The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-11-17
CAPTAIN TUTTLE
GETS HIS ORDERS
His Voyage With the Bear to the
Arctic Outlined.
MUST RESCUE THE wHALERs
And Get FOOD 10 Them as Early as ros-
sible-kill Start November ga
4 Long Trip.

Washington Nov. ie.-Capta!n Shoe
maker. chief Of the revenue cutter SER
vice. has prepared letter Of instruc-
tions 70 Captain Tutue. in command OF
the Bear, on her cruise north to relieve
tho lce-bound whalsrs.
Owing TO the fact that a. 5nls season
og the year the route TO the Arctic
through Bering sea IS closed. Tuttle Il
directed 10 establish communications
with the whaling fleet by means OF an
overland expedition He Is ordered TO
proceed with his yess.I on or abou, No
yember q to Cape Nome. thence, II the
ice permits. north between St. Lawrence
Island and the coast q Alaska to the
norm shore Of Norton sound. between
Cape Nome and Cape Prince OF Walls,
where a landing will be effected II pos
slble. From this point CT landing will
begin the overland expedition north
The officer In charge Of the govern
ment station at Unaiaska Is to be CON-
munica,ed with. with View to collect
ing an entire available herd OF reindeer
to be driven to Polnk Barrow. W T.
Lopp. at Cape Prince Of Wales. is to take
charge OF the party and the herd. and
make all necessary arrang ements for
herders, clothing. sleds. dogs. etc. The
necessary food for the use Of the party
viii be landed from the ship. When the
deer are collected and start made, a
party from the Bear will travel with /,
as far rs Kee,zbou sound, TAs point
reached. One officer and the reindeer
drivers via push out ahead 70 Point
Hope, leaving the others and the herd to
follow. Al this point the expedition will
probably get the news Of the condition OF
the imprisoned fleet at Point Barrows. II
Il should be learned that the fleet is ice
bound and its people in distress, the
white people are to be Informed that
they will be expected 10 take care OF
such men as may be sent down later
The expedition is then to push on, fol-
lowing the coast.
On their arrival at Point Barrow. II
the situation Is found to be as desperate
as anticipated the officers VIII take
charge Of the ships in the name Of the
government and organize community
for mutual support and good order ap-
portion the provisions on hand and
slaughter the reindeer for food. to make
all hold out until August, 1898. when Cap
tain Turtl= may be expected to arrive
with the Bear. Such reindeer as are
left VIII be turned over to the Presbyte-
rian mission at Point Barrow
An rescued whalers should be at Point
Hope by July l. where they can be
reached and suocored month earlier
than at Point Barrow No opportunity
for hunting. sealing or VIII aling whereby
the food supply may be added TO- Is to
be neglected. In case Captain Turtle
finds it impossible to effect a landing on
the north shore of Norton sound, he is
instructed to adopt the most feasible OF
five plans, which are outlined, always
bearing in mind that food must be gotten
to the 265 starving men at the earliest
possible moment He is given fun au-
thority 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: 'SMlndful
of the arNiuous and perilous expedition
upon which you are about to enter, bio
you. your officers and men, God-speet
upon your errand of mercy and wish vol
successful voyage and safe return.