The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-30

year ~ VIII De kQfG FeEiEtlluEf F0 rs A<
most disastrous in the history of whaling
in the Arctic ocean. Following closely up
on the wreck Of the Navarch comes thu in
teiligence thai eight vessels of the fleet
have been caught in the ice and Will be
compelled 10 spend the winter with only
enough supplies TO last few weeks.
+ These vessels are the steam schooneTs Or
ca. Belyidere. Jessie II. Freeman. the
! schooner Rosario, the Pacific Steam Whal-
ing Company's tender JEANNE, steamer
Newport, steamer Fearless and the bark
Wanderer. all Of San Francisco. On these
vessels are - men.
The story of this latest disaster was
brought TO this port by Capt \. III. NC
Cregor. OF the steam schooner karluk.
which arrived last Sunday and left for san
Francisco OF the eight vessels the Orca,
Relvidere Freeman and Rosario We're in
the vicinity of Point Barrow, while the re-
naming four have been nipped between
/ Harrison bay and Herscheu island. When
! last heard from they were east or Point
Barrow about 30 miles. The latest tidings
of the first four vessels We're received Sep
TENDER 3D. while nothing has come from
the others since September 10 ..
When the steamer Alexander left Point
/ Barrow, September 70. the ice pack had
/ imprisoned the whalers. and they were
shedding their scanty supplies TO the
( shore, while the ice jam was gradually
+ pushing the vessels TO places OF safety.
/ All hope of escape this year was gone,
I and there was no alternative but TO race
I the winter and make the best OF des-
I perate situation The four vessels TO the
/ eastward were thought 10 be in a far
| worse condition. as they were entirely cut
/ off from any hope of aid. unless the jean
ME by a remote chance. could push
/ through to Herschen island. head
[ quarters OF the Pacific Steam Whaling
J Company, where there are ample supplies.
/ But the supply depot is probably go or 800
| miles away from the ice-bound ships.
With the castaways near Point Barrow
/ the situation Is not so precarious Al
/ though the government last year discon-
| tinued the Point Barrow relief station,
/ there is still left supply Of -four. and
/ the buildings viii AFFORD protection against
the polar winter. At that point there is
! trading post owned by H Liebes Co,
Of the North American Trading Company.
but the amount OF supplies Is necessarily
small The abandonment OF the relief
station at so inopportuDe time is In It
self calamity. as for many years II had
been a leaning post for whalers, ana IN
al least three instances during nine years
a. was the means OF supporting ship
wrecked crews. In 1894 sixteen men from
the Reindeer took refuge az the station,
and the present year * would have af-
forded relief for the survivors OF the Ma
varch. This winter multitude Of wreck
/ I'd whalers will be at the house Of refuge
with carcely a pound OF provisions.
! LAS / understand it, said Capt Nc
Grezor. "the locked-in vessels VIII be in
great danger this fall from ice crushing
them. driven By severe northeasters. IL
the ships can withstand the winter, they
VIII be able to escape in the spring. But
the men themselves are IN a bad predica-
ment. You can begin TO comprehend the
seriousness of the matter when you know
that they were proyisioned only for their
Z homeward passage. and had expected TO
/ leave the Arctic for the south before the
winter set in. The JEANNE. Alexander
William Rayliss and Eariuk whaled to
the westward as long as they could, leay-
ing for the south September !. For eight
or nine DAYS the thermometer had been as
low as above. and the JEANNE. turning
eastward again, was nipped.
''All signs indicate a long and cold win
ter In the Arctic, though not necessarily
severe. We found ice as far south as
Point Hope. IN latitude S. and the Karluk
was sheathed white as a revenue cutter
untU we were south OF 81. Lawrence
island. As early as September 10 young ice
was making the cause being prevalent
western winds thar drove a volume Of cold
water against Our northern shores ana
the result VIII be shown in n long winter
ard a late spring.
There Is no relief for the Imprisoned
mon, save what may be afforded by a YES
sci ~ the earliest moment next season.
ard it probably VIII not be able 20 enter
the ocean prior 70 August l. The men
near Point Barrow are in big luck as
+ compared with their unfortunate fellows
further 20 the east The season IN the
Arctic lasts only FIVE or six weeks. al
though vessels have remained "a late rs
{ October. This year the Alexander. through
the greatest OF good luck. managed TO get
OFT.
T.