The San Francisco call., 1899-10-05
CONSUMP PT|ON IS
EPIDEMIC AMONG
THE ESQU|MAUX
Many Deaths Reported
at Point Barrow.

The steam whaler Beluga is back IN
port with one of the largest catches ever
made in the Arctic. During her absence
of thirty months the crew took sixty
three whales; so every man aboard has
big payday coming to him. Very few
days passed while the season lasted that
whale was not taken, and during one
day in August four of the leviathans were
caught That was not bad days work
when the fact that each whale is valued
at over $1,000 is taken into consideration:
Nearly the entire catch was made on
Bailey Island and Cape Bathurst.
There We're two fatalities on the Be
luga during the cruise. On August 26,
1895 several whales were sighted and all
the boats were lowered. The mates boat
made fast to a whale and the mammal
at once sounded. The rope was running
out of the tub so fast that water had to
be poured on the wood TO keep II from
catching fire Unfortunately just at that
moment Oscar HusChenbett stumbled and
stepped into the coil of flying rope. He
was carried overheard and down out Of
sight in an instant. The rope was at
once cut, but Huschenbett never came to
the surface again.
On September 10, 1898, an Indian was
killed. He formed one of a boats crew
that was fast TO a whale. After a long
chase the animal gave up and the boat
approached SO that the lance could finish
the Job. Just as the boatheader was
ready to strike the whale its big tail went
up and the next instant the boat was in
kindling wood. The Indian was killed out
right, but the rest OF the boats crew were
saved by the other boats.
Captain Bodfish reports that some kind
Of a disease like rapid consumption Is
epidemic among the Indians AT Point
Barrow, between August IA and Sep
tember there were nineteen deaths and
at Cape Bathurst three natives died dur
ing the few hours the Beluga was anchor
ed there. The Indians are scared so badly
that as soon as one of them is taken SICK
he Immediately begins making prepara-
tions for death. If the death rate keeps
up at Point Barrow, said Captain Bod
fish yesterday, there will be no Indians
left when the whalers get there next
spring"
nette, Karluk and Bowhead being chased
by the Bear are made out of whole cloth.
The Bear was in the Arctic ana ! sup
pose the officers were keeping bright
outlook for any one who would attempt TO
sell whisky to the natives, said Captain
Bodfsh. when the Bear was at Point
Barrow the Jeanette, Karluk and Bow
head were at Herschel Island and when
the three whalers reached Point Barrow
the revenue cutter was at st. Michael.
That was the nearest to each other they
We're while l was up there, SO the stories
of stern chases and bow chasers sending
leaden messengers after the fleeing whal-
ers are all fairy tales.
Tiki and Kaunana. the two Esquimaux
who came out with Mate Tilton of the
Belvedere with the news Of the frozen
whalers two years ago, are back at Point
Barrow. They are considered two of the
most artistic liars in the whole of the
frozen north. Their tales of the wonders
they saw in San Francisco are too much
for the simple natives who have never
been away from home and never saw
tall building in their lives.
Captain Bodfish reports that Captain
James McKenna, in the Fearless, was
ninety miles to the westward of Herschel
Island on August q and that Captain
Cogan, in Alaska, left Cape Smyth on
August % to go to the westward. Both
vessels were clean. The catch of the
rest of the fleet was given in yesterday
mornings Call.