
there. and he Is iaborng with good re-
6ultS among the natives. His wife wos
with him, and when we landed thnrn
she had a siX-months-old bahy which
was born on the island
we arrived at Point Barrow n aut
NaEust !; Our passage up was attend
ed with the usual difficulties incident =,
that region. II is only in ahn snn,n,ar
months that vt is possible to sail tbrourl,
FhoSe northern seas. Even then n is NOT
Il very easy task. The vessels are COW
Peiicd ID make their way through hure
mountains OF floating ice which if ~,
steersman were not ever on the alert
m""'o wedge the ship so securely that
would be impossible 10 exqicate. ii
ana II would be carried to certain dos
truction The sea Is frozen for a cnna,
distance out from the shore, hut Tho ;cn
Is intorSpersed with great wide 1ssurnr
"nlch makes q Journey over II very dan,
Ecrnus. BEYOND the nCatinr leo ,v,ot
Is known as fine pack is formed This
resemhies n mountain range with q.
hiEi peaks and interlying valleys. Tho
I'SN ~ hiaoe up OF huge piles OF sta
finhiry ice. The floating masses in tbo
broken centre have become anohor,5
10 the Ice on the side and other moss,s
peihS plicd upon the Ice already there
give me pack It's mnuntai nous appeor
ahce. 1here are assures i'm tho n,n,.
also with The ice making an insurmount-
aple wall on either side In the broken
sea inc ace moves to the north at mo
rate OF from three to five miles an haur
me DRIFT is due no the Japanese chr.
rent, which prevails in Rrrine. Son
After we had passed through the Tebr.
ing Strait and into the Arctic Ocean wc
FOUND that the ice continued to drir,
northward. Apparently there is no curN
rent there to influence this movements
ana 1t has never been explained Inv
naviCarors.
SAVED a WHALER'S CREW.
while at Point Barrow we siyb.oa III,
steam whalcr Nnrarch. Captoin Witt