The times., 1899-08-25
THE CRUISE OF THE BEAR.
Many Destitute Miners Rescued b.
the Revenue utter.

the Revenue utter.
Captain Shoemaker. Chief Of the Reve-
nue. Cutter Service. received report yes
terday from Lieut. D. H. Jarvis. command
ing officer of the cutter Bear. giving q
long account OF the cruise CT that vessel
IN Alaskan waters. The report was dated
at ST. Miehaeis July 20 Il is devoted
mainly to the story of an attempt TO buy
reindeer and carry them to points in the
northern part Of Alaska. where the ami
mails are needed by the settlers The Bear
left Dutch Harbor on June s and after
touching at Petropaulovski proceeded to
General Skobeleff Harbor. where liz rein
deed, including several young ones were
taken on board the vessel. Two days were
spent in gathering 2s5 bags of moss for
the subsistence OF the reindeer on the
voyage. Many of the animals were taken
sick and some OF the calves died OF no
other disease than simple seasiekness- 10
was hoped 10 land the animals at Point
Reindeer and deliver them TO ArtisarIook-
IL proved to be impossible TO make land
Ing, however, and the Bear proceeded to
Port Clarence. There landing was made
Thirty OF the reindeer had died and all
were more or less affected by the rough
voyage.
The Bear vainly attempted to make 4
landing at Cape Prince OF Wales on the
10th of July, but the effort was given up
on account Of rough weather. The Bear
met the revenue cutter Thetis in the strait
near St Lawrence Bay. Surgeon Call, Of
the Bear. had been III for some time and
Surgeon Hawley. of the Thetis. was trans
ferred TO the Bear TO care for him The
Bear returned to Port Clarence on the
lftn on account OF rough weather. At that
port a seaman. named Temple from the
whaling bark Mermaid, San Francisco. was
arrested fer stabbing a fellow seaman,
named Crutchfield- At the same place a
native, named Aoruk, was arrested for the
murder OF Frank Boyd a miner. on the
Noatok River. in August. 1897. This muir
der was most fragrant and deliberate one
ana great excitement has been caused
among the natives because the murderer
openly boasted OF his crime and constantly
engaged in thievery and outlawry
Arriving in the vicinity OF Behring
straits. many stories we're heard OF ter
rioie suffering among the people Scurvy
broke out among them In the spring Of
1888 and many deaths resulted About 500
people were encamped at Hotham Inlet In
distressed condition Surgeon HawIey
and Lieutenant Bertholf were sent 10 this
camp and they returned TO the vessel with
tnlrty-two persons who were affected with
scuryy. Some Of these would not have sur
vived long without medical attendance
From rs TO 25G persons were still in the
camp Many Of them had little or no food
and no means with which TO procure it.
All the destitute were brought to the YES
sell Assurance was given to the pecpIe
ashore that If they did not succeed In
getting away before the vessels return
they would be taken cut by the Bear.
There was plenty OF food for the uss
Of those left at the camp.
Lieutenant Jarvis describes the rush of
people TO kotzebue Sound in search of
gold as most deplorabIe affair. MisIed
by false information and advertisements.
many totally untitled to stand the hard
conditions and climate rushed to the coun-
try during the open season of 1898. During
the winter they found no gold whatever.
and in the spring they sought every means
or escaping from the region. some going
up the koaak River to the KOyukuk and
passing down TO the Yukon; others going
out on the numerous small vessels that
wintered at F,Otham Inlet, when the ice
broke up. and still others working along
the shore for Cape Nome in dories and all
manner OF small craft Many were drowned
IN the swift currents OF the rivers in the
fail Of 1898. Others lost their lives during
the winter from the cold and worst OF all.
In the spring scuryy broke out in nearly all
the camps. Lieutenant Jarvis enclosed
with his report list OF forty-eight deaths
These he gathered from the people at Ho-
than Inlet. and he has no doubt that there
were many other deaths that could not
be learned He apprehends that many OF
those who started coasting along the shores
for Cape Nome lost their lives in the ice
and bad weather