Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-15
LOST ON THE ICE.
Terrible Fate Of The WhaIer
Nevarch In the Arctic.
Captain Whitesides and Wife With IS
Of Crew Safe at Seattle.
Twsaty-niae Take chances On Ice and Are
Thought to Have Psrishsd.

| Seattle. WASH, Sept. 1.-TWO of the
crew of the whaler Navarch, lost in
the Arctic together with IS of her crew.
came down on the steamer Humbolt.
which arrived from st. Michaels, yes
terday. They are Captain Joseph
| Whltesides, the commander of the yes-
sci and his wife,
| The Navarch left San Francisco
March 2, last, and entered the Arctic
ocean In July. She soon caught in the
Ice at point 120 miles northeast of
Point Barrow. At first the captain
thought the ship could be extricated
from it's position, but on July % they
realized that there was no hope Of such
| an event.
They hoisted signals of distress trust
ing that the revenue cutter Bear or
some of the other vessels of the fleet
would see them and come to. their as
sistance. but the 'fogs obscured them
for days. They drifted rapidly north
ward with the icebergs. Finally they
decided to leave the ship On August
"A the whole crew took the small boats
and started across the ice. After drag
ging them for five miles they. came to
| open water and embarked,
AAS SuAAC At CduSuI tucNl HI once and
before they had gone ten miles they
were IN another pack. They then dis
covered that they had only five days
provisions and they abandoned the
boats and started across the Ice on
foot. They got back safely and then
commenced preparations for a second
attempt to save themselves
All but eight men decided to push
across the ice fields on foot The
weather was not then bitterly cold but
1t was foggy and disagreeable and nee
essitated more clothing than was con-
dusive to rapid travel. For this rea-
son the limited amount of food was
carried for they thought they would
surely reach the Bear or one of the
whalers within two or three days. The
eight men left in the boat thought they
were better Off there than on the ice
and We're left to their fate.
Away across the treacherous ice went
the 81 men and the gritty woman. But
one day the captain and his wife and
seven of the others changed their
minds about the likelihood of saving
themselves by the method they han
undertaken. They would come to ope,.
water now and then. which impeded
their escape, while often they would
ma 1t necessary to go round the mas
sive fcebergs rearing precipitous side
down in the path. Nine of the party
went back to the ship. leaving q to
battle it out.
They got into clear water in a few
hours. and padding through the fog
and darkness avoided as best thew
could the drifting ice. They pushed
on for hours. Finally they could go NO
further and they got out and walked
over the ice. For 60 hours they kent
on. first walking and now taking TO the.
small boats. At last land was sighted.
The land proved to be Copper island. a
barren. desOlate island from which NO.
sition they were rescued the following
day by the Bear.
Captain Whitesides thinks the % men
left on the Ice are surely lost.
The party got back to the ship safe
" and on Aug. IA made another start
with eight in the party. Capt. White
sides. his wife and six men. They took
: small canvass boat into which they
put q weeks provisions. 1t was a heavy
load for the little craft, but this was
Inc last hope they had and they had 10
take desperate chances.
Only the fact that the sea was com.r
quiet accounts for the
escape. for any rough
weather would haveinstantly swamped
them.