The San Francisco call., 1898-02-14
EXPEDITION
 LANDED BY
 THE BEAR Starts on the Long Trail to Point
 Barrow. Story of the Northern Voy- age Written by Lieu
 tenant Berry. The Gall Correspondent Draws Graphic Picture of the
 Mission of Mercy. SLEDGE ISLAND PASSED. But the Revenue Gutter Puts In at Cape Vancouver and Leaves the Overland Rescuers.
The Call Correspondent Draws a Graphic Picture of the
 Mission of Mercy.
SLEDGE ISLAND PASSED.
But the Revenue Gutter Puts In at Cape Vancouver and Leaves
 the Overland Rescuers.
By Lieut.. J. G. Berry, U. S. R. M.

UNALASKA, Alaska, Dec. g, 1897 Cvia Seattle, Feb. 13).-The overland expedition for the relief of the whalers imprisoned in the Arctic ice has been landed, and is now tramping through the snow on the long trail to Point Bar row. Since the childhood of mankind itself Santa Claus has started, year after year, at this season to bring glad ness from the frozen north. where little gladness is. Unmindful he must be that charity begins at home. But we must not blame him for that, especially since we are one and all under so deep obli- gatton to him since our own childhood. Now, however, in this enlightened age, we are beginning to reciprocate his kindness. And it is fitting that the United States of America, herself a child among nations, should be the first to attempt to repay the debt which for age after age. has covered but one side of the ledger.
 The revenue steamer Bear is back at Unalaska, unharmed and ready to fol- low in it's track, when the summer sun shall clear a way through the ice to the Arctic Ocean. All on board are well although somewhat depressed by the prospect of a dreary winter and spring in the comparative solitude of Alaska. Until this enterprise hove above the horizon we had planned so pleasantly on enjoying the comforts of the hospitable Pacific slope after the long summer spent in chasing pelagic sealers in Boring Sea or in watching over and aiding those same whalers and their brothers in the Arctic. But we have done all that can now be done until June or July. and the rest is prac- tically dull likeness. You may think we ought to be supremeIy happy to have such a long rest. Just try it some time.
 As I informed you in my last letter we arrived at Unalaska on December g. We landed there all of the extra stores destined for the whalers which had hitherto cumbered our decks and even taken up space ordinarily reserved for coal. we also turned over to the Mission school the boxes of Christmas presents for the little Aleuts, which presents had been sent by the children of the Pacific Coast.
 That night we left the wharf there and went around to Dutch Harbor, where we began as soon as possible the next morning to get our coal and water on board We took in enough coal to bring the total up to three hundred tons We freshened the water in the boiler and then filled all our tanks with fresh water. To be sure we have a coil for distilling salt water so that 1t is good to drink But that takes coal for evaporating the salt water and coal Is very valuable when you once get stuck in the ice. For at that time we more than half expected such an ex- perience The water ran but slowly and it was fully Il o'clock at night be- fore the last tank was full. Then, to avoid sailing on Friday perhaps as much as anything else, Captain Futile waited until 1:35 in the morning. At that time, December Il, we cast off from the wharf at Dutch Harbor and steamed out into Boring Sea.
 Our good luck, which has followed us clear from Cape Flattery, did not de- sert US now. The wind came. strong and fair. from the southwarG and east ward, and with all sail set, the old Bear broke into a steady lope toward the North, leaving between ten and eleven knots behind her every hour. ~ The aim was to sight Nunivak. the large island off the Yukon delta, but | the horizon was not clear when we reached the nearest point to the island | and we passed by without seeing it. So | northward we went. Nothing but sky | and water was in sight until the 18th | at a quarter to one in the afternoon. | Then for the first time I noticed that | the surface of the sea was beginning | to be covered here and there with slick | places, as if oil had been spilled over | board and had spread out The waves did not break in these places, and as they became more thickly gathered to- gether, the whole surface of the sea twas perceptibly calmed. Soon 1t be. came apparent that this was very fine fee I reported the circumstance to the captain, and he and several of the other officers came out on deck to observe 1t and to look out for other and more formidable signs.
 At 1:10 ?. m. we saw the first lump pf ice. floating in the midst of one of
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