The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-15
Battle With TIE
Bear Lands Stores For Whalers
on Cape Vancouver
After an Exciting Struggle
Among the Ice FlOes.
AT DUTCH HARBOR
To Await the Breaking Up of
the Winter
4 Rtn,. Gnnlinn On EEnnlitinn
AT DUTCH HARBOR
After Sending an Expedition
Overland to st. Michael.

San Francisco, Cal, Feb. 15.-Lieu-
tenant H. G. Hamlet of the United
States revenue cutter Bear, which is
taking relief to the distressed whaIers
at Point Barrow, writes of the landing
of the relief expedition and the trip up
the Arctic. The letter was brought to
Seattle by the steamer Lakme from
Dutch harbor.
The Bear touched at Dutch harbor on
the way up and left there part of her
cargo, to be taken on again next spring
Telling of the remainder of the trip,
Lieutenant Hamlet says:
About / q. m. of December Is the
first ice was encountered, and shortly
afterward Panuk island, off Southeast
cape, st. Lawrence island, was seen
close aboard. The ice was sufficiently
heavy to impede the progress of the
ship materially, nevertheless she was
headed for Sledge island. The weather
was extremely cold and young ice was
forming rapidly.
After working into the ice until 4:45
p. m, it being intensely dark and the ice
rapidly joining the small foes into a
solid field of ice, the captain deemed it
advisable to get clear while there was
yet time, as to be frozen in then would
have made it impossible to land the ex-
petition until too late, if at all, and the
vessel would go drifting around in the
pack without having accomplished any
thing. Accordingly, by Z a m on the
14th, being well clear of the ice, prog
ress could be made toward Cape Van
couver. the next probably available
place to land the expedition. The wealth
er was very cold with strong head winds
and thick snow storms.
AT a. m of the 18th the weather
cleared somewhat and Cape Vancouver
W n a 7
young ice was encountered. extending
to the sound and out toward Nunivak
island as far as could be seen from the
crows nest.
After working slowly through the ice
until . 80 .. m. it was seen that the VII
lage shown by the chart on the south
side of the cape did not in reality ex-
iSt, and an attempt was MADE TO Inu II
farther to he nOrthward. It was be-
coming rapidly so dark as to make
points on shore indiStinguiShabl when,
at 1886 o. m, just as the attempt was
about to be given up for that day, at
least. what appeared to be a village
was seen some distance up rather
larger bay.
The next morning we got under way
and proceeded to an anchorage near the
village. Lieut.. Jarvis started in cut
ter for the village, but was intercepted
when about a mile from the ship by
several native canoes, or kayaks, and
informed by the trader of the village
that the expedition could be safely
landed on the beach abreast the ship
and conveyed to the village on dog
sledges.
Prom the trader it was learned that
the village was called TununOk and
that he was himself about to start for
St Michael via Andreafsli. He prom
ised to conduct the party to St. Mi
chaeI in ten days from the time of
starting
with this information Lieut.. Jarvis
to the ship at 10 a. m. and the
work of disembarking the expedition
was Immediately begun"