The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Special Dispatch TO The CALL

SEATTLE, Nov. 27.-It was exactly
eight minutes after O'Clock this evening
when the last line was let go and the ex-
pedition sent out at tine instance Of THE
CALL for the relief OF the whaling crews
was begun.
Heavy hearts there may have been on
board. The Bear carried away larger
complement of officers than ever sailed
on a revenue cutter before. and many of the
men were married and left behind not
only wives but little ones, with whom
they had hoped to spend the next hall
year.
But the call to duty was sounded. Men
were needed to effect the rescue OF nearly
| 800 lives that had been i'm perile by the
irigid water of the north, and every man
| on board tle Bear responded. There was
| no hesitancy. the call was sounded; the
response came as promptly. in the state
ment of the galls Mt captain that his ship
was ready whenever the necessary stores
could be put on board.
All day long Arlington dock was
crowded with a curious ihrong. From
early morning men who hoped their SER
vices would yet be accepted crowded the
berth occupied by the trim little cutter
and shot anxious queries at Captain Tut
| tie, Navigator Brown and Lieutenant
| Berry as TO the chances of their service
| baing called upon, but the last man had
| been shipped, and none who were on the
roster cared to resign, so the chances were
nil of the most ciamorous of the volun
teers being called upon.
| At noon, the hour decided upon by Cap
tain Tuttle Yesterday for the departure,
the dock was crowded with store es. So were
the decks of the Bear, and it looked like
serious proposition, more serious than
Captain Tuttle dreamed of last night.
where 10 store all the supplies THE CALL
had provided. Finally the last boz was
hoisted on board, though the decks were
piled high, anc good bye, began to be whis-
pered.
In starting upon this perilous expedi-
ton 10 the far north all the officers ana
crew assumed a cheerful aspect and spoae
hopefully of the success of the mission
upon which the welfare and possibly the
very existence of several hundred depend.
Considerable interest has been manifest
among the officers as 10 the personnel
The land expedition. They realize that
when this party leaves the cutter to trav-
erse the ice by a circultous route to reach
the i'm prisoned whalers the real hardship.
of the und will commence. Not
withstanding this nearly every man
anxious to be of the numb to take fTod
10 these men, but just who will be selected
is as vet problema ;icsl The men havs
not yet been decided upon and Captain
Tuttle states that they will not be selected
Tor several days, until himself and L. eu-
tenant Jarvis become better acquainted
with the officers, many of whom are new
men, and determine as to their courage
and capacity 10 endure the hardships
necessary to the success of this hazardous
undertaking.
be Lieutenant Jarvis, who said TO
THE CALL correspondent that he intended |
TO nave but few true and tried men TO /
accompany him. He intends to depend |
largely for assistance upon the ma aives, |
with whose habits and capabilities he is
thorou !hly familiar.
The Bear will only go as far as Por
Townsend this evening. There certain
ne cessary supplies stored in the Gus.
tom-house and ship chandlery taken
aboard The cutter will not get away
from that port much before tomorrow
evening.
The steam launch known as ''the Bear,
Cub" will not be taken north on this
special cruise. as she requires new boiler
and certain repairs to her machinery.
Before departure there was a general
of appreciation from officers
and crew for the kindly consideration and
bounteous favors bestowed upon.them by
THE CALL. They full y realize that when
the offer was made to furnish them any.
thing and the best of every tning required,
il vas made in good faith and afterward
carried out TO the letter. This fact was all
the more prominent in striking contrast
to the parsimonious action of the Exam
iner, which sought TO win notoriety by |
furnishing a few supplies and a lot O.
cheap clothing outfits that are not even
and will prove almost useless In
the Arctic country. THIS relief expedi-
tion, which was first agitatea by THE CALL.
has excited widespread interest in this
section of the country. That the rescuing |
party will succeed in conveying food and
to the men now COM