The National tribune., 1902-07-24


Island and came very near going ashore
on its ncighbor, Copper Island in a dense
fog, which lifted just in time to show us
our danger and enable us to avoid it.
These islands are somewhat celebrated
for the fur-bearing animals, both land and
marine that abound on them and in their
vicinity There are several varieties of
seal thereahouts. which are occasionally
hunted by whalcrs when there is a search
ty of the larger game. for the capture of
which they ai.- especially fitted out, and
some foxes and brown bears are found on
the islands. whose peltries excite the Gu
pidity of the sailors, when they have moth
ing better to. occupy their attention.
After good passage of nine days. We
sighted and stood towards Cape Thad-
deus. on the coast of Asia.
This Cape is situated on the opposite
meridian to Greenwich, and is usually
sighted by whalers for the purpose of
regulating their thermometers. 1t was for
merly great whaling ground and at that
time WAS still much frequentcd by vessels
in that trade. \ week before, 80 sail We're
in the vicinity. and had our visit taken
place at that time, the destruction of prop
erty would have been almost incaicuiable.
NEW BEDFORD wHALERs DESTROYED.
On June % we sighted two ships. and
steamed after the nearest, which was try
ing out oil, as Ne knew by the quantity of
smoke though she was at Il considerable
distance.
On nearing her, an officer and prize
crew went on board and brought off the
Captain and Mates from whom we learned
that oar prize WAS the William Thomp-
son. belonging to New Bedford. and the
largest whaling ship in the fleet.
Leaving the officer and prize crew III
charge, we steamed after the other. and
when near enough showed the English
flag, which she answered by hoisting the
Stars and Stripes. We ran close alongside
of her, sent an officer and prize crew on
board with orders to bring off her COM
pany at ence. and set the prize on fire,
which was done. This was the ship
Euphrates. and was also owned in New
Bedford. Her crew came off to us in her
own boats.
About 4 o'clock p. m. we spoke the Eng
lish whaler Robert Town, OF Sydney, Aus
tralia, and she was the only English ves-
sci we saw bound for the Arctic.
We then turned round and steamed
back toward the William Thompson. pass
ing on the way the Euphrates. now one
sheet of flame fore and aft. We remained
in the vicinity of the firSt-named vessel
until $3.50 the following morning. when
that also was set on fire. and we steamed
away TO the northward in search of more
Yankees
Portable: heavy fogs were frequent. and
furlies of snow not uncommon. and the
quantity of floating ice We encountered
somewhat impeded our progress, if it did
not place us in actual peril.
About u o'clock at noon on the 24th.
l&1 IL -
about the same thing with us, the sun
only remaining an hour or two beneath the
horizon, we began to near the Behring'S
Straits feet, for which we had been look
ing. ard by o'clock eight sail were in
sight from the deck.
The sun was shining with more than its
accustomed radiance as we advanced TO-
ward them. and as lis rays were reflected
from the glittering fields of ice, the effect
was indescribably beautiful
Away on our Starboard bow we could
distinguish boat and its crew gliding
swiftly through the water, flowed by a
large right whale to which they had Just
fastened, and the vessel 10 which it be-
longed was standing slowly after. to keep
It in view. Other ships We could see far
on IN the ileld-ice, trying out the biubber
OF the ponderaus animals which they pur-
sue and capture with such consummate
courage and skill: and upon the whole it
was scene of stirring activity we'll worth
looking at.
Seals in vast numbers were swimming
IN the water, or composedly floating on
the drifting ice, and Notwithstanding their
cold bed. seemed to enjoy vastly the rays
of the sun that for Sc small a portion of
the year makes its heat felt in these high
iatitudes.
On the starboard beam, stretching away
as far as the eye could reach. was
seemingly unbroken sea of zee while on
the port beam rose up the cold, dreary
shores of northern Asia. as sterile and
1nhospitable region as my eyes ever
looked upon
The two vessels nearest US had foreign
ensigns flying at their peaks. but the next
In order sported Uncle Sans gridiron. and
all the others belonged to that same enter
prisinS and wide-awake old gentleman.
The first that fell into our hands was
the ship Milo. of New Bedford. stanch
but siow-sailing craft, evidently built ex-
pressly for this hazardous cruising. and
was well prepared to resist the drifting
ace so constantly encountered in these seas
She had on board several barrels of oil,
but had only just commenced whaling in
earnest
The Captain was a fiue-looking old vet
eran, standing over six feet two. and
straight as an arrow. He came over the
side with ali the dignity of an Admiral,
and handed his papers to the First Lieu
tenant. who politely escorted him to the
Captains cabin.
PRISONERS TRANSFERRED.
After a brief conversation. Capt. Wad-
dell proposed to ransom the Milo for S4O.-
OoO, on condition OF her Captains agree
ing TO take what prisoners we then had
on hand, and might capture in that vicin-
ity, TO San Francisco
He accepted the proposal readily. highly
gratihed / have no doubt, at being able
TO save his vessel upon any terms. and
the requisite bond was drawn whereby he
bound his owners TO pay the neat sum Of
Si0, GOO At the close of the war
should be extremely unwilling to ac-
quire the character of a dun, but | shall
be pardoned, l trust, for reminding the
parties interested that this and a number
Of similar vouchers taken by us during onr
cruise have not yet been paid and if they
ever intend 10 take mp these obligations
no better time than the present will ever
offer. To be sure, the war terminated dis,
astrously to our cause but we are, there
fore, so much the more in n, 4 of any
triiiln@ sums that Iriay be owing us
hen this negotiation was concluded
satisfactorily to all parties. the old skpper
returned on board his vessel. and dis
patched his whale boats To bring off tho
Prisoners from the Shenandoah. Several
OF them warmly shook hands with us n,
parting, and expressed the hope that VIC
might meet again under different and more
pleasing circumstances. 1t was a senti
ment in which we could heartily concur
and L must say that American whalers
were o1icered by some OF the inoblest. mos,
hlgh-minded and generous men belonging