The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-25
BEARS ARCTIC CRUISE.
.ABSULT or HER pOTAGE OF HELP
IN ALASKAN W1TERS.

An Attempt to Take Reindeer to Camps
Only Partly Successful Arrests of Bad
Men-Scurvy and Death mt Hotham
Inlet-No Gold Found at Kotzebue sound.
WARRINGTON. Aug. 24.-Capt. Shoemaker.
Nhiof OF the revenue cutter service. received q
report to-day from Lieut.. d. II. Jarvis. the
commanding officer Of the cutter Bear giving
an account OF the cruise OF that vessel in
Alaskan waters. The report was dated at st.
Michaels July 20. II la devoted mainly to the
story Of an attempt to buy reindeer and carry
them to places in the northern part OF Alaska
where the animals are needed by the settlers
The Bear left Dutch Harbor on June &. and
arrived at Petropa uovski, Siberia. on June IT.
An attempt was made to buy reindeer there.
but II was found that 1t would be impossible.
because tho herds had been driven back on the
mainland from the coast.
The Bear then proceeded to Cen. Skobeleff
harbor. In the heart OF the reindeer country.
On Joly @ and z. 112 reindeer. including sew
eral young which II seemed best not to sep
arate from the others. were taken on board
The vessel. Two days were then spen. in
gathering 2S5 bags OF moss for the subsistence
OF the reindeer on the voyage. Good weather
prevailed after July until the Bear rounded
Oliutorski, when a strong west wind and
heavy sea was encountered Many OF the AMI
mails were taken sick and some OF the calves
uleu Oh boa-SlcKneSs. IL was nOpeu 10 lanu the
animals at Point Reindeer and deliver them
thence to Autsarlook 1t proved to be impos-
sible to make a landing. however. and the
Bear went to Port Clarence. There a landing
was made, Thirty OF the reindeer had died
and all were more or less affected by the
rough voyage.
The reindeer were driven overland from
Port Clarence to Point Rodney. The vessels
of the whaling feet found in port at Port CLAIR
enee were boarded and examined and a search
was made among the native tents for stills and
other Illicit property At St. Lawrence Island
. search was m de OF the village for evidences
OF distiling and a man named sablok. alias
Captain jack" a VIGOROUSLY bad character
was arrested for break ing into the house Of the
Government school teacher William +. Doty
and threatening his life. Mr.. Doty was taken
on board for passage to st. Michaels and Cap
Gain Jack was turned over to the authorities
From st. Lawrence. the Bear proceeded to
Point Spencer whore murderer named Nu-
barleo was heard Of and an attempt made to
Unrest him. But the murderer took of down
The coast and escaped. The Bear vainly at
tempted to make landing at Cape Prince OF
Wales on July is. but the effort was given up
on account OF rough weather The Bear met
she revenue cutter Thetls In the strait near
st. Lawrence Day. Surgeon Call Of the Bear
had been i'll for some time and Surgeon Hawley
OF the Thetis was transferred to the Bear to
care for him. The Bear returned to Port Clar-
ence on July II on account Of rough weather.
At that port seaman named Temple. from the
whaling bark. Mermaid. San Francisco. was
arrested for stabbinR fellow seaman named
Crutchheld. At the same place native named
Aeruk was arrested for the murder OF Frank
Boyd. miner. on the Noatok river In August
1897 This murder was fragrant and deliberate |
and great excitement has been caused among
the natives because the murderer boasted
openly Of his crime and constantly engaged in |
fhievery and outlawry. |
Arriving near Boring Straits. many stories |
were heard Of terrible suffering among the |
people. Scurvy broke out among them in the |
spring OF 1893. and many deaths resulted. |
About 800 people were encamped at Hctham |
Inlet in distressed condition. Surgeon Haw-
ley and Lieut.. Bertholf were sent to this camp
and they returned to the vessel with thirty two
persons who were affected with scurvy Some
of these would not have survived long without |
medical attendance. From 225 to $50 persons |
were still in the camp, many OF them had little |
or no food and no means with which to procure |
1t. All the destitute were brought to the YES |
sci. Assurance was given to the people ashore |
that II they did not succeed In getting away |
before the vessels return they would be taken |
out by the Bear There was plenty Of food for |
tho use OF those left at the camp.
Lieut.. Jarvis describes the rush OF people to |
Kotzebue Sound in search OF gold as a most
deporable flair. Misled BY false information |
and advertisements many totally unified to |
stand the hard conditions and climate. rushed
to the country during the open season Of 1899
During the winter no gold whatever was
found. and in the spring they sought every
means OF escaping from the region some going
mp the Koaak River to Koyukuk, and passing
down to the Yukon. others going out on the
numerous small vessels that wintered at
Hotham Inlet when the ice broke up and still
Others working along the shore for Cape Nome
In dores and oil manner OF small craft Many
were drowned in the swift currents OF the riv-
ers in the fall Of 1898. others lost their lives
during the winter from the cold and worst OF
all. In tho spring sourYy broke out in nearly all
The camps.
Lieut. Jarvis enclosed with his report a list
OF forty-eight deaths These he gathered from
che people at Hotham 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 tho
shores for Cape Mono lost their lives In tho ice
and bad weather. The persons. eighty three
In number. who were taken on board the Bear
at hotzcbue Sound. were turned over to tho
military authorities at St. Mchaels on
July ~.