The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-10
Old Mary D Hume Has
Made Her Last Voyage.
Made But One VISIT Back 20 Civiliza
Million UP In the Arc &c.

age 10 the frozen north. Since the
day she was turned from a smart
steam schooner into a full-hedged
.bIubber hunter" the Hume has been
almost continuously of the mouth OF
the Mackenzie river and there Is no
vessel afioat today that has remained
as long in the land OF the midnight sun
without change OF base as she.
During nine years of continuous ser
vice the Hume only once returned to-
civilization. That was in 1892. Early
in 1893 she returned to- Herschel ISL
and and in the Arctic circle she re-
NAMED until few days ago. when she
returned TO San Francisco, her days |
as a whaler being numbered.
The Hume will now he turned into |
"cannery tende~." and as such will |
tow the sailing vessels of the Pacific |
Steam Whaling Company S fleet in and
out the harbors II Prince Williams |
Sound.
The Mary ID. Hume was built nearly |
| eighteen years ago by George W.
Hume, the salmon packer, and named
| for his wife. She was as smart little
| steam schooner as Ihere was ON the
| Coast in those days. and many sue
| cessful trip she made between san
Francisco and Eel river. carrying but
ter and eggs and pl oduce.
| In the year 1888 the schooner Nico-
| lene was caught in the ice and could
| not get south of Point Barrow. The
| captain made the best of his hard luck
and spent a pretty fair winter. all
things considered. In the spring OF
| 1889 he saw plenty OF whales in the
| open sea. but for lack of steam he
could not get his vessel anywhere near
the leviathans. On his return to- san
Francisco in the idll of that year he
told of his experience and the late Cap
tain j. III. Knowles was quick to- see
the possibilities III u steam whaler in
the frozen north. He purchased the
Mary ID. Hume. built deck houses on
her and changed the little schooner in
to a brigantine. April 10, 1890, then.
saw the steam whaler Mary ID. Hume
on her way to the Arctic in command
of Captain James \. Tilton. Every
preparation had ceen made for winter
ing off the mouth of the Mackenzie
river and in consequence the men did
not suffer great deal during their
absence from civilization. There was
an abundance of fresh meat, as deer
were plentiful and elder ducks were
brought to the frJLen-in steamer by
| the EsQuimauX in thousands. The men
had to be kept employed. however. III
| order to ward OF scurvy. In Cpnse-
Quence gangs were sent out every day
on ice-cutting expeditions. others went
hunting the polar bear. while som'
had to hunt members of the crew whC
were foolish enough to- attempt to es
cape up the river to Canada and civil
y cation. All kinds of games wer'
played. but the favorite was football
Many holly contested game wa
played on the ice. Tossing in blan
ket'' was a game the men learned iron
the+squimauX. and some OF Their
nearly broke their neCks in attemptin
= to rival the aboriginal. The bianks
was made out of walrus hide piece
together and hung IN slantins pos
ton. The performer began on the NJ
per end. and after being thrown int
the air had To make his way to III
lower end in gradually decredsin
bounds until he dropped to- the ice
safety If his eye failed him the r.
suit would be an impact with the Il
that wo6ld raise howl OF deltgl
among the eager oulookers, but wou
not he appreciated in the same rat
by the unfortunate performer.
The winter of 1S90-9l was the fir
one the Hume spent in the Arctic.
the spring of 1892 she was the first
the field and secured the phenomen
l catch of thirty-six whales. At tn
- time the price of whalebone was We
high and a whale vas valued ut fro
$4,000 to $4,000. according to-
size. The Hume's catch reauZed nes
. " half a million dollars. Captain I
tons lay made him n rich man, u,
he is now living In New Bedford
the interest of the money earned
that memorable venture.
On April Is. 1892. the Hume. after
: thorough overhau,iag. started for {
Arctic once more. She was TO aga
winter off the mouth of the Mackenz
but this time she wds not to- be alo
NV Almost the entire steam whaling CO
pany's fleet was III keep her compal
while Roth. Blum * Co. Lewis. \
derson 4 Co. and James Mckenna i
representatives among the iCebou
fleet.
= Captain George b. Leavitt was
command OF the Hume, and before
ing into winter quarters he seCu
~ fourteen whales. During the sea:
when the sun is hidden the men OF
Hume taught the crews OF the rest
the fleet how to enjoy themselves. +
season there were football matches
the starboard watches.
The aurora borcllis made il posi-
for the men 10 play ut all hours.
they lost track &c time and played
- worked. with their regular watch
~ for sleep. continuously. Skipping 4
tests We're always going on. and 81
~ of the boatsteerers outdid the nat
m tossing in the blanket. while
baseball mines and football teams
veloped some crack players.
The fall OF 1924 found the III
again in winter quarters. this
with six whales. In the spring OF
she went to the westward OF Hers
Island and returned to winter quar-
with seven whales. She went out
ST, 1895 and caught i've whales. but