The Portland daily press., 1897-11-17
Food To Be Taken To Ice Bound
WhaleFs.
COMMUNICATION WILL BE EsTAB-
LISHED OVERLAND.
Government Reindeer Herd at Point Bar
row To Be UtiIized-secretary Cages
Parting Words to Captain Tuttle.

Washington, November l6.-Captain
shoemaker, chief of the revenue cutter
service, under the direction of the Secre-
tary of the Treasurer has prepared letter
OIL instructions to Captain Tuttle, who is
TO be in command of the steamer Bear on
ner cruise north for the relief OF the eight
whaling vessels icebound in 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 feet by
means of an overland expedition. With
this purpose in view he is ordered to pro-
ceed with his vessel on or about Novem-
Der 25 to Cape Nome, then if the ice per-
m1ts, north between St. Lawrence island
and the coast of Alaska, to the north
shore of Norton Sound between Cape
Nome and Cape Prince of Wales where a
landing will be effected If possible. From
that point of landing will begin the over
land expedition north. The people in
charge of the government reindeer station
at Unalaska are to be communicated with,
With view to collecting the entire availa-
bic nerds to!be driven to Point Barrow. MIR.
W. L. Lopp, at Cape Prince of Wales is
to take charge of this herd and make all
necessary arrangements for herds, cloth
ing, sleds, dogs, etc. The necessary food
Tor use OF 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 Kotebue
sound. That point reached, one officer
and necessary drivers will push ahead,
along the coast to Cape Horn, leaving the
others and the herd to follow. At this
point the expedition probably will get
news of the condition Of the imprisoned
fiaet at Point Barrow. If it should be
learned that the fleet Is ice bound and it's
people in distress, the white people 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, following the coast. On arrival
| at Point Barrow, II the situation is found
| to be desperate, as is anticipated the
officers will take charge in the name of
the government and organize the COM
munlty for mutual support and good or
der, apportion the provisions on hand,
and slaughter as many reindeer as neces-
/ sary Tor food to make all hold out until
August, 1898, when Captain Tuttle may
| be- expected to arrive with the Bear.
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 /, where
they can be reached and succored a
month earlier than at Point Barrow. No
opportunity for hunting sealing or whal.
ing whereby the food supply may be
added to, is to be neglected. In case
Captain Tuttle finds it impossible to
effect a landing on the north shore of
Norton S Sound, he is instructed to adopt
the most feasible of five other plans
which are Eoutlined, always bearing in
mind that food must Oe gotten to the 265
starving men at the earliest possible
moment. He is given full 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 results and the
opening of navigation in the spring. In
closing'his instructions to Captain Tuttle
| Secretary Gage says:
Mindful of the ardous and perilous ex-
| pedition upon which you are about to en-
ter, bid you, your officers and men God
speed upon your errand of mercy and
wish you successful voyage, and safe re-
| turn
BEAR WILL SOON.SAIL.
| Washington, November 16.-The cabi-
net held brief session today The time
was occupied to greater extent in dis
cussing the orders to the revenue cutter
i Bear, which were prepared at the Treasury
| department The instructions were ap-
proved and the Bear will sail as soon as
she can be made ready.
The president is gathering information
regarding his message and has discussed
the subject with members of the cabinet.
ascertaining their views and their opin-
| ions of suggestions offered bV senators
and representatives.
| THINK M'LAUGHLIN GUILTY,